The second match looked quite strange; the victor had employed a bizarre tactic: the practice of Summoning Magic.

Summoning Magic was an ancient, supposedly lost branch of sorcery, which involved using one's own magical power to forcibly conjure a magical beast or fighting beast of equivalent rank to engage in battle.

These summoned creatures were not true beasts, but rather constructs formed from condensed magical elements. They felt no pain, and at the crucial moment, could self-detonate to inflict massive damage—power so great that even equivalent native magical or fighting beasts dared not engage them.

However, for all its might, Summoning Magic harbored a fatal flaw: the summoned entities required blood as a catalyst, and the summoner had to place a soul imprint upon them.

The larger the summoned beast, the more blood was required. Mages who suffered excessive blood loss during a fight, failing to secure victory, would be too weak to flee and would instead be killed by their opponent. Furthermore, if the summoned creature self-destructed, the imprinted soul mark would also explode, inflicting significant harm upon the mage.

Because of these limitations, Summoning Magic had devolved into a self-destructive art, gradually fading from the magical world.

Yet, the sudden appearance of such a mage in the arena completely caught everyone off guard.

The opposing team had fallen prey to carelessness; two members were slammed off the platform by the summoned fighting beast, sustaining severe injuries and forfeiting the match.

The third bout was between Chen Feng’s mercenary team and the Beauty Squad, which enjoyed nearly the highest popularity.

Before they even stepped onto the stage, the host’s voice boomed incessantly.

“...A showdown among the Four Great Beauties! Will this match present us with a feast of beauty, or a battle between beauties? Moreover, will Iori exhibit ruthlessness towards a beauty like Yani? All will be revealed shortly—please, everyone, stay tuned and watch…”

Chen Feng watched the host, who was spitting saliva everywhere, onstage. He truly couldn’t fathom what his brain was made of to conjure such far-fetched and utterly tedious pronouncements.

“We are…” Judy glanced at Chen Feng, hesitating slightly.

“All of you, step up!” Chen Feng stated in a low voice.

Since this was billed as a confrontation involving the Four Great Beauties of the Imperial Capital, failing to let his team compete would surely spoil the spectacle. Chen Feng would not commit such a faux pas.

All six of them emerged from the waiting room simultaneously and took their positions on opposite sides of the competition platform.

“Yani wins! Yani wins!” Cries erupted from the stands, the devoted chanting of Yani’s fan club, roaring in unison at her appearance.

Screams and cheers momentarily flooded the entire venue.

“It seems that even in another world, celebrity fans are just as frantic,” Chen Feng mused inwardly.

“Hey, who do you think will win this time—the Beauty Squad or the Mercenary Team?” A middle-aged man in green nudged the youth beside him in the stands.

The youth, who had been cheering loudly, turned when prodded. “Is that even a question? Of course, it’s the Dancing Fairy Yani’s Beauty Squad! Didn’t you watch the previous matches!”

The middle-aged man shook his head.

The youth shot him a look of disdain, puffing out his chest proudly. “Yani’s movements are graceful and fluid; watching her fight is no different from watching a dance. It’s simply too beautiful! Who would dare interrupt such exquisite action, and who would have the heart to ruin it? Losing is impossible!” The youth’s face contorted into an expression of pure adoration as he spoke.

Hearing this, the middle-aged man’s eyes also lit up as he fixed his gaze on the lithe figure in the arena. “Ah, then I must witness it properly!”

“Exactly! Seeing the Dancing Fairy Yani perform is a rare occurrence, and witnessing her compete is worth more than gold. Missing this moment would leave you crying buckets later!” the youth declared with the gravitas of someone much older.

No sooner had he finished speaking than another person leaned over from the other side, inquiring, “I’ve never seen Yani dance before. Is she really that good?”

“Of course, she is! She’s simply a fairy descending from the heavens; no one in this world can compare to her…” the youth boasted, though in truth, he had never seen Yani dance either.

Hearing the youth’s extravagance, the questioner responded, “I heard that the one named Iori actually killed someone during the match yesterday. To have such a violent brute competing alongside the Dancing Fairy Yani truly detracts from the entire competition!”

“That’s absolutely true! That red-haired fellow looks like no good can come from him. What could he possibly understand about art? I bet if Yani danced before him, he wouldn’t even comprehend it. Making him compete with Yani is an insult to her reputation…” the youth complained indignantly.

Just then, Yani’s gentle voice emanated from the magical sound transmission device in the arena.

“Lord Iori, I still haven't repaid the kindness you showed me by teaching me dance last time. To find myself facing you in combat now—Iori is truly mortified. Please accept my deepest apologies first!” With that, she walked forward and performed a delicate curtsy toward Chen Feng.

“Ah…” A gasp swept through the entire venue, followed by a brief, stunned silence.

