Chapter 169: A Second Collision

Tie Li and the members of the Second Team went together to the academy's cafeteria; having not seen each other for a long time, they simply gathered there for a casual chat.

The main topics were the Soul Master Elite Competition a few months away and the events of the past year.

For example, Thunder Academy learned that the champion prize of the Soul Master Competition was a Yinlei Magic Dragon Left Arm Bone aged seventy‑thousand years; the forces behind the academy began to intervene in the team, sending sect disciples to serve as team members.

Three soul bones as rewards were overly generous; not only Thunder Academy, but any advanced soul‑master academy backed by a major power saw changes to its team roster.

The casual gathering passed quickly, and by evening everyone returned to their dorms.

Early the next morning, Tie Li entered Tiandou City.

Passing a narrow alley, he saw a lewd, chubby figure darting around inside.

Sensing Tie Li's gaze, the figure instinctively turned to look.

"You?" Ma Hongjun was startled.

They also knew that Tie Li had been absent from Tian Dou Royal Academy for a while; Dai Mubai wanted to regain his lost face by winning a Team Soul Battle.

When the Second Team went to the Soul Battle arena for a Team Soul Battle, Dai Mubai would have Ma Hongjun go to the Second Team's lounge to provoke them.

Through verbal provocation they learned that Tie Li was not at Tian Dou Royal Academy, but everyone was hot‑blooded; amid greetings came inevitable sparring, and the Second Team's members always took the loss.

"Not old, but the appetite's huge," Tie Li said with a hint.

A quick glance into the alley revealed heavily made‑up middle‑aged women, truly a feast for the eyes.

In this respect, Tie Li still admired Ma Hongjun—he could even eat that.

"You're talking nonsense; I'm just here to buy something," Ma Hongjun's face flushed red.

He absolutely could not admit the issue now; courting Bai Chenxiang was already fraught, and if he exposed his private problem, not even Bai Chenxiang—any girl in the academy would avoid him.

Whenever he came to such a place, he blamed his Evil Fire, claiming it wasn't his fault but the Evil Fire that made him act that way.

Thinking that way, he no longer felt he had any problem.

"Oh."

Tie Li gave no further reply, glanced at him, and prepared to leave.

But Ma Hongjun couldn't hold back, since Tie Li was heading toward Shilake Academy.

"Damn, he's going to ruin my reputation."

Ma Hongjun stared at Tie Li's back, a terrifying thought surfacing in his mind.

His sordid side being exposed and about to be made public left him too embarrassed to care about anything else..

Ma Hongjun's Soul Power Level had already reached Thirty‑Eight; according to Tang San's words, he must be able to break through to Forty Level before the Soul Master Competition begins.

Two yellow and one purple, three Soul Rings floated beneath him.

Sensing a scorching heat from behind, Tie Li summoned the Shaking Dragon Hammer, which slammed out with a thunderous strike.

Ma Hongjun's flames outclassed ordinary fire, but in elemental quality they could never match Black Thunder, especially given the huge gap in their Soul Power Levels.

The flames were instantly eroded by Black Thunder, leaving not a spark, and at that moment Ma Hongjun realized his fantasy was groundless.

"Wait, what are you trying to—"

Does a man who must avenge every insult deserve mercy? Tie Li stared at Ma Hongjun, murderous intent flashing in his mind.

Spare him a way out, and he'll surely seek revenge later.

"Huh"

Tie Li vaulted forward, the Shaking Dragon Hammer bearing a captivating aura, while Black Thunder coiled around the hammer's head like poisonous snakes.

"Now"

Fulangde appeared, blocking Ma Hongjun.

"You're a student of Tian Dou Royal Academy; for the sake of your Committee Member's honor, I won't hold you accountable for striking my disciple," Fulangde said, feigning magnanimity.

The rule in the Soul Master World is that the stronger one dictates; Fulangde's strength surpasses Tie Li's, so he has the right to say that.

When Tie Li left, Ma Hongjun finally spoke.

"Teacher, you're just letting him run away?"

"Sigh, when will you have even half the brain of Xiao San? I wouldn't have to worry about you. This is Tiandou City; do you think you can kill him here?"

Even if you kill him, do you think no one will avenge him? By then, not just you— even Dai Mubai and his crew would become endangered," Fulangde said, bitter that Tie Li was not made of steel.

They had already heard of the Second Team Leader of Tian Dou Royal Academy; as a veteran of the Soul Master World, he never judged matters at face value.

Fenglei Sect was destroyed by the Spirit Hall, but having existed for a millennium, does it have no allied forces?

Take, for example, the Po Yi Clan of Tiandou City; their ties with Fenglei Sect are far more than a simple friendship.

Ma Hongjun was too intimidated to reply, though he sneered inwardly.

A disciple of a destroyed sect is a stray dog; what's there to worry about? If killed, that's that.

That was Ma Hongjun's thought.

"Teacher, did he go to our academy?" Ma Hongjun asked.

Tie Li's departure was toward Shilake Academy.

Fulangde gave no reply, only narrowing his eyes.

Ma Hongjun's mind became active.

"I can't beat you; I'll call a few of Boss Dai's men, still afraid I can't defeat you?" Ma Hongjun muttered to himself.

He then sprinted toward the academy, intending to summon Dai Mubai and the others.

On his way to Shilake Academy, Tie Li clenched his fists, his face unchanged.

Indeed, everything depends on strength.

Tie Li left without uttering any harsh words; lacking sufficient strength, empty talk would only anger the opponent and might even provoke a strike against himself.

Arriving at Shilake Academy, Tie Li spent a few Gold Soul Coins to have a student deliver a message to Zhu Zhuqing.

"Fine, but if you go looking for her and get beaten, that's not my problem," the male student warned.

At Shilake Academy, any student who tries to approach Zhu Zhuqing will be warned by Dai Mubai; several male students were given a lesson by Dai Mubai.

"Don't worry."

Seeing Tie Li's calm demeanor, the male student turned and went to deliver a message to Zhu Zhuqing.

After waiting for a while, a familiar graceful figure appeared in my sight.

A rare smile surfaced on his cold face.

But at that moment, a discordant voice disturbed the scene.

"Hmph, you really dare come to Shilake Academy to cause me trouble, and you even dare lay a hand on the fat guy."

Tie Li glanced in that direction; Dai Mubai was at the front, with Ma Hongjun and others behind him.

Tang San was also in the formation, but their eyes held no hostility or animosity.

They had once spent some time with Tie Li at the blacksmith shop in Nuo Ding City, and knew Tie Li's temperament well.

Moreover, Ma Hongjun's statements contained obvious contradictions, so his purpose in coming here was more to learn the true situation.

(End of chapter)