"Hey, have you heard? The brothers from the Duke's Mansion are at each other's throats. They're about to fight in the Soul Fighting Zone."
"They say it's a struggle between the legitimate and illegitimate sons of the Duke's Mansion. Apparently, that one's just a bastard."
"Oh my, those high circles are such a mess. But I love it!"
"Why aren't you hurrying over to watch? There won't be any good seats left!"
Some people were already dragging their companions toward the Soul Fighting Zone.
In no time, the news had spread like wildfire throughout the Shrek Outer Court.
"Teacher Zhou, let's hurry over. Yuhao will be in danger if we don't," Wang Dong said to Zhou Yi.
Xiao Xiao urged her as well. "That's right, Teacher Zhou. Yuhao didn't agree to this fight willingly. You have to help him."
"Don't worry, you two. As long as he's at Shrek Academy, he won't be in any danger. The Soul Fighting Zone also has dedicated staff overseeing it. There won't be any major problems," Zhou Yi said calmly.
In truth, she did not particularly want to get involved. After all, everything she had said was true. Soul fighting was perfectly normal at Shrek, and the participants generally stopped short of going too far.
But unable to withstand the two youngsters' pleas, she had come anyway.
"Bei Bei, I already told you. The Tang Sect is dissolved as of now. Stop following me."
Tang Ya was somewhat anxious, hurrying to the Soul Fighting Zone, but Bei Bei kept pestering her.
Bei Bei was utterly bewildered. Ever since Tang Ya returned from the Star Dou Great Forest, she had become a different person.
"Xiao Ya, why? Isn't reviving the Tang Sect your dream?" Bei Bei looked troubled as he tried to persuade Tang Ya to stay.
"I don't want to explain anything more to you. I'm going to the Soul Fighting Zone. Stop following me!"
Without even looking back, Tang Ya went around Bei Bei and ran briskly toward the Soul Fighting Zone.
"Lord Shadow! Yuhao, wait for me to come and behold your glory!"
Bei Bei watched Tang Ya's retreating figure dejectedly, then suddenly thought of a possibility!
It had to be Huo Yuhao. He must have said something to Xiao Ya. Otherwise, how could her temperament have changed so drastically?
It was definitely him! He must have bewitched Xiao Ya. She must be going to the Soul Fighting Zone because of him, too!
Bei Bei hurried after Tang Ya. He had to expose that hateful Huo Yuhao's scheme in front of Xiao Ya!
Not far away stood a girl in a purple school uniform. Her figure was slender and well-proportioned, her long legs especially eye-catching. Her long golden hair fell in great waves down her back, and her eyes were clear as water. She was stunningly beautiful.
Jiang Nannan watched Tang Ya run off, noticing the sapphire ring on her left ring finger.
She held her hands before her, her right hand resting over her left as she stroked her orange gemstone ring. On closer inspection, apart from their colors, the rings were much the same in design.
Then Jiang Nannan stepped forward and followed.
Inside a preparation room in the Soul Fighting Zone.
With a flick of his right hand, Dai Huabin hurled Huo Yuhao away.
The sound of a heavy body striking the floor was dull and muffled. Huo Yuhao grunted as the tremendous momentum sent him crashing straight into the wall.
"Hmph! Huo Yuhao, did you really think I couldn't do anything to you if you hid behind other people?"
As Dai Huabin spoke, he took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped his right hand.
"No, I never thought that..."
Huo Yuhao climbed up, supporting himself with one hand on his sword, then sat against the wall with his head lowered and his voice trembling.
Dai Huabin looked at him coldly, sat down on the sofa, and beckoned to the staff member behind him. "Make the preparations. I want a soul fight," he demanded.
The staff member looked at Huo Yuhao slumped against the wall and stressed, "Both sides must agree to a soul fight. If either party refuses, the Soul Fighting Zone will not open its facilities to you."
Without another word, Dai Huabin put both hands in his pockets, walked up to Huo Yuhao, and kicked him viciously in the lower abdomen.
"Urgh..."
Huo Yuhao clutched his lower abdomen with both hands and retched, his entire body curling up like a shrimp. He looked to be in unbearable pain.
Still unsatisfied, Dai Huabin grabbed Huo Yuhao by the hair and punched him.
A splash of bright red sprayed out, glaring against the floor.
The entire right side of Huo Yuhao's face swelled. Blood mixed with saliva flowed from the corner of his mouth, tears streaming from his eyes as he wore a timid, cowering expression.
Seeing this, the staff member warned him outright, "Student, if you continue using violence and such vile methods to force someone into a soul fight, we have the right to remove you from the Soul Fighting Zone and report you to the academy for expulsion!"
Dai Huabin glanced at the staff member, wiped the blood off his hand on Huo Yuhao's clothes, and seized his shoulder hard.
Smiling, he said, "Oh, my dear little brother, we were just playing around, weren't we? Tell him, so we can start our soul fight sooner."
Dai Huabin slowly tightened his grip, his five fingers digging deep into Huo Yuhao's shoulder until blood began to seep out.
