Chapitre 47: Great Spirit Arena: Order
"Ning Fengzhi!" the white-haired man soared into the grand hall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, his voice echoing with anger.
Ning Fengzhi, seated calmly, met the man's gaze with unwavering composure. "Uncle Sword, why have you come here?" he inquired, his tone measured and composed.
"Why? You know why I am here. Why did you let Rongrong go to that Academy? Do you really think they can teach her better than us?" the man on the sword demanded, his voice laced with concern and frustration.
"Rongrong has been spoiled by you and Uncle Bone since her birth, she doesn't listen to anyone anymore. It's better to let her go out and experience the world. Maybe she will change for the better" Ning Fengzhi responded calmly. "Besides, Shrek Academy offers facilities comparable to ours, and they are supported by the Sheng Company"
"You mean that Sheng Company?" The white-haired man's eyes widened in disbelief, seeking confirmation from Ning Fengzhi. As the nod came, he finally relented, his resolve softening. With a heavy sigh, he turned to leave, his parting words echoing in the hall. "Fine, but if something happens to Rongrong, you will be responsible for it!"
As the man departed, Ning Fengzhi could only exhale softly, his expression a mix of resignation and determination. He knew he had made the right decision for Ning Rongrong's future.
…
"Dean, why did you bring them here on the first day? You don't plan to…" Dai Mubai's words trailed off, his voice filled with curiosity and a hint of apprehension as he questioned Flender, who was leading them toward the Suotuo City Great Spirit Arena.
Nodding in acknowledgment of Dai Mubai's question, Flender turned not only to Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing, but also to Sheng Jun, Ma Hongjun, and Bai Chenxiang who were walking behind him. "The arena in front of you is called the Great Spirit Arena" he began, his voice carrying a solemn tone as he explained. "It is a place where Spirit Masters test their skills in combat, where gamblers place their bets, and where you will gain invaluable combat experience and skills. For you to graduate from the Academy, you must attain at least a Silver Badge"
Flender paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in before continuing. As he turned his head towards Dai Mubai, "Mubai, you're familiar with the rules here. Explain it to them and assist them in getting registered. I have something to attend to"
With that, Flender swiftly flew away, leaving Dai Mubai's mouth twitching slightly in mild irritation at the sudden responsibility thrust upon him.
With a resigned sigh, Dai Mubai began to explain as he led them towards the Great Spirit Arena. "The registration fee is 10 gold coins, and once you win the first battle, you will gain an Iron Badge. Above Iron are Copper, Silver, Gold, Purple Gold, Sapphire, Ruby, and Diamond. To advance to the next Badge, you must gather 100 points. You earn one point from winning and lose one from losing. You also receive prize money when you win. Continuous winning will also give you extra points" Dai Mubai elaborated, his voice steady as he laid out the rules.
"The fights are divided into one-on-one, two-on-two, and team battles. You don't have to worry about the fairness of the match. Even if you are a noble, you still need to put your life on the line here" he continued, emphasizing the seriousness of the competition.
With a solemn expression, he gestured towards a large monument not far away. "Those are the names of people who died here, although it rarely happens, just remember that this is not a game" he said gravely.
Seeing the group nodding solemnly in understanding, Dai Mubai's expression softened into a reassuring smile. "Then follow me, let's go get you registered" he said, leading the way towards the Great SpiritArena.
The moment they walked into the Great Spirit Arena, the onlookers suddenly turned their attention towards their group, their eyes fixating on Dai Mubai. "Evil-Eyed Emperor! It's the Evil-Eyed Emperor!" the onlookers exclaimed, their voices ringing out in excitement and awe.
This unexpected outburst earned puzzled looks from Ma Hongjun and the others, who turned their heads towards Dai Mubai, only to see him cough awkwardly in response.
"Sixth Brother, you seem popular here" Ma Hongjun remarked curiously, his interest piqued.
Hearing Ma Hongjun's inquiry, Dai Mubai smiled slightly, a hint of embarrassment coloring his expression. "You could say that. Oscar and I have been quite active here in the past two years. So they decided to give us these nicknames, Evil-Eyed Emperor and Sword Emperor respectively, as we are a team" Dai Mubai explained, gesturing towards his Purple Gold Badge with a sense of pride, After all, he had battled numerous Spirit Ancestors to attain this rank, considering the scarcity of Gold Badged Spirit Elders. Hence, his sole option was to engage someone surpassing his level at which the badge rank wouldn't matter.
