Yu Tianheng, You've Lost

"Are you going to announce the result or not?" Qian Yun called out to Monchi, who was still standing there in a daze.

"Oh, right." Monchi raised his hand, but kept his eyes on Shi Mo's face, wanting to make sure the other man had really lost the ability to fight.

Unfortunately, even after Monchi's hand came down, Shi Mo still didn't move at all.

"The match is over! Imperial Fighting Team versus Imperial Insect Team. Winner of the first match: Amiga!"

"Long live! Amazing, Amiga! You're my lucky star!"

"So cool, Amiga! Mom loves you!"

After Monchi announced the result, Qian Yun didn't want to linger. He jumped straight off the platform and sat down in his team's rest area. A servant who had been waiting nearby quickly brought him hot water and a towel.

Qian Yun waved him off, simply picking up the cup and taking a sip. The fight hadn't worn him out at all.

Just then, Shi Tou and Osler rushed onto the platform. Shi Tou shoved aside the medical staff beside Shi Mo and anxiously cried, "Brother! Brother, how are you?"

Shi Mo lay on the ground without any obvious serious injuries, but his brows were tightly knit and his face was deathly pale.

"Brother, how are you? Say something! I..." Shi Tou kept patting Shi Mo's face. When he looked up and saw Qian Yun leisurely drinking water on the other side, his eyes instantly reddened. "You bastard, I'll kill you!"

He was about to charge off the platform when Monchi appeared beside him at some point and coldly said, "Esteemed Spirit Master, no fighting is permitted outside the match in the Spirit Fighting Arena. Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite."

"You!" Shi Tou's eyes were already bloodshot. He couldn't care less about the arena's rules, but Osler reacted quickly and grabbed him. "Shi Tou, calm down. Your brother's still alive."

At that, Shi Tou looked back at Shi Mo. Though he was completely motionless, his chest was rising and falling normally. Only then did Shi Tou finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Osler went to Shi Mo's side and heaved his upper body up. "The most important thing now is to get him to Lingling for treatment."

"Oh, right, right." Shi Tou knew how serious the situation was. He hurried over and helped lift the immensely heavy Shi Mo, heading for the Imperial Fighting Team's VIP room.

Under the circumstances, Shi Mo needed treatment as soon as possible. When it came to healing, who could compare to the Nine-Heart Begonia, which could even restore flesh to bare bone?

Inside the VIP room, Qin Ming stared blankly down at the arena. The moment Qian Yun had taken Shi Mo down kept replaying in his mind.

After a moment, he drew a deep breath, but still couldn't figure it out.

Even he couldn't make sense of Qian Yun's attack. The other boy hadn't even used his Second Soul Skill.

It seemed they would have to wait for Shi Mo, who had experienced the attack firsthand, to explain what happened. But they were out of time. They had to send someone out for the next match right away; their opponent wouldn't give them time to regroup.

Who should he send? Qin Ming looked at the water still spread across the platform and gradually settled on an idea. Yu Feng, who had originally been scheduled to go second, would have to wait.

At that moment, Monchi appeared early once again. This time, however, he announced something unexpected.

"The Imperial Insect Team requests a timeout!"

"Oh?"

Qin Ming was surprised, but the request suited him just fine. Meanwhile, Shi Tou and Osler had carried the unconscious Shi Mo inside.

"Make way. Careful not to bump his head." Osler and Shi Tou carried Shi Mo into the room together.

They gently laid him flat on the ground. Everyone gathered around the unconscious Shi Mo, speechless.

When Shi Mo had left, he'd been holding his head high. Now he'd been carried back. Faced with this outcome, they found it hard to accept.

As the team's only support Spirit Master, Ye Lingling immediately knelt beside Shi Mo, brought her hands together, and bathed him in a strange light.

"Ugh—!" With the Nine-Heart Begonia's help, Shi Mo felt much better. He sucked in a sharp breath, then weakly called out, "C-Captain..."

Yu Tianheng took his hand and said softly, "Don't try to get up. I'm here."

Shi Mo's eyes were half open as he looked at him, his lips moving. "Be careful..."

