After making the kill, Zhu Zhuqing returned to Lin En's side, her face expressionless.
Lin En clapped his hands and remarked:
"Very good. How did it feel, killing someone for the first time?"
Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath, a hint of release in her voice.
"Not bad. For the first time in ages, I felt in control of my fate. This feeling of holding someone else's life and death in my hands is extraordinary!"
Zhu Zhuqing's gaze flickered for a moment as she spoke slowly.
After hearing her answer, Lin En smiled faintly.
"Then do you know now what it takes to defeat fate and trample it underfoot?"
Zhu Zhuqing nodded slightly, a faint trace of killing intent gradually rising in her eyes.
Power. I need greater power!
The moment the battle ended, the venue fell deathly silent.
Only after a long while did the audience come to their senses at the announcer's declaration. Their pent-up emotions erupted like a volcano, and thunderous cheers and curses filled the venue.
Compared to peaceful sparring, the people in the Soul Fighting Arena clearly preferred the frenzy of drawing blood with every strike.
Lin En led Zhu Zhuqing on a lap around the arena. Only after enjoying the cheers accorded to the victors did he stroll leisurely toward the entrance.
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated to speak.
Only once they had left the fighting platform entirely and reached the backstage area did she say to Lin En:
"Aren't we drawing too much attention by doing this?"
"With the Great Soul Arena's resources, they should soon discover that the money you wagered actually belongs to us!"
Lin En narrowed his eyes slightly, an odd smile showing in his gaze:
"Of course I know. In fact, I'm doing this for them to see. People only lose their reason when they're angry!"
"Come on. Let's collect the fruits of our victory."
With that, Lin En headed toward the exit and found the passerby who had placed their bet for them earlier.
After giving him a sum of hush money, he handed over all the remaining hundred thousand or so he had on him.
Together with the winnings from the previous round, he bet it all on his own victory before the payout of 1.4 to one could drop.
Zhu Zhuqing watched from the side, dumbfounded.
Only after Lin En finished placing the bet and walked away did Zhu Zhuqing come to her senses.
"Have you gone mad? That's hundreds of thousands of Gold Soul Coins! If you win another round, you'll practically drain the Great Soul Arena's liquid funds!"
Lin En laughed. "That's what makes it interesting, isn't it?"
He patted Zhu Zhuqing's shoulder and said meaningfully:
"After the second match ends, whatever happens, don't ask questions. Just stay close behind me!"
Zhu Zhuqing swallowed and gazed at him silently.
Only after a long while did she nod:
"All right. I'll listen to you..."
In the second match, the Bamboo Forest Combination faced the Dragon-Tiger Combination.
Their name alone revealed their Martial Souls: one was a dragon, the other a tiger.
As the announcer declared the start of the match,
two starkly different lights, one black and one red, shone from the Dragon-Tiger brothers simultaneously. Their Soul Ring Configurations appeared beneath their feet: two yellow and two purple for one, two yellow and one purple for the other.
Lin En narrowed his eyes slightly. Has the bookmaker brought out the heavy hitters he keeps on his payroll?
Still, this won't pose a problem for me!
Judging by the changes in their bodies, Lin En deduced that one brother's Martial Soul was a Black Flood Dragon, while the other's should be a Red Tiger.
Their Martial Souls were of very good quality. With such a lineup, victory against most opponents was all but in the bag.
"Sageross, come out!"
"Saa-"
Sageross landed before Lin En and Zhu Zhuqing with a low roar. His dark red pupils instantly narrowed to fine lines, and killing intent surged.
Just as Zhu Zhuqing was about to act as well, Lin En reached out to stop her and shook his head.
"The difference in strength is too great this round. Don't interfere with Sageross's performance!"
Zhu Zhuqing looked at him, then at the Soul Ancestor and Soul Elder opposite them, and nodded lightly.
Turning his attention back to the fight, Lin En immediately directed Sageross into battle.
He no longer intended to conceal his strength. He would reap one round's winnings and run, without lingering another moment.
