A Spectacular Duel

Lounge

Xu Sanshi looked bitterly at Beibei, his voice full of helplessness. "Tang Ya was way too ruthless." As he spoke, he lifted the hem of his shirt, revealing a bruise and swelling the size of an infant's fist on his right waist—the wound left by the Dragon Whisker Needle.

Beibei merely smiled dismissively. "Serves you right. Who told you to bully my junior sister and junior brother? You'll have to keep using Soul Power to suppress that injury for a while, and when you get on stage later, you'll still have to divide your attention to deal with my attacks. Let's see how you're going to beat me." Beibei looked at him with a teasing expression.

"Beibei, honestly, how have I never noticed how underhanded you are after all these years? Ow, please, just help me already. It's miserable having to keep my Soul Power going like this!" Xu Sanshi said ingratiatingly. Beibei only shook his head lightly. "It won't be that easy if you want my help."

Xu Sanshi instantly understood what Beibei meant and asked cautiously, "Name your condition." Beibei calmly gave him three words: "Mysterious Water Pill." Xu Sanshi frowned as soon as he heard that. "In your dreams. The Mysterious Water Pill is far too valuable. One thousand Gold Soul Coins—not a coin more."

Beibei crossed his arms and drawled, "Do you think I don't know what a Mysterious Water Pill is worth? It costs more than that. I don't do losing deals." Xu Sanshi muttered helplessly, "Beibei, you really are shameless!" Still, he reluctantly took out a Mysterious Water Pill and handed it to Beibei.

Beibei accepted the Mysterious Water Pill and put it away before saying to Xu Sanshi, "Retract your martial soul." Xu Sanshi obediently did as he was told. The moment he retracted it, pain surged over him like a tide.

Beibei lightly brushed his hand over Xu Sanshi's waist and traced a circle. A glittering golden needle was then picked out, curled into a ball in Beibei's palm. Xu Sanshi cried out in pain, "Ow! That hurts like hell!"

Xu Sanshi stared at Beibei, a spark of defiance flashing in his eyes. "Beibei, just you wait. Once we get to the Battle Soul Arena, I'll show you how I deal with you." Beibei smiled faintly, his expression carrying a hint of amusement. "Oh? You've still got that kind of spirit? How about we make a bet?" Xu Sanshi frowned. "Bet on what?"

Beibei replied unhurriedly, "One Mysterious Water Pill."

"In your dreams!" Xu Sanshi practically squeezed the words through his teeth. "Do you think Mysterious Water Pills are candy you can just get whenever you want? Besides, I already gave you all mine!"

Beibei chuckled. "You're scared, aren't you?"

"What a joke! Me, Xu Sanshi, scared?" Xu Sanshi said stubbornly. "Two thousand Gold Soul Coins. It's settled." Beibei waved a hand, signaling for him to calm down.

"It can't be any more than that. I don't have anything else. Besides, I already gave you the Mysterious Water Pill," Xu Sanshi explained.

But Beibei looked as though he had already seen through everything. "Don't think I don't know you still have a bottle of Mysterious Water Pills hidden away. Stop hemming and hawing and take the bet. If you win later, I'll return the Mysterious Water Pill to you. If you lose, give me that bottle."

Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth. "Fine, then let's do it. Who's afraid of whom? You really are sinister."

Beibei burst into laughter. "Haha, good brother." As he spoke, he patted Xu Sanshi on the shoulder, as though they had never argued at all.

On the Battle Soul Stage, a man past forty slowly walked toward the center. With his steady steps, the clamor throughout the arena gradually gave way to solemn silence.

The man cleared his throat, his voice booming across the Battle Soul Stage. "Now, please welcome Beibei of the Outer Court's fourth year and Xu Sanshi of the fifth year." The instant his words fell, two figures slowly emerged from different directions, instantly igniting the atmosphere of the entire arena.

"Thunderclap Beibei!" "Eternal Defense Xu Sanshi!" The cheers rose and fell like surging waves, one after another. In the stands, Huo Yuhao could not help sighing. "This is quite the spectacle!"

