"Ten thousand gold soul coins! Why don't you just go rob someone?"
Xu Sanshi frowned, clearly taken aback by the audacity of the bet.
"Why? You, the second young master of the Xuanwu Sect, can't afford such a small amount? You're so stingy, no wonder you can't win over Senior Sister Jiang."
"You! You little brat! Fine!"
Huo Yuhao's words struck a nerve.
Xu Sanshi's face darkened. Truth be told, he didn't have ten thousand gold soul coins on him—he barely had a thousand. Who carried that much cash around casually?
Besides, if winning over a woman were as simple as throwing money at her, he would have done so long ago. But Jiang Nannan wasn't that kind of person.
It was easy for Huo Yuhao to talk big, but what did a kid like him know about pursuing a woman?
Seeing Huo Yuhao's unwavering confidence, Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, let's bet. I'll put up a Spirit Ascension Pill as my stake. But you better have the money ready. Don't blame me if you can't pay up when the time comes!"
Huo Yuhao smiled calmly. "Same here."
With that, the two parted ways, heading to their respective lounges to prepare for the upcoming soul battle.
Meanwhile, Wang Dong handed over a silver soul coin for registration and entered the stands of the Great Spirit Arena.
The arena was already buzzing with students from various grades, all drawn by the announcement of the match.
On her way to find Tang Ya and the others, Wang Dong noticed senior students setting up betting stations for the upcoming fight.
Betting on soul battles was a long-standing tradition at Shrek Academy.
This time, the majority of the bets were on Xu Sanshi to win. Only a handful of risk-takers placed their money on a draw or even Huo Yuhao's victory.
The gap between a 39th-level Soul Elder and a 28th-level Great Soul Master was simply too vast.
On one side was a seasoned fifth-year student, a veteran of Shrek's outer courtyard.
On the other was a fresh-faced first-year who had just entered the academy. It didn't take a genius to figure out who the likely winner would be.
Seeing the tempting odds, Wang Dong decided to place a single gold soul coin on Huo Yuhao—more as a gesture of goodwill than anything else.
As someone with keen insight, Wang Dong knew Huo Yuhao had an ace up his sleeve: his twin martial souls. Combined with his exceptional physical fitness, the title of "strongest freshman" wasn't just for show.
But even she couldn't ignore the reputation of the "Twin Stars of the Outer Courtyard." Xu Sanshi, who shared that title with Beibei, was no pushover. The sheer difference in soul power between the two was staggering.
Blind faith wasn't wise. Resisting the urge to bet big, Wang Dong settled on a modest wager—a small gold soul coin, a symbol of her support for Huo Yuhao.
"Wang Dong, you're here too?"
She turned to see Tang Ya and Beibei approaching.
"Why is Yuhao fighting Xu Sanshi?" Wang Dong asked urgently.
Tang Ya grinned mischievously. "Oh, it's a long story. It all started because of Jiang Nannan, the most beautiful girl in the outer courtyard..."
"...So, your roommate and Xu Sanshi agreed to this soul battle to win her favor. Truly, beauty is a dangerous thing."
Wang Dong's expression shifted from confusion to exasperation.
"Teacher Xiaoya, you're joking again."
Beibei chimed in, "Junior Brother Wang Dong, the cause of the incident is similar to what Xiaoya said, but the reason for the soul battle is a bit different..."
As they spoke, Huo Yuhao stepped into the arena from the lounge.
The moment he appeared, the crowd erupted.
"Huo Yuhao! Huo Yuhao!"
"The strongest freshman!"
"Wow, what a handsome junior!"
Huo Yuhao smiled and waved to the spectators, his eyes scanning the stands until they landed on familiar faces. He gave them a nod before turning his attention to the battlefield.
Xu Sanshi was already in the arena, accompanied by a middle-aged teacher who would serve as the referee.
The referee stepped to the center of the arena and announced in a deep voice, "First-year Huo Yuhao challenges fifth-year Xu Sanshi. If Xu Sanshi loses, he must pay an additional 40 gold soul coins. Both parties have agreed to the terms of the bet. Are you ready?"
Huo Yuhao and Xu Sanshi nodded in unison.
"Let the battle begin!"
The referee stepped back, and the two combatants released their martial souls simultaneously.
The noisy arena fell silent as all eyes focused on the two figures in the center.
"Ice Soul Body—Ice Jade Scorpion Empress! "
Huo Yuhao's body was instantly enveloped in a chilling aura, his form clad in icy armor. The extreme cold radiated from him, rushing toward Xu Sanshi like a tidal wave.
Beneath his feet, two soul rings appeared—one yellow, one purple. These were illusions created by his Spirit Eye's Imitation skill. In reality, his first two soul rings had already reached the level of ten-thousand-year black rings.
Being a genius was one thing, but being too monstrous would only make him a target.
Xu Sanshi's body swelled, his school uniform straining against his muscular frame. In his right hand, the massive Mystic Deep Turtle Shield materialized, its surface rippling with dark energy.
Three soul rings rose beneath his feet—two yellow, one purple. His soul power surged, forming a black wave that clashed against Huo Yuhao's ice aura.
But the cold was relentless, seeping into Xu Sanshi's bones and causing even him to shiver despite his martial soul's defensive prowess.
Feeling the overwhelming pressure, Xu Sanshi finally understood where Huo Yuhao's confidence came from.
Huo Yuhao's martial soul was undoubtedly a top-tier beast martial soul!
The boy before him no longer seemed human—he was like a primordial beast, exuding an aura of ancient, terrifying power.
Even Xu Sanshi's Mystic Deep Turtle, renowned as the strongest defensive martial soul in the outer courtyard and said to carry the bloodline of the divine beast Xuanwu, felt fragile in comparison.
With a roar, Xu Sanshi activated his third soul ring.
"Third soul skill—Mystic Deep Power!"
The skill enhanced his strength and allowed him to manipulate the water elements in the surrounding area. He took half a step back, crouched slightly, and raised his shield, forming a dark barrier of soul power to protect himself.
"Come on, Huo Yuhao! Hit me with everything you've got!"
Even if Huo Yuhao had a top-tier beast martial soul, Xu Sanshi refused to believe a mere Soul Grandmaster could break through his defense.
As long as Huo Yuhao attacked, Xu Sanshi was confident he could find an opening to counter and secure victory.
While the spectators were stunned.
Many of the weaker students in the stands couldn't help but shiver under the oppressive aura radiating from the arena.
What kind of martial soul did Huo Yuhao have?
On the surface, Xu Sanshi, who had activated his soul skill first, seemed to be at a disadvantage.
What was going on?
…
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