Seeing that it was nearly time, Qingxi plunged into the Soul Fighting Arena. Perhaps Yu Tianheng's words that day had done the trick, because no one had bothered her since.
In the blink of an eye, it was already her twenty-second day at the Soto City Grand Arena.
Because she had missed two matches earlier, she had only won nineteen in a row so far. Once tonight was over, she would have enough points to qualify for promotion to Silver Soul Fighter. A Silver Soul Fighter match earned 500...
"Welcome, everyone, to the Soto City Grand Arena! Up next is the first Soul Fighting match in Division Eight. Take a guess—who will be competing? One of them has already won nineteen matches in a row and is a Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder!" The host stood on the Soul Fighting platform, working up the crowd. She gave a playful wink, then put on a mysterious air.
"Nineteen wins in a row? Who is that? She's amazing."
"Qiankun Mingxin! It has to be Qiankun Mingxin..."
Some people hadn't heard of her, while others had already guessed.
"Some of you have already figured it out! And today, her opponent will be a member of the Shrek Team." The host deliberately left the crowd in suspense.
"The Shrek Team? Could her opponent be the Evil-Eyed White Tiger?"
"How could it be? The Evil-Eyed White Tiger isn't even a match for her. I wish it were the Thousand-Hand Asura."
"The Thousand-Hand Asura? If they really went up against each other, that'd be a show worth watching."
The stands erupted in excited discussion. Everyone knew that among the newly risen Soul Fighters, the two most talked-about were Qiankun Mingxin, with nineteen straight wins, and the Thousand-Hand Asura, with twenty-three.
Since arriving at the Soto City Grand Arena, neither had ever lost. One had Soul Power at level thirty, the other at level thirty-three, yet both were already among the best Soul Elders.
"Now, let's welcome our competitors: Qiankun Mingxin versus the Soft-Bone Charm Rabbit!" As the host delivered her spirited introduction, several fireworks burst above the Soul Fighting platform. The whole arena erupted, and the crowd shouted both their names.
On the platform, Qingxi heard her opponent's name and paused. That hundred-thousand-year-old rabbit?
The corner of her mouth lifted. She summoned the Universe Staff, rested it on her shoulder, and strode onto the platform.
This was perfect. She'd see what kind of skills this little rabbit, who had cultivated for a hundred thousand years, actually had.
She'd better not be worse than even a thousand-year-old Jade Rabbit Spirit.
Meanwhile, in the Shrek Team's Resting Room.
When they heard that Xiao Wu's opponent was Qiankun Mingxin, everyone was immediately alarmed.
Ma Hongjun, the first to suffer a vicious beating, was especially nervous. He ventured, "Maybe Xiao Wu should just forfeit. That woman hits really hard. I'm worried about Sister Xiao Wu..."
Everyone furrowed their brows. They had offended Qiankun Mingxin so badly before. What if she took the chance to get revenge during the match...?
"Xiao Wu." Tang San clasped Xiao Wu's hand, worry and affection in his eyes. "Maybe we should forfeit."
"Third Brother..." Xiao Wu gazed at the deep affection in Tang San's eyes. A flicker passed through her own, then she shook her head firmly. "No, I'm going. Third Brother, believe in me, okay?"
"Xiao Wu, don't push yourself." Zhu Zhuqing had been silent for a long time before finally speaking.
She had been watching Qiankun Mingxin's fights these past few days. She remembered clearly that once, Qiankun had faced a level-thirty-nine Control System Soul Elder—and Qiankun had still won.
Someone like her was truly terrifying.
"No, I'm going. Don't look down on me." Xiao Wu's gaze was firm. She had to defeat that woman and prove to Third Brother that she was the best.
Ning Rongrong tugged at Zhu Zhuqing's sleeve, signaling for her to stop butting in.
She had been born into one of the Upper Three Sects, where relationships were complicated, and had seen plenty. How could she fail to see that Xiao Wu had feelings for the person who was, in name, her brother?
She was possessive to a fault. One wrong move and things could go badly.
"Actually, there's no need to worry." Grandmaster stood with his hands behind his back and spoke at the right moment. "Apart from the harsh beating she gave Fatty, Qiankun Mingxin has always fought with restraint. She shouldn't hurt Xiao Wu."
Fatty pouted miserably from the side. So Qiankun Mingxin had just picked on him and no one else, huh?
Why him?
Oscar saw his expression and immediately understood. He grinned wickedly. "Fatty, you can be pretty hateable sometimes. Did you hit on her on the Soul Fighting platform? Otherwise, why would she have beaten you so badly?"
