Upon returning to the dormitory, Fan Yue ate lunch and then, at the appointed time, headed to the simulation capsule room.
Closing the capsule, he was instantly plunged into darkness, which was soon cut by a mechanical voice:
"Identity verification... Student Fan Yue, welcome."
A moment later, the darkness was replaced by bright light, and an ancient city appeared before his eyes, its streets teeming with Soul Masters. This was Shrek City, but as it existed in ancient times, roughly ten thousand years ago.
A notification from Lan Mengqin immediately popped up on his Soul Communicator, indicating the meeting point.
Five minutes later, the group of six had gathered and headed toward the Great Soul Arena. Along the way, Yuanen Huihui and Lan Mengqin explained the rules.
"The most important advantage of the Spirit Arena is the betting. Participants can only bet coins on themselves; this is done to prevent fraud. Furthermore, opponents are selected randomly," said Yuanen Huihui.
Lan Mengqin added, "There are no specific rules for the duel itself; the main thing is to defeat your opponent. A certain amount of Soul Coins is awarded for each victory, and if you have a winning streak, the amount increases. However, with every fight, the strength of the opponent will grow. The most effective way to earn money is through betting. The odds are always one to one."
Lan Xuanyu nodded. "Then let's register first."
"What shall we call the team?" asked Yuanen Huihui.
"The name should be original and memorable, maybe even slightly strange. Since most standard names are likely already taken," the elf added.
"How about the 'Weird and Fantastic Team'?" suggested Lan Xuanyu.
"You didn't even try," Dong Qianqiu shot back.
"What about 'Six Heavenly Wings'? I think it sounds not bad," Fan Yue suggested.
"What difference does the team name make? As long as we can register, we shouldn't care. It's just a name," said Lan Mengqin.
Lan Xuanyu nodded. "Alright, let's go with Fan Yue's option. It's more harmonious and beautiful."
Everyone agreed. The name turned out to be available, and after paying one hundred Soul Coins, they officially created the "Six Heavenly Wings" team.
None of the six were rich. Fan Yue was logging in for the first time, so as a newbie, he was given one hundred Soul Coins. Pooling all their assets, they managed to scrape together 1,000 Soul Coins.
Yuanen Huihui shared his experience participating in duels, explaining all the nuances in detail, after which the team finally registered for a fight.
"Team Six Heavenly Wings, prepare yourselves," the mechanical voice announced.
The six students passed through a massive iron door and found themselves in a huge circular arena, approximately 500 meters in diameter.
From the other side, through a metal door, walked a team of six teenagers, appearing to be seventeen or eighteen years old. They were dressed in bright, bizarre costumes, as if for a carnival.
"Six Heavenly Wings versus the Clown Team. Countdown begins: 10... 9... 8..."
Seeing their appearance and hearing the team name, Fan Yue couldn't help but laugh quietly.
"Hahaha. No, really, who comes up with this stuff?"
His teammates also smiled slightly, though they tried to maintain their seriousness.
The six teenagers across from them, seeing that their opponents were children, laughed and rejoiced. A guy with short, rainbow-colored hair in a clown suit spoke mockingly.
"Kiddies, what did you forget here? Do you really have so much money that you decided to gift it to your elders? Admit defeat, and we'll even give you 100 Soul Coins and treat you to ice cream."
The guy wanted to continue, but he was cut off by the mechanical voice.
"3... 2... 1... Begin!"
The Clowns immediately rushed forward, releasing their Martial Souls. Among them, five were at the Spirit Grandmaster level (Rank 20+), and one was at the Spirit Elder level (Rank 30+). None of them possessed a purple ring.
"They will pay for mocking us. I'll wipe the floor with them!" said Yuanen Huihui, preparing to step forward.
But suddenly, Fan Yue's figure vanished from beside them, and the ground where he had stood cracked. In an instant, he appeared right in front of the opponents. In his hands, he held a massive sword of darkness and light, and his body was surrounded by four black Soul Rings.
His first Soul Ring shone with black light.
