Xiao Wu, You Admitted Defeat and Still Launched a Sneak Attack?

"Zhu Zhuqing and I will fight you together."

The moment Xiao Wu said it, the training ground buzzed with excitement.

Ling Yun did not refuse. He merely gave her a second look.

Ever since Dai Mubai had stepped onto the field, the defiance on Xiao Wu's face had never faded. Ling Yun had worn Dai Mubai down with speed. Ma Hongjun had created the water mist himself, only to lay out the perfect conditions for Ling Yun's Mist Veil. Then Zhu Zhuqing had lost at the very thing she did best: speed.

Among the Shrek Seven Devils, it was normal for some to win and others to lose.

But having three of them beaten in succession by the same person was clearly more than Xiao Wu could accept.

The Blue Tyrant Academy students had not mocked them outright, but they kept saying things like, "Shrek really is impressive. Too bad they ran into Ling Yun." Words that sounded like praise only grated on her more.

Zhu Zhuqing had already fought once and knew how wide the gap in speed was. Seeing that Xiao Wu was getting worked up, she reminded her quietly, "It's only a spar."

"I know."

Xiao Wu answered at once, but her eyes stayed fixed on Ling Yun. "I just don't believe he has a counter for every type of fighter."

Ling Yun heard her and laughed. "You've got me wrong there. I can't counter everyone. If Little San threw all his Hidden Weapons at me at once, I certainly wouldn't stand still and take them."

Xiao Wu's brows shot up. "Leave Third Brother out of this."

Ling Yun grinned. This girl's trigger was easy enough to find. Mentioning Tang San worked better than talking about her.

"All right. I won't."

Ling Yun walked back to the center of the training ground. "But let's get one thing straight. Two against one is fine, but if you lose, don't send in a third. If you keep lining up like this, people might think Blue Tyrant Academy has opened a Shrek experience hall."

A few laughs rose from the crowd.

Xiao Wu gave a soft snort. "Beat us first. Then you can gloat."

Zhu Zhuqing did not try to persuade her again. The two quickly spread out, taking positions on Ling Yun's left and right.

As soon as the fight began, Ling Yun realized their approach was completely different from the earlier bouts.

Zhu Zhuqing forced him into position. Xiao Wu delivered the real attacks.

Zhu Zhuqing activated Hell Stab and cut in from the left at high speed. The moment Ling Yun used Wave Treading to move right, Xiao Wu's third Soul Ring lit up.

Teleportation!

Xiao Wu, who had been more than ten meters away, suddenly appeared behind Ling Yun, her legs already reaching to wrap around his waist.

"Nice teamwork."

Water rippled beneath Ling Yun's feet as he slid forward close to the ground, narrowly avoiding Xiao Wu's legs. But Zhu Zhuqing had clearly anticipated that. Her second Soul Skill, Netherworld Hundred Claws, came straight at him from the front.

One in front, one behind.

Ling Yun did not force his way through. His First Soul Ring lit up, and a Water Shadow Clone appeared where he stood. Zhu Zhuqing's claws struck it, sending water bursting outward. Xiao Wu whipped her head around.

"On the right!"

Her judgment was quick.

The real Ling Yun had barely appeared when Xiao Wu teleported close again and kicked at his shoulder. He raised an arm to block, but the impact pushed him back two steps. His expression grew more serious.

Together, the two were far more interesting than they had been one at a time.

Especially Xiao Wu's Teleportation.

It ignored ordinary paths of movement. Once she was within the Soul Skill's range, she could cross the intervening distance in an instant.

At the edge of the field, Tang San relaxed a little at the sight. "Zhu Zhuqing forces Ling Yun to change direction, then Xiao Wu uses Teleportation to catch the opening after he turns. The plan works. As long as they don't let him settle fully into his rhythm, they still have a chance."

Xiao Wu had clearly heard him. If Third Brother said they had a chance, their approach was right.

Her resolve surged. But Ling Yun began changing his tactics too.

If Xiao Wu liked waiting for him to move before teleporting in close, he would give her a position she could reach.

Ling Yun deliberately slid to the left, and Zhu Zhuqing followed as expected. At the same time, Xiao Wu's third Soul Ring flashed again, and she appeared directly behind him.

But the instant she arrived, a pink tongue formed from Soul Power whipped toward her face.

Xiao Wu's expression changed. She raised both arms to block it, but the blow still drove her backward.

"You were waiting for me?"

"You've done it three times. If I still couldn't guess, all those years of fighting would've been for nothing." Ling Yun glanced at Tang San by the field and added casually, "Little San's analysis was thorough. Shame he said the plan so loudly I couldn't pretend not to hear."

Xiao Wu had already been holding back her anger. Hearing him bring up Tang San again darkened her face further.

"Don't get cocky!"

She rushed him again.

Ling Yun did not keep trading blows with her. Instead, he suddenly turned toward Zhu Zhuqing.

Wave Treading burst into full force, closing the dozen or so meters between them in moments. Zhu Zhuqing knew he meant to take one of them out first and immediately retreated. But Water Shadow Clones closed in from three directions at once. She misjudged just one of them, and his real body was already beside her.

The tongue wrapped around her arm.

Ling Yun pulled, throwing Zhu Zhuqing off balance. By the time she steadied herself, his palm had stopped close to the back of her neck.

After a moment's silence, Zhu Zhuqing dismissed her Martial Soul.

