Then he turned and stepped off the platform.
As he passed the Shrek team's preparation area,
his steps paused briefly.
He looked at Yu Xiaogang.
"Grandmaster."
"Thank you for the match."
His tone was calm,
yet his words were like a slap,
one that struck Yu Xiaogang hard across the face.
Yu Xiaogang trembled all over.
His lips quivered,
but he couldn't utter a word.
Ji Feng smiled,
then walked straight toward the Imperial Fighting Team.
Qin Ming came to meet him.
His expression was complicated.
"Ji Feng, you..."
He trailed off.
Ji Feng had once been an Imperial Fighting Team student,
but because of Yu Tianheng's arrogance,
he'd been forced to leave.
Now he'd returned in overwhelming fashion,
crushing Shrek,
and making the Imperial Fighting Team lose face, too.
Qin Ming's heart was a tangled mess.
He felt both regret
and guilt.
"Teacher Qin."
Ji Feng gave a slight nod.
"Long time no see."
His manner was neither servile nor arrogant.
Qin Ming smiled bitterly.
"Yes, it has been a long time."
"You've... grown a lot stronger."
Ji Feng didn't respond.
His gaze swept over the members of the Imperial Fighting Team.
Yu Tianheng had been injured by Tang San.
His eyes flickered
as he stared fixedly at Ji Feng.
His venomous gaze was full of disbelief.
Ji Feng felt his stare
and the corners of his mouth lifted.
Shi Mo, Yu Feng, and the others
also darted their eyes away,
daring not to meet his gaze.
Only Dugu Yan
boldly studied him,
her eyes full of curiosity.
As for Ye Lingling—
Ji Feng's gaze sharpened slightly.
The girl with purple clothes and purple hair
was quietly looking at him.
Their eyes met.
Ye Lingling didn't look away.
She only gave a soft hum,
a greeting of sorts.
Then she lowered her head
and continued fiddling with the hem of her clothes.
Dugu Yan leaned close to Ye Lingling's ear.
"Lingling, you're acting strange."
Ye Lingling's body stiffened.
"No, I'm not."
Her voice was cool,
but carried a hint of fluster.
Dugu Yan chuckled to herself,
but didn't call her out.
She merely looked at Ji Feng
with a little more amusement in her eyes.
Just then, the host's voice rang out.
"Please wait a moment, contestant Ji Feng."
"The Soul Fighting Arena manager would like to see you."
Ji Feng raised an eyebrow
and followed the staff away.
His back was straight as a pine.
As Zhu Zhuqing was carried off the platform,
she happened to see him leaving.
For some inexplicable reason, her heart felt empty.
That feeling of loss
startled even her.
"Zhuqing, are you all right?"
Dai Mubai asked with concern.
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head.
"I'm fine."
Her voice was still cold,
but her gaze followed that retreating figure
until he disappeared at the end of the passage.
Dai Mubai didn't notice anything unusual.
He only grumbled angrily,
"That bastard Ji Feng."
"Next time, I'll make him pay!"
Zhu Zhuqing lowered her eyes.
Next time...
Would there even be a next time?
She suddenly found herself looking forward to it.
The instant the thought arose,
she ruthlessly crushed it.
Zhu Zhuqing, what are you thinking?
She silently warned herself.
But her heartbeat betrayed her, quickening all the same.
Her cheeks grew faintly warm.
Fortunately, the night concealed it.
No one noticed.
The members of Shrek were a sorry sight
as they prepared to leave.
Yu Xiaogang walked at the very back.
He glanced back at the fighting platform,
his gaze dark and sinister.
"Ji Feng..."
"This isn't over."
He muttered under his breath.
Then he led Tang San and the others away,
disappearing into the night.
The Imperial Fighting Team was also preparing to leave.
Qin Ming walked at the front,
his steps heavy.
Today's battle
had dealt a serious blow to the team.
Ji Feng's commanding performance
seemed to say,
You were fools to abandon me back then.
"Teacher Qin."
Ye Lingling suddenly spoke.
