Douluo Continent: My name is Lu Mingfei, and my martial soul is Lu Mingze.

For the next two weeks, the days suddenly became regular.

I got beaten up by Old Song in the morning, went to Qian Duoduo's place to learn about soul tools in the afternoon, and went back to my dormitory to lie around like a corpse in the evening.

Every three or four days, Ma Xiaotao would appear out of nowhere, pull him out of his dormitory, and then take him to "cool down."

Lu Mingfei's mental journey, from initial resistance to numbness and finally resignation, took only a week.

There was no way to fight them, and there was no way to run away.

Ma Xiaotao is a Soul Emperor, while he's just a level 30 noob. Even if he activated the 16x speed mode, he'd still have a hard time.

And to be honest, this job isn't entirely without its advantages.

Although Ma Xiaotao was rough, she was not petty.

After each "treatment," she would give Lu Mingfei some pills or soul tools as "compensation for his hard work." At first, Lu Mingfei would pretend to refuse, but later he would just take them directly.

Why not take advantage of a free lunch?

Jiang Nannan had strong opinions about this.

She never said anything to Lu Mingfei's face, but Lu Mingfei noticed that Jiang Nannan would always happen to be nearby whenever Ma Xiaotao came to see him.

She stood there, expressionless, watching Ma Xiaotao carry Lu Mingfei away, her gaze so cold it seemed she could freeze him into an ice sculpture.

Once, when Lu Mingfei was being carried on Ma Xiaotao's shoulder and flying over the cafeteria, he looked down and met Jiang Nannan's gaze.

He still remembers that look in his eyes.

How to put it? It's like you have a cat that's usually gentle and obedient, but one day it notices another cat's scent on you, and then it sits in a corner, looking at you with a "you're doomed" look.

Lu Mingfei felt a chill run down his spine.

Later, he privately asked Jiang Nannan if she had any issues with Ma Xiaotao. Jiang Nannan simply said "no" and then changed the subject.

But Lu Mingfei noticed that when she changed the subject, the chopsticks in her hand were bent.

Fine, if you don't have it, you don't have it.

Lu Mingfei decided not to ask any further questions.

Apart from this little episode, the period has indeed been relatively calm.

Cultivation, studying, getting beaten up, cooling down Ma Xiaotao, receiving all sorts of food and drinks from Jiang Nannan, and chatting and joking with Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.

Life is simple yet fulfilling.

Lu Mingfei even had the illusion that living like this was actually quite good.

Then, a few days later, his illusion was shattered.

That afternoon, Lu Mingfei had just come out of Qian Duoduo's laboratory and was about to go back to his dormitory to take a shower and change his clothes when he was called to Song Lao's courtyard.

When Lu Mingfei arrived, Old Song was sitting on a stone bench drinking tea, with Qian Duoduo standing beside him, wearing a smile that Lu Mingfei couldn't quite decipher.

"Old Song, Uncle Qian," Lu Mingfei greeted them and sat down opposite Old Song.

Old Song put down his teacup, glanced at him, and got straight to the point.

"The college will be organizing a selection competition in a while."

Lu Mingfei was stunned for a moment.

"What selection competition?"

"The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Tournament," Elder Song said.

Lu Mingfei blinked, waiting for what would happen next.

Old Song didn't continue speaking, but instead picked up his teacup and took another sip.

Qian Duoduo chimed in, "This competition is held every five years and is the highest-level academy tournament in the entire Douluo Continent. All the major academies send their strongest students to participate. To put it bluntly, it's a contest of the highest level among the younger generation on the entire continent."

Lu Mingfei nodded.

"Those who can participate in this competition are basically the top geniuses from various academies. Achieving a good ranking in the competition is a great honor for both the individual student and the academy." Qian Duoduo paused here, then emphasized her words.

"And this time, our Shrek team's goal is the championship."

Lu Mingfei nodded again.

"Therefore, the academy will organize a selection competition to select the seven strongest people from the inner and outer academies to form the main team, and then select seven people as substitutes."

"Both Mr. Song and I hope you will participate."

Lu Mingfei thought for a moment and asked, "Is there any reward?"

Old Song and Qian Duoduo exchanged a glance, and then simultaneously revealed a meaningful smile.

That smile made Lu Mingfei feel a little uneasy.

"You'll know once you get a top-seven finish," Old Song said.

"You'll understand how important this reward is when the time comes," Qian Duoduo added.

