The opponent for Zhong Shenxiu was a hulking, broad-shouldered man named Xiao Sizhuanbai. Though he heard the referee announce the start of the match, he made no move to attack, instead sizing up Zhong Shenxiu from head to toe.

Zhong Shenxiu, equally unhurried, was also appraising the corpulent fellow.

"Kid, this isn't where you belong. You should scram back down," the stout man—Fidelu—sneered, clearly dismissing Zhong Shenxiu.

Zhong Shenxiu offered no reply, merely watching him with a faint smile.

"Didn't you hear me? Don't make me toss you off; then don't blame me for bullying the small!" Fidelu grumbled, slowly walking towards Zhong Shenxiu.

He genuinely couldn't fathom why such an important match featured a mere child as an opponent. Did they have no hope of winning and were just giving up?

It wasn't just him who was confused; even the coaches managing the event were perplexed. Yet, their primary curiosity lay with the arrival of Gabriel and his entourage.

They recognized Gabriel as the guild master of an organization in Xianyang City. They simply couldn't understand why he would personally attend this match, which was ostensibly just a minor skirmish between two obscure leagues. What were they watching so intently?

Meanwhile, on the doubles court, Diya and Robin stood together after the match began. Instead of attacking, they huddled close, conversing with an air of intense secrecy. Anyone watching would assume they were finalizing strategy, but upon hearing their actual words, they'd be left speechless.

"Little sister, I'm going to have some fun first. You support me from here. If I hit too hard, just heal them up a bit. It won't be fun if the match ends too quickly!" Diya said, glancing towards the two approaching older men.

Robin merely nodded slowly, offering no significant comment. Unlike Diya, she had experienced countless matches and games of tormenting opponents, so she displayed little enthusiasm.

The two uncles advancing on Diya and Robin had no idea how terrifying their opponents truly were. They assumed the girls were just ordinary young women with only minor strength!

The atmosphere on the team match court, however, was quite different. Friction sparked immediately after the start signal!

"Hurry up and go back where you came from. Come back to challenge us after a few more years of training; you aren't qualified yet!"

"Scram! Fighting us will only bring you pain. Don't say we didn't warn you!"

The younger contestants from the 'Seven Towers Mercenary Alliance' stood there, oozing overconfidence and incessantly taunting. Seeing that Solomon and his group offered no retort only emboldened them further.

But why weren't Solomon and the others firing back? What were they doing instead?

Solomon and his crew were seen constantly sweeping their gazes across the opponents, eyes moving back and forth as if they were browsing racks in a clothing store.

After a brief silence, Solomon suddenly pointed at the most arrogant brute among the rivals. "This guy is mine. None of you dare fight over him."

"I'll take that one. He looks tough and resilient," Laurent chimed in, having already picked his target.

"I'll take the chubby one; he should feel satisfying to hit."

"I've claimed the skinny, tall one."

In less than a moment, all the fighters from the 'Seven Towers Mercenary Alliance' had been assigned. The Alliance members stared blankly at each other, completely bewildered by what Solomon's group was doing.

But they would soon find out!

The focus shifted back to the singles arena, where Fidelu approached. To Fidelu's surprise, Zhong Shenxiu moved to meet him, still taking his time.

This move, so contrary to expectation, startled Fidelu. Logically, someone of Zhong Shenxiu's slight build should try everything to maintain distance against him. But the reality was the opposite!

"Kid, looks like you refuse the easy path and ask for trouble!" Fidelu roared, quickening his pace.

As if to provoke him further, Zhong Shenxiu abruptly changed direction, flashing a look that clearly invited pursuit: If you have the guts, chase me!

Fidelu’s face flushed. He clearly felt Zhong Shenxiu was treating him with contempt, and rage flared. He put real force into his legs, chasing after Zhong Shenxiu while shouting, "You little brat, don't run if you have any guts!"

The moment the shout left his mouth, his vision blurred as if a fireball had materialized out of thin air. Before he could react, there was a whoosh, and his already sparse hair ignited!

Hair is highly flammable. By the time Fidelu realized what was happening, the patch on his head had turned into barren land, emitting a pungent, choking odor!

