Battle

Several of them stood in the hall.

Flender had said that the three of them weren't allowed to team up with one another. Tang San glanced at Xiao Wu, and Xiao Wu glanced back at him. Neither said a word.

Wang Xingyu stood nearby, tapping his fan lightly against his palm.

Dai Mubai folded his arms. "Then how do we pair up?"

Zhu Zhuqing's face was expressionless. Xiao Wu suddenly turned to her. "The two of us?" Zhu Zhuqing glanced at Xiao Wu and nodded.

Ma Hongjun looked from side to side before finally settling his gaze on Wang Xingyu. "Then how about us?" Wang Xingyu nodded.

Tang San frowned. "What about me?" He looked at Dai Mubai. Tang San was level twenty-nine, while Dai Mubai was level thirty-seven. The gap was too large; the Soul Fighting Arena wouldn't arrange a two-person team like that.

"Fight a solo match first," Dai Mubai said. "I wonder where Oscar's gotten to."

With no other choice, Tang San turned his gaze to the arena.

Wang Xingyu folded his fan. Even support Soul Masters had to enter the arena and fight solo matches. How was he supposed to do that?

He thought about how Ning Rongrong had fought in the original story-using the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to boost herself, then smashing people with it. It sounded absurd, but if the young lady could do it, he probably could too.

If all else failed, he still had the Hidden Weapons Tang San had given him earlier.

Xiao Wu was up first.

Her opponent was a level twenty-four strength-type Soul Grandmaster, broad-backed and burly. Standing there, he looked like half a wall. The referee had barely called the start, and her opponent had yet to take a step, when Xiao Wu moved. She shifted sideways with Moon Shadow, three afterimages crossing on the stage. Her real body appeared behind her opponent, and she kicked him in the hollow of his knee.

His leg buckled. Before he could react, Xiao Wu's second kick struck his waist. With her Self-Created Soul Skill, Waist Bow, his whole body flew through the air, slammed into the railing, and bounced back. Xiao Wu followed up with another kick, sending him straight off the stage.

From start to finish, it took less than ten seconds. Xiao Wu finished him in an instant without even using her second Soul Skill.

The referee froze for a moment before announcing the result. "Xiao Wu wins."

Xiao Wu clapped her hands and jumped down from the stage. When she saw Tang San, the corners of her mouth curled up. "No fun."

The second match was Tang San against Zhu Zhuqing.

The two stepped onto the stage. Zhu Zhuqing's whole body tensed, and the phantom of a Hell Spirit Cat flashed briefly behind her. Standing below the stage, Dai Mubai glanced at Tang San. "Go easy on her." Tang San nodded.

The instant the referee called the start, Zhu Zhuqing moved. A black shadow cut in from the side, claws striking straight for Tang San's right ribs. Tang San didn't retreat. Blue Silver Grass emerged from his palm, and his First Soul Ring lit up-Iron Thorn Strangulation. The Blue Silver Grass instantly became harder and tougher.

Zhu Zhuqing raked her claws across the Blue Silver Grass, leaving only a few white marks. She had no choice but to use her second Soul Skill, Netherworld Hundred Claws, to break it. But as soon as she broke one strand, another wrapped around her. Zhu Zhuqing tried to break free, but it was too tough; she had to use a Soul Skill to break it.

Several more strands followed immediately.

Tang San didn't tighten them any further, only holding her in place.

Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth. "I surrender."

Tang San withdrew the Blue Silver Grass. A few red marks had appeared on Zhu Zhuqing's wrists, but the skin wasn't broken. She walked down from the stage without looking at Dai Mubai. From beginning to end, Tang San had only made one move.

The third match was Wang Xingyu's turn.

Ma Hongjun patted him on the shoulder. "Good luck."

Wang Xingyu walked onto the stage. His opponent was a burly man whose arms were thicker than Wang Xingyu's thighs. His Martial Soul was a pair of bronze hammers, and he was level twenty-four.

The referee announced the start.

The burly man didn't move, and neither did Wang Xingyu. Blue Silver Grass emerged from Wang Xingyu's palm, and his First Soul Ring lit up-Life Drain. The Blue Silver Grass wrapped around his opponent's lower leg, and Soul Power and life force began to be drawn out.

The burly man glanced down, pinned the Blue Silver Grass with his other foot, and pulled, snapping it. Wang Xingyu's expression didn't change. He grew another strand and wrapped it around him again. The burly man snapped that one too. Wang Xingyu grew another.

After several rounds, the Blue Silver Grass had wrapped around the burly man's legs several times, and he couldn't tear it all off. He felt that the fight had barely begun, yet his Soul Power was already dropping. Unable to hold back any longer, he raised his bronze hammers and charged.

