An Overwhelming Victory

"Hmph, we'll see about that!" Tang San threw out a threat, hurriedly signed up for the individual matches, then turned and left.

Qin Ye could not be bothered with Tang San. After shooting Dai Mubai a look, he turned to the three girls beside him. "Does any of you want to team up with me for the doubles matches? I can carry you up the ranks."

"Me, me!" Ning Rongrong excitedly raised her right hand. "Brother Ye, I'm a support-type Soul Master. I can't fight if I go onstage alone. Since you can carry someone, take me!"

Xiao Wu hugged Zhu Zhuqing's arm. "Then I'll team up with Zhu Zhuqing. One of us is a power attack type, and the other is an agility attack type, so we can watch each other's backs. We'll leave Rongrong to you, Brother Ye. Carry her to victory! Good luck to you both!" Xiao Wu even waved her little fist.

"Mm, stay safe, both of you. I hope everything goes smoothly." Zhu Zhuqing gave Qin Ye a tender smile. Even though she could not team up with him, she was not worried that he would abandon her over it. After all, she had complete confidence in her looks and charm.

"Good, then it's settled. I hope everything goes smoothly for you two as well." Holding Ning Rongrong's little hand, Qin Ye signed them up at the front desk. When the receptionist asked for their team name, he rested a hand against his chin and thought for a moment. "How about the Seven Hearts Combination? 'Seven' from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and 'Heart' from heart demon."

"Sure, Seven Hearts it is." Ning Rongrong wrapped herself around Qin Ye's arm and said coyly, "Then you'd better protect me, Brother Ye. I'll be counting on you."

"Mm, no problem." Qin Ye made an OK sign.

The sight of Qin Ye's face made Ma Hongjun grind his teeth in anger. Why did Qin Ye get to have a girl on each arm and beauties all around him, while he did not?

"Boss Dai, let's also... huh? Where's Boss Dai?" Ma Hongjun was about to drag Dai Mubai into forming a team, only to discover that he had vanished at some point.

"Damn it, Boss Dai's gone just when I need him. He's probably off flirting with some girl again. Xiao Ao, we'll do it together. We have to teach him a proper lesson today!" Ma Hongjun rubbed his fists together and called over Oscar, who stood beside him.

As Oscar watched Ning Rongrong nestled against Qin Ye like a little bird seeking shelter, fierce jealousy welled up inside him. "All right. Let's show him what we're made of."

Oscar thought that if he and Ma Hongjun could defeat Qin Ye, Ning Rongrong would surely see him in a new light. Then perhaps he would have a chance to be with her.

Rongrong, wait for me. I'll definitely make you mine, Oscar thought to himself.

After Qin Ye and the others left, Ma Hongjun and Oscar also signed up for the doubles matches. All that remained was to wait for the Soul Fighting Arena to draw lots.

Besides teaming up with Ning Rongrong, Qin Ye had also registered for the individual matches. Only then would he have enough bouts to build up the points needed for a Bronze Soul Fighter badge.

"First match: Qin Ye versus Yang Le. Both fighters, please take the stage." The referee urged them on through his microphone.

Qin Ye slowly walked onto the platform. Opposite him stood a burly man with a tiger's back and a bear's waist. Like Qin Ye, he was a One-Ring Soul Master whose First Soul Ring was a hundred-year ring.

Yang Le looked at Qin Ye's statistics on the large screen.

Individual matches: 0 wins, 0 losses. Current total points: 0.

"So you're just a fresh recruit." Yang Le sneered at Qin Ye, revealing a mouthful of sharp fangs. "Hey, brat, I suggest you get the hell off this stage. Otherwise, my fists won't care who they hit."

Yang Le then summoned his Martial Soul, a powerfully built brown bear with glossy fur that looked exceptionally tough.

"That bearskin would make a decent rug." Qin Ye eyed Yang Le with contempt. To him, someone of this caliber did not even qualify as an opponent.

"Now, I declare-the match begins!"

"Hah!" Yang Le charged ahead, taking great strides as he rushed toward Qin Ye!

"First Soul Skill: Bear Claw Strike!"

Facing Yang Le's charge, Qin Ye stood motionless and merely glared at him. His scarlet pupils abruptly contracted, as though a demon's sharp claw had reached into Yang Le's soul.

Buzz!

Yang Le instantly slipped into a daze. His charging body spun out of control, and his Soul Skill was forcibly interrupted. He stumbled up to Qin Ye with none of his charge's force remaining.

"Trash."

Shhk!

Qin Ye drew a short blade from his Soul Tool and slit his throat in one stroke! His movements were clean and decisive! Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

Before Yang Le could react, he collapsed to the ground, his eyes vacant, and died on the spot.

The referee stared blankly at the corpse on the ground. Fewer than ten seconds had passed since he announced the start of the match, yet the towering Yang Le was already dead? Killed by this well-proportioned young man standing before him!!!

"Hey." Qin Ye looked coldly at the referee. "If I remember correctly, no one is held responsible for killing an opponent in the Soul Fighting Arena, right? Whatever their background, everyone is treated the same once they step onto this platform. If they die, they have only themselves to blame. Am I right?"

"Y-yes." The referee took out a handkerchief and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. For some reason, whenever Qin Ye stared at him, he felt as though a hunter had locked onto him. It was as if Qin Ye considered him prey as well and did not take him seriously in the slightest.

What a terrifying young man. His bearing is no different from those top fighters with enormous point totals. Just who is he? the referee wondered before hurriedly announcing Qin Ye's victory.

"I declare the winner of this match-Qin Ye!"

Qin Ye's points immediately increased by one, and his individual match record became one win and zero losses.

After seeing this, Qin Ye walked off the platform indifferently, without so much as a speck of blood on him.

"Brother Ye, you were amazing just now! I hadn't even seen what happened before he went down. How did you do it?" Ning Rongrong studied Qin Ye with wide, curious eyes.

"Heh, if I weren't strong, how would I protect you later?" Qin Ye smiled and rubbed Ning Rongrong's head. In front of his woman, he wore an entirely different face.

"By the way, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, there's something I need to remind you of." Qin Ye turned to the two girls, who would soon be taking the stage. "The Soul Fighting Arena allows injuries and deaths, so your opponents may well exploit your sympathy and strike a fatal blow the moment you let your guard down."

"So I have to remind you: never lower your guard against an enemy before the referee announces the result. Even killing them is better than being caught in a sneak attack. Understood?"

"We have to kill?" Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing looked hesitant. "I... I've never killed anyone before. Brother Ye, do we really have to kill them?" Xiao Wu asked anxiously.

"That's right." Qin Ye's tone brooked no argument. At the same time, his heart demon appeared in Xiao Wu's and Zhu Zhuqing's minds, interfering with their judgment and relentlessly hypnotizing them.

"Mercy toward your enemies is cruelty toward yourself. If you can't even bring yourselves to strike down an enemy, sooner or later you'll pay the price."

Under Qin Ye's hypnosis, a scarlet tint gradually appeared in Xiao Wu's and Zhu Zhuqing's eyes, along with a trace of bloodlust.

A moment later, the two girls exchanged a glance, then nodded obediently at Qin Ye.

"Yes, Brother Ye. We understand."

"Mm." Seeing this, Qin Ye nodded with satisfaction. "Now that's what I expect from my good little sisters."