Defending the Ring

The referee showed not the slightest contempt for Bai Yushan's unfamiliarity with the rules. While the staff carried the unconscious Rock Bear out of the ring, he explained them quickly and clearly.

"This is your first appearance, so your points record at our East Sea Boxing Arena stands at zero. Each match you win earns you one point. The longer your winning streak, the more steadily your points accumulate. If you choose to defend the ring, you can accept challenges from tier-two and tier-three fighters. Defeating a higher-tier fighter earns you half their current points directly. If you choose to step down, this match will still count as a win, and you will only be matched against fighters of your own tier afterward. However, scheduling matches takes time, so your points will accumulate much more slowly."

Bai Yushan nodded lightly.

The rules were simple and easy to understand. He did not know what the points were specifically used for, nor did he care at all. He had entered this underground boxing arena neither for rankings nor points, much less the adulation of the powerful and wealthy, but solely to test the true caliber of Eastsea City's underground fighters.

He could not be bothered to seek out Wu Changkong specifically for intense sparring. The vast, boundless vigor within him needed an outlet, and this life-and-death ring hidden in the shadows was the most suitable place to hone himself.

"I'll defend."

Bai Yushan uttered those words without the slightest hesitation.

Having received his answer, the referee immediately turned toward the audience and shouted.

"Tier-two fighter Sea Tiger has chosen to defend the ring! All tier-two and tier-three fighters present may enter the ring to challenge him!"

His booming voice resounded throughout the underground boxing arena, and the already seething stands erupted into another stir.

No one had expected this unknown newcomer, making his first appearance, to dare choose to defend the ring immediately after instantly defeating an established tier-two Soul Grandmaster. Defending a tier-two ring already required confidence; opening himself to challenges from tier-three fighters undoubtedly placed him at the crest of the storm.

In the booths below, many spectators who had lost their bets wore ugly expressions and murmured among themselves. Even more grew interested, staring fixedly at the ring as they waited to see what truly gave this newcomer his confidence.

Within seconds, a cold, harsh voice rang out from the challengers' passage.

"I'll take you on!"

An agile black silhouette flashed into the ring. His slender frame held tremendous explosive power, and the powerful Soul Power fluctuations around him stood firmly at the level of a rank-twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster.

This challenger was Night Falcon, a regular in the tier-three ring. His Martial Soul was the Black-Feathered Night Falcon, an extreme agility-attack type. His speed reigned supreme across the tier-two and tier-three rings, and he excelled at high-speed surprise attacks and close-range slashing. Relying on his exceptionally swift movement and tricky fighting style, he had achieved a winning streak of more than ten matches in the tier-three ring and amassed a considerable number of points.

Night Falcon landed on the opposite side of the ring and sharply appraised Bai Yushan in his white mask, his eyes filled with scrutiny and disdain.

Rock Bear was a genuine strength-type Soul Grandmaster with an overwhelming ability to crush opponents in close combat. He had lost through carelessness and underestimating his opponent. This newcomer before him certainly had some tricks, having defeated Rock Bear in a single second. But strength could not counter speed, and a cumbersome power-attack style would gain no advantage against extreme agility attacks.

"Newcomer, count yourself lucky to have run into me," Night Falcon said coldly. "Beating Rock Bear proves nothing. Next, I'll show you the true gap between the tier-two and tier-three rings."

Bai Yushan could not be bothered to waste words. He merely raised his eyes slightly and quietly activated Electromagnetic Clarity.

Invisible electromagnetic force spread outward. The paths of the Soul Power circulating around Night Falcon, the points where his muscles exerted force, and the routes of his footwork all appeared clearly within Bai Yushan's perception. His opponent was fast, far faster than Rock Bear, but Bai Yushan anticipated every movement's windup and trajectory in advance.

Seeing both fighters in position, the referee immediately retreated to the edge of the ring and loudly announced the start of the match.

The instant his voice fell, Night Falcon's figure abruptly blurred.

