Surrounded

Perhaps because the fatty had been injured, the Shrek members fought brutally in the team battle that followed. Their opponents survived, but they were left battered and broken.

Ma Hongjun, in particular, took out all the humiliation he'd suffered in the previous match on them.

Qingxi sat in the stands with an armful of food, thoroughly enjoying the fight below. The aroma of her snacks kept drawing sidelong glances from those around her.

As usual, she'd bet on Shrek Team to win. The odds had dropped quite a bit, but she could still make a few thousand Gold Soul Coins.

After watching Shrek Team's group battle, she wandered through the other Branch Soul Fighting Arenas, but there were very few teams on winning streaks.

Qingxi was a little frustrated. She wanted to challenge stronger opponents, but even without using her spiritual power or Soul Skills, Grand Soul Masters of the same level still couldn't beat her.

After all, the fights were just too boring now.

She found the supervisor of the Soto City Grand Arena and made her request.

She hoped they could arrange opponents above level thirty for her.

Supervisor Ao replied, "That can be arranged, but you need to earn a Bronze Soul Fighter badge and prove that you have no opponents below level thirty by winning a string of consecutive matches. Then I can make an exception and arrange opponents above level thirty for you. Otherwise, for safety reasons, the Grand Arena won't agree."

Supervisor Ao had heard of Qiankun Mingxin. She was a strange fighter who'd appeared in the Death Match District a few days ago.

She was considered strange because, despite competing in death matches, she'd never taken anyone's life, and not one opponent had lasted a single move against her.

What surprised Supervisor Ao even more was that Qiankun Mingxin was a little girl of about ten who loved to snack?!

Looking at the young girl in front of him, still holding a skewer of grilled meat, with her bright, black-and-white eyes, he could hardly connect her to the cold, sharp-tongued Soul Master in the arena. If she hadn't been holding Qiankun Mingxin's Soul Fighting badge, he never would have believed they were the same person.

"How many consecutive wins would prove that I have no opponents below level thirty?" Qingxi took a bite of the meat in her hand. The Soto City Grand Arena was one of the city's main evening attractions, and it had plenty of food stalls.

These days, she mostly slept during the day and came to the arena at night to have fun. She got her meals here, and if nothing else, the lamb skewers outside the entrance were pretty good too.

"At least fifteen consecutive wins!"

"So I need eight more. Give me eight days."

After she spoke, Qingxi thanked him and turned to leave.

The next day, she arrived at the arena early. In an empty corner, she changed clothes and put on her mask. Just as she reached the lobby, an angry shout suddenly rang out behind her.

"You filthy woman, stop right there!"

Qingxi didn't think he was calling to her, so she kept walking toward the drawing lots. The next second, she felt a surge of energy behind her.

"First Soul Skill, Waist Bow!" Xiao Wu used Instant Movement to appear behind Qingxi. Focusing her strength in her toes, she raised her leg and kicked toward Qingxi's lower back.

"White Tiger Intense Light Wave!"

"Phoenix Fire Line!"

Two attacks followed close behind.

The Shrek members had come to the arena early just to catch this woman and avenge Ma Hongjun.

Seeing their attacks about to hit, Xiao Wu smiled smugly. "You actually dared to bully Fourth Brother? Sister Xiao Wu will teach you how to behave!"

Qingxi didn't even turn around. She reached one hand behind her and grabbed Xiao Wu by the ankle, her grip astonishingly strong.

"Ah! That hurts..." Xiao Wu cried out in pain, too stunned to react.

Holding Xiao Wu by the ankle, Qingxi spun around and flung her toward the two attacks.

"Not good! First Soul Skill, Bind!" Seeing the direction Xiao Wu was being thrown, Tang San's pupils suddenly contracted. He hurriedly unleashed his first Soul Skill.

"Xiao Wu!!!" Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun shouted in alarm.

"Seven Treasures Have Names, Second: Speed!" Ning Rongrong summoned the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and boosted Tang San's speed.

Several thick Blue Silver Grass vines shot toward Xiao Wu in midair. Just as she was about to collide with the two blasts of energy, they yanked her off course.

Tang San used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to catch Xiao Wu gently, his gaze full of concern and affection.

"Third Brother, my foot hurts." Xiao Wu leaned against Tang San and moaned.

She felt as if that strange woman had crushed her foot.

