A Rivalry of Beauty

Doubles arena.

Wu Xing and Dugu Yan arrived in the competitors' waiting area. Since he had agreed to enter the match with her, he had to follow through.

But unlike before, she now had three extra tails behind her, and Dugu Yan was thoroughly annoyed.

This was clearly a doubles match for her and Brother Wu Xing, yet the three Shrek girls clung to them like shadows. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake them.

Dugu Yan turned around and glared at them.

Ning Rongrong pretended not to notice. She linked her arm through Xiao Wu's and stayed close behind.

Zhu Zhuqing walked at the back, her face expressionless, but her steps were no slower than the others'.

They had finally run into Brother Wu Xing in person. How could they give up such a perfect chance to make a good impression?

"Brother Wu Xing, why do you think they're following us?" Dugu Yan muttered.

Wu Xing glanced behind them and teased, "Maybe they want to watch the match."

"Watch the match? They clearly want to watch someone," Dugu Yan said, pouting.

They'd followed them all the way to the waiting area, and they still claimed they only wanted to watch the match?

Who would believe that?

Ye Lingling stood nearby, looking from one to the other without saying a word.

But she had already begun to understand. Wu Xing's identity in that place of opportunity was definitely no ordinary one.

Otherwise, the three Shrek girls' reactions before and after learning about him wouldn't have been so different.

Thinking of how much Yan Yan had changed recently, she couldn't help tightening her grip on Wu Xing's arm.

She wanted to be like Yan Yan, too—to grasp the key to advancement and enter that place, instead of remaining a bystander.

The waiting area wasn't large. There were a few benches, a water station, and a rules sign hanging on the wall.

When they entered, two men were already seated on the opposite bench. They were the ones they'd be facing in the match.

But seeing all the pretty girls surrounding Wu Xing, both men were dumbfounded.

What was going on?

Wasn't this a Soul Fighting match?

Was this some noble young master showing off his women?

It was no wonder they'd thought that. Nobles were everywhere in Heaven Dou City, and royal family members were as common as dogs.

Things like this weren't unusual at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena.

"Brother, I bet he won't last three minutes," one of them whispered to his companion.

The other glanced at the four girls around Wu Xing. "You mean in the arena or out of it?"

"Both," the man said with a grin.

"...Fair point," his companion agreed with a nod.

With so many beautiful girls around him, Wu Xing's body had probably been drained dry already. How much energy could he possibly have left to fight?

The two men thought they'd spoken quietly enough that Wu Xing wouldn't hear.

But with his enhanced senses, he heard every word. His mouth twitched several times.

Drained dry?

What a joke!

With his body as it was now, even eight or ten of them together wouldn't stand a chance.

Didn't believe him?

Just look at how Qian Renxue had screamed herself hoarse last night!

"Brother Wu Xing, after the match, Rongrong will treat you to a meal. You can have whatever you want."

Ignoring what the two men had been thinking, Ning Rongrong immediately sidled up beside Wu Xing as soon as he sat down. She'd completely changed from her earlier disdainful, scornful attitude, her little face brimming with a sweet, well-behaved smile.

When she said he could have whatever he wanted, she put extra emphasis on the words, her tone full of temptation. She didn't care in the slightest that Dugu Yan's face was darkening beside them.

It was as if she were saying that even if Brother Wu Xing wanted to eat her, she'd be fine with it.

Wu Xing's heart stirred, and his appetite suddenly flared.

But when he took in Ning Rongrong from head to toe, he had to admit she was pretty—just a little too green.

And his principles wouldn't let him do something like that, anyway.

"No need. I still have to go back to the academy later."

Rather than someone he could only look at but not eat, Wu Xing preferred Dugu Yan, who he could both look at and eat.

"You heard him. Brother Wu Xing doesn't have time, so stop hanging around and getting in the way."

At that, Dugu Yan's lips curled up. She shot Ning Rongrong a sideways glance and raised an eyebrow.

So Brother Wu Xing really did like older women. She'd hinted at it so plainly, and he still wasn't budging.

Ning Rongrong felt a little hurt, but she didn't care about Dugu Yan's words at all.

Brother Wu Xing had only said no for now, not forever. If today didn't work, she'd try tomorrow. If tomorrow didn't work, then the day after.

