No way! A man beat her to it?!
Xuan Ming rubbed his eyes. "Don't force me to throw you all out of here in the middle of the night."
Upon hearing Xuan Ming's words, everyone fell silent, but the burning desire for gossip in their eyes could not be extinguished.
"We... we just came to see if you've calmed down yet." Dugu Yan broke the silence first, but her eyes couldn't help but dart into the bedroom, trying to find more "clues" inside.
"I'm not breathing." Xuan Ming straightened his clothes.
What are you doing bringing so many boxes here?
"I was just worried you'd go hungry," Ning Rongrong pouted.
Xue Qinghe had regained his composure and cleared his throat, saying, "Now that Xuan Ming is alright, let's all eat something. We've all been busy all day and are quite hungry."
Everyone gathered around the sofa in the living room, opened their lunchboxes, and the aroma filled the air. As they ate, they chatted casually, and the atmosphere gradually relaxed.
However, looking at Xue Qinghe sitting next to Xuan Ming and serving him food, everyone's expressions became increasingly complicated.
They're not even trying to hide it from people anymore?
The preliminary rounds continued. This round's opponents weren't particularly strong. Xuan Ming didn't even have to lift a finger, and Dugu Yan and her group finished the battle in less than a minute. However, they had used a bit too much force, clearly indicating they weren't in a good mood.
Xuan Ming didn't explain much, after all, this matter was really hard to explain, or rather, if he didn't say anything, it would pass after a while, but if he did explain, Dugu Yan and the others would only become more suspicious.
After all, his relationship with Xue Qinghe had been somewhat strange over the years. Sometimes he would treat Xue Qinghe directly as Qian Renxue, and Xue Qinghe would sometimes forget her disguised identity and get physical with him.
Was there anything special about today's match?
Looking at Xuan Ming, who remained in the Great Soul Arena after the match, Xue Qinghe was somewhat puzzled.
"Let's watch the show," Xuan Ming said.
"Lively?" Xue Qinghe raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Let's find another place to watch the fun."
With that, Xue Qinghe pulled Xuan Ming along and headed towards the VIP seats.
"They really don't care about being seen anymore?" Ning Rongrong stared blankly at the two people walking away.
"What kind of things are you thinking about?" Zhu Zhuqing couldn't stand it anymore.
Ning Rongrong turned around, her feelings extremely complicated. " Zhu Zhuqing, but that's a man."
"Him... please don't think such dirty thoughts," Zhu Zhuqing said helplessly.
The Golden-Haired Lion King —that's what Xuan Ming called the woman who captured her in Suotuo City.
However, when Xue Qinghe went to see Xuan Ming before, Xuan Ming said the same thing.
Although this matter was somewhat bizarre, she noticed that the strange atmosphere between Xuan Ming and Xue Qinghe was exactly the same as that between Xuan Ming and that woman back then.
In other words, the woman known as the Golden-Haired Lion King is very likely the same person as Xue Qinghe!
VIP seating.
Led by Xue Qinghe, Xuan Ming also sat down next to him.
Upon seeing this, Bibi Dong, who was sitting in the first row, transmitted a few words to Yue Guan beside her. The latter nodded, stood up, and walked to Xuan Ming.
" Xuan Ming, His Holiness the Pope requests your presence at the front," Yue Guan said.
Xuan Ming was slightly taken aback. Xue Qinghe subconsciously clenched her fists, but considering her current status, she suppressed her anger. "Since His Holiness the Pope invited you, you should go."
Xuan Ming hesitated, then stood up and walked to the front. " Your His Holiness the Pope."
Bibi Dong tilted her head, glanced at Yue Guan's position, and raised her chin. "Sit."
The atmosphere in the VIP area changed instantly upon hearing this.
Everyone turned to look in their direction, their eyes filled with shock.
A Titled Douluo, an elder of the Spirit Hall, offering his seat to Xuan Ming?
Moreover, beside the Pope?
Is this blatant poaching?
" Fengzhi, the situation seems to be more complicated," Gu Rong transmitted telepathically.
As the Punishment Elder of the Spirit Hall and the second-in-command of the Pope's Palace, it was one thing for Yue Guan to stand up and offer his seat to Xuan Ming in front of so many people, but judging from his appearance, he didn't seem annoyed at all!
What kind of temper Yue Guan? How could this be?
