Zhao Liuyun had simply been idle and wanted to see what the famous Rose Hotel actually looked like. He had not expected to run into Dai Mubai, the notorious "hungry tiger of lust," in this very place.
"You... you don't remember me?!" Dai Mubai's face was filled with disbelief. His breathing grew heavy, and the arms he had wrapped around the waists of the twins instinctively loosened. One hand pointed at himself while the other pointed at Zhao Liuyun like a confused dog, his eyes wide with shock. "You really don't remember me?"
Ever since he had been casually defeated by Zhao Liuyun nearly two years ago—left with a face full of blood and subject to the ridicule of passersby—Dai Mubai had etched that name deep into his mind. In that battle, his dignity as a Prince of Star Luo had been trampled, which briefly spurred him to work hard and bury himself in bitter cultivation.
Unfortunately, that drive only lasted for less than two months before it was gradually eroded by a life of luxury and debauchery. Dai Mubai had sunk back into the "gentle village" of women, using beauties to numb himself, afraid to face the inevitable failure of his destiny.
However, though his will was decadent, that bone-deep humiliation had never been forgotten. Two years had passed, and Zhao Liuyun had grown to 1.8 meters tall. His features had filled out, and his temperament was vastly different from before. Yet, Dai Mubai recognized him at a single glance.
He never expected that the person he brooded over had forgotten him entirely! This kind of nonchalant dismissal was the ultimate irritant.
"Should I know you?" Zhao Liuyun's brow furrowed slightly, his tone carrying a hint of impatience. "Who are you? You certainly have a high opinion of yourself."
The suppressed malice in Dai Mubai's heart surged like a tide, and a raging fire of anger ignited.
"You really don't remember me?" he squeezed the words through gritted teeth. "I am Dai Mubai of Shrek Academy!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Liuyun studied him for a moment before finally fishing something from the depths of his memory. He let out a long, lazy "Oh."
Just as a spark of anticipation flickered in Dai Mubai's eyes, he heard Zhao Liuyun chuckle flippantly. "Oh, so you're that loser who couldn't even take one hit, wouldn't admit defeat, and then got floored a second time by me?"
With such deep-seated malice coming from you, did you really expect me to give you a pleasant face? Zhao Liuyun snorted inwardly with disdain.
Before the words had even fully landed, the smiles on the twin sisters standing beside Dai Mubai froze, their faces turning pale. Being humiliated in front of his kept companions caused the cold light in Dai Mubai's eyes to explode. He roared, "You bastard!"
In an instant, an intense pale-white light erupted from within his body. His muscles swelled, and his blonde hair transformed once again into a strange black-and-white pattern.
White Tiger Spirit Possession!
Two yellow and one purple soul ring rose in succession. As his soul power circulated, a surging pressure rolled forward like a wave.
"Roar—!"
Accompanied by a sharp, savage tiger roar, soul power surged around Dai Mubai. An evil light shimmered in his eyes, radiating killing intent. Nearby passersby, curious to watch the fight, were so intimidated by this terrifying aura that they froze in place. Even the iron-clad patrol soldiers retreated one after another, fleeing the dangerous zone of a Soul Master confrontation. They could handle ordinary people, but who would dare provoke a Soul Elder surrounded by a purple soul ring in the middle of a rage?
The twin sisters looked worried, but they could only watch from a distance, not daring to interfere in a dispute between Soul Masters.
The noble purple light suddenly flared, and Dai Mubai's aura skyrocketed.
"Third Soul Skill: White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"
His muscles expanded rapidly, and deep black patterns emerged on the surface of his skin. This soul skill, obtained from a Vajra Tiger, was the most "shameless" self-buffing skill in the Star Luo Imperial lineage. It not only doubled his attack, defense, and strength but also doubled his resistance to abnormal status effects.
Furthermore, since Dean Flender had taught him how to use pain to counter sleep-type mental soul skills, Dai Mubai's confidence was at an all-time high. What was pain? As long as he was ruthless enough with himself, he wouldn't be controlled by dreams. In his mind, the frail body of a mental-system Soul Master was their greatest weakness.
Bang!