Now that she knew where Brother Wu Xing was, she had plenty of time to make plans.

At worst, she could leave Shrek and join Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

With Little Witch's personality, she really might do just that.

"I'll stay wherever I want. If I'm getting in your way, you can leave."

Ning Rongrong wasn't like Xiao Wu or Zhu Zhuqing. They owed the other party points, which put them at a disadvantage from the start.

And although she was indebted to the other party, she'd paid a hundred million Gold Soul Coins for the Aromatic Silk Beauty. She'd bought it fair and square.

Dugu Yan's face darkened. She opened her mouth, ready to snap back.

But then a staff member came in to verify the competitors' information.

After finishing the checks, the staff member left.

The waiting area fell silent for a moment.

The announcement soon rang out.

Dugu Yan stood and pulled Wu Xing along. "Brother Wu Xing, let's go. It's time to compete."

As she spoke, she shot Ning Rongrong a haughty look, like a peacock spreading its feathers. She even remembered to puff out her chest.

Ning Rongrong ground her teeth in anger. What was she showing off for? If she had the guts, she should compare herself to Zhu Zhuqing.

"Zhuqing, get in there!"

Ning Rongrong bit her lip, then suddenly turned to Zhu Zhuqing beside her.

"Get in where?"

Zhu Zhuqing blinked, slightly confused.

"...Forget it."

Ning Rongrong waved a hand, feeling exhausted. Her original plan had been to—

Close the door.

Release Zhuqing.

Let Dugu Yan see what it meant to be unable to see her toes when she looked down—a peerless beauty among mortals!

But Zhuqing hadn't taken the bait...

Xiao Wu, on the other hand, had caught the gist of it and was trying so hard not to laugh that her face had gone red.

Back to the point.

Dugu Yan led Wu Xing onto the arena, and the two men from the waiting area came out at the same time.

The referee explained the rules and then announced the start of the match.

"Brother Wu Xing, just rest. I'll take care of the two of them."

This was her first doubles match with Brother Wu Xing. And with the Shrek Three Beauties watching from below, she especially wanted to show off her strength.

Hearing Dugu Yan, Wu Xing knew it was a matter of girls' pride. He was happy to take it easy and stepped aside.

After all, the girls were competing for him. He was the one who'd benefit in the end, so of course he was happy to watch them vie for attention.

Besides, as the Group Leader, it wouldn't do to favor any one member, would it?

The two men across from them looked as if they'd expected this. No wonder the young master was a spoiled noble—he could come up with any sort of stunt. He'd even brought his female companion in to fight for him.

Though that was what they thought, neither man held back. They released their Martial Souls, and two yellow and two purple Spirit Rings rose around each of them as they charged from either side.

Then they couldn't move any farther.

Dugu Yan had already spread Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison across the entire arena. A thick green haze of venom instantly enveloped them.

The icy poison clung to their skin. Their limbs began to stiffen and go numb, and their Soul Power grew sluggish, its flow disrupted.

One man tried to unleash a Soul Skill, but his arm froze halfway up. His whole body seemed locked in place, and he pitched straight forward.

The other fared no better. His face turned purple, his eyes rolled back, and his knees buckled as he dropped to the ground.

The referee was dumbfounded, and the spectators' jaws dropped.

Was... that it?

Many people were still rubbing their eyes, convinced they'd seen it wrong.

They'd seen one-sided matches before, but never one this lopsided!

Once the referee came to his senses, he immediately announced the Xing-Yan Return Date team's victory.

Dugu Yan barely reacted. Instead, she glanced down at the spectators, lifting her chin ever so slightly. Her eyes brimmed with pride and smugness, as if she'd just won some earth-shattering battle.

"Hmph, what's so impressive? She only knows how to pick on ordinary Soul Masters," Ning Rongrong said with a curl of her lip. Her heart was sour, though her face was full of disdain.

"Exactly. I could do that too," Xiao Wu chimed in with a nod.

Zhu Zhuqing said nothing, but deep within her eyes burned a fierce fighting spirit. She wanted to become as strong as Dugu Yan, too!

Ye Lingling, meanwhile, had seen Yan Yan easily take down two Soul Ancestors. Her longing to enter that place of opportunity grew even stronger.