Chapter 112: A Battle with Dai Mubai After Six Years
Dai Yao's gaze continued to sweep across the scene, and when he noticed an unfamiliar woman, he let out a slight "Huh?"
This woman bore some resemblance to Zhu Zhuqing. She was also wearing a tight black leather suit, her figure curvaceous. However, her looks could only be considered above average.
"What's wrong?" Zhu Zhuqing noticed Dai Yao's puzzled expression and asked.
"She looks somewhat like you," Dai Yao gestured subtly toward the woman.
Zhu Zhuqing followed his gaze, and after spotting the woman, her expression showed surprise. She then explained to Dai Yao, "She's my cousin, Zhu Lu. However, her martial soul isn't the Netherworld Spirit Cat but a fast-moving black cat martial soul."
Dai Yao nodded in understanding, his expression showing that it all made sense. It seemed that after Dai Yao and Zhu Zhuqing were engaged, Dai Mubai had no choice but to marry another woman from the Zhu family. However, this woman's talent and looks were not on par with Zhu Zhuqing's.
Though Zhu Zhuqing was no longer with the Shrek Seven Monsters, Zhu Lu had taken her place.
When Dai Mubai saw Dai Yao's gaze, his face darkened.
If it weren't for Dai Yao stealing the fiancée that was prepared for him, he wouldn't have ended up with a woman who, compared to Zhu Zhuqing, was far inferior in looks.
Thinking back to the time he was defeated by Dai Yao, he felt an intense unwillingness rise within him.
Because of that loss, he became the target of mockery by both the First and Second Princes, and with their help, Dai Mubai's reputation at the Star Luo Royal Academy was completely ruined.
He didn't care about the label of "useless waste" that had been placed on him. He pretended to be carefree, even indulging in a sense of self-destructive behavior to lower his opponents' guard. But in reality, he worked harder than ever to train.
He was determined that one day, he would take his revenge.
But after seeing the battle between Dai Yao and the Second Prince, his heart was shaken, and he couldn't calm himself.
In particular, that purple soul ring had become a nightmare in his mind.
He had thought Dai Yao would perish in Star Luo, but to his surprise, he was now in the Heaven Dou Empire.
"Good! Since you're still alive, then it's time to wash away the humiliation of my defeat six years ago," Dai Mubai's fighting spirit ignited, his gaze burning with intensity as he stared at Dai Yao.
"Dai Yao, it's been six years. Do you dare to fight me?"
Upon hearing this, everyone froze for a moment.
It seemed that Dai Mubai and Dai Yao knew each other.
The Shrek Seven Monsters knew about Dai Mubai's strength; among his peers, he was one of the top fighters. He was a powerful assault-type soul master and had an advantage in one-on-one battles.
They almost all assumed Dai Yao would lose, but Ning Rongrong, who stood at the back, looked at Dai Mubai with surprise, her eyes gleaming with a strange light.
She had witnessed how Dai Yao had single-handedly defeated the Imperial Battle Team three years ago.
"Since you want to fight, then why not? I won't let you lose too embarrassingly." Dai Yao took a step forward, a disdainful smile on his face.
Cracking his knuckles, his aura suddenly soared, causing everyone on the Shrek side to feel a sudden chill.
Zhao Wujie snorted coldly and spoke with a tone that sounded ancient:
"Kid, from the looks of it, you can't be more than ten years old, right? You should know that there's always someone better, and there are many with greater talent than you!"
Then, he turned to Dai Mubai and ordered:
"Mubai, teach this little brat a lesson. Show him the strength of our Shrek Academy!"
Hearing Dai Yao mock Dai Mubai, Fatty furrowed his brow and couldn't help but say:
"Hey, buddy, I just hope you don't lose too badly. You know, the two beauties will be very disappointed if you do."
Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.
"Who do you think you are, calling me your buddy!" Dai Yao glared at Fatty with open disgust and scolded him.
While reading novels, Dai Yao had always disliked Ma Hongjun.
He was a lecherous man who spent his youth in brothels, and while one could forgive him because of the side effects of his martial soul, what about his role as a man?
When he ascended to the divine realm, where was his wife, Bai Chenxiang?
Because of his negligence, he couldn't inherit the position of Fire God and thus couldn't take his family with him to the divine realm, causing Bai Chenxiang to die on Douluo Continent of old age.
Why didn't he beg his third brother for help? They had such a good relationship, and Bai Chenxiang was even related to Tang San. If he had asked, would his third brother have refused?
Letting his wife grow old and die alone in the mortal realm — how could he live with that?
On a darker note, without his wife, wasn't Ma Hongjun living the high life, free of anyone to control him?
This was why Dai Yao despised Ma Hongjun the most.
Hearing this, everyone's faces darkened, and they glared at Dai Yao with anger.
Ma Hongjun's round face twisted in fury; no one had ever dared to humiliate him like this.
"Who do you think you are, to insult me like that!"
