"Congratulations to the Destiny Couple team for taking their first victory! Let's give them a round of applause!"
"Clap! Clap! Clap!"
As the host declared the result, thunderous applause instantly erupted around the arena.
The Wind Claw Brothers themselves hadn't even seen how Xiao Lin and Tang Ni had closed the distance on them, but could the audience not understand?
It was simply a whoosh—and the pair appeared right in front of them.
That had to be a self-created soul skill!Or… was it pure speed?
The audience didn't know for sure, but it didn't stop them from applauding enthusiastically.
In truth, Xiao Lin and Tang Ni had indeed used a self-created technique—But it was nothing more than a simple trick of soul power control.
They concentrated soul power under their feet, used the reactive force, and accelerated.
On the surface, it sounded simple. But in reality—it wasn't.
Even in the Battle Team, not many people could pull it off.
After all, soul power was a violent energy. Ordinary soul masters could only channel it through their meridians.
That was the first hurdle.
The next requirement was a strong enough body and flexible meridians.
If your body wasn't tough enough, if your meridians weren't resilient, using this technique would only injure yourself.
This was precisely why self-created soul skills were so rare on the continent.
Sometimes, soul rings were just more convenient.
The energy from a soul ring was external and not constrained by the user's physique.
Otherwise, someone like Yu Xiaogang—whose meridians were frail and narrow—would never have been able to release even one soul skill. He'd be beaten long before that.
After Xiao Lin and Tang Ni's victory, when they returned to the rest area—
The host realized he had just witnessed multiple self-created techniques in one fight.
His heart trembled. Could they be disciples of some hidden clan, just here for amusement?
If greedy eyes noticed those skills, Xiao Lin and Tang Ni could be in danger.
But judging from their strength, it was unlikely anyone would dare.
Those who wanted self-created skills weren't strong enough to beat them.Those with overwhelming strength wouldn't even care about their techniques.
But of course—there are always exceptions.
Just as Xiao Lin and Tang Ni were chatting about who would take the next two-on-one, a small, wiry old man with a goatee squinted at them.
Self-created techniques…Perhaps the old man himself couldn't use them anymore, but his clan certainly could.
Hehehe…
The old man laughed darkly to himself, his greedy gaze never leaving Xiao Lin and Tang Ni.
Still, he wasn't completely reckless.
He knew he couldn't beat them alone. He needed help. Best case, he'd have someone injure them heavily in the arena first.
Not long after, two more people walked over to Xiao Lin and Tang Ni.
The old man's eyelid twitched. Four people? What to do?
If he wanted to take down the Destiny Couple, he'd need far more allies. Panic began gnawing at him.
And then—his eyes lit up.
"Isn't that the Evil-Eyed White Tiger?"
The old man was a frequent gambler at the Soul Arena. A sly opportunist.
When he found weak opponents, he struck hard to win and earn coin.When he faced stronger ones, he surrendered in under three seconds, preserving himself.
This way, his record in the arena was abysmal. He always fought in the Iron Tier.
But now—he saw the Evil-Eyed White Tiger and his friends.
He had studied that youth before. Though only fifteen or sixteen, he was already a Soul Ancestor.
With his powerful martial spirit and excellent ring configuration, even Soul Kings might not outmatch him.
And considering that each contestant could only fight once per day, Xiao Lin and Doni, having already fought a duo battle, could only enter other types of matches next—like one-on-one.
The old man squinted. His plan was forming.
The Destiny Couple were husband and wife. The other two with them were just friends. No need to cripple all four.
If he could separate and defeat just one—especially one of the couple—that was enough.
Yes, separate them. Take them down one by one.
The old man grinned wickedly. His thoughts were "an old sow in a brassiere—layer after layer" (i.e., plans within plans).
But he ignored one critical question:
Could he actually beat them?
Overcome with greed, he didn't care. He hurried toward the officials managing the matchups.
Slipping some gold soul coins under the table, he whispered:
"Shanji, what are you trying to pull?"
The staffer muttered. Bribes weren't new, and as long as things weren't too outrageous, he usually allowed swaps.
"I want the Evil-Eyed White Tiger to fight that fighter."
The staffer quickly scanned both fighters' records.
The Evil-Eyed White Tiger had five consecutive wins already, powerful enough to soon leave the Iron Arena.
The mysterious contestant had defeated the famed Wind Claw Brothers—without even using soul rings.
Both were terrifying.
Though the matchup seemed perfectly fair, the staffer still said:
"Shanji, add more money."
The old goat-bearded Shanji glared at him, but reluctantly pulled out five more gold soul coins.
"Deal."
The staffer accepted, then modified the listings.
Elsewhere, Xiao Lin was joking with Tang San about the upcoming one-on-ones, teasing that hopefully they wouldn't be matched against their own allies.
Xiao Lin noticed the Evil-Eyed White Tiger in the distance.
The youth's golden, wild hair and mismatched heterochromatic eyes stood out, even in this rainbow-haired Douluo Continent.
His build was broad and muscular—about the same size as Xiao Lin himself.
At his side stood two companions: one, a man with peach-blossom eyes and a thick beard; the other, a slightly chubby man with a Mohawk, squinting as he scanned the crowd.
Then—the squinty-eyed Mohawk spotted Xiao Wu and Tang Ni. His eyes lit up, and a lewd grin spread across his face.
Shrek's Three Scoundrels.
Xiao Lin frowned instantly, stepping protectively in front of Tang Ni.
Tang San, noticing Xiao Lin's movement, also stepped before Xiao Wu in silent agreement.
"Brother Lin, those two…"
Tang San's expression didn't change, but cold killing intent flickered in his eyes.
How dare these perverts fantasize about Xiao Wu?They had chosen the path of death.
He secretly hoped the matches would pit him against Ma Hongjun or Oscar.
But that was impossible—the difference in strength was far too vast.
Still, as Tang San's gaze fell upon Dai Mubai, faint killing intent stirred again.
So. He even dares to ogle Sister Ni.
Fine. He'll be beaten until even the five elements of reincarnation burst out of him.
Tang San cursed darkly in his heart at the golden-haired lecher.
(End of Chapter)