Below the stage, in the spectator stands.
Dai Yueheng watched the silver-haired youth standing beside Yan Shaozhe. Unable to hide his curiosity, he couldn't help asking Wu Ming, who was still excitedly waving beside him, in a low voice, "Sister Ming, what's this junior's story, anyway?"
Wu Ming kept her eyes fixed on the stage and lowered her voice. "Yueheng, I'm telling you, this little junior is something else! I heard he's the personal disciple of one of the Sea God Pavilion Elders! His Martial Soul is top-quality! And..." A look of lingering enjoyment crossed her face. "He's so comfortable to hug, like a little furnace. I feel like my Soul Power even flows more smoothly when I'm near him!"
Hug? I must've misheard...
Dai Yueheng shuddered at her words. A personal disciple of a Sea God Pavilion Elder? That was an impressive background.
He asked again, feigning nonchalance, "Then is he close with Xiaotao?"
Wu Ming chuckled and winked mischievously. "Close doesn't even begin to cover it! The two of them even live..." She suddenly realized she'd almost let something slip and hastily covered it up with a few coughs. "Ahem, ahem, ahem! Nothing, nothing. Watch the match!"
Dai Yueheng: "???"
His doubts only grew. As he watched the pair standing together, who looked particularly "well-matched," he couldn't help finding the sight irritating.
"You're the one who cries!" Ma Xiaotao retorted, exasperated.
"This is a spar between fellow disciples. Stop when you've made your point." Yan Shaozhe served as the referee himself and announced loudly, "Both contestants, get ready—and state your names and levels!"
"Ma Xiaotao, Level 64 Power Attack System Battle Soul Emperor. Please instruct me!"
"Long Jinyu, Level 45 Power Attack System Battle Soul Ancestor. Please instruct me!"
"Begin!"
"Third Soul Skill—Phoenix Wing Soar!"
Ma Xiaotao made the first move. Her fiery-red phoenix wings unfurled, carrying a wave of scorching air as she soared into the sky and claimed the advantage of altitude. Six optimally matched Soul Rings revolved around her, her aura imposing.
Long Jinyu wasn't about to be outdone. His dazzling Nine-Colored Dragon Wings snapped open behind him, and he rose effortlessly until he was level with her. The two faced off in the air.
Ma Xiaotao raised an eyebrow. "Kid, you're not even lighting up your Soul Rings? Aren't you being a little overconfident?"
Long Jinyu waved with a smile. "Senior, you saw my 'special effects' in the office just now. I was worried I'd scare you again. After you, ladies first~"
He was deliberately using Ma Xiaotao as a sparring partner. This was a good chance to get accustomed to the strength of this body and test out his Self-Created Soul Skills. He could even help regulate her Evil Fire along the way—a win all around.
"Oh? Such a gentleman?" Ma Xiaotao narrowed her phoenix eyes. "Then take this! First Soul Skill—Phoenix Fire Line! Second Soul Skill—Bathing Fire Phoenix!"
A scorching stream of fire roared forth, accompanied by the amplified Phoenix Flame, covering a vast area.
Long Jinyu swayed in midair, leaving behind several afterimages. He dodged every attack with ease, his speed astonishing.
"Senior, you'll have to take me seriously if you want to deal with me. Show me what you've really got~" Long Jinyu's amused voice came from another direction.
After several consecutive attacks failed to even brush his clothes, Ma Xiaotao was secretly astonished. This kid's speed is crazy too? He's even faster than Xixi! She gritted her teeth and decided to stop holding back.
"Sixth Soul Skill—Phoenix Meteor Shower!"
In an instant, fireballs rained from the sky like falling meteors, covering the air above the entire Soul Fighting Arena. There was nowhere to dodge!
Looks like Sister Xiaotao's getting serious. Long Jinyu's gaze sharpened. The attack covers the whole arena. There's no dodging it. This is the perfect chance to test that move!
At a thought, the air currents around him suddenly accelerated. His Nine-Colored Dragon Wings beat fiercely, and a gale took shape in an instant—seemingly gentle, yet imbued with vast power.
"Domain: Carefree Dragon Gale!"
The wind was invisible, yet seemed almost alive as it brushed precisely past every falling fireball.
Under the subtle influence of the gale, the seemingly violent meteors were nudged aside as if by an invisible hand. One after another, they were swept toward the energy barrier at the edge of the arena. They struck it with a series of ripples before vanishing.
He promptly eased off, guiding the gale around Ma Xiaotao so she wouldn't be blown away with the meteors.
Ma Xiaotao: "!!!"
Hovering in midair, she watched as her most powerful area-of-effect Soul Skill was dispelled so effortlessly. She was utterly stunned. "You... you little brat! How many secrets are you hiding? You can even control the wind element?! And you're that good at it?! You used wind to break my sixth Soul Skill?!"
