However, Qingbao barely had time for that thought to form in his mind before the duel was already over.
Xiao Wu's foot struck Qingbao's thick neck, the force even lighter than he had expected. After the kick landed, her toes didn't rebound away — instead, they hooked around the back of his neck. At the same time, her other foot swung up and planted itself squarely against his solid chest.
A burst of pink radiance erupted forth. Two gleaming yellow Soul Rings materialized around Xiao Wu's body. In that instant, she used her Soul Rings to prove to every spectator that she was a Great Soul Master.
On the Soul Master spectator stands, when Tang San saw Xiao Wu's right foot hook precisely around Qingbao's neck, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, and he murmured two words: "Goodbye."
Xiao Wu's first Soul Ring skill — Waist Bow — activated.
Qingbao felt tremendous force slam into his chest and the back of his neck simultaneously. His entire body was flung skyward as if riding a cloud, tossed through the air by Xiao Wu's cartwheel flip.
The moment Xiao Wu landed, she took a running step and leapt up to meet Qingbao's plummeting body. Her feet clamped precisely around his waist, her slender midsection twisted, and her body rotated a full turn in midair. A reverse throw sent Qingbao's body careening sideways. It bounced off the protective ropes at the edge of the dueling platform before dropping straight off the stage with a muffled thud.
The entire fourteenth dueling arena fell dead silent around the one-on-one platform. Forget the spectators — even the announcer from earlier had his mouth hanging wide open.
No one had expected a duel like this to end so quickly, and that the winner would be the girl who looked barely into her teens. Not only was the whole process fast, but Xiao Waist Bow executed against such a massive opponent looked almost elegant. Qingbao, strong as an ox, hadn't even managed to release his Martial Soul before the fight was over.
Because Qingbao had been courteous, Xiao Wu hadn't channeled much Soul Power into her attacks against him. Coupled with his naturally decent defenses, he was already staggering to his feet from the ground.
"Lass, you're really something. I lost." Qingbao was an honest man, but he wasn't stupid. The instant Xiao Wu had exerted her force, he'd sensed that her Soul Power far exceeded his own. Qingbao's Soul Power was at Rank 25. Given that gap, plus the girl's bizarre techniques, he knew that even going all out, he couldn't have won.
Xiao Wu huffed, "What 'lass, lass' — call me Big Sister Xiao Wu. Don't you know the capable one gets the seniority?"
"Oh. Big Sister Xiao Wu." Qingbao called out obediently, his face flushed red, and walked away.
On the Soul Master stands, Tang San chuckled to himself at Xiao Wu's words. That girl — her big-sister attitude was showing up again.
*BOOM* — the roar of cheers erupted at last. A pretty little girl who was this powerful had instantly captured everyone's attention. Thunderous applause shook the arena.
Xiao Wu flashed a grin and waved cheerfully toward the stands.
The announcer finally snapped back to reality, strode quickly onto the dueling platform, and declared in a booming voice: "Battle Soul Master Xiao Wu is victorious! Record: one win, zero losses. Qingbao's record: twenty-one wins, fourteen losses. Master Xiao Wu, please proceed to register your points after leaving the stage."
The matches moved along at a rapid pace. Perhaps because Xiao Wu's bout against Qingbao had showcased a brief flash of brilliance, the spectators in the stands were now getting interested.
But what Tang San and the others hadn't expected was that the second duel of the day would be an internal Shrek Academy matchup. The two combatants: Tang San and Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing gave Tang San one glance before heading into the dueling corridor. Just as Tang San was about to follow, Dai Mubai grabbed him by the shoulder.
Dai Mubai looked a touch awkward and said in a low voice: "Brother, take it easy on her."
Tang San gave a faint smile and nodded to him, then proceeded through the dueling corridor and onto the stage.
Two unfamiliar faces again, and one of them was a beautiful girl whose looks were no less striking than Xiao Wu's. Before the duel had even begun, cheers were already ringing out from the stands.
The announcer briefly introduced both parties' names and Martial Souls, then signaled for the match to begin.
"Please." Tang San politely offered a gesture of courtesy to Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing said coldly: "Please give it everything you have. I want to see exactly how wide the gap between us is."
She had been present for Tang San's fight against Zhao Wuji, so she already knew she couldn't be his match. What she wanted to know was just how great the difference truly was between them — both being Great Soul Masters.
Unlike the previous bout, this time both combatants released their Martial Souls the moment the fight began. Zhu Zhuqing's eyes changed color simultaneously — left eye dark green, right eye clear blue. A pair of adorable cat ears pricked up slightly. Her ten fingers flexed, and razor-sharp claws sprang from her palms. She crouched low, staring at Tang San with icy intensity, as though eyeing prey. Two yellow Soul Rings appeared around her, radiating an aura so cold and keen it felt almost suffocating.
Soul Rings of the same color materialized around Tang San as well. Blue-black vines crept along the ground like slithering serpents, spreading silently outward, covering a diameter of over ten meters around his body — nearly half the entire dueling platform.
Tang San regarded Zhu Zhuqing with a look of complete composure. He was in no hurry at all. Even though the bout had yet to properly begin, Tang San already knew he had won.
As a Control Type Battle Soul Master, he was inherently the counter to Zhu Zhuqing's agility-attack style. On a confined platform like this, her speed and mobility couldn't be brought fully into play. From the very start, this fight had no suspense.
Seeing the Blue Silver Grass spreading toward her, Zhu Zhuqing knew she couldn't wait any longer. Her body sprang forward in a blur, trailing a string of afterimages, and she lunged straight at Tang San from the front.
(End of Chapter)