novelraw Chapter 499: Battle Against Xiao Xiao
Chapter 499: Battle Against Xiao Xiao
Almost everyone was hoping that Ye Qingchen would be defeated by Xiao Xiao. Seeing this, he couldn’t help but let out a wry smile and said to her, "I never expected our Xiao Xiao to be so popular. Look, all those people are rooting for you."
At Ye Qingchen’s praise, Xiao Xiao was overjoyed, blushing as she spoke, "Young Master, don’t listen to their nonsense. In Xiao Xiao’s mind, the Young Master has always been amazing."
Ye Qingchen smiled and nodded. "It’s been a year since we last met, and your strength has already reached the Ninth Layer of the Martial King Realm. Honestly, I really do feel some pressure facing you."
If anyone else had said that to her, Xiao Xiao would have been disdainful. ’Some pressure’? More like scared to death!
But hearing these words from Ye Qingchen was completely different. It made her happier than a hundred praises from anyone else.
Xiao Xiao gave a mischievous smile and said to Ye Qingchen, "Then you’d better be careful, Young Master. I’m very powerful now, you know."
The audience saw that the two had yet to fight since the match began. Instead, they were on the arena, chatting and laughing, seemingly flirting, which only soured the crowd’s mood.
Although Xiao Xiao’s every smile was tantalizing, she was smiling at Ye Qingchen!
Coupled with the matters concerning Xue Zhao and Zi Xing, Ye Qingchen had long become the public enemy of all the men present. Now, seeing Xiao Xiao acting so familiarly with him, they could no longer bear it and began to shout at the referee.
"Referee, are they going to fight on Arena 5 or not?"
"Exactly! What happened to the match? It’s turned into a chat session."
"Ye Qingchen, can you stop being so despicable? You know you’re no match for Goddess Xiao Xiao, so you’re resorting to your pretty-boy tricks? If you have any dignity as a man, then fight!"
"That’s right! Losing to Goddess Xiao Xiao isn’t too shameful. Hurry up, or just surrender and stop wasting everyone’s time!"
At first, the audience’s dissatisfaction was directed at the referee, but after someone’s shout, the crowd turned on Ye Qingchen.
The referee was helpless. This competition had no set time limit, so technically, even if Xiao Xiao and Ye Qingchen chatted there for a year, he had no right to interfere. But the referee was a man, too, and he naturally disapproved of Ye Qingchen’s conduct. So, although it was against the rules, he steeled himself and urged, "You two, please begin the match. The other contestants are waiting."
Hearing the referee’s words, Xiao Xiao playfully stuck out her tongue, though her gaze never left Ye Qingchen.
Ye Qingchen sighed and said to her, "Let’s get started. I’m afraid I’ll be drowned by their insults if we wait any longer."
Xiao Xiao nodded, her expression growing serious as she said to Ye Qingchen, "Then you must be careful, Young Master. I won’t be holding back."
As she spoke, the Ten-Star Vermilion Bird Holy Soul manifested behind her. A majestic Vermilion Bird, wreathed in flames with a wingspan of seven to eight meters, floated in the air behind her. As the Vermilion Bird appeared, the crowd felt a wave of scorching heat, despite the Defensive Array on the arena meant to contain its energy.
"Excellent! Goddess Xiao Xiao has finally made her move!"
"Is that the Ten-Star Vermilion Bird Holy Soul? Goddess Xiao Xiao summoned her Holy Soul right from the start! It seems she has no intention of going easy on him."
"Goddess Xiao Xiao has her pride; of course she wouldn’t go easy on him! This Ye Qingchen fellow won’t even last a single round against her."
The audience couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration upon seeing Xiao Xiao’s Vermilion Bird Holy Soul. Even Ouyang Wuqing, on his distant arena, couldn’t help but turn his gaze toward them, a hint of apprehension in his eyes.
Ye Qingchen felt it immediately. The moment Xiao Xiao summoned her Vermilion Bird Holy Soul, his own Willow Wood Martial Soul was suppressed by nearly eighty percent. He didn’t dare to be careless and immediately activated his Dual Pupil Martial Soul. As he did, a mysterious energy flowed from the gray jade beside his Dual Pupil Martial Soul, gradually mitigating the oppressive force. Even so, his Willow Wood Martial Soul could only exert eighty percent of its full strength.
Looking at the Vermilion Bird phantom behind Xiao Xiao, Ye Qingchen felt genuinely happy for her. She must have put in an immense amount of effort to grow this strong, and the stronger she became, the more at ease he felt.
"Young Master, I’m making my move," Xiao Xiao said, her playful expression gone, replaced by a grave one.
Then she shouted, "Phoenix Dance Nine Heavens!"
The Vermilion Bird phantom behind her tore through the air, soaring high into the sky. Immediately, energy from all around began to converge on the phantasmal beast. Ye Qingchen felt the pressure on his body increasing immensely. It came not just from Xiao Xiao’s formidable energy, but also from the innate bloodline suppression of the Vermilion Bird divine beast.
He didn’t dare to be careless, gripping his Double Pupil Sword, ready to act at a moment’s notice.
Meanwhile, the Vermilion Bird phantom had gathered enough energy. It shook its wings violently, turning the surrounding space a fiery red as streaks of violet-red flames filled the sky, raining down on Ye Qingchen. He could feel the intensity of the attack; each individual flame was no less powerful than his Sword Dusting the Wind.
And there were hundreds of them.
In other words, Xiao Xiao had unleashed the equivalent of a hundred Earth Rank Martial Techniques in a single instant. Although Ye Qingchen was confident he could block any single flame, even he didn’t dare face so many arriving at once.
He was forced to constantly use Fire Spirit Charm Shadow to dodge the attacks. For any flames he couldn’t evade, he used his Wind Blade Sword Technique to shatter them. To his astonishment, even after his sword cleaved right through them, the flames would not disperse and could instead change direction according to Xiao Xiao’s will to attack him again.
Moreover, the Vermilion Bird phantom in the sky was still gathering more energy.
Ye Qingchen understood that if he didn’t break this technique quickly, a new wave of flames would arrive. At that point, given the limited space on the arena, he would truly be cornered. He pushed his Dual Pupil Martial Soul to its limit, searching for the best path of evasion. Slashing through flame after flame, his swift and agile movements gradually brought him closer to Xiao Xiao.
I have a plan. Instead of wasting my energy contending with the Vermilion Bird phantom, I should attack Xiao Xiao directly! That will interrupt her and force her to stop this technique!