An unexpected butterfly effect

When Tian Chen stepped into the arena, Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi were already waiting on the opposite side, fully prepared for battle.

"A two-on-one Soul Fighting match: Tian Chen, a first-year outer courtyard student, versus Bei Bei, a fourth-year outer courtyard student, and Xu Sanshi, a fifth-year outer courtyard student. If Bei Bei loses, he must pay an additional thirty Gold Soul Coins; Xu Sanshi must pay forty. Neither side may maim their opponents. The match ends when either side voluntarily concedes or loses the ability to fight," the referee announced loudly.

"Wait, sir!"

"Is there another problem?"

After hearing the referee's announcement, Tian Chen smiled faintly, displaying extraordinary confidence.

He took a step forward, swept his gaze between Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi, then said clearly, "Seniors, fighting like this seems a little dull. Why don't we raise the stakes and make this match more exciting?"

His words immediately sent an uproar through the crowd. The spectators whispered among themselves, clearly surprised and intrigued by his bold proposal.

When Tian Chen proposed raising the stakes, Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi exchanged a glance, evidently weighing the proposal in their minds.

Seeing this, Tian Chen's lips curved slightly, and he said slowly, "If I win, Senior Bei Bei must hand over a Mystic Water Pill, and Senior Xu Sanshi must produce a Soul Ascension Pill. Of course, if I lose, I'm willing to pay their equivalent value in Gold Soul Coins. What do you say?"

Xu Sanshi snorted, a trace of disdain in his voice. "You talk big, kid. Looks like you're very confident in your strength. But since you dare to propose it, we'll take that bet!"

After a moment's thought, Bei Bei nodded lightly. His tone was calm, but carried a hint of authority. "All right. Since you're so confident, we'll play along. Just don't regret it."

Seeing that both sides had agreed, the referee announced loudly, "The wager is set! If Tian Chen wins, Bei Bei must pay one Mystic Water Pill, and Xu Sanshi must pay one Soul Ascension Pill. If Tian Chen loses, he must pay their equivalent value in Gold Soul Coins. Once both sides confirm the terms, the match will officially begin!"

A flicker of amusement crossed Tian Chen's eyes. He turned and returned to his position, ready for the fierce battle ahead.

"All right, begin!"

Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi swiftly readied themselves for combat.

"Martial Soul Possession!" ×2

Blue and black light flared simultaneously. Bei Bei's right hand instantly transformed into a scaled dragon claw, terrifying arcs of electricity dancing across it and lending it an exceptionally fierce edge;

Xu Sanshi's martial soul, meanwhile, was an enormous, dark-green Soul Beast, with a turtle and snake coiled together, radiating an intimidating presence! It exuded a steady, imposing aura. Three Soul Rings appeared around Bei Bei, and four around Xu Sanshi: two yellow and one purple for the former, two yellow and two purple for the latter, demonstrating their strength as elite outer courtyard students.

Tian Chen could not help freezing for a moment when he saw Xu Sanshi's four Soul Rings. According to his knowledge of the original story, Xu Sanshi should not have broken through to Soul Ancestor yet. In theory, he should only have possessed three Soul Rings.

Moreover, this martial soul was not the Xuanming Turtle, but the Divine Beast Black Tortoise.

[Ding. This was a butterfly effect caused by the host winning Jiang Nannan over ahead of time. As a result, Xu Sanshi did not become so nervous that he entered the wrong room, as he did in the original story. This allowed him to successfully awaken the Black Tortoise Shield, and he even successfully awakened his black tortoise bloodline a few months ago.]

Hearing the system's notification, Tian Chen finally understood. As it turned out, winning Jiang Nannan over had actually helped Xu Sanshi.

But so what? He was only one rank higher than in the original story. I'll beat him all the same!

Seeing that Tian Chen still had not revealed his martial soul, Xu Sanshi assumed he was afraid. He snorted, his tone unmistakably smug. "Kid, aren't you going to reveal your martial soul? If you don't dare fight, there's still time to concede!"

Faced with Xu Sanshi's mockery, Tian Chen smiled faintly, a touch of quiet arrogance flashing in his eyes.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi like a blade. His voice was calm, yet carried an unmistakable menace. "If you're worthy of making me use my Martial Soul, I'll naturally reveal it."

Tian Chen's words were like an invisible blade, striking straight into Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi's hearts. Bei Bei frowned slightly, evidently feeling an unprecedented pressure, while Xu Sanshi tightened his grip on his shield, growing increasingly agitated.

To further probe his opponent's strength, Bei Bei decided to act.

Bei Bei stepped forward first. The electric arcs on his right dragon claw suddenly intensified, producing a piercing crackle. His eyes locked onto Tian Chen, and he spoke warily. "Junior, since you're so confident, let's see where that confidence comes from." Before he had finished speaking, he shot toward Tian Chen like a bolt of lightning, his dragon claw striking straight at Tian Chen's chest.

Yet upon seeing Bei Bei's dragon claw attack, Tian Chen simply extended one hand.

