Not playing by the rules?

He turned to glance at Ning Rongrong, then said with a smile:

"No, no. I was discussing some important sect matters with your two grandpas."

"What brings you two here? Do you have some good news for me?"

Dressed in white, Ye Xingchen nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Gu Rong.

He still remembered the wager they had made in the Training Room, and said with a smile:

"I've successfully formed my ring. I've come today to fulfill our agreement. Please instruct me, Senior Gu Rong!"

Hearing this, Gu Rong, whose face was turned aside, stiffened slightly. Looking somewhat embarrassed, he swallowed, then turned back and said solemnly:

"Time certainly flies. I didn't expect you to form your ring so quickly!"

"Then let's have a match. I'll face you with strength at the same level as yours. That shouldn't count as bullying you, should it?"

Ye Xingchen nodded calmly and said with a smile:

"I'm a Level 18 Soul Master now. If you use the strength of a Level 18 Soul Master against me, that won't count as bullying!"

"Also, I remember you saying you'd give me a one-hand handicap, Senior. Does that promise still stand?"

A one-hand handicap?

Gu Rong's face twitched at those words.

This brat's strength isn't just that of a Level 18 Soul Master, whatever appearances might suggest!

If I give him a one-hand handicap, won't I suffer a complete defeat?

He coughed softly, then said:

"That business about a one-hand handicap was just a joke. Consider it something I said offhand!"

"A match between us using equal Level 18 Soul Master strength would already be very fair. What do you think?"

Standing nearby, Chen Xin nearly burst out laughing. He shook his head, glanced at Gu Rong, then said airily:

"So even our Elder Gu Rong sometimes goes back on his word. It seems I'll have to be more careful when talking to you from now on!"

"If you suddenly tell me one day that something was only a joke, wouldn't I lose out badly?"

His old face flushed crimson, Gu Rong waved his hand at those words, then said bluntly:

"A one-hand handicap, a one-hand handicap! There's just no end to it!"

"Come on, then. Today I'll see just how capable you are!"

Ye Xingchen smiled in his white robes, then headed outside.

Seeing this from behind him, Gu Rong rubbed his head and hurriedly asked:

"Didn't you want a match? Why are you leaving? Do you look down on me? You're walking away without even fighting?"

Standing to one side, Ning Rongrong smiled and explained:

"Grandpa Gu Rong, my husband means he's inviting you to compete in the Training Room. It's bigger and more spacious there, and there are more people!"

"He said that if you bullied him and there weren't a couple of witnesses to testify, he'd be terribly wronged!"

Bully him?

Gu Rong's face twitched. This brat is deliberately trying to embarrass me!

If I lose in front of everyone in the sect, won't I disgrace myself?

Already foreseeing his own fate, Gu Rong shook his head, glanced at Chen Xin, who was enjoying the show, and followed.

Soon, they followed the path to the Training Room.

The disciples practicing Soul Skills there saw Ye Xingchen, Elder Gu Rong, the Sect Master, Ning Rongrong, and Elder Chen Xin arrive.

Every one of them was astonished. They immediately cleared the floor and gathered around to watch.

"What's going on? Why has the Sect Master come? Both Titled Douluos are here too. Isn't this strange?"

"You don't know about this, do you? Elder Gu Rong made a wager with this fellow a couple of days ago. They're probably here to settle it today!"

"Good heavens, how many Soul Rings has he formed to dare fight a Titled Douluo? Isn't he just asking for suffering?"

Standing amid the crowd, Ye Xingchen remained calm. Watching Gu Rong step onto the platform, he couldn't help smiling slightly.

With a casual wave of his hand, a yellow Soul Ring unfurled before him.

His strength as a Level 18 Soul Master was laid bare before everyone's eyes.

Gu Rong watched with a complicated expression and shook his head. He could only suppress his strength to Soul Master Level 18.

"Come on. Today I'll see just how capable you are!"

Having tossed out those words, Gu Rong was just about to step forward and test what Ye Xingchen was made of.

But Ye Xingchen smiled, then pointed at his right hand and said:

"Have you forgotten, Senior Gu Rong? You're supposed to give me a one-hand handicap. May I ask whether you'll forgo your left hand or your right?"

Somewhat embarrassed, Gu Rong rubbed his head, then gritted his teeth and tucked his left hand behind his back.

Looking at this fellow who refused to play by the rules, he snorted:

"Come on. I'll still trounce you with one hand today!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Rong became a blur and vanished from his spot. The Soul Power of a Level 18 Soul Master spread in all directions.

Remaining immovable as a mountain, Ye Xingchen shook his head slightly at the sight.

With a casual wave of his hand, the Heavenly Emperor Cauldron Martial Soul appeared above his head. An extremely powerful defensive force slowly spread around him.

At the same time, Ye Xingchen secretly deployed the Ten Thousand Ton Gravity Domain over the space within one meter in front of him.

Facing an opponent like Elder Gu Rong, he had no intention of underestimating his enemy!

After all, this fellow was a Level 95 Titled Douluo. He had eaten more salt than Ye Xingchen had walked roads.

Too much confidence could overturn the cart, too!

"Clang..."

Just then, a dark figure suddenly rushed at him from the front, followed by an ear-piercing metallic sound.

The next second, Elder Gu Rong immediately retreated ten meters, his expression slightly darkened.

Looking at Ye Xingchen, who remained immovable as a mountain, he muttered:

"What? Planning to be a turtle with its head tucked into its shell? Just standing there without moving!"

Unfazed, Ye Xingchen smiled when he saw that Elder Gu Rong had chosen to goad him.

He curled a finger at him and said with a smile:

"I'm standing right in front of you. Do I look like I want to attack?"

"Come on. Force me to make a move!"

Force him to make a move?

Hearing this, Gu Rong ground his teeth in frustration.

This thing's Martial Soul is like a turtle shell. With my Level 18 Soul Master strength, I can't do a thing to it.

Forcing him to attack-isn't that a tale from the Arabian Nights?

"He's killing me! He really does love picking on people!"

"With that defense of his, probably no one below Soul Ancestor could break through it, right?"

Watching Ye Xingchen behave like this, Ning Rongrong couldn't help bursting into laughter from the sidelines.

"Facing him really is a headache. Gu Rong is probably in for it now, isn't he?"

Hearing Elder Chen Xin say this too, Ning Fengzhi shook his head slightly and agreed with a smile:

"Elder Gu Rong is a Level 95 Titled Douluo. He should have a way, shouldn't he?"

"But the strength he uses may no longer stay within that of a Level 18 Soul Master!"

Chen Xin nodded calmly. Looking at Gu Rong scratching his head anxiously in the middle of the arena, he said with a smile:

"If I were up there, I couldn't break through his defense with the strength of a fellow Level 18 Soul Master either!"

"I imagine Gu Rong will have to use Soul Elder level strength!"