Yu Xiaochuan and Yu Xiaogang faced each other in the clearing.
One was a six-year-old child, with sword-like brows and starry eyes. Though young, he possessed peerless grace.
The other was nearly forty, ordinary in appearance, yet possessed a composed bearing.
"Come out, Luo Sanpao."
Yu Xiaogang brought his hands together, then spread them toward the clearing ahead. A pale purple light flew from his hands.
It transformed into a plump, fat dog.
Its entire body was covered in pale purple fur, with four thick, stubby legs, a tiny tail on its fat rump, and a large head with a round bump on top.
"Your turn, Caterpie."
Yu Xiaochuan waved his right hand, flinging out a streak of verdant Soul Power that landed on the ground and transformed into a plump Caterpie.
"Luo, luo."
"Woo-oh."
The two external beast Martial Souls greeted each other as soon as they appeared.
"Xiaochuan, there's still time to change your mind. As long as you promise not to join Spirit Hall and acknowledge me as your father, we can call off this fight."
As Yu Xiaogang looked at the Luo Sanpao that had appeared, a little warmth showed on his stiff face.
Even now, he still wanted to persuade Yu Xiaochuan to give up.
In his view, once this fight began, Xiaochuan would certainly lose and suffer considerable injuries.
"Hmph! Yu Xiaogang, are you afraid? You're still spouting this useless nonsense when the moment is already upon us. If you're afraid, just admit defeat."
How could Yu Xiaochuan possibly agree? In his view, he would not necessarily lose.
And that was indeed the case.
Luo Sanpao's Soul Skills were only powerful enough to deal with ten-year Soul Beasts like Nether Wolves. They had little effect against hundred-year Soul Beasts, and he could only fire three blasts.
Caterpie's fighting strength was actually about the same as Luo Sanpao's. He could also bully Soul Beasts a few decades old, but he could last a little longer.
With their Martial Souls evenly matched, the deciding factor would be the Soul Masters.
Yu Xiaochuan did not believe that he, who had developed Martial Soul Possession, would lose to Yu Xiaogang, a theoretical researcher who never exercised his limbs.
"It seems we can only fight."
Yu Xiaogang waved his hand. Of the two yellow hundred-year Soul Rings surrounding him, one flew out and slipped around Luo Sanpao.
"Fart like thunder, Earth-Shattering Luo Sanpao!"
As Yu Xiaogang shouted, the attack began.
With the Soul Ring around his body, Luo Sanpao's azure eyes instantly lit up.
Pushing off with his short legs, his plump body shot into the air. He turned and aimed his rump at Caterpie.
"String Shot, leave your original position."
How could Yu Xiaochuan not know what Luo Sanpao was about to do? He calmly issued his command.
He held his breath as well.
A thunderous boom erupted. A crater had already been blasted into Caterpie's original position, and a sky-high stench spread through the surroundings.
Fortunately, Caterpie had already flung a strand of silk from his mouth and stuck it to a distant tree. With a tug of the silk, he swung away.
He was completely unharmed.
"You actually used String Shot to compensate for Caterpie's slow movement?"
After seeing this, Yu Xiaogang could not help praising Yu Xiaochuan.
He grew more cautious.
His Luo Sanpao only had three blasts. Now that one was spent, only two remained.
Suddenly, Yu Xiaogang realized something.
Caterpie was merely a worm. Having the ability to spit silk was already his limit. What ability to attack could he possibly have?
Now that Caterpie was hiding in a tree, he could stay there. Yu Xiaochuan was still standing where he had been!
"Xiaochuan, that little idea of yours really is quite good."
"But your Caterpie amounts to nothing more than that. Without a Soul Ring, you ultimately cannot use Soul Skills."
Yu Xiaogang did not believe Yu Xiaochuan could develop any self-created Soul Skills. After all, however clever Yu Xiaochuan might be, he was only a six-year-old child.
Even he, Yu Xiaogang, had not developed one. He did not believe six-year-old Yu Xiaochuan could have one.
