Joining the Soul Fighting Arena

Xiao Chen could change the shape of his arrows, and it was all thanks to the system.

The system had explained before that as Xiao Chen continued to add Spirit Rings to his Martial Soul, unlocking and developing Soul Skills, the Martial Soul's quality would steadily evolve, and its external form could evolve and reshape along with it.

Arrows and spears were similar in shape to begin with, so changing from one form to the other was naturally easy and seamless.

Xiao Chen was very interested in taking part in Soul Fighting matches, but just as Hu Liena and the others had said, a long-range Soul Master like him wasn't suited to this sort of setting.

But things were different if he turned his arrows into a Long Spear.

Real combat in the Soul Fighting Arena was also one of the system's training tasks.

Close-quarters combat could sharpen his reflexes and temper his body, strengthening his physical resilience and power.

These were essential qualities for an archer, too.

"Xiao Chen, you're always finding new ways to surprise us!" Xie Yue said, looking at him.

Yan could only smile wryly. "I thought Mobile Rapid Fire was your second form. I never imagined you had a third!"

Hu Liena smiled and urged them on. "Come on, let's go in! I can't wait to see just how good our junior brother is at close-quarters combat."

The four of them changed their appearance, put on masks, and entered the Great Soul Arena in Spirit City.

Hu Liena and the others first took Xiao Chen to fill out the Soul Fighting registration form and pay the fee. After his Soul Power was tested, he received an initial Iron Fighting Soul Badge.

Everyone used aliases for Soul Fighting matches. Xiao Chen chose one based on his Martial Soul's latest form: "Mystic Spear."

After registering, they had to wait for a while, so Xiao Chen and the others went into the arena to watch other Soul Fighting matches.

The Great Soul Arena in Spirit City was packed and bustling. Even matches between Level 20 Soul Grandmasters drew plenty of spectators.

After two matches, the host took the stage. His voice rang out across the Fighting Soul Arena, amplified by Soul Power. "In this one-on-one Soul Fighting match, we have the twenty-fifth-level Soul Grandmaster Crackrock, who has already won five matches in a row, facing the twenty-third-level Soul Grandmaster Mystic Spear, who has just received his Iron Fighting Soul Badge.

"Now, let's welcome both contestants to the arena!"

The host's deliberate buildup sent the crowd into a frenzy, and spectators all around began cheering.

But most of them were shouting Crackrock's name. Clearly, the twenty-fifth-level Battle Soul Master was much more popular with the crowd.

"Match seven of the one-on-one Soul Fighting event at the 32nd Branch Fighting Soul Arena. Begin!"

As the host's words rang out, both contestants immediately released their Martial Souls and Spirit Rings.

Crackrock's Martial Soul was a Great Axe, and his Spirit Rings were the standard two-yellow setup for a Soul Grandmaster.

Xiao Chen, on the other hand, had a Wood Spear that didn't look particularly impressive to begin with, and then he released two White Spirit Rings.

The moment the Spirit Rings slowly rose around Xiao Chen, the entire Fighting Soul Arena fell deathly silent.

Many spectators instinctively rubbed their eyes, unable to believe what they were seeing. They stared again and again before confirming that both of Xiao Chen's Spirit Rings were indeed white.

The silence lasted only a few seconds. Then the stands erupted in waves of laughter.

Mockery and scornful comments spread unchecked. Everyone was amused by the sight.

White Spirit Rings were the weakest kind. Some Soul Masters with poor talent did indeed have a white first Spirit Ring, but no spectator there had ever seen anyone with a white second Spirit Ring.

In everyone's eyes, the outcome of this match was already decided.

"Would you look at that—two white rings! Who knew there was such a freak in Spirit City?"

"He's two levels lower, and he has two white rings on top of that. What's the point of fighting? He's just here to give away points."

"He's making a fool of himself!"

The stands were full of jeers. Hu Liena, Yan, and Xie Yue could only sigh helplessly. They had expected this scene from the start.

"Honestly, can't the Great Soul Arena be stricter with its screening?"

A man in the row in front of them sneered. His disdainful remark happened to reach Hu Liena and the others.

"What kind of stray cats and dogs, what sort of trash, are they letting into the Soul Fighting matches? A weakling with two white rings thinks he deserves to step onto the Fighting Soul Arena and face someone?"

Hu Liena and the others had initially intended to ignore him, but the man in front of them kept running his mouth. His mockery had already turned into outright abuse.

Hu Liena sprang to her feet, but before she could speak, Yan spoke first.

"Shut up! If you don't want to watch, get out!" Yan shouted.

At the sound of his voice, the man in front turned around impatiently and glanced at Yan. His tone was both arrogant and mocking. "Who are you? I'll watch if I want to and leave if I want to. What gives you the right to tell me what to do?"

Anyone who lived in Spirit City had some sort of backing. And since Yan and the others were wearing masks, the man naturally had no reason to fear them.

"If you're going to watch, then watch. Stop standing there and mouthing off!" Xie Yue said.

The man glanced at Xie Yue, then sneered. "Oh... now I get it."

He lifted his chin and swept a contemptuous glance over Xiao Chen on the Fighting Soul Arena, then looked back at Yan and the others. "That kid down there is your friend, right? If you're willing to associate with trash like him, then I bet your Spirit Rings are just as worthless!"

Before he had even finished speaking, Hu Liena stood up and said, "There are no worthless Spirit Rings, only useless Soul Masters. Open your damn eyes and watch. Mystic Spear is guaranteed to win this match!"

"Heh..." The man sneered. "Since you're so sure, want to make a bet? A thousand Gold Soul Coins!"

"Sure!" Hu Liena immediately took out a thousand Gold Soul Coins. She had no reason to turn down free money.

Hu Liena's casual display of a thousand Gold Soul Coins caught everyone's eye. The clear clinking of coins in the bag rang out, instantly drawing the attention of everyone nearby.

Greed rose in every onlooker's eyes. They crowded around, eagerly asking if they could join the betting.

Hu Liena welcomed every eager inquiry.

Xie Yue and Yan remained calm beside her. They each took out the Gold Soul Coins they had saved over the years and handed them all to Hu Liena to run the betting pool.

On the Fighting Soul Arena, Crackrock had also stared in surprise for a while when he saw Xiao Chen's two white Spirit Rings.

But he had no intention of going easy. After five consecutive wins, every additional victory earned him ten points and brought him closer to a Bronze Fighting Soul Badge.

Crackrock hefted his Great Axe and charged. He didn't even use a Soul Skill.

Xiao Chen didn't dodge or retreat as Crackrock rushed toward him. He swung his Long Spear and met the attack head-on.

The Great Axe clashed with the Long Spear, ringing sharply.

The violent recoil traveled along the axe's shaft. Crackrock's body shuddered, and he was forced back several steps. His arm went numb and ached as he stared in stunned disbelief.

Xiao Chen, by contrast, stood firm, his posture straight as a pine. He hadn't moved an inch and had easily blocked the powerful strike.

"How is that possible?"

The entire arena erupted. Everyone had thought Crackrock would defeat Xiao Chen with a single swing, but they never expected him to be the one at a disadvantage in a head-on clash.