20. Moral High Ground

Quan Yi stood up and slowly walked toward the boy.

When they stood face-to-face, the difference in stature became apparent. Though they were about the same height, Quan Yi was noticeably broader and more imposing.

Standing before the boy, Quan Yi spoke in a calm, indifferent tone.

"Your name."

The boy, however, was unfazed by Quan Yi's presence. His face remained filled with disdain, and he didn't even bother to respond.

Instead, one of his companions sneered and spoke first.

"You don't even know our Brother Sun Jie? You really must be from the countryside!"

Laughter erupted from the group around him.

Quan Yi ignored them. His gaze remained locked onto Sun Jie's eyes.

Though irritation burned inside him, he remained composed. He knew that the true leader of this group was the boy standing before him.

A surge of soul power spread through Quan Yi's body. In an instant, blazing gauntlets of fire materialized around his hands, and a yellow soul ring appeared beneath his feet. A wave of pressure swept through the room.

Gasps filled the air. The sudden eruption of soul power startled the onlookers, and the sight of his yellow soul rings caught many off guard.

"Quan Yi, Martial Soul: Sun Gauntlets," he declared, his voice steady. "Fifteenth-level Weapon Soul Master. Please advise."

His words carried a clear challenge. In the world of soul masters, revealing one's Martial Soul and rank signified a formal duel.

Quan Yi had no interest in arguing. Instead, he chose the simplest, most direct solution—silencing his opponent with his fists.

Yet, Sun Jie wasn't intimidated. The corners of his lips curled into a smirk, amusement flickering in his eyes.

"Interesting," he said. "I accept your challenge. The space here is too cramped—let's settle this outside."

Without another word, he strode past Quan Yi and made his way downstairs.

Excitement rippled through the cafeteria.

No one had expected to witness a battle between soul masters before school had even officially started.

Spoons clattered onto trays as students abandoned their meals, rushing to follow them outside.

News of the impending fight spread quickly. Even the students on the first floor, upon hearing the commotion, left their food behind and hurried toward the courtyard, eager to witness the duel.

Outside the Cafeteria

Meanwhile, outside the cafeteria, two figures were approaching.

Huo Wu and her older brother, Huo Wushuang, were making their way toward the dining hall.

"Xiao Wu, I really don't know the person you're talking about," Huo Wushuang said, his tone filled with helplessness. "If I had seen someone with such distinct features, I wouldn't have forgotten."

He hadn't expected his little sister to suddenly ask about a boy—and a senior student, no less.

As the beloved little princess of their family, Huo Wu was spoiled by everyone, and Huo Wushuang especially doted on her.

She might just be curious, but as her older brother, he instinctively felt a sense of vigilance toward this unknown boy.

"It's fine, Brother," Huo Wu replied casually. "He should be in the cafeteria at noon. You'll see him there."

She hesitated for a moment, then added, "I was a little rude this morning… I want to apologize."

Despite how she had rushed off earlier, after calming down, she realized she should at least offer an apology.

But thinking about the fact that he was a senior student made her feel a little nervous.

So, naturally, she dragged her brother along.

However, there was something odd—her brother had never seen this person before. Was he a transfer student?

Huo Wu frowned slightly, confused.

Just then, a commotion erupted near the cafeteria.

A large crowd had gathered, forming a circle around something, their excited voices filling the air.

Huo Wushuang immediately stopped a passing student and asked, "Excuse me, what's happening over there? Why is everyone gathered?"

The student looked impatient, as if he couldn't afford to waste time. "Someone challenged Senior Sun Jie! This is the first time I've seen something this exciting. If you don't hurry, you'll only get to see the backs of other people's heads!"

With that, he ran off excitedly.

Huo Wu's eyes lit up with interest.

"Brother, let's go take a look too!" Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Huo Wushuang's arm and pulled him toward the crowd.

At noon, the cafeteria was packed with students. By the time Huo Wu arrived, the crowd had already grown so dense that she could barely see what was happening.

Fortunately, Huo Wushuang's strength was impressive. He easily pushed through the throng, leading Huo Wu to the front of the circle.

The moment they stepped inside, they saw two people standing at the center of the commotion. Unlike the noisy spectators, the two combatants exuded a quiet tension.

Huo Wu's eyes widened in surprise when she recognized one of them.

"Brother, that's the person I saw this morning! Do you know him?" she asked quickly.

Huo Wushuang observed the young man carefully but found no trace of recognition. He shook his head in confusion.

At that moment, murmurs spread among the surrounding students.

"I heard Sun Jie provoked him first, but I didn't expect this guy to have such guts—he challenged Sun Jie directly!"

"I heard he's a Level 15 Weapon Soul Master. His talent isn't bad, but unfortunately, he picked the wrong opponent."

Huo Wu pieced together the situation from the conversations around her.

"Brother, this Sun Jie is too arrogant. Should we help that guy?" she asked, frowning at the blatant discrimination.

Huo Wushuang shook his head. "The duel has already been established. No one is allowed to interfere—it would be disrespectful to both of them."

Huo Wu pursed her lips but had no choice but to let it go.

Still, she was curious. "Is Sun Jie really that strong? Why does everyone think the other guy doesn't stand a chance? He's a fifteenth-level Weapon Soul Master."

Huo Wushuang explained patiently, "Sun Jie is in the sixth grade. His Martial Soul is the Flame Sparrow, and he's a level 19 Beast Soul Master. He ranks among the strongest in the entire academy."

"If their Martial Souls were swapped, maybe the one in white would have a chance. But with a four-level soul power gap and the natural suppression of a Weapon Soul by a Beast Soul, the difference is too great."

"Even though the one in white looks physically stronger, it won't be enough to compensate for the enhancements a Beast Soul grants its user."

Huo Wushuang's calm analysis made Huo Wu feel a little worried.

At the Center of the Crowd

Quan Yi stood in the middle of the circle, slightly exasperated.

He hadn't expected the situation to escalate like this.

More importantly, his opponent seemed to be deliberately stalling—reveling in the growing audience rather than making a move.

Only when the crowd had swelled did Sun Jie finally speak.

"Quan Yi, right? Actually, I just wanted to remind you to dress appropriately in public spaces. Walking into the cafeteria drenched in sweat affects other people's appetite."

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

For those who didn't know the full story, Sun Jie's words seemed… reasonable. Their gazes flickered toward Quan Yi's sweat-soaked white shirt, and some couldn't help but wrinkle their noses.

So this was his plan.

Quan Yi hadn't expected Sun Jie to take this approach—to turn the situation into a matter of public decorum and position himself as the reasonable one.

No wonder he had waited until the crowd gathered.

Quan Yi almost laughed.

This kind of hypocritical facade reminded him of a certain country from his past life—presenting a moral high ground while twisting the truth. It was simply disgusting.

Seeing that the tide of opinion was shifting in his favor, Sun Jie pressed on.

"I admit that my words earlier were a bit harsh, but my intentions were good. If my comment made you uncomfortable, I sincerely apologize."

His expression was sincere, his face filled with apparent regret.

Many students were moved by his humility and grace, and their opinions shifted even further in his favor.

Since most of them hadn't been on the second floor, they hadn't witnessed the full exchange. Misled by Sun Jie's calculated words, they instinctively sided with him.

Quan Yi was now in an unfavorable position.