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Nuoding Academy, Dorm Seven.
A group of work-study students held their breath. Their eyes were fixed on the two figures facing off in the center of the dormitory. One was Wang Sheng, his strength surging after Martial Soul possession. The other was Wang Li, who only had the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul but showed an unyielding will.
Thanks to Wang Li's dramatic words, this battle now felt almost sacred. After all, what young man didn't have a bit of pride? Each of them had the talent of a Soul Master. Each was filled with dreams of the Soul Master world.
An intense fighting spirit flashed in Wang Sheng's tiger-like eyes. He glared at Wang Li and roared,
"This time, I won't be careless!"
He lunged forward like a tiger, charging at Wang Li with unstoppable momentum and fierce power.
Wang Li's heart pounded. His mind was tense. He could not afford to lose. He needed to gain experience through battle—this was his chance. Without a soul ring, Blue Silver Grass gave almost no boost to his strength. He had to rely entirely on his own physical abilities and wits.
Wang Sheng's fist came crashing down, fast and heavy. Wang Li reacted in a flash. He sidestepped and grabbed Wang Sheng's wrist and forearm, trying to redirect the force.
The moment he tried to move Wang Sheng, his expression changed. Wang Sheng was like a mountain—completely immovable.
Wang Sheng grinned, baring his teeth. He was no longer holding anything back. The idea of deciding who would be boss had faded from his mind. Now, he simply wanted a fair, open battle as a true Soul Master.
Wang Li retreated again and again. Suddenly, he turned, putting his back to Wang Sheng. He hoped to use Wang Sheng's forward momentum to throw him over his shoulder.
Wang Sheng had some fighting experience—or maybe just experience getting beaten up. But he wasn't skilled in real combat techniques.
Wang Li was forced to retreat under Wang Sheng's onslaught. Suddenly, he spun. He put his back to Wang Sheng, using his opponent's momentum to attempt a shoulder throw.
Wang Sheng was caught off guard. He was lifted off the ground for a split second. As he flew through the air, his instincts kicked in. His ferocity exploded. The arm Wang Li was holding onto grabbed Wang Li in return. Wang Li hadn't expected Wang Sheng to react so quickly.
Unable to break free, he stopped resisting. He let himself fly with Wang Sheng, using him as a cushion. Both crashed to the ground with a thunderous bang.
The dorm erupted with shouts. The two had crashed heavily to the ground. They immediately began wrestling, rolling around, and exchanging punches. It was wild and chaotic—nothing like the elegant battles described in Soul Master textbooks. This was raw, desperate combat. It looked more like a street brawl than a proper duel.
Wang Li was battered by Wang Sheng's fists. But he gritted his teeth and refused to yield. At the same time, his own punches landed again and again. The two were evenly matched in this messy struggle. Wang Li's resilience met Wang Sheng's raw power at every turn.
Fighting in this chaotic way actually helped Wang Li. Neither of them could gain the upper hand alone.
Before long, someone else entered the dormitory.
Tang San walked in. He immediately saw Wang Sheng and Wang Li tangled together on the floor.
The moves they used were, frankly, unsightly. In Tang San's eyes, it was just two amateurs flailing at each other.
Because of Tang San's arrival, Wang Sheng and Wang Li broke apart. They panted heavily.
Wang Li was out of breath. His face was bruised and swollen. But he managed a laugh as he saw the words "Experience +21" flash before his eyes. The pain was worth it.
"Wang Sheng," he said, "you're truly a formidable opponent."
Wang Sheng, frustrated, shook his head. His martial soul was superior. His soul power was higher. His strength was stronger. Yet Wang Li had forced him to this point. He had to admit, "Wang Li, your tenacity really surprised me. This time, it's a draw. We'll fight again next time."
Tang San could only stare. A vein pulsed on his forehead. How could these two—who had just been beating each other senseless—now be chatting like old friends?
Wang Li grinned. "Next time."
Wang Sheng grinned back, though the smile made his face twitch in pain. He turned to Tang San and said, a little surprised,
"There are quite a few new faces this year. Hey, introduce yourself first."
Tang San couldn't understand it. The two people who had just been rolling on the ground were now talking and laughing like friends.
He replied coldly, "My name isn't 'Hey.' My name is Tang San. I'm a work-study student from Holy Soul Village."
Wang Sheng struggled to stand up. He was bruised and battered, but he held his head high. He said proudly, "My name is Wang Sheng. I'm currently the boss here. Just now, another newcomer named Wang Li and I had a Soul Master duel for the boss's position. For now, neither of us could gain the upper hand."
He looked at Tang San seriously. "Now that you're here, you have two choices. One is to acknowledge me as the boss. The other is to defeat me and take the boss's position. These are the rules here. Everyone must follow them."
Tang San frowned. He thought Wang Sheng was just trying to bully him for no reason. It was simply annoying.
After watching the earlier fight, he already had a good idea of Wang Sheng's strength. He was not impressed. Whether he used hidden weapons or not, Wang Sheng was someone he could easily defeat.
Time to teach him a lesson.
Tang San set down his bag. He said coldly, "Bring it on!"
Wang Sheng eyed the thin, dark Tang San. He was a head shorter than Wang Li and two heads shorter than himself. Even though I'm not at my best, Wang Sheng thought, I can easily handle this kid.
He took his stance and announced loudly, "Wang Sheng, Martial Soul: War Tiger, level 9 Soul Master."
Tang San hesitated for a moment. He wasn't used to revealing his strength. But since it seemed to be the rule here, he replied with a cold face, "Tang San, Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass, level 10 Soul Master."
Wang Sheng glanced at Wang Li in disbelief. Another Blue Silver Grass? And this one is a level 10 Soul Master? What is going on this year? How can Blue Silver Grass Martial Souls be getting more and more talented?
But there was no turning back now. With a tiger's roar, Wang Sheng charged forward.
Tang San was fully prepared to teach Wang Sheng a lesson.
Meanwhile, Wang Li sat on his bed. He couldn't bear to watch Wang Sheng rush to his own defeat. Even at his best, Wang Sheng would be no match for Tang San. Let alone now, battered and bruised.
Wang Sheng's body was covered in injuries. Wang Li's own body ached as well. However, the initial pain had faded. It was replaced by a cool, refreshing sensation. Wang Li realized that, while Blue Silver Grass at level 2 didn't greatly improve his strength, it did help him recover quickly from injuries.
This was the Vitality trait at work. The Tenacity passive was likely taking effect too. His body would grow stronger as it healed—another way to become more powerful. After all, a Soul Master's physique determined the age limit of the soul ring they could absorb.
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