Amidst the tiger roar, Dai Mubai stomped his right foot, turning into a bolt of white lightning as he charged straight at Zhao Liuyun. A mountain-toppling ferocity swept in all directions. His massive tiger palms seemed capable of shattering stones, and his cold, sharp claws looked ready to tear any enemy into shreds.
"Attacking without waiting for your opponent to release their spirit... you've become more shameless, and you still haven't learned your lesson."
Zhao Liuyun's eyes didn't waver in the slightest. He was as calm as still water. A faint light flickered in his palm, and the celestial flower, the Moonlit Lotus, bloomed instantly. His fourth soul ring remained hidden by the energy control granted by [Precision], while the third purple soul ring flashed brilliantly.
"Dread Dream Flashback."
There was no need for stealth or concealment. A nine-thousand-year soul skill released with the mental strength of a Soul Saint was not something the White Tiger Vajra Transformation could resist.
The nightmare of fear instantly crushed Dai Mubai's already shaky will. He saw himself being utterly defeated by his elder brother, claws piercing his chest in a miserable death. Then he saw himself dying in an instant, blood flowing everywhere while the surrounding crowd cast mocking glances and jeered at him. Most soul-crushing of all was witnessing his twin companions being humiliated while he was bound in place, powerless to act.
"Aaargh—!"
Amidst a shrill scream, Dai Mubai's consciousness completely sank. His tensed muscles suddenly went limp, leaving him full of openings.
Zhao Liuyun was not one to miss such an opportunity. His figure flashed, closing the distance to Dai Mubai's flank in a heartbeat. He delivered a sharp low elbow strike to the abdomen, followed by a rising knee.
Thud—!
The battle was silent, but that dull impact felt like a heavy hammer striking the hearts of every onlooker. Dai Mubai's forward momentum came to a jarring halt.
Zhao Liuyun was no ordinary mental-system Soul Master; his physique was comparable to an average Soul Emperor. Furthermore, due to the tempering of the Strange Velvet Skyward Chrysanthemum, the strength in his limbs had exploded.
The White Tiger Vajra Transformation could boost defense, but so what? This strike, carrying the colossal force of a collapsing mountain, brutally tore through Dai Mubai's protective soul power, pierced his fur, and struck straight through to his internal organs.
"Pfft—!"
Dai Mubai's body shook violently. His face turned as pale as paper, and a mouthful of blood sprayed out uncontrollably. Agony swept through his mind like a tide, washing away the dream of fear. But the fear did not vanish; instead, it became even more distorted amidst the blood and pain, making Dai Mubai feel as if he were at a dead end.
At the critical moment, he pushed his first soul skill to its limit. The White Tiger Barrier barely condensed into a layer of faint light to provide some protection, but it couldn't stop Zhao Liuyun from delivering a sharp side-kick that sent him flying like a broken kite.
Dai Mubai slammed back into the lobby of the Rose Hotel.
Boom—!
The wooden front desk shattered upon impact, sending wood splinters flying. The loud crash and debris caused the hotel staff to scream in terror.
In that moment, another attack followed immediately. A purple light of dream-weaving shot forth like a bullet, instantly sinking into Dai Mubai's body as he struggled to stand. A heavy sleepiness rushed in like a black tide, drowning the life-and-death crisis, masking the piercing pain, and completely swallowing the bone-chilling fear.
Dai Mubai's eyes rolled back, his eyelids closing heavily. Just like that, he fell into a defenseless, deep sleep amidst the wreckage of the front desk. His soul power stopped flowing, the Vajra Transformation vanished, and his spirit possession deactivated on its own. His body shrank back to its normal size, his head hung low, and his breathing was as weak as a candle in the wind, looking for all the world as if he were dead.
"As per usual, the loser pays for the damages," Zhao Liuyun said calmly, stretching his wrists.
He glanced at the twin girls who were frozen in place, their faces bloodless. He reminded them coldly, "Aren't you going to call for a healing-system Soul Master?"
"If he really dies, there will be no money, and none of you will be able to escape responsibility."
With that, amidst the panic of the crowd, the corners of Zhao Liuyun's mouth curled slightly, and he left the place with a light step. Thrashing a sandbag that had delivered itself to his doorstep was truly refreshing.
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