Chapter 17
Chapter 17 Soul Battle (1)
When first arriving in the Fairy Kingdom, Wuyou could not accommodate herself there. Perhaps because she parasitized in a mortal, she felt too cold to go out.
Xiao Qi had not shown up for several days. What was he doing these days? She had asked Da Chan, but he responded with nothing but a look of mystery.
The battle in the black water lake made Wuyou see her Ancient Spirit in a new light. Her Spirit Power, as if being animated, accompanied her all the time and led her to State of obliviousness, where she could converse with her Ancient Spirit. As a matter of fact, those Spirit Powers had been sealed layer upon layer.
Wuyou often explored the depth of her Ancient Spirit, but was always rejected. It seemed that only the strong spirit caster could call more power. And the source of these Spirit Powers was inexhaustible.
When all was quiet in the dead of night, Wuyou would find a tranquil place and intermingle with her Ancient Spirit more to let her soul into a land of nothing.
Every time Wuyou entered the Ancient Spirit world, she had to pass a place named Spirit Power Field, which owned its own law of existence like a kingdom. When Wuyou stepped in, a thumb-sized flame hung high in the empty land.
Wuyou followed the Little Flame Spirit to wade through Spirit Power Valley. Each time Wuyou passed through it, her soul became stronger. Along the way, Flame Spirit kept on warning Wuyou that she could not suck Spirit Power at will, even for the thousands-of-years Spirit Power, she could not take in rashly. Wuyou felt puzzled about it. Little Flame Spirit opened its mouth and took a gulp. Next second, it began attacking Wuyou. Then, it spat out the Spirit Power and floated in front of Wuyou to say proudly, “Can’t you see it? These Spirit Powers only belong to kind-hearted people. But for those evil-hearted like me, once using it, they will become devils. I have lived for hundreds of thousands of years.
“And I have followed His Excellency Ancient Spirit all the time. But the Spirit Power that I have cultivated is just about thumb size.”
Wuyou doubted its words a bit. How could such a lovely Flame Spirit have lived for hundreds of thousands of years? Her slender fingers made some gestures above its head. Flame Spirit raged and burst forth fire toward Wuyou. Wuyou floated several meters backward with a shock. She was so scared of its powerful explosive force.
“You’re so small. Will you let down Your Excellency Ancient Spirit?
“These Spirit Powers look good, but can’t be possessed by ordinary people. In spite that you are the carrier of Ancient Spirit, it will probably abandon you someday.”
“Little Flame Spirit, I am not afraid of His Excellency Ancient Spirit. Since it is so terrific, I still have the ability to control it.”
“Easy to say. Do you know in the battle of dark fire, if Ancient Spirit had not saved you, your soul would have been scattered thousands of miles away.”
“You even know it. Aren’t you afraid that I will kill you?” Wuyou rolled up a swirl of Spirit Power to snap Little Flame Spirit. And the flickering Flame Spirit slipped out of the swirl like a mudfish.
“I’ve forgotten to tell you that the Ancient Spirit you’re using is one of my parts. You cannot hurt me. You might as well save your strength.”
“Where is His Excellency Ancient Spirit? I would like to pay a visit to him.”
“He is in the depth fo your soul. He is not the kind that you can see anytime you want.”
“Don’t make mystical nonsense. It is just Spirit Power lodging in my soul. It is illusory.”
“Dare to offend His Excellency Ancient Spirit, you will answer for your disrespect. Do you believe it?”
“I am his carrier. What can he do to me?”
“How stubborn you are. Without Ancient Spirit, you are nothing, and Xiao Qi will discard you right away. Understand? People should live with value. Even being a pawn, you should let the master think twice before he abandons you.”
“I am not a pawn. I will be the master.”
“Little Fox, it is right for you to think like this. The pawn’s fate is miserable. To be the master, courage and boldness are indispensable. Now, you are courageous enough but lack chance.”
“The Soul Battle Meet is about to begin. Xiao Qi will arrange you to charge forward. So you must grasp this opportunity, but should not make the bet only on one person. It is not easy to settle firmly in Fairy City. In Authority struggle, any carelessness will lead to a wretched death. If you want to become invincible, you need to find out the most powerful man in Fairy City and cooperate with him.”
“Let me betray Xiao Qi? I have never thought about it. After all, he saved my life.”
“Idiot, I ask you to look for alternatives. On the road to authority, there is no good or bad, but either success or failure.”
“You are talking nonsense! You require me to be kind just now, but now ask me to become treacherous.”
“Little Fox, the reason why I advise you is that you should prepare a fallback for yourself. Xiao Qi took you to Fairy City also for his own good. When in the life-threatening situation, he will not care about you anymore.”
“OK! I got it. I have my principle of life. As long as Xiao Qi does not abandon me, I will try my best. I will keep in mind what you’ve said to me. After all, Fairy City is not my world.”
“If you remember well, you can go back. I will find His Excellency Ancient Spirit.”
Wuyou restored her consciousness with her forehead aching.
Wuyou got up early. Seeing Xiao Qi waiting for her, she hastened her pace to come up to him.
“Little Demon, the Soul Battle Meet starts today. You will stay in the soul battle arena for a month.”
“All the soul competitors will gather together?”
“Yes, all the adult spiritual cultivators in Fairy City will participate in, including the adults of royal families.”
“What will the final winner get?”
“The Meet is held once every 500 years in Fairy City. The winner will be awarded a military talisman. Don’t look down upon the small iron block. Everybody wants it, including Fairy King.
“Fairy King is the boss. How can he take an interest in a tiny military talisman?”
“Little demon, in our Fairy Kingdom, military and administration are separated. They mutually check and balance. If Fairy King wants to deploy forces, he has to get the military talisman.”
