I Call You Grandmaster Out of Respect

"This... this healing effect?"

Ning Rongrong stood among the Shrek team, her eyes wide.

Her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda could also provide boosts, but compared with this healing ability, which covered an entire group and could quickly mend even internal injuries, it was like comparing a candle to the sun.

What kind of Support System Martial Soul was this? How had she never heard of it?

Zhao Wuji raised an eyebrow as well, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

A Support System Soul Master above level thirty had such powerful group healing abilities?

These Heaven Dou Royal Academy students really did have something to them.

Lin Chen walked forward at an unhurried pace and stopped three steps in front of Zhao Wuji. His tone was even, but it carried a needle-sharp edge. "Senior, you're a level seventy-six Soul Saint, yet you're bullying a Soul Emperor in his sixties and a Soul King in his fifties. If word got out, wouldn't you be afraid of losing face?"

Zhao Wuji's face darkened. He looked down at the young man before him and bared a mouthful of white teeth. "Kid, who are you? Is it your place to speak here?"

"I'm Lin Chen, a student of Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

Lin Chen gave his name calmly, his gaze sweeping over Yu Xiaogang at the side. The faintest hint of mockery touched his lips. "Seniors are seniors, and students are students. What's so impressive about winning by using your seniority to bully those younger than you?"

He turned to Yu Xiaogang. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly across the entire field:

"Grandmaster, it's been a while. After we parted at Nuoding Academy all those years ago, I thought you'd gone into seclusion to devote yourself to studying Martial Soul Theory. I never expected you to hide away at this countryside academy, where the students you've taught only know how to use Hidden Weapons behind people's backs."

"It seems your Ten Core Competencies haven't taught them anything worthwhile, just a bunch of crooked tricks. Let me be frank: I call you Grandmaster out of respect. Without that respect, you're nothing."

"You... you brat, you're spouting nonsense!" Yu Xiaogang's face turned livid in an instant, and even his pointing finger began to tremble.

The humiliation at Nuoding all those years ago was a blot on his academic theories. Now Lin Chen had dragged it out in public and even insinuated that the students he taught used crooked tricks. It was practically a slap in the face in front of everyone.

Tang San immediately stepped forward and stood in front of Yu Xiaogang, his gaze sharp as a blade as he stared fixedly at Lin Chen. "Lin Chen, if you've got the guts, come at me! Don't insult my teacher!"

Dai Mubai also strode forward, a savage gleam blazing in his evil eyes as the White Tiger presence around him surged. "Watch your mouth, kid! Believe me, I'll tear it apart!"

"You dare!"

Xiao Wu bounded to Lin Chen's side, planted her hands on her hips, and glared at Dai Mubai, her pink eyes brimming with anger.

She glanced at Tang San and cursed inwardly, Why is it that pest Tang San again? He's always going against Brother Lin Chen. He's so annoying.

Lin Chen raised a hand to Xiao Wu's shoulder and swept his gaze over the Shrek group before finally settling on Zhao Wuji. His tone was calm but carried an unshakable certainty:

"Enough nonsense. You say you subdued this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent first, and we say we tracked it first. There's no point arguing back and forth. Shrek happens to have seven students here, so we'll send out seven as well. Students against students, in another fair match. No instructors are allowed to interfere. Whoever wins gets the serpent."

He paused, then added, his gaze passing over Yu Xiaogang, "That way, no one can say Heaven Dou Academy used superior numbers to bully your countryside academy."

"You!" Yu Xiaogang's chest heaved with anger.

But on second thought, he forcibly suppressed his fury.

On paper, Shrek had Dai Mubai, a level thirty-seven Soul Elder at his peak, whose White Tiger Martial Soul was invincible among those of the same rank. Though Tang San was only level twenty-nine, his actual combat ability far surpassed others of his level, and he had an endless array of Hidden Weapons, Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, and Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track;

With the all-around boosts from Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda added to that, their chances were good. Apart from Lin Chen and Yu Tianheng, the others on the opposing side were all rather low-level. Their Support System Soul Master's healing was strong, but his boosts couldn't match the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's.

Their chances of winning really weren't small.

Yu Xiaogang was so furious that he laughed instead and nodded. "Haha, fine! What a fair match indeed! Then we'll have another contest. I'd like to see whether you can beat my Shrek students. If you lose, I want you to apologize to me in public!"

"I have no objection." Lin Chen nodded calmly.

Zhao Wuji roared with laughter and slapped his thigh. "Interesting! I love watching young people fight more than anything! It's settled! Students against students, and none of the instructors can interfere. The winners take the serpent, and the losers leave without a fuss. If anyone tries to go back on it, I'll be the first to object!"

He loved a good commotion by nature, and watching one like this was even more entertaining than fighting himself.

The instructors on both sides withdrew to the edges of the battlefield. Lin Wuyuan and Wang Ze stood beside Qin Ming, and the three instructors exchanged somewhat grave looks. Yu Xiaogang and Zhao Wuji stood on the other side, Yu Xiaogang's face gloomy, while Zhao Wuji looked thoroughly eager.

In the middle of the rocky shallows, the two sides slowly formed their seven-against-seven lines.

Wind swept dust and sand across the rocky shallows. The young men and women on both sides took their positions, and the atmosphere instantly grew taut to the breaking point.

"Shrek Academy, Dai Mubai, level thirty-seven Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder, Martial Soul: Evil Eye White Tiger."

Dai Mubai was the first to step forward. White fur spread down his arms, and a savage gleam blazed in his evil eyes.

The pressure of a level thirty-seven Soul Elder at his peak slowly spread outward, bearing down on the opposing side as though it were solid. Three Soul Rings rose steadily beneath his feet: yellow, yellow, and purple. The outermost purple Soul Ring was rich in color, clearly indicating that it was not of a low age.

He was the leader of the Shrek Seven Devils and, as far as appearances went, the highest-level person present, so he naturally had absolute confidence.

"Tang San, level twenty-nine Control System Soul Grandmaster, Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass."

Tang San followed closely, stepping half a pace forward. Two yellow Soul Rings lit up beneath his feet, and the faint image of pale blue grass leaves swayed gently around his ankles. He looked ordinary enough, but as his Purple Demon Eye circulated, he took in every movement of the seven people opposite him.

"Zhu Zhuqing, level twenty-seven Agility Attack System Soul Grandmaster, Martial Soul: Hell Spirit Cat."

The cool voice came from beside Dai Mubai. Zhu Zhuqing stood half-hidden in the shadows, black cat ears upright and two yellow Soul Rings flickering in and out of sight beneath her feet.

"Ma Hongjun, level twenty-eight Power Attack System Soul Grandmaster, Martial Soul: Evil Fire Phoenix."

Ma Hongjun waddled a step forward, his plump body swaying as he flashed a lecherous grin. Dark red flames curled around him, heating the surrounding air until it warped. Two yellow Soul Rings rose, and a restless fire-attribute presence swept toward the opposing side.

"Tuo Mushuo, level twenty-eight Defense System Soul Grandmaster, Martial Soul: Vajra Serpent."

Tuo Mushuo's voice was low, and his dark-skinned face was expressionless. Dark golden snake scales crept up his arms, his fingertips glimmered faintly with poison, and two yellow Soul Rings settled steadily at his feet. Even the sand and stones beneath him had been blackened by the poisonous mist around his body.

"Oscar, level thirty Food System Soul Grandmaster, Martial Soul: Sausage."

Oscar rubbed his nose, twirling a freshly made Recovery Sausage in his hand as two yellow Soul Rings rose. A level thirty Food System Soul Master was rare across the entire continent, and that was something he could be proud of.