Except for the Shrek Seven Monsters, he didn't care about anyone else his age.
In an instant, his martial soul manifested, and the Evil Fire Phoenix soared into the air, with the first yellow soul ring glowing brightly.
"First Soul Skill, Phoenix Fire Line!"
He unleashed a blast of scorching flames aimed directly at Dai Yao.
This Phoenix fire was intensely hot, capable of burning anything. Even the air around it seemed to warp slightly, demonstrating its power.
Dai Yao let out a cold snort, his disdain growing even stronger.
He lifted his front leg and stomped the ground.
The ground shook violently, and a shockwave erupted, sending the Phoenix Fire Line spiraling backward.
Fatty, seeing the fire being pushed back, widened his eyes in shock. He immediately retracted his martial soul, falling to the ground and narrowly avoiding the flames, his heart pounding as he stared at Dai Yao.
It felt like he was facing a monster.
With just one move, everyone from Shrek was taken aback. All of them stared at Dai Yao in stunned silence.
They were all very familiar with Fatty's Phoenix Fire Line and its power, yet this person before them had done nothing more than step forward and stop it without even using a soul skill.
Ning Rongrong muttered softly, "This bastard's strength has gotten even stronger."
In truth, Dai Yao had taken a risk with this move, but even if it hadn't worked, he would still be unharmed.
After consuming the Fire Peach from the Golden Fire Phoenix, he gained the ability to be immune to fire, meaning the Phoenix Fire Line couldn't hurt him.
Dai Yao sneered at Ma Hongjun, then slowly shifted his gaze to Dai Mubai.
"Six years ago, you lost. Today, you're still no match for me," he said coldly.
Dai Mubai gritted his teeth in anger.
Just a single step had blocked Fatty's Phoenix Fire Line, and he knew that Dai Yao's strength had likely reached the Soul Master level, or else he wouldn't have been able to so easily deflect a big Soul Master's attack.
Hearing Dai Yao's words, he scoffed and said:
"Don't speak too soon. I haven't fought you yet. These six years haven't been wasted!"
Since coming to Shrek, although he'd occasionally indulged in his desires, he had never stopped his training.
Now, with his soul power at level 37, he had the strength to challenge Dai Yao.
The soul power surged as the White Tiger martial soul manifested, and the overwhelming soul power caused even the big Soul Masters around to struggle with their breath.
Two yellow soul rings and one purple one surrounded his body, rhythmically pulsating.
The fire of battle burned in his evil eyes as he clasped his fists and said:
"Level 37, powerful assault-type battle soul master, Martial Soul White Tiger, please advise!"
Dai Yao smiled slightly, stepping forward and releasing his martial soul. Only the White Tiger form appeared for now.
"Level 35 Assault-Type Battle Soul Master, Martial Soul: Sacred White Tiger. Please guide me."
Dai Yao extended his hand and assumed a battle stance.
The soul power contained in the 6,000-year-old Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear soul ring was immense. Combined with over half a year of diligent training, which had been constrained by a bottleneck, acquiring the soul ring had pushed Dai Yao's soul power to the height of level 35.
Moreover, by Dai Yao's calculations, it would only take about ten more days of training for him to break through to level 36.
Hearing the number "thirty-five," Dai Mubai's pupils contracted sharply, his gaze filled with shock.
"Thirty-five?!"
The Shrek group exclaimed in unison.
They were all prodigies—some of them had broken through level 30 around the age of twelve and ventured into the Star Dou Forest to hunt soul beasts. But this Dai Yao, who seemed to be around their age, had already reached level 35 soul power.
Zhao Wuji gulped and asked Dai Mubai, "Mubai, how old is this kid?"
Dai Mubai forced a bitter smile.
"He's probably younger than any of us."
In the original timeline, Zhu Zhuqing was the youngest among the Shrek Seven Devils, and Dai Yao had awakened his martial soul on the same day as Zhu Zhuqing. Thus, Dai Yao was younger than anyone in the group.
Everyone's eyes focused on Dai Yao, showing a mixture of astonishment, confusion, and disbelief.
"If this kid joined Shrek Academy, he might break the record for the youngest soul master in Shrek's history," Zhao Wuji remarked, his eyes darting slyly as he smiled mischievously, evidently scheming something.
Oscar murmured, "Shrek Academy only admits monsters, but compared to this guy, we all seem pretty normal."
Dugu Yan furrowed her willow-like brows in disbelief. Then, clutching her waist and covering her forehead, she muttered:
"This guy lied to me, claiming he was fourteen! What's wrong with me? I actually fell for a twelve-year-old brat."
She was feeling rather exasperated.
As an assault-type soul master, Dai Yao's physique appeared more robust than his peers. Claiming to be older by a couple of years wasn't something you could easily tell just by looking at him.
Seeing that Dai Yao was only using his White Tiger martial soul without activating the winged form or releasing any soul rings, Dai Mubai became furious.
"You'll pay for underestimating me!"
