Dai Yueheng suppressed the complicated emotions in his heart, stepped forward, and bowed to Long Jinyu with a rather humble air. "Junior Long, your strength is astonishing. I admire you. I wonder if I might have the honor of asking you for a match, so my White Tiger Martial Soul can see just how wide the gap between us really is."
Ma Xiaotao immediately took offense. Supporting Long Jinyu, she glared at Dai Yueheng and Wu Ming. "What's with you two? The kid just 'went through a hard battle.' You can't even show a little concern, and now you're both itching for a fight? Trying to take advantage of him while he's down?"
Long Jinyu had a feeling there was more behind Dai Yueheng's request, but the man's earnest expression gave him nothing to pin it on.
He thought to himself, As expected... he's much more calculating than that brute Dai Huabin...
Yan Shaozhe had been hoping to observe Long Jinyu's performance against different types of Power Attack System Soul Masters, especially against a Beast Martial Soul like Dai Yueheng's, which excelled in strength and explosive power. So he seized the opportunity and said, "Since Yueheng is so eager, you can spar with Jinyu, too. Jinyu, experience the domineering power of his Evil Eye White Tiger Martial Soul. It'll do you good."
Long Jinyu: "???"
Wait, 'Dean,' did I agree to this? Have you gotten so hooked on watching the show that you can't stop?
Then he reconsidered. Fine, fine. If everyone wants to test me, I might as well teach them all a lesson. It'll be a good chance to establish my reputation in the inner court, so every Tom, Dick, and Harry won't dare come probing me later. Hehehe~
"Oh, come on! Teacher, not you too!" Ma Xiaotao panicked. "He just... got hurt!" She tried her best to find Long Jinyu an excuse.
Seeing her reaction, Long Jinyu leaned close to her ear and lowered his voice, smiling. "Senior, did you forget? I have Ultimate Life. My recovery is incredible. This little bit of exertion is nothing."
Ma Xiaotao froze. Thinking it over, that did seem to be true. She'd worried for nothing.
Still, she pretended to be angry and gave Long Jinyu a light kick on the butt. "Go on, then! If you want to fight, go ahead! Don't come back crying if you lose!"
Long Jinyu grinned, rubbed his backside, and turned toward the center of the arena.
Yan Shaozhe took the role of referee again. Dai Yueheng and Long Jinyu faced each other.
"Dai Yueheng, Level 62 Power Attack System Battle Soul Emperor. Please instruct me!"
"Long Jinyu, Level 45 Power Attack System Battle Soul Ancestor. Please instruct me!"
"Begin!"
"Senior Dai," Long Jinyu kindly reminded him, "don't hold back. Use all your enhancement Soul Skills, like White Tiger Vajra Transformation and White Tiger Demon God Transformation. That's the only way to make this fight satisfying."
A flash of light passed through Dai Yueheng's eyes, and he didn't refuse. "Good! Then watch yourself, Junior!"
"Third Soul Skill—White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"
"Fifth Soul Skill—White Tiger Demon God Transformation!"
With two low growls, Dai Yueheng's body suddenly swelled. His muscles bunched, white fur spread across his skin, and the character for "king" on his forehead blazed with light. His aura surged to its peak, brimming with savage strength. This was his strongest state!
Next, his Sixth Soul Ring blazed, and dazzling golden light erupted around him.
"Sixth Soul Skill—White Tiger Destruction Kill!"
Two streams of golden light intertwined and gathered, forming a pressure-filled character for "kill" in midair. Wrapped in an aura of razor-sharp destruction, it shot straight toward Long Jinyu! This was his strongest killing move, with all his attack power concentrated into one point!
Facing a strike powerful enough to severely injure an ordinary Soul Emperor, Long Jinyu didn't dodge. The Nine-Colored Dragon Wings on his back snapped open and crossed in front of him.
"Boom—!"
The character for "kill" slammed into the dragon wings with a thunderous crash, kicking up clouds of dust.
"Kid! Are you crazy? Why didn't you dodge?!" Ma Xiaotao cried out, her heart clenching.
The dust quickly cleared...
Long Jinyu stood perfectly still. His splendid dragon wings slowly spread, not a single scratch on them. Light flowed across their surface, as though they'd only been brushed by a breeze.
Ma Xiaotao: "..."
What was I even worried about? I forgot this kid's tougher than a tortoise shell...
Dai Yueheng: "???"
He could hardly believe his eyes!
Is this for real?! My strongest attack didn't even scratch his wings?! Other people's wings are a weakness. Are his Invincible Barriers or something?!
The instant Dai Yueheng was stunned, Long Jinyu moved! His hands were already covered in fine, colorful dragon scales. His figure blurred, appearing before Dai Yueheng almost as if he'd teleported. A simple, direct Dragon Fist, imbued with terrifying force, slammed into Dai Yueheng's crossed arms.
