Winning the First Battle by Competing Above One's Level

After Ning Yuan left the arena, he happened to run into Hu Liena and the other two.

Hu Liena immediately complained, "Ugh! These three-ring Soul Elder matches are nothing but wins and losses. My points haven't increased for days—they've actually been dropping."

Yan chimed in from the side.

"Tell me about it. Even though the opponents I face aren't as talented as me, every one of them fights like their life depends on it. One moment of carelessness, and I lose."

"After working at it for an entire month, I've only barely reached Bronze Soul Fighter."

Xie Yue, meanwhile, was somewhat calmer.

"Indeed. Competing here has caused my practical combat experience to soar, and I've also seen far more approaches to battle."

"Those with poorer talent can still adapt to their surroundings and defeat the strong while weak."

"I'd never considered things like that before. I have to admit, I really was like a frog at the bottom of a well. If I hadn't followed Ning Yuan's advice and come here, how would I have understood so many things?"

Xie Yue rarely spoke so much at once, which showed just how much he had gained over the past month.

At that moment, Hu Liena suddenly said, "Have you heard? Someone with an exceptionally high win rate has appeared in the three-ring Soul Elder death matches."

Xie Yue pondered slightly.

"I know who you mean. I watched his matches. I don't know whether it's luck or something else, but his opponents are often Soul Elders who have only just passed Level 30, so they're relatively weak."

"And his Soul Power Level is at least above Level 39. Those opponents aren't even capable of withstanding a single exchange with him."

This was the first time Ning Yuan had heard of it, and he immediately sensed that something was off.

Logically, death matches were competitions entered by Soul Masters who had been forced onto a desperate path.

Of course, his own situation was purely an exception.

The strength of everyone in a death match should have been roughly similar.

So why did it sound as though this person's opponents were lining up to die, handing him points and score after score?

Suddenly, Ning Yuan thought of a possibility.

"What rank have that guy's points reached now?"

At the mention of this, Hu Liena became interested.

"I paid attention to him. His current points rank is Gold Soul Fighter, and he isn't far from Purple Gold Soul Fighter."

"His points are the highest in the entire Great Soul Arena."

"I see..."

"You mean... he's pulling strings?"

"He's after the External Soul Bone?"

Xie Yue was the first to understand.

"Damn! The Great Soul Arena allows something as corrupt as officials stealing from themselves?"

Yan immediately bristled.

"Why are you shouting so loudly? Do you have any evidence that he's pulling strings?"

Ning Yuan lowered his voice.

Yan was somewhat confused.

"But we can't just let that guy use such despicable methods to take the External Soul Bone, can we?"

Ning Yuan looked toward the distant arena.

"Don't worry. He won't get it."

"You can decide that?"

Yan did not believe Ning Yuan.

Hu Liena directly gave Yan a sharp knock on the head.

"I told you to study, but you insisted on sleeping!"

Yan clutched his aching head, looking aggrieved.

Ning Yuan immediately told the three of them that he intended to challenge the three-ring Soul Elder death matches across ranks.

The three of them were utterly shocked upon hearing this.

Hu Liena stepped forward to dissuade him.

"Ning... don't do anything reckless. At the two-ring level, you're overwhelmingly ahead, but you insist on entering three-ring Soul Elder matches—and death matches, at that. This isn't something to take lightly."

"If something happens, you'll lose your life. There's no need to gamble this much just for a reward."

Yan also tried to dissuade Ning Yuan.

Ning Yuan simply said, "There's no need to persuade me. I know what I'm doing."

"Don't worry. How could I ever fight a battle I'm not sure of winning?"

At the Great Soul Arena, lower-ranked soul masters were allowed to challenge higher-ranked ones.

Moreover, all the two-ring Soul Grandmaster opponents had already been frightened off by Ning Yuan's reputation.

They kept an eye on Ning Yuan every day. As long as he applied for a match that day, they would avoid him whenever possible.

Though those who took part in deathmatches were not afraid of death, no one wanted to enter a fight they were certain to lose.

Thus, Ning Yuan got his wish and advanced to three-ring Soul Elder deathmatches.

When the audience learned that Daredevil, who had been unbeatable among two-ring soul masters, was moving up to compete at the three-ring level—

They all found it unbelievable.

They wanted to see whether Daredevil could maintain a winning streak even in three-ring matches.

That day, the deathmatch arena at the Great Soul Arena was packed with excited voices.

Today's match was the main event: Daredevil versus Earthsplitter Blade Song Hu.

