Soon, a middle-aged man in a tailcoat walked to the center of the arena.
"All right, everyone!"
"Tonight's main event is about to begin!"
"A powerful Soul Master is about to take the stage!"
The audience immediately perked up. Usually, to bring in higher earnings, the Great Soul Arena announced fights featuring even moderately famous Soul Masters ahead of time.
That way, spectators could buy tickets in advance.
Had some well-known Soul Master suddenly taken an interest in fighting today?
When more people wanted tickets, tickets became harder to get—and the harder they were to get, the more expensive they became.
They'd be making a fortune today!
"Coming up, two Soul Elders will take the stage. First, with nine consecutive victories and a Fire Wolf Martial Soul, the thirty-ninth-level Battle Soul Master, Gan Yue. He'll face..."
He deliberately drew out the final word.
Sure enough, the spectators outside the arena were hooked. They leaned forward without even realizing it.
"He'll face the Battle Soul Master with thirty-one consecutive victories and not a single defeat—Xia Yan!!!"
"Whoa!!!"
The audience erupted with excitement, shouting, "Xia Yan! Xia Yan! Xia Yan!"
Xia Yan was a legend of the Soto Great Soul Arena.
He had appeared out of nowhere a year ago, winning almost every fight with ease. In thirty-one matches, he hadn't lost a single one!
Not once!
Could Xia Yan continue his glorious run and claim his thirty-second consecutive victory, or would Gan Yue end his streak? We'd soon find out. And now, please welcome the two Soul Grandmasters to the arena!
Amid the cheers,
the Shrek group saw that familiar figure slowly ascend to the elevated platform. Nearly every spectator was cheering.
It was nothing like the reception they'd received when they took the stage.
Zhu Zhuqing focused her attention, watching Xia Yan intently. When Dai Mubai saw her,
"Hmph..."
he turned his head away, refusing to look at her.
The man facing Xia Yan, Gan Yue, was a Soul Master with a lanky build—or, to be more precise... an excessively lanky build.
He wore black clothes patterned with red stripes, and his short hair was dark red. His face was long, his arms much longer than an ordinary person's, and his fingertips almost reached his knees.
His dark-red fingernails were sharp, too.
Gan Yue watched Xia Yan with a grave expression. He had a powerful Fire Wolf Martial Soul and had cultivated to level thirty-nine. Few of his peers could match him.
But he hadn't expected to run into Xia Yan...
The middle-aged man in the matching tailcoat retreated to the edge of the arena. "The match—begins!"
"Whoa!!!"
The audience immediately erupted into cheers.
Gan Yue shouted,
"Fire Wolf Possession!"
A flash of dark-red light burst forth, and Gan Yue's body grew even lankier.
Faint red light flowed through his dark-red hair. His canine teeth protruded, his hands transformed into wolf claws, and long, dark-red claws sprang from his fingers, sharp as daggers.
Heat radiated from his entire body.
Three Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—rose beside him.
Xia Yan, meanwhile, simply stood where he was, not even activating his Martial Soul.
Gan Yue gritted his teeth and released his third, purple Soul Ring. "Fire Wolf Clone!"
Dark-red flames suddenly surged up around him. Two enormous, burning wolves sprang out of the fire.
They were a full two meters long, with sharp fangs. They shook their heads, their fiery-red eyes fixed on Xia Yan.
"Attack!"
Gan Yue roared.
The two burning wolves charged at Xia Yan from the left and right, while Gan Yue attacked head-on!
The thirty-meter gap would be crossed in an instant!
The entire arena fell silent. Everyone held their breath, waiting to see what Xia Yan would do.
And then, beneath the audience's expectant gazes,
Xia Yan moved!
He raised a hand and summoned the Demon Suppressing Pagoda. A purple Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet.
That was right!
For the entire past year, he had used just one move against every opponent! He had revealed only this one Soul Skill!
No one had ever managed to make him use a second move!
With his familiar motion, Xia Yan infused his arms with Light Power. As the two Fire Wolves pounced, he raised his hands—
and, to everyone's utter shock,
Xia Yan seized the two enormous wolves in his bare hands!