"You say I don't know any Soul Skills? Heh. Caterpie, open Grandmaster Xiaogang's eyes. Electroweb."
Yu Xiaochuan issued his command, and Caterpie, lying on the tree, immediately spat a golden Electro Ball from his mouth.
It transformed into an Electroweb and enveloped Luo Sanpao.
The sizzling current continuously inflicted damage. Luo Sanpao cried out, "Luo, luo," while trembling from the shocks.
For a time, he could not break free of the Electroweb.
"A self-created Soul Skill?!"
Yu Xiaogang and Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo cried out in surprise at the same time.
"Luo Sanpao, quick! Fire another blast and break the Electroweb!"
Seeing Luo Sanpao trapped in the web, Yu Xiaogang hurriedly spoke.
"Luo, luo!"
A thunderous roar rang out.
Luo Sanpao broke free of the Electroweb's restraints and regained his freedom, though he looked rather bedraggled, with his fur scorched black in quite a few places.
"Grandmaster, your Luo Sanpao only has one blast left, doesn't he?"
Yu Xiaochuan spoke mildly, his arms folded across his chest as he looked at Yu Xiaogang with contempt.
"With only a single attack left, can you really defeat Caterpie?"
"Well..."
Yu Xiaogang's forehead immediately grew a little damp with sweat.
That was right. Now there was only one blast left. What should he do?
Caterpie was up in the tree, and that method of escaping with String Shot was very fast. Luo Sanpao's attack might not hit him.
If he fired that remaining blast, Luo Sanpao would be a lamb to the slaughter.
Looking at Yu Xiaochuan standing a short distance away, Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up.
Wait, this was a battle between Soul Masters!
"Luo Sanpao, fire your final blast at Xiaochuan!"
"Fart like thunder, Earth-Shattering Luo Sanpao!"
Yu Xiaogang pointed at Yu Xiaochuan. At this point, he could no longer worry about whether it was despicable.
This was a battle between Soul Masters to begin with. Attacking the Soul Master was perfectly normal.
Though bullying a six-year-old child was a little embarrassing, it was still a way to win.
It was fair and reasonable.
They could not make special exceptions just because they both had external beast Martial Souls.
"Luo-"
Luo Sanpao was somewhat reluctant, but it was Yu Xiaogang's command, so he obeyed nonetheless.
"Hmph, I never thought Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang was a despicable man too."
Yu Xiaochuan snorted coldly. With a thought, he recalled Caterpie, and a streak of verdant light returned to his body.
"Caterpie, possess me!"
Yu Xiaochuan's body instantly became incredibly light and agile, and a red Y-shaped marking appeared on his forehead.
Pushing off hard, he suddenly surged forward and reached Yu Xiaogang. A thunderous sound came from behind him-the blast he had dodged.
"Bug! Bite!"
Bug-type power gathered around Yu Xiaochuan's hands. Clenching both fists, he struck from the left and right.
Because of his height, his blows slammed viciously into Yu Xiaogang's kidneys.
"Aah-"
Yu Xiaogang's face instantly turned white. The searing pain on both sides of his waist sent him dropping to his knees.
Having fired those three blasts, Luo Sanpao had already returned to his body. His depleted Soul Power and physical pain left him feeling awful.
His legs suddenly went weak, and cold sweat poured down his back. Kneeling on the ground, he could not stand up for a time.
"Sigh... Yu Xiaogang, what am I supposed to say about you? I didn't refrain from attacking you earlier because it hadn't occurred to me. I was just letting you save a little face."
Looking at Yu Xiaogang's wretched state, Yu Xiaochuan had little left to say.
He had only wanted to have a Pokémon battle.
Though that old fellow Yu Xiaogang had always indulged in wishful thinking, Yu Xiaochuan had learned the Soul Power circulation route from him and read many books.
That could be considered a kindness to him.
Therefore, he had held back considerably in this battle, intending to leave it at defeating Luo Sanpao.
Yet that old fellow had insisted on attacking the Soul Master. Well, look how that turned out!