Not Satisfying Enough

"Ahem, ahem, my dear disciple, your master is very touched, but there's really no need to make this a fight to the death..."

Chrysanthemum Douluo whispered in Qin Chao's ear.

The Life-or-Death Challenge was the highest-level challenge in Spirit Hall. Strictly speaking, Spirit Hall did not allow its members to fight one another to the death, but there were exceptions to every rule.

With so many members in Spirit Hall, conflicts inevitably arose in everyday life, and private fights resulting in casualties had once been frequent.

Seeing this, Bibi Dong had simply brought these fights out into the open. Any member of Spirit Hall could apply to a yellow-robed deacon-a position held by someone with Soul Elder-level strength-for a challenge. The Life-or-Death Challenge was the most serious kind.

Once a yellow-robed deacon approved a Life-or-Death Challenge, the challenged party had to accept. Unless one side conceded, both participants bore responsibility for their own survival.

Although Chrysanthemum Douluo was angry, he did not want his only disciple to risk his life.

But Qin Chao's decision was by no means an impulsive one.

Throughout the Soul Power test, he had been observing the expressions on that boy's face.

A furrowed brow, downturned lips, a rigid gaze, unconscious picking at his fingers... these little gestures all betrayed a guilty conscience. And when Qin Chao mentioned a Life-or-Death Challenge, the boy's unease had reached its peak.

There was no need to spell out who had instructed this boy to provoke the Golden Generation at a time like this. Whether to vent Chrysanthemum Douluo's anger or establish the Golden Generation's authority, Qin Chao could not let the boy off.

Besides, Qin Chao was not without a chance of winning. Apart from his level twenty-eight Soul Power, he also had a lethal weapon hidden up his sleeve...

"Teacher, I've made up my mind. Please approve my application..."

Qin Chao looked at Chrysanthemum Douluo with unwavering eyes. There were no yellow-robed deacons here, but there were two Titled Douluos ready at hand...

"You little brat, digging yourself into a corner again..." Chrysanthemum Douluo sighed helplessly. His disciple was excellent in every way, except that he was far too stubborn. Once he set his mind on something, he had to see it through. "Fine. I hereby declare the Life-or-Death Challenge approved..."

If Qin Chao really could not win, he could simply concede. The worst consequence would be losing a little face, and Chrysanthemum Douluo could bear that.

"Challenges are common enough, but a Life-or-Death Challenge is a rare sight. Chrysanthemum Douluo, would you mind letting me enjoy the show...?"

Snake Lance Douluo stepped forward to quietly fan the flames. Not only was he making it clear that he intended to stay out of it, he even wanted to hop a few steps closer to the action.

"It would be my honor to have Snake Lance Douluo oversee the match..." Qin Chao spoke before Chrysanthemum Douluo could reply.

Even if Snake Lance Douluo had said nothing, Qin Chao had intended to invite him. The old bastard was hopping around so merrily that someone needed to teach him a lesson...

Registration continued in an orderly fashion, while everyone involved in the challenge made their way to the challenge arena inside the main hall.

Once everything was ready, the boy made his demand. "According to the rules, the challenged party decides the terms of a Life-or-Death Challenge. Senior Chrysanthemum Douluo, surely you wouldn't change that rule out of favoritism...?"

On the way to the challenge arena, he had already received Snake Lance Douluo's warning through a voice transmission.

This kid named Qin Chao might have a high Soul Power Level, but his Taijutsu was another matter...

Judging by Qin Chao's appearance and build, he was seven or eight at most. It could only have been two years since his Martial Soul Awakening. With such terrifying progress in his Soul Power over those two years, he probably had not had time to train in Taijutsu...

Chrysanthemum Douluo had already disliked the boy, and now he did not even want to waste another word on him. He merely nodded slightly, signaling for him to continue stating his terms.

"I want to compete with him in Taijutsu!" The boy lifted his chin and puffed out his chest like a confident rooster.

Qin Chao and Chrysanthemum Douluo exchanged a glance, their expressions turning decidedly strange.

They had seen people who did not want to live, but this was their first time seeing someone so eager to throw himself straight into the muzzle of a gun.

Still, the boy was shrewd enough. In a Taijutsu match, the worst he would suffer was a beating, not death. Besides, Snake Lance had secretly given him a dagger just now...

Naturally, a dagger supplied by Snake Lance Douluo was no ordinary weapon. Not only was it forged from iron mother and exceptionally sharp, but Porcupinefish Douluo had also treated it with Pufferfish's toxin. It was no exaggeration to say that a single bloody scratch could seal someone's throat.

Each side harbored different thoughts, and both believed they would be the ultimate victor. At that moment, the challenge officially began.

Qin Chao stood with his hands behind his back, feeling the faint chill at his cuff. A flash of killing intent passed through his eyes.

The boy was much more direct, revealing the dagger in his hand right from the start.

"Since the challenge has begun, please show me what you've got..."

The boy's body swayed slightly as he swiftly closed in on Qin Chao. Surging Soul Power gathered in his right hand, enveloping the sharp dagger as he thrust it straight toward Qin Chao's chest.

His attack was simple and swift. Clearly, he intended to swagger about on the strength of his weapon.

Qin Chao remained where he stood, neither dodging nor retreating. A flash of blue-green light passed through the depths of his eyes.

"You're too slow..." Qin Chao's voice was filled with disdain and mockery.

He curled his finger slightly and flicked the boy's wrist with pinpoint accuracy.

A human grip depended on the coordination of muscles, tendons, and bones. Qin Chao's attack seemed utterly powerless, yet it precisely disrupted the balance between them.

The boy felt his fingers go weak, and the dagger he had been gripping so tightly fell to the ground with a crisp clatter.

"What just happened?!"

The boy's heart jolted violently.

In a single, simple exchange, his greatest advantage had come crashing down. He had not even had a chance to react...

"I let you have one move. That should be enough..."

Qin Chao murmured to himself. His previous sparring partner had been Ghost Douluo, after all. Even if it had been an incomplete version of him, the boy's laughable attacks could not begin to compare.

He clenched his fist, his knuckles faintly cracking.

Soul Power surged wildly through his body. Driving the motion from his waist through his arm, elbow, and wrist, Qin Chao slammed a textbook straight punch into the boy's face.

With the sound of flesh striking flesh, two streams of blood slowly trickled from the boy's misshapen nose.

Qin Chao might have been young, but he was far too fast. Before the boy could even make out his movements, the fist had already struck his little face...

Tsk, tsk. Height really was a fatal weakness...

Qin Chao was plainly dissatisfied with the power of his punch.

He was more than thirty centimeters shorter than the boy. Although he had put considerable force into the punch, the result left something to be desired.

Not satisfying enough...

Qin Chao abruptly turned his back, gripping the boy's right arm with one hand while kicking at his ankle with his left foot.

The punch had already left the boy dazed. When Qin Chao launched his next move, the boy had no strength to resist. The world spun around him, and Qin Chao sent him crashing to the ground with a beautiful shoulder throw.

Looking at the boy lying on the ground, Qin Chao was thoroughly satisfied.

He swung his little leg over and sat directly astride the boy's waist.

"Thud, thud, thud!"

The sound of fists pounding flesh rang out continuously across the challenge arena. Left fist, right fist, one after the other-the boy's face soon swelled into a pig's head...

"No wonder Teacher Ghost was in a much better mood during that hellish training. So this kind of simple violence really does relieve stress..."

Little Qin Chao swung his little fists, his little heart filled with primal bloodlust and violence.

What had the child done wrong? He only wanted to enjoy himself a little...