After the ceremony ended, the eight contestants each received a badge representing their identity as Soul Masters.
Before long, the emcee called out Mu Rong's name.
"Next up, a rank-one Soul Master: 'Dad Beats His Son,' the Ice Phoenix Soul Master!"
The audience didn't care about the emcee's nonsense. At the mention of the boss's name, Spirit Seed immediately ran to the betting window and put all the gold Soul Coins he had on "Dad Beats His Son."
Mu Rong wore a mask and strode onto the stage.
His opponent soon climbed onto the other side, too.
Unexpectedly, she was a petite girl. She wore a mask as well, obscuring her features, but from her build, she looked young—not much older than ten.
"Oh? It's a girl?"
"Even a girl can be a Soul Master. And in her first match, she ran into the guy named 'Dad Beats His Son'!"
"Think you'll have a shot at a reward?"
"I wouldn't dare. That girl called 'Spider'—I heard her Soul Power is at least rank seventeen!"
"Rank seventeen? Good grief! Isn't 'Dad Beats His Son' doomed?"
"She's got the build of a rank-nine Soul Master! He's dead meat!"
The emcee's voice rang out across the arena. Spirit Seed's heart leaped into his throat, and he clenched his fists.
Then the host made an announcement.
"Down below, a contestant has released a Martial Soul!"
"'Dad Beats His Son,' Martial Soul: Ice Phoenix Snake! Twelve gold Soul Coins, first ring!"
The emcee's voice had barely faded when the whole arena erupted in laughter and jeers.
"Rank twelve? And he dares call himself 'Dad Beats His Son'? That's hilarious!"
"This is going to be good. Rank twelve against rank seventeen—what a show!"
Mu Rong ignored the surrounding jeers. A six-meter-long Ice Phoenix Snake suddenly slithered from beneath him. Its ice-blue scales glinted coldly, and a chill spread from its body, dropping the temperature all around.
A dark-yellow, hundred-year Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet.
Across from him, the girl completed her Martial Soul possession as well.
"Spider! Martial Soul: Ghost Spider! Rank seventeen, first ring!"
Behind the girl appeared the enormous black shadow of a spider. Its eight long legs gleamed like sharp spears, and its body was covered in strange purple patterns.
She had a hundred-year Soul Ring, just like Mu Rong, but its color was richer and deeper.
"Begin!"
At the host's command, the Ghost Spider girl wasted no time. Her first Soul Ring lit up!
She clasped her hands before her chest, then yanked them apart. A huge white web shot through the air, racing toward Mu Rong with astonishing speed.
The web was broad enough to cover nearly half the stage. It was fast, and there was almost no way to dodge it!
This was the first time Mu Rong had seen this kind of attack. He immediately urged his Soul Power into action.
"First Soul Skill: Cold Poison!"
A vast cloud of icy poison burst out around him, spreading toward the web that had nearly reached him.
But the web was far too tough. The frigid poison only slowed it slightly, and a thin layer of frost formed across its surface. It still couldn't stop the web from falling.
The next second, Mu Rong was firmly wrapped in the web.
The sticky strands tightened around him at once, pinning him in place.
"Die!"
Mu Rong's heart sank. The Ghost Spider girl's Martial Soul was far more terrifying than he'd imagined!
"Heh."
The girl across from him let out a strange laugh. Her eight spider legs shifted rapidly against the ground, and her figure flickered unpredictably. In an instant, she was right beside Mu Rong.
She opened her mouth, and a stream of purple-black poison shot out, heading straight for the trapped Mu Rong!
Mu Rong urged his Soul Power with all his might. The Ice Phoenix Snake opened its jaws and spat out a blast of cold air, trying to freeze the poisonous liquid.
But the poison was highly corrosive. The cold only caused it to congeal briefly in midair before it continued onward.
Splash!
The poison struck Mu Rong's arm. A small hole burned through it at once, and fierce pain mixed with a tingling numbness spread rapidly from the wound.
He'd been poisoned!
What shocked Mu Rong most was that the Cold Poison he'd used to control her seemed to have no effect on the girl at all!
The cold mist lingering on the stage couldn't harm her in the slightest.
"What should I do?"
Down below, Spirit Seed was so worried his palms were slick with sweat.
"The boss is trapped! He's been poisoned! This is bad!"
In the stands, the audience's jeering grew even louder.
"Hahahaha! So much for 'Dad Beats His Son'! Looks like this brat's going to get beaten up!"
"Shut up! Don't you dare insult his name!"
Mu Rong fought through the pain and numbness in his arm as he dodged the incoming attacks at high speed.
Ranged attacks weren't working, and the poison had no effect on her. His only chance was to get close!
Only by closing the distance and using his height advantage over an average Soul Master would he have a chance of winning!
No longer dodging, Mu Rong's Soul Power surged. He stopped trying to use the cold to slow the web and focused all his strength on the Ice Phoenix Snake Martial Soul!
The Ice Phoenix Snake let out a sharp hiss. Its enormous body bucked violently, using all its strength to tear open a gap in the web!
There!
Mu Rong seized the opening and squeezed through the narrow gap.
"Ha!"
The Ghost Spider girl had clearly not expected him to break free so quickly. She let out a gasp.
But her reflexes were fast. Her eight spider legs pushed off the ground, and she sprang backward. At the same time, she waved her hands, sending several small webs flying toward Mu Rong.
By then, Mu Rong had already worked up a head of steam. Facing the webs hurtling toward him, he neither dodged nor backed away. He let them stick to him, his speed not slowing in the slightest. Like a mad beast, he charged straight at the Ghost Spider girl!
He was close!
He was almost there!
A flash of panic crossed the Ghost Spider girl's face. She hadn't expected the man in front of her to be so fearless, so utterly unafraid of death.
She tried to pull away again, but Mu Rong was too fast!
In the instant before they collided, Mu Rong planted one leg against the ground and launched himself upward. His knee slammed viciously into the Ghost Spider girl's abdomen!
Crack!
With a muffled impact, the tremendous force sent the girl flying. She drew an arc through the air before crashing heavily into the cage around the stage.
The winner was decided!
But Mu Rong wasn't faring well, either. The web clinging to his body kept getting stickier, his movements growing slower and slower. The poison in his arm had already begun spreading through his body, and half of him had gone numb.
He gritted his teeth and forced himself to take one step after another toward the Ghost Spider girl. Ice Phoenix Snake's forked tongue flicked out, its icy fangs poised at her throat.
At Mu Rong's command, the Ice Phoenix Snake could kill her with a single bite.
"I... I admit defeat."
The Ghost Spider girl struggled to rise from the ground. She clutched her stomach, her voice filled with humiliation and unwillingness.
Mu Rong swallowed hard and recalled his Martial Soul.
The match was over. The stage fell completely silent.
Everyone stared, dumbfounded, at the scene. Even the people who had just been jeering at him looked as if their minds had gone blank. Not one of them could say a word.
Before you continue