Chapter 14: The Fight Starts Now

“Eh? Then it should be a marvelous fight.” said Princess Jin Rou.

“Then, who does younger sister Jin Rou think will win?” asked Lu Lishan.

“As he is my retinue, I naturally think that he will win.” Princess Jin Rou indifferently replied.

Chu Mu glanced at the princess high above, yet didn’t enjoy the feeling of being regarded as a game enjoyed by those in their free time.

Nevertheless, his status was inferior and this sort of situation was unavoidable. Chu Mu ultimately had to free himself from both Nightmare Palace and Xia Guanghan’s control in order to obtain absolute freedom.

Three years ago, when Chu Mu had seen Princess Jin Rou, she was only a young lady with a beautifully thin, yet slender figure, and she had a thin veil that covered the most gorgeous face, but still managed to reveal the most enchanting set of sullen pupils. It gave one an elegant and refined feeling.

Three years later, after seeing her again, the thin veil and sullen eyes that flickered with a bewitching gloss still remained. Additionally, there was now a coldness and grandeur, while lacking the melancholy of a young lady.

Of course, Chu Mu couldn’t help but admit that this young princess’ body underneath her luxurious gown had become even more capable of rendering one in a fantastical daydream. However, for some reason, even when her looks were even more stunning and her temperament even more elegant, this young princess wasn’t able to move Chu Mu’s heart like she did back then, when she was on the deck of the boat.

Truthfully, Chu Mu knew the reason why things were different now. In Nightmare Palace, she was a young princess that was out of reach. In front of anybody else, she had to display a sense of shrewdness and calmness that was befitting of a princess.

Yet, when she was sailing on the ocean, the only thing in front of Princess Jin Rou was a poignant but beautiful ocean. She no longer had to hold on to any pretense, and would thus  naturally exude her natural character as a young woman.

“With Princess Jin Rou spectating the fight, you should feel very honored. I’m sure that you will use your full strength. However, you are both people of status. With the princess present, try your best not to make things too bloody.” said Lu Lishan.

Lu Lishan’s words very clearly indicated that he didn’t wish for another death to occur during Chu Mu and Tian Ji’s fight.

Lu Lishan’s words, though, made the Blue and Cyan Nightmare Palace Lords feel unsatisfied. Silently, they thought, “This Lu Lishan is too abominable. Just now, he was saying that during challenges one had to be prepared to give up his or her life. Yet right now he’s telling them not to kill each other. How does this not benefit that brat Chu Mu?”

“I will only stop when he surrenders. I cannot guarantee that there will be no spilt blood.” said Chu Mu as he lifted his head and apathetically stared at Lu Lishan.

Chu Mu’s words caused many people’s eyebrows to crease. A smile only surfaced on the faces of the Cyan and Blue Nightmare Palace Lords.

“Chu Mu, in front of the princess and Nightmare Prince Lu, don’t be too impudent.” Xia Guanghan plainly said.

Chu Mu glanced at the ice cold Xia Guanghan and said: “Four years ago I went from a normal life of a young man to Nightmare Palace. You guys taught me how to slaughter and how to be vicious and merciless. Four years later, I'm already used to killing, and yet you tell me to show mercy and to stop fighting after victory seems clear- I'm afraid that will be vey hard for me.”

Chu Mu would not change his own style of fighting just because of the young princess’ arrival. Trying to fight this kind of restrained battle wasn’t much different than suicide.

“Chu Mu! You must be tired of living; you even dare speak to Senior Xia like that!” Feng Xiang immediately glowered at him while berating him!

“Xia Guanghan, isn’t the Prison Island King your subordinate? Why is he so recalcitrant? He’s so condescending that even the princess and Nightmare Prince Lu aren’t even significant to him.” The Blue Nightmare Palace Lord immediately revealed a schadenfreude-like expression, and attempted to add oil to the fire as he spoke.

Xia Guanghan ignored the Blue Nightmare Palace Lord’s provocative words. His pejorative actions caused the Blue Nightmare Palace Lord to faintly feel indignant.

