"Zhu Zhuqing, starting today, you'll train with them. Participate in at least two Soul Arena Battles every day. As for Team Soul Battles, we'll leave that for now."
Lin Mu looked at Zhu Zhuqing. Her Soul Power was only Level 28, a significant gap compared to the others.
Currently, the Royal Fighting Team's opponents were all Soul Ancestor level teams. With such a vast difference in Soul Power, a Great Soul Master would be practically useless.
"Okay," Zhu Zhuqing nodded slightly.
Then, Lin Mu took out a jade bottle from his storage bracelet and tossed it to Zhu Zhuqing.
"This is the Royal Fighting Team's treatment; each person gets a bottle of pills, and you're no exception. It's best to take them after training for better cultivation results," Lin Mu explained simply.
With Zhu Zhuqing's talent, she could only cultivate to around Level 33 at most by the time of the Soul Master Competition. However, with the aid of these pills, she should be able to reach around Level 35, enough to be a substitute.
Looking at the jade bottle in her hand, Zhu Zhuqing's eyes flashed with a strange light. She couldn't help but feel glad she had made her decision. "Thank you, Teacher Lin Mu," she said softly.
Then, Lin Mu turned to the others.
"I've already arranged a team battle with the person in charge of the Great Soul Arena. Our opponents are a team with an all-Soul Ancestor lineup; their strength shouldn't be underestimated. Here's their information."
After speaking, Lin Mu took out the enemy team's information file and handed it to Tang San and Yu Tianheng, leaving himself to be a hands-off manager.
As the team leader, he only needed to handle lineup selection and broad battle plans; it was more suitable for Tang San and Yu Tianheng to handle the specifics.
"Teacher Lin Mu, can I participate in this team battle?" Dugu Yan stepped forward and asked.
In the past month, she had participated in very few team battles, even fewer than Yu Feng and Oslo. Lin Mu only let her participate when the opposing team was very weak.
"No," Lin Mu said without hesitation.
In his eyes, Dugu Yan was merely Tang San's substitute, completely outclassed by Tang San in every aspect.
Only when the opposing team was weak, or when her Jade Phosphor Serpent Venom was specifically needed, would she participate. Her venom, combined with Tang San's fourth soul skill, could control the entire arena.
Tang San's fourth soul skill, the Blue Silver Pill, could remove all negative effects, including poisons. Only in this situation would there be no need to worry about the Jade Phosphor Serpent Venom accidentally harming teammates.
Furthermore, with Yu Feng's third soul skill, Rising Wind and Surging Clouds, the venom could be swept across the entire arena, leaving the opposing players with no way to avoid it. It formed an almost perfect combo.
"Alright then," Dugu Yan said, somewhat disappointed, but not daring to disobey Lin Mu's arrangement.
Seeing this, Yu Tianheng quickly went to her side, gently holding her small hand. "Yanzi, after the team battles are over, I'll take you to participate in the 2v2 battles."
Under Tang San's influence, Yu Tianheng had become a cultivation fanatic. Besides cultivation, he participated in battles every day, leaving no time for dates.
In his eyes, even participating in a 2v2 Spirit Battle together counted as romance.
Hearing these somewhat strange words, Dugu Yan still nodded in agreement.
Actually, she could guess Lin Mu's intentions, but neither publicly nor privately could she find a reason to object.
After all, the facts were clear: Tang San was not only better at controlling opponents than she was, but also possessed both offensive and supportive abilities. Even his tactical arrangements were superior to hers and Yu Tianheng's.
Next, Lin Mu began arranging the team's Soul Arena Battle.
Meanwhile, Flender and the others were on their way back to Shrek Academy.
Seeing Ning Rongrong's absent-minded appearance, Oscar cautiously approached her, flatteringly saying, "Rongrong, how about I go shopping with you?"
"Don't bother me!"
Ning Rongrong replied curtly, then turned and left the group, walking in another direction.
Everyone was already used to her capriciousness. Flender and the others paid no attention; only Oscar looked dejected, feeling utterly exhausted.
After parting ways with the group, Ning Rongrong walked alone on the bustling street.
"Damn it! How dare they underestimate my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!"
Ning Rongrong bit her lower lip, her delicate fists clenched tightly. The more humiliated she felt, the more she wanted to prove the power of her martial soul to Lin Mu.
Just then, a frivolous voice came from ahead.
"Yo, little sister, what are you doing here alone? Are you lost? How about I take you home?"
Ning Rongrong snapped out of her daze, frowning as she looked up. She saw a middle-aged man dressed in flashy clothes with lewd eyes walking toward her, his gaze filled with ill intent.
Bu Le looked at the exquisitely beautiful, richly dressed girl before him, the lewd light in his eyes intensifying.
Even after years of wandering the continent, he had rarely seen such a stunning girl. He never expected to find one today; he had really struck gold.
"Get out of my way!"
Seeing that this scoundrel dared to provoke her, Ning Rongrong's spoiled young lady temper flared up immediately, and she coldly rebuked him.
"Hehe, quite arrogant. I like it."
Bu Le chuckled, quickening his pace as he stepped forward, emanating the soul power fluctuations of a Soul Ancestor.
Facing a Soul Master of level forty or higher, Ning Rongrong's face turned deathly pale.
Just at this critical moment, a figure appeared before Ning Rongrong like a ghost, moving so fast that only a blur remained.
Immediately afterward, a dull thud and a shrill scream rang out almost simultaneously.
Bu Le was caught off guard and struck hard. He instantly flew backward and crashed heavily into a wall in the distance, falling unconscious without uttering another sound.
Ning Rongrong was still in shock when she looked closely and saw a middle-aged man in a gray outfit kneeling before her.
"Young Miss, are you alright?"
Hearing this address, Ning Rongrong was startled, but quickly realized that he must be a bodyguard her father had secretly sent to protect her.
After thinking it through, she was instantly furious and demanded, "Why didn't you intervene in the Great Soul Arena just now?"
She had been so humiliated by Lin Mu, and this guy had just stood by and watched!
The middle-aged man in gray showed a hint of embarrassment and said in a low voice, "Miss, I am no match for him. If I had acted rashly, I might have angered him and put you in an even more dangerous situation."
"Then what use are you to me?!"
Ning Rongrong stomped her feet angrily, her chest heaving violently.
Although she knew that Lin Mu was very strong, even a Titled Douluo was no match for him, she was still inexplicably furious.
Simply put, it was just impotent rage.
Suddenly, a cunning glint flashed in her eyes, and an idea popped into her head.
"Go back and tell my father," she cleared her throat, her tone becoming both aggrieved and angry, "that Lin Mu bullied me and doesn't want to take responsibility."
However, the middle-aged man in gray shook his head repeatedly, hurriedly saying, "Miss, the Sect Master ordered that my primary task is to protect your safety; I am not allowed to leave without permission."
"If you don't go back, I'll tell Grandpa Sword that you watched me being bullied. Then, let's see if you can withstand Grandpa Sword's strike!"
Ning Rongrong snorted coldly, hands on her hips, speaking fiercely.
Hearing this, the middle-aged man's face instantly turned pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
Given Sword Douluo's unconditional pampering of Ning Rongrong, he would definitely not forgive him. Thinking of Sword Douluo's power, the man couldn't care less about the Sect Master's punishment.
"Miss, please calm down!" he quickly bowed, his tone pleading. "I will return to the sect immediately and report this matter to the Sect Master!"