Lin Qianyi swept her gaze over the boiling crowd and said calmly, "Senior Brother Beibei and that senior both have their own titles. They must have competed like this quite often, and their popularity must have accumulated over time." Her face remained expressionless, but a trace of barely perceptible envy hid in her eyes.

Tang Ya stepped lightly over to Huo Yuhao's side and asked in a lowered voice, "Yuhao, how large an area can your Spiritual Detection Sharing cover?" "About a fifty-meter diameter," Huo Yuhao answered briefly. After whispering a few words into his ear, Tang Ya made a gesture toward Beibei. Beibei understood and nodded.

Wang Dong turned to Lin Qianyi and asked curiously, "Qianyi, who do you think will win this duel?" Lin Qianyi frowned slightly and considered it for a moment before answering, "Hard to say. One has the strongest offense, while the other has the strongest defense. The outcome is difficult to predict." Wang Dong nodded. "That's true. It's already so exciting before it has even begun."

The referee's gaze moved back and forth between Beibei and Xu Sanshi as he asked steadily, "Are you ready?" Almost at the same moment, both men nodded, determination shining in their eyes. Then the referee gave the order. "The match begins!"

In an instant, blue-violet lightning surged around Beibei's body. As it flickered, his physique seemed to be reforged, becoming even more robust. Strange scales appeared over his right hand, as though they contained endless power.

Xu Sanshi, meanwhile, was instantly enveloped by rippling black Soul Power. It was as deep as an abyss in the darkness, oppressive and chilling. A black tortoise-shell shield appeared before him out of thin air, its surface covered in mysterious black patterns like an ancient divine artifact.

From the stands, Lin Qianyi could clearly sense the powerful Soul Power fluctuations emanating from Xu Sanshi and could not help murmuring, "This Xu Sanshi is no simple opponent." Tang Ya gently stroked Lin Qianyi's head, her tone warm yet carrying a trace of pride.

"Your senior brother and that guy are known as the Twin Stars of the Outer Court. Your senior brother excels at pure offense, direct and fierce, while Xu Sanshi is known for his defense. Each has his own strengths, but when it comes to overall ability, your senior brother is still a step ahead." Lin Qianyi smiled faintly.

Beibei's body flashed, and he crossed five meters in an instant like a phantom. His arm covered in blue scales tore through the air like lightning as he fiercely attacked Xu Sanshi. Faced with the sudden assault, Xu Sanshi did not panic. He calmly stepped back and firmly raised his tortoise-shell shield before him.

At that moment, his heart was full of doubt. Why was Beibei, who was usually so cautious, being so reckless today? However, he also knew that Beibei's attacks were not to be underestimated, leaving him no room for further thought.

In the next instant, a deafening boom rang out as Beibei's dragon claw slammed heavily into Xu Sanshi's tortoise-shell shield. It was as though Qian Jun's force had been poured into that strike, and the enormous impact forced both of them back a step.

But Beibei used the recoil to leap lightly into the air, attacking Xu Sanshi again like a tiger pouncing down a mountain. Xu Sanshi barely managed to block the blow with all his strength, and the immense force pushed him another step backward.

The first century-level yellow soul ring beneath Xu Sanshi's feet lit up. In an instant, black light swelled around him, tangible darkness flowing through the air.

As he thrust his right hand forward, a massive black shield instantly unfolded, more than ten meters wide like a moving steel fortress. "Mysterious Nether Tremor!" With the low roar, a powerful shockwave spread like a raging undercurrent, carrying a deep rumble as the entire arena seemed to tremble beneath its force.

Beibei showed no fear. Three soul rings appeared beneath his feet—two yellow and one purple. In that flash of lightning, he unleashed his Second Soul Skill and Third Soul Skill simultaneously.

Blue-violet currents coiled around his body like dragons emerging from the sea, fiercely clashing with Xu Sanshi's Mysterious Nether Tremor. Just as Xu Sanshi prepared to launch another attack, a sharp pain suddenly struck, as though countless invisible needles had pierced his temples. The pain made him freeze for an instant.

Beibei keenly seized that fleeting opportunity and broke through Xu Sanshi's defense in one stroke. The victor had been decided.