The powerful strength displayed by Ming Tian excited Yan immensely, and he immediately went to handle the team registration procedures for the Soul Fighting match.
"Hey, we're entering the 2v2 match. We need to pick a team name. What should we call ourselves?"
Yan asked Ming Tian. Ming Tian, unaware they needed a name, answered naively:
"Any name is fine."
"You're not picky at all. My family runs an auction house here in Tianling City called Yanling Auction House, so let's call our team the Yanling Warriors. How's that?"
"Sounds good. Brother Yan, how do we split the gold coins if we win?"
"Gold coins? You're teaming up with me just for the gold?"
"Yeah, I just got to Tianling City not long ago and don't have much money, so I want to find someone to team up with and make some."
"If you didn't need the money, would you let me take a bigger share?"
"Huh?"
Yan looked at Ming Tian in surprise, charmed by his innocence.
"So you're from out of town, all alone? Do you have a place to stay?"
"No, my family's gone, and I don't know where to go."
Ming Tian said, his head hanging low, looking pitiful.
"Hey, my family is one of the most famous clans in Tianling City. Interested in staying with me? I'll pay you fifty gold soul coins a month. You've got skills, so you'll just be my sparring partner."
"Really?! Food and lodging included?"
"Of course. Plus, any gold coin winnings from matches go straight to you. I just want to win! Can you do that?"
"Yeah! I will! I'll give it my all!"
Ming Tian was overjoyed and nodded vigorously.
"Yanling Warriors, huh? You're all registered. Your opponents are the Thorn Team. Get ready."
Someone came to notify them that the match was about to begin.
Because Yan was extremely famous in Tianling City and his family ran the auction house, the news of Young Master Yan joining the Soul Fighting scene attracted a lot of attention and betting began on the outcome.
"Wow, so many people."
Ming Tian had never seen such a grand scene. The Great Soul Fighting Arena was like a Roman Colosseum, packed with spectators.
"Thorn Team, as the name suggests, is related to thorns. It's made up of two Beast Soul Masters: Ning Tong, who has the Hedgehog Soul, and Gan Ling, with the Arrow Hog Soul. They're about fifteen years old, around level 17 Soul Power — decent Soul Masters, but clearly not as talented as our side."
"Young Master Yan is the one with the highest initial Soul Power since the awakening of souls in Tianling City — a full level 9 Soul Power, just one step away from innate full Soul Power. He's rightly called a genius. In just half a year, he got his first Soul Ring and is hailed as the most likely candidate to be recruited by the Martial Soul Hall."
"His father, Yan Wei, is a level 52 Soul King who runs the top auction house in Tianling City — Yanling Auction House. His Martial Soul is also the Flame Lord."
"I wonder where Yan found that little kid. Judging by his age, he's about six or seven, but he already has a first-ring Soul Power level and innate Soul Power of at least level seven. No idea where such a monster comes from. This match should be very interesting."
On the Supreme Viewing Platform inside the arena, a man closed the dossier in his hand and said to the person beside him:
"What do you think? Not betting on the fight? The odds are good."
"Compared to the money, I'm more interested in that little kid next to Yan — a mutated Soul."
"Isn't your Sect only recruiting 'pure-blooded' Soul Masters? Why would you be interested in a kid like that?"
"We're only interested in potential. Meng Qianji, I heard your brother plans to join the Tian Dou Royal Academy — the place where loyalty to the royal family is pledged. Has he started aligning himself yet?"
"Since his Martial Soul is the Black Demon Soul, although he once betrayed the Holy Spirit Sect and isn't an Evil Soul Master, he needs backup to keep the Martial Soul Hall off his back."
"But the Tian Dou Empire... well, whether he can be protected is questionable."
"Compared to that, I'm carefree. I was planning to check out the village where the Martial Soul Hall wiped out the Holy Spirit Sect."
"Did you find anything?"
"They're all dead. Such a pity."
"You stayed at the Holy Spirit Sect with your brother before, right? Were you looking for some little lover?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I just don't want the Holy Spirit Sect to vanish from this world so easily."
"Aren't you afraid the Martial Soul Hall will come after you?"
"I'm already level 89. One more step and I'll reach the Title Douluo rank. Who am I afraid of? I've already picked my title — Dream Demon Douluo. I'll be the first Dream-type Title Douluo on the streets!"
"But as far as I know, Can Meng Shinian broke your record. He reached Soul King at 35 years old and recently broke through again. He's currently 33, making him the earliest Dream-type Martial Soul to reach Soul King."
The man flipping through the booklet said:
"Damn, Can Meng Shinian? I've seen that guy — looks sinister as hell. No matter how strong he is, I bet he won't live to see the day he becomes a Douluo!"
"Why? You read faces?"
"No, I just don't like him."
"By the way, what's your next move?"
"Stay with your Sect for a while, haven't sparred with you in ages. Then I'm going to investigate Yanling Auction House — something's fishy there."
"Hmm?"
"Alright, Poison Soul, hurry up and break level 88. The Sect's hope is all on you."
"The Soul Fighting has begun."
As the two chatted, Ming Tian and Yan stepped onto the match stage. Their opponents were Ning Tong, the Hedgehog Soul Master, and Gan Ling, the Arrow Hog Soul Master.
"Young Master Yan, we won't go easy on you."
"Bring it on."
"Prepare yourself."
Gan Ling sneered, activating his Arrow Hog Soul. He released his first soul skill: Arrow Hog Flying Thorn!
Countless tiny spikes flew toward Ming Tian and Yan.
"Child's play!"
Yan activated his Flame Lord Soul, releasing the first soul skill: Flame Body!
Flame Body enhances physical strength with attached flames, lasting one full hour!
This soul skill famously resisted the attack of the Martial Soul Fusion Skill: Nether White Tiger in a later battle against the Shrek Seven Devils — talk about strong.
(Though all this is after Tang San's time, for the record.)
The sharp spines of the Arrow Hog Soul attack did no damage to Yan, who smiled and charged toward Gan Ling.
Meanwhile, Ning Tong started fighting Ming Tian.
Ning Tong's first soul skill: Hedgehog Ball!
As the name suggests, Ning Tong could raise the spikes on his body and curl into a ball to attack — like a hedgehog curling up, but offensively.
Seeing Ning Tong rolling at him covered in spikes, Ming Tian activated his Three-Tailed Scorpion Soul's first skill: Scorpion Claw Slash!
This skill turns his hands into scorpion claws, gathering energy to unleash a purple crescent-shaped slash.
However, the purple crescent strike against Ning Tong seemed to have no effect.
"Aaaah, that hurts! Kid, you got this!"
Ning Tong stood, looking at Ming Tian, then curled into the spiky ball again and charged.
Ming Tian noticed some spikes were already cut off by his Scorpion Claw Slash.
"Then here comes another!"
Ming Tian didn't back off. His two scorpion claws grabbed the spikes of the incoming Hedgehog Ball attack.
Ning Tong stretched out and stood up, trying to drag Ming Tian behind him.
Ming Tian quickly slashed again multiple times.
Ning Tong shrank back into the spiky ball and retreated a few steps, leaving holes in the ground with his spikes.