Displaying Divinity Before the Crowd!

It wasn't just Xiao Wu.

The others also looked at Ning Rongrong with strange expressions.

Ning Rongrong saw all of it, but she had no way to change it now. Prejudice in people's hearts was like a mountain, not something easily moved.

Facing Xiao Wu's question, Ji Bai smiled faintly. "I came here to earn some money. For an independent cultivator like me, everything has to be fought for on my own."

"Earn money? Don't you only get ten Gold Soul Coins for winning one match here?" Xiao Wu froze for a moment, then asked with an odd expression, "When Brother Ji treated all of us to dinner before, it probably cost more than ten Gold Soul Coins, didn't it?"

Ji Bai chuckled and explained, "I'm not taking part in Game Fighting. I'm doing a Gambling Fight."

Zhu Zhuqing's brows furrowed slightly, and deep shock rose in her beautiful eyes. She asked softly, "Brother Ji, the Gambling Fight you mean... is the kind where, after winning, you can take your opponent's wager?"

Ji Bai nodded slightly. "That's right."

"Hello, your arrangements have been made. Once an opponent has been matched for you, someone will notify you. You may first go to High-Level VIP Room 6 to rest for a while."

The attendant only returned the Silver Soul Badge to Ji Bai. As for the thousand-plus Gold Soul Coins, they were being held by the Soul Fighting Arena as Ji Bai's wager.

If Ji Bai won, then according to the rules, he could not only retrieve all of his wager, but also take his opponent's wager.

Ji Bai put away his Soul Fighting Badge.

"It's actually a Silver Soul Badge!"

Ma Hongjun cried out in surprise and instinctively leaned closer to inspect it carefully.

"Is this for real?"

"Of course it's real. There's no benefit in faking something like this." Ji Bai rolled his eyes speechlessly at Ma Hongjun. He could actually ask such a question.

"Hiss!"

Ma Hongjun sucked in a breath and said in shock, "Xiaobai, you already have a Silver Soul Badge! I'm still Bronze Soul right now. Who knows when I'll even get an Iron Soul Badge!"

"Put some effort into it."

"I'll be going first. You can come find me in High-Level VIP Room 6 later."

Ji Bai glanced at Ning Rongrong, then followed an attendant to High-Level VIP Room 6. Ning Rongrong stayed close beside him, looking around curiously.

"What? Never been somewhere like this?" Ji Bai glanced at Ning Rongrong and asked softly.

Ning Rongrong shook her head. "No. I rarely leave the sect, and I only know a little about the Soul Fighting Arena. This is my first time entering one."

"One of Shrek Academy's graduation requirements is obtaining a Silver Soul Badge. But... I suppose you don't care whether you can graduate from Shrek, so it doesn't really matter." Ji Bai smiled.

"You look down on me?" Ning Rongrong said indignantly. "I'll get a Silver Soul Badge and graduate from Shrek just to prove it to you!"

Ji Bai was immediately speechless.

He had actually manipulated Ning Rongrong without meaning to.

"Are you sick?"

"Don't make up problems that don't exist in your head."

She had actually been scolded...

Ning Rongrong pursed her lips. Looking like a wronged little girl, she glared at Ji Bai angrily.

"Sir, miss, please come in." The attendant pushed open the door and spoke respectfully.

"Why call me miss? Call me madam." Ning Rongrong glared at the attendant and corrected him.

"What nonsense are you talking about? If you want to be my madam, get in line!" Ji Bai rolled his eyes irritably, flicked Ning Rongrong on the forehead, and strode directly into the VIP room.

"Hiss!"

Ning Rongrong covered her forehead with one hand and threw punches and kicks at Ji Bai's back, a fierce expression appearing on her face.

"Hmm?"

Ji Bai sensed something wrong with the airflow and instinctively turned back to look.

Ning Rongrong immediately pretended nothing had happened. With her hands behind her back, she looked left and right, idly inspecting the VIP room.

Ji Bai silently stared at Ning Rongrong. After several seconds, he finally withdrew his gaze, walked over to a broad, soft sofa, sat down, and closed his eyes to rest.

After all, in the upcoming Gambling Fight, he might very well encounter a life-or-death crisis.

And in the Gambling Fight about to begin, he would have to go all out from the very start and kill his opponent as quickly as possible!

Seeing this, Ning Rongrong did not make another sound to disturb Ji Bai. With her elbows on her knees and her cheeks cradled in both hands, she simply watched him quietly.

Time slowly passed. Xiao Wu and the others did not come to the VIP room, perhaps because of Ning Rongrong, or perhaps for other reasons. But this gave Ji Bai plenty of time to rest and focus fully on the upcoming Gambling Fight.

After about the time it took to burn an incense stick, the door to the VIP room was finally knocked on.

Ji Bai instantly opened his eyes.

Before he could make a move, Ning Rongrong quickly stood and went to open the door. The person outside was the attendant who had led them here earlier.

Ji Bai stood up and looked over.

The attendant said respectfully, "Sir, your Gambling Fight will take place on No. 1 Soul Fighting Platform and will begin in ten minutes."

Ji Bai straightened his sleeves and headed outside. As he passed Ning Rongrong, he instructed, "Stay here, lock the door, and don't wander around. If it isn't me coming back, don't open it, unless you want someone to kidnap you."

Ning Rongrong said with a bright smile, "Thanks for your concern. I'll protect myself! I'm a Soul Master too, so don't underestimate me!"

Heh! A support-type Soul Master!

Ji Bai headed straight for No. 1 Soul Fighting Platform.

Not long after, he saw his opponent. It was a burly man whose Martial Soul was the Black Tiger. He was also a three-ring Soul Elder, but his Soul Ring configuration was only yellow, yellow, purple, far inferior to Ji Bai's yellow, purple, purple.

With the referee's command, the Soul Fighting match began.

"Black Tiger Possession!"

The burly man let out a low roar. Black fur appeared all over his body, savage light shone from his eyes, and a fierce pressure radiated from him as he launched the first attack.

"First Soul Skill, Black Tiger Heart-Gouging!"

His body shot forward abruptly, his fists carrying a thunderous roar through the air as they charged straight at Ji Bai's face.

"Phoenix Possession."

As a clear phoenix cry rang out, Ji Bai's entire body was shrouded in purplish-red flames.

But the instant his second Soul Skill—Bathing Fire Phoenix—was activated, the purplish-red flames transformed into golden-red flames, and their temperature suddenly surged.

Whoosh!

A pair of Phoenix Wings spread from Ji Bai's back, immediately granting him the ability to fly.

Moreover, all of his attributes doubled, and even the power of his flames doubled.

But that still wasn't enough.

When his first Soul Ring lit up next, his first Soul Skill—Flame Spin Burst—was instantly activated.

Burst Spiral Fist!

As this Soul Skill was compressed and its power concentrated, Ji Bai's speed and strength doubled once more, while the power of his flames likewise doubled again.

Stacked with his second Soul Skill, all three aspects had increased by a full twofold.

Phoenix Heart-Gouging!

Faced with the Black Tiger Soul Master's Black Tiger Heart-Gouging, Ji Bai advanced instead of retreating, charging directly at him.

Bang! Crack!

The heart-shaking impact had barely sounded when the sound of bones breaking followed.

"Ah!"

After only one exchange, the Black Tiger Soul Master's arms broke outright, bending into grotesque shapes.