"Brother, as the saying goes, no fight, no friendship."
Dai Mubai forced a stiff smile, his tone attempting a false sense of familiarity. "Besides, so much time has passed since our last meeting. There's no need to hold onto a grudge, is there?"
Although only three months had passed since their last encounter, he could sense that Tang San's aura had grown significantly more profound. The pressure emanating from the youth was far heavier than before.
Seeing Dai Mubai shift so seamlessly from arrogance to obsequiousness, Tang San's eyes filled with undisguised disdain.
"Last time, my Master did say he would let you go," Tang San said, his tone shifting abruptly. A cold, sharp laugh rang out. "But the score between us isn't settled yet!"
"You—"
Dai Mubai was about to protest when Dugu Yan interjected with a mocking lilt. "Oh, little brother, weren't you quite the arrogant one just now? Why the cold feet all of a sudden? Why don't you show him what you're actually capable of?"
"What a joke!"
Dai Mubai's eyes widened. Three months ago, he was already no match for this monster. Now that Tang San had clearly grown even stronger, fighting him again would be nothing short of suicide.
Dugu Yan chuckled, her voice enticing. "If you can actually beat him, I might just give you a chance with me."
A flicker of interest crossed Dai Mubai's eyes, only to vanish instantly. Though he was infatuated with beautiful women, he wasn't brainless. He wouldn't fall for such a transparent provocation, especially since these people clearly shared a history.
"I admit I'm no match for him. Let's forget this Soul Arena Battle ever happened," Dai Mubai stated, attempting to back away from the confrontation.
Ma Hongjun froze in place. Was this really the Boss Dai he knew? In his eyes, Dai Mubai had always been domineering, never yielding to anyone his own age. Now, he was openly admitting defeat. It seemed the psychological scar left by Lin Mu last time was deeper than anyone realized.
Even though Dai Mubai yielded, Tang San had no intention of letting them off the hook. He hadn't felt satisfied after his Master intervened during their previous clash, and seeing that these two hadn't changed their sleazy ways, he saw this as the perfect opportunity to deliver a lasting lesson.
"If you're scared, you can both come at me at once," Tang San proposed.
"What?!"
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun exclaimed in unison. This guy actually wanted to take them both on simultaneously!
Admittedly, Tang San's strength was high, but his Martial Soul was ultimately just Blue Silver Grass. It was common knowledge that plant-type souls were countered by fire-type souls, and Blue Silver Grass was notoriously the weakest of them all. Dai Mubai believed that with Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire Phoenix acting as a hard counter, they might actually stand a chance to avenge their previous humiliation.
"Are you sure you want to face both of us alone?" Dai Mubai asked solemnly.
Tang San remained calm. "I don't need any help to deal with the likes of you."
"Fine. We agree to a Soul Arena Battle!" Dai Mubai took a deep breath, adding cautiously, "But let's be clear, this is a friendly spar. Don't let things get messy."
"That depends entirely on your strength," Tang San replied, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
On one of the duo Soul Arena stages at the Suotuo Grand Soul Arena, Xiao Wu stood beside Tang San with her arms crossed, making it clear she had no intention of lifting a finger. While the rules required both partners to be present, they didn't stop Tang San from handling the fighting solo.
"Evil-Eyed White Tiger, Martial Soul: White Tiger, Level 38 Power Attack Type Soul Master!"
Dai Mubai immediately activated his Martial Soul. His physique expanded, becoming more robust and exuding a wild, predatory power.
Ma Hongjun followed suit. Compared to the White Tiger, his Evil Fire Phoenix appeared somewhat stunted, resembling a scruffy chicken, and his Soul Power was only Level 28.
"Blue Silver General, Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass, Level 42 Control Type Soul Master."
Tang San raised his right hand. His Blue Silver Grass emerged, shimmering with a pale golden light and radiating a life force so dense it was hard to believe it was the same useless grass commoners had.
"What?! Level 42?!"
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun were stunned. Their minds went blank. Only three months had passed! At most, they expected him to have gained a Level or two. To jump to Level 42 in such a short time was a complete violation of common sense. Three months ago, Dai Mubai was four Levels ahead; now, he had been left in the dust.
Tang San didn't give them time to process the shock. The moment the referee signaled the start, he struck.
"Blue Silver Grass: Entangle!"
Thick vines, moving like giant pythons, coiled toward them at speeds far exceeding anything Tang San had shown before. After absorbing the ten-thousand-year Emerald Swan Soul Ring, the life attributes of his grass had skyrocketed, granting him immense control even without a dedicated skill.
Ma Hongjun scoffed, "So what if you're a higher Level? You're still just grass! Watch my Phoenix Flame burn you to ash!"
"First Soul Skill: Phoenix Fire Line!"
Blazing purplish-red flames erupted, engulfing the charging vines. However, to Ma Hongjun's horror, the flames caused no damage whatsoever. The Blue Silver Grass completely ignored the fire, continuing its charge.
"How is this possible?!" Ma Hongjun's eyes widened. His fire was a total failure.
Dai Mubai was equally stunned. He knew the temperature of the fatty's flames; even he wouldn't dare touch them. Yet the Blue Silver Grass was unscathed.
In the second Ma Hongjun was frozen in shock, several vines wrapped around his obese frame, binding him tight.
"First Soul Skill: Blue Silver Crystallization!"
The vines were instantly covered in a layer of hardened, ice-like keratin, sealing Ma Hongjun inside a rigid shell with no hope of escape.
"Ah! Let me go! Boss Dai, save me!" Ma Hongjun struggled, but even his hottest flames couldn't crack the crystallized vines. He was wrapped up like a red rice dumpling.
Dai Mubai, however, was too busy defending himself to help. He hacked at the vines approaching him, having learned that once the Blue Silver Grass caught you, the fight was over.
"Stay put," Tang San laughed, the sound bright and full of confidence. "It'll be your turn soon."