Instant Kill

Xiao Wu did not lose to him in terms of bearing, her face equally full of disdain.

Yet paired with her soft, delicate face, that expression somehow made her look a little cute. She raised a hand and pointed at him.

"Xiao Chenyu, are you scared? If you are, then be my little brother from now on."

"Haha."

Xiao Chenyu let out a loud, deliberately carefree laugh.

"Me, scared?

Say, Wang Sheng, have all you Work-Study Students got water in your brains? You actually found some little girl to challenge me. What a joke.

Little girl, didn't you bother to ask around about who Boss Xiao is? In Notting City, I could walk sideways and no one would dare stop me, much less here in the academy."

Xiao Wu was clearly getting impatient. She waved a hand and replied irritably.

"Enough nonsense. Let's begin. You tell me, how are we fighting?"

Xiao Chenyu's eyes shifted, revealing a hint of malice as he said teasingly.

"Don't worry, I won't bully you. Don't you have ten people here? Then we'll send out only ten as well. We'll take turns entering the ring. As long as the person fighting wins, they can continue against the next opponent, until everyone on one side has been defeated."

Xiao Chenyu had not become the boss among the students by being reckless. On the contrary, he was quite clever.

Although Xiao Wu did not seem threatening on the surface, Boss Xiao had been beating up Wang Sheng for quite some time and knew his character well.

If this little girl had no skill, why would Wang Sheng so readily acknowledge her as the representative of the Work-Study Students?

Heh, so what if this girl was strong? Everyone on his side was a senior student, and none of them were weak.

There was only Wang Sheng among the Work-Study Students who had some ability. With this little girl added in, there were at most two of them.

He could have his brothers wear them all down. He might not even need to step in himself before this battle was already won.

So, was this seemingly fair method of dueling really fair?

Wang Sheng was no fool either. He saw through Boss Xiao's plan, but before he could speak, Xiao Wu readily said, "Fine, it's settled then. Come on. Who's your first? Step out."

By then, it was already too late for Wang Sheng to stop Xiao Wu.

Boss Xiao gestured with his chin toward his men behind him, and a tall senior student immediately stepped forward.

Wang Sheng was very familiar with this senior student. He was Liu Long, his classmate. Wang Sheng had fought him one-on-one many times, and every time, the outcome had been miserable.

But Wang Sheng knew that if he did not step up, then aside from Xiao Wu and Tang San, no one among the Work-Study Students present could last more than a few moves against him.

So he gritted his teeth and said to Xiao Wu, "Big Sis Xiao Wu, let me go first."

Xiao Wu carried herself like a proper big sister. She nodded and agreed to Wang Sheng's request.

Seeing that Xiao Wu had agreed, Wang Sheng took a deep breath and was just about to step out when he suddenly heard a long, clear bird cry.

"Chirp~ Chirp~"

A patch of dark shadow fell over the open ground where everyone stood, growing larger and larger amid the howling wind.

Wang Sheng looked up and saw Pidgeotto's enormous figure not far above his head. Its immense size far surpassed that of ordinary soul beasts, and terror instantly appeared on his face.

"It's Old Qian!"

Fortunately, Tang San's cry reached his ears at that moment, and Wang Sheng's unease instantly turned into delight.

A gust of wind swept through the area. Everyone instinctively raised their arms to shield their eyes. When the blinding wind finally subsided, Pidgeotto had already landed in the open space between Xiao Wu and Xiao Chenyu.

Qian Bing patted the bird's back and lightly leaped to the ground like a swallow. He turned and calmly looked at Xiao Chenyu across from him. Though his face showed no emotion, Xiao Chenyu felt as if there were an air of supreme dominance in Qian Bing's gaze.

His heart jolted at once, and he inwardly thought, This is bad.

"It's you. I remember you. Last time, you provoked me in the cafeteria. Now you've come to cause trouble for our Seven Dorm again. Looks like you really have an itch to be beaten."

Qian Bing narrowed his eyes slightly. His words were far from pleasant, carrying an icy chill and a clear threat.

Hearing this, Xiao Chenyu felt suspicious, but anger still rose within him. After all, he had been the boss of Notting Academy for years. How could he possibly be intimidated by Qian Bing so easily?

"Who is this kid? Could that huge bird be a soul beast he keeps? Judging by its size, it definitely won't be easy to deal with! But we have more people. We should be able to take him down through a battle of attrition."

Only then did Xiao Chenyu regain a bit of confidence. His expression hardened as he shouted fiercely despite his inner weakness.

"Stop boasting. Let's settle this with our fists. I'm telling you, this match has to rely on our own strength. Is that bird a soul beast you keep? You can't depend on that kind of outside help."

"Heh."

Qian Bing gave a cold laugh and did not waste any words. Without any visible movement, a yellow soul ring suddenly rose beneath his feet. Only then did he extend his right hand and beckon Pidgeotto with his Spirit Ball Spirit, recalling it into the ball.

"Do you understand now?"

Xiao Chenyu had originally been delighted when Qian Bing so readily recalled Pidgeotto, but the instant he saw the soul ring on Qian Bing's body, his face filled with astonishment.

The senior students behind him likewise sucked in sharp breaths.

"A Hundred-Year Soul Ring!"

"Could he be a disciple of one of the great families..."

After Xiao Chenyu did his utmost to shake off the shock brought by the Hundred-Year Soul Ring, he finally remembered Qian Bing's earlier question and asked:

"What do you mean?"

"Idiot, this big bird is my First Soul Ring Skill. Qian Bing, first year, Spirit Ball Spirit, One-Ring Soul Master—come out, Pidgeotto."

The next moment, the Spirit Ball Spirit in Qian Bing's hand shot a red beam into the sky. Pidgeotto spread its enormous wings, beating up two gusts of air as it soared into the heavens.

"Didn't you want a wheel battle? Come on, who's first?"

To be honest, the upperclassmen on Xiao Chenyu's side were all wary of the enormous Pidgeotto. However, Liu Long had already declared that he would fight first, so he did not hesitate and stepped through the crowd to stand before Qian Bing.

As Liu Long stepped forward, a yellow light lit up in his hand. A staff over two meters long instantly appeared in his grasp as he solemnly announced:

"Liu Long, sixth year, Golden Iron Rod Spirit, Tenth-Level Soul Scholar."

Before Qian Bing could reply, Xiao Wu behind him was already laughing.

"Go, Qian Bing! Knock that withered flower and ruined willow flat!"

Liu Long's expression turned cold at her words. Without saying anything, he quickly took a step forward and swung his staff down at Qian Bing's head.

A faint, almost imperceptible glimmer of Soul Power likewise flashed around Qian Bing's body. His figure became a black streak, dodging the blow with lightning speed. When he reappeared, he was directly behind Liu Long.

Liu Long heard the sound and was just about to turn around when Qian Bing fiercely struck his back with his palm. The tremendous force sent Liu Long stumbling forward several steps.

Liu Long barely managed to brace his staff against the ground and avoid falling, but Qian Bing had no intention of letting him off. Moving close behind him, he immediately followed up with a Whip Kick that slammed into his raised butt.

This time, Liu Long could no longer control his body. Qian Bing's kick sent him flying, and when he landed, he fell face-first into the dirt right in front of Xiao Wu.

"Hahaha! What a withered flower and ruined willow. You really can't take a beating!"

Xiao Wu's crisp laughter rang out at once.

Liu Long was already in unbearable pain from the heavy blows to his back and butt, and now his heart suffered a deep humiliation as well. His blood surged, his Soul Power leaked away, and his spirit directly dissipated from his hand. He had been defeated just that easily.