"Bang!"
Dai Yueheng felt an irresistible force hit him. Like a kite with its strings cut, he flew backward, straight toward the edge of the arena!
But Long Jinyu clearly had no intention of hurting him. Almost at the same moment, his dragon wings beat once, and his figure blurred again. He raced ahead of Dai Yueheng's trajectory and reached its endpoint first, then caught him lightly in his arms. A gentle stream of Ultimate Life energy flowed into Dai Yueheng, easing the impact and the turmoil in his blood and breath.
The entire fight lasted less than two minutes. Dai Yueheng had been defeated in an instant!
Dai Yueheng landed in Long Jinyu's arms, still a little dazed. He felt the strength in the other boy's arms and the warm Life energy, then looked up and saw Long Jinyu's exquisitely handsome profile, so close to his own. For some reason, his face began to burn.
This junior... He's not only absurdly strong, but he knows how to hold back. He was afraid I'd get hurt, so he even caught me and healed me? And he's... pretty good-looking, too?
Long Jinyu: "???"
Wait, bro, why's your face turning red? I'm a guy! Completely, absolutely a guy!
He hurriedly helped Dai Yueheng stand upright, then cleared his throat to disguise his embarrassment. "Ahem, Senior Dai, are you all right?"
Dai Yueheng quickly came to his senses, suppressing the strange feeling in his heart. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Thank you for going easy on me, Junior. You... really are strong. I accept my defeat wholeheartedly."
His words carried genuine admiration, along with a touch of appreciation for Long Jinyu's character.
Wu Ming had watched the whole fight. The eagerness in her eyes died away, and she quietly edged backward, already starting to reconsider. This junior was clearly even more brutal than she'd imagined!
Yan Shaozhe wasn't about to let her off the hook. He immediately called her out. "Wu Ming, don't just stand there. Go spar with Jinyu, too, and let him experience the traits of a different fire-attribute Martial Soul."
Wu Ming: "!!!"
Dean! You're throwing me straight into the fire!
Long Jinyu smiled.
Actually, this is just what I wanted... Hehehe~
He looked at Wu Ming, wearing a "kind" smile. "Senior Wu Ming, please instruct me~"
The outcome spoke for itself.
When fighting Wu Ming, Long Jinyu wasn't nearly so "chivalrous."
Partly, he wanted to continue testing his skills. And partly... there was a bit of "personal grudge" involved. After all, this young lady was always stirring things up and watching the show. It was the perfect chance to try all the moves he hadn't had the heart to use on Ma Xiaotao on Wu Ming instead!
He stopped simply defending... no.
Rather, he stopped being a punching bag...
And went straight on the attack!
Wu Ming's head rang from the beating.
He switched back and forth between ice and fire. At times, he summoned fireballs made of Ultimate Fire and chased Wu Ming around with a relentless barrage, forcing her to leap and scramble. At others, he used Ultimate Ice to create an ice prison that restricted her movements. In the end, he even used Ultimate Power to break through her defenses, then sent her flying out of the arena with a deft burst of force, wrapping her in a layer of "plastic wrap" made of frost for good measure.
"Ah!" Wu Ming cried as she flew out.
Long Jinyu still showed good control. He flashed forward and caught her around the waist, then followed up with Ultimate Life energy to heal her. A little embarrassed, he said, "Ahem, well... Senior Wu Ming, I'm sorry. I didn't control my strength properly. I didn't control it..."
Wu Ming angrily grabbed a pinch of soft flesh at Long Jinyu's waist and twisted it. "You little brat! You did that on purpose! You weren't like this when you fought Xiaotao! Playing favorites! You're so unfair!"
Though she complained, her thoughts were racing with glee. Hehehe~ A little injury means the junior can hold me in his arms without anyone thinking it's strange? This is a bargain! It's fine if it hurts a little; he'll heal me anyway... This 'warm stove' feels so cozy. If he holds me a little longer, maybe my Martial Soul will really evolve!
Long Jinyu sucked in a sharp breath as she pinched him. "Ow, ow, ow! Senior Wu Ming! I was wrong, I was wrong! Easy! My waist's going to snap!"
Yan Shaozhe beamed as he watched from the side. Good thing I arranged a few more matches. This kid defeats everyone else in an instant. When he was going back and forth with Xiaotao earlier, he was really... flirting? That last bit where he got knocked flying was so half-heartedly acted!
Ma Xiaotao stood at the edge of the arena with her arms folded. Watching Long Jinyu show "no mercy" to Dai Yueheng and Wu Ming, only to heal them right away, and comparing that to the cautious way he'd held back and protected her earlier, the little disappointment she'd felt over the gap in their strength had long since vanished. In its place came a sense of security and a hint of sweetness.
Looks like... I'll have to be a little nicer to that kid from now on. She reaffirmed the thought, unable to keep the corners of her mouth from lifting.
Before you continue