"That's so cool! I wonder if I will get a nickname in the future, maybe Phoenix Emperor!" Ma Hongjun exclaimed excitedly, striking a pose that earned a giggle from Bai Chenxiang, who found him adorable. Meanwhile, Sheng Jun attempted to distance himself from Ma Hongjun's antics by looking away and pretending not to know him.
Dai Mubai smiled awkwardly at Ma Hongjun's enthusiasm as he guided them toward the registration area. With Dai Mubai's assistance, Sheng Jun and the others completed their registrations. Tang San and Xiao Wu also opted for the two-on-two battles creating 3 5 combination, while Ma Hongjun and Bai Chenxiang followed suit creating the Fire and Ice Phoenix combination, undeterred by the prospect of facing opponents of Spirit Elder Rank due to Bai Chenxiang's higher soul power. They remained confident, knowing they had a trump card up their sleeves.
With their registrations complete, everyone who could, decided to participate in both one-on-one and two-on-two battles, maximizing their opportunities on the arena floor. After all, they could only engage in one battle of each type per day, and it would be wasteful to let any opportunity slip by.
After a while, Sheng Jun was called into the one-on-one arena, his confidence evident in his steady gaze as he walked calmly toward the assigned arena.
Meanwhile, Tang San and Xiao Wu were summoned to the two-on-two arena, their spirits high as they stood side by side, ready to take on any challengers together.
As for Ma Hongjun, he found himself paired against Zhu Zhuqing in a one-on-one match. However, before he could step into the arena, he was stopped by Dai Mubai.
"Second Brother, can you go easy on her?" Dai Mubai asked, his voice tinged with a hint of embarrassment as he coughed slightly.
"Of course, but I need one meal as payment" Ma Hongjun replied with a grin on his face. Even though he understood the reasons behind Dai Mubai's request, he couldn't help but ask for some benefit. With Dai Mubai's nod of agreement, he walked confidently into the arena, prepared to face Zhu Zhuqing with restraint.
…
"Welcome, everyone! Let's begin the one-on-one match!" The short-haired girl's voice reverberated throughout the arena as she announced the competitors. "On the left, we have Sheng Jun! Level 35 Beast-type Martial Soul: Corvus!! This is his first time here! Everyone, please welcome this handsome brother of ours!"
As her voice trailed off, the audience erupted into loud cheers, particularly from the female spectators. Despite being only 12 years old, Sheng Jun exuded an aura of maturity that belied his age, standing tall and confident, he looked no younger than Dai Mubai.
"And on the right side, we have our veteran, Catherine! Level 39 Tool-type Martial Soul: Wind Scepter!!" The announcer's voice boomed, earning an even louder cheer from the audience, signaling Catherine's formidable reputation in the arena.
Observing the meek-looking green-haired woman in front of him, Sheng Jun greeted her respectfully. "Hello, Miss. Please go easy on me" he said with a charming smile, which earned a slight blush from the woman.
"Uh, I will not go easy on you just because it's your first time, okay?" she replied meekly, her demeanor matching her appearance. Sheng Jun couldn't help but feel a twitch in his mouth. "Why did that sound weird?" he thought to himself, but he quickly composed himself and exchanged an understanding nod with Catherine.
However, to Catherine's surprise, Sheng Jun didn't enter his Martial Soul Possession as she had anticipated. Instead, he simply stood there, smiling calmly.
Noticing Catherine's confusion, Sheng Jun maintained his smile. He saw this as an opportunity to test out his third Special Ability, one he hadn't had the chance to use on anyone with a soul power close to his own before. It was the perfect opportunity to gauge its effectiveness against opponents who were only slightly more powerful than him.
"Match... Start!!" As the announcer's voice echoed, Catherine immediately pointed her Scepter towards Sheng Jun, ready to unleash her Wind Burst skill. Sheng Jun then softly commanded, "Stop"
To everyone's astonishment, Catherine halted her skill mid-cast before resuming. Even she herself was taken aback by her sudden compliance, feeling an inexplicable urge to follow his command. Shaking her head slightly, she tried to unleash the skill which has been successfully cast, but before she could react, Sheng Jun commanded again, "Close your eyes"
Following his orders, Catherine obediently shut her eyes. Seizing the opportunity, Sheng Jun swiftly moved towards her and effortlessly threw her off the arena. Despite her attempt to dodge, the speed difference was too vast, and she was unable to evade his attack.