"First Soul Skill: Moon Fang."
Fan Yue made a sharp horizontal swing with the sword. A broad wave of black energy in the shape of a crescent moon erupted from the blade, distorting the air around it. The opponents didn't even have time to move; the wave completely erased them from the arena as if they had never existed.
At that same moment, the mechanical voice rang out.
"Winner: Team Six Heavenly Wings!"
The figures of the six opponents vanished from the arena.
"What was that just now?!" shrieked Lan Mengqin, making no effort to hide her surprise.
Dong Qianqiu was no less stunned.
How did Yue become a Spirit Ancestor (Rank 40+) so quickly? He was an ordinary human just recently.
Lan Xuanyu and the others were surprised, but not as intensely as the girls. After all, their team already had a Spirit King (Rank 50+), so the appearance of a Spirit Ancestor didn't seem impossible.
But the presence of four 10,000-year rings—that was truly astonishing. In their team, only Lan Mengqin possessed four black Soul Rings. But she had been able to acquire them thanks to her Twin Martial Souls.
Fan Yue was using his Soul Skill on humans for the first time, so he was amazed by its effect himself. He glanced at the girls.
"It seems the opponents' defense left much to be desired."
"That's not what I meant. How did you manage to become a Spirit Ancestor?" said Lan Mengqin, having calmed down slightly.
Fan Yue smirked and tilted his head up slightly.
"Simple. I'm just too talented."
Lan Mengqin snorted and turned away, unwilling to continue the questioning.
Lan Xuanyu approached Fan Yue and spoke in an even voice.
"You surprised me, Fan Yue. But still, I hope that next time you will listen to me. Although, I must agree, with such strength, you will be a great help to the team."
"My apologies, I just wanted to show in advance that you can rely on me," Fan Yue replied calmly.
Lan Xuanyu nodded and turned away.
"Good. By my estimates, we could possibly win seven matches in a row. But I think we should change our strategy a bit."
Yuanen Huihui twitched his long ears slightly. "Change strategy?"
Lan Xuanyu nodded. "I think we should participate in one-on-one matches first. From the previous match, it's easy to see that the strength of most young Spirit Masters will be at the two-ring level. And since this will be your first match, the opponent's cultivation will be at the same level as yours."
"For those of us who haven't fought in the Great Soul Arena, this is an easy way to double our Soul Coins. The first few duels, considering our strength, should be guaranteed victories. our profit with each duel will become incredible. Maybe then I won't have to borrow emblems from you."
Hearing his explanation, everyone nodded.
"Good, we can't waste time. Liu Feng, you go first."
Liu Feng nodded and went to the solo match, having placed 2,000 Soul Coins on himself. Since they hadn't bought tickets for the match, they naturally couldn't watch his fight.
Liu Feng returned very quickly with a victory. After that, he participated in three more matches and won them all. In total, their team earned 16,000 Soul Coins. For the winning streak, he was awarded an additional 500 Soul Coins.
"The last battle was slightly difficult. But I think I can win two more battles."
Lan Xuanyu stopped him, saying, "No, we cannot risk it. The basis of my strategy is that no one loses even once; otherwise, all our efforts will collapse. We must win confidently and calmly multiply our money. This is the best possible option."
After these words, Lan Xuanyu himself went out to fight. He won two duels in a row. The 16,500 Soul Coins grew to 66,000.
Before heading to the third fight, Lan Xuanyu set aside 16,000 Soul Coins and bet 50,000 Soul Coins on his victory.
After the match, their total account increased from 50,000 to 100,000 coins, and including the set-aside funds, the total sum reached 116,000 Soul Coins.
Lan Xuanyu's expression became more serious.
"This time the opponent was a Spirit Ancestor. He wasn't too strong, but it's too dangerous to participate further."
Hearing that Lan Xuanyu was able to defeat a Spirit Ancestor while being a Spirit Grandmaster, Fan Yue was very surprised. He looked at his comrades, but their expressions hadn't changed, as if this were a common occurrence.
