The Soul Contract Master Tournament
Day Two.
After the first round of matches, the original pool of 100 contestants had been reduced to 50.
Today, the audience had arrived even earlier than the previous day, their enthusiasm undiminished and their excitement rising even higher.
After all, yesterday's matches had been an absolute spectacle—clashes between dragons and tigers, so to speak. Unlike the traditional Soul Arena matches, which were battles between humans, this new format featured close cooperation between humans and soul beasts, making the combat fresh and exhilarating. No video recording could replicate the visceral thrill of watching it live.
This fresh novelty surrounding Soul Contract Masters was exactly what fueled the audience's fervor. Of course, another major reason was the presence of divine beings watching alongside them, giving them the thrilling sense that they were part of something grand and momentous—far more than any mere celebrity endorsement.
Fifty contestants were split into twenty-five pairs.
Six arenas rose in the center of the venue. Only four rounds of matches were scheduled for today, so six arenas would suffice—though for the fourth round, an additional arena would be raised, making seven total due to the odd number of pairings.
With the commencement of the first round, the contestants took the stage after the draw was completed.
In the VIP stands, Ye Cheng's gaze settled on one particular arena—for in that very ring stood two contestants from Baiyun Academy. Even more unexpected, the two were personally close. He hadn't anticipated they'd be pitted against each other so soon, certainly not before the finals.
On Arena 6…
Two young women of vastly different styles stood facing each other from ten meters apart, silently locking eyes.
In both appearance and temperament, the contrast between the two was stark.
The girl on the left had crimson hair, crimson eyes, and wore a fiery-red outfit. Her entire presence radiated heat and passion—every inch of her screamed "fire."
The girl on the right was her complete opposite.
With icy-blue hair and eyes, even her attire leaned toward frosty shades. Her cool and aloof demeanor gave the impression of a highborn ice queen, distant and unapproachable.
[Contestants, take your positions!]
[The match is about to begin!]
A voice rang out as if from the heavens.
[Ready…]
[…Begin!!]
As the referee declared the match open, the two didn't rush into action like the other contestants. Instead, they casually started chatting.
"Icey, never thought we'd meet this early. I figured we'd face off at least in tomorrow's finals." The fiery girl, Huo Wu, looked across at her close friend Shui Bing'er with a hint of resignation. "Looks like today will be your last round."
"Wu, don't be too confident. We won't know who wins until we've truly fought," Shui Bing'er replied with a gentle smile. Her chilly demeanor melted into a calm warmth, creating a striking contrast.
They weren't just classmates—they were close friends. Despite being matched against each other early, the atmosphere between them lacked the usual tension, replaced instead with a casual camaraderie.
Each girl was accompanied by a soul beast no taller than their thighs.
By Huo Wu's side stood a fiery bird with beautiful crimson feathers. The resplendent crest atop its head hinted at phoenix lineage—clearly a soul beast of exceptional bloodline and great potential.
Shui Bing'er, meanwhile, had a white-furred, blue-eyed cat at her feet. It appeared adorable and harmless, but anyone who underestimated it would be making a serious mistake.
"Alright, enough chit-chat. Let's get started!" said Huo Wu.
A thunderous boom echoed as flames suddenly erupted across the arena.
Crimson light flooded half the stage, radiating an oppressive heat. Two purple rings, three black—five soul rings in total—rose up around Huo Wu, blazing in unison. One of the rings flashed brightly.
The surrounding fire elements surged in, coalescing into sparks that rapidly intensified, becoming larger and denser with each second. Then, in a sudden burst, the concentrated fire infused directly into the bird beside her.
Instantly, a golden-red light flared from the small bird's body. Its power exploded outward as it let out a shrill cry.
"Screee!"
The firebird began to transform, its feathers lengthening, its form growing more elegant and majestic. In mere moments, it had completely evolved into a blazing fire phoenix!
Clearly, Huo Wu's soul skill was a powerful enhancement—temporarily awakening the phoenix bloodline in her soul beast and vastly increasing its strength.
"Go, Little Red!"
With a sweep of her arm, the blazing fire phoenix shrieked again and soared high into the sky, unleashing waves of searing flames as it attacked from above.
Its target: Shui Bing'er.
The arena's temperature soared to scorching levels, placing Shui Bing'er, an ice-type soul master, at a severe disadvantage.
But she remained calm and unflustered. Her soul rings—also two purple and three black—lit up as her body became shrouded in a faint blue glow. First, she cast a layer of icy crystal armor upon herself. Then, radiant blue light bloomed behind her, forming the illusory silhouette of a bird—her Ice Phoenix martial soul.
"Xiao Bai, now!"
At her command, the white cat at her feet began to glow. Blue rings of light rippled outward, causing water molecules in the air to condense rapidly. Within moments, thick clouds gathered above the stage, completely covering the battlefield.
Then, heavy raindrops began to fall in sheets, creating a watery curtain that quenched the fire phoenix's assault. The stifling heat in the arena began to plummet rapidly.
But a proud fire phoenix wouldn't let its attack be nullified so easily.
With a piercing cry, the bird—engulfed in flame—began diving and weaving through the artificial cloudbank, vaporizing the moisture around it with its intense heat. The cloud formation began to thin and disperse!
Shui Bing'er's brows furrowed slightly. Ice-blue light flared once again from her body and surged into the white cat at her side, merging her soul power with its own.
The white cat let out a long yowl, its glow intensifying sharply.
The clouds that had nearly dissipated began to gather once more.
Thus began a tug of war between the two soul masters—one trying to burn away the clouds with fire, the other replenishing them with water.
That two people with such opposing elements could be such close friends… truly was something rare.
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