A hush fell over the arena as the spectators watched in stunned silence. Then, the announcer's voice broke the quietude. "The... the winner is Sheng Jun! Records: one win and zero losses!" she declared, prompting thunderous cheers from the audience, celebrating Sheng Jun's victory.
As Sheng Jun walked out of the arena, his mind was consumed by deep thought. Reflecting on his third Special Ability: Order, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment. While the ability allowed him to command someone or something to do his bidding, its limitations were becoming apparent.
The simple commands he had issued had already drained a significant amount of his soul power, making more complex orders would be even more taxing. Additionally, it seemed that the targets of his commands were not completely under his control. Despite his orders, they retained their awareness and resistance, as evidenced by Catherine's attempt to dodge despite having her eyes closed or when she resumed her casting after she stopped mid-cast.
Moreover, the effectiveness of his orders appeared to diminish when the power gap between him and his target was significant. He had experienced this when he attempted to command Saixi to clap his hands, only to find his hands stopping before he could complete the action.
However, amidst his disappointment, Sheng Jun found solace in one aspect of his ability. That is, the fact that orders couldn't be blocked, even if they attempted to block the sound of his commands.
With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Sheng Jun resolved to continue exploring the capabilities and limitations of this Special Ability, determined to harness its full potential.
Walking back to the spectator's area, Sheng Jun exchanged a nod with Dai Mubai. Dai Mubai then redirected his focus back to the ongoing match, his attention fully engaged.
It became apparent that Zhu Zhuqing was struggling to get close to Ma Hongjun due to his flame and aerial maneuverability. With a swift motion, Ma Hongjun deployed a Phoenix Fire Bomb beside Zhu Zhuqing, creating a powerful shockwave that sent her flying out of the arena, though unharmed. Witnessing this decisive victory, Dai Mubai rose from his seat and made his way towards the lobby, likely to find Zhu Zhuqing.
Meanwhile, Sheng Jun shifted his attention towards Tang San and Xiao Wu's two-on-two match against brothers wielding a large hammer. The match didn't last long either. Xiao Wu's Charm skill ensnared the opponents in an illusion, rendering them momentarily stunned, while Tang San swiftly neutralized them with his Entangle and Parasitism skills. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Xiao Wu unleashed her Waist Blow skill, increasing her waist strength by 150% at this level, before delivering a powerful kick that sent both opponents flying out of the arena in quick succession. The efficient teamwork between Tang San and Xiao Wu proved to be formidable, securing them a swift victory.
…
"Agility Attack System is naturally more well-versed in assassinations, tracking, and scouting. If the terrain was more complicated and not pure open space, Second Brother would have a much harder time against you" Dai Mubai remarked lightly, attempting to uplift Zhu Zhuqing's spirits with his words.
Pausing for a moment to consider his statement, Zhu Zhuqing then turned to Dai Mubai and posed a question, her voice chilling, "Was it you who asked him to go easy on me?" Her inquiry hung in the air, leaving Dai Mubai momentarily speechless as he coughed lightly, unable to provide a straightforward answer.
Seeing his reaction, Zhu Zhuqing's expression soured, frustration evident in her tone as she admonished him, "Stop being so nosy" before turning to walk away, leaving Dai Mubai to contemplate her words.
"Zhuqing..." Dai Mubai called out, but his attempt to reach out to her fell on deaf ears. He had been trying to get closer to her all day, yet she didn't even spare him a glance, and now that she finally did, she said those words, leaving him feeling dejected. Although he understood her perspective, he couldn't shake the sense of injustice he felt. With a heavy sigh, he returned to the spectator's area, where everyone had gathered.
As Tang San's, Xiao Wu's, and Bai Chenxiang's one-on-one matches concluded, and Ma Hongjun and Bai Chenxiang finished their two-on-two match, the group began their journey back toward the Academy.
L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS 
Aczekial
Aczekial I'm not sure if this ability going to be broken or useless. I will decide in the future.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone