As Chen Ci's words fell, the lobby of the Rose Hotel instantly bristled with drawn swords.
Seeing how little Chen Ci knew of the heights of heaven and the depths of earth, Dai Mubai laughed.
"You probably don't know what the name Evil Eye White Tiger Dai Mubai means.
"A man's reputation isn't something he spreads himself. It's something he fights for."
Dai Mubai pushed aside the two streetwalkers beside him. Watching their swaying buttocks, he forcibly restrained the urge to slap them.
After all, there were two stunning young beauties right in front of him. He had to maintain his image.
Once the two women had walked away, Dai Mubai unleashed his Martial Soul, and the phantom of the Evil Eye White Tiger appeared behind him.
Three Soul Rings-yellow, yellow, and purple-also appeared beneath his feet.
"My Martial Soul is the Evil Eye White Tiger. I'm a rank thirty-seven Battle Soul Elder."
The instant the three Soul Rings appeared, a powerful presence spread outward, making the tables in the Rose Hotel's lobby shake.
Chen Ci shifted slightly, pulled his arms out of Ning Rongrong's and Zhu Zhuqing's embraces, and stepped forward, summoning the Passionate Sword.
"My Martial Soul is the Passionate Sword. I'm a rank thirty-two control-type tool Soul Master."
At the same time, three purple Soul Rings appeared beneath Chen Ci's feet, and his own presence emerged with them.
This presence also spread through the Rose Hotel's lobby, steadying every object that had been shaking under Dai Mubai's presence.
Although Chen Ci's Soul Power was a full five ranks below Dai Mubai's, his presence surpassed rather than fell short of his.
Seeing those three purple Soul Rings, Dai Mubai lost his composure.
Zhu Zhuqing also lost her composure. Although she had killed mounted bandits together with Chen Ci before, they had never actually fought shoulder to shoulder.
This was her first time seeing all of Chen Ci's Soul Rings.
Only now did she realize that Chen Ci was no ordinary Soul Elder, but a Soul Master with three Thousand-Year Soul Rings. This was simply unheard of!
As expected of the man I've set my heart on. He's incredible!
Seeing everyone shocked by Chen Ci's Soul Rings, Ning Rongrong was delighted, as though they were all shocked by her instead.
However, Ning Rongrong's current Soul Ring Configuration was yellow, purple, purple, so she also had a Soul Ring that exceeded the absorption limit.
If others knew, they would be shocked by her as well.
Holding Zhu Zhuqing's hand, Ning Rongrong said proudly:
"Big Brother Chen Ci is amazing, isn't he?
"He's the most gifted disciple our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has ever had!"
Zhu Zhuqing praised him sincerely:
"Amazing!"
"Hmph, so what if you have three Thousand-Year Soul Rings?"
Dai Mubai was, after all, the third prince of the Star Luo Empire. He would not back down just because Chen Ci possessed three Thousand-Year Soul Rings, something unmatched before him and never to be matched after him.
Besides, his Soul Power was five ranks higher than his opponent's. He would not necessarily lose.
Still, Chen Ci's three Thousand-Year Soul Rings had already put considerable pressure on Dai Mubai.
He did not even dare immediately use his third Soul Skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation, and his first Soul Skill, White Tiger Protective Barrier.
Because these two Soul Skills had limited durations, he needed to extend their effective time as much as possible.
For example, he could activate them just before Chen Ci's attack landed.
The battle was a spark away from erupting.
Seeing Chen Ci attack him directly, just as he had anticipated, Dai Mubai laughed inwardly:
He's all show and no substance, just as I thought. He doesn't have any combat experience at all.
Dai Mubai gauged the Passionate Sword's trajectory and, just before it struck him, simultaneously activated his first Soul Skill, White Tiger Protective Barrier, and his third Soul Skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation.
However, this played right into Chen Ci's hands.
Seeing Dai Mubai take the bait, Chen Ci smiled and said:
"Dai Mubai, you've fallen for it."
Dai Mubai thought to himself:
What?!
When did I fall for anything?!
Dai Mubai tried to dodge, only to see the first purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring around Chen Ci blaze with dazzling light.
"First Soul Skill: Once!"
The purple Soul Ring's glow dispersed, and Dai Mubai's physical state and movements eerily reverted to two seconds earlier.
His attempt to dodge became his earlier motion of standing still.
The White Tiger Vajra Transformation and White Tiger Protective Barrier he had just used also reverted to their unused state.
However, this also meant Dai Mubai had consumed no Soul Power-a silver lining amid his misfortune.
But what he had to face next was Chen Ci's Passionate Sword and Seven Kill Sword Technique.
In his haste, Dai Mubai could only use his own Soul Power to protect his body.
"Seven Kill Sword Technique, first form: Break Kill."
Break Kill specifically countered a Soul Master's protective Soul Power.
It could effectively weaken a Soul Master's protective Soul Power.
Although there was a gap between Chen Ci's and Dai Mubai's Soul Power Levels, Chen Ci's Soul Power was more condensed, so the difference in the strength of their Soul Power was not great.
With a single sword strike, Chen Ci easily broke through Dai Mubai's protective Soul Power.
Then he sliced through Dai Mubai's expensive white suit, leaving a wound deep enough to expose bone.
After this strike, Dai Mubai had a chance to react.
After what had just happened, Dai Mubai no longer dared time his Soul Skills down to the last instant.
To him, Chen Ci's Soul Skill was simply too strange, impossible to guard against.
However, just then-
Another purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring lit up around Chen Ci.
"Second Soul Skill: Sincerity!"
The instant the Soul Ring lit up, Dai Mubai suddenly felt that Chen Ci had become his close buddy. As for the bone-deep wound Chen Ci had just given him with his sword, that was nothing. There was no need to mind it.
After all, they were buddies.
At the same time, the enemy in Dai Mubai's eyes became a good buddy, and he forgot why he had wanted to activate White Tiger Vajra Transformation and White Tiger Protective Barrier.
The fluctuations of Soul Power rising from his body vanished at that moment as well.
He was just about to "catch up" with Chen Ci when he saw Chen Ci point the Passionate Sword straight at his throat.
"Buddy, what are you doing?
"Stop joking around."
Hearing Dai Mubai's voice, Chen Ci dispelled the effects of his second Soul Skill, Sincerity.
Dai Mubai regained his senses and felt a cold blade pressed against his throat, even piercing his skin.
A calm voice reached him:
"You lost."
Chen Ci put away the Passionate Sword. Without so much as looking at the distraught Dai Mubai, he turned and walked toward Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong.
"Let's go. The fight is over."
Seeing Chen Ci utterly crush Dai Mubai without the slightest effort, both Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing looked at him with admiration.
"Big Brother Chen Ci, you're just too amazing.
"He's a rank thirty-seven Battle Soul Master, but you beat him without him even touching you."
"A defeated opponent isn't worth mentioning.
"We've been traveling for so many days, I'm exhausted. Let's get a room!"
"Oh, right! Off to get a room!"
With that, Ning Rongrong went with Chen Ci to the hotel reception to arrange a room.
Watching Chen Ci's profile, Zhu Zhuqing became even more determined to win him over as soon as possible.
She knew what made Dai Mubai formidable: his Martial Soul, the Evil Eye White Tiger, was the Martial Soul of the Star Luo Imperial Family.
Its strength was beyond question, yet he had been defeated in an instant before Chen Ci.
Dai Mubai stood rooted to the spot, utterly distraught, staring blankly at the wound on his abdomen:
"I... lost?
"And I was taken down in an instant by a kid with lower Soul Power than mine?
"I didn't even touch him..."
Dai Mubai walked dejectedly out of the Rose Hotel, no longer in the mood to spare even those two streetwalkers a thought.
He had never suffered such a heavy blow. Even when facing the eldest prince of the Star Luo Empire, who had cast such an immense shadow over him, he had never felt as hopeless as he had against Chen Ci.
Against the eldest prince, he could at least fight back.
But against Chen Ci, he could not bring his strength to bear.
Blood seeped from his two wounds, staining Dai Mubai's expensive white suit red.
This prodigy of Suotuo City had long since lost his high-spirited bearing and was now utterly bedraggled...