"Manager Ao, I'm a straightforward person, so I'll speak plainly!"
Shangguan Hong could not be bothered with pleasantries and cut straight to the point.
"I imagine Manager Luo has already explained everything to you. I can take part in Soul Fighting at Suotuo City's Great Soul Arena, whether that means fighting above my rank or taking on several opponents at once, but they must be death matches!"
"Besides, I don't have much time for matches-once a month at most. But for someone like you, I'm sure you understand the profits involved!"
The smile on Manager Ao's face did not fade in the slightest. Death matches were good! Death matches were worth watching, and death matches against multiple opponents or opponents of a higher rank were even more worth watching! Those spectators would go mad over tickets. Not only that, the betting on matches like these would be staggering. With just a little maneuvering on his part, Gold Soul Coins would surge toward him like a tide.
"Of course, of course. Death matches aren't like other matches, after all. You need time to rest and prepare too, Young Master Bai! Then we'll follow your terms: an appearance fee of ten thousand Gold Soul Coins per match, and the Great Soul Arena will close once every month. Does anything about that seem unsuitable to you?"
In truth, Manager Ao had plenty of questions. For matches of this caliber, even if Young Master Bai asked for half the profits, that would be no problem. Yet he only wanted ten thousand Gold Soul Coins. Was there anyone in this world who did not love money?
Clearly not.
Shangguan Hong's real condition lay in the second clause. He demanded that the Great Soul Arena close once every month, and that day would belong to him alone.
But what could he do with an empty Great Soul Arena?
Manager Mao did not know, but he did not dig deeper either. After all, the letter from Manager Luo had already made it clear: this was Young Master Bai's rule, and he must never try to pry.
"You're a decisive man, Manager Ao. I imagine our cooperation will be very pleasant!"
Shangguan Hong nodded in satisfaction.
"How many matches are left today? These staff members look tired to me. How about everyone goes home to rest and comes back tomorrow?"
Manager Ao froze, then immediately understood that Shangguan Hong intended to use his monthly closure today. Naturally, he had no objections. It was already very late, after all.
"Of course. May I ask which day you intend to take part in Soul Fighting, Young Master Bai?"
"If I intend to take part, I'll notify you three days in advance!"
The two parties reached an agreement!
About an hour later, Suotuo City's Great Soul Arena shut its doors. This was clearly abnormal. The spectators who had yet to get their fill cursed and grumbled, while the contestants who had been preparing for a big fight were utterly bewildered. Perhaps the only happy people were the staff of the Great Soul Arena, who could get off work early today.
The Great Soul Arena went pitch-black.
"Looks like everyone's gone..."
Shangguan Hong stood up, pushed open the lounge door, and headed without hesitation toward the Great Soul Arena's many fighting rings.
As for why he was doing this...
Manager Ao was curious too, so he had not left. Instead, relying on his Soul Ancestor cultivation, he concealed himself in the shadows, ready to take a good look at what this mysterious Young Master Bai was planning to do.
Yet the sight that greeted him left him dumbfounded.
Shangguan Hong moved between the various fighting rings. He did nothing strange, merely standing in the center of each ring for a while before moving on to the next.
The darkness of night was perfect camouflage, and Shangguan Hong's movements were indeed discreet enough. Who would have nothing better to do than inspect the soles of someone else's feet?
All this blood Qi mustn't go to waste. The Void needs food!
From Manager Ao's perspective, Shangguan Hong had indeed merely stood in each fighting ring for a while. But only Shangguan Hong himself knew that the ravenous power of the Void had already seeped into the rings through the opening beneath his feet. Several fierce Soul Fighting matches took place in such rings every day. Bloodshed, and even death, were commonplace.
And the Void craved to devour!
Even if it could not devour an entire Soul Master, devouring a small amount of blood was still good. With over a dozen fighting rings combined, and nonstop battles every day, the accumulation was quite considerable.
After obtaining his second Soul Ring, Shangguan Hong had almost stopped using his first Soul Skill. Baron Nashor was far too terrifying. Once he appeared before outsiders, Shangguan Hong would inevitably be treated as a Fallen Soul Master! So everyone who had seen Baron Nashor was dead.
The terrifying Void was brewing, brewing a vast calamity, and the source of that calamity was Shangguan Hong.
Once planted, Nashor's Tooth would absorb blood and Soul Power, ultimately converting them into something immensely nourishing for Shangguan Hong.
For that, what did giving up a little money matter?
Manager Ao watched Shangguan Hong walk back and forth through the rings just like that. Once Shangguan Hong left, he hurried into the rings to inspect them. Yet even after prying up the floor, he found nothing unusual.
"Could I have been overthinking it...?"
For some reason, Manager Ao kept feeling uneasy, but in the face of an ocean of money, that unease could be ignored.
After finishing everything, Shangguan Hong returned to the Rose Hotel. It was already late. He went back to his room, collapsed onto the bed, and fell fast asleep.
Meanwhile, Tang San was still diligently meditating and cultivating in the room next door.
The next day, the three set out together toward the outskirts of Suotuo City. They took the road to Shrek Academy and walked for a long time before finally spotting a low, dilapidated village in the distance.
"Don't tell me that's the Shrek Academy Teacher mentioned?"
Before Xiao Wu could complain, Tang San himself could no longer keep his composure. Never in his dreams had he imagined that the academy his teacher recommended would be so run-down. Yet an academy like this could actually produce an outstanding student like Dai Mubai. With a meat skewer between his teeth, Shangguan Hong took the view that, since they were already here, they might as well press on, and steeled himself as he walked toward it.
He was in no position to be picky. After all, Shrek Academy held his second Martial Soul! So just what kind of Martial Soul could coexist with the Golden Spatula?
Brimming with anticipation, Shangguan Hong could not help quickening his pace considerably. When the three reached the village and saw the words "Shrek Academy" crookedly carved into its shabby gate with their own eyes, the heart that had been hanging in suspense finally died.
Tang San and Xiao Wu sighed. Perhaps their only comfort was that the queue outside the academy was not particularly short. The two walked to the back of the line and waited quietly.
At that moment, Shangguan Hong had no time to pay attention to Shrek Academy's dilapidated state. That familiar pale-blue screen appeared before him again, and the crisp electronic voice was nothing short of heavenly music!
[Congratulations, host. Mission complete. Reward: second Martial Soul awakening!] [Drawing... Congratulations, host, on awakening the special Martial Soul: Golden Frying Pan!]