That made twice now! Last time by Sea God Lake, it had been Ultimate Ice. This time, it was wind? Was he going to use fire to meet her head-on next time?
Just how many different attributes did this guy have?!
Long Jinyu congratulated himself inwardly. Hehe, I got the idea for 'wind beats fire' from watching Shen Bing Xiao Jiang as a kid. I got the inspiration from Nan Gong Wentian and the others fighting that fire elephant. I didn't expect it to actually work! Not bad, not bad!
He looked at Ma Xiaotao, who was still a little dazed, and deliberately winked. "Senior, using an attribute to counter another is just basic stuff~ Your fire isn't 'condensed' enough yet, so it's easy for the wind to scatter it."
His comment made Ma Xiaotao grit her teeth in anger. "Fine! Try this! Fifth Soul Skill—Phoenix Cloud-Piercing Strike!"
She compressed her Phoenix Flame to the utmost, forming a tightly focused crimson beam with tremendous penetrating power. It shot straight toward Long Jinyu's chest!
"Bring it on!"
Long Jinyu didn't dodge. He held both hands out as if pressing down, and an ochre light flashed around him.
"Domain: Myriad Ravines Dragon Evasion!"
Several thick, solid earthen walls burst up from the ground, encircling him like layer upon layer of mountain ranges.
The Phoenix Cloud-Piercing Strike slammed into the walls with a muffled boom. The cliffs shuddered violently but held firm, stopping the fierce attack. Only a few cracks appeared on their surface.
Ma Xiaotao was completely dumbfounded.
How am I supposed to fight him? His speed is top-tier, and his defense is too? His hide is even tougher than Xiao Xu's tortoise shell! He hasn't even used the ice that counters me the most... and I'm already running out of moves?
A profound sense of helplessness welled up inside her. Though hailed as the Inner Court's number-one genius, she seemed utterly powerless before Long Jinyu, like a toy in his hands.
Even more unsettling was the thought that, now that Long Jinyu had seen how "weak" she was, he might look down on her. He might think it ridiculous that she'd acted so high and mighty as his senior.
He seemed like the sort of person who admired the strong. What if he grew distant from her because of this... and became more interested in the stronger Grandmaster...
No! I absolutely can't lose!
Driven by fierce pride and an inexplicable panic, Ma Xiaotao let out a sharp cry.
"Fourth Soul Skill—Phoenix Roaring Sky Strike!"
She fused with the phantom phoenix, becoming a burning meteor that barreled toward Long Jinyu with unstoppable momentum! This was the last stand of her stubborn pride.
Seeing this, Long Jinyu panicked. I've taken things too far. I got so caught up testing my skills that I crushed her the whole match without thinking about how Sister Xiaotao would feel. She's so proud. I'd better not really crush her confidence, or she'll be hard to comfort...
He immediately decided to hold back and started acting.
Just as Ma Xiaotao was about to collide with him, a chill surged around Long Jinyu. At last, he used the attribute that countered hers: Ultimate Ice.
"Domain: Eternal Dragon Frost!"
"Bang!"
The freezing frost and blazing phoenix flames collided with a thunderous crash, sending white mist and ripples of energy billowing in every direction.
Hidden by the explosive burst of energy, he skillfully channeled a trace of Ultimate Ice and the gentle energy of Ultimate Life into Ma Xiaotao's body, helping to calm her restless Martial Soul.
At the same time, he pretended to be exhausted. With a muffled groan, he let the tremendous impact send him "clumsily" flying beyond the edge of the arena. He even rolled across the ground a few times before stopping, clutching his chest and coughing. "Cough, cough, cough... Senior really is amazing. That Phoenix Roaring Sky Strike packs a punch! I lost."
Ma Xiaotao froze in place. She looked at Long Jinyu, "weakened" beyond the arena, then felt the comfort in her body and the calm of her Martial Soul. In an instant, she understood.
He was absurdly strong, yet he'd used this method to protect her pride and... her dignity as his senior.
A warm current mixed with concern and complicated emotions surged through her. She immediately flew down, crouched beside Long Jinyu, and helped him up. Her voice was full of reproach and concern. "You little brat... are you all right? Why are you so silly?"
Yan Shaozhe had seen everything clearly. He stroked his beard, smiling without a word.
Watching Ma Xiaotao's natural closeness toward Long Jinyu, Dai Yueheng felt inexplicably even more irritated.
Just then, Wu Ming could no longer contain her excitement. She rushed over, her fiery-red eyes fixed on Long Jinyu. "Little junior! Beautifully done! Come on, let your big sister have a go at you too!"
Looking at the eager Golden Crow Saintess before him, Long Jinyu sighed inwardly. Good heavens, can't you please not start something...
He'd only just finished acting out one match, and now there was another?
As soon as Wu Ming finished speaking, a low voice cut in.
"Sister Ming, let me have this match first."
Before you continue