"It's not that I'm underestimating you; I just believe I can defeat you with what I've shown so far," Dai Yao replied confidently, his golden hair fluttering and his eyes filled with self-assurance.
Truthfully, Dai Yao wasn't entirely sure of his current strength.
Against opponents of the same level, he hadn't met anyone who could withstand him. Even without using the divine White Tiger form of his martial soul or any soul skills, relying solely on his self-created techniques, he hadn't encountered an equal.
Now, after advancing to Soul Elder, he wanted to test his strength further. Thus, he wasn't belittling Dai Mubai; he was genuinely curious about his own capabilities.
Dai Mubai's eyes sharpened as he raised his tiger claws and charged forward.
Whether it was their battle six years ago or Dai Yao's fight against the Second Prince three years prior, Dai Mubai had noticed a critical flaw in Dai Yao:
His lack of combat experience.
Combat experience referred to the ability to fight purely with one's martial-soul-enhanced physical body, without relying on soul skills.
Techniques, split-second decision-making during exchanges, and courage in the face of conflict—these were areas where Dai Mubai felt confident he surpassed Dai Yao.
To him, Dai Yao's victories were merely the result of overpowering opponents with superior soul skills.
"Good!" Dai Yao's eyes gleamed with excitement.
The skills he had honed over three years in the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena were finally put to the test.
At the first clash, Dai Mubai was shocked. Was this really the same person from three years ago, who had no skill to speak of?
Every collision of tiger claws and every transition in their attacks revealed that Dai Yao was now a master in the art of combat!
Suppressing his astonishment, Dai Mubai pressed on with hand-to-hand combat, refusing to believe he would lose to Dai Yao.
"Is this even a soul master duel?"
The Shrek Seven Devils exchanged bewildered glances.
Soul master battles typically revolved around soul skills, but these two seemed to be completely ignoring convention.
Strike after strike, Dai Mubai grew increasingly alarmed. He was being completely suppressed—whether in strength, speed, or combat technique, he was falling behind Dai Yao.
Moreover, Dai Yao's relentless attacks left him no room to maneuver, forcing him into a desperate situation.
If this continued, defeat seemed inevitable.
Gritting his teeth, Dai Mubai channeled his soul power, causing his third soul ring to shine. A dazzling white light erupted from his body.
"Third Soul Skill: White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"
With a loud shout, Dai Mubai's already imposing figure swelled further under the influence of his White Tiger martial soul. His white combat suit tore in places, revealing a muscular upper body that resembled chiseled rock.
Looking at Dai Yao with a mix of awe and fear, he exclaimed:
"You've gotten even stronger than three years ago."
Forced to back off by Dai Mubai's soul skill, Dai Yao chuckled softly.
"You're not bad yourself."
At that moment, Tang San, who had been meditating, slowly awoke. Sensing the surging soul power within him, he felt a surge of joy—he had broken through level 30!
Once he obtained a soul ring, he would officially become a Soul Elder.
Opening his eyes, he noticed everyone seemed to be watching something. Following their gaze, he was surprised to see Dai Mubai battling an unfamiliar soul master.
His eyes gradually turned purple as he used his mental energy to probe the stranger. Suddenly, Tang San's eyes widened in shock.
In his spiritual perception, the stranger was like a blazing sun, radiating light and heat without restraint. When Tang San attempted to observe him using the Purple Demon Eyes, a sharp pain shot through his eyes.
"Third Brother, what's wrong?" Xiao Wu asked anxiously, helping him up as her autumn-water eyes filled with concern.
Tang San shook his head.
"It's nothing. What's going on? Why is Boss Dai fighting a stranger?"
"Boss Dai knows him. It seems they have some kind of grudge. As soon as they met, Boss Dai challenged him," Xiao Wu explained.
"Really? Boss Dai is a level 37 Soul Elder, and that person looks about our age. The fact that he hasn't lost yet—could he also be a Soul Elder?"
Tang San's gaze was filled with astonishment as he looked at the figure in the arena.
"He's not just a Soul Elder—he's a level 35 Soul Elder," Xiao Wu replied, her tone tinged with awe.
"Level 35?" Tang San was stunned.
As a twin martial soul user with innate full soul power, Tang San had only recently broken through level 30 after narrowly winning his battle against Meng Yiran. Yet, this person, who appeared so young, had already reached level 35.
"His talent surpasses even mine. However, I am a twin martial soul user!"
After pondering for a moment, Tang San turned his attention back to the ongoing battle.
Seeing Dai Mubai resort to a soul skill under the relentless barrage of attacks, Dai Yao smiled faintly, feeling a sense of satisfaction.
The three years of honing his skills in the Spirit Arena had finally paid off.
Lowering his gaze to his fists, Dai Yao concluded after his earlier exchanges that even without using soul skills or soul rings, the Eight Extremities Break with triple-compressed soul power would be enough to defeat Dai Mubai.
(End of Chapter)
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