Dong Qianqiu, seeing Fan Yue's reaction, said with a smile, "Surprised that he defeated a Spirit Ancestor?"
Fan Yue nodded.
Dong Qianqiu looked intently at Lan Xuanyu's back and said, "Lan Xuanyu is truly amazing; he can make the impossible possible."
In her eyes, one could read tenderness, affection, and sincere admiration. Seeing this, Fan Yue felt his heart clench, and a lump seemed to get stuck in his throat.
Why? Why does she look at him like that? Even after becoming a Spirit Master, can I really not attract Sister Dong Qianqiu's attention?
At that moment, a sensation of a crack forming in his hope was born inside him. The hope that he could ever win Dong Qianqiu's heart.
"Okay, now it's Dong Qianqiu's turn. The bet will be 10,000," said Lan Xuanyu.
Lan Mengqin raised her eyebrows. "So little?"
"I still don't fully understand how the Douluo Virtual World analysis system works. Qianqiu might encounter a strong opponent, so I want to observe. Fan Yue will go after her."
"Alright, let's try," said Dong Qianqiu.
But this time, Lan Xuanyu bought a ticket for Dong Qianqiu's match, which cost 500 Soul Coins. He wanted to check how strong her opponent would be.
Fan Yue stared thoughtfully at the spot where the two had disappeared.
"What's wrong with you? Nervous before the upcoming fight?" asked Lan Mengqin with concern in her voice. She immediately noticed Fan Yue's dark expression.
Fan Yue moved his tongue slightly in his mouth and answered with a coldness unnatural to him.
"No, everything is fine... I just got a disgusting taste in my mouth."
Lan Mengqin saw such a reaction from Fan Yue for the first time and was momentarily lost. She didn't even know what to say, so she stood silently beside him.
Dong Qianqiu and Lan Xuanyu returned twenty minutes later. The girl's face was slightly gloomy; although she had won, the opponent had put significant pressure on her.
"Now we have 125,500 Soul Coins. Qianqiu, that's enough for you. Fan Yue, now it's your turn. We will bet 75,000 Soul Coins. Considering you are a Spirit Ancestor with a very strong ring configuration, your opponent should be very powerful. It might be a Spirit King, but they shouldn't be too strong. Are you confident in your victory?" Lan Xuanyu asked with extreme seriousness.
Fan Yue answered without raising his head.
"Don't worry, the victory will be mine."
Although he tried to speak in his usual even voice, irritation slipped through barely noticeably.
Lan Xuanyu sensed it but paid no attention, transferring the 75,000 Soul Coins to him.
"Good, good luck. We will be watching your match."
Fan Yue vanished and appeared in the arena.
He scanned the spacious field, focusing his gaze on the opponent.
Opposite him stood a girl in simple clothes: a light blue cape, a white tunic, and a skirt of the same shade. Her long legs were covered by white stockings. She wasn't particularly beautiful, but there was an unusual charm about her. A deep, mature gaze, as if possessing rich life experience, combined with bright pink-purple eyes that radiated unusual purity. If you looked into her eyes for too long, you began to feel heaviness and pressure.
But Fan Yue's thoughts were occupied with something else entirely. Dong Qianqiu's gaze kept surfacing in his memory, and his irritation grew with every second. He was instantly surrounded by four pitch-black Soul Rings, and the massive Sword of Three Luminaries appeared in his hands.
The girl opposite him didn't react at all, simply releasing her Martial Soul as well. But as soon as she did, the entire arena was illuminated by a brilliant golden light. The light was blindingly bright, so intense that Fan Yue closed his eyes.
Being so close to the source of light, Fan Yue distinctly felt a pleasant warmth envelop his body. But it vanished the moment the light dimmed.
Behind the girl's back, six exquisite snow-white wings unfolded. In addition, two black Soul Rings hovered slowly around her.
Huh? A Spirit Grandmaster (Rank 20)?
Fan Yue was confused. The girl before him was clearly no older than him, and the release of her Martial Soul was truly amazing, yet her cultivation level appeared very low.
