The Wind Wolf Team That Didn't Know Its Place

The moment those words were spoken, Ye Lingling's expression changed instantly.

She was usually aloof and disliked arguing with others, but that did not mean she had no temper.

From childhood to adulthood, no one had ever dared utter such filthy words in front of her.

She suddenly clenched her fists, veins faintly showing on the backs of her fair hands as rare fury ignited in her beautiful eyes.

"You!"

Just as she was about to rebuke him, a hand gently settled on her shoulder.

Ning Chen stood up.

He did not deliberately release any Soul Power pressure, and his expression barely changed. He simply took a step forward, positioning himself between Ye Lingling and the lanky man.

But his gaze had changed.

Those eyes, once as calm as an ancient well, were now as cold as ten-thousand-year black ice.

He looked at the lanky man and asked, word by word, "Are you looking to die?"

His voice was not loud. It could even be called calm.

Yet the instant those words left his mouth, the air around them seemed to freeze.

The smile on the lanky man's face stiffened.

He had come specifically to provoke them. This was a common tactic in the Gambling District.

Enrage the opponent before the fight, make them lose their cool, and force them to reveal openings during battle.

He and his partner had used this trick to set up plenty of people, and it had never failed them.

By his expectations, the boy before him should have flown into a rage, argued with him, perhaps even started a fight. Then the Spirit Arena staff would pull them apart, and the boy would go onstage with a belly full of anger and perform poorly.

But now, when he met Ning Chen's eyes, his heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

An indescribable unease rose in the lanky man's heart, but with the arrow already on the string, he had no choice but to let it fly. He forced a grin. "What, kid? Not convinced?

Then get onstage and fight me! If you lose, let me have some fun with that little beauty of yours, hahaha!"

Before his laughter had faded, a hand reached over from the side and pressed down on his shoulder.

It belonged to a Soul Master in a Spirit Arena uniform, who glared at him unfriendly. "Private fighting is forbidden in the Gambling District. If you want to fight, take it to the stage."

The lanky man seized the chance to back down. He shrugged and spread his hands in an innocent gesture. "All right, all right. No trouble, no trouble. We're leaving, we're leaving."

He turned and walked away. After taking a few steps, he looked back, whistled at Ye Lingling, and then swaggered off into the crowd.

Ye Lingling trembled with rage, her teeth grinding audibly.

She had grown up in the Nine-Heart Begonia Sect, honored from childhood. When had she ever suffered such humiliation?

Yet Ning Chen showed no sign of anger.

He sat back down on the bench, calmly watching the direction in which the lanky man had disappeared. He said lightly, "He will pay the price."

Ye Lingling froze and turned to look at Ning Chen.

Not long after, the announcement rang out. "Next match: Star Sea Team versus Wind Wolf Team!"

Ning Chen opened his eyes and stood.

"Let's go."

The two of them stepped onto the Spirit Arena Stage.

Standing across from them were the lanky man from before and another man who looked seventy or eighty percent alike.

They had the same tall, thin build and the same brownish-yellow hair. One glance was enough to tell they were brothers.

Standing together, they looked like two bamboo poles stuck side by side in the ground.

The lanky man was the older brother, Feng Ying, a level forty-six agility-attack Battle Soul Ancestor.

The younger brother was Feng Sun, a level forty-five agility-attack Battle Soul Ancestor.

Both of their Martial Souls were Wind Wolf, a beast Martial Soul known for speed and agility. They excelled at maneuvering and sneak attacks and were standard agility-attack Soul Masters.

When Feng Ying saw Ning Chen and Ye Lingling take the stage, he flashed that punchable grin again. "Oh? You really dared to come up here?

Kid, don't blame your big brother here for not warning you when you get beaten to tears later.

As for the little beauty, don't worry. Your big brother knows his limits. I won't hurt that pretty little face of yours."

Feng Sun followed with a couple of snickers, his eyes lingering on Ye Lingling.

Ye Lingling's face turned ashen, but she remembered Ning Chen's words from before. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down, retreated several steps, and stood behind Ning Chen.

"Both sides, prepare!"

The host raised his hand.

Feng Ying and Feng Sun released their Martial Souls at the same time.

Two yellow and two purple Soul Rings rose beneath each of them, while their bodies underwent subtle changes the instant Martial Soul Possession took effect.

Their nails lengthened and sharpened into deadly claws, their pupils narrowed slightly, and an eerie green light gleamed within them.

A layer of blue-gray fur emerged over their arms and cheeks, giving them a bestial aura.

Wind Wolf Martial Souls, agility-attack type, specialized in speed and claw strikes.

"Begin!"

At the host's command, Feng Ying and Feng Sun moved at once.

Their figures left behind two afterimages on the Spirit Arena Stage. One came from the left and one from the right, sweeping toward Ning Chen like twin whirlwinds.

The speed advantage of agility-attack Soul Masters was displayed to the fullest on them. Their footwork was nimble and ever-changing, their paths erratic and difficult to predict.

The instant Feng Ying's first Soul Ring lit up, he struck first. Wind Wolf Claw!

The fingers of his right hand drew together as green wind blades condensed around his fingertips. With a shrill whistle through the air, he clawed toward Ning Chen's face.

At the same time, Feng Sun launched his attack.

Rather than pouncing directly at Ning Chen, he curved around to Ning Chen's rear flank. His target was clearly Ye Lingling, who stood behind him!

This was the brothers' usual tactic: one would keep the enemy occupied from the front while the other circled behind to eliminate the support-type Soul Master first, creating a two-against-one situation.

It was a good plan.

Unfortunately, they had encountered Ning Chen.

Facing Feng Ying's incoming claws, Ning Chen did not even take a step back.

Silver light flashed from the Starlight Bracer on his right wrist. Stellar Shield!

A hexagonal starlight shield condensed before him, blocking Feng Ying's Wind Wolf Claw perfectly.

Screech!

The claws scraped violently against the starlight shield, producing a piercing sound as sparks flew everywhere.

Feng Ying felt as though his claws had struck an incomparably hard slab of steel. Not only had he failed to break through the defense, but the impact numbed his fingers.

Meanwhile, Feng Sun had already closed in on Ye Lingling.

A triumphant gleam flashed through his eyes as he raised his claws high and slashed toward Ye Lingling's shoulder. He did not intend to kill her, but he at least intended to render her unable to fight.

Yet just as his claws were about to fall, a silver flash arrived after him but struck first.

Starlight Chains!

A streak of silver starlight shot from the tip of Ning Chen's bracer. Like a spirit snake, it wound around the path where Ning Chen was still entangled with Feng Ying and precisely coiled around Feng Sun's raised arm.

Feng Sun felt his wrist tighten as a powerful force yanked at him. His body was involuntarily dragged off course, and his claw swept past Ye Lingling's hair before striking empty air.

"What?!" Feng Sun's pupils shrank.

Ning Chen did not even turn to look at Feng Sun.

As he released the Starlight Chains, he loosely curled the fingers of his left hand and gave a fierce pull backward.

Feng Sun was dragged by the Starlight Chains, flying uncontrollably toward Ning Chen.