NOVEL NEXT Chapter 37: Chapter 37
**Chapter 37: Money-Making Tool Man**
"Well, Demon-Suppressing Douluo! Your Excellency is truly bold—Yueguan admires you."
Ju Douluo, glass in hand, toasted Zhao Ling from across the table before downing his drink without hesitation.
Bibi Dong muttered the words "Demon-Suppressing Douluo," her beautiful eyes lighting up with intrigue. She found herself secretly admiring Zhao Ling's audacity in claiming such an imposing title.
Meanwhile, Ah Yin, seated beside Zhao Ling, was quietly amused. She had always been wary of encountering Titled Douluo, especially those from the Spirit Hall. Yet here she was, dining and drinking with them night after night in the same restaurant.
If anyone had told her she would one day share a table with Spirit Hall's elites, she would have called them crazy. But thanks to some mysterious method Zhao Ling had used, her identity remained undetected.
Who is this man? she wondered, her blue crystal-like eyes often drifting toward him with curiosity. Without realizing it, her fascination with Zhao Ling deepened.
---
The next day, Zhao Ling and the Spirit Hall entourage arrived at the Great Fighting Soul Arena, only to be greeted with news.
As Zhao Ling had anticipated, the arena officials decided that Bibi Dong's strength far exceeded the Iron Fighting Soul Badge level. After deliberation, they upgraded her directly to the Silver Fighting Soul Badge.
For Bibi Dong, the promotion was a welcome change. It saved her the trouble of grinding through countless Iron Fighting Soul matches to reach the Silver level. More importantly, it meant her future opponents would be more formidable—challenging enough to ignite her fighting spirit.
Zhao Ling, too, was pleased. The upgrade would likely result in better betting odds, which had been steadily declining with her undefeated streak.
Sure enough, before Bibi Dong's matches began, the betting odds were reset to 1.3:2.1. Although betting on her to win still offered less payout than betting on her opponent, it was significantly better than before.
---
Bibi Dong's first Silver-level opponent was a Level 55 Soul King named Fei Zheng. His martial soul, the Immortal Blood Axe, was a weapon soul exuding a palpable, bloodthirsty aura.
The weapon's appearance—a crimson, blood-soaked axe that seemed to radiate killing intent—was enough to intimidate many spectators.
Despite the formidable opponent, Zhao Ling remained steadfast. Adhering to his principle of unwavering faith in Bibi Dong, he bet 100,000 of his 120,000 gold soul coins on her victory, leaving only 20,000 as backup.
Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow at his decision. "You really see me as a money-making tool, don't you?" she muttered under her breath, shaking her head.
It was hard not to be impressed by Zhao Ling's conviction. In just two days, he had turned his initial 300 gold soul coins into over 100,000 by betting on her matches. Yet, his unrelenting confidence in her victories felt surreal, even to her.
---
When Bibi Dong stepped onto the stage, Fei Zheng greeted her with a polite nod, gripping his Immortal Blood Axe tightly.
"Level 55 Battle Soul King, Fei Zheng. Please, teach me!"
Bibi Dong smiled faintly, the illusory shadow of the Death Spider Emperor martial soul materializing behind her. Two yellow, two purple, and one black soul ring rose from her feet.
Her first soul ring lit up immediately, activating Death Poison Mist.
Purple fog poured from her mouth, spreading rapidly across the ring. In seconds, visibility dropped to just over a meter. The thick, toxic mist obscured the arena, making it impossible for the audience to see what was happening inside.
This didn't sit well with the spectators. Many had come to watch an exciting match, only to have their view blocked by poison mist.
"Refund our tickets!" one irate man shouted.
"Why sell tickets if we can't see the fight? This is robbery!"
Others, however, were more understanding. After all, the mist was part of her soul skill. It wasn't as though she could refrain from using her abilities just to appease the audience.
Zhao Ling, watching from the stands, smirked at the grumbling crowd. He turned to Ah Yin to comment but froze when his lips brushed against her forehead.
Startled, he realized she had rested her head against his arm.
Ah Yin blushed but didn't move away, instead tilting her face up shyly. Her bashful expression left Zhao Ling bewildered.
'What just happened?' he thought, glancing between her and the ring. 'Is she… playing me?'
---
On the stage, Fei Zheng's expression hardened as the thick poison fog enveloped him.
"This is bad," he muttered, gripping his axe tighter. Without visibility, he couldn't anticipate Bibi Dong's moves.
Still, he believed the disadvantage was mutual. If he couldn't see her, she couldn't see him either. Trusting his instincts, he activated his second soul skill, *Crazy Demon Whirlwind Slash*.
The Immortal Blood Axe spun violently in his hands, carving through the air as he charged toward Bibi Dong's last known position.
But Bibi Dong was no fool. She had no intention of staying put and waiting for an attack. The poison mist was her domain, and within it, she moved like a shadow.
Fei Zheng's axe slashed through empty air, the sound of its swings swallowed by the dense fog.
Bibi Dong's lips curled into a sly smile. Let's see how long you can keep up.
---
Below the stage, Zhao Ling watched the shifting mist with faint amusement. He couldn't see what was happening, but his confidence in Bibi Dong remained unshaken.
His thoughts briefly drifted to his burgeoning fortune. If Bibi Dong won again today, he would be sitting on a veritable mountain of gold soul coins.
"You really are my money-making tool, Bibi Dong," he mused with a chuckle.
...
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(End of Chapter)