Upon seeing the old man, the two instinctively shrank back, their faces flushed with embarrassment, and called out in unison.
"Chief."
The white-haired old man's gaze swept over the two men's hands, his white eyebrows furrowed, and he gave a helpless, bitter smile.
" Xiangxiang has always had a gambling addiction since she was little. I never expected her to drag you all into this mess. If you hadn't made such a big fuss and dragged almost half the tribe into it, I would still be in the dark."
"Chieftain, we just wanted to improve the lives of the tribe." Yu Ling and the other scratched their heads, their expressions much more relaxed. Judging from the chieftain's reaction, he was at least not angry, and even somewhat satisfied.
"I know you mean well, otherwise I wouldn't have come to protect you." The white-haired old man snorted. He had arrived in Heaven Dou City seven days ago and had driven away a few ill-intentioned followers for the two of them.
"No need to deposit the money, I'll take you back."
After saying that, the white-haired old man unfurled a pair of thin, emerald-green wings, stirring up a wisp of blue air in the alley. Yu Ling and the other woman felt their bodies lighten as the old man lifted them up, and the buildings on the ground instantly shrank into dark shadows.
Great Soul Arena, at a window covered with light blue glass, Qin Ming was registering the Imperial Fighting Team for the next round of team Soul Fighting.
The staff member who greeted them was a young man in his early twenties. After seeing the team badge that Qin Ming handed over, he looked apologetic.
"Sir, I'm sorry, your team's Soul Fighting registration may not be possible at the moment. Our supervisor will explain the specific reasons to you. Please wait a moment."
The young man was extremely respectful, and although Qin Ming was puzzled, he did not make things difficult for him.
"Okay, I'll wait for him here."
Before long, a slightly overweight middle-aged man jogged over, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand as he ran.
"Mr. Qin, I'm really sorry, but there are currently no suitable teams left in the Great Soul Arena to Soul Fighting against the Imperial Fighting Team. You've already faced off against the only two Soul Elder level teams."
"That's it?" Qin Ming frowned, somewhat incredulous.
The number of resident Soul Master in Heaven Dou City far exceeds that of other major cities, and even surpasses that of a kingdom, so it's unlikely that there are only thirty-odd teams.
"Although there are more than this number of registered Soul Fighting teams in the Great Soul Arena, the strongest ones have already fought against the Imperial Fighting Team, so there's no point in comparing them with the others." The middle-aged man gave a wry smile.
It's very strange lately. Even though the odds for the Imperial Fighting Team have been lowered to 1:1, there are still a lot of people betting. If this continues, his position may be in jeopardy.
"Or you might be willing to engage in a life-or-death duel; in that case, there are some teams that would be suitable."
In normal team Soul Fighting, Soul Elder teams will only be matched with Soul Elder.
The life-or-death duel has no restrictions, no level requirements, and does not prohibit any means; it ends with the death of one side.
After a moment's thought, Qin Ming chose to refuse. Although a life-or-death duel could better simulate the real encounters in the Soul Master World, Qin Ming couldn't bear the responsibility if something really went wrong.
If there's no suitable team in Heaven Dou City, he can take the Imperial Fighting Team to other cities for training; the effect will be the same.
Inside the inn, everyone gathered in Fang Lin and Yu Feng's room to review the day's team battle.
" Brother Tian was really impressive today. He held his own against two opponents and electrified those two Beast Soul Master to no end." Yu Feng was beaming with pride, as if he were the one who had displayed divine power.
"The might of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon is indeed very effective against low-level Beast Soul Master." Ye Lingling smiled, her azure eyes curving into crescents.
Yu Tianheng snorted, remaining silent, his slight upturn of the corners of his mouth revealing his current mood.
" Shi Mo's flying shield was also very cool; it sent the opposing Leopard Soul Master flying, along with his Soul Skill."
Fang Lin spoke with envy, noting that the two brothers had practically turned their shields into magical artifacts, causing them to grow larger in the wind and soar through the sky.
Unfortunately, this is something he was born with with his Martial Soul soul, and has nothing to do with Soul Beast or Soul Ring, otherwise he would also like to experience the feeling of flying swords.
