Early morning, Yang Yunhai led the team to the arena. Meng Shenshou immediately went to draw lots and soon returned with the result.
"Xiao Hai, our first match is against Godwind Academy."
Sure enough, Yang Yunhai's eyes flashed as he exchanged glances with Dugu Bo. Turning back, he nodded slightly, swept his gaze over his teammates, and smiled. "Godwind Academy, after merging with Blazing Academy, has doubled its strength. For us, this is not only a test, but also a great opportunity to temper ourselves."
"Everyone, don't carry any burden. Just go all out!"
"Mm." All the team members nodded, their eyes filled with fighting spirit.
On the other side, in Shrek's rest area, Qin Ming also brought back their draw result. "Today we face Thunderclap Academy."
"Teacher Qin Ming, what about the other academies?" Oscar asked.
Thunderclap Academy was strong, but they had already lost to Shrek before, so he didn't consider them a real threat. At this stage of the finals, the only true threats left were Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Godwind Academy, and Spirit Hall Academy.
If those three could be paired together, eliminating one in advance, it would be a huge benefit for them.
"Heaven Dou Royal Academy versus Godwind Academy. Spirit Hall Academy versus Mardefake Academy," Qin Ming said.
Godwind Academy was arranged to fight Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Yu Xiaogang froze for a moment. That meant Bibi Dong had agreed to the merger of Godwind and Blazing not to stop them, but to stop someone else. He couldn't help recalling that Shrek had mostly been matched against weaker opponents recently. Their team hadn't really been tested at all. Wasn't this… another form of manipulation?
'A ploy to make us underestimate the enemy?' he thought, and found himself agreeing with it.
At the same time, a strange feeling of being belittled welled up in his heart. In every previous clash with Heaven Dou Royal Academy, their team hadn't won once.
So, did Bibi Dong think they weren't even qualified to be a trial by fire for Heaven Dou Royal Academy?
His fist clenched slightly, and his gaze turned toward the Pope's Palace, eyes burning with defiance.
"Bibi Dong, I will definitely prove myself to you!"
But if Bibi Dong was being this careless, wasn't that also leaving them a chance to fight for the championship?
'This guy… always overthinking. Weak, but has plenty of wild ideas,' Ning Rongrong muttered inwardly.
Then she watched Yu Xiaogang's face suddenly shift into his cold, indifferent look again. He said lightly, "It seems our luck isn't bad. We can conserve our strength and gather information on our future opponents. Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Godwind Academy, Spirit Hall Academy — without a doubt, we'll face two of these three. No matter who comes first, it will be a huge trial.
"You must not become complacent because of past victories. From now on, you must give everything you have. Understood?"
"Yes, Teacher!" Tang San nodded firmly, and the others echoed him.
"…" Ning Rongrong just nodded lightly and chose to stay silent.
"Finals, Round Four, Match One: Heaven Dou Royal Academy versus Godwind Academy!" the referee's voice rang out.
Yang Yunhai led his teammates onto the stage — Zhu Zhuqing, Dugu Yan, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, Ye Lingling, and Oslo following behind.
Yu Feng was not included.
Against Godwind Academy's flying specialists, he would gain nothing in the air and couldn't even disrupt them. To be safe, Yang Yunhai had chosen a defensive formation. Fire and wind reinforced each other — with Blazing and Godwind combined, their offense would be fierce. With the Shi brothers on defense plus his vines, they could avoid being overwhelmed.
They lacked aerial control; there was no denying that.
Across the arena stood Huo Wu, support soul masters Huo Chui and Huo Jun, fire-attribute flyer Huo Yu, Feng Xiaotian, and two more Godwind Soul Ancestors. Even Huo Wushuang wasn't in the lineup. The team was clearly built around aerial dominance, with Huo Wu and Feng Xiaotian at the core.
"Looking at that formation, Yang Yunhai must be planning the same defensive counterattack tactics he used against you," Feng Xiaotian frowned.
"This time, I'll smash their turtle shell to pieces!" Huo Wu glared straight at Yang Yunhai, her eyes full of challenge.
Feng Xiaotian only nodded lightly, saying no more.
They had long since prepared their strategy. Yang Yunhai's vines could resist flames, but they couldn't withstand explosions or powerful shockwaves forever. Wind's high-frequency strikes and knockback effects would only amplify fire's impact. Wind and fire together — they might just break his defenses.
That was the heart of their plan.
