Every jeer from the crowd stabbed at Xu Sanshi's heart. He finally snapped, his eyes filled with nothing but madness and obsession.
He fixed Chen Jie with a fierce stare and threatened through gritted teeth:
"If you're a man, come fight me properly in the Soul Fighting Arena! If you don't dare, I'll pester Nannan every single day and harass her without end!"
Those words instantly enraged Chen Jie. An icy gleam flashed through his eyes, and the air around him turned cold.
He lowered his head to look tenderly at Jiang Nannan in his arms, then raised his eyes to Xu Sanshi, his voice cold and decisive:
"Fine. I'll teach you a proper lesson today."
The surroundings instantly erupted with excitement, and all the watching students grew restless.
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao happened to be passing by together. Hearing the commotion, they hurried into the crowd.
Several younger students nearby talked as they ran forward:
"Quick! Something big is happening! An older student is going to duel a younger one!"
"I heard about it! They're fighting over Senior Jiang Nannan, the inner court's most beautiful girl!"
"No wonder they're making such a fuss. Hurry, let's grab seats at the Soul Fighting Arena!"
Wang Dong immediately perked up. She pulled Xiao Xiao through the crowd and said eagerly, "Xiao Xiao! Someone's actually fighting a duel over a senior girl. This is going to be so much fun! Let's go watch!"
Xiao Xiao nodded lightly, her eyes full of curiosity, and followed the crowd toward the Soul Fighting Arena.
Elsewhere, Tang Ya was passing by alone when she heard the commotion and stopped.
After listening to the students and learning that an older student had challenged someone over a girl, she immediately grew interested. Smiling, she quietly followed the crowd, ready to enjoy the show.
With so many people watching, Xu Sanshi struggled even harder to save face. He barked coldly, "Let's go! To the Soul Fighting Arena! Today, I'll show you the gap between us!"
Chen Jie gently released Jiang Nannan from his embrace and reassured her tenderly, "Nannan, just watch from below the stage. I'll settle this nuisance once and for all today. No one will dare harass you again."
Seeing his determined expression, Jiang Nannan nodded in relief, her heart filled with trust.
A vast crowd escorted the two toward Shrek's Soul Fighting Arena, everyone eager to watch this duel between students of different years, sparked by a fight over a beauty.
The procession soon surged into the Soul Fighting Arena, packing the stands so tightly that not even water could seep through.
Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and Tang Ya all already knew Chen Jie. They took places at the front early, their eyes fixed on the stage.
Xiao Xiao's heart clenched with anxiety. Looking uneasy, she murmured, "Why is it Chen Jie...? Will he be at a disadvantage against an older student like Xu Sanshi?"
Beside her, Wang Dong watched Chen Jie prepare to take the stage, and jealousy suddenly welled up inside her. That bastard is always out attracting bees and butterflies. And now he's fighting someone over another senior girl. How infuriating!
Tang Ya watched the boy on the stage, an inexplicable pang of jealousy in her heart. Another girl coming to take a share... How annoying... I really want Chen Jie all to myself.
Each nursing her own thoughts, the three quietly watched the stage.
Chen Jie and Xu Sanshi leaped up, landing on the stage together.
Xu Sanshi utterly looked down on the younger Chen Jie and unleashed his Martial Soul first!
Emerald Soul Power burst outward, and the imposing Xuanwu Spirit Turtle Martial Soul appeared behind him, its shell thick and sturdy. Three Soul Rings-yellow, yellow, and purple-circled and flashed as he radiated arrogance.
He sneered and shouted, "Surrender now, and you can still save face!"
At the same time, a faint light flashed in Chen Jie's eyes as he activated the spiritual power gifted to him by the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, disguising his high-ranking Soul Rings as lower-ranking ones.
With a single thought!
Clear emerald light, bitterly cold, instantly spread across the entire stage!
A bone-piercing chill swept through the arena. An enormous Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion Martial Soul, emerald from head to tail and covered in dazzling patterns, slowly appeared behind Chen Jie, unleashing the crushing pressure of an ice emperor.
Five Soul Rings-yellow, purple, purple, black, and black-slowly rose and circled steadily around him.
At the sight, Xiao Xiao's eyes widened in shock, and her earlier worries vanished completely.
Wang Dong froze as well, both shocked and angry. She had never imagined Chen Jie had been hiding such terrifying strength all along.
Tang Ya was equally stunned. Her desire to have him to herself grew even stronger, and she became all the more unwilling to let anyone else covet him.
On the stage, Xu Sanshi's face turned deathly pale!
The formidable defensive aura of his Xuanwu Martial Soul was utterly suppressed beneath the crushing emerald pressure of Ultimate Ice. His Soul Power trembled violently, his Martial Soul stalled under the pressure, and even his body began to sway.
Before he could steady himself and counterattack, the second purple Soul Ring around Chen Jie suddenly blazed with light!
The icy radiance surged. Emerald ice Soul Power gathered wildly in Chen Jie's right hand, instantly forming a massive scorpion pincer, sharp and solid, covered in crystalline patterns!
Second Soul Skill-Ice Empress's Pincer!
Bone-piercing icy force erupted. Chen Jie flashed forward, his ice pincer carrying an overwhelmingly domineering power as it struck precisely at Xu Sanshi's vital spots below the waist!
"Oh... no... No... Don't come any closer!" Xu Sanshi screamed.
Bam-!!
Three muffled impacts thundered across the stage in rapid succession!
The Xuanwu defense Xu Sanshi took such pride in shattered instantly. As though struck by lightning, he staggered back three steps and slammed heavily onto the stage, spewing a mouthful of blood!
The power of Ultimate Ice surged into his little beans, instantly freezing and tearing them apart...!
Xu Sanshi's entire body went rigid. The Soul Power inside him fell into complete disarray and scattered, while the light of his Xuanwu Spirit Turtle Martial Soul faded entirely.
To his horror, he discovered that everything was gone... He had been reduced to a complete cripple!
The entire arena fell deathly silent!
Chen Jie looked down at him from above, a feigned look of guilt on his face:
"Sorry, Senior Xu Sanshi. I've caught a cold recently and accidentally hit the wrong spot. Are you all right?"
After this battle, Xu Sanshi was completely crippled, unable to cultivate for the rest of his life.
Once arrogant and overbearing, he became the academy's greatest laughingstock. Broken in both body and spirit, stripped of all confidence and dignity, he spent the rest of his life mired in inferiority.
The referee shouted with all his might, "Healing Soul Master! Hurry!"
He had intended to intervene immediately to stop Chen Jie, but unfortunately, his own Martial Soul was ice-attributed. The moment he approached, the Ultimate Ice leaking unconsciously from Chen Jie suppressed him completely. He could not activate his Martial Soul at all, and his Soul Power froze in place. Even his voice came out strained and weak. He could only stand there rigidly, unable to do a thing.
In the stands, Xiao Xiao stared, dumbfounded, and could not help murmuring, "A Jie really is the strongest!"
Wang Dong stared blankly at the stage, both jealous and stunned.
Watching the fierce, imposing Chen Jie, Tang Ya made her own little calculations. I can't let that inner court senior get ahead of me. Tonight, I'll have to get him firmly under my thumb and squeeze him dry!
Every male student in the stands felt a jolt of panic and instinctively clamped his legs together, inwardly marveling, This guy is far too terrifying...
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