Lan Mengqin, sitting in the stands, rejoiced.
"Looks like Fan Yue got lucky! But why is the opponent only a two-ring Spirit Master?"
Lan Xuanyu thought slightly about her words and replied, "We shouldn't relax. Since she was placed in the same arena as a Spirit Ancestor, this girl has surely already gone through many battles in the arena, and it seems she hasn't lost a single one if her opponent is a Spirit Ancestor. Besides, she has two black Soul Rings, which means her Mental Strength is very powerful."
Dong Qianqiu, seeing the six pairs of angelic wings (three pairs total), thought deeply.
"What is that Martial Soul? It looks like the Holy Angel Martial Soul, but unlike that one, this girl has three pairs of wings, not one."
Yuanen Huihui answered her question. "All Spirit Masters with Angel Martial Souls are members of the Angel Clan. I heard that as cultivation grows, the number of wings increases. So at Rank 70, a Spirit Master gets another pair of wings, and at Rank 90, a third pair. The growth in the number of wings is equivalent to the evolution of the Martial Soul. And since she has three pairs, either she managed to go through early evolution, or her Martial Soul has mutated. But most likely, it is the second case."
"How strong do you think she is?" asked Lan Xuanyu, who was worried that something might go wrong.
"Just because she has such a Martial Soul doesn't give a 100% guarantee that she will have a high level of Innate Soul Power. Surely the mutation negatively affected her potential, and her Innate Soul Power left much to be desired," Yuanen Huihui speculated.
In the arena, the countdown was already coming to an end.
"...Three... Two... One... Begin!"
Even before Fan Yue could react, the girl soared into the air and appeared in front of him in a split second. In less than a second, she had flown nearly two hundred meters.
The girl's first Soul Ring shone brightly, and a sword made entirely of golden light appeared in her hands.
"First Soul Skill: Seraphim Sword."
The golden blade flew a millimeter from Fan Yue's neck, and only his instincts allowed him to dodge.
The girl didn't stop and attacked again. But this time, Fan Yue met her strike.
Clang!
The clash of swords cut through the air with a piercing ring. At that same moment, Fan Yue's first Soul Ring flared up.
"First Soul Skill: Moon Fang!"
"Second Soul Skill: Light Wave!"
A huge wave of black energy erupted from Fan Yue's sword, but it was met by a wave of pure light. When they collided, an incredibly powerful explosion rang out, throwing Fan Yue and the girl to opposite ends of the arena.
Bang!
The point of impact turned into a crater thirty meters in diameter.
Fan Yue breathed heavily. Although the clash was brief, it was very intense. While the wave of light hadn't hit him directly, his arms from elbows to fingertips were covered in burns.
"Unpleasant."
At the other end of the arena, the girl remained unharmed. She looked at her slightly trembling hand gripping the Seraphim Sword.
Not bad. After so many years, Spirit Masters have become much stronger.
Fan Yue focused on the opponent's every movement. At this moment, his second Soul Ring lit up.
"Second Soul Skill: Star Radiance."
Fan Yue's body was covered in a light starlight glow. Along with it, he felt an extraordinary lightness; his thoughts became clear and focused exclusively on the battle.
Fan Yue's first clash had been too impulsive, all because jealousy and irritation had taken over him. But his second Soul Skill increased his speed and reaction time, as well as his concentration and perception, clearing his thoughts. It was a very strong and useful Soul Skill. The effect lasted for a whole 10 minutes, while the soul power cost was meager.
Fan Yue dashed forward, but a huge wave of golden light was already advancing toward him. It moved slowly, and dodging it wasn't difficult. But no sooner had he taken a step to the side than dozens of golden swords woven from pure light flashed out of the air, rushing toward him at lightning speed.
"Damn!" Fan Yue blurted out. He swung his Sword of Three Luminaries, destroying most of the attacking blades, but a few still caught him. The golden swords pierced his leg and stomach, burning through his body, but he had no time to pull them out.
