Murong Ci returned to the academy at midnight. When he got back to the dormitory, Huo Wu was still there.
Murong Ci sighed helplessly. "Sleeping here again?"
Huo Wu looked up and gave a soft snort.
"Where else?"
"Fine, fine. Go to sleep."
Murong Ci went straight to the bed and fell asleep in just three breaths.
Even faster than he fought.
"Murong Ci!!!!!"
"Did you hear that? Who was shouting for Junior Murong last night?"
"I heard. It sounded like Senior Huo Wu. That voice was so loud..."
When Murong Ci woke up, there was no one beside him. Clearly, after he'd crashed into bed and fallen asleep last night, he'd "angered" Huo Wu.
He scratched his head helplessly, got up, and went out to greet the morning sun, sometime around eight or nine.
Then a letter was slapped right onto his forehead...
What kind of saint went around sticking paper to other people's foreheads?!
Taking a closer look, he saw a silver-haired man standing with his arms crossed, staring at Murong Ci.
"Are you Feng Xiaotian?" Murong Ci asked, then opened the envelope. Sure enough, it was a challenge letter.
"Really want to fight?" Murong Ci murmured, though he didn't even look at Feng Xiaotian.
That irritated Feng Xiaotian. He clenched his fists until his fingers turned white.
"Three days from now, at the Great Soul Arena? Fine. Eight o'clock that night. Don't be late. Whoever loses becomes the other's lackey."
Murong Ci yawned, walked right past Feng Xiaotian, and headed for the room where Huo Wu was.
Then, right in front of Feng Xiaotian, he walked into Huo Wu's dormitory and even waved at him.
What a jerk...
I won't rest until I avenge this humiliation! I, Feng Xiaotian, swear I'll be no man if I don't!
Feng Xiaotian's fury blazed like a rising tide. He shouted and accepted the bet on the spot.
These past few days, Murong Ci and Huo Wu had been living in unusual comfort and style. The money he'd earned in that time was enough to marry a wife!
If he'd had that much money back then, he wouldn't have needed to borrow 388,000...
Of course, whenever he told Huo Wu that his money was enough to marry a wife, she never answered. She just kept pinching the soft flesh at his waist and wouldn't let go.
But there was one thing he couldn't understand: why had Huo Wu's attitude toward him suddenly changed by 180 degrees?
So he "consulted" the system.
[Because you're the Child of Fortune. All the good luck is on your side.] "Me? Wasn't I transported here? Isn't the Child of Fortune someone born of Douluo Continent itself?" [Because you have me, you're the Child of Fortune.] "Because I have you?" [Heaven's secrets must not be revealed~]
Murong Ci was puzzled. It seemed there was no answer to that question.
He simply stopped thinking about it and turned his attention back to the work at hand.
The three-day appointment arrived right on schedule.
Murong Ci stood in the passage leading to the arena while Huo Wu fixed him up.
"Teach him a good lesson! He used to challenge me all the time, and I couldn't beat him."
"No problem. Just wait for me to return in triumph!"
"Just so you know, Feng Xiaotian is a Level 38 Agility-Type Battle Soul Elder. His first Soul Skill is Wind Blade Array. His second is Twin Wolf Possession. His third is Gale Wings."
"Thanks, Sis Huo Wu. I know. Ah Ci will beat him until he's pissing himself!"
"Quit fooling around and go."
"Murong Ci! I'll be waiting for you!"
Murong Ci waved without looking back.
He emerged from the dark passage to a storm of applause!
And... the gamblers' wild celebration.
But the odds were unusual this time: 1:1, meaning the audience thought the two were evenly matched.
On one side was Feng Xiaotian, the top genius of the Five Elements Academies. On the other was the rising star Murong Ci.
This fight really did have plenty to offer!
White light poured down onto the arena as the crowd's cheers rose and fell.
"Feng Xiaotian! Beat Yongzhen to a pulp!"
"Yongzhen! Turn Feng Xiaotian's slow, headless dog into a chicken!"
"Level 38 Soul Elder, with the Self-Created Soul Skill Eighteen Consecutive Slashes of the Gale Demon Wolf! How the hell is Yongzhen supposed to fight that?!"
"Fuck you, you in front! Who the hell are you yelling at? I bet my entire fortune on Yongzhen winning. Shut your filthy mouth!"
[Come into the Sea of Consciousness. I have a few things to tell you.]
"?"
Murong Ci hesitantly sank his consciousness into the Sea of Consciousness.
