The Soul Power that had quietly retracted around Elder Xuan did not attract anyone's attention. His gaze fell back onto the arena, but his eyes now held a somewhat unfathomable depth.
Wang Yan, noticing the change in Elder Xuan's expression from the side, couldn't help but whisper an inquiry, "Elder Xuan, just now... was it Elder Mu speaking with you?"
Elder Xuan remained silent for a moment before nodding slightly, though he was unwilling to discuss it further. "You don't need to concern yourself with this matter. Just focus on watching the match."
"Yes..." Wang Yan responded as he took half a step back, though he already understood in his heart.
It must be that Elder Mu highly values Furina, which is why he specifically sent a transmission to remind Elder Xuan not to interfere. He knew Elder Xuan's explosive temper; if Elder Mu hadn't personally suppressed it, he probably would have lashed out just now.
Meanwhile, on the arena, Dai Huabin's trio was still sprinting at full speed. The distance between them and Furina, who was still leisurely tasting cake, was visibly shrinking.
Seeing Furina's relaxed and self-satisfied manner, the fire of rage in Dai Huabin's chest burned even hotter. "Dammit... she actually dares to look down on us like this!"
Zhu Lu and Cui Yajie also showed looks of indignation. Cui Yajie clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, saying, "She's just a level fifty Spirit King, what's she acting so arrogant for? Does she really think we're just for show?"
"Huabin, let's just use our Martial Soul Fusion Skill!" Zhu Lu suggested urgently.
She truly couldn't stand the humiliation of being completely ignored by her opponent. She only wanted to immediately unleash their killing move and show Furina what's what.
Dai Huabin did not respond, nor did he move closer to Zhu Lu—this meant he did not yet intend to perform the Fusion skill. Seeing this, Zhu Lu had no choice but to hold back for the time being.
On Furina's side, she had unhurriedly enjoyed the Nut Cake, blueberry cake, and Fruit Cake, completing the stack of various attribute buffs.
Watching the three people gradually closing in, she lazily stored the table and chairs back into her storage ring. Then, she beckoned to them with a finger, a gesture that seemed to combine the provocation of the 'One Yang Finger' with the momentum of the 'Lion's Roar'—
"Come over here."
Her voice wasn't loud, and her tone wasn't particularly fierce, but the sense of mockery contained within it instantly reached its peak.
"Bastard! This is simply going too far!" Veins bulged on Dai Huabin's forehead as he activated three Spirit Abilitys simultaneously: White Tiger Barrier, White Tiger Vajra Transformation, and White Tiger Light Wave!
A blazing, milky-white sphere of light erupted from his mouth, blasting directly toward the barrier in front of Furina.
However, when the light sphere struck the shield, it failed to stir even a single ripple. That transparent barrier remained as solid as ever.
This result was actually within their expectations. After all, that previous team where everyone had two rings had used all their strength and still couldn't break this shield within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. With just Dai Huabin's Second Soul Skill as a three-ring Soul Elder, how could he possibly shake a Fifth Soul Skill shield cast by a Spirit King with a spirit ring of over fifty thousand years?
But Dai Huabin simply couldn't swallow this resentment.
He couldn't tolerate Furina's attitude of completely disregarding them.
Cui Yajie's Martial Soul was the Nine-Tailed Fox, and she practiced both mental control and the path of power. At this moment, she unhesitatingly activated her First Soul Skill, 'Charm,' attempting to interfere with Furina's mind. However, Furina's mental force far exceeded her imagination. After her Spirit Refining with the Taiyi Spirit Refining Art, even a mental-type Spirit Master of the same level might not be able to shake her mind, let alone this mere two-ring Charm skill.
Although Cui Yajie didn't expect this move to be effective, she hadn't expected it to be like a stone sinking into the ocean, without even the slightest wave being stirred.
As for Zhu Lu's offensive, it was even more like a mere tickle, having no effect on Furina's shield at all.
"Dai Huabin, hurry and use the Martial Soul Fusion Skill! If we keep going like this, we're bound to lose!" Cui Yajie urged frantically.
Zhu Lu also turned to look at Dai Huabin, her eyes full of anxiety. Dai Huabin finally took a deep breath, seemingly having made up his mind.
