Ling Tian's eyes narrowed as he turned to face the Snake Queen, his voice low and smooth. "Umm, nothing. I was just angry at myself for what I did to such a beautiful person like you."
The Snake Queen's eyes widened in surprise, and she smiled, her hands instinctively going to her hair to smooth it out. "Oh, it's nothing. Don't be angry at yourself, everyone makes mistakes. I have to go, they need me."
As she turned to leave, the specter's voice cut in, his tone laced with amusement. "You are a professional liar, where did you learn that?"
Ling Tian's face frowned, and he muttered, "Shut up."
The Snake Queen's ears perked up, and she turned back, curiosity etched on her face. "Did you say something?"
Ling Tian's expression turned innocent. "No."
The Snake Queen chuckled, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, look at my silly name, Am Jin Shè."
Ling Tian's smile was genuine this time. "Oh, nice name. I'm Ling Tian."
The Snake Queen's face turned shy, and she said, "Nice to meet you, Ling Tian. Bye."
As she walked away, the specter's teasing voice followed her. "Young master, I think she likes you."
Ling Tian's eyes rolled, and he said slowly, "Shut up. Let's go, I'll be mentioned to fight in the second round."
They walked away, taking their seats to watch the next fight. The ring announcer's voice boomed through the arena, "The next combatant is Liu Feng from the White Tiger Clan and the son of Qiang Hu, the leader of the White Tiger Clan, versus Fan Long from the Dragon Clan. Unfortunately, the Dragon Leader couldn't make it for some reasons."
The crowd erupted into cheers, their excitement palpable. Jin Shè, the Snake Queen, still looked at Ling Tian, her eyes lingering on his profile.
The specter's teasing voice cut in once more, "Young master, I think you got a crush."
Ling Tian turned to look, and his eyes met Jin Shè's, but she quickly averted her gaze.
The ring announcer's voice cut through the chaos, "Match starts now!!!"
*1. Liú Fēng - White Tiger Clan*
- *Name Meaning:* Peak/Summit (Fēng) - uncommon for White Tiger, but fitting
- *Age:* 24
- *Gender:* Male
- *Clan:* White Tiger Clan (Bái Hǔ Zhòng - variant surname usage
- *Cultivation Level:* Core Formation Stage - 8th Layer
- *Attributes:*
- *Element:* Metal (variant of White Tiger's usual Earth element)
- *Specialty:* Tiger Physique - enhanced strength, speed, and durability
- *Skills:*
- Tiger Claw Strike
- White Tiger Roar
- Summit Slash
- *Personality:* Confident, Adventurous, Short-tempered
- *Appearance:* 6'1", muscular build, short black hair, sharp golden eyes
*2. Fàn Lóng
* Age: 26
* Gender: male
- *Clan:* Dragon Clan
- *Cultivation Level:* Core Formation Stage - 8th Layer
- *Attributes:*
- *Element:* Fire (traditional dragon element)
- *Specialty:* Dragon Physique - enhanced strength, speed, durability, and healing
- *Skills:*
- Dragon Claw Strike (
- Fire Breath
- Dragon Tail Sweep
- *Personality:* Ambitious, Strategic, Arrogant
- *Appearance:* 6'2", lean-muscular build, short red hair, piercing blue eyes
The crowd held its collective breath as the two opponents faced each other, their eyes locked in a fierce stare. The anticipation was palpable, and the excitement was building.
The match began, and the two opponents clashed in a flurry of steel and flames. Liu Feng's Tiger Claw Strike flashed through the air, swift and deadly, while Fan Long countered with a blast of Fire Breath that could incinerate his opponent.
The battle raged on, with neither opponent giving an inch. The crowd erupted into cheers, their excitement and anticipation reaching a fever pitch.
Ling Tian's eyes narrowed as he watched the battle unfold. "This is going to be a tough match," he said, his voice low and even.
The specter's grin grew wider. "Let's see who will come out on top, young master."
Fan Long's face twisted in anger as he unleashed a powerful Dragon Tail Sweep, striking Liu Feng with incredible force. The impact sent Liu Feng crashing to the ground. Fan Long followed up with a blast of Fire Breath, but Liu Feng quickly countered with a White Tiger Roar, creating a wave that halted the flames.
The ground shook beneath their feet as the two energies clashed. The specter leaned in, his voice low and intrigued. "Young master, isn't this the guy you threw a knife at when asking for directions?"
Ling Tian nodded, his eyes fixed intently on the battle. Fan Long charged forward, his sword flashing in the light as he summoned a massive fireball to crash down on Liu Feng. Liu Feng stood firm, his sword raised in a brave stance, and blocked the attack.
The fireball struck his sword, pushing him back, but Liu Feng refused to yield. Fan Long poured more energy into the flames, and the fireball blazed brighter, cracking Liu Feng's sword.
"This young man wants to die," the specter whispered, his voice laced with amusement.
The fireball finally struck Liu Feng, engulfing him in flames that danced across the stage. Qiang Hu quickly intervened, absorbing the fire from his son's body. Liu Feng's face was flushed with embarrassment as he walked away.
The announcer's voice boomed through the arena, "The winner of this match is Fan Long!" The crowd erupted into cheers, their excitement and anticipation building.
Ling Tian quickly made his way to the notice board, eager to see who he would be facing in the next round. He scanned the list, his eyes widening as he saw the names: Jin Shè, Wei Mao, Wang Li, and himself.
His mind flashed back, and he pointed to Jin Shè's name, whispering, "I've heard that name before..."
The specter teased him once more, "Is it your crush?"
Ling Tian's face turned shocked, and he stammered, "The Snake Queen... isn't she a queen with a higher level?"
The specter chuckled, "No, this is the Snake Queen's daughter, but she stands in her mother's name."
Ling Tian's heart began to pound faster, and he whispered to himself, "I wish I didn't have to fight her..."
Some Bear Clan cultivators came spotted on Ling Tian and walked close to him. "Well, well, well what do we have here," they said, their voices dripping with mockery, as they reached out to touch Ling Tian's shoulder. Ling Tian turned gently, his eyes narrowing as he saw who had touched him without permission. With a swift motion, Ling Tian grasped the cultivator's hand and squeezed it tightly, twisting it until it broke with a sickening crunch. The cultivator's scream echoed through the air, only to be abruptly silenced as Ling Tian booted him in the mouth.
The other two cultivators charged forward, their massive fists swinging towards Ling Tian with incredible force. But just as they were about to strike, an Azure shield materialized out of nowhere, covering Ling Tian from the attacks. The cultivators' fists crashed against the shield, but it held firm, protecting Ling Tian from harm.
Ask yourself: Who was that? And why did the person help Ling Tian?