...
After chatting with them for a while, Xiao Wu pulled Tang San to sign up for the two-on-two Spirit Battle ranking.
"The next match is an exciting Spirit Lord level battle. Let's welcome our Spirit Battler, Ronin Yi, who possesses the weapon martial soul, Ronin Sword! And the other contestant is Dai Mu Bai, who possesses the beast martial soul, White Tiger!"
"Will Zeng Yi continue his three-game winning streak? Or will Dai Mu Bai be able to stop his winning streak? Let's wait and see together!" the commentator exclaimed passionately.
After the announcer finished, the audience in the stands also began cheering, enhancing the atmosphere at the scene. A battle at the Spirit Elder level was always more thrilling and could truly excite them.
Is it my turn?
Hearing the announcer, Zeng Yi was initially stunned, his gaze involuntarily falling on Dai Mu Bai beside him.
Is he my opponent? Wasn't he just here a moment ago? Did they match us up because he's a Spirit Elder and we both went first?
"Dai Boss, you're up first! Hurry on!" Ma Hong Jun told Dai Mu Bai.
"Hahaha, I didn't expect to be the first! Let me go up and show you all a good performance, taking the first victory." Dai Mu Bai laughed heartily, then walked briskly out of the rest area towards the Spirit Battling arena.
Zeng Yi followed shortly after, walking towards the exit.
"Where are you going, Zeng Yi?"
Seeing Zeng Yi about to leave, Ma Hong Jun couldn't help but ask.
"To the Spirit Battling arena," Zeng Yi replied.
"Spirit Battling? Aren't you Zeng Yi?"
"Yes! I didn't register using my real name," Zeng Yi said, then looked towards Zhu Zhu Qing. "Xiao Zhu, can you take care of Xiao Ju for me? Thank you!" He entrusted her with a request, as every time he left Xiao Ju with the staff, it would always scratch him upon his return.
Sigh, I'm going to earn money! Xiao Ju, if I didn't have money, would you eat so well? You're such an ignorant little kitty.
Hearing this address, Zhu Zhu Qing's forehead twitched and she gazed at Zeng Yi with icy eyes before coldly uttering a word.
"Leave!"
"Alright, alright. How can you still have such an attitude while going to school? If you don't stop this behavior, it'll be hard for you to get along with your classmates during the reunion!" Seeing Zhu Zhu Qing's reaction, Zeng Yi helplessly said and left.
Meanwhile, Ma Hong Jun's gaze alternated between Zhu Zhu Qing and Zeng Yi. Seeing their interaction, he felt that their relationship seemed unusual!
Could it be?
Ma Hong Jun's mind couldn't help but wander, and a sly smile appeared on his face.
Wait, isn't she the target of Dai Boss? If that's the case, wouldn't Dai Boss be doomed?
No, it seems like Zeng Yi and Zhu Zhu Qing knew each other before, right? Maybe Dai Boss "doomed" him.
Ah, who even "doomed" whom?
He was a bit puzzled.
"Hey? Where are Dai Boss and Zeng Yi?" Tang San and Xiao Wu returned after signing up and noticed Dai Mu Bai and Zeng Yi were not present, so they asked.
"Oh, you're back. It's their turn for the Spirit Battle. They're opponents, so they went to the stage. You guys came just in time, let's go watch and cheer for Dai Boss!" Ma Hong Jun said hurriedly as they returned.
Upon hearing that, the interest of the group was piqued, and they went together to the spectator area to watch the battle up close.
At the Spirit Battling arena, Dai Mu Bai was the first to step onto the stage. Soon after, Zeng Yi's figure appeared at the entrance of the arena. Looking towards Dai Mu Bai, he realized it was someone familiar, which surprised him.
With a light leap, Zeng Yi gracefully landed on the Spirit Battling arena, facing Dai Mu Bai who stood opposite.
"Why is it you? Brother!" Dai Mu Bai couldn't help but say upon seeing Zeng Yi in front of him.
"Hehe, the Ronin Yi is my Spirit Battle name. You left too quickly just now, I didn't get a chance to tell you." Zeng Yi chuckled.
"Hahaha, I know you're very strong. Great, we can have a good fight and see who's stronger." Dai Mu Bai laughed heartily, clapping his fists in front of his chest, his gaze fixed on Zeng Yi's figure, showing a strong fighting spirit.
Seeing his imposing appearance, Zeng Yi smiled indifferently. "Hehe, I have the same thought!"
Zeng Yi remembered that Dai Mu Bai was considered one of the strong individuals at the Spirit Elder level. Fighting him would allow him to assess his own strength within the same realm.
I hope we can both enjoy ourselves!
...
"Hey, isn't that Little Yi, my little brother?" In the spectator stands, a young woman remarked upon seeing the person on the Spirit Battling stage.
Her shoulder-length, sleek black hair and wheat-colored skin matched her alluring figure, making her look extremely sexy and stunning.
If Zeng Yi were in front of her, he would definitely recognize her as Kali, the woman who had taken him out of the Sunset Forest.
Seated beside her were two brawny men, Xiong Zhong and Xiong Yi, the two brothers.
"It seems so! Zeng Yi, little brother, has come to Suotuo City?" Xiong Yi said foolishly.