At that thought, a cold gleam burst from Lin En's eyes. Three Soul Rings, one yellow and two purple, instantly appeared beneath his feet and shone in unison.
"Sageross, strengthen yourself with Darkness Power, then finish them with Blade Storm."
Before his words had faded, Lin En's two purple Soul Rings erupted with astonishing brilliance. Darkness of the utmost density spread around Sageross, and his aura instantly multiplied several times over.
Then he raised both blades. Terrifying energy gathered along them into stormlike vortices, the blade light crossing and spinning.
Countless blades shot from his scythe blades and bombarded the Dragon-Tiger brothers.
Blade light crisscrossed, overlapping shadows upon shadows.
At that moment, the entire Soul Fighting Arena became the domain of blade energy. Shattered stone flew everywhere as a violent storm swept through the whole Great Soul Arena.
"Saa-"
Sageross moved. He became a high-speed streak of light and charged straight at the Dragon-Tiger brothers, his gleaming blades raised high before slashing down swiftly.
Crack, crack, crack...
Dozens of streaks of blade light blossomed at the storm's center, every cyan slash steeped in rich blood-red.
When the storm finally subsided, only a pool of blood remained in the arena. No other trace of their existence could be seen.
"How terrifying. Is this his true strength?"
Watching the two men being shredded into particles of bloody mist by countless streams of blade energy, Zhu Zhuqing could not help shuddering inwardly.
So powerful. If I can stay beside this man, perhaps I can possess such power too!
Excitement filled her eyes, as though she were seeing Lin En anew.
"Let's go. They're nothing but trash. Just kill them and be done with it!"
Lin En left the arena expressionlessly, Sageross following behind him with frighteningly scarlet eyes.
Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath and followed Lin En.
Returning to the betting station, Lin En specifically instructed the man placing their bets to make a scene, promising him a generous reward once it was done.
As the saying went, a generous reward always brought forth brave men. In a rush of excitement, the bettor turned and strode forward.
Lin En, meanwhile, pulled Zhu Zhuqing into the shadows to watch.
Sure enough, faced with losing so many Gold Soul Coins at once, the bookmaker looked as though he had swallowed a dead fly and tried to fend him off with every sort of excuse.
The bettor immediately refused to stand for it, demanding whether the Soul Fighting Arena thought it could bully its customers just because it was a big establishment.
There were winners and losers in betting. Why take bets if they refused to settle up?
As the commotion grew, the people nearby gathered around. After learning what had happened, they all voiced their support.
Under pressure from public opinion, the staff member taking the bets could only begin processing the payment, sweat pouring down his head. His heart bled as he handed over the Gold Soul Coin card.
After confirming everything was in order, the bettor quickly put it away and disappeared into the crowd.
After he left, several black-clad figures suddenly followed him. Seeing this, Lin En took Zhu Zhuqing into the darkness.
Within the time it took to turn a corner, Lin En had blocked the bettor in a cramped nook.
Facing Lin En's indifferent gaze, the man gave a guilty laugh, then respectfully handed over the Gold Soul Coin card.
Lin En took it expressionlessly, kicked him to the ground, and stared at him coldly:
"Some things aren't yours to covet!"
After putting away the Gold Soul Coin card, Lin En gave Zhu Zhuqing a meaningful look, which she instantly understood.
After leaving, the two walked out of the Great Soul Arena.
"You're just letting him go? That doesn't seem like your style!" Zhu Zhuqing turned her head to look at Lin En as she spoke.
The corners of Lin En's lips curled into a smile. "Of course not... It's just that someone will deal with him for us."
Just then, Lin En's gaze sharpened. He sensed four or five powerful auras heading toward them.
Lin En hurriedly seized Zhu Zhuqing's hand and pulled her with him, disappearing around a street corner in Heaven Dou City.
"What happened?"
Seeing the tense expression on his face, Zhu Zhuqing asked worriedly.
"We're being targeted. Hurry!"
(Please choose your favorite wife.)
[1. Ning Rongrong in white stockings]
[2. Zhu Zhuqing in black stockings]
[3. Xiao Wu in lace stockings]
Before you continue