Instant Kill, Zhu Zhuqing Takes the Stage

When Shi An announced his details, not only was the young man across from him stunned, but everyone in the stands who heard him was stunned as well.

What...

I recognized every word in that sentence. Why couldn't I understand them when they were put together?

What did he mean by an assault-type, defense-type, and control-type Soul Master? Shouldn't one person only have one specialty?

"What the hell? Is this guy here to cause trouble? What martial soul can combine assault, defense, and control into one?"

"This guy just registered. He's probably some newbie who doesn't know anything."

"I'm dying! A newbie actually dared to step onto the spirit arena!"

"..."

For a moment, mocking remarks came from every direction.

Shi An's expression did not change. He looked toward the host and asked, "Can we begin?"

The host seemed to snap back to his senses then. He gave Shi An a strange look before announcing, "Spirit battle! Begin!"

The moment his words fell, the young man opposite him summoned his martial soul—a cyan longsword surrounded by a faint cyan glow.

Seeing that Shi An did not move at all, he frowned slightly and sneered inwardly.

What a complete newbie. He doesn't understand anything. The Great Spirit Arena is really taking care of me, arranging someone like this for me.

He swung his longsword. The yellow soul ring beneath his feet lit up, and his body sprang high into the air like a compressed spring as he brought the sword down toward Shi An's head.

"Second Soul Skill: Wind Leap Dance!"

The cyan sword light traced an arc through the air like a crescent moon.

Shi An shifted his right foot slightly backward. A stone pillar erupted from the ground and, despite moving later, struck the young man squarely in the chest first.

Crack!!!

The sound of breaking bones rang out. The young man was sent flying, his longsword slipping from his hand as his entire body flew off the spirit arena like a rag doll.

Bang!!!

The young man's body hit the ground heavily, as though it had landed on everyone's heart.

The cheers and shouts in the venue fell deathly silent in an instant, as if every spectator present had been seized by the throat.

Everyone stared blankly at the scene on the stage, their mouths unconsciously falling wide open.

Shi An spoke to the host outside the spirit arena. "Can you announce the result now?"

Shi An's words jolted the host awake. He swallowed and stammered, "The... the winner... Tuofu."

As soon as the words fell, shrill cries erupted from the stands.

"Damn it, this is a fixed match, isn't it? Have you no shame?"

"Fuck! I bet my entire fortune on the Clearwind Swordsman!!!"

"Hahahaha! I hit the jackpot!"

"..."

There were doubts, fury, wild delight, and furious curses. The Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena seemed to have turned straight into a marketplace.

Shi An's expression remained unchanged. A fixed match? What a joke.

He had no intention of explaining himself. Time would prove everything.

When he returned to the waiting area, everyone looked at him with curiosity, astonishment, or wariness.

Shi An acted as if he saw none of it. His steps appeared casual, yet they seemed to carry a certain rhythm.

"Teacher, you're amazing."

The moment he sat down beside Zhu Zhuqing, she praised him.

Shi An's mouth twitched. There was nothing particularly flattering about it, but he still felt rather pleased.

After all, who could refuse praise from a beautiful young girl?

"It should be your turn soon. Good luck." Shi An rubbed her head, though a trace of disappointment appeared in his eyes.

What a pity. It would be better if she had a pair of cat ears.

Zhu Zhuqing did not notice Shi An's gaze. As he stroked the top of her head, she only felt a tingling sensation, and her eyes narrowed slightly.

"I'll win!"

"Good. I'll wait for your good news."

After several more matches, Zhu Zhuqing's name was finally called over the broadcast.

She nodded slightly to Shi An. "Teacher, I'm going."

"Go on. Good luck." Shi An smiled gently and made an encouraging gesture.

On the spirit arena, Zhu Zhuqing stood facing a burly man with knotted muscles.

When the man saw Zhu Zhuqing's delicate features and curvaceous figure, his eyes immediately lit up, and a lecherous smile appeared on his face.

"Hehe! Little sister, you look pretty good. Big brother will go easy on you later!"

Zhu Zhuqing frowned slightly and gave him a disgusted look. Her martial soul possessed her body in an instant. Yellow, yellow, and purple—three soul rings descended from above her head and circled around her calves.

Seeing Zhu Zhuqing's soul ring configuration, a hint of seriousness appeared in the burly man's eyes, though the lecherous smile on his lips did not diminish in the slightest.

"Bloodburst Madman. Martial soul: Bloodhead Axe. Level 35 assault-type Battle Soul Master."

A flash of red light appeared in his hand, and an enormous, extravagantly shaped axe emerged. Blood-red light curled around its blade, and combined with his vicious-looking face, he appeared exceptionally ferocious.

White, yellow, and purple soul rings circled around his calves as soul power surged outward in all directions.

Zhu Zhuqing ignored him. The tail behind her stood high, and the muscles in her calves tensed as she prepared to strike.

"Spirit battle, begin!"

At the host's command, Zhu Zhuqing's first soul ring lit up, and her figure vanished from the spot.

"First Soul Skill: Netherworld Thrust!"

Zhu Zhuqing transformed into a black shadow and rapidly closed in on the axe-wielding man.

"First Soul Skill: Blood Frenzy!"

The burly man's first soul ring lit up. His blood axe shone with crimson light as he viciously chopped down in Zhu Zhuqing's direction.

Boom!!!

The blood axe slammed heavily into the ground with a thunderous muffled crash. The entire spirit arena trembled slightly.

Zhu Zhuqing's forward momentum paused for an instant. She felt the blood and qi within her body churn, and her steps were forcibly halted.

"Third Soul Skill: Hurricane Frenzy!"

The burly man raised his massive axe. Blood-red soul power spread in all directions, carrying a faint stench of blood.

The enormous axe seemed like a toy in his hands as he swung it effortlessly, transforming it into one heavy arc of axe light after another.

Zhu Zhuqing's expression changed, and her figure disappeared from the spot like an afterimage.

Using both hands and feet, she truly seemed to transform into an agile cat, weaving through the dense shadows of the axe as she drew closer and closer to the burly man.

Shi An watched the scene quietly from the waiting area, with no intention of intervening.

It was true that he wanted to make money, but it was equally true that he wanted to temper Zhu Zhuqing's combat skills.

If she lost, they would merely lose some gold soul coins. But if Shi An intervened and Zhu Zhuqing was later injured or even killed when facing a powerful enemy because her combat skills were lacking, then that would be Shi An's fault.

On the spirit arena.

Although the burly man continued swinging his axe, both his speed and strength had weakened somewhat, and the soul power fluctuations around him were rapidly fading.

Clearly, his soul skill was about to end.

Zhu Zhuqing saw it as well. Her pace quickened, and as her first soul ring lit up beneath her feet, she vanished directly from the burly man's sight.

"Third Soul Skill: Withered Demon Slash!"

Zhu Zhuqing appeared behind the burly man. With her fingers held together like a blade, she slashed downward fiercely.

Slash!!!

A black cutting arc shot forth, seeming to merge with the air itself without producing even the slightest whistle.