Challenge Match

Xuan Xiao did not leave until nightfall, after cultivating all day.

The moment he reached Huo Yuhao's stall, he saw Chang Wei fighting... No, someone was trying to snatch the grilled fish from Huo Yuhao's hands.

A blonde, blue-eyed girl was standing beside him.

Xuan Xiao's mouth twitched. Why had this still happened?

In the original story, Jiang Nannan had thought it was too expensive, so Xu Sanshi, that turtle-simp, had jumped out to snatch it.

Huo Yuhao clutched the grilled fish tightly, urgency in his voice. "No, there are only four left, and someone already reserved them!"

The instant Xuan Xiao heard that, he exploded. So some of those grilled fish were his? How dare this guy steal his food! Was he tired of living?!

He rolled up his sleeves and strode over, grabbed Xu Sanshi by the hair, twisted at the waist, and flung his arm, executing a beautiful over-the-shoulder throw.

Xu Sanshi traced an arc through the air before crashing to the ground with a bang, kicking up a cloud of dust.

He struggled to his feet, rubbed his aching back, and began cursing loudly.

"You little bastard, who the hell are you?!"

With both hands in his pockets and that trademark smile on his face, Xuan Xiao answered unhurriedly.

"Who are you calling a little bastard?"

Without even thinking, Xu Sanshi blurted out the answer.

"This little bastard is calling you!"

Only after the words left his mouth did he realize something was wrong.

"Hahahaha!"

The surrounding crowd instantly erupted with laughter. Some doubled over, some clutched their stomachs and squatted on the ground, and some laughed until tears ran down their faces.

Xu Sanshi's chest heaved violently with rage, his face turning liver-colored as he roared through gritted teeth.

"You're courting death!"

Xuan Xiao gave him a once-over, letting his gaze rest on his flat chest for two seconds before curling his lip.

"Alright, enough. Stop puffing it out. No matter how hard you try, you won't get any curves."

Even Jiang Nannan broke character. She had been standing to one side with an aloof air, watching the show.

But upon hearing that, she snorted with laughter, then hurriedly covered her mouth and pretended to cough.

Xu Sanshi finally snapped, Soul Power erupting from his body.

Yellow, yellow, purple—three Soul Rings lit up, and the phantom of an enormous turtle appeared behind him, radiating a heavy, imposing aura.

Xuan Xiao raised an eyebrow, showing no trace of fear.

"Are you sure you want to fight here? I don't mind getting disciplined. The question is, do you?"

Only then did Xu Sanshi remember that fighting within the academy would earn him disciplinary action.

He gritted his teeth, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart before squeezing out a sentence through clenched teeth.

"If you've got the guts, come with me to the Soul Duels Area!"

Xuan Xiao shrugged, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather.

"Sure. Don't say I'm bullying you—I'll even let you find another person."

The moment those words came out, the crowd around them exploded into an uproar.

"Is this kid insane? That's Xu Sanshi, Eternal Shield, one of the outer academy's Twin Stars!"

"It's him! I was there when he enrolled yesterday. He's Rank 39! And that Martial Soul of his was terrifying!"

"Rank 39? Really? Isn't that higher than Xu Sanshi?"

"Of course it's real. I saw it with my own eyes!"

As everyone discussed it animatedly, a voice came from beyond the crowd.

"What happened?"

The crowd automatically parted to make way. A young man in a cyan robe walked in, followed by a tall girl.

The young man had a gentle, jade-like temperament and a warm smile, looking like the friendly older brother next door.

The girl behind him had long black hair, a slender figure, and delicate features. Curiosity flickered in her large eyes.

When Huo Yuhao saw them, his eyes lit up, and he hurried over.

"Teacher Xiao Ya, Eldest Senior Brother!"

He briefly explained what had happened.

After listening, Beibei frowned slightly. He turned to Xu Sanshi, his eyes carrying a hint of helplessness.

When Xu Sanshi saw Beibei arrive, his confidence immediately rose. He strode over, patted Beibei on the shoulder, and said,

"Beibei, perfect timing. Help me beat him up!"

