Scared Stiff?

Most Soul Masters who came here to fight wore masks to avoid being recognized and having their abilities studied in advance.

So the Great Soul Fighting Arena allowed contestants to wear masks in the ring.

Of course, some people disdained that and showed their faces openly.

"No need!" Luo Yan shook his head.

He wasn't worried about being recognized. Besides, he was going to use Xiao Wu's appearance to cash in on a wave of gullible bettors later. He couldn't let such a good opportunity go to waste.

You Chunping said nothing and led them into the Great Soul Fighting Arena.

The first thing they saw upon entering was a huge stone tablet covered in densely carved names.

"These are the people who died fighting in the Great Soul Fighting Arena. Anyone who dies in the ring has their name carved here."

You Chunping walked ahead of them and took the opportunity to explain as they passed by.

Farther in, the layout was simpler: one ring after another, each surrounded by spectator seats.

There were seven rings in Suotuo City's Great Soul Fighting Arena, all different sizes.

At that moment, fights were underway in three of them. The stands around the rings were packed, and cheers filled the air.

Thanks to the Soundproofing Array, the noise didn't affect the fights in the rings, nor could it be heard from inside them.

Soon, Luo Yan and Xiao Wu were brought to the side of one of the larger rings.

"Please wait here. We'll arrange opponents for you shortly!"

After leading Luo Yan and Xiao Wu into a room, You Chunping turned and left.

Once You Chunping was gone, Luo Yan said to Xiao Wu, "Xiao Wu, when we go into the ring, you'll be the one to attack."

"But don't kill them outright. Go easy on them, or no one will dare challenge us again!"

They were still Iron Soul Fighters, the equivalent of what people called Black Iron.

The Great Soul Fighting Arena certainly wouldn't assign them any powerful opponents.

Luo Yan didn't want Xiao Wu to kill someone right at the start.

"Okay, Brother Luo Yan. Don't worry, I'll control my strength!" Xiao Wu sounded eager at the prospect of being the one to fight.

Luo Yan was reassured.

After all, they'd entered as a two-on-two team, so he'd be in the ring too. If anything went wrong, he could step in and stop it.

It wasn't long before You Chunping returned.

The Great Soul Fighting Arena had plenty of Iron and Silver Soul Fighters, so finding opponents wasn't difficult.

"Your fight has been arranged. In ten minutes, once the audience has entered, you can take the ring!"

"Your opponents this time are the Wild Wolf Team, two three-ring Soul Elders."

"If you don't think you can win, you can simply forfeit. The Great Soul Fighting Arena will protect your lives!"

After returning, You Chunping began explaining the rules of the fight and sharing some basic information about their opponents.

"No problem!"

"Please arrange even stronger opponents for us in advance. We'll keep challenging people afterward. If there are any experts you can contact on short notice, please get in touch with them!"

Luo Yan didn't refuse.

If they hadn't just arrived, he would have wanted to challenge people with Gold or higher Soul Fighting Badges right away.

These Soul Elders and Soul Ancestors were small fry. They couldn't make waves.

Ten minutes later, the stands surrounding the ring were packed with people who had come to watch the fight and bet on it for a chance to make money.

"Another pair of rookies who don't know what they're getting into? They picked the Wild Wolf Team right off the bat. That team won't go easy on them!"

"That girl's gorgeous. What a shame. Shadow Wolf is a lecherous bastard. He'll definitely take the opportunity to try something."

"The boy's pretty handsome too!"

"Let's see. They're starting out like this, so I think these two rookies might have something up their sleeves!"

"Forget it. Ten Gold Soul Coins—I'm betting it all on the Wild Wolf Team. They're both Soul Elders, and these two look barely into their teens. How could they possibly beat them?"

"Exactly, brother. I bet on the Wild Wolf Team too. Today's our day to make money!"

"..."

Luo Yan and Xiao Wu were already standing in the ring.

Because of the Soundproofing Array, the audience could hear what was said in the ring, but Luo Yan and Xiao Wu couldn't hear the spectators' chatter.

Even if they could, Luo Yan wouldn't have cared.

Two young men stood a short distance in front of Luo Yan.

As soon as they entered the ring, the thinner of the two fixed his gaze on Xiao Wu.

The greed in his eyes made Xiao Wu feel sick.

"Brother Luo Yan, the way that man's looking at me makes my skin crawl!" Luo Yan said nothing, and Xiao Wu didn't attack right away.

If they'd been outside, the man would already be lying on the ground.

Luo Yan had noticed it too.

"Then when you attack, Xiao Wu, cripple him. Just leave him breathing!"

"I'll do something afterward to send him straight to meet his granny!"

Luo Yan had only meant to leave the two men bedridden for a few days, but that man had practically begged for trouble.

Before entering the ring, they'd agreed with the Great Soul Fighting Arena that this would be a friendly match, not a fight to the death. They weren't allowed to kill their opponents in the ring.

If he hadn't been worried that the arena might stop arranging future opponents for them, Luo Yan wouldn't have let the two men walk away alive.

He wasn't as hypocritical as Tang San, but Xiao Wu was his woman. He wouldn't let anyone else lay a hand on her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, now that both teams are in the ring, let's look forward to their Soul Fighting match!"

"The match begins!"

The host gave a brief introduction, then hovered to one side on a flying device, ready to commentate once the fight began.

At the host's announcement, the Wild Wolf Team stood side by side and released their Martial Souls.

"Level thirty-three Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder, Martial Soul: Wild Dog. Please guide me!"

"Level thirty-four Agility Attack System Battle Soul Elder, Martial Soul: Shadow Wolf. Please guide me!"

As their voices rang out, one white and two yellow Soul Rings appeared beneath each of them, and the phantoms of their Martial Souls manifested behind them.

After releasing his Martial Soul, Shadow Wolf looked at Luo Yan and Xiao Wu with a playful expression. The greed in his eyes as he looked at Xiao Wu grew even stronger.

Luo Yan and Xiao Wu said nothing, simply watching them in silence.

They couldn't possibly release their Martial Souls, and they hadn't sensed any danger from their opponents.

But to the spectators, their reaction looked like they'd been stunned by the Wild Wolf Team's strength.

They stood rooted to the spot, at a loss for what to do.

"They're scared already? They should just get out of the ring! I thought we had a couple of dark horses, but they really are just two rookies. Damn it—give me my money back!"

"Two kids, probably not even old enough to grow hair, and they dare come here to fight!"

"Looks like I'll be walking away with a fortune after the very first match today!"

"Ugh, gamblers never prosper. I knew I shouldn't have believed in that tiny chance!"