"Hahaha, we should have a drink with him later!" Xiong Zhong, upon seeing Zeng Yi, burst into laughter and said.
"Little Yi, look here!" Kali, disregarding her surroundings, shouted and waved at Zeng Yi in the Spirit Battling arena.
"Little Yi!"
Zeng Yi, with his keen hearing, naturally caught that voice.
Little Yi, who the hell is calling me like that?
Following the sound, he saw a familiar figure waving and shouting at him.
It turned out to be Sister Kali and the Big Bear brothers! How did they end up here?
Seeing familiar faces, Zeng Yi's expression also became joyful, and he waved back at them.
"Encountering acquaintances?" Dai Mu Bai asked upon seeing Zeng Yi's expression.
"Hehe, yes." Zeng Yi turned his head, looked at him, and gave a faint smile.
"Our battle begins now!"
"Hahaha, that's just what I want!" Dai Mu Bai laughed heartily. A formidable spirit power burst forth from his body at the thirty-seventh level, exuding strong momentum. Three spirit rings appeared under his feet, two yellow and one purple, the perfect configuration for the best spirit rings, showcasing his formidable strength.
Sensing Dai Mu Bai's oppressive spirit power, Zeng Yi also felt the pressure. Indeed, this level of spirit power was much stronger than the other Spirit Lords he had encountered. However, he couldn't be defeated solely by that.
Quietly releasing his own spirit power, Zeng Yi's body was covered by a layer of light blue spirit power, his hand resting on the hilt of Ronin Sword hanging from his waist. His eyes lost their usual relaxed and indifferent expression, becoming sharp and extremely cold, like an edge of a sword, filled with intense frost.
Watching the two men face off on the stage, Tang San and the others in the audience couldn't help but speak.
"Who do you think will win this Spirit Battle?" Xiao Wu said.
"Needless to say, it's definitely Dai Boss! He possesses such powerful beast martial soul, coupled with his level thirty-seven spirit power. I feel like there's hardly anyone in the Spirit Lord level who can defeat him." Ma Hong Jun, as Dai Mu Bai's staunch follower, immediately voted for Dai Mu Bai.
"It's hard to say," Tang San said as he gazed at the two on the stage.
Tang San had fought against Dai Mu Bai and knew that he was very powerful. However, Zeng Yi gave him a more frightening feeling. Dai Mu Bai emanated a sharp aura, while Zeng Yi seemed restrained and mysterious. Moreover, in Tang San's experience, swordsmen like Zeng Yi couldn't be measured by conventional means, as their strength was terrifying.
Tang San's words surprised Ma Hong Jun, as he didn't expect Tang San to say that. Was Zeng Yi really that strong?
"By the way, since you guys know each other, do you know Zeng Yi's level of spirit power? What kind of martial soul does he possess?" Ma Hong Jun asked again.
This question made Tang San a bit embarrassed, and he awkwardly answered, "Actually, we've only met once and I don't know his level of spirit power, but his martial soul should be a sword."
"You don't know that? Then why do you think highly of him?" Ma Hong Jun was somewhat speechless.
"The unknown is most terrifying," Tang San said calmly.
"That's true," Ma Hong Jun nodded, agreeing with Tang San's statement. However, he still favored Dai Mu Bai since he understood his strength.
"What about you, Zhu Qing? Don't you two know each other? Do you know Zeng Yi's strength?" Xiao Wu asked Zhu Zhu Qing, and Tang San and Ma Hong Jun also looked at her, wanting to know the answer.
Seeing her classmates looking at her like that, Zhu Zhu Qing couldn't remain silent and said faintly, "His level of spirit power is thirty-five, and his martial soul is Ronin Sword, the long sword hanging from his waist."
"Level thirty-five? Two levels lower than Dai Boss! Then Dai Boss will surely win," Ma Hong Jun said. With a two-level spirit power advantage and his top-tier beast martial soul, Ma Hong Jun felt that his boss couldn't possibly lose.
"No! Dai Mu Bai will lose, and Zeng Yi will win!" Zhu Zhu Qing said calmly.
Zhu Zhu Qing's words stunned the others. Tang San knew that swordsmen were generally stronger than soul masters of the same level, but Dai Mu Bai had a two-level advantage, which could make up for that. He believed it was a battle with an uncertain outcome. However, Zhu Zhu Qing's assertion that Zeng Yi would win, which she sounded so certain about, surprised him.
But Ma Hong Jun was different. Dai Mu Bai was his respected boss, and Zhu Zhu Qing saying that his boss would lose made him unhappy, saying, "Zhu ZhuQing, my boss might have upset you, but you shouldn't say something like this! Dai Boss is two levels higher than him! Moreover, weapon martial souls have no advantage over beast martial souls to begin with. Besides, Dai Boss has a top-tier beast martial soul, White Tiger."
Upon hearing Zhu Zhu Qing, Zhu Zhu Qing sighed at Ma Hong Jun and said, "Why? Because I witnessed him kill a Spirit Elder and several high-level Soul Masters with a single sword strike, and he still had energy to spare. Is this reason enough?"
Zhu Zhu Qing's words left the group dumbfounded.
...
[[Notes: Guess what? I racked up a whopping 100 power stones for my story this week, a new personal best! So ya, feeling good.]]