Chapter 157: The Three-Way Battle Begins – Lin Qi’an’s 1v2?
The audience was left speechless, unsure how to put what they had just witnessed into words.
Against a berserk tiger enhanced by a pill, the Crown Prince’s spiritual pet not only turned the tide but outright crushed its opponent.
“Didn’t the Crown Prince’s beast just get injured? How did its combat power skyrocket so suddenly?”
“No idea, but the Crown Prince is incredible, that’s all that matters!”
“How can it pull off a comeback like that? Can someone please tell me what breed this thing is?”
“With such terrifying combat power, how is anyone else supposed to compete?”
“Weren’t you mocking the Crown Prince earlier? Care to share your thoughts now? Don’t just stay quiet!”
Those who had been taunting Lin Qi’an earlier now found themselves surrounded by amused onlookers, their mocking laughter echoing in the arena.
“So, the Crown Prince fed his beast pills and won. What do you have to say now?”
“Maybe eat your words, brother?”
“Hahaha! If I were you, I’d leave immediately. Staying here is just embarrassing!”
The ridiculed spectators wished they could vanish into thin air.
“That’s right, this spiritual beast is my child with the Crown Prince!” Ran Yuwei said proudly, puffing out her chest.
“Beast companion is one thing, but calling it your child is taking it too far, Sister Yuwei,” Su Xueni replied with a smile.
“But it’s true! We hatched it together… Mmph!” Ran Yuwei’s words were muffled as Su Xueni playfully covered her mouth.
Zhao Qingmeng looked at the scene with exasperation. This beast might actually be stronger than Lin Qi’an himself.
From its appearance, it seemed to be a transformed Nine-Headed Beast. How had it changed so drastically in just a few days?
In the VIP section, a Great Emperor smiled and asked, “Sword Emperor, this spiritual beast belongs to Tianjian City, correct? Would you be willing to trade it? I could offer some heavenly treasures in exchange.”
The Sword Emperor’s thoughts were chaotic. ‘Trade? What nonsense! I don’t even know where that beast came from! If I did, I’d have locked it up and worshiped it already, let alone given it away!’
He sighed inwardly. ‘This kid, Lin Qi’an, hasn’t been out long, yet he’s come across opportunities even I can’t understand.’
Meanwhile, Lin Liuli walked up to Zhao Yunji with a smug grin.
“This spiritual beast is amazing—so cute, yet ridiculously strong. When we return, I’ll have that brat hand it over to me to play with.”
Her pride was evident, her tone completely unrestrained. She had noticed Zhao Yunji’s subtle interest in the beast but knew she would never admit it.
Sure enough, Zhao Yunji’s expression darkened, her chest heaving in frustration.
“Hmph, it’s just a spiritual beast. What’s so special about it?”
Lin Liuli simply smiled and turned to Zhao Qingmeng. “Sister Qingmeng, you must visit us sometime. We can play with the beast together.”
“Sounds great!” Zhao Qingmeng’s eyes lit up with excitement, her smile curving like a crescent moon.
Picking on her elder sister was far too amusing.
Zhao Yunji: …
Furious but unable to vent, she could only stew silently.
‘Damn it. That beast should’ve been mine! What are you all so smug about?’
She truly regretted it now. It was all Ye Yun’s fault for challenging Lin Qi’an in Tianjian City and declaring he wanted to break off their engagement.
—
Ye Yun’s Luck Value had already hit zero. There was nothing left to deduct. His mental state was completely shattered.
He had gone to such lengths, even using the Three-Day Soul-Breaking Pill, all in hopes of defeating Lin Qi’an—just once.
Yet he had failed, utterly and completely, with no shred of dignity remaining.
‘Is Lin Qi’an truly invincible?’ His chest burned with rage as his clenched teeth drew blood.
Having lost the beast duel, his chances were dwindling. There was still a chance to fight Lin Qi’an directly later, but it was his only remaining opportunity. He had to master his forbidden technique quickly.
As he left the arena, his gaze was filled with grim determination.
—
Next up was the Tianhai Dao Domain internal match: Kui Xiao versus Teng Yun.
Unlike Ye Yun, they didn’t go all out. Winning or losing wasn’t their main concern; conserving strength for the three-way melee was far more important.
Kui Xiao’s Tianhai Spirit Snake ultimately won.
“Kui, it seems you have a grudge against Lin Qi’an. I’ll leave the spot to you. Make sure to teach him a lesson later,” Teng Yun said with a chuckle.
“Haha, naturally.”
The two laughed as they left the arena together.
—
The following match, however, was the real spectacle.
Xi Chao, faced off against the Golden Crow Prodigy, Jin Lingkong. The battle between these two domains drew immense attention.
While many disliked Xi Chao, they chose to support their own when faced with an external rival.
“The Crown Prince has already secured one victory. Hopefully, Xi Chao can win this too!”
