The Shrek Team's rest area was right beside the arena.
Hearing the host's words, Ma Hongjun chuckled. The fat on his face jiggled, and his little eyes brimmed with mockery.
"Boss Dai, looks like we overestimated that Qin Feng guy."
"He probably got so scared he wet himself in bed. Now he's washing his pants."
Dai Mubai folded his arms across his chest. His long golden hair stirred without a breeze, and a trace of disdain showed in his Evil Eyes.
"Just as expected."
"He was only someone who got ahead through luck. It's only natural that he'd show his true colors when it came to a real fight."
Tang San stood to one side, his expression as calm as ever. He only gave a slight shake of his head.
"Whether our opponent shows up or not, we must be prepared to fight. That's the mindset of the strong."
Though he said this, the faint scorn deep in his eyes was impossible to hide.
In his view, fleeing in the face of battle was a warrior's greatest taboo.
Someone who didn't even have the courage to face his opponent was no threat. Qin Feng was nothing to worry about.
Time passed, second by second.
Just as the host raised his hand, ready to announce the end of the countdown,
a flurry of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the shadows of the entrance passage.
"Here, here! What's the rush?"
A lazy voice rang out.
Then, under the gaze of tens of thousands of spectators, Qin Feng strolled out.
But the way he made his entrance left everyone wide-eyed.
Qin Feng had an arm around each woman: his left hand encircled Dugu Yan's slender, supple waist, while his right arm rested around Ye Lingling's rounded shoulder.
He was practically hanging off the two beautiful women as he walked out.
The three were pressed so close together that Dugu Yan's dark green hair could be seen draped across Qin Feng's face.
How did this look like someone coming to fight?
He looked more like some spoiled young master who'd just crawled out of a pleasure house, bringing his concubines out for a stroll.
Two blushes colored Dugu Yan's cheeks. She was usually a fiery person, but being held like this by Qin Feng in front of so many people still made her feel awkward.
In the past, she would have hit him with a blast of Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison without a second thought.
But when she remembered the "interaction reward" rule in the Diary before they left, she forced herself to resist the urge to kick Qin Feng flying.
Instead, she softened her body slightly and leaned even more willingly against his chest.
Ye Lingling was even more embarrassed; her ears had turned red, and she kept her head down, not daring to look at the stands.
Yet her long legs, wrapped in Black Silk Stockings, strode steadily as she let Qin Feng's large hand fool around on her shoulder.
For the reward... for the Soul Power...
Ye Lingling kept trying to hypnotize herself.
"Made it at last."
Qin Feng yawned, let go of the two women, and rolled his neck, producing a series of cracking sounds.
"Good thing I wasn't late, or those people who placed bets would have skinned me alive."
Host Doudou stood stunned for a good while before coming to her senses. She hurriedly raised her microphone and called out:
"Now that the Heaven Dou Royal Team has arrived, I hereby declare the Soul Fighting match underway!"
"Both teams, release your Martial Souls!"
At her words, the atmosphere on the Soul Fighting stage tightened in an instant.
Qin Feng raised his head slightly and swept his gaze across the Shrek Seven Devils opposite him.
He had to admit that although Yu Xiaogang was a man of poor character, he did have a rigid formula for arranging a team.
Naturally, the ones standing at the very front to bear the pressure were the Evil-Eyed White Tiger, Dai Mubai, and the Evil Fire Phoenix, Ma Hongjun.
One gold, one red, both surged with Soul Power and brimmed with fighting spirit.
Tang San stood in the very center of the formation, Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul already circling in his palm. It was clear that he was the team's core controller.
On either side of the formation, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing crouched slightly, like leopards poised to pounce, ready to cut in from the flanks at any moment.
At the very back stood the delicate, frail Ning Rongrong and Oscar, whose face was covered in a thick beard.
It was the most standard "two-one-two-two" formation.
"So these are the so-called Shrek Seven Devils?"
A playful smile curled Qin Feng's lips.
"Brothers, release your Martial Souls and show them what we've got!"
At Qin Feng's command, the members of the Imperial Fighting Team all released their Martial Souls.
But he himself didn't move right away, standing where he was with a lazy air.
"Go!"
Opposite him, Dai Mubai roared as his third Spirit Ring suddenly lit up.
"White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"
His body instantly swelled, his muscles bulging until they tore through his shirt, and he charged forward with a fierce, violent aura.
At the same time, the Glazed Pagoda in Ning Rongrong's hands blazed with light.
"First: Strength! Second: Speed!"
Several beams of colored light landed precisely on the Shrek team members.
With the enhancement, Zhu Zhuqing's speed surged. She turned into a black phantom and swept around the front line.
Her target was clear—Ye Lingling!
As long as they took out the opponent's only healing Soul Master, they'd have won half the team battle.
"Trying to get to the back line?"
Qin Feng's gaze shifted, and he was just about to push off and intercept her.
But a golden figure had already blocked his path.
"Your opponent is me!"
Dai Mubai roared, his mismatched eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
He'd long been fed up with this guy who had a woman on each arm. Why did this brat get to be captain and have such beautiful female teammates?
"White Tiger Intense Light Wave!"
Dai Mubai spat out a milky-white orb of light. His claws shot forward right after it, with a shrill whistle as they tore through the air, aimed straight at Qin Feng's face.
Faced with this fierce attack, Qin Feng didn't even release his Martial Soul.
He simply raised his right hand and curled his fingers into a fist.
Then he threw it without a hint of flourish.
The punch looked ordinary, with not even a trace of Soul Power shimmering around it.
But in Dai Mubai's eyes, the fist suddenly swelled, like a mountain crashing down from the heavens, bearing an overwhelming pressure.
Thud!
A dull impact rang out.
Dai Mubai's White Tiger Intense Light Wave burst like a soap bubble the moment it met the force of Qin Feng's punch.
The fist slammed into his crossed arms, which he'd raised to defend himself.
Crack.
The crisp sound of breaking bones stood out sharply above the din of the Soul Fighting Arena.
"What?!"
Dai Mubai's pupils contracted violently as an utterly unstoppable force crashed into him.
The defense he'd been so proud of after using White Tiger Vajra Transformation was as fragile as paper before that power.
Even when he used his first Soul Skill, White Tiger Protection Barrier, at the last moment, it was no use.
Boom!
Dai Mubai flew backward as if he'd been struck by a speeding Soul Guidance Train, his feet leaving the ground.
He traced an arc through the air and slammed into the floor more than ten meters away, sliding several more meters before coming to a stop.
A mouthful of blood sprayed across the floor.
The entire arena fell silent.
Ma Hongjun, who'd been shouting just moments ago, nearly had his eyes bulge out of their sockets. His mouth gaped wide enough to fit an egg.
Boss Dai... had been knocked out with one punch?
And the other guy hadn't even released his Martial Soul?
How was that possible?!