Ning Fengzhi shook his head and remained silent.
He can't understand it at all now.
The relationship between Xuan Ming and the Pope seems to be somewhat extraordinary. Moreover, the fact that Yue Guan would offer him his seat without any annoyance in this situation clearly indicates that they are old acquaintances!
Chapter 255 The Hard Gap Between Martial Soul
The preparation phase of the competition began, and the teams for this round entered the arena, guided by the on-site staff, and walked onto their respective Soul Fighting Arena.
The little incident in the VIP section became even more delicate after Salas stood up to offer his seat to Yue Guan.
Upon seeing Skywater Academy and Shrek Academy appear in the central Soul Fighting Arena, Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow slightly and turned to look at Xuan Ming, "You've come to see Shrek Academy?"
Xuan Ming nodded.
" Salas, how strong is this Shrek Academy student?" Bibi Dong asked.
" Shrek?" Salas was slightly taken aback, his expression becoming somewhat unnatural.
"This academy was formerly known as Blue Tyrant Academy, but it was suddenly renamed Shrek Academy about half a year ago. The academy's higher-ups..."
Salas cautiously observed Bibi Dong's expression, feeling somewhat flustered, and dared not continue speaking.
Bibi Dong glanced at Salas, "Speak."
Salas took a deep breath and mustered his courage to say, "The academy's higher-ups are the former Golden Iron Triangle: Flender of the Horn of Flight is the Dean of the Shrek Academy, Liu Erlong of the Horn of Slaughter is the Vice Dean, Yu Xiaogang of the Horn of Wisdom is the Chief of the Academy's Education Committee."
"As for the Shrek Team's performance... it's somewhat unexpected. Although they were quite embarrassing at the opening ceremony, surrendering as soon as they entered the arena, they haven't lost a single match since then."
"In terms of performance, they are tied with the Skywater Academy."
Ever since he saw Yu Xiaogang, the leader of Shrek Academy, surrender at the opening match, he had conducted an emergency investigation into the academy, just in case.
After the opening match, almost everyone regarded the Shrek Team as clowns, even though they won against the Elephant Armor Academy, one of the Five Elements Academy. Everyone just thought it was because they were incredibly lucky.
However, in a corner that no one noticed, this team miraculously developed!
So far, apart from the three teams that still maintain an undefeated record— Emperor Dou, Godwind, and Thunderclap— the Shrek Team, along with the teams Tianshui and Skywater Blazing, have the same record and belong to the second tier.
According to past practice, he would usually manipulate the draw to ensure Shrek faced strong teams in succession, but this time, with Shrek's team leader Yu Xiaogang present, he really didn't dare to do anything reckless!
Outsiders may not know, but as a veteran of the Spirit Hall, he had a clear understanding of the situation of these two people back in Spirit City!
Although the relationship between Bibi Dong and Xuan Ming is somewhat inexplicable, their ages are considerable, and Yue Guan had brought Hu Liena to the Martial Soul Holy Temple in Heaven Dou City many times before. Therefore, he judged that Xuan Ming should be related to Hu Liena, and Bibi Dong, as their teacher, was acting as an intermediary.
In the second row of the VIP section, Xue Qinghe frowned slightly as he watched Salas nervously report on the Shrek Academy to Bibi Dong, especially when it came to Yu Xiaogang. Salas's strange reaction—almost glancing at Bibi Dong's expression after every single word he uttered—made him even more nervous.
She sent Snake Lance Douluo to investigate what happened in Spirit City back then, but there were no results at all. So many old people in Spirit City who had worked there for decades, not a single one of them could give a clear account of what happened back then.
She had initially thought the Pope forbade her to speak out, but in the past six months, Spirit City had been almost entirely under the control of Golden Crocodile Douluo, yet she still couldn't find anything.
It's obvious that Golden Crocodile Douluo, or even her grandfather, is keeping this information from her!
But judging from Salas's expression, this old man seems to know a lot about what happened back then...
" Yue Guan, who do you think will win this match between the Shrek Academy and Skywater Academy?" Bibi Dong asked.
" Skywater Academy," Yue Guan said without hesitation.
Although Shrek Academy is somewhat surprising, their Control System Soul Master's Martial Soul is merely a broken Blue Silver Grass, which is absolutely no match for the Ice Phoenix Martial Soul Master from the Skywater Academy.
This is an absolute difference in Martial Soul!