The Black-Feathered Night Falcon Martial Soul fully possessed him. The afterimage of a pair of pitch-black wings appeared behind his back, and he instantly erupted with extreme speed. His body became a blurry black shadow and vanished from where he stood.

The spectators below could only see afterimages darting around the ring, utterly unable to catch his actual position.

Several sharp black wind blades struck from every direction, sealing off every space Bai Yushan could dodge into. Their cutting force was exceptionally fierce, enough to easily tear through an ordinary Soul Elder's protective Soul Power.

This was Night Falcon's usual fighting style: maneuvering at high speed to kite his opponent, harassing them from multiple angles at range, then closing in for a killing blow once their rhythm was disrupted. Countless tier-two fighters had fallen to this approach before. Even after his promotion to a tier-three fighter, it remained effective!

But Bai Yushan stood straight where he was, utterly motionless.

Within the lucid perception of Electromagnetic Clarity, Night Falcon's high-speed movements held no secrets whatsoever. Every acceleration, change of direction, and attack trajectory was perfectly clear.

Bai Yushan lifted his feet lightly, his rhythm unhurried, precisely evading every slicing wind blade. There was not the slightest panic as he moved between them. Every shift was just right, barely avoiding each attack, without any unnecessary movement or the slightest waste of Soul Power.

Seconds later, every wind blade filling the air had missed.

Night Falcon's figure abruptly solidified behind Bai Yushan. His pitch-black claws, wrapped in dense Soul Power, tore through the air with a sharp whistle and reached straight for the vital point over Bai Yushan's heart from behind. The attack was vicious and cunning, leaving no quarter.

This strike was both swift and concealed. It was Night Falcon's killing move, and it had never failed.

Yet the instant before his claws touched the fabric, Bai Yushan abruptly turned sideways. At the same time, he reached back with all five fingers at extreme speed and clamped down precisely on Night Falcon's wrist joint.

Precise, clean, decisive.

Night Falcon's pupils contracted sharply, and towering waves instantly surged through his heart. The high-speed ambush he took the greatest pride in had actually been anticipated with such ease, and his attack had even been locked down by a backhanded grab.

He instinctively unleashed his Soul Power, trying to break free and accelerate to put distance between them.

The next instant, pale-blue lightning abruptly burst from Bai Yushan's palm.

Sixty thousand volts of bioelectricity instantly poured into Night Falcon's body through the point of contact, the violent current sweeping through every limb and bone.

The Soul Power shield around Night Falcon instantly shattered. The current coursing through his entire body sent his muscles into violent spasms. His swiftly moving body froze completely in midair, the wing afterimages collapsed outright, and he lost even the ability to struggle.

Agility-attack Soul Masters dreaded control and paralysis attacks most of all. Once their speed was locked down and they lost control of their bodies, they instantly became living targets.

Bai Yushan applied a little force through his wrist, following through with a twist and a downward press.

With a soft crack and a brief grunt of pain, Night Falcon's wrist joint was completely immobilized. His entire body was pinned firmly against the ring floor, his face pressed against its cold surface, unable to move.

The entire exchange had once again lasted only a few seconds.

The attacks in the ring ceased completely, and the restless stands once again fell deathly silent.

Night Falcon, the rank-thirty-four agility-attack Soul Elder who dominated the ring with his speed, had likewise been crushed and subdued in an instant.

Bai Yushan bent slightly, his deep, hoarse voice coming through the gaps in his mask, cold and even.

"You're fast, but your anticipation is terrible."

As his words fell, he lifted his hand to release his hold and followed with a light push of his foot.

Utterly drained, Night Falcon rolled several meters away and collapsed at the edge of the ring. His entire body was numb, and he lacked even the strength to stand. He could only stare in terror at the white-clad, masked youth in the center of the ring.

The referee stood stunned for a moment, then hurriedly announced the result at the top of his voice.

"Sea Tiger wins this match!"