"The main reason is that the defensive pressure is low this time, so we can do whatever we want," Shi Mo chuckled.
As the team's coordination improved, fewer mistakes were made, and the debriefing became more like casual conversation. This relaxed and lively atmosphere fostered a deep and human connection among the members of Heaven Dou Imperial Team.
" Lingling, you're almost at level 30, right? Once you get your Third Soul Ring, we'll be a team of all Soul Elder, and we'll be even more invincible in the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena." Dugu Yan reclined in a dark-colored chair, her legs casually draped over her knees.
"Yes, it should be in the next few days." Ye Lingling nodded. Her Soul Power had reached the peak of level 29, and her essence, energy, and spirit had reached their peak. Breakthrough was just a matter of time.
"I've heard that the Nine Heart Begonia's ability to heal all groups regardless of its Soul Skill is the same. Is this natural, or is it due to the selection of a specific Soul Beast?" Yu Tianheng straightened up, his eyes filled with curiosity.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Soul Master requires all its Soul Ring to come from sub-dragon type Soul Beast, in order to continuously strengthen its True Dragon bloodline. Does the Nine Heart Begonia also follow a similar rule?
"Judging from the inheritance I received, it should be natural." Ye Lingling stroked her chin, a thoughtful look on her face. "Our ancestors also tried to absorb different types of Soul Beast, hoping to gain some special healing abilities, but none of them succeeded. Later, the direction of Soul Beast selection became fixed, mainly focusing on life-type soul beasts."
"What kind of Soul Beast are you going to absorb this time?" Fang Lin interjected.
When the Life System was mentioned, Fang Lin couldn't help but think of the 80,000-year-old Blue Silver King. He wondered which forest it was in. Maybe Ye Lingling could use it when she reached a higher level.
"I haven't decided yet." Ye Lingling frowned slightly. " Teacher Qin said that there are currently two Soul Beast in the Soul Hunting Forest that are suitable for me: one is a Jade Life-Continuing Vine that is about 1,400 years old, and the other is a 1,600-year-old Life-Severing Newt."
Higher-aged Soul Ring contain stronger energy, saving Soul Master some of the hard work of cultivation, which is quite tempting for Auxiliary System Soul Master whose cultivation is already slow.
That's why Ye Lingling hesitated.
"It's better to be cautious," Shi Mo had been silent until now, offered his opinion. "Theoretically, the maximum age for the Third Soul Ring is indeed around 1,700 years, but Auxiliary System Soul Master generally have weaker physiques, so we can't treat it the same way."
Except for Fang Lin, who remained silent, almost everyone else shared this view.
Ye Lingling listened silently to everyone's opinions and nodded gently.
After a while, Qin Ming pushed open the door and entered. Seeing the lively atmosphere in the room, he smiled gently.
"You've all performed exceptionally well these past two months. The team- Soul Fighting training can now be temporarily suspended. You'll have a month-long vacation to rest and relax."
Qin Ming informed everyone that there were currently no teams available for matchmaking at the Great Soul Arena, and also outlined the subsequent arrangements. "In the meantime, I will look into other cities' Soul Fighting teams. If I find any suitable ones, I will plan a study tour for you all."
"Very good!"
Upon hearing that they would have a month-long vacation, Dugu Yan and the others all showed excitement. Spending two consecutive months in the Great Soul Arena was a high-intensity test for both their energy and physical strength.
Fang Lin sat at the foot of the bed, lost in thought.
Qin Ming's mention of going on a study tour should refer to the plot in the original book where he went to Suotuo City to meet Shrek, but Tang San is still at the Nuoding Academy, so Qin Ming probably can't find him now.
The next day, everyone checked out of the hotel.
Yu Tianheng and the Shi Mo Brothers followed Qin Ming back to the academy, Yu Feng mysteriously disappeared without a trace.
Dugu Yan dragged Ye Lingling shopping early in the morning. Before leaving, she kept saying that she wanted to change Ye Lingling's clothes and not let her always wear this dark outfit.
Fang Lin stood behind the two of them, imagining for a moment what a baby-faced girl would look like in a cheongsam, then shook his head and remained silent.