"So what exactly did you want with me?"
Xu Sanshi led the two of them to Sea God Lake and looked glumly at his junior.
He had actually been overpowered by a junior who had only just enrolled. Although he had only lost in strength, he still felt as though he had wasted his dozen-odd years of life.
Lin Xi looked toward Sea God Lake.
Sea God Lake was beautiful at night. Beneath the night sky, its calm surface seemed vast enough to encompass all things.
To be honest, he had never expected to learn any real skills at Shrek.
Judging by the original story, aside from what Mu En taught and the Ultimate Individual Soldier Plan, there was practically nothing worth learning at Shrek.
Surely he wasn't supposed to come here just to learn how to run?
What a joke.
His reason for joining Shrek was exactly what he had told the Three-Eyed Golden Lion: some things were inaccessible unless you joined a top-tier power.
Connections were a very important part of that.
Shrek's Mu En, the Body Sect's Du Busi, Sun Moon's Kong Deming, the Holy Spirit Cult's Long Xiaoyao, and Di Tian of the Star Dou Great Forest.
These supreme experts were the greatest draw of those major powers.
And compared to other powers, Shrek had another advantage: its connections were more numerous and more varied.
The Body Sect and the Holy Spirit Cult went without saying. Their spheres of influence were already highly filtered, with only those with Body Martial Souls and evil Soul Masters eligible to join them respectively. Although they could also serve as a means of latching onto Heavenly Soul and Sun Moon, that still wasn't enough.
Sun Moon and the Star Dou Great Forest were even more extreme. Their exclusivity was slightly greater than even those two, the Sun Moon Empire because it intended to wage wars of conquest, and the Star Dou Great Forest because of the difference in species.
Only Shrek had so many powers represented that it seemed like a joke.
Just count them.
Xu Sanshi of the Dou Ling Empire's imperial family, the eldest and second young masters of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, the Sun Moon Empire's fugitive prince He Caitou, the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's young sect master Ning Tian, the Clear Sky Sect's little princess Wang Dong'er, and Yan Shaozhe, a descendant of two Limit Douluos.
Just listing them made his scalp tingle, making him unable to help marvel that it was no wonder the federation would spare no cost to destroy Shrek ten thousand years later.
It was no exaggeration to say that if someone found a way to control all those people, with the right maneuvering, they could even rule the entire Douluo Continent.
This was also what Lin Xi valued most about Shrek. After all, there were people he couldn't reach as he was now, and he needed Shrek as a platform to close the distance between himself and them.
The hotheaded fool before him was his first success.
Lin Xi turned his gaze back to Xu Sanshi and said with a smile:
"I'd like to make a bet with you, Senior. What do you think?"
"What kind of bet?"
Xu Sanshi warily stepped back.
After constantly being tricked by Bei Bei, he had gained a little experience.
Being tricked by Bei Bei was one thing-they were brothers, after all. But if this newly enrolled junior tricked him and word got out, he would never live it down.
"Don't be so nervous. It's very fair."
A sly gleam flashed in Lin Xi's eyes.
"How about this? We fight. If you win, I'll buy two Mystic Water Pills at twice the market price. If I win, you give me two Mystic Water Pills."
"No."
Xu Sanshi blurted it out.
Was he kidding? Two Mystic Water Pills?
If he really gave them away, his father would beat his backside until it blossomed!
"Hmm... so that won't work after all?" This didn't fall outside Lin Xi's expectations. Grinning, he suggested, "Then how about adding another condition? If I win, I'll become your friend. How's that?"
"Don't even think..."
Xu Sanshi was about to refuse when he saw Lin Xi's meaningful look and suddenly came to his senses.
Wait, that might not be such a bad idea.
A first-year defeating him, the strongest fifth-year, would be practically unheard of.
If this kid could really pull off such a miracle, he would surely become someone remarkable in the future.
Using two Mystic Water Pills to build a good relationship with talent of that caliber seemed acceptable?