Two waves of light were already rushing toward him. From above, hovering in the air, the girl watched his every move closely.
Fan Yue looked at her and sighed.
"Haaa." His fourth Soul Ring shone brightly.
Fan Yue's eyes turned the color of dark gold. The world around him instantly lost its color; noises and distracting details vanished, everything became gray and silent. Only the girl continued to glow with blinding golden radiance.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Wolf Hunt."
At that moment, Fan Yue evaporated. Neither the girl nor his comrades in the arena could understand where he had gone. Only shimmering golden eyes remained behind him.
The girl felt an incredibly strong killing intent behind her back, but it was too late to dodge. A huge black wave crashed down on her, completely engulfing her body.
Fan Yue landed on the arena floor, relaxing slightly, and smiled.
"I put all my available power into that attack. Even a Spirit King would find it hard to survive an attack from such range. I hope Sister Dong Qianqiu finally pays attention to me."
But at that moment, a golden figure burst out of the black wave and slammed Fan Yue into the arena floor with incredible force.
"Gah!" The impact was so strong that his spine cracked, and most of his ribs broke.
Turning his head with difficulty, he looked at the girl. She was wounded, but not as severely as Fan Yue had expected. Her eyes remained calm and cold.
"That was a not bad fight. You are talented, but there is even more pride in you. Your mastery of Soul Skills is mediocre. And your swordsmanship is even worse—it is terrible. But if you become calmer and hone your control, you will become one of the pillars of the Federation," the girl said in a calm voice.
Fan Yue focused on only one single part.
My swordsmanship... is terrible?
He felt anger rising in his heart.
"Who are you to teach me?!" he said in a loud voice.
The girl sighed, speaking calmly. "The talent is there, but the arrogance in you is greater."
Fan Yue gathered all his strength, trying to rise, but at that very moment, the golden sword of light slashed down, precisely severing his throat. In an instant, his body and head dissolved in blinding radiance.
"Winner - Qin Ye!" the mechanical voice announced, after which everyone left the arena.
Fan Yue was angry, very angry. Qin Ye's words still rang in his head, but glancing at his comrades, he felt shame and guilt for giving them false hope.
"Why are you silent? Cat got your tongue? How could you lose to a Spirit Grandmaster? Because of you, we lost 75,000 Soul Coins," said Yuanen Huihui in an irritated voice.
Although Liu Feng said nothing, he was clearly unhappy with the loss.
"Yuanen Huihui, shut up!" Lan Mengqin intervened.
She approached Fan Yue and asked in a concerned voice, "It's okay, it seems your opponent wasn't simple. Are you alright?"
Fan Yue nodded his head and looked at the calm Lan Xuanyu. Then he shifted his gaze to Dong Qianqiu, who was silently looking at Lan Xuanyu, waiting for his reaction.
He sighed slowly, calming himself as much as he could.
"I know I let the team down. Because of me, we lost 75,000 Soul Coins. Apologies alone won't be enough. Therefore, I ask you to trust me for the first and last time. I will not let you down again."
Lan Mengqin smiled. "Yue, don't worry, I wasn't mad at you. Everyone can lose."
"Fan Yue, just don't repeat such mistakes in the future. Let's give him another chance," said Dong Qianqiu with an encouraging smile on her face.
Fan Yue was glad they stood up for him. But he perfectly understood that Lan Xuanyu was the team commander, so his word was final.
Lan Xuanyu shook his head and spoke in a calm voice.
"Fan Yue, even though you are a Spirit Ancestor, right now I do not want to work with you in the same team. You haven't proven your usefulness. If I take you, you will become a burden that drags us back. Therefore, my answer is no."
"What the hell are you saying!" exclaimed Lan Mengqin coldly, ready to hit him.
Fan Yue placed a hand on her shoulder and, shaking his head, said, "It's fine, I understand everything. Once again, I apologize for my loss."
At that moment, Fan Yue left the Douluo Virtual World.
Dong Qianqiu looked at Lan Xuanyu and muttered quietly:
"Xuanyu..."