Song Hu, a level thirty-four Soul Ancestor, possessed the Earthsplitter Berserker Blade martial soul. With thirty-seven deathmatch victories, he was also a formidable figure at the Great Soul Arena in Spirit City.

"Daredevil actually moved up to compete as a three-ring Soul Elder."

"He may have been unmatched among two-ring soul masters, but his opponents are three-ring soul masters. That's an entire major realm above him."

"And his opponent is an expert like Earthsplitter Blade. I'd say Daredevil is just overestimating himself by moving up from a lower rank."

Hu Liena and the other two had also come to watch from the side.

They heard the discussions around them, but they had confidence in Ning Yuan.

Because all three of them were Soul Elders, and high-level Soul Elders at that.

Yet none of them were Ning Yuan's match.

At this moment, Song Hu had already stepped onto the stage.

He had heard Daredevil's name countless times this past month.

He had fought his way up from the two-ring level, trampling every opponent beneath his feet without ever losing.

But he disdained today's opponent from the bottom of his heart.

Below the stage, Li Ming sat in the VIP seats with one leg crossed over the other.

He had heard there was a match today where a two-ring soul master was challenging three-ring soul masters.

He happened to have a match himself today, so he had come to watch the spectacle.

In his view, Daredevil was simply overestimating himself.

One of his cronies leaned over. "Young Master Li, do you think Daredevil can win?"

A disdainful smile hung on his lips.

"Putting on a mysterious act."

"Win my ass." Li Ming snorted. "Song Hu is a veteran deathmatch fighter, a level thirty-four Soul Ancestor with the Earthsplitter Blade martial soul. One slash from him can split even an iron plate apart."

"Isn't that Daredevil just a two-ring soul master? No matter how strong he is, how strong can he possibly be?"

The moment he finished speaking, the referee on the stage raised his hand.

"Deathmatch! Begin!"

Song Hu did not waste time talking just because he looked down on Ning Yuan.

Those who entered deathmatches were all ruthless characters.

He still understood the principle that even a lion needed to go all out when hunting a rabbit.

He attacked first. With Martial Soul Possession, the phantom of an enormous battle blade appeared behind him, while two yellow and two purple soul rings lit up beneath his feet.

"Third Soul Skill! Earthsplitter Slash!"

He brought his blade down, and the blade aura tore through the air as it cleaved toward Ning Yuan's head.

The spectators beneath the stage covered their ears. With such force, it looked like the strike would split a man in two.

Yet Ning Yuan stood where he was without even attempting to dodge.

He raised a hand.

Fluid instantly covered his palm. Facing the incoming blade aura, he turned his body to the side and struck the blade aura's flank with his palm.

Bang!

The blade aura shattered, breaking into fragments that dispersed through the air.

Song Hu's pupils abruptly contracted.

From that single exchange, he had already felt an immense force travel through his blade and into his body.

He instantly realized that his opponent was far stronger than he had expected.

But Ning Yuan gave him no chance to strike again.

The ground beneath Ning Yuan's feet shattered, and his figure vanished from where he stood.

When he reappeared, he was already right in front of Song Hu.

"Got you."

A chill ran down Song Hu's spine. This was bad.

Venom's massive jaws opened, and he unleashed a Lion's Roar straight at Song Hu's head.

"Roar!"

The terrifying sound wave struck Song Hu square in the face. Before he could react at all, his head burst like a watermelon.

The entire arena fell deathly silent.

There it was again—Daredevil's signature technique.

In his previous matches, Daredevil had always ended the fight with a single Lion's Roar as soon as he stepped onto the stage.

They had thought that after jumping up to the three-ring Soul Elder level, he would be forced to reveal more of his strength.

Yet the result was still a one-move victory.

He had not even revealed his soul rings.

His strength was absurdly overwhelming.

Li Ming, seated in the VIP section, narrowed his eyes slightly at the result.

He had not expected Ning Yuan to win, much less win so easily.

Song Hu was quite formidable even among the three-ring Soul Elders participating in deathmatches.

Still, Li Ming was only somewhat surprised that Ning Yuan could display strength so far beyond his rank.

He did not believe Ning Yuan was stronger than him.

Song Hu had originally been the opponent his uncle had arranged for him next, but now that opponent was gone, he would definitely have a match against Ning Yuan afterward.

A teasing smile appeared at the corner of Li Ming's lips.

Personally killing a genius was a truly wonderful thing.

"Daredevil, huh? Interesting."