"I was only joking! Who knew she was such a shrew?" Fatty curled up miserably on the sofa. Just thinking about it made his Evil Fire blaze; he wished he could go find a woman and vent it right now.
Tang San watched Xiao Wu anxiously. Seeing how determined she was, he didn't try to stop her again. Instead, he carefully took a few golden pellets from his Storage Bag and placed them in her hand. "Be careful. Your safety is what matters most."
Looking at the golden pellets, Xiao Wu's eyes softened. She suddenly leaned in and kissed Tang San on the cheek, then hurried away. "Third Brother, you're the best!"
Xiao Wu put away the golden pellets. Just before reaching the door, she looked back at everyone. "Don't worry. Your Sister Xiao Wu is the strongest!"
On the platform, Qingxi leaned against the Universe Staff, wearing her mask. Her eyes were closed as she rested. Hearing footsteps, she raised her head slightly and looked at the pretty rabbit across from her.
"Both Soul Masters are here. Ready... begin!"
As the countdown ended, the host hurried off the Soul Fighting platform. Qingxi raised her hand and gripped the Universe Staff, then shot toward Xiao Wu like a streak of shadow.
She was, after all, a rabbit who had cultivated for a hundred thousand years. It was best to take her seriously.
Xiao Wu visibly froze, marveling inwardly: So fast!
"Second Soul Skill, Charm!" She hurriedly unleashed her second Soul Skill, then immediately used her third Soul Skill, Teleportation, to dodge the attack.
"How is that possible?!"
As if she had predicted where Xiao Wu would teleport, the golden staff came flying straight at her. To Xiao Wu's astonishment, her Charm had no effect at all.
She didn't dare get close, and she couldn't use the Eight-Stage Throw. All she could do was keep using Teleportation to dodge.
"Why is Xiao Wu just dodging?" In the second-floor Resting Room, the Shrek team watched the match with furrowed brows. Oscar was the first to voice his confusion.
She was just letting herself get beaten!
Tang San's brows knitted tightly. His gaze stayed fixed on the pink figure on the platform. Watching Qiankun press her step by step, he felt that nameless anger rise within him again.
"Qiankun's strength is immense. If Xiao Wu tries to meet her head-on, she could be injured immediately," Zhu Zhuqing said calmly.
Qingxi stopped and watched Xiao Wu put distance between them again. She hadn't used her strength at all, relying entirely on her cultivation technique. Even so, her speed was on par with Xiao Wu's.
"Can you do anything besides run?"
Xiao Wu didn't answer. Once she had made some distance, she saw the shadow rushing toward her again and pulled out the Godly Zhuge Crossbow. At this range, there was no way the other woman could dodge.
A cold gleam flashed. Qingxi's footwork paused, and her Spiritual Power instantly gathered, freezing countless steel needles in midair. Then she swept her staff, sending every needle back.
"For a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast, this is all you've got... It's hard to believe you really cultivated for a hundred thousand years."
Her cool voice carried disappointment, flowing like a stream. The steel needles hurtling toward Xiao Wu made her heart pound with panic, and her whole body turned cold.
How did she know...?
The next moment, countless steel needles whizzed past her. Xiao Wu curled into a ball and screamed in terror, then collapsed onto the Soul Fighting platform.
"Xiao Wu!" Tang San cried out. He turned and rushed out of the Resting Room, charging toward the platform.
The Universe Staff tilted, its tip aimed at Xiao Wu's brow. Qingxi could barely hide her disappointment. "You call yourself a Soul Beast that cultivated for a hundred thousand years?"
If this was what a hundred-thousand-year transformed Soul Beast was like, then all she could say was that those hundred thousand years had gone straight down a dog's throat.
A Soul Beast like this wasn't even as good as a few-hundred-year-old spirit. And a hundred thousand years! A Soul Beast that had lived for a hundred thousand years, and this was all she could do?!
"You!" Xiao Wu slumped on the ground. After using Teleportation so many times, she had only two-tenths of her Soul Power left.
Looking up at the masked woman towering over her, Xiao Wu's face turned deathly pale, her eyes brimming with fear.
"How did you know...?"
"Know what? That you're a Soul Beast?" Qingxi lifted her chin, looking disdainful. She couldn't say she wasn't disappointed.
She had originally planned to use this rabbit as Yanzi's Sixth Soul Ring. Now, she felt the old rabbit didn't deserve it.
A hundred thousand years! That was an entire age—and she was this weak?
She put away the Universe Staff and turned toward the host in the distance. "Can you announce the result now?"
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