"Xiao Xuan, it's a good thing for a young person to be competitive and eager to improve."
"But you've only just enrolled, and your foundations are still shallow. Your priority is to consolidate your basic Soul Power. Rushing into the contest for a main-team position would do you more harm than good. You should go back and build up your foundations first."
At Qin Ming's refusal, Xiao Xuan's heart remained as still as water. He had expected all of this.
Without moving from his spot, he met Qin Ming's gaze and asked calmly:
"Teacher Qin, I only want to know the exact mandatory procedure for an ordinary student to become an official member of the team under the academy's regulations."
The young man before him showed no sign of backing down, even after his advice.
Qin Ming pondered briefly, then leaned back in his chair and laid out the requirements clearly:
"There are rules, of course."
"First, your Soul Power must reach the Soul Elder level or higher."
"Second, you must win ten matches in the Soul Elder division of the Soul Fighting Arena."
"Third, you must pick an official team member to challenge. Win, and you'll qualify as an official member."
Qin Ming picked up his teacup and took a sip before continuing, "Of course, for the third requirement, your opponent will be chosen according to the characteristics of your Martial Soul."
Xiao Xuan smiled faintly.
Wasn't that stating the obvious?
Surely they wouldn't let a combat Soul Master challenge a support Soul Master to secure a spot?
Having learned the rules, Xiao Xuan left Heaven Dou Academy and headed straight for Heaven Dou City.
Besides fulfilling the second requirement, he had another purpose in going to the Soul Fighting Arena.
Qin Ming's words had served as a reminder to Xiao Xuan.
Xiao Xuan knew that Xue Qinghe, the identity Qian Renxue had assumed, planned to recruit talented people, so the Soul Fighting Arena was an excellent place to display his strength.
Thus, Xiao Xuan also wanted to draw Xue Qinghe's attention on this trip to the Soul Fighting Arena.
A mere ten victories certainly wouldn't be enough.
Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena.
As the Heaven Dou Empire's largest mecca for real combat, it drew mercenaries and independent cultivators from all over the continent, sect disciples out gaining experience, and veteran Soul Masters from every social class.
Yet over the past five short days, one of the auxiliary fighting platforms in the level-thirty Soul Elder division had sparked a wave of discussion throughout the arena.
It had all started with a black-clad youth named Xiao Xuan.
In five days, he had won all ten of his matches!
In the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena, where hidden dragons and crouching tigers abounded, a mere ten consecutive victories would not normally have attracted the attention of so many higher-ups and distinguished spectators.
What truly shook the entire arena was the youth's bizarre conduct in those ten bouts-he had never revealed so much as a single Soul Ring in public!
Whether he faced an Agility Attack System Soul Master with nimble footwork or met a Power Attack System opponent's heavy blows head-on, the youth held nothing but a long spear that glowed all over with a warm, lustrous blue-green sheen.
There were no dazzling rings pulsing with light, no elaborate, flashy moves.
With nothing more than level thrusts swift as a gale and heavy upward strikes weighty as a mountain, he sent every opponent tumbling off the platform within two or three exchanges of facing his spearpoint!
"To sweep aside opponents of his own rank without using a Soul Ring... this boy has the makings of a Titled Douluo!"
"Could this boy be a heaven's chosen from some reclusive sect?"
The quality of his winning streak was staggering, and rumors about Xiao Xuan's background spread in all directions as though they had sprouted wings.
In just a few days, Xiao Xuan's odds at the Soul Fighting Arena fell again and again, while spectators who came specifically to watch his spear technique packed the stands for every match.
And today, Xiao Xuan was taking the stage again, determined to push for twenty consecutive victories!
In the afternoon, outside Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Two graceful young women walked side by side down the tree-shaded stone steps.
Dugu Yan had changed into a neatly cut, dark-green short combat outfit. Her shoulder-length hair fluttered slightly, a rosy color showed in her fair cheeks, and she looked radiant.
Beside her, Ye Lingling wore a simple, elegant black-and-white long dress, her dark hair falling over her slender shoulders. Though her expression was calm and cool, an uncommon, lighthearted smile shone in her eyes.
"Yanyan, whenever I urged you to go out before, you always dragged your feet."
Ye Lingling pursed her lips and teased, "But today, to watch junior Xiao Xuan go for his twentieth consecutive win, you were waiting at the academy gates a whole half hour earlier than usual."
Her friend had exposed her thoughts to her face. Dugu Yan gave a soft humph, arched her delicate brows, and lifted her chin proudly:
"You've got the nerve to talk about me? I heard someone had already asked around about junior Xiao Xuan's match schedule."