The searing pain from his scalp barely registered compared to the agony Fidelu felt over his lost hair. Staring at the charred strands in his hand, Fidelu's entire body began to tremble—

"What a blaze you started!" Zhong Shenxiu finally stopped, affecting an expression of regret. Yet, a mischievous gleam shone in his eyes.

Fighting him, the 'genius,' even ten thousand Fidelus would be no match!

"I... will... kill... you," Fidelu ground out, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.

It was clear Zhong Shenxiu had successfully enraged him, and all reason was draining from Fidelu’s mind. Little did he know, this was precisely what Zhong Shenxiu wanted. If he couldn't ignite Fidelu’s fury, the next stage wouldn't be entertaining!

A massive roar erupted from Fidelu’s throat. His bulky frame then lunged toward Zhong Shenxiu like a maddened bull.

. . .

The doubles match was also underway. As the two uncles advanced with ill intent, Diya floated forward to meet them. Outsiders might mistake her movement for wind magic, but it was actually a high-grade Qinggong technique!

To ensure maximum enjoyment, Diya decided against using her cultivation spells or true Yuan power. Ordinary martial arts should suffice to handle these opponents easily!

Watching Diya advance, Robin remained rooted to the spot, acting like a mere spectator.

"She's a Wind Mage, probably a dual-discipline fighter. You tie her up, and I'll deal with the other one," one uncle said with a wicked grin.

The other uncle remained silent, returning only a look that clearly communicated, Understood.

Though separated by a thousand meters, Diya’s speed was exceptional. In an instant, she reached the pair.

"Brother, I'll go first," one uncle said, flashing past just as Diya charged head-on. His target was Robin; they had agreed to split the opponents, one for each.

"Fine, you go ahead," the other uncle began to say, but he was instantly struck dumb by the sight unfolding before him.

The uncle who was supposed to slip past Diya suddenly shot backward, slamming into the ground with a heavy thud, then skidding another dozen meters before stopping!

W-What was that?

The witnessing uncle was paralyzed with shock; his mind went momentarily blank!

Diya, too, paused. She first looked down at her own feet, then at the uncle who was still struggling to rise, an apologetic expression crossing her face. She hadn't used much strength, yet she hadn't expected this uncle to be so fragile—one kick and he was in that state!

"Sorry, maybe I used a little too much force," Diya said sheepishly.

The other uncle mechanically turned his head toward Diya, wondering if that was what she considered "a little" impact.

As he stood stunned, howls of agony suddenly drifted from the team match arena.

Solomon and his crew had commenced their "warm-up." Their opponents stood no chance against these monstrous individuals; nearly every single one was taken down on the first exchange and immediately rendered unable to speak, left only to wail!

Solomon and his group were seasoned veterans; they couldn't risk the opponents forfeiting voluntarily, so they went straight for disabling speech.

"Weren't you shouting earlier? Why are you silent now?" Solomon tossed his target into the air, kicking him up again just before he landed, repeating the motion.

"Where's that bravado you had? Didn't you say we weren't qualified?" Laurent unleashed a sixty-four-hit combo, peppering his opponent with strikes while demanding answers, seemingly venting all the pent-up frustration from before.

"You really should lose some weight. Let me help you with that today!" Rhys spoke, but his hands never paused their assault, pummeling the fatty against the ground repeatedly.

The team match arena could no longer be called a competition; it had devolved into brutal torture, punishing the opponents until they were half-dead!

Solomon’s group controlled their power perfectly—not enough to kill, but enough to keep them conscious. Thus, despite the shocking violence, the referees made no move to intervene.

Truthfully, the referees themselves were stunned into silence by the spectacle, mouths agape and eyes wide, a single thought looping in their minds: Damn it, is this a match? This is blatant, naked abuse!

Outside the arena, Gabriel and his party were utterly flabbergasted, especially the waitress, Yifang, who seemed to have lost her soul, frozen stiff as iron.

But they were shocked too soon, for greater astonishment awaited them!

One must not forget: the two top little monsters of the 'Misty Mercenary Group' had yet to unleash their true power!