Wang Xingyu turned and ran. He ran around the stage, releasing Blue Silver Grass as he went. Each strand was torn off after draining only a little, but every one of them drained at least some.

The burly man chased him and began panting after two laps. He had no speed-boosting Soul Skill and could only run on his own legs. Wang Xingyu didn't have a speed-boosting Soul Skill either, but he was lighter and just a little faster.

One chased while the other ran. The burly man's steps grew heavier and heavier as both his Soul Power and stamina were worn down. Wang Xingyu's reserves dwindled much more slowly because the Soul Power he drained replenished them.

After another two laps, the burly man stopped and braced his hands on his knees, panting. He looked up-Wang Xingyu was still running. His steps had slowed a little, but he hadn't stopped.

The burly man threw his bronze hammers to the ground. "I'm done."

The referee declared Wang Xingyu the winner.

Wang Xingyu braced his hands on his knees and panted for a while before straightening up and walking back down from the stage. Ma Hongjun handed him some water. "That fighting style of yours... is pretty distinctive."

"A win's a win." Wang Xingyu took a gulp of water.

The fourth match was two against two. Wang Xingyu and Ma Hongjun faced two strength-type Battle Soul Masters whose Martial Souls were both iron hammers. One was level twenty-five, the other level twenty-three.

Ma Hongjun moved first. His first Soul Skill, Phoenix Fire Line, shot a line of fire from his palm straight at their opponents. One of them lit up his Soul Ring and used his first Soul Skill, Shockwave. His iron hammer smashed into the ground, and a ring of air burst outward, scattering the fire.

But Ma Hongjun's second line of fire followed right behind it. The other opponent hurriedly used Shockwave.

Wang Xingyu's Blue Silver Grass emerged from the ground and wrapped around their ankles. Life Drain activated, drawing Soul Power out of both men and channeling it directly to Ma Hongjun.

Even when the two shattered the Blue Silver Grass, it was no use. Another strand quickly grew back.

Ma Hongjun fired Phoenix Fire Line almost without pause, one after another, pinning their opponents down so they couldn't raise their heads.

The two exchanged a glance. They couldn't keep letting themselves be worn down like this. Their second Soul Skill, All or Nothing-both iron hammers left their hands at once, spinning toward their opponents, wrapped in earth-yellow Soul Power with a terrifying momentum.

Ma Hongjun activated his second Soul Skill, Bathing Fire Phoenix. Phoenix Flame sprang up all over his body, greatly enhancing his physical abilities and defense.

Wang Xingyu's Blue Silver Grass burst from the ground and wrapped around the incoming hammers. Though the strands snapped one after another, layer upon layer weakened the hammers' momentum. Ma Hongjun crossed his arms to block and forcibly withstood the blow.

The iron hammers hit the ground, bounced twice, and rolled to the edge of the stage. Their opponents' hands were empty.

Ma Hongjun had already charged another Phoenix Fire Line. "Still want to fight?"

The two looked at each other, then shook their heads and surrendered.

As the referee announced the result, Ma Hongjun's face flushed bright red, the roots of his ears burned, and his brows drew tightly together. He kept swallowing.

Was his Evil Fire acting up?

Ma Hongjun turned to look at Wang Xingyu, who quickly waved his hands. "I'm not high-class."

Seeing how uncomfortable Ma Hongjun was, Wang Xingyu extended his Blue Silver Grass and wrapped it around Ma Hongjun's wrist. Life Drain activated-not to drain Soul Power, but Evil Fire.

Evil Fire flowed along the Blue Silver Grass, and Wang Xingyu's palm grew hot, as though he were holding a piece of red-hot iron. The Blue Silver Grass began to change color, turning from blue-green to dark red. Tiny cracks appeared on its surface.

The Evil Fire couldn't be converted into Soul Power and could only clog up the Blue Silver Grass.

When he had drained about enough, boom. The Blue Silver Grass exploded, scattering fragments everywhere.

But Ma Hongjun's complexion had already returned to normal. Most of the Evil Fire had been drawn out, leaving only an amount he could bear. He took a breath and looked at Wang Xingyu. "Are you all right?"

Wang Xingyu shook his hand. There were burn marks on his palm. "I'm fine." He shook the fragments of Blue Silver Grass from his sleeve and grew a new strand, fresh and tender green.

"Thank you."

Wang Xingyu unfolded his fan and fanned himself twice. "It's nothing. I didn't expect that to actually work. Let's go."

Ma Hongjun followed behind him. This fan-waving fellow was surprisingly dependable.