"Did they stop?"
"Why did they stop?"
The five ambushers looked on in confusion—only to see Qi Lin and Xiao Wu turn back toward them.
Qi Lin wore a calm, easy smile.
Xiao Wu, on the other hand, was already rolling up her sleeves, her face full of anticipation.
Only then did the five realize: these two kids had seen through their presence long ago and had intentionally led them here.
The burly middle-aged man at the lead swept his gaze across the empty terrain and let out a low, contemptuous laugh.
"Well, aren't you two cocky little brats. Just because you've got a bit of talent, you think you can lure us out here on purpose?"
"What now? Not only are you not running, but you two think you can take us on?"
The other four laughed cruelly, their expressions full of disdain.
The teo looked barely twelve—maybe even younger.
So what if they were gifted? Talent meant nothing without power to back it up.
Their leader was a 33rd-rank Soul Elder.
Even the weakest among them, the fifth member, was at least Rank 24.
What could two kids possibly do?
Xiao Wu snorted, hands on her hips. "Quit your yapping. Come at me all at once—I'll take on all five of you."
Her posture, her expression—it was as if she didn't see them as threat at all.
But that was only natural.
She had a secret weapon gifted to her by her Brother Lin!
The only woman among the five, wearing a revealing outfit that clung to her seductive figure, sneered viciously. An ugly centipede-like scar ran down her cheek, making her look even more twisted and menacing.
She hated pretty girls.
And with Xiao Wu acting this smug, her temper exploded.
"You little tramp! I'm gonna rip that sharp tongue of yours right off!"
Xiao Wu clapped back without missing a beat. "Ugly hag like you? You bark worse than a dog. No wonder no one's ever wanted you."
"You little—!"
The woman trembled with fury. "Come here, and I'll beat your mouth so bad you'll be drinking through a straw!"
Trash talk: Simple, but satisfying.
Qi Lin coughed softly. "Xiao Wu, that's enough. Remember—you're a lady."
Xiao Wu huffed. "I was being ladylike. But she started it. Now I'm gonna slap her ugly face back to her mother's womb."
The scarred woman's eyes went bloodshot with rage.
"Boss, don't bother. Let me handle this little brat!"
The middle-aged leader nodded indifferently. "Go ahead, Third. Make it quick."
"Don't underestimate them just because they're young. They might be hiding their true ranks—but they're definitely not stronger than you."
The woman, third among the five, was a 27th-rank Agility-Type Battle Soul Master. Her spirit was the Shadow Leopard.
"Shadow Leopard, Possess!"
With a sharp cry, a streak of brownish-yellow light burst from her brow. Her figure grew more athletic, clawed hands extending as a pair of soul rings—one white, one yellow—rose beneath her feet.
But Xiao Wu merely scoffed.
"Only two rings? Hah. All bark, no bite."
"Watch how Big Sis Xiao Wu teaches you a lesson!"
With a flick of her scorpion-braided hair, Xiao Wu leapt lightly into the air. Her own spirit rings flared to life.
Yellow. Yellow.
Also a two-ringed Grandmaster—but Xiao Wu's soul power had already reached Rank 29.
And thanks to Qi Lin's buffs, every aspect of her combat ability was far beyond ordinary peers.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, Xiao Wu vanished from the Shadow Leopard Soul Master's view.
"So fast!"
The woman's pupils shrank. Feeling a sudden gust from her left, she slashed with her claws—but missed.
Xiao Wu twisted mid-air with astonishing flexibility, her first ring lighting up as her braid whipped around the woman's neck.
"Crap!"
The leopard woman barely had time to curse before Xiao Wu flipped her into the air.
"Leopard Shadow Clone!"
She hurriedly activated her second skill, splitting into three blurred images.
But Xiao Wu didn't hesitate. Her gaze pierced through the illusion. With a precise kick, she struck the real body square in the gut.
BANG!
The leopard woman's face twisted in pain as she crashed to the ground.
"Damn it! Save Third!"
The leader activated his spirit.
His spirit was a massive broadsword—its blade as wide as a hand. Three rings—white, yellow, yellow—rose at his feet.
He was a Soul Elder.
Xiao Wu grinned. "Soul Elder or not, Big Sis Xiao Wu's not afraid of you!"
But despite her confidence, she still called out.
"Brother Lin, I need buffs!"
"On it!"
Qi Lin flashed her an "OK" sign. A four-leaf clover emerged in his palm as a soft white soul ring glowed beneath him.
"Gift of Fate—Power, Speed, Spirit, Defense!"
In a flash, four beams of light surged into Xiao Wu.
She felt like she could crush a mountain barehanded.
"Hahahaha! Big Sis Xiao Wu feels like she could take on a hundred of you now!"
The Brooadsword Soul Elder stepped forward coldly. "You're getting ahead of yourself. I'll show you what separates a Grandmaster from a Soul Elder!"
He charged, his broadsword dragging sparks across the ground.
Shhk!
A blade strike ripped through the air.
But Xiao Wu had already vanished.
"How did she get even faster!?"
Before he could react, a whip-kick smashed toward his head.
BANG!
He barely dodged in time, twisting his body to counter with another strike.
But then, Xiao Wu's second soul ring lit up. Her eyes shimmered with pink light.
Soft-Boned Rabbit, Second Skill—Charm!
The Soul Elder froze.
Xiao Wu didn't hesitate.
With a sharp, upward kick—
"AAAAAAAHHH!!!"
He screamed like a dying beast, clutching his groin as his soul ring flickered in agony.
"Kill them all!" he howled through gritted teeth.
The other four finally realized—they'd kicked a hornet's nest.
One of them, a pudgy, short-haired man with a scruffy beard, snarled.
"That brat's just a Support-Type! I'll grab him and use him to threaten the girl!"
"Right! Keep her busy—give Fourth an opening!"
The group lunged again, surrounding Xiao Wu to keep her distracted.
Meanwhile, the pudgy man grinned viciously and activated his spirit.
Despite his size, he was surprisingly fast—his spirit was the Windshadow Cat, another Agility-Type Battle Soul Master.
In a blink, he'd closed the distance to Qi Lin.
"You're finished, kid. Don't fight it."
He lunged for Qi Lin's neck.
But Qi Lin… looked utterly relaxed.
He sidestepped, then casually threw a punch.
Slow, almost lazy—but in the Windshadow Cat's eyes, it exploded like a cannon.
WHUMP!
Qi Lin's fist smashed into the man's belly.
His whole body trembled. Fat jiggled violently as his eyes bulged in shock.
Then—thud—he dropped to his knees, face twisted in pain, curling up like a disgusting slug.
Qi Lin clapped his hands, turned to the battle, and smiled.
"I might just be a support… but I can hit pretty hard."