“Engaging in a fight is a matter of life or death. I also don’t like fighting up to a certain point. If Nightmare Prince Lu and Princess would like to enjoy a performance style fight, then please have the useless people swap pointers.” Tian Ji flatly said as he pointed at the four young men who renounced their challenges.

After Tian Ji finished speaking, the four faces of the youths who renounced challenges turned black.

The Blue Nightmare Palace Lord’s eyebrows also creased. Tian Ji contradicting both the princess and Nightmare Prince Lu wasn’t the most sensible thing to do. If the Nightmare Prince Lu and the princess took it seriously, he would be in a bit of trouble.

Chu Mu turned his head and looked at Tian Ji, now viewing him in a new light. It seemed that Tian Ji actually wasn’t some regular person.

“The two of you really have a temper. Nonetheless, I like temperamental people. This is because, in my opinion, those without a temper are mediocre people. These people simply don’t have the temper or ability to assume responsibility for their rash actions. Since both of you enjoy going to the limit, then we’ll do as you say. Our young princess isn’t some weak child who cannot see bloodshed.” said Lu Lishan as a smile appeared on his face.

Princess Jin Rou looked at the two of them and slowly spoke: “If the opponent doesn’t have the ability to fight anymore then he no longer has the intention of killing…”

Chu Mu and Tian Ji respectively nodded their heads and ostensibly walked onto the battlefield.

At some unknown time, a large gale came and whipped up, causing a myriad of small sand specks to be blown into the air on this sandy battlefield. The sound of a violent wind whistled about.

The black clothed Chu Mu and the grey clothed Tian Ji respectively stood on either side of the chasm. Separated by twenty meters, they both held cold gazes as they stared at each other.

“I respect your disposition. I’ll try my hardest not to kill you.” Tian Ji said indifferently.

“Likewise.” Chu Mu insipidly replied with one word.

Chu Mu’s two soul pets were already on the battlefield. Respectively, they were the fifth phase sixth stage Devil Tree Battle Soldier and the sixth phase first stage Ice Air Fairy. Since the two soul pets had already been revealed, Chu Mu didn’t change them.

Tian Ji didn’t probe any further and immediately chanted an incantation, using a dual summon to summon two of his soul pets.

The blue devil fire pattern gradually appeared. This special, deep blue colored fire gave one an ice cold feeling. After being stared at by the Blue Nightmare’s two especially terrifying eyes, one’s entire body would feel like it had been submerged in a deep cold fire abyss.

A fifth phase fourth stage Blue Nightmare. Tian Ji had first summoned Nightmare Palace’s trademark soul pet, a Blue Nightmare!

However, what made Chu Mu surprised was that the second soul pet Tian Ji summoned still appeared from a deep blue devil fire. From within the devil fire pattern astonishingly emerged another Blue Nightmare with an even more exuberant devil fire!!

A fifth phase sixth stage Blue Nightmare!! Tian Ji simultaneously possessed two Blue Nightmares!

As a high class commander rank soul pet, the Blue Nightmare’s fighting ability made it hard to find equals amongst the commander rank. Moreover, Tian Ji’s two Blue Nightmares had high talent. From their auras, it was discernable that they were much stronger than Su Yu’s weak Blue Nightmares!

Tian Ji didn’t waste any time talking, and he immediately ordered the two Blue Nightmares to move, quickly closing the gap with Chu Mu’s two soul pets. He didn’t plan on giving the Ice Air Fairy enough space to use its ice type magic.

“Ning, give the Devil Tree Battle Soldier Ice Armor.”

Chu Mu promptly prepared to fight.

The Devil Tree Battle Soldier was of the wood type, and it was at an extreme disadvantage when fighting fire types. Without Ice Armor, it definitely would not be able to persevere for too long.

The Ice Air Fairy was exceptionally adept at using the Ice Armor ability, and didn’t even need to chant an incantation to cover the Devil Tree Battle Soldier’s body in a thick layer of Ice Armor.

“It’s very strenuous to combine a long range ice type and a short range wood type to deal with two Blue Nightmares. It seems that the Eternal Ocean’s Nightmare Prince has to swap soul pets.” Lu Lishan said indifferently.

Everyone nodded their heads. Two fifth phase middle staged Commander Rank soul pets against two inferior rank High Class Warrior Rank Soul pets.

