On the streets of Soto City, Dai Mubai's powerful soul pressure was palpable. Zhu Zhuqing's delicate eyebrows furrowed as she instinctively prepared to summon her Hell Spirit Cat martial soul to fight alongside Lan Si.
However, Lan Si shook his head and dismissed Dai Mubai's soul pressure with a wave of his hand. Smiling, he said, "Zhuqing, leave this evil-eyed tiger to me. If I can't even handle him, how can I protect you in the future?"
"Dai Mubai's strength is formidable; his soul power is already at level 38. Be careful," Zhu Zhuqing said. Although she moved behind Lan Si, she couldn't help but worry. Lan Si was only twelve and had only become a Soul Elder four months ago, while Dai Mubai had been at this level for two years. The battle could easily turn against Lan Si.
Lan Si nodded reassuringly, then stepped forward.
Seeing Lan Si prevent Zhu Zhuqing from joining the fight, a hint of surprise flashed in Dai Mubai's eyes, quickly replaced by a cold gleam.
He said sharply, "Kid, you have guts. On any other day, I might have befriended you or even invited you to join Shrek Academy. But you made a grave mistake: you dared to get involved with Zhuqing. There's no room for the both of us. If you lose today, you'd better stay as far away from Zhuqing as possible and never come near her again."
"Oh?" Lan Si smirked mockingly. "And what if you lose?"
"I won't lose," Dai Mubai hesitated before replying.
"Heh, so you're afraid to bet, huh? You're scared," Lan Si taunted, spreading his hands.
"This bastard," Dai Mubai cursed inwardly.
Never in his life had Dai Mubai felt so aggrieved.
He could sense that Lan Si's soul power was significantly lower than his, but having previously lost to Tang San, he knew that soul power wasn't everything. Tang San had defeated him with the Spider Web Restraint skill when he first became a Soul Elder.
What if this guy was a monster like Tang San? It wasn't impossible; Lan Si had already blocked his full-power strike, proving his strength.
When Dai Mubai didn't respond, Lan Si continued to mock him. "So you are afraid to lose. If you're scared, don't throw out one-sided challenges. It only makes you seem incompetent and cowardly. Besides, Zhuqing isn't an object; no one can force her to do anything."
Incompetent? Cowardly? Hearing those words, Dai Mubai's forehead broke out in veins. He hated being called cowardly because it reminded him of the helpless feeling he had when facing Davis's despicable actions.
"Who says I'm scared? Let's bet. Whoever loses must never bother Zhuqing again. You dare?" Dai Mubai shouted.
Before Lan Si could respond, Zhu Zhuqing stood beside him, holding his arm with determination. "Lan Si, I believe in you."
Lan Si smiled and gently stroked Zhu Zhuqing's hand.
"Dai Mubai, Martial Soul: White Tiger, Level 38 Battle Soul Elder. Please, show me what you've got." Unable to bear their flirtation anymore, Dai Mubai roared his challenge.
He didn't wait for Lan Si to respond. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and his tiger claws shot forward in a slashing motion toward Lan Si.
"Zhuqing, step back," Lan Si instructed. He had been wary of Dai Mubai's sudden attack. Without any surprise, he released a surge of cyan and white light as three soul rings—two yellow and one purple—emerged, and he charged forward.
Standing nearby, Ma Hongjun's eyes widened at the sight of Lan Si's soul rings. "Hey, Oscar, Ning Rongrong, am I seeing things? This pretty boy who captured Zhuqing's heart is also a Soul Elder like Tang San and Xiao Wu. He's around our age, twelve years old, maybe thirteen at most."
"He's just like Tang San—a true monster," Oscar gulped.
Ning Rongrong was equally astonished, thinking that it was no wonder Zhuqing was so taken with him. She then walked toward Zhu Zhuqing.
Seeing her approach, Oscar quickly tried to stop her. "Rongrong, what are you doing? Even if you're helping Dai Mubai, remember, we're Support Soul Masters. Be careful not to get hurt."
"This isn't an external battle for Shrek Academy. Who said I was helping him? Zhuqing is my best friend, and Lan Si is her boyfriend. I'm going to ask Zhuqing what's going on," Ning Rongrong rolled her eyes and walked around the battle zone toward Zhu Zhuqing.
Oscar and Ma Hongjun were left dumbfounded.
"Hey, Oscar, if Dai Mubai is losing, should we help?" Ma Hongjun asked nervously. Dean Flender had said that in the face of an external enemy, Shrek Academy needed to be united. But the current situation was complicated, and Ma Hongjun was unsure what to do.
"If you think you can win against Zhuqing, then go ahead. But remember, Zhuqing and you are both at level 28. If you can defeat her without offending her, then go ahead," Oscar shrugged. He also thought it unwise to intervene. Ning Rongrong was obviously siding with Zhu Zhuqing, and helping Dai Mubai could earn her disfavour.
"True, it's not worth the trouble, especially since Dai Mubai didn't ask for our help," Ma Hongjun nodded, agreeing that this wasn't their battle to fight. Besides, Dai Mubai might not lose.
As they spoke, the battle between Dai Mubai and Lan Si had already begun.
Dai Mubai crossed his claws, sending a crisscross slash toward Lan Si.
Lan Si didn't take the attack head-on. Instead, he sidestepped effortlessly, evading Dai Mubai's attack.
The next moment, before Dai Mubai could react, Lan Si activated his Sacred Universe Technique. His right arm was enveloped in cyan and white flames, forming a green lotus that covered his fist. With a swift strike, he aimed directly at Dai Mubai's back.
Dai Mubai was startled. How fast was this guy? Even Tang San wasn't this fast! His old strength had waned, and his new strength had yet to manifest. But Dai Mubai was no slouch. He quickly turned around and raised his tiger claws to defend his chest.
Boom!
The clash sent shockwaves through the area.
Dai Mubai's first sensation was pain—an excruciating, searing pain. He gritted his teeth, nearly crying out in agony. It was hard to believe that Lan Si's seemingly slender frame could deliver such a powerful blow. His tiger claws, which could shred boulders, were struggling to hold back the attack.
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