A cloud of smoke flashed past, but Tian Chen remained as steady as Mount Tai. His right hand had caught Bei Bei's dragon claw single-handedly. Astonishingly, not only had he failed to retreat even half a step, a faint smile had even appeared on his face.

With a slight exertion of force, Tian Chen gently pushed Bei Bei's dragon claw away. His voice remained composed. "Senior Bei Bei, your attack is certainly impressive, but it's still not enough to make me use my Martial Soul."

Xu Sanshi frowned deeply at the sight, a trace of unease rising within him. Tightening his grip on the Black Tortoise Shield, he snorted. "Don't think catching one strike from Bei Bei makes you something special. We haven't really started yet!"

The students watching began to discuss the spectacle.

"Tian Chen actually caught Bei Bei's dragon claw with one hand! Isn't that strength a little too terrifying?"

"Exactly! Bei Bei has one of the strongest attacks in the outer courtyard. Who would have thought Tian Chen could handle it so easily?"

In the spectator stands, Jiang Nannan breathed a sigh of relief, her tightly clenched hands relaxing a little. Nevertheless, her gaze remained fixed on the arena, worried that something unexpected might happen in the fighting to come.

Bei Bei took a deep breath, trying to calm the shock within him. He said quietly to Xu Sanshi, "Looks like we'll have to go all out. Sanshi, don't hold back anymore." Xu Sanshi nodded, determination flashing in his eyes.

After hearing Bei Bei's reminder, Xu Sanshi immediately adjusted his condition. He drew a deep breath, his Soul Power rapidly circulating as his third Soul Ring began to shine brilliantly. Then he shouted in a low voice, "Third Soul Skill—Black Tortoise Power!"

As the Soul Skill was unleashed, a thick Black Tortoise phantom appeared over Xu Sanshi's body. It not only strengthened his defense, but also significantly increased his strength. The entire arena seemed to tremble slightly beneath that power. The pressure in the air abruptly intensified, and the watching students felt an indescribable sense of oppression.

At the same time, Bei Bei refused to be outdone. His third Soul Ring also lit up, accompanied by a deep roar. "Third Soul Skill—Thunderclap Fury!"

In an instant, dense electric arcs wreathed Bei Bei's dragon claw. Thicker and more violent than before, they gave off a piercing crackle.

"Xu Sanshi's Black Tortoise Power and Bei Bei's Thunderclap Fury are both incredibly terrifying enhancement skills. They'll be at their best now. Looks like they're really getting serious!"

"Tian Chen caught Bei Bei's first strike, but can he stay this composed against both of them together?"

Jiang Nannan grew tense again, her hands clenching back into fists. Her eyes were full of worry.

Bei Bei's second Soul Skill, Thunderous Might, instantly erupted with tremendous power. The electric arcs winding around his dragon claw surged, forming a dazzling, violent blaze of lightning that enveloped his entire body.

He let out a low roar, and the fierce lightning instantly transformed into a lightning dragon that charged toward Tian Chen.

At the very moment Bei Bei launched his attack, Xu Sanshi suddenly spewed a stream of Black Water. The water rapidly spread through the air and merged with Thunderous Might. Its conductivity further amplified the lightning's power, making its radiance even more dazzling and oppressive.

Yet a shocking scene unfolded—when Bei Bei's attack struck Tian Chen, he was neither driven back nor injured as everyone had expected. Instead, he stood rooted to the spot, allowing the violent power of lightning to envelop his entire body. His body seemed to become one with the lightning. A glimmer of pleasure shone in his unusual golden-red eyes, and even the corners of his lips lifted slightly, as though he were enjoying its baptism.

Bei Bei frowned deeply at the sight, a vague unease stirring in his heart. He murmured, "How is this possible... After being enhanced by Thunderclap Fury and bathed in Black Water, Thunderous Might has already surpassed a Soul Ancestor's fourth Soul Skill."

The spectators were equally astonished, their voices rising one after another:

"Bei Bei's Thunderous Might didn't hurt Tian Chen at all? This is unbelievable!"

"Could Tian Chen's physique or Martial Soul have some special ability that makes him immune to lightning attacks?"

Bathed in lightning, Tian Chen smiled faintly. "Senior Bei Bei, this Soul Skill of yours is certainly good. An ordinary Soul Elder would have a hard time taking it. But compared to the electric shocks I endure during training, this level of electricity doesn't even qualify as a tickle."

With that, Tian Chen suddenly struck, plunging his five fingers into the violent electric arcs like blades.

Astonishingly, the seemingly unstoppable lightning was torn apart in his hand like soft cloth. With a low explosive boom, the lightning scattered. The electric arcs gathered around him completely collapsed, dissolving into countless tiny currents that vanished into the air.

"Your attacks are useless against me. Now it's my turn." Tian Chen's voice was low, yet carried unquestionable authority. Before his words had faded, he vanished from the spot, leaving only an afterimage and traces of electric arcs still lingering in the air.