The Imperial Fighting Team vs. the Shrek Seven Devils (Part One)

That night, Qian Renyue went out for a while.

The next day, the thrilling team match at the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena officially began.

The Shrek Seven Devils had emerged as dark horses, while the Imperial Fighting Team was exceptionally strong. With these two teams facing off, no one could say for certain who would win.

After hearing that Chen Xin had taken a girl as his disciple, Ning Fengzhi had become curious enough to indulge in some gossip. He knew his precious daughter had a team match today, and Gu Rong had told him that Chen Xin's disciple would be on Ning Rongrong's opposing side. So he had arrived bright and early, claiming he wanted to watch Ning Rongrong discreetly. In truth, he wanted to see just how special a child had to be to catch Chen Xin's eye.

In the VIP section, Chen Xin had made a rare outing with Ning Fengzhi. Today, Gu Rong had been left to guard their home.

Gu Rong had been quite reluctant at first, but there was nothing for it. Old Sword had stayed home on guard duty plenty of times, and this time, he selfishly wanted to watch his disciple. Gu Rong had not made too much of a fuss. At worst, he would make Chen Xin take the blame a few extra times next time.

The Soul Fighting Arena was bustling with excitement, the spectators cheering passionately. Some held signs for the Shrek Seven Devils, others for the Imperial Fighting Team, but even more held little signs for Qian Renyue and Tang San.

Liu Tian, whom Qian Renyue had defeated last time, had also come specifically to cheer her on today.

He had paid off three entire rows of spectators to shout Qian Renyue's name at the top of their lungs, at one point drowning out the fan club Yu Feng had assembled for her.

Yu Feng's face turned livid. He was Yueyue's number one fan! How could he let someone else overtake him?

He immediately began banging his gong and drum. "Louder! They're about to drown you out!"

"..."

The fan club Yu Feng had assembled felt the pressure keenly. "Boss, they've got ten times as many people as we do! Even if we shouted through megaphones, we couldn't compete!"

"..."

Yu Feng glanced at his own fan club. Well, would you look at that-to save money, he had only hired ten people.

The paid cheer squad: "..."

They had never been so speechless in their lives.

Liu Tian shouted with all his might. He could not care less about that little bird Yu Feng. He let his actions do the talking!

The waiting area.

The Shrek Seven Devils and the Imperial Fighting Team met head-on.

"These uniforms are seriously hideous."

Ning Rongrong grumbled under her breath.

Just moments earlier, Flender had suddenly brought them a set of extraordinarily ugly green team uniforms plastered with labels and ordered them to change into them for the match immediately.

For once, everyone had agreed: none of them wanted to wear them. But Flender insisted. If they refused, they would have to reimburse the sponsorship money. Left with no choice, they had meekly followed Dai Mubai's lead and put on the uniforms, whose ugliness reached clear to the heavens.

Unlike the Shrek Seven Devils, the Imperial Fighting Team had no team uniforms to speak of.

They each wore whatever they liked. Every one of them was a handsome young man or a beautiful young woman, and their clothing alone put them far ahead of the Shrek Seven Devils.

When Ning Rongrong saw Qian Renyue and the others in their beautiful clothes, she felt even more aggrieved. Honestly, she really, really, really despised these uniforms. If she could, she would have crawled into a crack in the ground. Without a comparison, there would be no sting.

Today, Qian Renyue wore clothing suited for a fight: a fitted black outfit, her long hair pinned up with a silver sword-shaped hairpin. A few wisps fell beside her temples, lending a playful touch to her capable appearance.

Of everyone on the Imperial Fighting Team, Qian Renyue's height stood out the most. Without heeled shoes, she looked considerably shorter than Dugu Yan. Granted, she was also considerably younger than Dugu Yan and the others, but the sight still looked a little odd.

As the two teams passed each other, Tang San and the others instinctively looked toward Qian Renyue. Tang San had intended to stop and greet her, but Dai Mubai still held a grudge over Yu Tianheng electrocuting him last time. Unsurprisingly, the moment the two team leaders met, their fists collided.

"..."

A light breeze lifted the wisps of Qian Renyue's hair. Walking beside Yu Tianheng was seriously going to be the death of her.

She raised her eyes to glance at Dai Mubai. Right now, all his hostility was focused on Yu Tianheng, so he paid no attention to her gaze.

Yu Tianheng grinned. He did not care how this fellow looked at him. Both captains looked exceptionally arrogant. As vice-captains, Dugu Yan and Tang San exchanged a glance. Dugu Yan's lips curved slightly, and although she said nothing, the contempt in her eyes made Tang San frown faintly.