The two wolves couldn't even overpower him in a contest of strength!
"Whoa—!!"
A deafening roar of astonishment erupted.
Xia Yan felt the scorching heat in his hands. Without Light Power, he might not have been able to restrain both wolves directly.
Gan Yue's attack came in an instant. "Fire Wolf Thrust!"
His wolf claws flashed with dark-red afterimages. Scorching flames suddenly blazed as he thrust straight for Xia Yan's heart!
Xia Yan's expression didn't change.
Light Power surged through his arms, unleashing several Light Slashes. The two flaming wolves vanished with whimpers.
Then Xia Yan stepped forward.
His Light Slash met Fire Wolf Thrust head-on. The power of the Light White Tiger collided directly with the flaming wolves!
"Boom!"
Seizing his chance, Xia Yan lunged forward through the thick smoke and drove his fist into Gan Yue's chest!
"Ugh..."
Gan Yue was just about to retreat when everything went white before his eyes.
He lost consciousness.
When the smoke cleared, the spectators saw—
Xia Yan!
Xia Yan was still standing, while Gan Yue had fallen!
He'd won again!
It was Light Slash once more, defeating his opponent outright.
One move. Just one!
The arena erupted into cheers again.
"Xia Yan! Xia Yan! Xia Yan!"
"Whoa!!!"
Xia Yan didn't linger. He quietly left the platform.
"..."
"..."
Among the Shrek group,
Tang San's mouth slowly fell open. He gripped the seat board so tightly that the veins on his hand bulged.
Th-this...
How was this possible?!
Wasn't Xia Yan level thirty-seven?! And wasn't Gan Yue level thirty-nine?!
He could instantly defeat opponents at his own level, and even those above it?!
They were a full two levels apart!
Zhu Zhuqing's cool eyes widened as she stared at Gan Yue, sprawled on the ground. She couldn't believe it.
An instant kill?!
Envy showed in Oscar's eyes. If only... if only he had strength like that.
When Xia Yan and Flender returned,
Tang San and Zhu Zhuqing looked at Xia Yan differently now.
Tang San was horrified. Xia Yan was actually this strong!
No, he couldn't slack off. Starting tomorrow, he'd work hard at crafting Hidden Weapons. Blue Silver Grass had too many inherent limitations; he'd have to make up for its weaknesses with Hidden Weapons!
Hmph! Just wait until he saw the might of the Tang Sect Secret Skill!
Before, Zhu Zhuqing had only had a vague idea.
Now that she'd witnessed Xia Yan's strength with her own eyes, she was so shocked her legs nearly gave out.
On the way back, the atmosphere was subdued.
As for Tang San, he'd been mocked even in victory, and the pressure Xia Yan put on him was overwhelming. His mind was now full of making Hidden Weapons and refining Deadly Poison.
Dai Mubai was upset because Xia Yan had stolen the spotlight, and he couldn't see any way to surpass him.
Oscar, meanwhile, was simply envious.
In the silence,
they suddenly noticed Zhu Zhuqing walk over to Xia Yan. With a serious expression, she straightforwardly asked him,
"Xia Yan, you're incredibly strong—stronger than any genius I've ever met. I want to ask you: how did you become so strong?"
It didn't matter if someone had Innate Soul Power at level eight or nine.
Even Innate Full Soul Power couldn't make someone Xia Yan's equal.
Innate Full Soul Power couldn't make someone invincible at their own rank, let alone invincible against opponents of higher ranks.
Tang San's eyelid twitched.
He immediately paid close attention.
Xia Yan answered without holding anything back. "First, and most importantly, you have to train your body hard..."
Tang San immediately scoffed.
If he didn't want to say, he should just say so. Who in the world didn't know that you had to train your body?
Zhu Zhuqing listened intently.
"Mhm, and then?"
Xia Yan continued, "Improving your physical strength lets you absorb higher-year Soul Rings, which in turn makes you stronger."
Tang San: "?!"
Before you continue