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As evening fell over the academy, the group got ready to head out.
"Time to go!" Flender said, giving a quick wave. He tapped his foot on the ground and jumped forward, moving quickly toward the area outside the academy.
The others kept up behind him.
At the village entrance, they spotted Ning Rongrong jogging nearby. She gave them a challenging look before continuing her run. Oscar followed her, offering an apologetic glance as he passed by.
Flender, not knowing Ning Tian was why Ning Rongrong had started behaving, smiled to himself. 'Guess I've finally gotten through to her, he thought. A twelve-year-old like that? With my experience, it was only a matter of time.'
They were headed to Suotuo City.
The trip was quiet. Flender didn't say much, and no one asked questions.
Flender set a steady pace. Ning Tian stayed close beside him without effort. Dai Mubai trailed just behind Flender, while Zhu Zhuqing, quick on her feet, kept near Ning Tian. Tang San and Xiao Wu followed, with Ma Hongjun bringing up the rear.
After about thirty minutes, they reached Suotuo City.
Flender didn't go straight to the Grand Arena. Instead, he stopped at a small teahouse nearby and ordered a pot of cheap jasmine tea.
From their table, the Grand Arena stood out, its huge frame rising almost a hundred meters high. Dim lights glowed inside, suggesting fights were already underway.
Ning Tian, always direct, spoke up. "Dean, are we going to the Grand Arena to fight?"
Flender raised an eyebrow. "You've been there before?"
The group turned to Ning Tian, curious.
"Yeah," Ning Tian said simply.
He'd seen similar arenas while traveling to the Dark Fragrant Sword Clan. He explained the basics: "There are two kinds of matches–life or death and sparring. If you win, you get a point. If you lose, you lose one. Ten points earn a Copper Soul Badge, a hundred for Silver, a thousand for Gold, and it goes up from there. Matches come in three types: one on one, two on two, or seven person team fights."
Flender coughed, a little thrown off since he'd planned to explain it himself. "Well, since you already know, let's head over. I want you all to reach a Silver Soul Badge before you graduate."
They paid for the tea and walked to the Grand Arena. There, they finished their soul power tests and signed up.
In the spectator area, while others watched the current matches, Ning Tian stepped aside. He pulled on a hooded black robe and a firefox mask to cover himself before going towards the registration desk.
Xiao Wu tagged along, curious. "Little Sixth, why the outfit?"
Zhu Zhuqing glanced at him too, interested.
Ning Tian grinned under the mask. "The Grand Arena draws all kinds of people. It's better to keep a low profile."
Xiao Wu's face lit up, more excited about the disguise than his reasoning. "I want one too!"
Ning Tian shrugged. He had spares in his storage soul tool belt from past trips. He gave her a rabbit mask.
Xiao Wu smiled brightly, treating it like a special gift from him—her second one. But when he handed Zhu Zhuqing a cat mask, she frowned.
To get a reaction from him, she huffed, "I'll team up with Tang San for a two-on-two!" She turned away, expecting him to care.
Tang San, clueless, smiled and went with her.
Ning Tian, unbothered, looked at Zhu Zhuqing. "Zhu Zhuqing, how about we team up for a two on two fight?"
"Sure," Zhu Zhuqing said easily. Of the Shrek guys, Ning Tian was the only one she didn't mind.
Xiao Wu glared. "You, both of you…..ugh!" She stomped on Tang San's foot and marched off.
Tang San flinched but felt oddly pleased. He figured Ning Tian ignoring Xiao Wu might bring her closer to him.
He didn't get it. Xiao Wu was crazy about Ning Tian. To her, he was a puzzle with a kind side she wanted to crack, and she'd keep trying no matter how little he reacted. Tang San was just her big brother, his help was nice but couldn't match Ning Tian's small acts, like the quilt or the mask.
That's how it goes with someone caught up in love. When they're into you, they'll do anything. When it's someone else, they'll take what you give and not even notice they're giving nothing back.
At the two on two registration desk, Xiao Wu and Tang San were already in line. Still mad, Xiao Wu called their team the "Three-Five Combination" and left without a glance at Ning Tian.
Then it was Ning Tian and Zhu Zhuqing's turn. The clerk checked their ranks—one Spirit Elder, one Spirit Grandmaster and paused. "Matches go by the highest rank. Are you okay with that?"
"Yeah," Ning Tian said, sliding over ten gold soul coins. "Sign us up."
"Team name?" the clerk asked.
Ning Tian paused, then said, "Emerald."
"Emerald, registered," the clerk confirmed.
Their Iron Soul Badges now read "Emerald." Ning Tian didn't use his real name—he went with 'Han Li' here. In other arenas, he'd used aliases like Xiao Yan, Li Feiyu, Zu Zong, Lan Si, and Qin Xuan to stay anonymous.
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