One Punch

On the arena, Dai Mubai's muscles were taut, his fists clenched as his knuckles cracked.

He glared at Qin Yuan, a savage grin tugging at his lips. He was already calculating how to torture this fool who didn't know his place.

"Ling Tian, you finally dared to stand in front of me."

Dai Mubai gritted his teeth, the words scraping out from deep in his throat.

"You stole my fiancée. If I don't make you wish you were dead today, then I'm no Dai Mubai!"

Qin Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, a faintly mocking smile on his face. He hadn't even released his Martial Soul, as if the man before him weren't a Soul Master but some ant by the roadside.

Seeing this, Dai Mubai's fury burned even hotter. "You're asking for it!"

Before the words had even left his mouth, he threw his head back and roared. The White Tiger Martial Soul possessed him in an instant!

A deafening tiger's roar erupted. Dai Mubai's muscles swelled, white fur sprouted from beneath his skin, and black stripes covered his body. His hands became sharp tiger claws, his eyes turned to vertical pupils, and a wild gleam shone in them.

Two yellow Soul Rings and one purple Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet, circling around him.

At the foot of the arena, Tang San stood with his arms crossed and a smile on his lips.

"Boss Dai's White Tiger Martial Soul is one of the top Martial Souls in the Power Attack System. And after more than a year of our teacher's special training, his explosive power is more than twice what it was before."

Ma Hongjun snickered. "I don't think Ling Tian will last five moves before he's flat on his back."

Oscar shook his head. "I'll bet fifty moves. Ling Tian did defeat Yu Tianheng, after all. He must have some ability."

Tang San smiled without a word, but absolute confidence shone in his eyes.

He knew Dai Mubai's strength all too well. Forget people his own age—even among Soul Masters several years older, few could beat him.

Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and Zhao Wuji stood a little farther away, all three wearing relaxed smiles.

"Xiao Gang, this special training of yours has really paid off. Mubai's Soul Power fluctuations are much steadier than before," Flender said, stroking his goatee with satisfaction.

Yu Xiaogang replied calmly, "Mubai has excellent talent; he simply lacked systematic training before. Over the past year, his practical combat ability has improved by at least fifty percent. Ling Tian will be doing well if he lasts a hundred moves."

Zhao Wuji grinned. "A hundred moves? I, Zhao Wuji, bet he won't last thirty.

"Just look at him. He hasn't even released his Martial Soul. What is that if not putting on airs? Once Mubai makes his move, he'll regret it."

The three of them laughed. As far as they were concerned, the outcome of this match was already beyond doubt.

The moment Dai Mubai released his Martial Soul, a violent aura surged outward like a rising tide.

He stamped down hard, shattering the arena stones, and shot toward Qin Yuan like a cannonball.

"First move! White Tiger Rending Light Wave!"

Dai Mubai swung both claws. Ten sharp blades of white light tore through the air, shrieking as they slashed toward Qin Yuan.

He went all out from the very first move, with no intention of testing his opponent—and no chance for Qin Yuan to beg for mercy.

What's more, Dai Mubai had aimed at an especially vicious spot—not the chest or the head, but Qin Yuan's crotch!

The ten blades of light blocked every angle of escape, racing straight for his most vulnerable part.

Dai Mubai sneered to himself: I'll cripple your third leg first. Let's see how you'll steal my woman then!

The casual look in Qin Yuan's eyes turned icy in an instant.

You're asking to die!

He saw Dai Mubai's intention. The man's vicious, cruel killing intent snuffed out the last trace of amusement in Qin Yuan's heart.

He'd originally thought a beating would be enough.

But Dai Mubai's attack had enraged him completely.

Qin Yuan didn't retreat. He didn't even dodge.

He thrust out his right hand, spread his fingers, and reached straight for the ten blades of light.

"Has he gone mad?!" someone cried from below the arena.

Catching a Soul Skill with your bare hand? Wasn't that just asking to die?

But in the next instant, everyone's eyes widened.

Qin Yuan's fingers caught the three blades of light at the front with pinpoint accuracy. He clenched his fist, and the blades shattered like glass, turning into a shower of sparkling fragments.

The other blades struck his body but vanished without a trace, not even tearing his clothes.

Dai Mubai's pupils contracted.

What was going on?

Before he could react, Qin Yuan had vanished from where he stood.

Teleportation!

The next second, Qin Yuan appeared in front of Dai Mubai like a ghost, so close they were almost face-to-face.

Dai Mubai turned pale with shock. Instinctively, he crossed his claws in front of his chest to guard himself, while his third Soul Ring lit up. He tried to unleash his thousand-year Soul Ring skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation, to strengthen his defense.

But Qin Yuan wasn't going to give him the chance.

A fist rapidly filled Dai Mubai's field of vision.

The fist looked ordinary. There was no Soul Power fluctuation, no Martial Soul Possession—just a plain, ordinary punch.

But when it slammed into Dai Mubai's crossed claws, he felt as though a mountain had crashed into him.

"Crack—"

The sound of breaking bones rang out clear as day.

Dai Mubai's arms bent at grotesque angles. His tiger claws were crushed out of shape, and all ten fingers broke!

His body flew backward like a kite with its strings cut, slamming into a stone pillar at the edge of the arena. The pillar crashed down, spraying rubble everywhere.

Dai Mubai hit the ground hard, blood spraying from his mouth.

The entire arena fell silent.

From Dai Mubai's attack to his being sent flying, less than a single breath had passed.

One move.

It had taken only one move.

Tang San's smile froze. He stared wide-eyed at the young man standing with his hands behind his back, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Impossible..." Tang San murmured, his voice trembling. "Boss Dai... he's a thirty-eighth-rank Soul Elder with a White Tiger Martial Soul. How could he be knocked away with one punch...?"

Ma Hongjun's mouth hung open, his jaw nearly hitting the ground, his eyes bulging.

He'd just said Ling Tian would be flat on his back within five moves. Now Dai Mubai had been sent flying with one.

Oscar didn't even notice the sausage falling from his hand. His lips trembled. "I... I'm not seeing things, am I? One punch? Just one?"

Xiao Wu's beautiful eyes widened. She covered her mouth with one small hand, her face full of disbelief.

She looked at Tang San and saw that his expression had turned exceptionally grim.

Ning Rongrong wasn't particularly surprised. She only lifted the corners of her lips slightly, thinking to herself: Just as expected.

Zhu Zhuqing froze for a moment, then intense delight rose in her eyes.

The smiles on Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and Zhao Wuji's faces had completely stiffened.

Flender abruptly turned to look at Yu Xiaogang. Yu Xiaogang's face shifted between pale and green, his lips pressed tightly together as he stood speechless.

Zhao Wuji swore outright. "What the hell! How did that happen?"

Yu Xiaogang stared fixedly at Qin Yuan on the arena, his thoughts in turmoil.

He prided himself on knowing every Soul Master in the world. He'd heard of every powerful genius.

But this young man hadn't even released his Martial Soul, yet he'd sent Dai Mubai flying with a single punch. What kind of strength was that?

Not releasing his Martial Soul meant he hadn't even shown his true strength!

Yu Xiaogang's hand began to tremble unconsciously as an unprecedented sense of defeat welled up inside him.