This news was too shocking: the savage brute with red hair—

The Dancing Fairy Yani owed him a debt of dance instruction?

The youth who had just accused Chen Feng of staining Yani’s honor felt as though he’d been slapped twice across the face; his mouth hung open wide enough to fit three eggs.

“This… this… impossible…” he mumbled, forgetting his earlier mockery.

Angelisa lightly covered her mouth, looking at Chen Feng as if seeing him for the first time, her eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.

“Does this Iori only know how to fight? When did he learn dance… and judging by Yani’s tone, she holds him in the highest regard. What level of dancing must it be to make the Dancing Fairy Yani willingly concede superiority?” Angelisa’s mind reeled, unsure what to think.

“It’s nothing,” Chen Feng replied faintly.

Yani straightened up and returned to her position; the match was about to begin.

At that very moment, the host’s voice interjected, entirely out of place: “Heavens above… The Dancing Fairy Yani just announced that the very man who single-handedly slaughtered the entire Berserker team in the previous match, Lord Iori, taught her dance… This is utterly unbelievable…”

“…” For some inexplicable reason, Chen Feng felt a sudden urge to beat the host to death.

Taking a deep breath, just as Chen Feng was about to channel the vortex energy within him to rush over and strike down the three of them, Yani bowed once more.

“Iori, I’ve thought about it again. The debt of dance instruction must be repaid. I shall perform a dance here for Lord Iori first. The match can wait until my gratitude is discharged!” Yani spoke slowly, her voice transmitted clearly through the magical device to every person present.

“Dance one! Dance one!” Roaring shouts erupted from the surroundings.

Even in the Imperial Capital, not everyone had the chance to witness a performance by the Dancing Fairy Yani. Now, she was going to dance during a competition—how could the crowd not go wild?

For a moment, the audience forgot they were supposed to be watching a competition; as long as she danced, that was enough… The sheer allure of art was this powerful!

Chen Feng watched Yani with cold eyes, unable to comprehend why she chose this moment to dance. It seemed entirely inappropriate, bizarrely out of place. However, the surrounding cheers were too grating, so he stood still quietly, making no move to stop her.

Yani walked to the center of the platform with a smile. As she moved, her slender waist seemed soft and boneless, captivating the eye to an extreme degree.

Chen Feng then noticed that Yani was wearing a deep sapphire-blue gown today—wearing a long dress for a martial contest… it was indeed baffling. It seemed she had prepared this dance long in advance!

But Chen Feng certainly wasn’t narcissistic enough to believe she wore the gown specifically to repay a debt of gratitude.

“Ding dong…” A mesmerizing melody began to play around them.

Where was the music coming from on the bare competition floor? Chen Feng blinked in surprise, then understood: it was being produced by the two young women standing behind Yani, using their lips!

If one closed their eyes and listened, they would never believe this sound originated from the mouths of two young women—what exquisite ventriloquism!

The music began low and ethereal, like tracking the path of a celestial being. In the center of the platform, Yani moved with what looked like the Moonwalk, slowly descending as if she were flying down from the heavens—a fairy arriving on a gentle breeze.

Then, sounds of a hundred birds chirping arose. This fairy lingered, unwilling to leave the harmonious environment of lush grass and verdant groves. She danced freely, her silken sleeves fluttering; the fairy’s light steps made even the birds envious.

The birdsong grew faster and more urgent, and the fairy’s movements became lighter. Finally, all the birds flew up, circling overhead as if savoring the nourishment of the dance.

…………

The fairy danced on, lost in the moment, when suddenly a crack of thunder split the sky. Amidst earth-shaking tremors, a golden-armored deity descended, shouting loudly, snatching the fairy away. The fairy offered feeble resistance but was brutally slain. The dance, replete with twists and heart-wrenching turns, vanished, leaving only the flock of birds circling in the air, waiting for the fairy to resume her flight.

…………

Unseen by anyone, tears welled up in the eyes of the spectators in the stands. The fairy’s fate evoked a deep, wrenching sorrow in every heart, causing everyone to lose themselves for that single instant.

The persuasive power of a single dance was unexpectedly this potent.

Yani then floated like a gust of wind towards Judy and Angelisa. With a flick of her hand towards each, the two slumped weakly to the ground.

No wonder Yani insisted on dancing; it turned out her movements could release something that bewitched the mind, clouding one’s judgment so that they could no longer fight. Judy and Angelisa had fallen under its spell, unable to break free, allowing Yani to strike them down in an instant.

Yani’s movements grew swifter, and the music more rapid. With a sudden twist, she lunged toward Chen Feng, resembling a soaring bird.

At that moment, Chen Feng stood with his eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the danger!

ps: It’s past midnight again, sigh, tired, going to sleep… The monthly votes are up to you comrades… (To be continued, for the rest of the story, please log in to www**m for more chapters, support the author, and support genuine reading!) .