The atmosphere between the teams was painfully tense. Ma Hongjun could not stomach this slight either. He stuck out his little finger at Yu Tianheng, looking outrageously cocky. "What's the point of showing off here? If you've got the guts, beat me until I'm searching the floor for my teeth on the Soul Fighting Platform!"

"..."

Oscar and Ning Rongrong looked at Ma Hongjun as though he were an idiot. Zhu Zhuqing cast him a sympathetic glance. It would be a miracle if this fatty did not end up searching the floor for his teeth today.

"Sure. You said it yourself, so don't expect us to go easy on you~"

Before Yu Tianheng could speak, Qian Renyue spoke up beside him. She looked at Ma Hongjun with a faint, ambiguous smile. Based on their matchups, he was already hers to deal with. Given her strength, beating up a little fatty would be no problem at all.

"Little Sister Yueyue."

Ma Hongjun spoke up. "I've wanted to spar with you for ages. Come at me with everything you've got!"

"Who gave you permission to call her Little Sister Yueyue?!" Fiercely protective, Yu Tianheng almost punched Ma Hongjun in the face. Only Dugu Yan's intervention prevented a fight.

Private fighting was strictly forbidden in the Great Soul Arena. If they struck first, they might be disqualified before the match even began.

"Running your mouth here won't accomplish anything. Tian Heng, don't be impulsive."

Dugu Yan blocked him and urged him to calm down.

She frowned slightly, signaling for Yu Tianheng not to act rashly. They might be provoking him on purpose.

"..."

Yu Tianheng understood, but he still felt upset. Under Dugu Yan's soothing words, he unclenched his fist and finally chose to take a step back.

Qian Renyue did not particularly care. The little fatty could run his mouth now, but he would get beaten up shortly. He might even receive a few more beatings after the Soul Fighting match ended.

"Little Yue."

Tang San looked at Qian Renyue and spoke. His expression was somewhat complicated, and his hesitant manner made Yu Tianheng a little impatient.

Yu Tianheng was still seething. Why would he want to chat peacefully with them? He immediately shouldered Tang San aside. Dai Mubai's eyes sharpened as he steadied Tang San, and when he looked back at Yu Tianheng, the hostility in their gazes was thick with gunpowder.

Qian Renyue caught Yu Tianheng and said softly, "Brother Tian Heng, there's no need to waste time with them here. If we delay any longer, Teacher Qin Ming will come looking for us."

They were supposed to be waiting for their match now. If both teams kept lingering here, they would only attract attention. Once their teachers arrived, none of them would escape a scolding.

At that thought, Yu Tianheng let the matter drop. He exchanged a look with Dai Mubai, neither willing to yield. The fury in their eyes could rival fire-breathing dragons.

Ma Hongjun pulled faces at the other members of the Imperial Fighting Team, looking thoroughly deserving of a beating. Xiao Wu glanced at Qian Renyue and, for once, showed no hostility. She followed behind Tang San, deliberately avoiding Qian Renyue. Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong, meanwhile, greeted Qian Renyue warmly. Both nodded to her, and she politely returned the gesture. With that, the two groups headed off in force toward their respective waiting areas.

"Welcome to the Great Soul Arena! I'm your host, Taotao!"

The spotlights came on, and a man in a tailcoat rose onto the Soul Fighting Platform. He wore black-framed glasses and held a microphone. His head was shaped like a sewing machine, making him look especially comical.

He grandly introduced the Imperial Fighting Team's record and marveled at the dark horses who had burst onto the scene-the Shrek Seven Devils.

Between a team with an average Soul Power rank of thirty-five and one averaging thirty, most people would expect the rank-thirty-five team to win without question. This time, however, things were different. Every member of the Shrek Seven Devils could be called a genius in their own right. They even had a Soul Master with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Though her rank was not high, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's enhancement abilities were universally acknowledged as the best among support types. No one could say with absolute certainty which team would come out on top.

That was precisely why the Great Soul Arena was particularly lively today.

The spectator stands.

The VIP section.

Azure Luan Douluo and Mighty Lion Douluo each wore a gray cloak. They sat somewhere inconspicuous that still offered a clear view of the Soul Fighting Platform, suppressing their auras enough to avoid detection by the other Soul Masters.

Likewise, Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi kept a very low profile. They found seats opposite Azure Luan and his companion, also in a corner with a clear view of the Soul Fighting Platform. As expected, Chen Xin had concealed his aura too, so neither group noticed the other's presence.

Excitement surged through the ordinary spectator stands. Under the spotlights, the two teams entered one after the other. Once they took their positions, Dai Mubai roared, "Brothers, release your Martial Souls!"

The seven activated their Martial Souls and revealed their Soul Rings. Powerful Soul Power fluctuations filled the entire Soul Fighting Platform, blowing the host away and nearly knocking off his glasses. He hurriedly flew in another direction, found a corner safely out of reach, and continued commentating on the team match.

