A Wager, and Bei Miao's Might!

[Douluo Continent · Oscar: Look at the Armored Man up there! He's running across the sea! How is he doing that?]

[Douluo Continent · Tang Hao: Don't make such a fuss. Gather Soul Power beneath your feet, and you can walk on water or any other surface. You youngsters haven't managed that yet, have you?]

[Douluo Continent · Dai Mubai: Dean, you never taught us that!]

[Douluo Continent · Flender: Ahem, I... didn't know about it either.]

"That Flender."

Liu Erlong rolled her eyes. Was he really fit to be a dean? He hadn't even taught the children something like that.

"Hm?"

By chance, Liu Erlong caught sight of an enormous shape on the sea not far away and cried out.

[Douluo Continent · Liu Erlong: Look ahead! What a huge shark! What is that?]

[Douluo Continent · Ning Fengzhi: That... is a Sea Soul Beast, and it's at least ten thousand years old!

The shark Soul Beasts around it don't look ordinary either. I'm afraid none of them are young!]

[Douluo Continent · Ning Rongrong: Oh my god! Is that Armored Man going to fight this whole group of Soul Beasts? How could he?

Even a Titled Douluo would be left without so much as a bone fighting a swarm of Soul Beasts at sea!]

General Long Wei smiled at their comments. They were talking about ordinary Soul Masters. His master was anything but ordinary.

[Northern Underworld Continent · General Long Wei: You still don't understand. Just watch! This is the power of Black Rhinoceros, one of the Five Elders of the Empire!]

[Douluo Continent · Yu Xiaogang: What a show-off! He hasn't even released his Soul Rings. Does he intend to fight using only that armor?

Absurd. From what I can see, the armor isn't his Martial Soul. That means it's nothing but armor made of ordinary iron.]

[Northern Underworld Continent · General Long Wei: Hah, you haven't run away yet? I thought you'd already slunk off with your tail between your legs.

After all, once we reach the Douluo Continent, you'll be the first person we track down and torment.]

At General Long Wei's words, Yu Xiaogang swallowed hard. His urge to flee grew stronger. He knew the man meant it. If they caught him, he would suffer for it.

[Douluo Continent · Yu Xiaogang: You! Stop trying to scare me! I'm not afraid!

You're the ridiculous ones! Do you think armor made from ordinary iron can withstand a Soul Beast's attacks?

From what I can see, that beast is at least fifty thousand years old. Fighting it in that scrap metal—he must be in a hurry to die!]

Aboard the warship, General Long Wei read Yu Xiaogang's idiotic remarks and shook his head with a smile. Ignorance wasn't frightening. Self-important fools like him were.

On the Northern Underworld Continent, someone like that would never amount to anything. Yet on the Douluo Continent, he was treated like a hot commodity.

[Northern Underworld Continent · General Long Wei: I don't mind telling you: that Soul Beast is a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, a Demon Soul Great White Shark. Three or four ordinary land-dwelling Titled Douluo wouldn't be a match for her.

But watch closely. You're about to see my master thrash her.]

[Douluo Continent · Bibi Dong: A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast? What a pity.]

Bibi Dong had considered searching the sea for a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. After all, the sea held more Soul Beasts than the land.

But the sea was dangerous, and the Rakshasa God Trial had caused her Soul Power Level to plummet. She couldn't guarantee she would return safely. Otherwise, she would have set sail long ago.

Perhaps I can make plans this time.

Bibi Dong pondered in silence. The Northern Underworld Empire's arrival was hardly good news, but perhaps it wasn't entirely bad.

On Sea God Island, Bo Saixi watched the Sky Screen, her expression changing sharply. She recognized the Demon Soul Great White Shark. It was none other than Xiao Bai, Poseidon's former mount.

She had thought Xiao Bai had already withdrawn. Instead, Xiao Bai had led her pod toward the Northern Underworld Continent, hoping to defeat the Northern Underworld Empire.

[Sea God Island · Bo Saixi: Xiao Bai, run! You can't handle them! Don't fight them head-on!]

[Sea God Island · Xiao Bai: I don't believe you! You humans are just weak. Unless they agree to my terms, no one gets to run wild on Sea God Island!]

[Sea God Island · Bo Saixi: Listen to me! How many Soul Cannon shots do you think you can survive? Don't do anything foolish!]

From their exchange, everyone on the Douluo Continent more or less understood. These Soul Beasts belonged to Sea God Island and had come to fight the Northern Underworld Empire to the death.

[Douluo Continent · Tang San: Hah. Even the Soul Beasts can't stand what you're doing. Northern Underworld Empire, your crimes are monstrous!]

[Northern Underworld Continent · Bei Miao: Do I hear a dog barking? Boy, make one more sound and I promise I'll sew your mouth shut, stitch by stitch!]

[Douluo Continent · Tang San: Who are you? That's quite a boast! The tag after your name says you're from the Northern Underworld Empire. Do you also think that Armored Man will survive?]

Tang San's remark made everyone notice the tags that had suddenly appeared after their names. They had probably been added so strangers from different factions could tell one another apart.

[Northern Underworld Continent · Bei Miao: Heh. Survive? I'd wager he'll do more than survive. He'll beat every last one of those little fish into the ground!]

[Douluo Continent · Yu Xiaogang: What makes you so sure? You're far too confident. Just what I'd expect from someone from the Northern Underworld Empire—blindly arrogant and unable to see the situation for what it is.]

[Northern Underworld Continent · Bei Miao: Then I'm afraid you're in for a disappointment. I'm the Armored Man you've been talking about!

Now I'll show you what my armor can do!]

Bei Miao cut off his connection to the Sky Screen. With his extraordinary speed, he soon closed in on the great white sharks.

Near the pod of Demon Soul Great White Sharks, Bei Miao stopped running and slowed to a leisurely walk.

Xiao Bai spotted him too. She immediately took human form and stood before him.

"Human, who are you?"

Xiao Bai pointed at Bei Miao and glared at him. "Get that General Long Wei of yours over here. I want to fight him one-on-one!"

"Long Wei?"

Bei Miao rolled his wrist and studied her with interest. "What do you want with him?"

"I want to duel him!"

Xiao Bai planted her hands on her hips and thrust out her flat chest. "If I win, you leave Sea God Island alone!"

Xiao Bai knew she couldn't defeat the Northern Underworld Empire. That was why she had come up with this plan: she hoped a one-on-one match could save Sea God Island from destruction.

"One-on-one?"

Bei Miao laughed. Arms folded, he regarded her at his leisure. "Tell me, why should we agree to fight you one-on-one?"

"Well... um..."

The question stopped Xiao Bai cold. He was right. Why would they agree to a duel when they already held every advantage? Why would they do something so pointless?