"Oh come on, Brother Feng, where are you looking? Am I not pretty?"
Yan, standing nearby, immediately said, "If anyone dares say you're not pretty, I'll knock them out! You look amazing!"
Jiang Xiaofeng smiled and said, "Pretty is pretty, but stop trying to seduce me all the time. Xie Yue, can't you rein in your sister a bit?"
Xie Yue shrugged helplessly and said, "That has nothing to do with me. Whatever my sister wants, I help her get it. As for you—deal with it yourself. Not my problem!"
Everyone knew that Hu Liena liked Jiang Xiaofeng, but no one dared to say it out loud!
Mo Botuo smiled and said, "Alright, enough fooling around. After we eat, we'll head straight to Blackhorn City's Soul Arena. I'll explain the rules on the way. Now, get ready to eat. I've asked the staff to bring the food."
Over the years, their appearances had changed quite a bit. But for safety reasons, they still wore their masks.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, they left the town under curious stares.
"They say the Holy Son and Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall are out on training. Judging by their looks, these must be them!"
"Who knows? All the talented disciples from the Spirit Hall and the major sects are like that. Don't jump to conclusions!"
"True. Either way, we have to get our hands on a Death Pearl today. I heard they're in high demand in Blackhorn City!"
"Absolutely!"
Inside the carriage, everyone took off their masks.
Hu Liena sat closely next to Jiang Xiaofeng.
Jiang Xiaofeng held up the head that was about to lean on his shoulder.
"There's plenty of space in this carriage—why are you squeezing up to me?"
Hu Liena pouted and said, "It feels safer sitting next to you. Got a problem with that?"
Jiang Xiaofeng was speechless. These were some top-tier excuses. Honestly, if danger did come, it wasn't like she'd be any safer next to him.
"Whatever, do what you want. Just get your head off me!"
"Nope!"
"Move it!"
"Hmph, stingy!"
Yan nearly burst out laughing from the side.
Hu Liena glared at Yan and said, "If you laugh, I'll sew your mouth shut!"
Yan immediately shut his mouth and didn't dare look again.
Xie Yue wisely kept silent too—after all, that was his real sister.
After half a day of traveling, they finally arrived in Blackhorn City by nightfall.
Mo Botuo first led Jiang Xiaofeng and the others to book a few rooms, then headed straight to the Soul Arena without delay.
He had already explained the rules on the way. Jiang Xiaofeng knew them well.
Just like one-on-one matches, team battles were considered sparring—no killing allowed. Violators faced severe consequences.
As their carriage stopped at the Soul Arena entrance, Wolf Third immediately spotted Mo Botuo.
"Boss, Big Bro and the others are here! That's their carriage!"
Tiger Boss and his two brothers quickly walked up.
"Big Bro, the three of us are reporting in!"
Jiang Xiaofeng stepped off the carriage, surprising Tiger Boss greatly.
He hadn't expected such a drastic change after a few years. If not for the same mask, he wouldn't have recognized him at all.
Jiang Xiaofeng said, "You guys come down too—time to meet our teammates!"
Hu Liena jumped lightly from the carriage, immediately catching the eyes of the three brothers. They had never seen such a beautiful girl before. Even though she was only 14, Hu Liena already had the body of an 18-year-old and carried herself with confidence and poise.
Yan snapped, "What are you staring at!"
The three brothers quickly lowered their heads.
Jiang Xiaofeng said, "Be respectful. These three have helped me a lot. They even waited outside Death Valley for me. I won't forget that. Let's go!"
Tiger Boss respectfully said, "Thank you, Big Bro!"
Mo Botuo said, "Alright, let's go inside for a quick meeting!"
"Yes!"
In the VIP room of the Soul Arena, it was the first time Tiger Boss and the others had been somewhere so fancy. Unlike the outer areas, this place had everything—and most importantly, it was a place to rest.
Mo Botuo said, "First off, welcome to the team. From today on, the three of you are officially members of our team!"
The three brothers were stunned. What was going on? They were in the team just like that? Happy, sure—but a little warning would've been nice.
"Big Bro, this is...?"
Jiang Xiaofeng explained, "This was my idea. We're forming a seven-person team to train in the Soul Arena. We're short three people—two attackers and one support. I want Tiger Boss and Wolf Second as main team members, and Wolf Third as a backup. As for the support role—do you three have any suggestions?"
So, they were going for seven-on-seven team battles in the Soul Arena. That reassured the trio.
As for a support-type soul master, they actually had someone in mind.
"Big Bro, I actually know someone who might be a good fit—not sure if she suits your tastes, though."
Jiang Xiaofeng said, "Bring her here!"
Tiger Boss nodded and said, "Alright, I'll go find her now!"
As Tiger Boss left, Mo Botuo began explaining battle tactics.
Seven-on-seven wasn't just about brute strength—team coordination was critical.
With the right synergy, a team of Soul Sects could beat a team of Soul Kings. That's the power of teamwork.
"Use the teamwork you mastered in Death Valley. But don't use the Martial Soul Fusion Technique. Got it? That's our trump card!"
Everyone nodded.
Before long, Tiger Boss returned with a young woman.
Hu Liena instinctively moved closer to Jiang Xiaofeng.
"Big Bro, this is the support-type soul master I mentioned. She helped our team get their third soul rings!"
The woman looked about 20 and was oddly dressed in a waitress uniform—probably working at a nearby restaurant.
Everyone frowned slightly, unsure of Tiger Boss's judgment.
Mo Botuo asked, "Miss, what is your Martial Soul?"
The woman nodded and summoned a book into her hands.
"Martial Soul: Book of Self-Ordainment!"
Mo Botuo asked again, "You're a three-ring Soul Exalt, but your first ring is white. Can you tell us what your three soul skills are?"
"First skill: Increases team speed by 30%!"
Immediately, a breeze blew beneath everyone's feet. Mo Botuo stood and walked a few steps—his speed had clearly increased. But due to the white soul ring, the effect was probably limited.
"Not bad. What about the second skill?"
"Second skill: Increases team strength by 50%!"
"That's a good one!" said Yan, admiring his own arm, clearly satisfied with the buff.
"Third skill: Increases team soul power recovery rate by 100%—double the usual recovery!"
Mo Botuo was visibly shocked—that was a serious asset in battle.
"Excellent, truly excellent. If it weren't for the white soul ring, your Martial Soul could've been top-tier!"
The woman shook her head and said, "Thank you, but I come from a common family. No one was willing to help a support-type soul master for free, so my first ring isn't very good."
Mo Botuo said, "That's no big deal. Your Martial Soul is already better than most. Looks like we've found a real gem!"
Jiang Xiaofeng stepped up and said, "Welcome to the team!"
(End of Chapter)