The Soul Dueling Area was a very important place within Shrek Academy, located at the northwest corner of the Martial Soul Department, near Shrek City.
It was also a place frequently visited by many senior students. Here, various matches could be held, with dedicated teachers acting as referees—responsible for judging wins and losses, protecting students, offering aid, and providing healing.
Of course, all of this required payment.
To conduct a single duel, both sides had to pay at least ten gold soul coins as a venue fee. Even so, many students still flocked here. The reason was that fighting here had no restrictions; there was no fear of accidents caused by striking too heavily, since refereeing teachers would keep everything in control. At the same time, winning matches in the Soul Dueling Area granted a certain number of credits, which would be added to year-end exams.
After the fourth grade, earning dueling credits became mandatory for promotion. For example, advancing from fourth to fifth grade required at least ten victories against peers in the Soul Dueling Area. To go from fifth to sixth grade required even more. Beyond sixth grade, for entry into the inner court, dueling credits were especially crucial.
Matches in the Soul Dueling Area were open to all students, provided they paid the entrance fee of one silver soul coin.
However, when used for teaching, whether to duel or to spectate, it was free.
The dueling area was hexagonal, nearly the size of Shrek Plaza. Its center was a vast open space where students fought, surrounded by tiered seating that could hold around three thousand people at once.
When Xu Zihuang and Tuoba Yu arrived, the students of Class Nine were already seated at the edge of the arena.
The field itself was empty, but between it and the stands lay a wide buffer zone. Mu Jin stood at the center holding a roster, accompanied by two other teachers—a man and a woman.
The male teacher appeared to be around forty, much older than Mu Jin. His looks were plain, his aura unassuming, his face smiling kindly.
The female teacher looked about the same age as Mu Jin, her faint smile radiating a subtle aura of life even from afar.
Mu Jin wasn't surprised to see her. When she had booked the Soul Dueling Area yesterday, it was this healing-system teacher who had been assigned to their class's practical assessment, to conveniently heal students in case of injury.
As for the male teacher, though only a Soul King in cultivation, his research into martial soul theory ranked among the best in all of Shrek Academy. He usually taught senior outer court students and even had the qualifications to lecture inner court disciples.
"Teacher Wang Yan, why are you here?" Mu Jin asked respectfully.
Wang Yan chuckled. "I heard from Director Du that among this year's freshmen, the class you lead has the greatest talent. When I learned you'd be using the dueling area today, and since I had no class this morning, I thought I'd come observe. I hope I'm not intruding?"
"Of course not." Mu Jin waved her hand, then added with subtle pride, "I believe you'll find our students quite interesting."
"Oh?" Wang Yan raised his brows, curiosity lighting in his eyes as he turned toward the new students of Class Nine.
His main goal was to observe their martial souls, for which he had a deep obsession. Hearing Mu Jin's confident words only stirred his interest further.
Not long after Xu Zihuang and Tuoba Yu arrived, Ning Tian and Wu Feng also entered.
Seeing everyone gathered, Mu Jin didn't waste time.
"As class monitor, Yu Tianhuang will go first. As I said before, if anyone can defeat him, they will take his place. Those wishing to challenge him may step forward now. Otherwise, I will assign an opponent."
Xu Zihuang and Tuoba Yu had been sitting toward the back, but the moment Mu Jin spoke, all eyes turned toward them.
Even Wang Yan, beside Mu Jin, looked over with interest.
Under their stares, Xu Zihuang rose reluctantly and walked toward the arena through the aisle.
A few confident boys looked at him with eager eyes, but before any could speak, a cold voice cut in.
"Teacher Mu, I want to challenge him!"
Xu Zihuang halted, frowning as he turned.
The one who had stood up was none other than Wu Feng at Ning Tian's side.
"Sister Feng, what are you doing?! Didn't I tell you not to challenge him?" Ning Tian muttered with displeasure, lowering her voice.
But Wu Feng avoided her gaze, gritted her teeth, and leapt straight into the arena, anger driving her forward.
In her fury, she even forgot she was wearing the academy's knee-length skirt.
Of course, with most of Class Nine being girls and three teachers present, no boy dared raise his head to sneak a look.
Xu Zihuang gave Ning Tian a thoughtful glance. From their brief exchange, he already understood Wu Feng's identity.
So it was the hot-tempered girl who liked Ning Tian.
Still, being targeted for no reason left him somewhat displeased.
In the center of the arena, Xu Zihuang's gaze locked on Wu Feng, who met it head-on without fear, her dark-red eyes flashing strangely as the air around her began to heat.
"Your students are certainly lively," Wang Yan remarked with a smile.
Mu Jin smiled faintly, nodding.
She had chosen actual combat on the very first day mainly to observe her students' martial souls and abilities, useful for forming three-person teams for the assessment in three months.
Wu Feng's martial soul was strong, and her cultivation ranked just beneath Xu Zihuang and Ning Tian. To Mu Jin, she was an excellent match for either.
After jotting notes in her folder, Mu Jin looked up and said: "Yu Tianhuang, Wu Feng. Each of you take a corner. Only when I declare the match started may you release your martial souls."
Both complied, but before retreating, Wu Feng glared coldly at Xu Zihuang.
"Stay away from Ning Tian."
"You teaching me what to do?" Xu Zihuang raised a brow. He had never been one to tolerate such arrogance.
He had come to Shrek Academy willing to set aside his royal pride, but that didn't mean he'd let himself be ordered around.
The dueling field was huge, easily over a hundred meters across, designed to withstand the destructive powers of high-grade martial souls and soul skills.