Huo Yuhao opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but swallowed the words before they came out.

He looked at Xuan Xiao, then at Xu Sanshi and Beibei, feeling conflicted.

One was a classmate who had helped him out, while the other was his eldest senior brother and friend. Caught in the middle, he did not know whom to support.

Xuan Xiao did not care in the slightest. He walked up to Huo Yuhao and held out his hand.

Huo Yuhao froze for a moment, then understood and hurriedly handed over two of the four remaining grilled fish.

Xuan Xiao took the grilled fish, sniffed them, nodded in satisfaction, then turned and left.

Xu Sanshi froze for a moment before hurriedly calling out.

"Where are you going?"

Without looking back, Xuan Xiao replied,

"To the Soul Duels Area. Are we fighting or not? If not, I'm going back to sleep."

Xu Sanshi's teeth itched with anger at his indifferent attitude. He gritted his teeth and strode after him.

Beibei sighed and followed as well.

After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Nannan followed behind them.

Huo Yuhao stood where he was, watching the four figures walk away. After thinking it over, he chased after them too.

Word of this quickly spread.

There were not many forms of entertainment on the Douluo Continent to begin with, and this time, someone had challenged Xu Sanshi, a famous outer academy student, and even allowed him to bring another person.

Naturally, the news spread like wildfire, and before long, the Soul Arena was packed.

The stands were a sea of people, filled with a dense mass of heads. Noisy discussions rose and fell, and the atmosphere was as lively as a festival.

Inside the waiting room, Xu Sanshi sat in a chair, his expression somewhat grim.

He had acted on impulse outside earlier, but now that he had calmed down, he was starting to feel uneasy.

Naturally, he had heard what people were saying about Xuan Xiao.

Rank 39, one level higher than him.

And apparently, that guy's Martial Soul was terrifying. Even the old student in charge of enrollment had been startled by it.

The more Xu Sanshi thought about it, the less confident he felt. He turned to Beibei, who was seated beside him, and put on a flattering smile.

"Beibei..."

Beibei crossed his arms and glanced sideways at him, his tone carrying a trace of schadenfreude.

"You deserve it. Who told you to be so impulsive? If you're not the one getting beaten up, who will be?"

Xu Sanshi hurried closer, grabbed Beibei's arm, and said pitifully,

"Beibei, you can't just stand by and watch your brother get beaten up."

Beibei raised an eyebrow.

"You want me to go up there and help you?"

Xu Sanshi nodded earnestly, looking like a puppy begging its owner for food.

Beibei held up two fingers and waved them in front of him.

"One Mysterious Water Pill. No guarantee you'll win."

Xu Sanshi's eye twitched violently.

"Why don't you just rob me?"

Beibei smiled faintly, with the shrewdness of a crooked merchant in his expression.

"How do you know I'm not? Two pills, and I'll guarantee your victory."

Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth, but in the end, he nodded. "Deal!"

Meanwhile, in another waiting room, Xuan Xiao sat in a chair, leisurely eating grilled fish.

The fish was charred on the outside and tender within, its fragrance tantalizing. It practically melted in his mouth, carrying a unique fresh flavor. The skin was crisp, and the meat was tender.

As he ate, he nodded. As expected of Succubus Grilled Fish. There were no seasonings, but it was genuinely fresh.

Whatever else could be said about Huo Yuhao, his skill at grilling fish was truly beyond reproach.

After finishing the fish, he tossed the bones into the trash can, leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and began simulating the coming battle in his mind.

Xu Sanshi's Martial Soul was the Dark Nether Turtle, with extremely powerful defense. It was known as the Eternal Shield.

This guy's defensive abilities ranked among the best in the entire outer academy. Ordinary attacks landing on him were no more than a scratch.

Beibei's Martial Soul was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. It possessed formidable offensive power and was not slow either, making him a very troublesome opponent.

Moreover, the two of them had trump cards. If he only used his fists, they would indeed be difficult to handle.