It wasn't supposed to be this early.
Even though the Battle King Academy highly values combat and promotes unmatched strength among soul masters, they wouldn't rush the development of young students.
Normally, each young soul master would spend at least a year in school to build a foundational level of combat ability before being allowed to visit the Great Soul Arena for experience.
But Fang Ling was the exception.
At seven years old, he could already cross ranks to kill fallen soul masters whose combat strength was above average.
Now, purely through technique, without even using soul skills, he could fend off sword attacks from someone at the Soul Sect level.
Soul masters from the outside world probably wouldn't be able to beat him.
Geniuses really are built differently.
Given that, as his teacher, there was no reason to hold him back from the path he had chosen.
After informing his wife in the infirmary, Lin Tianyang quickly left the academy with Fang Ling.
Since they were only going to observe, not fight immediately, his wife agreed to their outing.
The Great Soul Arena wasn't far from the academy, just two streets away.
Within a short walk, about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they arrived.
Just like the imposing Wuhun Hall is a landmark in every city, the Great Soul Arena stood as an equally prominent structure wherever it existed.
The Vick Icepeak Great Soul Arena was oval-shaped and stood 120 meters tall.
Inside, it had one main arena and twenty-eight sub-arenas.
It could accommodate up to 70,000 spectators at once.
There were also 120 VIP boxes.
Every night it was brightly lit, bustling with people coming and going. Other than the area around the academy, this was the most prosperous place in the city.
The people in this city were fierce by nature, so the audience numbers were high. This one place alone contributed over half of the city's tax revenue.
As they walked toward the registration area, Lin Tianyang gave Fang Ling a general overview.
"There are three types of soul battles. The first is sparring, an exchange of skills where killing is strictly forbidden.
The second is life-and-death battles, usually used to resolve irreconcilable disputes."
He paused, his tone carrying a hint of disapproval.
"But many people enjoy watching others' death throes. So, often, desperate individuals join these battles to make money."
"The third is wager battles, a more intense version of life-and-death battles. The winner takes everything from the bet. These are usually for nobles or clans to resolve disputes. You won't need to worry about these."
"Oh"
Fang Ling hadn't remembered all this clearly before, but hearing it now, it clicked.
Sparring could be a good start.
Mainly to assess the combat level of people here.
But eventually, he figured he'd be doing life-and-death battles.
Seeing how focused Fang Ling was, Lin Tianyang felt a sense of satisfaction as a teacher. Then he suddenly recalled something important he hadn't explained.
"Oh right, Fang Ling, did you see that stone tablet by the entrance?"
"What stone tablet? The one with all those names on it?" Fang Ling vaguely remembered glancing at it but hadn't paid much attention.
Lin Tianyang's voice turned solemn:
"That's the Tablet of the Fallen. It has the names of all the soul masters who died in the arena."
"You're a combat genius, but even the best can slip. If you don't want to end up like them, remember this: when entering the arena, be careful, careful, and more careful."
"Yes, I will remember your teachings."
Fang Ling already approached every fight with caution and gave it his all, so there was no need for extra warnings.
But having a teacher who cared about every detail, was a nice feeling.
He had chosen the right teacher.
There were no dramatic moments or arrogant opponents to slap down. Registering for the arena was simple and didn't take much time.
His teacher had initially wanted to pay the fee, but Fang Ling declined.
He had brought money specifically for this.
He then received an Iron Soul Badge.
All sub-arenas were decorated similarly, but there were different tiers.
Lin Tianyang picked a venue where mostly one-ring soul masters gathered and brought Fang Ling inside.
He explained more details.
Each soul arena had two major areas: sparring and life-and-death.
Each area had three formats: one-on-one, two-on-two, and team battles.
So a single sub-arena had six separate fighting platforms.
Lin Tianyang led Fang Ling to the sparring zone.
Tickets for one-ring fights were cheap. Since Fang Ling was alone, his teacher took him to the one-on-one spectator area.
"This is your first time here. No rush to fight, just watch for now."
Lin Tianyang turned his head and paused as he caught the fiery intensity in Fang Ling's eyes.
"There's a new match starting soon. Watch it carefully. Try to simulate the fight in your mind."
"And stop staring at people's necks. You need to break your habit of aiming for the throat in every fight."
"Remember, sparring battles are not for killing!"
"Yes, teacher."
Fang Ling responded awkwardly and shifted his gaze away from the fighters' necks.
But his mind was elsewhere.
How could he not aim for the neck? Was he interested in sparring?
He wanted life-and-death battles.
Of course, there was no need to rush.
Rushing leads to mistakes. Better to watch first.
Fang Ling calmed his racing heart and focused on the fight in the arena.
The announcer's voice echoed in his ears.
"Coming up in Soul Arena No. 6: Tonight's sixth one-on-one soul battle features two Grand Soul Masters."
"First, Dragon Ze, a soul master with the beast soul White Spirit Python, versus Lola, a soul master with the weapon soul Giant Wooden Club, who already has one win."
"Which one will…"
After the brief introductions, Fang Ling automatically tuned out the announcer's chatter.
His eyes were locked on the fighters.
Both were burly men. The only words to describe them were: "big" and "strong."
They had well-defined, muscular builds and dark bronze skin, as though forged by countless trials.
Their veins snaked over their bodies like blue-black serpents.
Their eyes gleamed with fierce aggression.
The one with the giant club was slightly slimmer, but only slightly.
As soon as they entered the arena, they both let out earth-shaking roars, like thunder exploding in the sky, sending shockwaves through the audience.
The surrounding temperature seemed to drop from the intensity, and the crowd erupted in loud cheers.
Idiots.
That was Fang Ling's evaluation.
He felt no emotion toward their yelling.
They were just one-ring soul masters. If you're going to fight, fight. Why scream?
They both had white soul rings. Acting like they were unbeatable.
The presence was decent, but those clumsy moves….
As Fang Ling expected, they weren't that strong.
The fight was rough and direct, with a bit of technique, but mostly brute force. Fang Ling frowned the whole time.
The match ended quickly, with the club-wielding soul master winning.
Weapon-type soul spirits had an edge early on.
The next match began immediately.
This pair was slightly stronger.
They watched until around ten o'clock at night.
Only then did Lin Tianyang take Fang Ling back to the academy. "So, what do you think?"
"They all seem weak. Can I try it myself tomorrow?" Fang Ling asked.
"Hmm... Sure. Your teacher and I will come watch and cheer you on."
The recommendation results hadn't come out yet, so it was still uncertain whether the story made it in.
Still, thank you all for your votes and your support yesterday.
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