The resting area of Soto's Grand Spirit Arena consisted of several rooms, each about 100 square meters, equipped with toilets. Against the walls were rows of seats where spirit masters sat—some cultivating, some resting with eyes closed, some occupied with other things. But all of them had the same goal: adjusting their state to the very peak, ready to claim victory in the battles to come.
Qian Jue and Dai Mubai casually chose one of the resting rooms and stepped inside. The moment they entered, their age naturally drew the attention of the spirit masters already seated there. Dai Mubai was fine—though youthful, at least his tall frame made him look somewhat mature. Qian Jue, however, looked very much like a child.
Even so, no one mocked them. Some even studied them for quite a while before turning away, clearly trying to gauge their strength.
Anyone who could survive in the Spirit Arena was no fool. The minimum requirement to enter was being a Spirit Grandmaster. If someone was here, it meant they had already reached that level. And for someone so young to already be a Spirit Grandmaster their martial spirit and talent were unquestionably extraordinary.
The spirit masters in the room silently etched the two into memory, intending to watch their battles later. If they ever crossed paths in the future, it was best to have some preparation.
Yes—aside from resting here, spirit masters could also leave through another exit that led directly to the side of the battle stage, where they could watch matches up close without even paying for a ticket. A small privilege granted to Arena fighters.
But Qian Jue and Dai Mubai weren't interested in spectating for now. They found two empty seats and sat down to chat.
"Boss Dai, what do you think our two-on-two team name should be?" Qian Jue whispered.
"How about 'Tiger King Duo'? The king among tigers," Dai Mubai said with great enthusiasm.
"Tiger King? Ugh, that's way too tacky. Why don't we call ourselves the 'Jade White Duo' instead?" Qian Jue wrinkled his nose at the cheesiness of the suggestion.
"Jade White? That sounds like it'd shatter at the first touch," Dai Mubai frowned, clearly dissatisfied.
"Hmm… then what about 'Amber Duo'?" Qian Jue suddenly offered. Though the characters for "White," "Tiger," and "King" weren't the same in this world, when combined they could form the word "Amber." Dai Mubai immediately caught his meaning.
"Hey, not bad! I like it. Amber Duo—it even rolls off the tongue!"
"Hehe, told you." Qian Jue grinned.
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Time passed as the two debated names. Occasionally, Arena staff entered the room to call out numbers for those whose battles were about to begin.
"Contestant Fourteen, please proceed to the preparation area! Contestant Fourteen, to the preparation area!"
At last, Dai Mubai's turn had come.
"Let's go. I'll watch from below. Make sure to win beautifully, Boss Dai," Qian Jue encouraged.
"Relax. I'll give you a real show." Dai Mubai flashed a confident smile before following the staff member out. Qian Jue slipped through the other exit, heading toward the stage to watch from the audience.
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On the battle stage, a young man in a tailcoat stood at the center. He cleared his throat and announced in a booming voice:
"Now, for the 14th match of the one-on-one duels here in Arena Sixteen! Tonight, we welcome two Spirit Grandmasters. First, our newcomer with a beast martial spirit, the White Tiger—battle alias 'Evil-Eyed White Tiger'!
His opponent: another newcomer, wielding the tool martial spirit, the Flaming Spear—battle alias Gunfire!
A clash between beast spirit and tool spirit! Will our White Tiger shred his enemy with his claws, or will our Flaming Spear pierce through his foe's defenses? Let's wait and see! Please welcome both Spirit Grandmasters to the stage!"
The announcer's fervent voice whipped the crowd into cheers.
Arena Sixteen wasn't particularly large—only a few hundred spectators filled the stands. While battles between Great Spirit Masters in their early twenties weren't always the most spectacular, the duel between beast and tool spirits was enough to stir interest.
After introductions, Dai Mubai and his opponent both ascended the stage. The young man named Gunfire was about the same age as him—fifteen or sixteen at most—with a handsome face and an upright bearing.
"As we can see, both contestants are extremely young—true prodigies. May they bring us a brilliant match! Now, release your martial spirits!"
Dai Mubai's golden eyes locked onto Gunfire, brimming with battle spirit. Both were young, which meant they had come here to temper themselves. For Dai Mubai, this was the ideal kind of opponent.
With a roar, his muscles swelled, golden hair turned snow white, hands expanded, and his frame grew taller. Two yellow spirit rings rose at his feet, circling slowly.
The transformation of his domineering White Tiger martial spirit drew gasps of amazement from the audience.
"Hope you can give me some pressure," Dai Mubai said lowly, his gaze sharp.
"Maybe so much pressure you can't withstand it," Gunfire shot back, equally unyielding.
As his words fell, two yellow spirit rings lit beneath him. He raised his hand, a flame igniting in his palm before lengthening and vanishing, replaced by a long spear.
The weapon was seven feet in length, blazing red from tip to tail. Its spearhead flared like living fire, radiating searing heat. With a flourish, Gunfire spun the weapon and leveled it diagonally toward Dai Mubai.
Both men fell silent, eyes locked, waiting for the other to reveal a flaw, minds whirring with tactical calculations.
*Ding!*
The clear sound of a bell signaled the start. Both lunged forward at the same time.
Being power-attack spirit masters, close combat was inevitable.
The distance closed rapidly, and the audience held their breath.
*Whoosh!*
Gunfire struck first, thrusting his spear straight at Dai Mubai's chest. The attack was swift and fierce, the spear whistling as it cut the air.
But Dai Mubai was ready. A slight twist of his body let the flaming spear graze past, the heat distorting the very air before his eyes.
*Whump!*
Dai Mubai retaliated immediately, dipping low, twisting his waist, and driving a powerful punch toward his opponent's chest, his fist slicing through the air with equal force.
*Clang!*
Gunfire shifted quickly, bracing the spear vertically before him. The staff absorbed the blow, but the sheer impact forced it back into his chest. Staggering, Gunfire retreated several steps, only managing to halt by planting the spear's butt firmly against the ground.
Dai Mubai didn't press the attack. Instead, he glanced at his fist. The white fur covering it had been singed black—the brief contact had already scorched him. That was how hot the Flaming Spear truly was.
Gunfire rubbed his chest and muttered under his breath when he saw Dai Mubai checking his fist.
"Monster strength."
With another flourish, he spun his spear, channeling more spirit power into it. The weapon gleamed brighter, flame patterns along its length flickering as though alive.
This was the Flaming Spear martial spirit—a weapon forged entirely from fire.
It was a special martial spirit, its heat rising as its wielder's cultivation grew. When Gunfire first awakened it, the weapon's surface temperature already exceeded 100 degrees Celsius—the highest in his family for nearly a century. He couldn't even touch his own martial spirit until he acquired his first spirit ring from a Flame Stallion, which finally allowed him to control it.
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