The next day, at the Heavenly Fight Grand Arena.
The atmosphere in the spectator stands was particularly fervent today. This wasn't solely due to the upcoming marquee match—Heavenly Dou Royal Academy's first team versus Heaven Water Academy—but also because of the unique performance currently taking place on the Soul Duel Stage.
Amidst clear and melodious music, seven graceful figures dressed in water-blue gowns were dancing elegantly across the vast Soul Duel Stage. Their postures were exquisite, their steps light, and their movements perfectly synchronized, resembling water sprites or ice and snow fairies. As their Water Sleeves fluttered through the air, they stirred cool mists that formed small rainbows under the sunlight, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene. This was the warm-up performance by the renowned Heaven Water Academy team, famous for having an entire roster of beautiful female Soul Masters.
Spectators in the stands, particularly the male viewers, watched with rapt fascination, their cheers and whistles rising and falling continuously. The performances by the Heaven Water girls' team had already become a dazzling highlight of this tournament.
Marco had arrived slightly earlier than usual today. Instead of heading directly to the resting area, he had quietly appeared alone in a relatively secluded corner of the stands near the competitor entrance. Leaning against the railing, he gazed calmly at the seven dancing blue figures on the stage below, his eyes holding a trace of pure appreciation.
To be fair, the female students of Heaven Water Academy truly possessed superior looks, temperament, and dancing skills. This was especially true for the young woman leading the dance in the center—she had flowing water-blue hair, skin whiter than snow, and features so delicate they seemed carved from ice, with an ethereal, cool elegance. Yet her movements carried an indescribable softness and harmony. She was none other than Shui Bing'er, captain of Heaven Water Academy and possessor of the top-tier Beast Spirit Ice Phoenix.
Even by Marco's discerning standards, he had to admit that Shui Bing'er was an exceptionally captivating young woman. Her beauty differed from Ye Lingling's cool fragility and Huo Wu's fiery pride—it was a pure, crisp, ice-and-snow beauty that seemed untouched by worldly concerns.
As Marco quietly admired the performance on stage, a faint, cool fragrance drifted near. A graceful figure in water-blue attire silently appeared beside him, similarly leaning against the railing.
Without turning his head, Marco curved his lips into a faint smile and spoke first, his voice calm: "Captain of Heaven Water Academy, Miss Shui Bing'er? What brings you here before the match has even begun? Do you have some advice for me?"
The newcomer was indeed Shui Bing'er. She seemed to have just finished her performance, with fine beads of sweat still on her temples and her water-blue hair slightly damp, enhancing her fresh beauty. Hearing Marco immediately identify her and guess her purpose, a flicker of surprise passed through her ice-blue eyes before they returned to calmness. She turned her face toward Marco, the corners of her lips lifting into a somewhat playful smile, her voice crisp like clinking icicles: "Oh? Student Marco, can't I just come see the famous 'Continental Top Genius' of Heavenly Dou without having business with you?"
Marco finally turned his head, his gaze settling on Shui Bing'er's delicate face so close to his. Up close, her features were even more exquisitely flawless, especially those ice-blue eyes—clear and translucent, as if they could reflect one's very soul. He smiled lightly, his tone relaxed: "Of course. It's my honor to chat with a beauty like Miss Shui Bing'er here."
"Hehe." Shui Bing'er chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "I never expected that Marco, rumored to possess unfathomable strength and world-shaking Haki, would speak such polite formalities—even sounding a bit... flirtatious."
Marco shrugged, completely at ease, his gaze returning to the Heaven Water Academy members below who had just finished their performance and were bowing to the audience. He stated frankly: "I'm human too, naturally capable of appreciating beauty. The desire for beauty is universal. Your senior and junior sisters' dance was truly a feast for the eyes."
His gaze ultimately returned to Shui Bing'er, carrying a trace of inquiry: "But Miss Shui, you sought me out specifically—surely not just to hear a few compliments from me?"
Upon hearing this, the smile on Shui Bing'er's face faded slightly. A complex emotion flashed through her ice-blue eyes as she let out a soft sigh that seemed to carry a chilly quality: "Marco, your existence as the 'continent's top genius' places tremendous pressure on us competitors."
Marco raised an eyebrow, his eyes sweeping over Shui Bing'er's still calm—even slightly smiling—face. His tone held a playful note: "Pressure? I don't see much pressure on your face, Miss Shui. On the contrary, you seem quite composed."