When he opened his eyes, he saw a person!
He was a long-haired man with hair falling to his shoulders and a slender build. His features were delicate and handsome. He was... beautiful?
"Brother System, is that you?"
[That's right. Am I handsome? But let's not get sidetracked. I'll teach you how to fight this one.]
The system swept a hand through the air, and a screen appeared. After carefully running the calculations, it showed what would happen in the "future."
"Snick!"
A fan opened with a snap. It was the system's creation.
"Bro, you..."
[Don't speak yet. Look. First, Huo Wu wants you to beat him up. Second, the audience wants this fight to be entertaining. So try not to use Hundred Years in an Instant this time. It's way too unfair.] [So, just trade moves with him for a while. Let Feng Xiaotian know you don't even consider him worth fighting at full strength!] [Make him realize this is nothing more than a lesson!] [Make him understand that this challenge is an old man teasing a child!] [Make him understand... he doesn't have the slightest chance of winning!]
When he finished, "the system" closed his fan.
"Now that's cool..."
Murong Ci returned to the arena and looked at Feng Xiaotian with an almost mocking expression.
The killing intent in Feng Xiaotian's eyes was practically tangible!
He was going to repay the humiliation from three days ago twice over!
The instant the referee gave the order, Feng Xiaotian shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.
A fierce wind swept across the arena in an instant!
Quite a few people felt their hair being blown upward.
Murong Ci looked up and saw the second Soul Ring on Feng Xiaotian glowing faintly.
He had clearly released his second Soul Skill, Twin Wolf Possession.
It boosted his speed and strength, letting him fight even more effectively!
Murong Ci remained unhurried. He raised a hand, and a flash of red burst forth. A powerful, scorching pillar of flame erupted from Yongzhen's center!
This was the new skill he had obtained after fusing with the Geocentric Fire Python's ability!
Crimson Flame Pillar!
"Too slow!" Feng Xiaotian's gaze sharpened, and the purple Soul Ring on his body lit up.
Third Soul Skill—Gale Wings!
He spread his wings and soared into the air, easily dodging Murong Ci's Crimson Flame Pillar.
"Your attacks aren't slow, but now I'm in the air. You have even less of a chance!"
Feng Xiaotian shouted and released his first Soul Skill—Wind Blade Array.
Countless flashes of blades and shadows of cutting edges surged toward Murong Ci.
Murong Ci wasn't worried in the slightest. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
He recited a spell, and several fallen leaves appeared from within Yongzhen, floating in the air.
"One leaf veils the heavens and subdues the eight extremes!"
Murong Ci waved his hand. The fallen leaves turned into sharp blades and shot toward the flashes of light and blade-shadows!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The flashes of blades and shadows instantly turned to ash and vanished.
Feng Xiaotian felt a trace of unease.
What was with this guy acting like nothing mattered?
But that unease quickly turned into motivation, and he soared through the air.
He crossed his arms, turned his hands into blades, and used the force of his dive to attack Murong Ci!
[This is his Self-Created Soul Skill, Eighteen Consecutive Slashes of the Gale Demon Wolf. The Thirty-Six Consecutive Slashes in the original work are its evolved form. Clearly, right now he can only slash eighteen times.]
Murong Ci snapped his fingers. In the Sea of Consciousness, the Demon Eye Magic Tree King slowly appeared, standing behind him.
With a wave of Murong Ci's hand, dozens of hard vines sprang up and blocked Feng Xiaotian's attack!
"Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang—"
Feng Xiaotian's attacks all struck the vines. He had never once managed to get close to Murong Ci, who stood in their midst.
Murong Ci's smile never even faded.
Feng Xiaotian was deeply shaken!
Was this guy toying with him?
No... he was a genius. How could he...
While Feng Xiaotian was distracted, the Demon Eye Magic Tree King seized its chance. Vines lashed around his waist, then spread outward until his entire body was wrapped up.
"It's over!"
Murong Ci said coldly. His right arm transformed into an ice-scorpion pincer, and he activated his second Soul Skill—Ice Scorpion Pincer—reaching for Feng Xiaotian!
BOOM!!!
Feng Xiaotian was knocked straight off the arena, blood pouring from his mouth.
Murong Ci saw the people from Godwind Academy carrying Feng Xiaotian onto a stretcher.
Then he turned and walked off the stage, paying no attention at all to the crowd's ecstatic cheers.
An old man teasing a child? That felt great!