"Y-yes... yes, that's right. We both agreed to the soul fight."
Huo Yuhao's voice trembled as he nodded repeatedly, looking at Dai Huabin with terror in his eyes, utterly frightened.
He looked every inch a coward.
Anyone with eyes could tell that Huo Yuhao had not agreed willingly.
The staff member wanted to help, but with both sides agreeing to the fight, there was nothing he could do.
This poor fellow was going to take a beating for nothing.
"Did you hear that? Hurry up and prepare the arena," Dai Huabin said coldly.
Huo Yuhao could only keep nodding beside him, saliva and tears spilling all over the floor.
Left with no recourse, the staff member cast a sympathetic glance at Huo Yuhao in the corner and finally walked out.
Dai Huabin released his grip. Seeing the traces of blood on his five fingers, he looked at them with utter disgust and gave Huo Yuhao another vicious kick before finally feeling satisfied.
Huo Yuhao grunted and fell to the floor with the impact, trembling nonstop.
Dai Huabin ignored him and sat down on the sofa. He wiped his fingers with the handkerchief, made sure they were clean, then tossed it straight onto Huo Yuhao's head.
"That's right. A bastard should act like this. You should obediently do as you're told. That way, nothing will happen to that wretched woman of yours who enjoys Father's favor."
"So what if Father arranged an engagement for you and found you that person to lean on?"
Huo Yuhao did not argue. He continued trembling on the icy floor, utterly bedraggled.
Only when Dai Huabin stopped paying attention to him did a crazed smile curl his lips, countless thoughts racing through his mind.
Only a disguise this seamless is worthy of The Eminence in Shadow!!!
"Both sides, get ready. The soul fight is about to begin," the staff member called as he came in.
Without wasting a word, Dai Huabin stood and dragged Huo Yuhao out like a dead dog.
Without any preparation, Huo Yuhao was taken straight into the Soul Fighting Arena.
Inside the Soul Fighting Zone, soul-powered machinery started up, driving gears with a thunderous rumble.
The spectator stands instantly erupted. Countless students sat around the arena, shouting excitedly.
"Soul fight!"
"Soul fight!"
In the Soul Fighting Arena stood two enormous stone statues facing each other. Driven by Soul Tools, their internal gears turned, and the stone swords in their hands were drawn out and leveled horizontally. Two entrances opened at the statues' shoulders.
Dai Huabin walked out with his chest held high, looking down haughtily over the surrounding spectators.
Huo Yuhao clutched his shoulder, his face panicked. He glanced down, then shut his eyes in fright, both legs shaking like chaff in a sieve.
With a yelp, Huo Yuhao dropped flat onto the massive stone sword, not daring to move.
The spectators saw his every movement clearly and spoke with utter contempt.
"Seriously, who's that chicken-shit? He's already lying down before the fight's even started?"
"You know what, you really can tell at a glance which one's the legitimate son and which one's the bastard."
"I'm impressed the White Tiger Duke could even father such a chicken-shit son."
"Dai Huabin's basically going to slaughter him in this fight! There's no suspense whatsoever."
On the fighting platform.
Dai Huabin barked angrily, "Huo Yuhao, get up!"
Huo Yuhao did not respond. He remained sprawled there, his body twitching from time to time.
"Let the soul fight begin!"
The start was announced outright inside the Soul Fighting Arena.
A deafening roar erupted from the stands.
Dai Huabin immediately possessed himself with his White Tiger Martial Soul and leaped onto the fighting platform below.
"Huo Yuhao! Get down here!"
Dai Huabin let out a tiger's roar that made even the spectators cover their ears.
"N-no... I don't want to..."
Huo Yuhao cried out like a coward.
Furious beyond measure, Dai Huabin abruptly swelled the muscles in his legs, preparing to leap up and drag him down.
Even the staff could no longer bear to watch. They had no choice but to activate the statue, tilting the sword to slide him off.
"Aaaaah!"
Huo Yuhao clawed wildly at the air with both hands as he slid rapidly down, crashing hard and landing on his backside.
A wave of jeers swept through the stands!
"That's the White Tiger Duke's bastard? He's that useless?"
"This Dai Huabin's his brother. Don't tell me he's just as much trash!"
"You never know..."
The grating taunts kept reaching Dai Huabin's ears.
Dai Huabin burned with fury, staring fixedly at Huo Yuhao.
Bang!
The ground beneath Dai Huabin's feet cracked instantly. He lunged at Huo Yuhao like a starving tiger pouncing on prey and struck with his palm, sending him straight into the air.
In the blink of an eye, Dai Huabin flashed above Huo Yuhao and brought his foot crashing down with earth-shattering force.
Boom!
A dark figure smashed onto the platform, shattering earth and stone. Huo Yuhao vomited mouthful after mouthful of blood and lay motionless.
Dai Huabin landed, clenched his fist, and drove it viciously toward his face.