“If he does, we’ll have two representatives in the three-way melee, giving us a huge advantage!”
“There’s hope. Xi Chao’s Demonic Dragon Shark is incredibly strong. I believe in him!”
The disciples of the Xiling sacred temple cheered loudly, their voices echoing across the arena as they rallied behind their champion. Both contestants stepped onto the stage, ready to face off.
Xi Chao’s spiritual beast was the Demonic Dragon Shark, a dominating predator from the Western Seas.
Spanning nearly a hundred meters, its jet-black scales resembled iron plates, its massive muscles bulged ominously, and crimson gums framed its gaping maw.
Its eyes radiated an aura of unending ferocity, sending chills down the spines of onlookers.
“That shark is enormous!”
“It might be the largest beast in this competition!”
“Just looking at it is intimidating…”
In stark contrast, Jin Lingkong stood calmly with a seemingly ordinary crow perched on his shoulder.
The crow was unremarkable save for its ink-black feathers and eerie white eyes that gave it an unsettling presence.
—
The beast duel officially began.
The Demonic Dragon Shark was the first to act, unleashing a water tornado from its jaws in an attempt to drag the crow into its aquatic trap.
However, with just a flap of its wings, the crow shattered the water tornado entirely.
A terrifying windstorm descended from above, each blade of wind capable of cleaving through mountains, leaving deep gashes on the shark’s massive body.
Then, the crow transformed into a streak of black light and pierced through the shark’s heart.
The colossal beast collapsed in the center of the battlefield, lifeless. Blood poured from its wounds, pooling across the ground and staining the arena red.
The Demonic Dragon Shark had been utterly annihilated—a crushing defeat executed in mere moments.
The crowd fell into stunned silence, many gasping at the display of overwhelming power.
Especially the disciples of the Western Dynasty’s sacred temple, who had been cheering moments earlier. Their fists froze mid-air, their celebration stifled by the shocking reality before them.
“Nicely done,” Jin Lingkong said casually as the crow flew back to him and perched effortlessly on his shoulder, as if its previous actions were trivial.
“This can’t be…” Xi Chao’s eyes turned bloodshot, his fists trembling as he struggled to accept the result.
“That White Rainbow Black Divine Crownis terrifying. No wonder it’s been raised by Jin Lingkong since birth!”
“Hahaha! Look at their faces. They look like they’ve swallowed something foul!”
“Thinking they could outmatch Tianhai Dao Domain in beast dueling? How naïve.”
The audience finally realized that Jin Lingkong might be the strongest prodigy of Tianhai Dao Domain, his earlier restraint concealing his true might.
Now, with his power revealed, his presence loomed like a dark cloud over the Canglan Dao Domain representatives.
Jin Lingkong shot a glance at Lin Qi’an before descending from the arena, his expression calm and composed.
—
After a brief intermission, the final three-way melee was set to begin. The situation had taken a dire turn for the Canglan Dao Domain.
Lin Qi’an was their sole representative, while Tianhai Dao Domain had both Jin Lingkong and Kui Xiao.
“What can we do? In this battle, the Crown Prince is sure to be targeted!”
“His spiritual beast is strong, but that crow looks even more terrifying!”
“If it were one-on-one, I’d bet on the Crown Prince, but a two-on-one… That’s a whole different story.”
“Don’t forget Kui Xiao’s snake. It defeated the princess’s Spirit Phoenix—it’s just as extraordinary!”
The intermission ended quickly, and the final beast duel began. Lin Qi’an, Kui Xiao, and Jin Lingkong stepped into the arena, standing at three points of a triangle.
This round had no rules. Two-on-one attacks were allowed, making the situation even more precarious for Lin Qi’an.
The crowd held their breath, especially Ran Yuwei, who clasped her hands tightly to her chest. She wasn’t merely watching a duel; it was as if she were watching her “daughter” go to war alongside her “father.”
“Let’s begin,” the hosting elder announced.
Lin Qi’an thought to himself, ’If this were a typical plotline for a protagonist blessed with great fortune, the two enemies would now underestimate me.”
“They’d arrogantly claim that only one of them is needed to defeat me, taking turns to throw themselves into my hands for an easy victory.*
But he wasn’t a protagonist and his enemies had a different plan.
Jin Lingkong spoke first. “Kui, it seems you have a personal grudge against him. Shall I let you handle it first?”
Kui Xiao smiled slyly. “You jest, Brother Jin. I think it’s better if we work together, crush him quickly, and then enjoy the rest at our leisure.”
Jin Lingkong nodded. “Fair enough. Shall we start?”
The two turned toward Lin Qi’an in unison, their spiritual beasts coiled and ready to strike. The atmosphere grew tense as two sets of bloodthirsty eyes locked onto Lin Qi’an.
The final battle was about to explode!