After lying in bed for who knew how much longer, Lu Yu finally sat up, clutching his empty stomach. Looking around the pitch-black room, he felt about for a switch to turn on the lights.
After searching for a while, he found an oil lamp on the table. The corner of his mouth twitched. "Damn it, what a crooked merchant."
When Lu Yu went downstairs, he gave the owner a resentful look. The owner knew exactly how his inn was furnished and paid Lu Yu's look no mind. He had seen plenty of looks like that, and his inn was still doing just fine.
Smiling, the owner came out from behind the counter and walked up to Lu Yu.
"Honored guest, the iron staff you ordered is ready. Would you like to take a look?"
Hearing that the iron staff was ready, Lu Yu's resentment faded considerably. "Take me to it."
"Right this way!"
Lu Yu followed the owner to the entrance, where a pitch-black iron staff stood behind the door. Feeling its smooth surface, he could tell that the owner hadn't fobbed him off on this: he had found a skilled blacksmith to forge it.
Lu Yu reached out and gripped the shaft, then lifted the hundred-jin iron staff with one hand.
The sight made sweat bead on the owner's forehead. He had thought Lu Yu was a greenhorn who had just arrived, young and easy to fool, which was why he had deliberately charged him extra for the room. Now it was plain that the child in front of him was a Soul Master.
The innkeeper's calves were trembling. He was afraid Lu Yu would turn around and strike him with the staff. An ordinary person like him couldn't withstand a blow like that.
Lu Yu hefted the staff and was very satisfied with its weight. After taking Whale Rubber to strengthen his body, and with his level 3 Soul Power on top of that, the hundred-jin staff felt just right in his hand.
Turning to the sweating owner, Lu Yu grinned, showing a row of little white teeth. "Thanks," he said casually.
Then he slung the iron staff over his shoulder, turned and left the inn.
The Great Sage lay on Lu Yu's right shoulder and reached out a tiny monkey paw to touch the iron staff on his left. His monkey face was full of disdain.
The streets of Suotuo City were especially lively at night, with plenty of snack stalls. Lu Yu followed the aromas, eating as he went. He was starting to regret bringing the staff out with him; it really did get in the way.
"Ah, looks like I need to get a Storage Soul Tool. Carrying a big thing like this around really isn't convenient!"
After grumbling to himself, Lu Yu shifted the staff to another position on his shoulder. Much more comfortable, he held out the food in his hand to the Great Sage.
The Great Sage picked up the chopsticks and brought a morsel to Lu Yu's mouth, then took a little for himself. The next moment, he was sticking out his tongue and squeaking.
The sight made Lu Yu burst out laughing. Instead of giving the Great Sage water to relieve the heat, he recalled him into the Martial Soul space, then brought him back out again.
With that, the negative status affecting the Great Sage vanished in an instant, and the spicy taste transferred to Lu Yu's mouth.
It was a curious sensation, one he couldn't quite describe. It was as if his mouth had suddenly caught fire without any warning. Very strange.
"Great Sage, that's what you get for being greedy. Don't go eating everything you see from now on!"
The Great Sage tucked in his neck aggrievedly and squeaked twice. Passing a fruit stall, Lu Yu bought two fruits he had never seen before and gave them to the Great Sage.
After wandering for a while, Lu Yu noticed that there were far fewer stalls around, though the crowd hadn't thinned. Looking about, he saw a huge sign that read:
[Soto Great Soul Arena]
"Oh, so this is the Soul Fighting Arena? I'll take a look first, then decide whether to fight!"
Lu Yu rolled his neck, eager to give it a try.
He was still four or five meters from the entrance when he heard a jumble of shouts from within. He picked at his ear and strode inside.
He had only taken a few steps when two burly men stopped him. One looked him over and said contemptuously, "Kid, this isn't a place for you. Get out!"
Lu Yu merely gave them an indifferent glance. With a thought, a white Ten-Year Soul Ring appeared beneath his feet.
Seeing that Lu Yu was a Soul Master, the two men curled their lips and stopped blocking him, each taking a step back.
Lu Yu paid them no mind. In this world where strength reigned supreme, you could do anything as long as you were strong enough.
He looked around as he walked and soon arrived at the place to register for Soul Fighting. A voluptuous beauty sat at the counter. Lu Yu gave her only a casual glance; he didn't have the means for that yet.
"Hello, I'd like to register a Soul Fighting identity."
The beauty at the counter nodded. "Please test your Soul Power Level first."
Looking at the crystal ball, which was just like the one used to test Soul Power, Lu Yu recalled the Great Sage into his body and placed his hand on it.
The beauty at the counter was briefly stunned when the golden-furred monkey on Lu Yu's shoulder suddenly vanished. She said nothing, merely giving Lu Yu another look.
The Great Sage took away ten levels of Lu Yu's Soul Power. With the Great Sage outside, Lu Yu himself had only level 3 Soul Power. He didn't dare enter a Soul Fight with level 3 Soul Power; he would definitely be thrown out.
When the testing crystal showed level 13 Soul Power, the receptionist was stunned again and took another look at Lu Yu. It couldn't be helped; Lu Yu had only become a Soul Master half a month ago.
The original owner's family had been so poor that they never knew where their next meal would come from, and he had always been scrawny. Even after half a month of recuperation, Lu Yu still looked very small and thin.
Only after checking again that there was nothing wrong with the testing crystal did the beauty record Lu Yu's Soul Power Level.
"Please choose a codename."
Lu Yu had already thought of one and blurted it out. "Great Sage Equal to Heaven!"
The beauty at the counter glanced at Lu Yu, her eyes full of disdain. He looked so little, yet he talked big, actually wanting to be "equal to heaven"!
"Registration for a Soul Fighting identity costs ten Gold Soul Coins," she said coldly.
Lu Yu naturally noticed the change in her tone, but paid it little mind. He took ten Gold Soul Coins from his pocket and handed them over.
"This is your Soul Fighting identity token. Please keep it safe. Would you like me to arrange a Soul Fighting match for you?" the beauty asked in a formulaic tone.
"Thank you, but no!" Lu Yu accepted the token, nodded his thanks, and turned to leave.
After walking around for a while, Lu Yu came to the junior Soul Fighting Arena and sat down somewhere with a clear view. He set the staff down from his shoulder with a thud and casually rubbed his shoulder.
He opened the food he had packed and ate as he watched the Soul Fighting match below.
One fighter was a young man, the other middle-aged. The young man held a broadsword with nine round holes along its spine, and a white Ten-Year Soul Ring shone beneath his feet.
The middle-aged man held a dagger with a dark red blade. He too had a white Ten-Year Soul Ring beneath his feet.
Looking at the white Ten-Year Soul Rings beneath them, Lu Yu shook his head and sneered inwardly.
Gangzi, oh, Gangzi, who doesn't know the optimal Soul Ring configuration? But how many people can really attain it? And how many have died because of your laughable theory, trying to absorb a Soul Ring at your so-called First Soul Ring limit?
Leaving everyone else aside, there was Lu Fei. With Lu Fei's physique, Lu Yu really doubted whether he would explode and die if he absorbed a two-hundred-year Soul Ring.
(P.S. I only discovered today that a generous reader had sent a tip. Thank you so much, and thanks to all my other esteemed readers for your support. Thank you for the monthly votes and recommendation votes. When I have time, I'll do my best to post two chapters a day!)