Douluo: I am the True Master

The lackey who had earlier reminded Xiao Lie now wore an expression of helplessness. He hadn't expected the city lord's son he served to be so inept with words, leaving him no choice but to step in himself.

"Hmph, why are we here? To make you peasants understand who truly rules this academy!

How dare you lowly peasants not even offer a proper greeting to your betters! Have you no sense of hierarchy?

Look at the noble before you—this is Xiao Lie, the city lord's son, the top student of Notting Academy's sixth grade, and a Level 12 soul master!"

With these words, the lackey flattered Xiao Lie extravagantly. Xiao Lie, basking in his own glory, puffed out his chest, clearly expecting everyone to bow before him.

Ye Wen watched this display with a deadpan expression. It was such a typical example of aristocratic arrogance. Unfortunately for them, Ye Wen wasn't the kind to bow easily. With a detached gaze, he asked:

"May I ask—are you the eldest son of the city lord?"

At this question, Xiao Lie froze on the spot.

In any world, not all children of nobility were considered legitimate heirs, and inheritance came with numerous restrictions. Ye Wen already knew that the city lord's eldest son was studying at Soto Intermediate Academy. 

Thus, the likelihood of Xiao Lie inheriting the city lord's title or position was practically nonexistent. Moreover, involving adults in petty squabbles among children at Notting Junior Academy would be seen as a disgrace to the nobility—unless one had the audacity of someone like the old ape from the Power Clan. 

As for Xiao Lie, the unacknowledged second son—or more accurately, a concubine-born child—he had long been oppressed by the city lord's main wife. Even if he were beaten up now, no one would stand up for him unless it escalated into a group assault.

"You brat, I challenge you to a duel—a soul master's duel to settle this!" Xiao Lie declared, his eyes blazing with anger.

It was clear that Xiao Lie's life at home wasn't easy. With an older brother overshadowing him and being the son of a concubine rather than the main wife, he had always been suppressed. Now, having his wounds exposed by Ye Wen ignited a firestorm of rage within him.

"A soul master's duel, you say? That's not impossible," Ye Wen mused, scratching his chin as if calculating something.

"If I lose, Dormitory Three will acknowledge you as our leader. But if you lose, what will you give in return? Surely you're not going to promise that nobles won't oppress us anymore—that's meaningless. From what I recall, you've never managed to do anything to us since the start of the semester anyway."

"What do you want?" Xiao Lie demanded.

"Hmm, let me think… Honestly, there's nothing I really want that you can afford. How about this—if I win, you'll recognize me as your leader." Ye Wen said casually.

Xiao Lie stared at the boy in disbelief. After only two years in the academy, how dare he speak with such audacity? Confident in his inevitable victory, Xiao Lie growled:

"Fine."

"Ye Wen, Level 11 soul master, martial soul: Black Cloth."

"Xiao Lie, Level 12 soul master, martial soul: Blazing Wolf!"

As they introduced themselves, their martial souls manifested. The moment the introductions ended, Xiao Lie launched an immediate attack.

"First soul skill—Blazing Body!" Xiao Lie shouted. His century-old soul ring lit up, and flames erupted across his body, transforming him into a fiery figure.

Though Ye Wen surpassed Xiao Lie in soul power, his martial soul wasn't designed for direct combat. Instead, he calmly analyzed Xiao Lie's soul skill while dodging his attacks.

"The Blazing Body—it's clearly an enhancement-type soul skill. As for how much it boosts, that depends on the quality of the martial soul. Blazing Wolf? It's not a top-tier beast martial soul, but it's decent enough. Among spirit beasts, wolves excel in group tactics. A ten-thousand-year Blazing Wolf King leading a pack could even force a Soul Sage to retreat.

However, this guy's martial soul and cultivation are far too weak. At twelve years old, reaching only Level 13 soul power is laughable—it doesn't even meet the entry requirements for the mediocre Shrek Academy.

Still, compared to the original story's Xiao Chenyu, the city lord's son who was only Level 11 with a white soul ring, this Xiao Lie isn't half bad.

But still… too weak. His attacks are completely unrefined, akin to wild punches, and his footwork is unstable. Diagnosis complete—you've already lost."

After dodging several of Xiao Lie's attacks, Ye Wen had thoroughly assessed his opponent. With a focused gaze, Ye Wen summoned his Black Cloth and wrapped it around his hand.

Xiao Lie charged again with a sweeping kick, but Ye Wen crouched down and countered with a sweeping leg technique, instantly knocking Xiao Lie off balance. Before Xiao Lie hit the ground, Ye Wen delivered a punch that stopped just an inch from Xiao Lie's face.

Staring at the fist inches from his nose, Xiao Lie's eyes filled with terror—even though Ye Wen had stopped short, he was still frozen in shock.

"You've lost. From now on, I'm your leader."

Internally dismissing the fight as boring, Ye Wen retracted his martial soul and turned to head back to the dormitory.

Xiao Lie sat there, staring at Ye Wen's unwavering figure, momentarily unable to rise.

Watching Ye Wen about to disappear into the dormitory, Xiao Lie suddenly seemed to realize something. Scrambling to his feet, he called out:

"Why are you so strong?!"

Ye Wen paused at the doorway and glanced back, casually replying:

"In the world of soul masters, tears mean nothing. Only the sweat of hard training can sustain a soul master in this world.

Never mind, why am I even telling you this? Go back. Though I made you acknowledge me as your leader, I don't need anything from you. Let's just remain strangers. Don't disturb my cultivation—I don't want to waste time at this crucial age when my growth potential is at its peak."

With a dismissive wave, Ye Wen returned to the dormitory to continue his meditation.

His words struck Xiao Lie like a nail piercing his heart. As the son of a concubine, he had no right to inherit a noble title. Though his martial soul talent surpassed his older brother's, he received no support and was constantly harassed by his father's main wife during his cultivation. This had caused him to fall into complacency, resulting in his meager Level 12 soul power at this age.

Though his training had been disrupted, his privileged lifestyle had shielded him from the harsh realities of life. But now, Ye Wen's words had awakened him to the truth: in the world of soul masters, there was no place for nobility. In the future, he would have to fend for himself.

He was all too familiar with the plight of lower-tier soul masters. If he didn't want to live that life, he had no choice but to grow stronger.

In this world of survival of the fittest, only the strong had a voice. And at this moment, he was undeniably weak.

A long-lost spark of determination reignited in Xiao Lie's eyes.

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