Facing the incoming spear, Meng Hongchen remained calm under pressure.
Her own armor encased her fully. From her back sprouted three pairs of short, folded wings, each barely a foot long. In her hands, two slender ice-blue swords—each three feet in length—extended outward.
But clearly, Meng Hongchen had no intention of clashing head-on. From the start, Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy's strategy was to wear down opponents with her potent toxins.
Whoosh—!
Her figure blurred—speed surging instantly.
Just as she dodged, Dugu Xin flicked his wrist, redirecting the spear tip straight toward her.
Forced to react, Meng Hongchen twisted sideways while slashing her twin blades horizontally through the air.
Two streaks of ice-blue light flashed like lightning, crossing midair into a blazing X-shaped slash aimed at Dugu Xin.
Dugu Xin sank low, hips grounded, and gave his wrist a subtle tremor.
Pfft—!
The X-slash shattered—exploding into a billowing cloud of white mist.
Seizing the momentary pause, Meng Hongchen retracted her swords, swept her palms outward in a wide arc, and thrust forward.
Only now did her soul rings flare to life:
Yellow! Yellow! Purple! Purple! Black! Black!
Behind her, a translucent jade-white toad materialized—its blood-red eyes sending chills down spines.
From her outstretched palms, a one-foot-wide plume of white vapor—tinged faintly cyan—shot toward Dugu Xin. Her first soul ring ignited simultaneously.
As raindrops fell, the earlier mist from the shattered X-slash and this new toxin seamlessly merged into the downpour.
Seeing this, Dugu Xin charged forward—deliberately playing ignorant, even lunging straight into Meng Hongchen's trap.
Spear leading, body following—he pressed the attack relentlessly.
Meng Hongchen, however, refused direct confrontation. She pushed off the ground, flipping backward gracefully.
She let the spear tear through the rain while she retreated step by step.
Keep going!
Keep chasing!
The more you move, the faster the poison spreads through your bloodstream!
On the arena floor, Meng Hongchen leapt and landed repeatedly, mentally counting seconds. With Dugu Xin's relentless pursuit, the toxin's effects should've already surged.
All she needed was to stall until then.
Like a patient hunter waiting for prey to step into a snare—unaware that she was the one caught in the spider's web.
Sensing the Vermilion-Eyed Ice Toad venom permeating the air—but not a trace entering his body—Dugu Xin sneered inwardly.
His fifth soul ring came from a Vermilion-Eyed Ice Toad itself. Combined with the eight other toxins already circulating in his system, her single-toxin assault was laughably ineffective.
Ironically, it was Meng Hongchen who now carried a far deadlier poison—one lying dormant in her veins like a remote-controlled bomb. Harmless for now… but if Dugu Xin triggered it?
She'd collapse instantly, combat ability nullified.
But now wasn't the time to activate it. Doing so might alert the Sun Moon team—ruining their "fishing" strategy. After all, this tactic relied entirely on the opponent's ignorance.
Dugu Xin pressed harder, his spear weaving like a dragon, cutting off Meng Hongchen's escape routes. Showing no mercy, he forced her into increasingly desperate retreats—until she was cornered against the soul-engineered barrier.
A deep unease stirred in her heart.
Why hasn't he fallen yet?
—
Ready Zone – Spectator Area
"What's going on?!" Xiao Hongchen's brow furrowed as he stared at Dugu Xin.
He knew his sister's toxin well. At this duration, with such intense movement, most would be dead—not just poisoned!
Yet Dugu Xin showed no signs of affliction.
Could it be…? His eyes locked onto Dugu Xin's armor. Of course!
Meng Hongchen reached the same conclusion mid-battle:
That soul-engineered armor must project a personal anti-toxin barrier!
Realizing this, she knew she couldn't continue passively.
Noticing the barrier behind her, she activated her flight soul tool. Her three wing pairs unfolded; twin thrusters flared beneath her, rocketing her skyward.
In a flash, she landed behind Dugu Xin, driving both swords at his back—the weakest point of his armor.
How could she miss such an opening?
But a spear master always has counters.
Without turning, Dugu Xin reversed his grip and thrust backward. The black spear tip shot toward his rear like a striking serpent.
Meng Hongchen tried to withdraw and dodge—but the spear was faster.
The tip grazed her hand, leaving a thin red line.
Ignoring the wound, she retreated rapidly—only to find Dugu Xin standing still, spear lowered, watching her with amused disdain.
The next second, Meng Hongchen froze mid-step.
The light in her eyes dimmed. Her lively gaze turned vacant, disbelief lingering in her pupils.
Then—
Thud—!
She collapsed backward onto the arena floor. Even as her body bounced slightly on impact, she made no further movement.
The crowd gasped in unison. Even the Sun Moon team shot to their feet, faces etched with disbelief.
How is this possible?!
Shouldn't it be the other way around?!
"SISTER!"
Xiao Hongchen roared, instinctively rushing toward the stage.
But Head Referee Zheng Zhan was faster. He wrapped Meng Hongchen in soul power and delivered her to the Sun Moon team.
Jing Hongchen, after a quick nod from Xu Tianran, descended from the main stand to examine his granddaughter. To his horror, her breathing had grown faint, her organs failing rapidly—her life force flickering like a dying candle.
"She's been poisoned!"
Jing Hongchen's face darkened. He immediately administered a potent antidote—but found it only suppressed the toxin, unable to neutralize it completely.
"Damn it! It's a compound toxin!"
Whirling around, Jing Hongchen's icy glare fixed on Dugu Xin—then swept across the entire Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect team.
But within a breath, he forcibly swallowed his rage.
No choice—his granddaughter needed immediate treatment. Ordinary healers wouldn't suffice. Only a specialized antidote pill could save her.
"Everyone," he announced, "Meng will not compete further."
Simultaneously, he sent a soul-power transmission to Ning Tian, proposing a deal.
This transaction couldn't involve Xu Tianran. He'd frame it as "withdrawing from the match in exchange for the antidote."
And why would the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect agree?
He'd tell Xu Tianran: They yielded to the empire's authority in the capital.
Meanwhile, Ning Tian was momentarily stunned.
Truthfully, they'd planned to give Meng Hongchen the antidote anyway. If she'd died, it would've caused massive trouble.
But Jing Hongchen making the offer himself? That was unexpected.
If he's offering, we'd be fools not to take it. Clearly, panic had clouded his judgment.
After sealing the secret deal, Chen Junting's group handed over one antidote pill—curing Meng Hongchen.
Then, Chen Junting palmed the remaining pills inside the bottle, quietly waiting for the next opportunity to trade.
Of course… this was merely a minor interlude.
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