When the referee called for the match to begin, Huo Wu took the center with Huo Yu behind her, Huo Chui and Huo Jun at the sides, Feng Xiaotian in front, and the other two teammates to either flank. A six-point formation.
"A Seven-in-One Fusion Technique?" Yu Xiaogang's expression tightened.
If so, then Godwind's result would serve as a warning. If even a full team of Soul Ancestors using a seven-in-one couldn't defeat Heaven Dou Royal Academy, then Shrek's own wouldn't fare much better.
On Yang Yunhai's side, they stood in a V-shaped formation, Yang Yunhai at the tip, the others spread to either side.
"Begin!" the referee announced as the one-minute prep ended.
At once, all of Huo Wu's teammates except Feng Xiaotian clasped their hands, fire and wind light pouring into her body.
Bang!
The beams shot into Huo Wu, fire and azure wind wrapping her body. Her veins bulged, the pressure clearly enormous.
'A Seven-in-One Fusion Technique,' Yang Yunhai thought, his eyes narrowing. Without hesitation, he clenched his fists.
"Fourth Soul Skill, Thunder Prison!" Golden light burst from his body. With Feng Xiaotian standing guard, a single-target attack might be blocked, so he used area-of-effect — not for damage, but to break their rhythm.
Boom!
Golden lightning exploded outward.
"Third Soul Skill, Defying Flame Ring!" Huo Wu raised her hands, a six-meter wall of fire surging upward. But it wasn't just a wall — fanned by the wind, it became a crashing sea of flame, a tidal wave sweeping toward Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Boom!
The flames smashed into the golden lightning shield, pushing it back more than ten meters before finally being stopped. The arena glowed gold and red, dazzling to behold.
"Are these really just Soul Ancestor teams?" gasps erupted from the watching academies.
Then, Huo Wu's four soul rings flared as she thrust her hands forward. A red-green energy beam burst out, striking Feng Xiaotian's back.
He shuddered, face reddening as the special supply circuit formed — Huo Wu channeling energy into him.
Boom!
A blazing red-green light erupted skyward, enveloping all seven.
A wolf's long howl followed. A three-meter tall red double-headed wolf spirit appeared, wings spreading from its back.
The wolf swiftly solidified, its fiery aura surging, then spread its wings to rise into the sky.
With the flames dispersing, Yang Yunhai looked up and saw the crimson giant wolf looming above.
"Captain, should we…?" Oslo asked, wide-eyed.
A wind-and-fire twin-headed wolf! Yang Yunhai was stunned. It wasn't a true Martial Soul Fusion Skill, but it was close — essentially a pseudo-fusion formation technique, letting Feng Xiaotian wield a weaker version of his future Martial Soul Avatar.
"No need. Just keep supplying me with energy!" Yang Yunhai answered calmly. Clapping his hands together, he shouted, "Rise!"
Swish, Swish, Swish!
Countless vines surged up, twisting together into a massive flower bud over six meters wide. Yang Yunhai and his six teammates disappeared inside it.
"Whoa!" Gasps filled the stands.
Hu Liena gritted her teeth, her pupils shrinking. She had thought her fusion with Xie Yue was already formidable — but compared to what she was seeing now, both Heaven Dou Royal Academy and the combined Godwind-Blazing team outclassed them.
The twin-headed fiery wolf, with both wind and fire attributes, already had power close to a Soul Saint. How could their team fight against this?
"This is the true strength of teamwork?" For the first time, Hu Liena realized how unprepared their Spirit Hall Academy team was.
On the judges' platform, Ning Fengzhi's eyes gleamed. "Yang Yunhai, you've completely changed this Soul Master Tournament. Without you pushing the other academies, they'd never have grown this fast."
Yang Yunhai was like a wild catfish tossed into a pond of ornamental koi — forcing them all to swim harder, grow stronger, just to avoid being swallowed whole.
Of course, that was also thanks to the talent and pride of Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wu.
"A flying double-headed demon wolf, wielding both wind and fire," Yu Xiaogang muttered, fists clenching. "Unbelievable."
For the first time, he hoped Heaven Dou Royal Academy would win. That wolf's attributes countered his disciple's Blue Silver Grass completely.
'Godwind Academy is terrifyingly strong…' Tang San's face darkened.
A wolf's howl shook the air again as the giant beast closed in on the flower bud, wings beating powerfully. Below, the vines twisted tighter, forming the shape of a dragon curling around the bud.
(End of Chapter)
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