Even before the duel began, sparks were flying.
Mu Jin didn't mind; competition bred progress, and that was Shrek's tradition.
"Begin!" At her command, Wu Feng let out a cry, her body leaping as heavy heat surged from her frame, accompanied by the faint sound of a dragon's roar.
Her figure stretched midair, transforming into that of a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl. The sudden change burst her uniform apart, revealing tight leather beneath—clearly prepared in advance. The black suit clung to her curves, baring her long legs and containing the swell of her chest, now more voluptuous with her martial soul possession.
A soft red glow rippled across her skin as dragon scales spread from the left side of her face down her neck, across her shoulder, and along her entire left arm and hand.
Compared to Beibei's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's domineering presence, Wu Feng's dragon spirit carried a slightly softer air—but only slightly.
Her Fire-attribute Red Dragon martial soul radiated the might of a top-level spirit. Two yellow soul rings rose from beneath her feet.
Watching the transformation, Wang Yan murmured: "Red Dragon martial soul—solid aura, good control. This student could well become a core disciple."
Mu Jin smiled faintly but glanced toward Xu Zihuang. Yet her smile quickly froze.
"Why isn't he releasing his martial soul? Such arrogance?!"
No teacher liked students who underestimated opponents—it could be fatal in battle.
But Wang Yan interjected: "No, Teacher Mu, look at his eyes. He has already released his martial soul—just without displaying his soul rings."
His insight was sharp.
"To release one's martial soul without showing rings requires an extremely high level of control. Even inner court students cannot all do this. Teacher Mu, your student is remarkable."
As the teachers discussed, Wu Feng charged. Her tall, fiery form radiated explosive strength. In a flash, she reached Xu Zihuang, her scaled left arm sweeping toward his torso.
Anger flared in her chest.
"Not even releasing your martial soul properly—are you looking down on me?!"
But Xu Zihuang's gaze was ice-cold. Guided by his Golden Pupils' instinct, he saw through her movements completely.
Not hitting women?
Nonsense.
Heavy Fist!
Just before Wu Feng's arm struck, Xu Zihuang's figure blurred, slipping past her sweep. In that instant, his right fist, wrapped in dense soul power, rocketed straight for her face—merciless, without hesitation.
He had timed it perfectly, striking at the moment when Wu Feng's force had been spent and her follow-up yet to arrive.
"How?!"
Wu Feng's pupils shrank. His counter was too fast. With no time to activate a soul skill, she hastily raised her scaled arm to block.
Her Red Dragon martial soul was known for its defense. She trusted that Xu Zihuang's arrogance in not showing his rings would leave him the one suffering.
But the instant fist met arm, she realized her folly.
Crack! Bone snapped before she even felt pain. Her left arm went numb, limp at her side.
Even the teachers were caught off guard.
Xu Zihuang himself paused, surprised. He quickly pulled back, halting his left hand midair, which had been about to unleash a claw strike to her skull.
"So weak?"
He hadn't used full strength—barely half.
Had he underestimated his own power, or overestimated hers?
Whether from his mutter or from the delayed wave of pain, Wu Feng's body convulsed.
Puh—
Blood spilled from her lips. Her red eyes dimmed with unwillingness as she collapsed to the ground.
The stands went silent.
A single punch had crushed a Red Dragon martial soul wielder, a Grandmaster-ranked soul master. Even seasoned Soul Sects couldn't do that so easily.
Many realized then that they would not even have the courage to stand against Xu Zihuang.
The boys who had considered challenging him were thoroughly cowed.
Among soul masters, strength reigned supreme.
The girls, meanwhile, looked at Xu Zihuang with shining eyes. Handsome, powerful—what flaw could they find?
Near the front of the stands, a cute black-haired girl hugged Nanmen Yun'er's arm, cooing: "Yun'er, you know Yu Tianhuang, right? Can you invite him to lunch later?"
Her short black hair was streaked with a few strands of white. She wasn't tall, but her figure was enviable.
Nanmen Yun'er, usually gentle, felt a sudden irritation at the girl clinging to her arm.
"We only met yesterday. We're not close. That wouldn't be proper."
Down below, Mu Jin finally recovered and called to the healer: "Teacher Lv."
The healing teacher quickly checked Wu Feng.
"Her left arm's bones are fractured, her meridians disrupted. He pulled back in time."
As she spoke, she couldn't help glancing at Xu Zihuang, whose expression was innocent.
"Teacher Mu, I didn't expect her to be so weak," Xu Zihuang said earnestly, leaving Mu Jin and the healer speechless.
"Wasn't his martial soul supposed to be a spiritual-type Golden Pupils? How does he fight more like a power-type assault soul master?" Mu Jin thought helplessly, waving him down.
"Go back."
Xu Zihuang nodded, just as Ning Tian hurried past to check on Wu Feng. Her eyes, as they brushed Xu Zihuang's, were complicated.
She had heard the healer's words. Since he had held back, there was nothing more to say. The blame lay with Wu Feng's recklessness.
As Xu Zihuang passed the buffer zone, Wang Yan suddenly smiled and addressed him: "Hello, Yu. I am Wang Yan, a teacher of the outer court. Forgive me for asking, but is your martial soul strength-based?"
"Hello, Teacher Wang," Xu Zihuang answered politely, shaking his head.
"My martial soul is not strength-type."
"Oh?" Wang Yan was briefly stunned but asked no more. He was confident that with time, he would uncover the truth.
Watching Xu Zihuang's retreating back, a smile spread across his face.
It had been many years since a freshman had stirred his interest so much.