Douluo Dalu 3: Legend of the White Fox

According to the available information, Xia Yi was thirteen years old this year.

Shrek Academy recruited students once every three years, with the eligible age range being twelve to fifteen.

Second-year students were at least fifteen years old by now.

Not to mention the eighteen-year-olds.

For these students, being challenged so brazenly by a boy who was a full five years younger than them was unacceptable.

The fifteen-year-olds found it even harder to accept. Three years ago, they had entered Shrek Academy at the age of twelve, standing out among countless fifteen-year-old geniuses.

Each one of them was a one-in-ten-thousand prodigy.

Being provoked like this by Xia Yi enraged them even more than the eighteen-year-old seniors.

In an instant, Xia Yi was surrounded.

"Go, go, go, don't get in the way of my business." Seeing the large crowd gathering around him, cursing him but not actually inquiring about his services, Xia Yi's face darkened.

With no other choice, Xia Yi raised a wooden sign and shouted loudly, "Come one, come all, don't miss out! Whether someone stole your girlfriend, refused to let you copy their homework and left you resentful, or ratted you out to the teacher and got you punished—I can help you take care of them! All you need to do is pay a small amount of contribution points, and I guarantee I'll beat them so badly their own mother won't recognize them!"

"Arrogant Xia Yi, I want to know the specifics of your fighting service." Finally, someone gritted their teeth and spoke.

Seeing that someone had finally taken the bait, Xia Yi immediately put on a bright smile and said, "Dear customer, please tell me who stole your girlfriend—uh, I mean, who you want me to beat up."

"Tell me how it works first." The speaker was a boy around fifteen or sixteen years old. He was quite small and thin, having just pushed through the crowd to stand before Xia Yi.

Seeing Xia Yi provoke the second-year students so openly, his gaze was filled with malice.

As soon as he spoke, the crowd fell silent. Even some seventeen- or eighteen-year-old students took a subconscious step back upon seeing him.

"If your target is a first-year student, you need to set up a match with them yourself. If it's a second-year student, just leave it to me." Xia Yi said with a grin.

Shrek Academy forbade private fights but strongly encouraged duels in the Soul Dueling Arena.

Moreover, academy rules dictated that when lower-year students challenged higher-year students, the latter could not refuse.

Since Xia Yi was a first-year student, second-years had no choice but to accept his challenges.

"Can you guarantee a win?" the boy asked.

"Of course!" Xia Yi swept his gaze around arrogantly before sneering, "Shrek Academy? Please, have I ever been afraid of anyone here? A bunch of mere second-years? Ridiculous!"

As soon as he said this, a wave of murderous glares locked onto Xia Yi. The icy, bloodthirsty looks made him shrink his neck in fear.

Quickly, he tried to explain, "I wasn't targeting anyone specifically. I'm just saying—everyone here is trash! If you think otherwise, put your money where your mouth is and hire me to fight you!"

"You arrogant fool! What happens if you lose?" The boy from before snorted coldly.

"I'll double the contribution points." Xia Yi said casually.

The entire crowd froze in place.

Double the contribution points if he lost?

???

What kind of rule was that?

Wasn't the usual rule that if he lost, he wouldn't get paid at all?

Seeing the confusion, Xia Yi looked at the boy and explained, "You might think my pricing is unreasonable, but hear me out—my fees are actually very fair."

"Then explain. Even if we're hiring you to beat up our enemies, why should we pay you double if you lose?" the boy asked, curious.

"First, tell me—if I win and help you teach your enemy a lesson, should you pay me contribution points?" Xia Yi asked.

"Of course!" The boy nodded. "But I'm asking about what happens if you lose. You wouldn't have helped me at all in that case, so why should I still pay you?"

"Let me finish." Xia Yi shook his head and continued, "By your logic, if I win, I get contribution points. That means I not only get paid, but I also get the satisfaction of beating someone up. But if I lose, not only do I get nothing, I also get beaten up instead. Right?"

The boy's eyes flickered. He felt like something was off about Xia Yi's reasoning, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was. So, he nodded, "That's about right."

"Since that's the case, if I get paid for the fights I win, shouldn't I charge even more for the ones I lose?" Xia Yi asked righteously.

"That's not right!" The boy immediately shook his head.

"Why not?" Xia Yi asked calmly.

The boy thought for a moment, then said, "If you lose, that means you didn't help me get revenge. If you didn't fulfill the job, why should I pay you?"

"That's where you're wrong. Win or lose, I still fought on your behalf. And losing is actually much harder—because I suffer more! More effort means more pay, right?" Xia Yi countered.

"No way! What if you lose on purpose just to collect extra fees?" the boy argued.

"Relax! I have professional ethics. I'd never do such a thing!" Xia Yi thumped his chest confidently.

The boy frowned slightly, wanting to say more, but suddenly, a cold female voice interrupted.

"Fighting on behalf of first-year students, second-year students, even Soul Elders—are you serious?"

Xia Yi looked up.

The speaker was a girl with a tall, slender figure. Her chestnut-red hair flowed in large waves down her back. She had fair skin, large eyes, and a stunningly beautiful face. Her aura was cold and unapproachable, as if warning strangers to stay away.

She was none other than Wu Siduo, the number one first-year genius, ranked ninth on the Young Prodigy List.

"Wu Siduo." Xia Yi was slightly stunned but quickly regained his confidence. "Of course! As long as you can afford the contribution points, I'll beat up anyone you want. Even a mere Soul Elder—I'd crush them easily."

"How much to fight me?" Wu Siduo pushed through the crowd. Unlike the previous boy, she didn't waste words. She simply asked coldly.

"Do you have masochistic tendencies?" Xia Yi grinned.

Wu Siduo didn't get angry. She simply replied indifferently, "I regret not fighting you yesterday. I just want to see if I can break free from your control."

"For you, one thousand contribution points. You're worth that much." Xia Yi said seriously.

Wu Siduo frowned slightly. She was a first-year and had just entered the academy—how could she possibly have that many contribution points?

But Xia Yi had already set the price.

If she tried to negotiate, wouldn't that mean undervaluing herself?

"If you can't afford it now, an IOU works too. Just pay the same interest rate as the academy's contribution point loans." Xia Yi chuckled like a sly businessman.

"Deal!" Wu Siduo agreed without hesitation.

(End of Chapter)