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After registering, Wang Li picked up his luggage. He headed toward the dormitory. Nuoding City was small, so the academy couldn't attract many talented students. There were even fewer work-study students—true geniuses were a rarity among commoners.
Dorm Seven was where all work-study students lived. Age or gender didn't matter; everyone was housed together in this one dormitory. As Wang Li approached Dorm Seven, he saw that the area around it was fairly clean. The building itself, however, looked old and shabby. A loud commotion echoed from inside, hinting at a lively atmosphere.
Wang Li had already steeled himself for basic conditions. He stepped into the spacious dormitory. It was lined with 40 or 50 beds, but only 11 had any bedding on them. Eight or nine teenagers were lounging on their beds, chatting and laughing.
The moment Wang Li entered, all eyes turned to him. Even though he was prepared, he couldn't help but inwardly groan at the state of the place. It was barely better than a prisoner-of-war camp—maybe only a poorly run factory could compare. Still, he hadn't paid any tuition, so Wang Li felt a small sense of relief.
He put on a friendly smile and greeted them. "Hello, everyone. I'm a new work-study student this year. My name is Wang Li."
As soon as he finished, a burly teenager stood up. He placed one hand on his hip and pointed at himself with the other.
"Your name is Wang Li? My name is Wang Sheng!"
He grinned. "I'm currently the boss of Dorm Seven. Here's your choice: fight me. If you win, you'll be the new boss. If you lose, you'll acknowledge me as boss. Don't think I'll go easy on you just because your name is also Wang. This fight is a must."
Wang Li hadn't planned on getting into pointless fights. But his panel still showed 0 experience. He figured he might as well try. Maybe fighting would change something.
He looked around, picked an empty bed, and set his things down. Then he turned to face Wang Sheng, speaking solemnly.
"In the world of Soul Masters, fighting is unavoidable. I only awakened my Martial Soul recently, but I'm not afraid. Wang Sheng, let's have a Soul Master's duel!"
Wang Li's words sounded a bit over-the-top, but he had thought it through. Instead of letting things get out of hand, he wanted to guide the situation. He aimed to turn this into a proper sparring match between Soul Masters.
Wang Sheng looked tall, but he was only 11 or 12 years old. He froze for a moment. Then his face lit up with excitement. Young people love a good challenge, and Wang Li's words had hit just the right note. Wang Sheng shouted,
"Wang Sheng, level 9 Soul Master, Martial Soul: War Tiger. Please advise!"
Wang Li shifted into a bow stance. His legs were apart, one in front and one behind, as he gathered his strength.
"Wang Li, level 3 Soul Master, Martial Soul: Mutated Blue Silver Grass. Please advise!"
At these words, not only Wang Sheng but also the other work-study students were surprised. They glanced at each other in disbelief. Since when could Blue Silver Grass be cultivated? It was famously known as a trash Martial Soul.
Wang Sheng stood across from Wang Li. He was fully aware of his opponent's Martial Soul and soul power. Confident in his own cultivation, he lifted his chin and said,
"Come on. I'll let you attack first."
Wang Li steadied his mind. His Blue Silver Grass traits—Vitality and Tenacity—couldn't directly boost his strength. But he still activated his Martial Soul, letting his soul power flow through his body. Feeling a gentle warmth, Wang Li almost sprang forward. Since Wang Sheng offered the first move, he wouldn't hesitate.
Seeing Wang Li's intent, Wang Sheng roared and threw a punch at him.
Wang Li bent his knees and ducked under the punch. He didn't try to meet Wang Sheng head-on. Instead, he quickly closed the distance. He grabbed Wang Sheng's waist with both hands and used his momentum to drive his shoulder into Wang Sheng's chest.
Wang Li's strength came from his own training, not his Martial Soul. Wang Sheng's War Tiger Martial Soul enhanced his physique, but Wang Li's powerful collision still forced him to retreat.
Pain shot through Wang Sheng's chest as he stumbled back. He immediately regretted his earlier arrogance, but it was too late. He tried to shake Wang Li off, but Wang Li held on tightly.
"Martial Soul, possess!"
Wang Sheng had no choice but to activate his Martial Soul. Yellow energy surged from his body. His nails and teeth sharpened, and hair began to grow. Without a soul ring, the transformation was shallow, but his strength still increased significantly. He steadied his stance. Then, with a shout, he grabbed Wang Li and tossed him aside.
Wang Li felt himself lifted into the air. Earlier, Wang Sheng had underestimated him. Now, Wang Li realized he had also underestimated Wang Sheng. After Martial Soul possession, Wang Sheng's strength had soared. Wang Li's own strength was no match.
He didn't know any fancy light body techniques, so he crashed hard to the ground. Still, he knew how to absorb some of the impact. After landing, he rolled several times and got back up. His chest, back, wrists, and arms all ached. But then he noticed something strange—the warm soul power in his body now felt cool in the injured areas. The pain began to fade.
Meanwhile, Wang Sheng looked at Wang Li. He felt he had regained his dignity. He lifted his head and said,
"Wang Li, you actually forced me to use my Martial Soul. I admit you're a strong Soul Master. But if you want to defeat me, this isn't enough."
Wang Li barely heard him. In the space between him and Wang Sheng, the words "Experience +5" suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He was surprised and delighted—he had finally found the way to gain experience! Looking at Wang Sheng with newfound determination, he declared,
"Wang Sheng, you're my first opponent on the Soul Master path, and also the strongest I've faced so far. Even if your strength is terrifying, I will never give up. Come on, let's fight!"
Wang Sheng's blood boiled with excitement. He often fought with self-funded students, but none had ever fired him up like this. He laughed loudly.
"I, Wang Sheng, acknowledge you! I'll use all my strength to defeat you!"
The other work-study students were surprised at how quickly things had escalated. But they were just as excited, almost wishing they could join the fight themselves.
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