A Rogue's Fighting Style

With the support test over, the final practical combat test was next. However, when Zhongli and Mo Yuqing arrived at the combat area, someone was already being tested on the stage. They knew him well too—it was Hua Banhao, the one who had sold Qiao Lezi earlier.

Since he did not need to take the Support System test, he had arrived at the practical combat area ahead of them and was now fighting a boy around eight or nine years old. The boy's Martial Soul was the Black Lion, giving him great speed and strength. He was also a One Ring Soul Master, and his Soul Power level seemed to be below fifteen.

"Ah, it's that guy!"

Mo Yuqing's eyes suddenly lit up. Although Zhongli had explained that the amber was worthless, she still felt like she had been ripped off. The more she thought about it, the worse it felt, and it made her very uncomfortable.

"Mm."

Zhongli nodded slightly and silently watched the battle onstage.

"I'm a level-fourteen Power Attack System Soul Master. My combat strength is very high, so you should just surrender," the boy said with his arms crossed as he looked at Hua Banhao. "Don't think you're strong just because you're built big. You're only a Food System Soul Master. Since your Martial Soul doesn't enhance your body at all, you can't be my opponent."

"Surrender?"

Hua Banhao scoffed, his face full of disdain. "I'm the man who's going to become the world's strongest Power Attack System Soul Master!"

"Hmph, stubborn fool!"

"First Soul Skill: Rise Up!"

The boy, who was already in his Martial Soul Avatar state, experienced another explosive surge in muscle growth. All his attributes improved to some extent, and his presence grew even stronger.

"First Soul Skill: Gigantification!"

The Qiao Lezi in Hua Banhao's hand enlarged accordingly, but it was merely a change in size. Its actual toughness did not improve in any meaningful way.

He gripped the five-foot-long Qiao Lezi and charged forward. The boy opposite him did not back down, directly swiping at the gigantic Qiao Lezi with a claw.

Smack!

The giant Qiao Lezi instantly burst apart, leaving only the wooden stick to clash against his claw. Even so... the ice cream on the stick splattered all over the boy's face and half his body. His vision was severely obstructed as he shut his eyes, shook his body, and flailed his arms. "What is this stuff? It's so cold!"

"Hehe!"

Hua Banhao immediately let go and retreated, then quickly condensed another Qiao Lezi and used Gigantification again. Another five-foot Qiao Lezi club appeared.

"What the hell is this? So annoying!"

The boy had just wiped the ice cream off his face when he looked ahead and saw the next giant Qiao Lezi smashing toward him. Caught off guard, he could only block it passively. A large amount of Qiao Lezi ice cream splattered all over him again, seriously affecting his mindset.

The damage was low, but the humiliation was immense!

It also obstructed his vision, making it hard to aim. Before he could clear the stuff from his face and regain his sight, he could only swing his claws wildly and strike at random.

"Haha, my turn to perform!"

Hua Banhao burst into laughter. Another giant Qiao Lezi condensed in his hand, and he swung it directly at the boy. Even as he threw this one out, he was already condensing the next giant Qiao Lezi...

Condensing ordinary Qiao Lezi consumed almost nothing for him, and Gigantification only enlarged it on the surface. Its real strength was pitiful, so the consumption was minimal as well. In other words, he could keep fighting like this for a very long time.

And so...

"Ora! Ora! Ora!..."

One giant Qiao Lezi after another smashed into the boy's body, covering him in ice cream and severely hindering his vision and movement. It was not that he did not resist, but Hua Banhao swung too quickly. Before he could wipe the ice cream from his face, another huge glob would splatter across his body. With his eyes shut, he could not hit anyone even when he fought back.

His mentality completely collapsed!

"Ugh, what a disgusting fighting style."

Mo Yuqing looked rather unwell below the stage. If she had to fight Hua Banhao one-on-one, putting aside whether she could win, the battle would definitely be incredibly unpleasant. Even if she won, it would not feel good at all.

"It is indeed a little troublesome."

Zhongli's expression shifted slightly as well, but he did not care too much because he had a shield. As long as Hua Banhao's attacks were not strong enough to break it, no matter how disgusting his fighting style was, it would be completely ineffective.

"Luckily, we don't have to challenge that guy. Otherwise, we'd end up like him, covered in black, sticky mess. Just thinking about it feels awful," Mo Yuqing said with a sigh as she sat in her chair.

"Yeah, but we're about to fight a teacher. That might be pretty difficult."

Zhongli smiled and calmly rubbed Mo Yuqing's little head.

There were quite a few people taking the practical combat test, including teachers and students. Normally, the tests were conducted by upperclassmen, like the boy from earlier. But Zhongli and Mo Yuqing were different. Because the previous teacher had made special notes about them, the teacher overseeing the practical combat test definitely would not have them fight students.

So he entered the stage himself.

"Mm-hm, I asked around just now. The teacher testing us is named Chi Tianxiang. He's a level-sixty-seven Power Attack System War Soul Emperor. His Martial Soul is the Great Horned Bull. His attack power is very strong, and he's very fast in a straight line, but his agility isn't that good," Mo Yuqing continued.

"A Soul Emperor... he really is quite strong."

Zhongli wore a serious expression and nodded deeply. He looked extremely wary, with a hint of difficulty on his face, as though he were worried that the test would be too hard.

"Even though he'll be hard to fight, don't worry. We're a special case, so we just need to show our strength," Mo Yuqing said with a grin, standing on tiptoe to pat Zhongli's head.

"Hm?"

Feeling the strange sensation atop his head, Zhongli's gaze became slightly odd. He looked at Mo Yuqing, then eventually smiled helplessly. If it was her, it did not matter if she was a little willful. No one else received such treatment.

"It actually feels kind of nice. No wonder you always rub my head, hehe." Mo Yuqing looked at the little hand that had touched his head, then at Zhongli beside her. The smile on her face gradually faded, only to become even more delighted.

"Alright, alright. That guy up there is already done. It'll be our turn soon," Zhongli said, turning to look at the other battle arena.

There was no surprise at all. Hua Banhao had won.

Once the boy's mentality had completely crumbled, Hua Banhao stopped condensing Qiao Lezi. He pulled a wooden stick from one of the earlier Qiao Lezi ice creams and began wildly whipping the boy with it. Whenever one broke, he switched to another and continued. This fighting style was utterly devilish.

It was extremely inhumane.

Qiao Lezi littered the arena, filling it with that fresh and delicious scent. Yet in that atmosphere, even food that had once been appetizing made people feel chilled to the bone. That boy would probably never want to see a giant Qiao Lezi again for the rest of his life.

It was practically a psychological trauma!