Chapter 37: Applying for the Job! Lu Yu: I Never Hold a Grudge! Defeating the Soul King in a Single Move!

The successive probes from Xue Qinghe and Xue Beng clearly showed that both were intent on winning Lu Yu over to their side. Interestingly, Xue Qinghe had no intention of letting Lu Yu interfere in the affairs of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family; it seemed more like he was helping the Spirit Hall recruit talent, appearing entirely confident in his grasp of the Heaven Dou Empire. Xue Beng, on the other hand, was cautious and probing in every move. He understood that although Lu Yu was a monstrous talent, he could not yet influence the empire's power structure. Thus, he settled for the next best thing, asking Lu Yu who should hold power if Xue Qinghe were out of the picture.

Lu Yu saw through both men's identities clearly, allowing him to easily maintain a balance and provide answers that satisfied each. He had no interest in these power struggles; he simply wanted to avoid future inconveniences.

After entering the city, Lu Yu first visited the Heaven Dou Auction House to inquire about the whereabouts of the elderly man’s family—the same man who had spoken about the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. The answer he received, however, was that the old man’s family had suddenly disappeared after receiving the payment. The manager of the auction house asked if there was a problem with the old man, but Lu Yu offered no details and left directly.

The old man had been shrouded in mystery. Lu Yu had hoped to use his family as a breakthrough point to figure out what kind of opportunity the old man had encountered. Now, it appeared the old man had arranged everything in advance; finding a few people in the vast expanse of the continent would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Lu Yu was not overly disappointed, as even if he had found the family, he might not have learned anything of substance.

Leaving the auction house, Lu Yu did not exit the city immediately. Instead, he changed into a black robe, wrapping himself up tightly, and arrived at the gates of the Lanba Academy.

He was here to apply for a teaching position.

As for the reason? He simply couldn't stand that old scumbag, Yu Xiaogang!

Lu Yu had always believed that the reason Yu Xiaogang set aside his worldly prejudices to be with Liu Erlong was inextricably linked to the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament. Shrek Academy lacked the qualifications to compete and had been turned away by the Heaven Dou Royal Academy; to gain entry, they would undoubtedly have to go to great lengths. But the Lanba Academy possessed that very qualification.

Liu Erlong had painstakingly built the academy over many years, yet with one word from Yu Xiaogang, Shrek Academy swallowed up Lanba, turning all her years of hard work into a stepping stone for him. Most importantly, the man was still pining after Bibi Dong!

Lu Yu felt that such an old scumbag deserved to be punished by everyone. Well... he was merely helping Liu Erlong escape a life of misery and teaching that old scumbag a lesson. It was definitely not because Yu Xiaogang had made things difficult for him back in Nuoding City!

Lu Yu curled his lip and muttered to himself, "I’m a person who never holds a grudge!"

With that, he strode into the Lanba Academy. Why hold a grudge when you can simply take revenge—and take it to the grave?

"Halt! Who are you?" As soon as he entered, Lu Yu was stopped by a gatekeeper.

"I saw the advertisement on the city wall," Lu Yu said softly. "I'm here to apply."

Hearing this, the gatekeeper’s expression immediately became respectful. The advertisement sought a four-ring Soul Master; if this person dared to apply, it meant he had at least four rings of cultivation! To a mere gatekeeper, a four-ring Soul Master was a person of immense stature. "Please, follow me!"

The gatekeeper led Lu Yu to a building with a spire. Inside, there were no rooms, only a vast, empty hall with a granite floor. The gatekeeper asked Lu Yu to wait a moment and then left. Before long, three middle-aged Soul Masters walked in.

Seeing Lu Yu’s black-robed attire, the three frowned slightly. One of them spoke up, "My friend, since you’ve come to apply at our Lanba Academy, why the need for such secrecy?"

Lu Yu replied in a disguised voice, "What does a teacher's appearance have to do with instructing students? Whether I am a powerful magnate or a street wanderer, isn't it enough that I possess strength and a deep understanding of martial spirits?"

These words left the man speechless, his expression turning sour. He snorted coldly, "It seems you are quite confident! The threshold for our academy is a four-ring Soul Ancestor. Please, reveal your martial spirit!"

Lu Yu made no move. He said calmly, "Combat is the only criterion for testing a Soul Master's strength. Rather than judging by cultivation and soul rings, why don't you test me yourselves?"

Reveal his martial spirit? Was that a joke? His Fantian Seal martial spirit had quite a reputation in Heaven Dou City. Most importantly, he hadn't yet obtained his fourth soul ring. Theoretically, he was only a three-ring Soul Grandmaster and hadn't even reached the academy's threshold.

"What arrogance!" The man who had been countered by Lu Yu showed irritation in his eyes. His aura began to climb, and a bear-like phantom appeared behind him. He activated his martial spirit, and five soul rings—three yellow and two purple—began to orbit his body. "Yin Shu, level 54 assault-type battle Soul King. Please, enlighten me!"

Lu Yu glanced at him, then at the two men beside him, and said with disdain, "All of you, come at me together!"

The three were stunned, and then Yin Shu’s expression turned solemn. Even after showing his Soul King rank, the opponent remained unfazed, clearly relying on something. Exchanging a glance with his companions, the other two activated their martial spirits as well—both were four-ring Soul Ancestors. One had two yellow and two purple rings, while the other had three yellow and one purple.

The three charged at Lu Yu simultaneously.

Lu Yu stood motionless. A flash of blue light shimmered behind him as four Tiangang Talismans manifested and settled onto his body. With his increased cultivation, the second stage of his "Reverse Life" technique, and his "Golden Light Spell" reaching perfection, his physical strength was no longer what it once was. He could now not only use the four Tiangang Talismans but also withstand that fourfold power for nearly half an hour.

The moment the three reached him, Lu Yu’s black robes billowed without wind. Brilliant golden light erupted from his body, condensing into three solid golden palms that struck out toward the three men.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

With three muffled thuds, the three middle-aged Soul Masters flew backward, slamming heavily into the ground. The two Soul Ancestors even spat out blood. Terror filled their faces. What kind of technique had the man in the black robe used? He had defeated all three of them in a single blow without even releasing his martial spirit!

Although they hadn't used their full power or their strongest soul skills, they were still a Soul King and two Soul Ancestors! The fact that he defeated them so easily without even showing his martial spirit meant that even if they had used their strongest techniques, the outcome would likely have been the same.

"This is a supreme expert!" the thought flashed through their minds simultaneously.

How could they know that Lu Yu was merely a level 40 Soul Master who hadn't even obtained his fourth soul ring yet?