Yu Tianheng leaned down, bringing his ear close to Shi Mo's mouth. "Be careful of what?"

Qin Ming had also come to his side. Seeing that Shi Mo's complexion had improved, he asked, "Shi Mo, how are you feeling?"

With the Nine-Heart Begonia's help, Shi Mo was no longer in danger, though he still felt weak. "Teacher, I... I think I'm all right now."

He struggled to sit up. Seeing that he really seemed to be fine, everyone finally relaxed.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Qin Ming asked Shi Mo with a frown.

"What happened..." Shi Mo took a few labored breaths. "His attack hit me, and it felt like all my defenses were useless. It was as if that attack struck directly at my soul..."

As Shi Mo recalled the moment, he still couldn't quite believe it. He vaguely remembered that when Qian Yun's First Soul Skill hit him, for an instant, it seemed as though he'd seen the back of his own head?!

"An attack on the soul..." Qin Ming murmured, lost in thought. That would explain how Shi Mo's defenses had been broken in one strike. But could a Soul Grandmaster really possess such a heaven-defying attack?

"Oh, right, Captain. You all have to be careful. That guy's attacks are incredibly powerful. Don't let him hit you. There's no one among us who can withstand them." Shi Mo warned everyone, still shaken.

Yu Tianheng nodded solemnly, already considering how to deal with Qian Yun.

"Teacher, let me take the next match. That guy's power is lightning-based, right? Then I should be able to counter him perfectly!" Yu Tianheng volunteered. When it came to lightning, no one in the world would dare challenge the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. He was confident he could use lightning to suppress his opponent!

Qin Ming replied without hesitation, "That's what I had in mind. And..."

He pointed at the water still flowing across the platform. "If necessary, make good use of the terrain."

Yu Tianheng's eyes lit up. That gave him an even better chance of winning. "Thank you for the reminder, Teacher. I won't give that guy a chance to attack."

Qin Ming glanced at Monchi, who was already preparing to return to the platform, and gave Yu Tianheng one last warning. "Be careful. Your safety comes first."

On the platform, Monchi raised both hands. "Timeout is over! Both teams, take your places!"

Qian Yun carried his bundle onto the platform. Seeing Yu Tianheng approach with a grim expression and without a word, he smiled amiably.

Yu Tianheng's pent-up anger nearly erupted. He took a deep breath and said, "I'll make you pay for your arrogance."

Qian Yun smiled and shook his head. "I'm not being arrogant. You're the one who's arrogant enough to challenge me."

"You!" Yu Tianheng gritted his teeth. "Fine. You'd better be as good at fighting as you are at running your mouth."

"Hmph."

Monchi said, "State your names and details."

"Yu Tianheng. Martial Soul: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Level twenty-four, Assault-type Battle Soul Master." Yu Tianheng enunciated each word, putting particular emphasis on the name of his Martial Soul.

Qian Yun nodded, with no interest in repeating his introduction. He raised his smooth chin toward Monchi. "Let's get started."

Monchi didn't dare delay and quickly announced that the match was about to begin.

Yu Tianheng scraped the tip of his shoe across the slippery ground, then sneered at Qian Yun's back.

Seeing both competitors in position, Monchi raised his hand and called, "Begin!"

"Martial Soul Possession!"

Yu Tianheng shouted. A dazzling blue light suddenly shone from the center of his brow, then instantly spread throughout his body. Streaks of blue-violet lightning burst out like little snakes, circling around him. Two yellow Hundred-Year Soul Rings revolved around his right arm, dazzling against the flashing lightning around him.

Just from its appearance, his Martial Soul seemed far more imposing than Shi Mo's. Seeing this, Qian Yun put aside his teasing attitude. In his plan, Yu Tianheng was always the most difficult obstacle to overcome. If the chance presented itself, Yu Tianheng could really turn the tables on him.

After his Martial Soul Possession, Qian Yun quietly manipulated the water element beneath his feet. Before he could say anything, Yu Tianheng spoke.

Lightning crackled in his hand. Copying Qian Yun's earlier manner, he said, "Why aren't you making a move? You might not get another chance."

"..."

Qian Yun was speechless. He hadn't expected Yu Tianheng, a guy with such a stern look, to be this strange too.

