Cups and goblets crossed, and just as the group had eaten and drunk their fill, a party of eight suddenly walked in from outside. At their head was a middle-aged man dressed in an exquisitely tailored moon-white robe, with the words "Canghui" embroidered on it.
Following the middle-aged man were six young men and one young woman who looked to be in their early twenties. They also wore moon-white Soul Master robes and belonged to the same academy.
Qi Ling smiled when he saw them. They should be the unlucky bunch from Canghui Academy. He had thought that since his group had arrived early, they would not encounter them, but they had run into each other all the same. It seemed this was fate.
Sure enough, shortly after the people from Canghui Academy sat down, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun could no longer restrain themselves. They began pointing at the other party's female student, looking very much as though they wanted to steal a kiss.
Naturally, the people from Canghui Academy would not let such contempt slide. Seeing that Tang San and the others were all children, they could not help wanting to teach them a lesson.
But after several covert exchanges, the people from Canghui Academy not only failed to gain an advantage, but were thoroughly humiliated by the group and suffered badly.
How could the people from Canghui Academy endure this? All seven students stood up together and glared at Shrek Academy's table. They wanted to charge over, but their teacher stopped them.
"Which academy are you children from? How can you be so ill-mannered? Call your teacher out here at once!" the middle-aged man said with an affected air.
"You ugly freak, why all the nonsense? It's just a fight! Come at us!" Xiao Wu sprang excitedly from her seat, looking as though she feared nothing more than a world without chaos.
The people from Canghui Academy flew into a rage. Apart from the teacher and the female student, they all charged over.
Those from Shrek Academy were no easy customers either. Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun charged straight at them, while Zhu Zhuqing and Tang San held the rear, protecting Ning Rongrong and Oscar at the same time.
Watching the two groups start fighting downstairs, Zhao Wuji casually asked Qi Ling, "Well? Your companions are all fighting. Aren't you going down to help them as their boss?"
"What's the fun in bullying a bunch of kids? At their level, I think Xiao San alone could take them all down," Qi Ling said indifferently.
After all, although their opponents were much older, not one of them was even a three-ring Soul Elder. Their talent was nowhere near that of the Shrek group. This had never been a fair fight to begin with.
The outcome was exactly as Qi Ling had expected. The people from Canghui Academy did not last long at all against Tang San and the others before they were routed, completely losing the will to fight.
Seeing his students suffer a crushing defeat, the teacher could no longer remain seated. He stepped forward and said, "Stop! All of you, stand down!"
Although the students from Canghui Academy were dissatisfied, they also understood that the few of them were absolutely no match for the Shrek group. They could only withdraw helplessly.
"I am Ye Zhiqiu, director of external affairs at Canghui Academy. Which sect do you belong to?" Ye Zhiqiu stepped forward and asked.
"We're from Shrek Academy, not some sect!" Ma Hongjun said smugly.
"Shrek Academy? I don't believe I've heard of it." Knowing that they were not from a sect, Ye Zhiqiu relaxed, and his words gained confidence.
Dai Mubai gave a cold snort. "Hmph, that's because your knowledge is as narrow as your experience! You haven't even heard of our Shrek Academy. I suppose your Canghui Academy doesn't amount to much either."
Ye Zhiqiu frowned, a gleam flashing in his eyes as he released his Martial Soul. "Black Tortoise: possession!"
Accompanied by a black soul mark, Ye Zhiqiu underwent Martial Soul Possession. His limbs shortened simultaneously, and a huge tortoise shell bulged from his back.
At the same time, five Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet, revealing his status as a Soul King and immediately suppressing the Shrek group's momentum.
"You children have no idea how high the heavens are or how deep the earth is. Don't think a little strength means you can do whatever you please!" Ye Zhiqiu said. "Call out your academy's teacher. I intend to have a proper word with him!"
Ma Hongjun let out a strange cry. "An old bastard of a turtle like you wants to see our teacher? The few of us are more than enough!"
More than anything in his life, Ye Zhiqiu hated being called a bastard turtle. His fury rose until his hair nearly lifted his hat. "You little brat, you truly don't know how high the heavens are or how deep the earth is! Today, I'll teach you a proper lesson on your teacher's behalf! Let's take this outside!"
Watching the Shrek group head outside with Ye Zhiqiu, Zhao Wuji said to Qi Ling, "These kids may be formidable, but they probably still aren't a match for a Soul King."
Qi Ling nodded. "Indeed. Dai Mubai has the highest Soul Power among us, and he's only a Soul Elder. The gap is too large."
"Then, are you going, or am I?"
[Ding! The host has been detected facing a battle choice. Please choose from the following options.] Option one: decline to fight and have Zhao Wuji resolve the battle. Rewards: one flask of fine wine, one ten-year Soul Ring. Option two: personally enter the battle and defeat Soul King Ye Zhiqiu. Reward: Soul Tool: Black Demon Cloak (level 5).
Another Soul Tool. From the looks of it, this should be a defensive Soul Tool. Naturally, Qi Ling could not miss it. The more of these things he had, the better.
Moreover, this was a level 5 defensive Soul Tool, meaning it could defend against attacks at the Soul King realm. For now, that was sufficient.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for selecting option two: personally enter the battle. Reward obtained: Soul Tool: Black Demon Cloak (level 5).]
"Let me do it. I happened to want to stretch my muscles anyway." Qi Ling stood up and moved his body a little. "But before that, let them experience what it feels like to fight a Soul King."
Looking at the relaxed Qi Ling, Zhao Wuji smiled helplessly. He spoke as though a Soul King were beneath his notice. Who could have imagined that he was still only a Soul Grandmaster?
Yet, coming from Qi Ling's mouth, those words did not strike anyone as out of place.
Zhao Wuji did not know when it had begun, but he, too, had come to feel that this kid Qi Ling ought to be invincible in battle.
Perhaps it really was as Flender had said: before long, this kid would be able to thrash him bare-handed. To prepare for that day, should he get on good terms with him first?
Facing an expert at the Soul King level, Tang San and the others held nothing back. They all brought themselves to their best condition, preparing to meet force with force and test just how hard this old turtle's shell was.
Fortunately, their opponent was a Defense System Soul Master, giving Tang San and the others a chance to contend with him. Had he been a Power Attack System or Agility Attack System Battle Soul Master, they would have had no chance of fighting him at all.
They still used the formation in which Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Xiao Wu led the attack, Zhu Zhuqing held position, and Tang San controlled the battle. Against Ye Zhiqiu, Ma Hongjun's flames could counter him, but their effect was still very limited.
As for the others, their situation was rather miserable. The Black Tortoise was an ice-attribute Martial Soul, and under the influence of its freezing attribute, even their speed was affected.
More importantly, Ye Zhiqiu was not a Soul Master devoted entirely to defense. Among his Soul Skills, he also had ones capable of ranged attacks.