"How could there not be?" Shui Bing'er pouted slightly, an unexpectedly charming expression on her typically cool features, yet her eyes remained serious. "The pressure is immense, alright? You're the fierce one who effortlessly defeated Elephant Armor Academy and Thunder Academy without even using your Martial Soul. Facing an opponent like you, who wouldn't feel pressure?"
She paused, her voice lowering slightly with a barely detectable stubbornness: "Especially... seeing Senior Yu Tianxin and the others fighting with all their might, yet still... it makes one's feelings particularly complicated."
Marco fell silent for a moment, sensing both the reverence for a powerful opponent and the competitive spirit unwilling to fall behind in her words. He wiped the playful expression from his face and nodded: "I understand."
Just then, the performance below concluded completely. The Heaven Water Academy members began withdrawing from the field as staff came on to prepare the arena, signaling the imminent start of the competition. The broadcast system also announced reminders for competitors to prepare for entry.
Marco looked directly at Shui Bing'er and asked plainly: "The match is about to begin. Since you came specifically to find me, Miss Shui, why not speak frankly?"
Shui Bing'er also took a deep breath, completely shedding her earlier casual demeanor. She straightened her slender posture, her ice-blue eyes meeting Marco's directly—clear and resolute, as if forged from ice and snow: "Marco, I know that our Heaven Water Academy most likely isn't your match."
Her tone was calm, as if stating a simple fact, without the slightest discouragement or timidity.
"However," her tone shifted, her voice rising with an undeniable resolve, "I hope that in this match, you will take us seriously! Show us your true strength, even if only a part of it! I don't want to see a perfunctory or one-sided exhibition match!"
Her eyes blazed, as if icy flames were burning within them: "I want to see with my own eyes, to experience firsthand, just how vast the gap is between us and you, the so-called 'Number One Genius of the Continent'! I want to know how truly despairing this gap is, or… whether it's truly insurmountable! This is crucial for me, and for the future path of our Heaven Water Academy!"
Marco listened quietly, observing the girl before him whose beauty was unparalleled yet whose gaze was as firm as ice. He could sense the sincerity, pride, and thirst for strength in her words. This determination was different from Yu Tianxin's tragic resolve; it was more like a calm scrutiny and persistent pursuit.
He remained silent for a moment, under Shui Bing'er's slightly anxious gaze, then suddenly smiled. This smile held less of his earlier casualness and a touch more seriousness. He nodded, his tone calm yet carrying the weight of a promise:
"Alright. I promise you."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Shui Bing'er and the gathering members of Heaven Water Academy behind her, and added, "However, how much 'seriousness' I can muster depends on how much strength you can display. Let me see just how much skill you, with your Ice Phoenix Martial Soul, and your teammates can force out of me."
With that, Marco said no more. He gave a slight nod to Shui Bing'er, then turned and walked away with composed steps toward the rest area of the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy's first team. His back remained tall and solitary.
Shui Bing'er stood in place, watching Marco's retreating figure. A complex mix of emotions flickered in her ice-blue eyes—relief, rising fighting spirit, a hint of barely perceptible admiration, and a heavy sense of pressure.
"Depends on our strength…" she murmured softly, her delicate fists tightening imperceptibly, her fingertips turning pale from the force.
"Bing'er, it's time to prepare." The voice of vice-captain Xue Wu sounded beside her, filled with concern.
Shui Bing'er snapped back to attention, her face returning to its usual cool composure. She turned to her teammates, her gaze sweeping over each face—some nervous, some excited, some resolute. Finally, her eyes sharpened, brimming with fighting spirit.
"Sisters, did you all hear that?" Shui Bing'er's clear voice reached every team member. "Our opponent has promised to take this match seriously. What does that mean?"
She paused, her ice-blue eyes seeming to gather a storm: "It means we will have the chance to truly measure the chasm between us and the top genius of this continent! No matter the outcome, this will be the most valuable lesson of our lives!"
"So," Shui Bing'er's voice suddenly rose, carrying an indisputable resolve, "cast aside all illusions and fears! Bring forth our full strength and unleash our ultimate Fusion Skill! Let this 'Number One Genius' witness that our Heaven Water Academy, our Ice Phoenixes, every one of us, are no easy opponents! Even if we lose, we'll lose spectacularly—lose in a way that makes him remember our names!"
"Yes, Captain!" the girls of Heaven Water Academy chorused in unison, their fighting spirit instantly ignited! No trace of hesitation remained in their eyes, replaced only by the courage and determination of those who had burned their bridges.
Shui Bing'er cast one last glance toward the passage where Marco had disappeared, silently vowing in her heart: "Marco, let me be the one to measure the chasm between us!"
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