Just as the two women chatted and laughed, preparing to board the carriage waiting by the road, a rapid series of measured footsteps suddenly sounded from the main marble road behind them.
Accompanied by a soft call, several young men in luxurious, gold-trimmed academy uniforms came around a tree-shaded bend.
The young man in the lead was none other than Yu Tianheng.
Several mainstays of the team followed close behind Yu Tianheng like shadows.
Yu Tianheng hurried forward:
"Yanyan, Lingling, what a coincidence. Where are you headed?"
At the sound of his voice, Dugu Yan's smile faded slightly, and a trace of impatience flashed through her eyes.
Mindful that they were on the same team, Ye Lingling stopped and turned sideways, replying politely in an even tone:
"Hello, Captain. Yanyan and I are planning to watch a few matches at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena."
The Great Soul Arena?
At her words, the warm smile on Yu Tianheng's lips stiffened slightly, and the five fingers of the hand behind his back quietly curled shut.
How could he not know whom the two women were making a special trip to the Soul Fighting Arena to see?
For the past few days, news that "the new student Xiao Xuan swept through the Soul Elder division without revealing his Soul Rings, claiming ten consecutive victories" had spread like wildfire among the students.
He had thought that sending a few of his subordinates to use the rules of the mimicry grounds would make the commoner boy retreat in the face of difficulty. Instead, the boy had turned around and sought out Instructor Qin Ming, even causing such a huge stir-and now he had drawn Dugu Yan there in person to cheer him on!
Though an inexpressible gloom churned in his heart, Yu Tianheng was deeply calculating, and his face still bore the poise of a young nobleman.
He smiled casually and went along with it:
"What a coincidence indeed! Two of the brothers on the team happen to be itching for a fight today and are planning to sharpen their skills at the Soul Fighting Arena. Since we're going the same way, why don't we all travel together?"
Dugu Yan turned around, a hint of suspicion in her green, phoenix-shaped eyes as she looked over the people beside Yu Tianheng:
"Who on the team is going to fight?"
As her words fell, two burly young men from the group behind Yu Tianheng stepped forward together, their figures like massive iron towers.
They were the defensive core of the Imperial Fighting Team, inheritors of the Black Tortoise Martial Soul-the brothers Shi Mo and Shi Mo.
The elder brother, Shi Mo, took a step forward and patted his sturdy chest with a rough, broad hand. In a deep, muffled voice, he said:
"Brother Tian Heng mentioned to us a couple of days ago that there was a new face in the Soul Elder division at the Soul Fighting Arena. Supposedly, he won ten matches in a row without revealing his Martial Soul or Soul Rings, and today he's even announced that he's going straight for twenty consecutive wins."
Shi Mo grinned, fighting spirit surging in his eyes, which were as large as bronze bells:
"We brothers inherited the Black Tortoise, and there's nothing we like more than testing our skills against Tool Soul Masters who claim to have powerful attacks! Today's the perfect chance to go meet him and see whether that lousy stick of bamboo in his hand can even put a dent in our tortoise shells!"
His younger brother Shi Mo nodded in agreement beside him, his eyes full of undisguised confidence.
As inheritors of one of the continent's top Defense System Beast Martial Souls, the brothers' heavy shields had always been known for their sturdiness. Even Power Attack System Battle Soul Elders of the same rank would have their muscles and bones numbed by the rebound when they struck them.
Hearing their boastful words, Dugu Yan looked the brothers up and down with her narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes. An odd smile involuntarily appeared at the corners of her mouth.
They wanted to use Black Tortoise shells to take Xiao Xuan's bamboo spear head-on?
Even the bones of a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast were as fragile as paper before Xiao Xuan.
No matter how strong these two fellows' defenses were, could they possibly compare to a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?
Truly, ignorance knew no fear.
Dugu Yan laughed inwardly, but had no intention of exposing the truth on the spot.
"Since you're so eager, let's hurry and set off."
Dugu Yan couldn't be bothered wasting words. She tossed out the crisp reply, then pulled Ye Lingling around and boarded the carriage.
Watching how impatiently Dugu Yan urged them to leave, Yu Tianheng's eyes flashed with a barely perceptible hint of smugness and a cold sneer.
As he saw it, Dugu Yan was so eager because she was surely worried that the Shi brothers would beat Xiao Xuan in the ring.
"Shi Mo, Shi Mo."
Yu Tianheng lowered his voice and turned his head to instruct them:
"Once you're on the fighting platform, don't hold back. Show him the true strength of your Black Tortoise!"
"Don't worry, Brother Tian Heng. Leave it to us!"