Lu Mingfei watched the two of them speaking in cryptic terms, feeling a little itchy to ask, but knowing that pressing them would be pointless, he could only nod.

"Okay, I'll participate."

Old Song nodded in satisfaction, then added, "However, there is one more thing you need to do before the selection competition."

"What is it?"

"Acquire the third spirit ring."

Lu Mingfei was stunned for a moment, then slapped his forehead.

Yeah, we haven't gotten the third spirit ring yet.

When he returned from the far north, he was already level 30, but afterwards he was busy with training, studying, fighting, and cooling down Ma Xiaotao, so he completely forgot about this matter.

"Recently, many students in the inner academy have broken through their bottlenecks, and the academy plans to organize a collective soul-hunting operation," said Elder Song.

"Zhang Lexuan will lead the team, with Elder Xuan secretly accompanying and protecting them. You will also go along, and while you're at it, bring back your third spirit ring."

"Besides, you should also go out and broaden your horizons."

Lu Mingfei's eyes lit up when he heard the name "Zhang Lexuan".

Zhang Lexuan, the senior disciple of the inner courtyard.

She was the one who led him from the freshman assessment site into the inner courtyard; in a way, she was his guide.

Moreover, Zhang Lexuan is beautiful, gentle, and speaks softly, which is completely different from Ma Xiaotao, a violent woman who would carry someone away at the slightest disagreement.

In Lu Mingfei's words, Ma Xiaotao is a typhoon, and Zhang Lexuan is a spring breeze.

Who doesn't love the spring breeze?

"We'll depart early tomorrow morning and meet at the academy gate." Old Song stood up.

"Le Xuan is a very capable person, and her cultivation level is even higher than yours. You should go and learn from her when she leads a team."

Qian Duoduo, who was standing next to him, nodded in agreement.

"I will also tell Lexuan to keep a close eye on you and not to run around," Old Song said, adding another sentence.

Then Old Song turned his head and looked at Old Xuan, who was sitting in the corner drinking and eating meat.

Old Master Xuan arrived at some unknown time and sat on a low stool in the corner of the courtyard, holding a wine gourd in one hand and a fat, juicy chicken leg in the other.

"You keep an eye on things too," Old Song said.

Old Master Xuan took a swig of wine and mumbled a reply: "I know, I know. What could possibly happen to a bunch of kids going hunting?"

Looking at his nonchalant demeanor, Old Song remained calm and left only one sentence.

"If anything goes wrong, I will hold you responsible."

Lu Mingfei came out of Old Song's courtyard and ran off to find Zhang Lexuan.

Zhang Lexuan was meditating in the cultivation room in the inner courtyard when she heard a knock on the door. She opened her eyes, saw Lu Mingfei, and gave him a gentle smile.

"Mingfei? Is something the matter?"

Lu Mingfei sat down cross-legged opposite her and began asking her all sorts of questions.

"Senior sister, we're setting off for the Soul Hunt tomorrow, where are we going?"

"Starry Sky Forest".

"Is the Star Dou Great Forest big?"

"Very big."

Are there many spirit beasts inside?

"a lot of."

"Are there any exceptionally skilled ones?"

"have."

"Senior sister, will you protect me?"

Zhang Lexuan was amused by his rapid-fire questions and gently tapped him on the head.

"Why are you asking so many questions? Don't worry, I'm here, I won't let anything happen to you."

Lu Mingfei rubbed the spot where he had been hit and chuckled.

"Senior sister, you're so kind, a million times better than that Ma Xiaotao."

Zhang Lexuan smiled and shook her head.

"Don't keep saying bad things about Xiaotao. She's actually a very nice person, just a little impatient."

"In a hurry? Is that what you call a hurry? Every time she comes to see me, it's like she's kidnapping me. She just picks me up and leaves without saying a word. I feel like a respectable woman being abducted."

Zhang Lexuan burst out laughing at his analogy.

Within the sea of ​​spirits, Hyotei's voice echoed softly.

"That's not what you said when you were suppressing Ma Xiaotao's evil fire."

Lu Mingfei replied in his mental sea, "What did I say back then?"

"You didn't say anything, but your heart rate nearly doubled."

"...That's because the evil fire inside her was too hot, and it made me feel hot."

"Is that so?" Hyotei's tone carried a clear hint of sarcasm.

"I think it's because someone got too excited when they buried their face in someone else's chest."

"Hyotei, don't slander me without reason!"