Punch followed punch. Dai Huabin's tiger claws were stained red with blood, and he did not stop for an instant, venting his fury relentlessly on Huo Yuhao's body.
"Yuhao!"
Wang Dong cried out in alarm.
Huo Yuhao's wretched condition frightened Xiao Xiao into closing her eyes.
Watching Huo Yuhao, who lacked even the courage to fight back, Zhou Yi shook her head in disappointment. This boy did not even have the courage to draw his sword and activate his Martial Soul to resist. He would never amount to much!
At that moment, seeing Huo Yuhao's miserable condition, Tang Ya was filled with rage from head to toe. She stared fixedly at Dai Huabin, her eyes thick with killing intent, and was about to rush onto the platform.
A slender, delicate hand reached out from behind her and abruptly covered her mouth.
"Mmph!"
Tang Ya tried to struggle, but the person behind her locked both her hands and dragged her into the darkness.
"Teacher Zhou, please save Yuhao!" Xiao Xiao said anxiously.
Wang Dong also begged Zhou Yi to intervene.
Zhou Yi waved a hand and said coldly, "There's no need. The Soul Fighting Zone's teacher has already stepped in."
A large hand seized Dai Huabin's tiger claw, holding it immobile.
"Let go of me!"
By now, Dai Huabin had beaten himself into a frenzy. A wave of light gathered in his mouth, about to fire.
The Soul Fighting Zone's teacher acted immediately, chopping the side of his hand against Dai Huabin's neck. Dai Huabin's mind jolted, his vision went black, and he passed out.
"Huabin!" Zhu Lu cried, rushing straight toward the fighting platform.
"Dai Huabin wins!" the Soul Fighting Zone's teacher announced.
The Soul Fighting Zone's teacher looked at Huo Yuhao, who lay like a dead dog, and shook his head helplessly.
He could not quite understand how Huo Yuhao had gotten into Shrek Academy.
Then he handed Dai Huabin over to Zhu Lu, who had rushed up.
Zhou Yi left without looking back. She had nothing to say about such a cowardly student. She had stamped Huo Yuhao a failure.
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao wanted to go up and bring Huo Yuhao back, but the students in the stands began leaving just then. The stream of people blocked them and forcibly squeezed them out.
The spectators paid the two no attention, cursing and grumbling as they walked out.
"I thought we'd get a good show. Turns out that bastard's just a coward!"
"Tell me about it. I thought we'd see two tigers clash, but that guy didn't even let out a fart. He was too scared to activate his Martial Soul..."
"That kid's whole face was beaten so swollen he looked like a dog. You couldn't even recognize him. I'm dying of laughter."
"He's smart, though. With his face beaten swollen, no one will recognize him..."
Listening to these grating words, Wang Dong clenched his teeth, his fists turning blue and purple from how tightly he gripped them. He was furious!
He had promised to protect Huo Yuhao, yet Huo Yuhao had been beaten so miserably, and these people were still adding fuel to the fire. He could not bear it anymore.
Just as he was about to erupt, Xiao Xiao caught him in time and gently shook her head, stopping him.
By now, Xiao Xiao's eyes were swimming with tears. She, too, wanted to argue with these people. Huo Yuhao was not a coward.
But, but Huo Yuhao was still lying on that icy floor!
Bei Bei also arrived at the Soul Fighting Zone just then. He immediately spotted Huo Yuhao lying in the middle of the fighting platform, but saw no sign of Tang Ya.
He could not help wondering. Was my guess wrong? Did Xiao Ya's change have nothing to do with Little Brother Huo?
Bei Bei sank into thought, utterly unconcerned with whether Huo Yuhao lived or died.
Just why had Xiao Ya's temperament changed so drastically?
Why?
Meanwhile, beneath the bright moonlight.
A figure clad in a coarse hemp robe abruptly appeared atop the giant stone statue in the Soul Fighting Zone.
The loose robe could not conceal her graceful figure. She wore a thick hood that hid her face from view.
She gazed at Huo Yuhao lying there without making the slightest movement. Only the purple gemstone set in the ring on her left ring finger gave off flecks of starlight beneath the moon!
The evening breeze blew, sweeping up endless fallen leaves.
The figure beneath the moonlight actually vanished like a ghost!
Just then, the fingers of Huo Yuhao, who lay collapsed on the ground, twitched slightly. His eyes snapped open, and a deeply sinister smile spread across his face.
The teacher in the Soul Fighting Zone was growing somewhat impatient. "Where is everyone? Get over here and take this student to the... infirmary." He turned his head and discovered that Huo Yuhao, who had been lying behind him, had vanished into thin air!
"Teacher, where did he go?" a student asked in confusion, looking at the grounds, which were empty save for the teacher.
"Hurry up and find him! With injuries that serious, could he have gotten up and run off on his own?" the teacher shouted.
"Oh, right, right."
The students hurriedly scattered to search.
"He's not over here!"
"He's not here either! What about your side?"
"No!"
"Teacher, we can't find him!"
"Huh! This is so strange..."