Bibi Dong looked at Xuan Ming, "What do you think?"
"I'll sit and watch," Xuan Ming replied instinctively.
Bibi Dong paused slightly, then a barely perceptible smile appeared on her lips. "Be serious."
" Skywater," Xuan Ming said.
"Then I'll bet on Shrek. If you win, I'll give you a gift later," Bibi Dong said.
Xuan Ming's eye twitched slightly, a bad feeling rising within him. "There's no need for a gift, is there?"
"No, I'll give it to you, you have to take it," Bibi Dong said calmly.
"..."
Hearing these words, which sounded strangely like flirting, the atmosphere in the VIP section became even more awkward.
Although many people thought the Pope was stirring up trouble to kidnap people, Yue Guan, who knew the truth, just found the scene incredibly exciting!
Flirting in front of so many people!
Especially in front of Xue Qinghe!
This is much more interesting than the competition below!
At this moment, the match in the Soul Fighting Arena finally officially began.
In the central Soul Fighting Arena, Skywater Academy faces Shrek Academy.
Under Shui Bing'er's continuous Ice Seal, Shrek Team's offensive formation was repeatedly disrupted, and Tang San's Blue Silver Grass completely lost its previous power. As Control System Soul Master, he not only failed to control his opponent, but was instead controlled by him.
Moreover, this Control System Soul Master focused his attention on him almost the entire time, not even giving him a chance to unleash his third Soul Skill!
Facing such absolute suppression for the first time, Tang San's mentality faltered slightly, but he managed to remain calm.
"Captain, do you have a grudge against him?"
The team members from the Skywater Academy also noticed Shui Bing'er's deliberate targeting of Tang San.
Although Control System Soul Master are the soul of a team, Shui Bing'er was clearly being a bit too lenient with Tang San!
This is ruthless suppression! They're not giving Tang San a chance to make a move at all!
In previous matches, Shui Bing'er had never shown such favoritism to any team's Control System Soul Master.
"Don't get distracted." Shui Bing'er didn't answer. After all, it was something she really couldn't bring herself to say. She had never done anything like deliberately attacking other Soul Master ' Martial Soul by relying on the strength of her own Martial Soul.
Moreover, for Tang San to cultivate to this level with Trash Martial Soul like Blue Silver Grass is already beyond reason. If she hadn't promised Xuan Ming, she really wouldn't have done such a thing.
I just hope Tang San can be stronger. After all, the gap between Martial Soul is indeed a cruel reality.
As the game progressed, the situation became increasingly tense.
Skywater Academy gradually gained the upper hand with its powerful Martial Soul advantage, forcing the Shrek Academy team into a desperate situation.
Especially the gap between the two sides 'Control System Soul Master caused Shrek Academy's tactical rhythm to be disrupted. Although Dai Mubai could suppress Skywater Academy's Power Attack System Soul Master, his Soul Power was being rapidly depleted under Shui Bing'er's repeated control.
"If I can't control my Martial Soul, then I'll control it myself." Tang San abandoned his strategy of using Blue Silver Grass to control the rhythm of the battlefield and activated Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to charge forward, intending to use his close-combat advantage to deal with the Skywater Academy.
Although Shui Bing'er didn't understand, she couldn't give Tang San such an opportunity. She locked onto him with her mind and released the Ice Seal again, freezing Tang San in a block of ice once more.
Mind lock?
Tang San's eyes trembled slightly. Even when he used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, he couldn't escape this control; it was a mental lock control skill!
Even if he Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, how could he possibly evade the mental tracking of a Soul Ancestor of Control System above level 40?
" The Xiao San!"
Dai Mubai rushed forward and activated his third Soul Skill to help Tang San block the attack from three Soul Master from the Skywater Academy.
Taking this opportunity, Tang San also broke free from the Ice Seal and retreated back to the center of the group.
"What should we do? If this continues, they'll wear us down," Dai Mubai said.
Skywater Academy isn't very aggressive, but their control and attrition abilities are too strong!
The icy rain currently falling on them is rapidly depleting their Soul Power; if this continues, they will undoubtedly lose!
"If Yu Tianheng were here, we would still have the ability to forcefully attack the enemy's Control System Soul Master, but now..." Tang San frowned.
As a fellow Control System Soul Master, he had completely lost to his opponent in terms of battlefield rhythm control and overall control ability!