Soft Swords Have Their Uses

"Both sides, prepare!" The referee raised his hand.

Dai Mubai let out a low roar as pale light burst forth from his body.

His muscles swelled, his golden hair turned black and white, the character for "king" appeared on his forehead, and his hands transformed into tiger paws as sharp claws extended.

The pressure of a top-tier beast Martial Soul swept outward like a tidal wave.

Yet Zhou Qiubai did not move an inch.

He merely gave his sword a light shake. The soft sword traced several arcs through the air like a spirit serpent, producing faint whistles as it cut through the wind.

"Begin!"

The instant the referee's hand fell, Dai Mubai attacked first.

His first Soul Ring flashed yellow. Empowered by the White Tiger Body Barrier, he turned into a white blur and lunged at Zhou Qiubai, his tiger paw slamming down with a fierce gale.

He went all out from the start.

He intended to crush his opponent with absolute power and end this absurd cross-rank battle as quickly as possible.

He could make fun of others, but no one could make fun of him.

When the tiger paw was within three feet of Zhou Qiubai's face, Zhou Qiubai finally moved.

He did not dodge. He merely shifted his body slightly to the side.

Yet that seemingly casual movement caused Dai Mubai's assured strike to miss. His tiger paw grazed Zhou Qiubai's clothes and struck the ground.

Boom!

Several cracks spread across the ground.

Dai Mubai's heart jolted. Before he could withdraw his attack, sword light was already before his eyes.

The White Clothes Sword lashed out like a whip, its tip carving a bizarre arc as it shot straight for Dai Mubai's neck.

It was unbelievably fast. Dai Mubai did not even see how the sword had moved and could only lean back on instinct.

Sshk!

The sword tip grazed his throat, leaving a shallow line of blood.

Though it was only a flesh wound, cold sweat immediately broke out across Dai Mubai's body.

Had he been even half a beat slower, that strike would have slit his throat.

What kind of technique was this?

Zhou Qiubai did not pursue. He stood with his sword in hand and said calmly, "Second move."

"Arrogant!" Dai Mubai roared. His second Soul Ring lit up as he opened his mouth and spat out a milky-white orb of light.

Second Soul Skill, White Tiger Intense Light Wave.

The orb came whistling toward him at incredible speed, sealing off Zhou Qiubai's space to dodge left or right.

But Zhou Qiubai still did not retreat.

With a flick of his wrist, the soft sword drew a circle in the air.

The airflow stirred by the spinning blade formed a tiny vortex. The instant the light orb struck it, it veered off course, brushing past Zhou Qiubai's shoulder and flying behind him, where it exploded against the protective barrier in a burst of radiance.

Using softness to overcome hardness, deflecting a thousand pounds with four ounces.

In the stands, Tang San abruptly sat upright.

"Xiao San, what's wrong?" Xiao Wu immediately noticed the change in his expression and asked with concern.

Tang San's gaze remained fixed on Zhou Qiubai's footwork, disbelief shining in his eyes. "His movement technique is practically flawless. Every step lands in Dai Mubai's most difficult blind spot to follow up from. He looks relaxed, but every move carries profound intent. And that swordsmanship—soft swords are extremely difficult to use, yet he handles it with effortless ease. Every strike targets a vital point. Its efficiency is terrifying."

"Is it even better than yours?" Xiao Wu asked curiously, blinking her large eyes.

She had seen Tang San use his footwork more than once, yet every time, she still found it exquisite.

"That's different." Tang San shook his head. "Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track has endless variations and is indeed fast in a straight-line burst, but his footwork... is more like an extension of some kind of formation. Every step is closely tied to the surrounding environment."

While they spoke, more than ten exchanges had already taken place on the platform.

Dai Mubai's mood grew increasingly grim. Every blow he threw felt as though it landed on soft cotton, while his opponent always evaded with the smallest possible movement at the instant he attacked, then counterattacked at once.

That soft sword always came from unexpected angles, leaving him utterly unable to defend against it.

What unsettled him even more was that after fighting for so long, Zhou Qiubai had not used a single Soul Skill. He was dealing with him effortlessly through swordsmanship and footwork alone.

"Do you only know how to dodge?!" Dai Mubai roared as his third Soul Ring activated.

White Tiger Vajra Transformation.

His strength, defense, and attack instantly doubled.

He no longer pursued technique, instead pressing forward in the most brutal manner possible. His tiger paws struck again and again, every swing carrying the force to shake heaven and earth.

He wanted to force Zhou Qiubai to face his frontal assault.

Yet Zhou Qiubai's retreat remained composed. Every step precisely avoided Dai Mubai's attack range before he counterattacked decisively.

Though these wounds were not fatal, they gradually drained Dai Mubai's stamina and Soul Power.

And Dai Mubai had no doubt that if Zhou Qiubai had truly been serious, he would likely have died several times already.

"Damn it!" Dai Mubai burned with rage.

As the Star Luo Prince and a level thirty-seven Soul Elder, he was being driven into such a sorry state by a Soul Grandmaster. If word got out, where would he put his face?

Accompanied by a tiger's roar, Dai Mubai lunged forward recklessly, striking with both claws and sealing off every route of retreat for Zhou Qiubai.

He wagered all his Soul Power on this attack.

His heart was in disarray.

Since that was the case...

Zhou Qiubai simply stopped retreating and instead took a step toward Dai Mubai.

He attacked him head-on!

Dai Mubai saw a blur before his eyes. The target he had locked onto vanished in an instant, and when Zhou Qiubai reappeared, he was already three feet to his side.

The sword rose and thrust forward.

Like a venomous snake striking, its tip shot toward Dai Mubai's ribs.

That was the weakest point of the White Tiger Body Barrier and also a crucial point in the circulation of the body's energy.

Dai Mubai's heart jumped. He forcibly twisted his body, trying to bring his tiger claw back to defend.

But the sword was faster.

Sshk!

The sword tip pierced through the barrier and sank half an inch in. A thread of Soul Power surged into him, instantly sending Dai Mubai's blood and energy into turmoil.

He let out a muffled groan and staggered backward.

Zhou Qiubai did not pursue. He withdrew his sword and stood calmly. "You've lost."

"I haven't fallen yet!" Dai Mubai gritted his teeth, still wanting to continue.

But the moment he tried to mobilize his Soul Power, intense pain shot from his injured ribs. The circulation of his Soul Power immediately became sluggish, and the White Tiger Vajra Transformation began to destabilize as well.

"That strike sealed your energy channel. If you force your Soul Power to circulate again, you'll only damage your foundation." Zhou Qiubai spoke calmly. "Admit defeat."

Dai Mubai's face darkened like ink.

This was not a fight to the death. If it were a battle to determine both superiority and life or death, he could keep fighting.

This was a Soul Fighting match. Determining the winner was enough.

The audience fell silent. Everyone could see that Dai Mubai had indeed lost, utterly and completely.

From beginning to end, Zhou Qiubai had not even lit up a Soul Ring. With swordsmanship and footwork alone, he had suppressed a Soul Elder with a top-tier beast Martial Soul.

"Boss Dai..." Ma Hongjun's jaw nearly dropped in shock from the stands.

Oscar could not help swallowing. "Th-this is way too strong, isn't it?"

Xiao Wu turned to look at Tang San and found his brows tightly furrowed, his gaze fixed solemnly on Zhou Qiubai.

As for Ning Rongrong, no one knew what she was thinking.

On the platform, Dai Mubai took several deep breaths before finally forcing out two words through clenched teeth. "I concede."

The referee announced loudly, "The winner is the White-Clothed Guest!"