Wang Xiaoming smiled and nodded, then headed for the waiting room beneath the regretful gazes of some of the people around him.
By his reckoning, even without transforming, his physical strength was enough to crush the vast majority of One-Ring Soul Masters, unless they belonged to the Agility Attack System.
After transforming, he could put up a fight even against a three-ring Soul Master.
The Great Soul Arena had plenty of waiting rooms. Wang Xiaoming picked one with few people in it and sat down.
The people inside were a little surprised to see a child there, but no one said much, let alone approached him for a chat.
For ordinary Soul Masters, the most important reason to come to the Great Soul Arena, aside from honing themselves, was to earn money and get ten Gold Soul Coins a day to make a living.
For them, the tension before a fight couldn't be disturbed, or their condition would suffer considerably.
Wang Xiaoming sat quietly in his seat and waited.
After a while, an announcement suddenly rang out.
[Would contestants Knight and Black Whirlwind please proceed to arena ten. Repeat, would contestant Knight...]
"Finally, it's my turn."
Hearing the announcement, Wang Xiaoming couldn't wait to hop down from his chair and head for arena ten.
He passed through the contestants' passage and soon arrived at arena ten.
The referee in the air was a little dumbfounded when he received the information.
What kind of lunatic would choose to challenge someone above his level?
Still, that was none of his concern. His only job was to get the crowd fired up.
So he cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, you'd never guess what we have here in arena ten today. We've welcomed the first contestant to challenge someone above his level today-no, in the past few months!
"Next up, the level-fourteen One-Ring Battle Soul Master, Knight, will fa~ce the level-twenty-nine Two-Ring Battle Soul Master, Black Whirlwind!!!"
But when those words came out, the audience wasn't the only one left dumbfounded. Black Whirlwind was too.
Was this a free handout?
Especially when he stepped onto the platform and saw that the person opposite him was a child, his disdain grew even greater.
"Kid, if you don't want to get hurt, hurry up and get off. I don't bully children!"
Wang Xiaoming looked at the short, burly man opposite him, whose body was covered in thick hair, and nearly failed to suppress his laughter.
"Mister, even though you look pretty intimidating, you've got a surprisingly kind heart... Don't worry, in that case, I'll go easy on you in a moment."
Little did he know, the moment he spoke, his voice caught the attention of someone in the nearby stands.
How was he there!?
When Black Whirlwind heard him, the veins on his forehead twitched.
This damn kid really had a foul mouth!
How was it his fault he looked like this? Did the kid think he wanted to look this way!?
Black Whirlwind stared at Wang Xiaoming, grinding his teeth as he forced the words out between them.
"Since you're looking for death, don't blame me!!"
"Frenzied Ape, possess!"
Black Whirlwind let out a roar. One white and one yellow Soul Ring rose beneath his feet, and the matte black hair on his body suddenly began to shine like refined iron.
His already powerful body grew even stronger, especially his arms, which were like a pair of war hammers.
Facing a level-twenty-nine Power Attack System Soul Master, Wang Xiaoming didn't underestimate him. He pulled open his belt, took a barcode card from his card case, and inserted it.
"Transform."
[Kamen Ride--] [Decade--!!]
Wang Xiaoming shot up in height and, amid a flicker of illusory cards, became a knight clad in magenta armor!
As he transformed, a yellow Soul Ring appeared beneath his feet.
Quite a few people in the arena were briefly surprised to see that Soul Ring, but that was all.
"What kind of strange Martial Soul is that?"
"A hundred-year first ring?"
"Impressive kid. No wonder he's confident enough to challenge someone above his level. So that's how it is."
"Heh, he's only level fourteen. How much Soul Power could he have to keep using Soul Skills? Don't overestimate him."
"Exactly. I'm rooting for Black Whirlwind. Smash him!"
"Black Whirlwind! Black Whirlwind!!"
A single high-level Soul Ring couldn't make up for the difference of a whole Soul Ring and fifteen levels!
In the stands, Ye Lingling also began to worry about Wang Xiaoming, clasping her hands tightly together.
Judging by his age, he was indeed a genius, but that didn't mean he could challenge someone so strong above his level!
It was like a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor trying to hunt a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast alone. Wasn't that like lighting a lamp in an outhouse-looking for shit?
"Lingling, I won! Did you see?"
Just as she was breaking out in a cold sweat for Wang Xiaoming, a short-haired beauty in a blue qipao walked toward her, swaying her slender waist.
Although they looked to be the same age, she was a head taller than Ye Lingling and better developed.
"Mm."
Ye Lingling gave a perfunctory response, but kept her eyes fixed on the Soul Fighting Arena where Wang Xiaoming was.
"What? You're watching someone else?"
Dugu Yan was used to Ye Lingling's cold manner.
Still, Ye Lingling was the only person at the academy she thought was worth her attention, so she could accept her being a little odd.
She followed Ye Lingling's gaze.
When she saw that Ye Lingling was watching a fight in a Soul Scholar arena, she immediately lost interest.
A Two-Ring Soul Master fighting a One-Ring Soul Master? Wasn't that just beating up a weakling? What was there to watch?
Wait...
Dugu Yan glanced at Black Whirlwind, whose body was covered in black hair, standing opposite Wang Xiaoming.
Could it be... that was Lingling's type?
She didn't think of Wang Xiaoming at all.
After all, she'd seen the kid before he transformed. He looked far too young, so he could only rank behind that black gorilla.
At the thought, Dugu Yan's cheek twitched.
She really couldn't understand it!!
Even if she wanted a boyfriend, she should at least find a handsome one.
Pica?
Just then, in the VIP seats on the third floor,
several people quietly appeared there as well, watching the fight on Wang Xiaoming's Soul Fighting platform.
The person in the lead wore a set of ornate yet lightweight gold-and-silver armor. He had short blond hair and a somewhat sinister bearing.
Platinum Bishop Salas, whom Wang Xiaoming had met that day, stood respectfully behind him.
The man stared down at Wang Xiaoming, and a soft, feminine voice came from his mouth.
"Salas, is that the Innate Full Soul Power kid you mentioned?"
"Yes, Lord Yue Guan. That's him."
Salas looked down at Wang Xiaoming, feeling rather pleased with himself.
Now that even a Titled Douluo had been sent over, what could Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe possibly use to contend with him?
Still, he hadn't expected the kid's Martial Soul to turn into such a strange suit of armor... Sure enough, what he'd awakened wasn't a Trash Martial Soul. It might even be a high-level Martial Soul!