Inside the Soul Fighting Arena.
"Yanyan, hurry! Once this match is over, Junior Xiao Xuan is up next!"
Ye Lingling pulled Dugu Yan by the wrist, heading straight for the front-row VIP seats they had reserved earlier.
Walking behind them, Yu Tianheng's eyes darkened slightly at the sight, and a flicker of displeasure crossed his face.
The two Shi brothers beside him said they were going backstage to prepare for their match.
Yu Tianheng took a deep breath and calmed the frustration in his heart, then nodded and cautioned them:
"Go on. Get yourselves into peak condition, and don't be careless."
After watching Shi Mo and Shi Mo stride toward the contestants' registration desk, Yu Tianheng straightened his collar and stepped forward to catch up with the two women.
Compared with the seething stands out front, a private chamber deep backstage was considerably quieter.
Inside the spacious lounge, a Soul Fighting Arena manager dressed in luxurious brocade robes rubbed his hands together, staring at Xiao Xuan in utter astonishment.
"Little Brother Xiao Xuan, have you really thought this through? Fighting two opponents at once isn't so easy! You need to think carefully!"
Xiao Xuan leaned back on the sofa, his expression calm.
"Manager Yang, thank you for your concern, but I've already made up my mind. Please change the rules for my matches."
Manager Yang frowned slightly at those words.
Xiao Xuan was now the star attraction of their Soul Fighting Arena. Every day, far more people came to watch his matches than attended the other Soul Elder-level arenas.
When it came to such a golden treasure, Manager Yang sincerely hoped nothing would happen to him.
Although losing a two-on-one fight would be nothing to be ashamed of, they would certainly lose some spectators afterward.
But hearing the unyielding tone in Xiao Xuan's voice, Manager Yang sighed helplessly.
"All right, then. I'll go make the arrangements."
Manager Yang then left the room.
Xiao Xuan's decision to change the rules was naturally not an act of arrogance.
The main reason was that he felt ordinary one-on-one fights were simply too slow.
The waves he had stirred up at the Soul Fighting Arena over the past few days had indeed been considerable, and olive branches from various unaffiliated factions had come flying in like snowflakes.
Yet among the calling cards pouring in, the one he wanted most was nowhere to be found.
An invitation from Xue Qinghe of the crown prince's residence.
That meant that, in the eyes of Qian Renxue, who was disguised as Xue Qinghe, the potential and strength he had displayed were not yet enough for her to take the initiative to recruit him.
Since his hand still wasn't weighty enough, he would simply double the stakes.
A moment later.
Above the central main Soul Fighting stage, the host's high, ringing voice resounded throughout the venue.
"Esteemed guests! I have a major announcement to make! Contestant Xiao Xuan's next match will be fought one against two! Please look forward to it!"
Whoosh-!
The instant his voice fell, an uproar swept through the venue.
"One against two?! Is he crazy?!"
"For a level-thirty Soul Elder, one more opponent means three more unpredictable Soul Skills! Fighting outnumbered against opponents of the same rank, he doesn't stand a chance!"
"Who cares if he's crazy? The betting odds have changed! Hurry and raise your bets!"
The betting windows throughout the stands were instantly packed with frenzied gamblers, waves of shouting and waving gold coins rising and falling.
In the VIP seats, Yu Tianheng had just sat down when he heard the news. A mocking smile appeared on his previously taut face:
"He really doesn't know how high the heavens are or how deep the earth is!"
"Does he really think that beating a few unaffiliated cultivators at the Great Soul Arena means he can run rampant among his peers without an equal?
"At the Soul Elder level, one extra opponent means a multiplied difference in attack angles, the linking of control abilities, and Soul Power reserves! He's bound to lose the next match!"
Several followers seated behind Yu Tianheng hurriedly chimed in:
"Brother Tian Heng is right. That commoner brat is arrogant and ignorant. He thinks a bit of brute force will let him ignore coordinated tactics. He's in for it now!"
Hearing this, Ye Lingling felt her heart tighten slightly. She anxiously clasped Dugu Yan's hand in return and asked softly:
"Yanyan... fighting two at once really does leave too much to chance. Isn't Junior Xiao Xuan being a little too rash?"
Dugu Yan, by contrast, showed no trace of anxiety in her deep-green, phoenix-shaped eyes. A faint, confident and relaxed smile even touched her lips.
She reached out and gently patted the back of Ye Lingling's hand.
"Just relax. Little Brother Xiao Xuan has far more in reserve than this. Let alone two-even if another joined them, there would be no doubt about the outcome."
Seeing how composed Dugu Yan was, Ye Lingling's taut heartstrings finally eased a little.
Just then, the spotlights converged with a crash at the very center of the arena!
"Now, let us welcome contestant Xiao Xuan with our warmest applause!"
Amid the host's excited roar, the heavy iron gate at the contestants' entrance slowly rose.
Clad in plain, elegant black robes and holding a bamboo spear, Xiao Xuan slowly made his way to the center of the Soul Fighting stage amid shouts that surged like mountains and seas.
Immediately afterward, the gate to the passage on the other side crashed open, and two figures with deep, steady presences stepped out side by side.
"Let us welcome today's challengers!"
"Level-thirty-seven Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder Tie Man, and level-thirty-eight Agility Attack System Battle Soul Elder Luo Lie!"
The two opponents took positions on opposite sides, more than ten zhang from Xiao Xuan, their bearing heavy and imposing.
Tie Man, on the left, was tall and burly. A rough, thick layer of bronze-colored keratin covered his body, and he held a heavy short hammer in both hands.
Luo Lie, on the right, was lean and slender, his eyes gleaming coldly like a hawk's.
The burly Tie Man grinned and bellowed:
"Kid! The two of us brothers already have the advantage fighting you alone. Are you sure you still don't intend to show your Soul Rings?!"
Xiao Xuan shook his head slightly.
"When it's time to use them, I naturally will."
The moment he said that, a clamor of startled cries erupted from the stands!
Facing two Soul Elders whose Soul Power was by no means low, he still dared to say he wouldn't use his Soul Rings?!
"Arrogant!"
A flash of anger at being slighted appeared in the lean Luo Lie's eyes. He exchanged a glance with Tie Man beside him, and the standard three Soul Rings-yellow, yellow, and purple-suddenly rose beneath both men's feet!
Soul Power surged like waves, and a howling gale swept outward!
"Take him down!"
With a low shout, Luo Lie stomped heavily on the ground. His figure became a blurred afterimage, tracing a devious half-arc along the edge of the stage as he launched a swift assault from Xiao Xuan's blind spot to the rear right!
At the same time, Tie Man let out an earth-shaking roar from the front. His Martial Soul's keratin layered over itself, and his short hammer, carrying a savage force capable of splitting mountains and cleaving peaks, smashed straight down like a cannonball!
One in front, one behind; one fierce, one swift!
Their coordinated pincer attack left no blind spots, completely sealing off every route of escape and evasion for dozens of meters around Xiao Xuan!
Quite a few gamblers in the stands who had bet on Xiao Xuan were so frightened that they closed their eyes.
Yet Xiao Xuan's expression did not change, and he showed not the slightest panic.
He gave the bamboo spear in his hand a gentle flick!
Hum!
Without warning, a faint, clear resonance rippled through the air, making hearts tighten.