Meanwhile, Qingxi leaped out of the way of the two attacks. They blasted a ten-meter-wide crater into the ground. Her gaze turned icy as she looked at the group across from her.

The Shrek members.

"Bitch! You dared to hurt my brother and Xiao Wu! I'll take your life!" Dai Mubai pointed at Qingxi, his mismatched eyes seeming to spit fire.

"Third Soul Skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation!" His muscles swelled, and strange black stripes appeared on his skin as he prepared to charge at Qingxi.

Tang San carefully set Xiao Wu on the ground, then stood up and stopped Dai Mubai. "Boss Dai, leave her to me!"

He stared at the masked figure across from him as if looking at a corpse. His eyes were cold and calm, but inside, murderous intent surged like a raging tide. He looked like a vengeful ghost from the Eighteen Levels of Hell.

"You dared to hurt Xiao Wu. You die today!" Tang San declared Qingxi's death in a frigid voice.

Qingxi tilted her head and looked at Tang San, seeming a little confused.

They were the ones who'd ambushed her first. How had it somehow become her fault?

"Dumbass!" She raised her middle finger at the Shrek members. She'd learned the gesture from Dugu Yan.

At that moment, it was just right.

"You!" Dai Mubai saw her gesture and ground his teeth in rage.

"Get ready to die!"

"Stop!" Tang San had just been about to attack when Supervisor Ao hurried over with several guards. He took his place between the two groups and gave the Shrek members a warning look. "Fighting to the death is strictly forbidden in public areas. If you break the rules again, you'll lose your right to compete, and your Soul Fighting badges will be destroyed. Settle your grudges in the arena."

Tang San narrowed his eyes as he looked at Supervisor Ao and the guards behind him. The murderous intent in his gaze only grew.

He was wondering if he could use Hidden Weapons to take them all out at once.

He would never allow anyone to hurt his Xiao Wu. He had sworn to protect her forever.

"Xiao San." Dai Mubai still had enough sense to reach out and press a hand to Tang San's shoulder, shaking his head. "We'll find another chance once we're outside."

The guards' Soul Power was mostly above level forty. If they fought, they'd probably be thrown out of the arena in the next instant.

Of course, they might win with Xiao San's Hidden Weapons, but this was the Soto City Grand Arena's territory. Whether they could escape alive was another matter.

"They were the ones who ambushed me first." Qingxi pointed to the group opposite her, looking rather disdainful.

And they'd called her a bitch? Just wait.

No wonder they were the scoundrels she'd had her eye on. They loved ganging up on one person.

"Get to level thirty if you've got what it takes, you loser! Don't let me see you in the arena." Dai Mubai glared viciously at Qingxi, then began leading the others away.

"Hmph. Just you wait." Ma Hongjun snorted. The swelling on his face hadn't gone down yet, and paired with his smug expression, it made him look ridiculous.

"Yeah, right." Qingxi shrugged, showing she didn't take them seriously.

"Hold on!" Supervisor Ao suddenly called. Several guards blocked the Shrek members' path.

"Is there anything else?" Tang San's expression was calm, but a chilling edge in his voice made the guards blocking them take two involuntary steps back.

"Damaging public property carries a fine of one thousand Gold Soul Coins." Supervisor Ao adjusted his glasses, glancing toward the crater nearby.

"One thousand Gold Soul Coins! Are you robbing us?" The fatty roared. After all, he and Boss Dai had made that crater. If anyone had to pay for it, the bill would land on them.

"Take it! Keep the change." Seeing the crowd of onlookers grow, Dai Mubai pulled out a pouch of Gold Soul Coins and tossed it to Supervisor Ao, then led everyone away.

"Shrek Team has been on a winning streak lately at the Soto City Grand Arena. They're especially ruthless toward teams that hurt their teammates, so be careful." Supervisor Ao weighed the pouch in his hand. Watching the Shrek members disappear, he furrowed his brows and couldn't help giving her a quiet warning.

"Supervisor Ao, you're underestimating me." She leaned against a stone pillar with her arms crossed, her expression as calm as ever.

That Titled Douluo wasn't nearby now. If it came to a fight, it wasn't clear who would win.

Besides, she was far stronger than she used to be.

"I'm off. See you in eight days." She waved and headed into the arena.

"Let's hope so." Supervisor Ao shook his head. Watching the two groups enter the arena one after the other, he sighed.

They were all young people with more pride than sense. There was no way this would end peacefully.