Lin Ye: Sorry, I Can't Even Be Bothered to Use My Martial Soul!

"Teacher Zhao, why don't you let me fight for Oscar?"

The speaker was Tang San. He stepped forward, intending to challenge Meng Yiran in Oscar's place.

Although Lin Ye and Dai Mubai were strong, their levels were too high for a fair fight against her.

Oscar secretly gave Tang San a thumbs-up. "You're a true friend!"

"We're friends. It's only right that I help you, isn't it? Don't worry, Oscar. I'll help you keep this soul ring."

With that, Tang San strode forward. Zhao Wuji turned to Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang and asked, "Senior, what do you think? This student of mine is also a Battle Soul Master, so he meets the requirements for the duel."

"Hehe, let my granddaughter decide." Chao Tianxiang left the decision to Meng Yiran.

"Yiran, what do you think?"

Meng Yiran turned her gaze toward Lin Ye.

"I want to challenge Lin Ye."

Everyone was stunned by her words.

Was there something seriously wrong with this girl?

Choosing Lin Ye? Wasn't she just asking for trouble?

Hearing her pass him over to challenge Lin Ye instead, Tang San immediately felt a wave of embarrassment.

Lin Ye, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

How interesting...

"Yiran, are you sure you want to choose him?" Chao Tianxiang asked.

Meng Yiran looked at Lin Ye, a flicker of fervor passing through her eyes.

She nodded firmly. "I'm sure, Grandma."

Lin Ye looked at her and asked with a smile, "Miss Yiran, have you thought this through?"

"Come on. I want to see—see just how wide the gap is between me and a genius like you." Meng Yiran summoned her martial soul, the Serpent Cane, and took her stance, brimming with fighting spirit.

Seeing this, Lin Ye could hardly refuse. He stepped out of the crowd.

Since Meng Yiran wanted to see the gap between them, he would oblige her.

Summoning his martial soul, Lin Ye looked at her and began to ponder.

What skill could I use to defeat her instantly without hurting her?

That was a problem. Many of his current skills were still far too lethal against people below his level.

I've got it!

A supreme technique came to Lin Ye's mind, one tied to the beginning of his journey through the myriad worlds and the first master he had ever taken.

Everyone cleared a space for them, and Meng Yiran and Lin Ye stood facing each other.

Lin Ye casually snapped a branch off a tree and lightly weighed it in his palm.

The branch was slender and looked easy to break. Meng Yiran's pupils contracted sharply at the sight.

"What is the meaning of this?" Her right hand clenched around the Serpent Cane, her knuckles whitening slightly as suppressed anger crept into her voice.

Lin Ye merely twirled the branch casually and said in an indifferent tone, "Let's begin."

The onlookers were all surprised by Lin Ye's actions.

Was he looking down on Meng Yiran?

Well, as a prodigy who had reached level thirty-nine at just twelve years old, with a soul ring configuration that defied the heavens, dealing with an opponent far below his level would naturally be child's play.

Still, wasn't using a wooden stick instead of his martial soul taking things a little too far?

Xiao Wu couldn't help tugging on Tang San's sleeve. "Brother, has he gone crazy?"

Using a branch against a Serpent Cane many times harder—had he really not lost his mind?

Tang San, however, stared fixedly at the branch and murmured, "Interesting..."

The seemingly casual grip actually concealed a certain rhythm.

Lin Ye came from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Could this be one of their secret sect techniques?

That was quite possible.

After so many years on the Douluo Continent, he was eager to learn what exquisite martial arts existed in this land where Soul Masters flourished alongside all manner of sects.

As the battle began, Meng Yiran's Serpent Cane immediately erupted with a dazzling green light, and her first soul ring abruptly lit up.

"First soul skill, Snake Blade!"

The cane's tip became a blur, thrusting toward Lin Ye and driving straight for his throat.

But Lin Ye reacted swiftly. He merely sidestepped, lightly tapping the branch against the Serpent Cane's seven-inch point.

Bang!

The seemingly supple branch actually knocked the hard Serpent Cane three inches off course.

Tang San was startled by the sight. "That force..."

Dai Mubai and the others sucked in a breath of cold air.

"He deflected a soul skill without using soul power?"

Meng Yiran staggered two steps, humiliation and anger rising together. She immediately unleashed her second soul skill.

"Serpent Body!"

The Serpent Cane instantly produced a serpent-shaped shadow that sprang from its head and shot toward Lin Ye's shoulder.

Yet the branch suddenly traced a mysterious arc through the air.

Crack!

With a crisp snap, the serpent shadow was whipped to pieces in an instant.

Then Lin Ye wielded the branch like a roaming dragon. Each effortless tap left Meng Yiran scrambling to respond.

After several exchanges, Lin Ye suddenly turned, lunged forward, and brought the branch to a precise stop three inches before her throat.

At that very moment, Meng Yiran's soul power ran out. Seeing the branch aimed at her vital point, she collapsed helplessly onto the ground, drenched in sweat.

"What... staff technique did you use?" she asked, panting.

"The Dog-Beating Staff Technique." Lin Ye casually tossed the branch aside, his expression nonchalant.

Meng Yiran's eyes lit up. "I'll remember that! Next time..."

"Wait. Stop right there. There won't be a next time. Our strength isn't even on the same level. You're only inviting humiliation."

With that, Lin Ye turned and walked toward Ning Rongrong, paying Meng Yiran no further attention.

Meng Yiran flushed at his words, only to see Ning Rongrong a short distance away take Lin Ye's arm as though flaunting her claim.

Seeing this, Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang could only sigh and help her granddaughter up.

"A wager is a wager. This thousand-year-old Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent is yours. But I will remember what happened today."

After leaving those threatening words behind, she took Meng Yiran's hand and prepared to leave.

"Wait, Grandma."

Meng Yiran let go of Chao Tianxiang's hand and hurried over to Lin Ye. "My name is Meng Yiran! Remember that name. I'll come challenge you again!"

Hearing this, Lin Ye waved a hand dismissively.

Whether they would ever meet again was uncertain. Even if they did, with Meng Yiran's talent, catching up to him would be no different from climbing to the heavens.

Meng Yiran was destined never to fulfill her wish of "conquering" Lin Ye in this lifetime.

After she left, Ning Rongrong suddenly leaned close to his ear. "Brother Lin Ye, the way that girl looked at you..."

"Hm?" Lin Ye turned toward her, looking completely bewildered.

Seeing this, Zhu Zhuqing silently turned her face away.

Sometimes, this man seemed frighteningly dense.

In the distance, Tang San stared thoughtfully at the discarded branch.

That serpent-beating staff technique looked remarkably refined, not far behind his Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon. Was this the level of martial arts practiced by the Douluo Continent's sects?

"Brother, what are you thinking about?" Xiao Wu asked, giving him a puzzled tug.

"Nothing." Tang San immediately withdrew his gaze. "Let's stand guard for Oscar."

Oscar excitedly drove his knife through the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's head, and a purple soul ring slowly rose into the air.