Chu Mu also knew that his soul pets’ ranks were inferior, but he didn’t feel like he had to swap soul pets.

“Devil Tree Battle Soldier, go underground, Ice Air Fairy, stay in the air.”

Chu Mu immediately gave an order. Afterwards, Chu Mu himself quickly retreated to ensure that he wouldn’t become the target of the two Blue Nightmares’ attacks.

The Devil Tree Battle Soldier let out a howl as several roots grew out of its body, rapidly entering the underground.

The Ice Air Fairy slowly began to float upwards amidst the whirling storm, gradually rising twenty meters into the air.

The Ice Air Fary’s ice type magic was still a large threat to commander rank Blue Nightmare. In the onslaught of the Ice Air Fairy’s ice type magic after ascending into the air, the two Blue Nightmare’s had no choice but to restrain their threatening manner.

“Flaming Meteor, crush that Ice Air Fairy.” Tian Ji mentally transmitted.

The two truculent Blue Nightmares immediately produced shrill shouts, and a terrifying devil fire abruptly proliferated. Their two skins were raised high into the air and two balls of ignited Flaming Meteors began to condense in the sky!

The two deep blue colored balls of flame slowly formed in the sky and became increasingly imposing, the flames even more acute.

However, just as the two Blue Nightmares completed their Flaming Meteor technique, the wall adjacent to the chasm suddenly burst apart. Six python-like roots abruptly rushed forth. With Ice Armor on them, they violently shot towards the two Blue Nightmares!

The devil fire on the two Blue Nightmares fiercely burned once more. They were unexpectedly  ignoring the onslaught of the large roots!!

“Pai!!!”

The six roots seemed to simultaneously smash into the Blue Nightmares. The Blue Nightmare’s just formed Flaming Meteors suffered from the root attack and deviated from its track.

Once the Flaming Meteors deviated directions, the Ice Air Fairy had a much easier time dodging, and the two Flaming Meteors didn’t produce much effect.

“Devil Fire Extension.”

Once Tian Ji saw that the attack had no effect on the Ice Air Fairy, he promptly ordered the two Blue Nightmares to channel their flames into the six roots. He attempted to use the roots to channel devil fire into the Devil Tree Battle Soldier’s body.

The Devil Tree Battle Soldier’s attack seemed to have only been for harassment. After harassing, it decisively burrowed back underground, and the proliferating blue devil flame could only follow it to the wall adjacent to the chasm, but couldn’t follow it underground.

“Attack him directly!”

Tian Ji changed his target once more. He made his two Blue Nightmares cross the chasm and charge towards Chu Mu.

Chu Mu seemed to have already anticipated that Tian Ji would focus him and, after using Wind Ride on himself, he retreated backwards without even looking back. He increased the distance between himself and the Blue Nightmares while simultaneously ordering the Ice Air Fairy in the air to use ice type techniques on the Blue Nightmares.

Seeing Chu Mu grow further away, if he continued to chase, his Blue Nightmares would probably suffer from the terrifying ice type abilities. Tian Ji had no choice but to abandon his attack on Chu Mu again. He planned on first getting rid of the troublesome Ice Air Fairy.

“This coordination between this person and his two soul pets is extremely good. There doesn’t seem to be any gaps.”

Those who could see it quickly discovered that Chu Mu was very proficient at using battle tactics. He was able to completely avoid attacks and deliberately wore down on the two truculent Blue Nightmares’ vigor and physical strength.

Everyone thought that Chu Mu should have swapped soul pets not too long after the battle started. Yet, they were surprised because Chu Mu used these two clearly inferior soul pets to consume a large portion of one of Tian Ji’s Blue Nightmare, forcing him to summon a third soul pet.

When Tian Ji summoned his third soul pet, Chu Mu didn’t hesitate to recall his inferior Devil Tree Battle Soldier.

“The fight starts now!!” a smile emerged on Chu Mu’s face as he decisively chanted an incantation and opened the soul pact with Mo Xie!!

After finishing the soul crystal training, Chu Mu’s true aim for this fight was to give Mo Xie, who had entered the sixth phase, a chance to fight to her heart’s content!!