All of this was still on the premise that Xiao Wu had held back. Otherwise, Bu Le's injuries would have been far worse than simple dislocations. While Xiao Wu's Soul Power wasn't yet refined enough to shatter every bone in his body without killing him, the agony of having every joint dislocated was even harder to bear. Even after recovery, hidden injuries would remain.
Just then, a series of footsteps rang out, steadily approaching from the direction of the alley.
"That old madam from the chicken coop said Bu Le headed this way with some young girl. I swear, this guy — did he find himself some real prize and decide to hog her all for himself?" The voice that spoke was strikingly magnetic and deep, a proper baritone. If judged by voice alone, it would have been irresistible to any woman over thirty.
"If he insisted on going solo, now he makes us come find him. Old Goose, you picked a great spot today — especially those stockings girls. Just looking at them makes my mouth water." If the first voice was the pinnacle of pleasantness, this second one was its polar opposite — hoarse and rasping like a drake's quack. Combined with its sleazy content, it immediately evoked the nauseating sensation of falling into a pile of flies.
Hearing these two voices, the half-conscious Bu Le perked up with a jolt of energy. Thank heavens his jawbone hadn't been dislocated. He gathered what little Soul Power he could still muster and forced himself to shout: "Old Goose! Tian Ya! I'm over here!"
The two voices mid-conversation cut off abruptly. Accompanied by a rapid succession of footsteps, two figures soon appeared before Bu Le.
"You — you're Bu Le?" The pleasant baritone spoke in disbelief. In the moonlight, one could make out that this person was tall and broad-shouldered, with a solid build. His long hair was somewhat disheveled but carried a wild air. Most striking, however, were his eyes. They were eyes reduced to the absolute extreme — tiny slits so narrow they seemed like mere lines. From the front, it was nearly impossible to tell whether they were open or closed. The added effect of his puffy eyelids made it even easier to overlook those thin creases entirely. That single detail utterly destroyed the perfection of his magnificent voice.
"Bu Le, what on earth happened to you?" The other person quickly crouched down beside Bu Le. Though his face wore a grave expression, his appearance was even more grotesque than Bu Le's or the baritone's. To put it simply, aside from his hair being somewhat normal, there was essentially nothing normal about him.
He was so skeletal he seemed to be nothing but bones. His eyes were quite large, but the pupils were yellow, glinting with a sinister light. A pair of rat whiskers twitched as he spoke, and the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes could have pinched an entire classroom of flies to death simultaneously.
The two people who had appeared before Bu Le looked roughly the same age as him. By now, both had dropped their earlier grinning demeanor, their faces set in solemn expressions.
The thin, grotesque one ran both hands rapidly over Bu Le's body, occasionally spitting out a curse. The yellow of his eyes had taken on a reddish tinge.
"Ruthless work. You're in bad shape, Bu Le. Every limb joint dislocated, four of five fractured ribs broken clean through, and three dislocations with fractures in your cervical spine. You won't recover for at least a few months."
……
The seven-day rest period passed swiftly, and it was time for class once more. In the days since they had snuck out to beat up the sleazy old man Bu Le, the matter had gradually faded from everyone's minds.
After breakfast, when the familiar class bell rang, Tang San and the other six arrived at the training grounds right on time.
Today's sunlight was exceptionally bright, the sky a clear, cloudless expanse of blue. Though it was still early morning, the sun already carried a hint of scorching warmth. The Great Master's shadow was stretched long by the sunlight as he stood with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for all seven to take their positions.
"From the time I came here and began teaching you until now, three months have passed. Under the supervision and assistance of the other teachers, your bodies have built a certain foundation. But to become outstanding Soul Masters, this is far from enough."
It was worth noting that during the past three months of their hellish training, the other teachers had not been idle. Ma Hongjun only learned this after he had tried to slack off once. The teachers had been lurking in the shadowed corners along their training routes, monitoring them. The consequences of Ma Hongjun's one act of laziness directly resulted in everyone's training load being increased by fifty percent over the next three days. The Great Master had always upheld the principle of collective responsibility — when one person erred, everyone bore the punishment. That was the mark of a true unit.
"So, starting today, I will begin the second phase of your training. I hear from Flandre that you've all been to the Sotuo Grand Battle Arena. That place will become your training ground for the foreseeable future. This phase has no time limit. The moment you earn your Silver Battle Arena badges, training ends. During this period, I will arrange for you to stay at the inn closest to the Grand Battle Arena. All food and lodging are at your own expense. As long as you have the skill, the income you earn from the Grand Battle Arena will be quite substantial."
At the Great Master's words, the students collectively let out a sigh of relief. Participating in arena battles at the Grand Battle Arena — that had to be easier than the Great Master's hellish training.
"However, remember this: earning a Silver Battle Arena badge is not just about one-on-one battles. You must also earn a Silver Battle Arena badge in team battles. You will fight under the team name Shrek Seven Devils. Team battles not only earn each individual personal points, but also a team score — something the two-on-two matches do not offer. Of course, if you want to earn the Silver Battle Arena title faster, you are free to pair up and enter two-on-two battles. I won't stop you. But there are several restrictions you must keep in mind. First, you are not to reveal your faces or tell opponents your real names during battles. Everything will be done under code names. Second, including Tang San himself, no one is permitted to use Hidden Weapons. Third, regardless of winning or losing, each of you must fight at least twice per day."
Oscar complained, "Great Master, Rongrong and I are support-type Soul Masters. Do we really have to earn Silver Battle Arena badges too?"
The Great Master replied calmly, "Or you can choose to train the way you did before — until everyone else earns their Silver Battle Arena badges."
"Uh… Great Master, I just realized how brilliant your decision was to send us to the Battle Arena for real combat experience. Please pretend I never said what I just said."
Ning Rongrong had been about to raise the very same question, but seeing Oscar get shut down so decisively, she silently congratulated herself and stifled a laugh from the sidelines.
The Great Master had always been a man of swift action. After having all the students quickly pack their belongings, he immediately set out with them for the Sotuo Academy. Joining them were two familiar faces — the academy's original headmasters: the Four-Eyed Cat Owl Flandre and the Immovable Bright King Zhao Wuji. The other three teachers remained behind at the academy.
Even Flandre couldn't help but silently admire the Great Master's decision. Having the students live in Sotuo City with all food and lodging expenses at their own expense naturally lifted the academy's financial burden, while he, Zhao Wuji, and the Great Master could stay at his shop. They would still be able to monitor the students' combat progress every day.
The Grand Battle Arena's battles were held at night. The group arrived in Sotuo City and first settled into a modest inn near the arena. Being right next to the Grand Battle Arena, even though it was nothing fancy, the room rates were double those of other places. Of course, for seven students earning a minimum of ten gold coins a month — and in some cases over a hundred — it was hardly a burden. After all, places as absurdly expensive as the Rose Hotel were few and far between.
After getting the students settled, the Great Master called all seven to Tang San's room.
"Now you can form your own groups and decide which types of arena battles to enter. The Grand Battle Arena typically starts with one-on-one and two-on-two matches first. Although team battles are held separately from the other two, they start later and are generally the arena's biggest crowd-pullers. The staggered schedule also lets them earn more in ticket sales. Each day, you must participate in one team battle. The other is your choice. If any of you want to fight three matches, I won't object — provided you manage your Soul Power properly."
(End of chapter)