"Is that so? Then I really will make a move!" Qian Yun pretended he was about to use his First Soul Skill. Yu Tianheng immediately focused and prepared to dodge. After all, one hit from Qian Yun could mean defeat.

"Heh, you little brat, trying to provoke me?" Qian Yun was only trying to scare him. Spirit Roar wouldn't be very likely to hit Yu Tianheng while he was on full alert. If Yu Tianheng dodged it a few times, Spirit Roar would lose much of its deterrent effect, which would put Qian Yun at a disadvantage later.

Being called a brat by a little kid made the veins on Yu Tianheng's forehead twitch, but he stayed calm and responded, "First Soul Skill, Thunder Dragon Claw!"

The lightning around Yu Tianheng gathered in front of him into a dragon's claw and swept toward Qian Yun. The attack looked powerful, but Yu Tianheng used less than thirty percent of his strength. His goal was to force Qian Yun to reveal his Second Soul Skill, or some other ability.

Feeling that the dragon claw contained very little Soul Power, Qian Yun guessed what he was up to. He shifted his feet and effortlessly sidestepped Yu Tianheng's First Soul Skill.

At the same time, Qian Yun shook his head at Yu Tianheng. "You shouldn't have done that."

Faced with an unknown opponent, he was still trying to test the waters? He might end up getting himself killed first!

Hearing Qian Yun's sincere warning this time, Yu Tianheng said coldly, "Enough talk. Take this!"

Another Thunder Dragon Claw swept down, still without much force behind it.

Qian Yun said no more. He manipulated the water element beneath his feet, dodging with ease while keeping a safe distance from Yu Tianheng.

Yu Tianheng missed again, and anxiety began to creep in. Qian Yun's First Soul Skill hung over him like a deadly weapon, while his own attacks seemed to have no effect at all.

For a while, the arena turned into a game of cat and mouse. Lightning flashed as Qian Yun's figure stayed light and graceful.

Watching the fight below, Qin Ming shut his eyes in frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose. As far as he was concerned, Yu Tianheng had already lost.

Although he still didn't know what Qian Yun's Second Soul Skill was, the scales of victory had already tipped in Qian Yun's favor.

Watching Yu Tianheng grow more and more frantic, Dugu Yan silently placed a hand against her chest.

On the platform, Qian Yun watched Yu Tianheng and said, "If you keep fighting like this, you'll run out of Soul Power even if I never attack."

Yu Tianheng took a deep breath. The pressure Qian Yun put on him was simply too great. Every time he made what seemed like a reckless attack, he had to worry that Qian Yun might counter. The combined strain on his concentration and Soul Power was becoming too much.

"You're right, Amiga. I admit you're a terrifying opponent." Yu Tianheng stopped, the lightning around him surging more violently than ever.

"In terms of how things have gone so far, you've already won. But you have to go down today! Let's settle this with one strike. Second Soul Skill, Thunderbolt!"

Wild lightning gathered in front of Yu Tianheng's chest. But instead of aiming at Qian Yun, he struck the slippery ground.

"Hmph!" Facing Yu Tianheng's full-powered attack, Qian Yun didn't dare be careless. He swept aside the cloth that had remained wrapped around his bundle, revealing two spear-like Thunder-Attracting Spears.

Qian Yun snatched them up and hurled one in each direction beside him. The sharp spearheads sank effortlessly into the ground—and Yu Tianheng's Second Soul Skill arrived!

Lightning struck the ground with unstoppable force. In an instant, it raced along the water spread across the platform toward Qian Yun. At last, the Second Soul Ring at Qian Yun's feet flashed.

"Second Soul Skill, Spirit Blade!"

"Crack—" Lightning purer than Yu Tianheng's own flashed, and a long sword appeared in Qian Yun's hand.

After countless flashes of lightning, the outcome seemed to have been decided from the start. Yu Tianheng's Second Soul Skill was drawn toward the two Thunder-Attracting Spears and failed to shake Qian Yun in the slightest.

Qian Yun held the Spirit Blade above Yu Tianheng's head and said indifferently, "You've lost."