"I lost."

She knew perfectly well that in a real fight, it would not have been a hand against the back of her neck.

That left only Xiao Wu.

Some spectators at the edge of the field already thought the match should be over.

Ling Yun turned toward her but did not attack at once. "Still want to fight? The two of you couldn't pin me down. Now that you're alone, I doubt the result will change."

It was only a straightforward assessment, but Xiao Wu heard it differently. The others had all lost. She had to teach this guy a lesson. Even if it changed nothing in the end, she could at least make him work for his win.

Especially with Tang San watching.

Xiao Wu had grown up alongside Tang San. She often refused to admit defeat, but when it truly mattered, what she hated most was looking as though she could do nothing to help him.

"Who says it won't change?"

Xiao Wu charged again.

But indignation could not erase the gap in their strength.

Without Zhu Zhuqing to restrain Ling Yun, Xiao Wu's Teleportation became easier to predict. He evaded one attack after another, and she never even got close enough to catch him in her grappling techniques.

In another exchange, the tongue swept across Xiao Wu's shoulder and sent her stumbling sideways.

She forced herself to stay on her feet.

When she looked up, Ling Yun had not even pursued her. He stood where he was, waiting.

That stung more than any outright taunt.

It was as though he were telling her there was no need.

Xiao Wu gritted her teeth and teleported again.

It was still no use. Ling Yun seemed to have seen through her every fighting habit and always moved away from where she would appear.

If they kept fighting, her defeat would only grow uglier.

The last few exchanges flashed through Xiao Wu's mind. Then she glanced at the ground beneath her feet.

A thought came to her. If she could get close just once, she could catch Ling Yun with her Waist Bow. She might not be completely out of chances.

But he would never give her that distance in a normal attack.

Xiao Wu's eyes flickered.

The next time she landed, she deliberately set one foot half a step wrong. She lost her balance, dropped onto the ground, and clutched her ankle.

"Wait!" Ling Yun stopped, just as she had hoped.

With her head lowered and her breathing still quick, Xiao Wu said, "I'm done. I admit defeat. I think I twisted my ankle."

Zhu Zhuqing immediately took two steps forward.

Dai Mubai frowned as well.

Only Tang San felt a sudden pang of familiarity as he watched Xiao Wu lower her head.

When they had sparred as children in Holy Soul Village, Xiao Wu had used plenty of strange tricks to beat him.

"Xiao Wu..."

He had barely spoken.

The Soul Power around Ling Yun was already receding.

"If you admit defeat, it's over."

He turned away as he finished speaking. Xiao Wu raised her head.

She looked at his unguarded back and remembered his claim that the result would be no different. At last, her anger overcame her hesitation.

Just once. I'll throw him out and wipe that smug look off his face.

Her third Soul Ring blazed.

Teleportation!

She appeared directly behind Ling Yun, her legs reaching for his neck. Once she locked him into her Waist Bow, the force of her waist and a burst of Soul Power would be enough to fling a grown man away.

"Xiao Wu, stop!"

Tang San's expression changed at last, but it was too late.

Before Xiao Wu's legs could lock around him, Ling Yun stopped and spun. One hand clamped around her ankle.

"Did I just hear"—his voice had turned cold—

"you admit defeat?"

Xiao Wu's face changed. She was about to twist free with the strength of her waist, but Ling Yun had already stepped forward. This time, he held nothing back. His right hand tightened around her ankle and yanked her out of the air, slamming her hard into the training-ground floor.

Bang!

The dull impact silenced everyone around them.

Before Xiao Wu could rise, Ling Yun was in front of her. His palm struck her abdomen.

Soul Power erupted.

Her body flew more than ten meters backward. She only stopped when she hit the Stone Railing at the edge of the training ground, and a thin line of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

"Xiao Wu!"

Tang San rushed over almost at once.

Only after confirming that she was injured but not in mortal danger did he slowly stand.

Xiao Wu had been wrong to do that.

Even he had called for her to stop.

But knowing what was right was one thing.

Seeing Xiao Wu lying there was another.

Yu Xiaogang frowned. "Ling Yun, she was wrong to launch a sneak attack, but this was only a spar. Didn't you go too far?"

"A spar?"

Ling Yun looked at him. "She admitted defeat herself, and I withdrew my Soul Power. Grandmaster, do you still call it sparring when she uses Teleportation to catch me from behind with her Waist Bow?"

Yu Xiaogang had no answer.

After a moment's silence, Zhu Zhuqing spoke too. "Xiao Wu was the one who broke the rules."

Neither Dai Mubai nor Ma Hongjun defended her.

But Tang San had no intention of arguing further.

He left Xiao Wu in Ning Rongrong's care and walked back onto the training ground.

Blue Silver Grass grew slowly from his palm, and three Soul Rings—two yellow and one purple—rose with it.

"Third Brother..."

Xiao Wu called to him softly.

Tang San looked back. "What you did was wrong. When you've recovered, we'll talk about it."

Then he turned to Ling Yun again. His Purple Demon Eye slowly activated.

"Xiao Wu attacked after admitting defeat. I won't make excuses for her."

Tang San's voice was calm. "But you hurt her badly. As her brother, I can't just stand by and watch."

Ling Yun watched Tang San return to the field and released Greninja as well.

Tang San stopped ten meters away. "I'll take the next match."