Douluo Jueshi: I Don't Want to Be an Evil Soul Master

Chapter 285 Before the game
Shangguan Wei'er fears that attracting people from Mingde Hall will only make the situation more unfavorable for them.

However, she also wanted to make this Soul Master Competition a success, since she still had a trump card in her hand to deal with evil soul masters.

After a moment's thought, she suddenly leaned forward slightly. "I naturally trust Mingdetang's reputation."

“However, the affairs of the Mingdu underworld are not limited to just the two of us. Why don’t we invite Chairman An of the Aodu Chamber of Commerce to come and discuss this as well? Wouldn’t it be better if the three of us participated together?”

Ming Lei Douluo's eyes flashed, and he turned to look at Lin Xiao. Suddenly, he made up his mind, "Alliance Leader Shangguan is indeed very thoughtful. This is how it should be."

"Well then, it's getting late. I'll send a message to Mingde Hall now, and ask Alliance Leader Shangguan to contact Chairman An later. How about we get together again at this time tomorrow?"

As Ming Lei Douluo spoke, he glanced at the way Shangguan Wei'er looked at Lin Xiao, "Alliance Leader Shangguan, please rest assured, this matter is being handled by me and Lao Ba, and no one else will interfere."

"Very well then, I won't disturb you any longer." Shangguan Wei'er said as she got up to leave. Ming Lei Douluo and Lin Xiao escorted her to the door before returning the way they came.

As Lin Xiao walked, she glanced sideways at the Nether Thunder Douluo beside her. "Third Brother, why are you looking at me like that?"

"I didn't expect Shangguan Weier to think so highly of you."

Lin Xiao shook his head. "Third Brother, do you know what kind of person Shangguan Wei'er is? I was just following the teacher's instructions to contact the Ordinary Alliance."

"Haha, of course I know." Nether Thunder Douluo stepped forward and patted Lin Xiao on the shoulder. "You underestimate your third brother too much."

“How can someone who is single-mindedly trying to seize my Holy Church’s assets compare to our brotherhood? How could I possibly believe such simple provocations?”

Ming Lei Douluo stopped what he was doing, his expression turning serious. "Shangguan Wei'er is well-informed and should have already guessed our connection with Mingde Hall."

"So what does Third Brother plan to do?"

"What else can we do?" Ming Lei Douluo sneered. "Strategies are nothing more than tricks used by those who lack strength to struggle."

"I was just worried about how to drag the Aodu Chamber of Commerce into this mess. Since Shangguan Wei'er is afraid that we will join forces with Mingdetang and has brought up the Aodu Chamber of Commerce, we have no choice but to take this opportunity to swallow it up as well."

"What if Shangguan Wei'er was afraid she wouldn't be able to win and was just dragging someone down with her?"

"When that time comes, they won't have the final say anymore. No matter what chips they hold, how could they possibly compare to the power that can overturn the gambling table?"

As Lin Xiao listened to Ming Lei Douluo discussing the Soul Master Competition, he turned to ask, "Third Brother, do you have any suitable candidates to invite from Mingde Hall?"

“There is one.” Nether Thunder Douluo smiled, almost without thinking. “You should be familiar with this person. He is none other than Starry Sky Douluo Ye Yulin. He owed us a huge favor back then when we were looking for a certain material.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao suddenly remembered that he seemed to have been present at the scene. It was when he had just entered Mingde Hall and was learning from Ye Yulin that he had come here to purchase a rare metal.

"What, did you think I wanted you to ask someone from Mingde Hall for me?" Ming Lei Douluo looked at Lin Xiao's expression. "Don't worry, this is for the Holy Church, so naturally I have to use the Holy Church's connections."

"It's the same principle as Gold Soul Coins. Public is public, and private is private. They can't be confused."

Lin Xiao chuckled and shook her head. "Third Brother, if you entered the imperial court, you might even become a high-ranking official."

"Being a high-ranking official is so boring!" The Thunder God Douluo pulled out a gold soul coin from somewhere and rubbed it in his hand. "It's about time. Want to come down and see what's going on?"

Lin Xiao shook his head. "I'll trouble Third Brother to take care of things at the arena. I need to check on those disciples again, since the Elite Tournament is just around the corner."

"Alright, I'll head over then." Ming Lei Douluo didn't linger and quickly went downstairs. Lin Xiao frowned as she watched his retreating figure, then turned and walked to the side as well.

"After more than two years of preparation, the competition is almost here." A deep voice rang out, its tone devoid of much variation.

"Ah."

Then came another muffled sound, but it consisted of only one simple syllable.

"I don't know what the goals of the religion are."

"They're just a bunch of kids who've never seen blood, are you scared?"

"I'm not afraid, but I never underestimate my opponents. If we make a mistake, we'll probably end up like the other disciples."

After the words were spoken, the room fell silent for a long time before another voice rang out.

"So what? Anyway, I've survived for two years. At least I haven't been living in fear or hiding for the past two years."

The people who had been speaking seemed to have thought of something, and for a moment they fell silent.

Lin Xiao stood at the door, quietly listening to the conversation of several people inside the dark room.

They were all Holy Spirit Cult disciples selected by Lin Xiao from various places. Perhaps their talents were not the best, but they all had similar experiences.

Although he was in charge of the Holy Spirit Cult's participation in the Elite Competition, they had actually been training themselves more in the past two years, and he had only had a few more interactions with these people in the last six months.

As soon as the door was opened, the room fell silent, and everyone's breathing seemed to become lighter.

Why don't you open the curtains?

Lin Xiao walked to the window, drew back the curtains to let the sunlight into the room. The people in the room wrapped their cloaks around themselves, covering their faces, as if they were feeling uncomfortable.

"The major competitions that follow will all be fought in full view of the public. If you can't adapt to that, then you can forget about competing."

"And one more thing—" Lin Xiao glanced at everyone, "Remember what I told you before. As for the outcome, that's my business."

"Get ready, this might be your last time working together before the Elite Tournament."

The group exchanged glances upon hearing this, then quickly looked away. Having grown up accustomed to fighting with those around them, they still seemed unaccustomed to eye contact despite the passage of time.

Tang Ya was the only one who seemed out of place among the other few Holy Spirit Cult disciples. She sat by the window with her legs drawn up, gazing out, slightly lost in thought, as if pondering something.

Meanwhile, outside Mingdu City, academies and sects from all corners of the four great empires also sent disciples toward Mingdu.

Perhaps it was to prove which sect or academy was superior, perhaps for reputation, perhaps for rewards, or perhaps for other purposes.

No one knows what will happen in this elite competition.

(End of this chapter)