“What? If Xiao Qi has the military talisman, he can call the wind and summon the rain, can’t he?”
“You can say that. If you get the military talisman, you can command the whole army and build up the establishment to bring a bright future to Teal Hill.”
“What if Xiao Qi got the military talisman?”
Wuyou’s eyes rolled since she knew a little about Xiao Qi’s background.
“Little demon, don’t make any wild guess. Mind your business!”
“Xiao Qi, in the Soul Battle Meet, will all the influential officials in the Fairy City come to watch the battles?”
“Yes, of course, they will come to the once-500-year feast. Fairy King will come as well.”
“Who is the most powerful man in the Fairy Kingdom?”
“Why are you asking? You should care about the battle. Do you have any other thought?”
Xiao Qi’s eyes darkened a bit.
“Xiao Qi, you worry too much. I am not familiar here. What thought can I have?”
“Little demon, I remember that you once took me as your Mentor, but why do you talk to me by my name now? You are a badly-behaved fox spirit.”
“I’d love to. I can call you whatever I want. Besides, you have not taught me anything. For the introduction of spiritual cultivation, I have recited fluently from memory.”
“You are unruly, wayward and disrespectful. I wonder whether you will still be rampant in the Soul Battle Meet.”
“Xiao Qi, I am not a puppet at the mercy of others. Although we have an agreement, I have the freedom to leave whenever I want.”
“Is it? You are nothing without me. Do you have the power to kill your enemy? Do you have the ability to go back to Teal Hill? Do you have the ability to bring your uncle Jiefei back to life? You don’t, right? Little Demon!”
Xiao Qi’s words pierced Wuyou painfully. “He is right. I have nothing. If I leave him, I even have no place to shelter myself,” thought Wuyou.
“Xiao Qi, heartless you!”
“Whosoever understands the time is a great man. You are worth teaching. Good, good.”
The corner of Xiao Qi’s mouth curled up. Wuyou did want to blow him a slap to break his disgusting smile.
“Pack up your things and go to the soul battle arena.”
Wuyou sat on the sleigh, and several elk galloped in the silver world. When Wuyou was confronted with a chill in the air, spiritual cultivators were heading to the soul battle arena in all directions.
Xiao Qi had walked away. Wuyou strode to the soul battle arena, where it was a circular place to hold hundreds of thousands of people.
Along the stone steps, Wuyou entered the soul battle arena. Since she came earlier, there were seldom competitors there.
The main venue was located in the center where it had been fenced out by iron chains. Seen from outside, it looked like an iron cage. At a closer look, it was startlingly massive. It serves as the final venue. Obviously, the competition was rather strict. When Wuyou’s small hands were about to touch the iron cage, someone came up to her.
“Iron cage mechanism, don’t touch!”
Looking in the direction of the sound, Wuyou saw a youth, who was dressed simply with undeniable elegance and talent. The youth looked up and down at Wuyou. At the sight of Wuyou’s face, he stared blankly for a while, thinking, “The girl is really beautiful. It seems that she is not a local person in Fairy City.” Wuyou’s eyes dimmed when she found the youth sized her up restlessly.
“Are your eyes tired?”
The youth blushed immediately and gave a slight cough to cover his embarrassment. Wuyou had never seen a flushed man before, so she deliberately gazed at the youth for some fun.
“Shen Chuya,” The youth answered in a hoarse voice. Perhaps he was still at adolescence.
“Little Fox.
“Your name is so special.”
The youth replied with a face of sincerity. Realizing Wuyou was still staring himself, he felt his cheeks were hot again. Shen Chuya himself could not figure out why he became ablush, since he used to have a thick skin. Perhaps the girl in front was too beautiful, but it was hard to describe it in details. She looked pleasantly charming. Confidence sparkling in her eyes seemed to indicate that nothing could stump her down in the world.
“Chuya.”
A squeak rang from afar.
“Little Fox, this is my brother, Xiao Nai.”
Wuyou took a look at the sweaty-head boy and turned around to study the profound theory of the iron cage.
“Little Fox, mechanisms are everywhere beneath the iron cage. If a soul competitor triggers mechanism neglectfully, the Evil Spirit below will climb up to engulf the competitor. So to win the military talisman is as hard as ascending to heaven.”
“Xiao Nai, in your tribe, only you come here? Will fierce Phoenix not come?”
“I heard that she is coming. But if she is here, I will fall on a hard time again. She is a bomb and will explode once being ignited. As a member of the Phoenix tribe, she is abnormal and has no nobility that a phoenix should have.”
“It seemed that Xiao Nai was a phoenix. So what true body did Shen Chuya have?” thought Wuyou.
“It is said that Xiao Linggong will take part in the Soul Battle Meet this year. It will be great we are divided in the same group.”
Xiao Nai said with a look of admiration. Wuyou almost suspected that he had an appetite for “cut sleeves” (male homosexuality).
“Nai, you are a man. Don’t drool every time you meet a man.”
“This is my interest.”
Xiao Nai replied in a soft voice.
Wuyou was astonished with cold sweat. She was pretty sure now Xiao Na had a taste for cut sleeves. Thinking that Shen Chuya always watched out for Xiao Nai, Wuyou’s face broadened into a grin. It seemed that the Soul Battle Meet would not be boring. What kind of person the Prince would be?
“Little Fox, we are in a group so that we can take care of each other.”
“Males and females are mixed?”
“There is no male and female in the soul battle arena, only the strong and the weak.”
“How about accommodation? Is it the same as in the arena?”
“All are fairies. Males and females can make any illusionary figures at will.”
Wuyou was completely muddled-minded. She might as well join the group of Shen Chuya and Xiaonai. After all, she had happened to meet them, even just for a short moment.