"Next up, our Imperial Fighting Team!"

As soon as the host finished speaking, the Imperial Fighting Team, led by Yu Tianheng, released their Soul Power and revealed their Martial Souls and Soul Rings. The most striking among them was undoubtedly Qian Renyue. A single Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring was enough to send everyone present into a frenzy!

"This child..."

Ning Fengzhi's voice carried his astonishment.

A ten-thousand-year third ring was something he had never heard of, let alone seen. It seemed Uncle Jian's young disciple truly had a few tricks up her sleeve.

He withdrew his gaze and looked at Chen Xin with a smile. Chen Xin nodded lightly, an irrepressible hint of a smile lingering on his usually glacial face.

Ning Fengzhi understood and said nothing more. Still smiling, he turned back to the match on the platform.

"Let the Soul Fighting begin!"

The instant the host's words fell, the combatants on both sides charged toward their respective opponents.

Yu Tianheng and Dai Mubai already had a personal score to settle. When their fists collided, both put every ounce of strength into the blow. Fierce winds whipped up around them, neither willing to give an inch.

Their teammates had expected the clash between the two captains. Qian Renyue had drawn up the Imperial Fighting Team's strategy, and, as planned, Dugu Yan opened with her ultimate move, preparing to control the entire arena with Jade Phosphor Snake Poison.

"Yanzi!"

In the spectator stands, Qin Ming's eyes flew wide open. He had explicitly warned Dugu Yan not to use Jade Phosphor Snake Poison. Why would this child not listen at all?

Green poisonous mist began spreading. Before long, Jade Phosphor Snake Poison surrounded the entire Soul Fighting Platform. At the same time, the Great Soul Arena's protective barrier activated, and Qian Renyue used her second Soul Skill to fly toward Ning Rongrong.

In her plan, Tang San and the others would definitely have something held in reserve. Dugu Yan's Jade Phosphor Snake Poison would surely only control the field briefly. They needed to seize that window and eliminate the support-type Ning Rongrong and Oscar as quickly as possible.

Tang San had not expected Dugu Yan to release Jade Phosphor Snake Poison right at the start. He frowned slightly and looked at Oscar. "Little Ao!"

"Third Soul Skill, Rapid Flying Mushroom Sausage!"

Oscar understood and hurriedly produced six sausages, tossing them to the other five.

After eating the sausages, Tang San and the others immediately took flight. He had intended to deal with Dugu Yan's Jade Phosphor Snake Poison as quickly as possible, but the moment he reached the air above, he saw Qian Renyue flying toward Ning Rongrong, who had no means of protecting herself.

"Rongrong! Watch out!"

Tang San used blue silver grass to wrap around Ning Rongrong's waist and yank her toward him. At the same time, Xiao Wu coordinated with him and attacked Qian Renyue.

"Third Soul Skill, Teleportation!"

A pink light appeared in front of Qian Renyue. Xiao Wu's eyes narrowed, and, just as expected, her long leg lashed toward Qian Renyue's face.

"Little Yue!"

Yu Tianheng cried out anxiously. Osler immediately darted up, pushing Qian Renyue aside and meeting Xiao Wu's kick with his own. Powerful Soul Power fluctuations lifted the wisps of Qian Renyue's hair. Xiao Wu and Osler exchanged several moves without either injuring the other. Finally, both flipped backward and returned to their original positions.

Seizing that moment, Tang San smashed the realgar wine he had prepared onto the ground and shouted to Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai, "Fatty, Boss Dai!"

The three exchanged glances. Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun understood and were about to act according to plan when Qian Renyue appeared behind Ma Hongjun without anyone knowing when she had gotten there. "Little fatty, it's time for your beating!"

"What?" Before Ma Hongjun could react, Qian Renyue kicked him in the back.

"Ow!"

Ma Hongjun was almost kicked into the poisonous mist of Jade Phosphor Snake Poison. He steadied his off-balance body and resumed flying. "Little Yue, you launched a sneak attack!"

He frowned accusingly.

"There's no such thing as a sneak attack on the Soul Fighting Platform."

Qian Renyue plucked a petal from the nine-petal immortal lotus. "First Soul Skill, Thousand Absolute Ice Prisms!"

In an instant, three icy-blue prisms appeared in her hand.

"First Soul Skill, Blue Silver Entanglement!"

At present, Qian Renyue was the only member of the Imperial Fighting Team capable of aerial combat. If she insisted on interfering with their efforts to dispel the poisonous mist, taking her out now would undoubtedly be their best option.

Several strands of blue silver grass burst out of the ground. They grew wildly, surging toward Qian Renyue to bind her!