"Ji Feng... will he..."
"Will he come back?"
Qin Ming froze.
He turned to look at her.
Ye Lingling still had her head lowered.
Her short purple hair concealed the side of her face,
making her expression impossible to read.
But her tightly clenched hands
betrayed her inner nervousness.
Qin Ming fell silent for a moment.
"I don't know."
He answered honestly.
Ye Lingling gave a soft hum
and said nothing more.
She merely slowed her pace,
falling to the back of the group.
Dugu Yan stayed beside her.
"Lingling, you wouldn't happen to..."
"No."
Ye Lingling cut her off,
her tone rushed.
Dugu Yan smiled.
"I haven't even finished."
"What are you getting so worked up about?"
For some reason, the tips of Ye Lingling's ears turned red.
She quickened her pace
and caught up with the others.
But in her mind,
that figure drawing a bow
refused to leave her thoughts.
Her aloof, solitary heart
for the first time
stirred for someone.
Meanwhile,
inside the Soul Fighting Arena manager's office,
Ji Feng accepted a contract.
"This is your Gold Soul Fighting Badge,
along with VIP privileges."
The manager beamed.
"We hope you'll visit often."
Ji Feng glanced over it,
then tucked it away.
"Sure."
He turned and left.
Outside the Soul Fighting Arena,
the night breeze brushed his face.
Stars glittered brilliantly.
Ji Feng took a deep breath
and opened the system interface.
His Hou Yi Martial Soul progress
had advanced another step.
The passive ability to gain Soul Power from killing monsters
let him level up even in battle.
"Still not enough."
Ji Feng murmured,
"The Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament...
and the road beyond it."
He clenched his fist,
determination flashing in his eyes.
Then he strode forward,
disappearing into the night of Suotuo City.
In another alley,
Zhu Zhuqing walked alone.
The image of Ji Feng brushing her hair aside
replayed over and over in her mind.
Her heartbeat spiraled out of control again.
She stopped,
leaned against a wall,
and tilted her head toward the sky.
Starlight fell into her eyes.
The ice within her slowly melted.
"Ji Feng..."
She softly spoke his name.
For the first time,
she felt curious about someone.
The loosening of her aloof mask
went unnoticed even by her.
Tonight,
no one in Suotuo City slept.
Ji Feng's name
would spread throughout the Balak Kingdom.
At the Soto Great Soul Arena,
in the stands,
Ma Hongjun's attention
was fixed on Ye Lingling, a member of the Imperial Fighting Team, not far across from him.
"She's beautiful..."
"To get close to a beauty like her, I'd die happy."
Ma Hongjun was afflicted with Evil Fire.
And this was the first time he'd seen a beauty with Ye Lingling's cool, composed air.
He was instantly rooted to the spot.
"Fatso, where are you going?"
Tang San had been defeated,
and was in a foul mood.
Seeing Fatso about to leave the team,
he couldn't help asking.
"Third Brother, don't mind me. I've got something to take care of."
Since he was going to hit on her,
having Tang San along
wouldn't be very convenient.
So he simply made up an excuse
and slipped away.
Back at the Imperial Academy's lodgings,
she said goodbye to her teammates.
Ye Lingling had no idea that the sleazy Ma Hongjun had been following her the whole way.
At that moment, Ma Hongjun
watched Ye Lingling's retreating figure,
her hips swaying as she walked.
He was practically drooling with desire.
"She's beautiful..."
He was already imagining what it would feel like to pin her down on a bed.
"What a figure. That must feel incredible!"
Ma Hongjun's eyes
were filled with lecherous lust.
Rubbing his hands together,
he came up behind Ye Lingling.
Just then,
Ye Lingling stopped too.
She finally realized
someone was following her.
She turned around
and saw a fat man.
She recognized him at once as someone who'd been fighting in the Soul Fighting Arena just moments ago—
a member of Shrek Team, the team that had defeated her Imperial Fighting Team!
His fire-attribute Martial Soul had especially powerful Soul Power attacks!
At the thought,
her brows furrowed.
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