But how could Furina let them have their way?
She lightly lifted her finger, and two water spheres condensed and exploded between Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu without any warning! The surging waves of water instantly washed the two apart. As an agility-type Spirit Master, Zhu Lu had no Spirit Ability to enhance her defense; she took the hit from the Water Burst Technique head-on and was immediately heavily injured, coughing up blood.
Furina's figure moved like the wind, seizing the opportunity to glide in front of Zhu Lu, delivering a light yet sharp flying kick—
"Bang!"
Before Zhu Lu could react, she was already falling like a kite with a broken string beyond the boundary of the arena.
Cui Yajie's heart sank. Their team's greatest reliance was the Martial Soul Fusion Skill of Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu, the Hell White Tiger.
Now that Zhu Lu was out, who else could complete the Fusion with Dai Huabin? And who could contend with Furina? This battle... they were likely going to lose.
Seeing this, Dai Huabin's eyes turned blood-red, and he let out an earth-shattering tiger roar, once again lunging recklessly toward Furina!
But at the very moment he was about to get close, Furina's fingertips moved slightly, and another Water Burst Technique exploded in mid-air—
Boom!
Dai Huabin was sent flying back by the air current, nearly falling directly off the arena.
However, Furina did not seize the chance to pursue.
She simply turned around gracefully, leaped off the arena with composed steps, and then faced the referee, calmly declaring:
"I surrender."
She had jumped off the stage, and she had said she surrendered.
According to the rules, Furina undoubtedly lost this match. But anyone could see clearly that Dai Huabin's team couldn't possibly win against her. As long as she landed one more blow, Dai Huabin's trio would have been forced to leave the field.
The referee was stunned for a long while before finally announcing in a somewhat stiff, loud voice: "The winner—Dai Huabin's team!"
He couldn't very well judge Furina as the winner, could he? The opponent had jumped off the arena in public and surrendered with her own mouth. If he truly turned black into white, his reputation as a referee would be ruined by tomorrow.
In the spectator stands, everyone except Huo Yuhao had looks of confusion on their faces.
Du Weilun's brow was furrowed tightly. "What kind of play is this? She was halfway through stomping the competition, why did she suddenly give up?"
Yan Shaozhe shook his head and said, "Perhaps she doesn't want to meet Huo Yuhao's team prematurely, or perhaps... she's just tired of playing and intentionally wants to annoy people."
He paused for a moment and waved his hand. "Forget it, let her be."
On the other side, Elder Xuan and Wang Yan were equally filled with doubt.
Elder Xuan stroked his beard and said in a heavy voice, "This little girl... what on earth is she up to?"
Wang Yan smiled bitterly. "Elder Xuan, I can't see through it either. Furina's actions have always been erratic and difficult to predict with common logic."
He hesitated for a moment and lowered his voice. "Could it be that the Axis Cult has an old grudge with the White Tiger Duke's Mansion? But the Star Luo Imperial Family clearly holds the Axis Cult in high esteem, even publicly honoring it as the state religion—though the Axis Cult hasn't acknowledged it."
Elder Xuan snorted and waved his hand. "Enough, enough. This old man is too lazy to get involved in these trivial matters."
After Furina announced her surrender, she left the arena without looking back, completely disregarding how Dai Huabin and the others on the stage reacted.
The championship?
She didn't care about it at all in the first place. As for Spirit Bone rewards and the like, as long as one had enough points, they could be exchanged at any time. Currently, the internal points of the Axis Cult were abundant, and the Spirit Bone catalog had long been made public, allowing members to exchange them based on their contributions. If it weren't for the fact that the four great protectors like Lei Bao were single-mindedly pursuing higher quality Spirit Bones that were more compatible with themselves, they would have already collected a full set with their existing points.
As for Dai Huabin... let him go and fight for that'second' place.
It just so happened that it would also give Huo Yuhao a chance to personally take his revenge—let that boy properly teach this arrogant rich kid a lesson.
Her steps were light, and a faint, lingering smile played at the corners of her lips, as if that baffling surrender just now was merely a small chess game she had casually set up.
And the real show was still to come.
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