Besides, he had only lost to the kid in strength. He wouldn't necessarily lose the fight.
At that thought, Xu Sanshi drew a deep breath.
"All right, it's a deal! Shall we head to the Soul Fighting Zone?"
"No, let's do it right here." Lin Xi slowly shook his head. "Otherwise, you'll have to lose to a first-year freshman in front of everyone, Senior. Wouldn't that be too pitiful?"
"You've certainly got a mouth on you, kid." Xu Sanshi laughed irritably. "Fine, right here it is. Don't beg for mercy later!"
Lin Xi smiled faintly and ignored him, simply retreating fifty meters before calling out:
"Is this distance fine?"
"Fine." As Xu Sanshi spoke, he released his Martial Soul. "Come on!"
His entire body tensed as he stared fixedly at Lin Xi's movements.
Judging by how completely Lin Xi had overpowered him earlier, he was undoubtedly a Power Attack System Soul Master.
He most likely had a strength-type Beast Martial Soul. Even if it was a Tool Martial Soul, it was definitely a strength-type weapon like a hammer.
In that case, speed was his weakness. As long as Xu Sanshi timed things right, winning wouldn't be difficult.
To be fair, under normal circumstances, this was a very rational analysis.
Unfortunately, Xu Sanshi would soon learn just how absurdly wrong he was.
When those three black Soul Rings came into view, his first reaction was to rub his eyes.
Huh? Was the night too dark? Had he seen wrong?
Then a fierce gust of wind came rushing toward him.
A silver figure crossed the fifty meters in an instant, appearing before him at a speed beyond what his eyes could follow.
Xu Sanshi hurriedly raised his shield to defend, but it was already too late.
A chill touched his neck as a spear was laid against it.
The girl, whose beauty seemed beyond human, chuckled and said:
"Don't move, little turtle. My spear is very sharp. Move even a little, and your head will part from your body."
Her smile was so captivating, yet her words were so cruel. Together, they intimidated Xu Sanshi so much that he could barely speak and could only nod frantically.
The girl turned to look at Lin Xi.
"Master, is that enough?"
"Yes, that's enough."
Lin Xi nodded in reply.
Only then did Melusine lower her spear.
The moment she lowered it, Xu Sanshi dropped onto his backside.
That killing aura had been far too terrifying. He would bet that this silver-haired girl had killed at least several hundred people.
Lin Xi walked up to him and held out a hand.
"Senior, don't sit on the ground. It's so dirty. Come on, get up."
"..." Xu Sanshi looked at Melusine, who was clinging to Lin Xi's arm and acting utterly spoiled, then at Lin Xi's completely sincere face. The corner of his mouth twitched. "Who is this girl?"
"Oh, her? She's my summon." As Lin Xi spoke, he snapped his fingers. "Come out, Artoria."
No sooner had he spoken than a beautiful blonde figure appeared beside him.
As he watched Lin Xi with a girl on either side, Xu Sanshi's eyes gradually grew hollow.
He had thrown away all his dignity pursuing Jiang Nannan and still couldn't get a kind word out of her, yet this kid's Soul Skills were actually such adorable girls-and so strong, too.
Comparing yourself to others really could anger you to death...
"Well, Senior Sanshi?" Lin Xi pulled Xu Sanshi up from the ground. "You're not going to go back on your word, are you?"
"...Of course not." Xu Sanshi took a deep breath, barely gathering his thoughts. "I'll have someone deliver the Mystic Water Pills to you in a few days. I'm definitely making a friend of you!"
"That's good." Lin Xi smiled in satisfaction, took out a card, and handed it to Xu Sanshi. "Then, as your friend, I'll give you a membership. You're welcome to shop at my family's business."
"Hmm?"
Xu Sanshi looked at the card in confusion.
Then his pupils trembled.
"The Unlimited Blade Works Chamber of Commerce?!"