"We can't drag this out. Use that move—attack the root!" In the air, Huo Wu made the decisive call. "Even if we can't blow that vine cocoon apart, we'll flip their whole formation!"
"Got it!" Feng Xiaotian and the others nodded immediately. They knew well how troublesome Yang Yunhai's second soul skill could be if it wasn't destroyed in one strike.
Without hesitation, they guided the massive fire wolf to tilt its head upward. Blue and red light converged in front of its maw, swirling into a vortex that spun faster and faster. The center burned from red to blinding white, while the outer ring pulsed with dense azure radiance.
Whoosh, whoosh.
A terrifying suction spread outward, dragging everything nearby into the vortex.
Even the ground was affected—dust and debris lifted skyward, ripped apart the moment they touched the azure halo around the fireball.
At that instant, the vine dragon below coiled tightly around the base of the cocoon, with more vines spreading across the ground to anchor it firmly.
The dragon suddenly reared back, golden lightning crackling in its jaws.
Zzzt, zzzt, zzzt.
Arcs of thunder spread within three meters of its maw, all lines converging toward a single point.
"Yang Yunhai is gathering the surrounding lightning energy!" Huo Wu shouted a warning.
"Damn, I think these spectator seats are still too close!" someone in the stands exclaimed. The blinding white vortex in the air now swelled to two meters across, while the golden glow in the dragon's jaws below seemed dazzling enough to scorch the eyes.
Panic rippled through the crowd—some weaker soul masters near the front quickly stood and backed away.
"I think… we should also step further back," some of the student spectators muttered nervously.
"Don't worry, I'm here," their mentors reassured them.
No one weaker than a Soul Emperor could lead a team into the finals. Blocking aftershocks would be no problem.
Relieved, the crowd turned back to watch.
"I can't hold it anymore—release it!" Huo Wu's voice rang urgent as she strained to control the energy.
Feng Xiaotian assisted at once, forcing the twin-headed wolf to bow its heads and hurl the swirling blue-white fireball downward.
"Pull back!" With Huo Wu's command, their teammates flapped the wolf's massive wings, steering them rapidly back into the sky to avoid the blast.
The fireball spun faster as it fell, growing to three meters in diameter before impact.
Crackle, crackle.
Winds howled, dust spiraled violently around it.
"Break!" Yang Yunhai's low growl cut through the din.
Boom, boom, boom!
The golden bolt burst from the dragon's maw like a cannon, piercing the fireball and lancing straight into the heavens.
Boom!
The fireball detonated, exploding into a monstrous wave of fire that rolled outward with crushing pressure.
"Fourth soul skill—Xuanwu Barrier!"
Green light surged over the cocoon, flaring white, then orange, then fire-red as flames roared up around it.
"Holy crap!" Students in the stands covered their heads while mentors raised soul rings to block the shockwave.
Boom!
Wind and fire slammed into the audience area. Railings caught ablaze, nearby trees toppled, and roaring flames swallowed the greenery. The deafening explosion, mixed with thunder, shook all of Spirit City. Firelight painted the skies blood-red.
A golden lightning bolt tore through the clouds overhead, piercing even the heavens.
"Such power…" Even Bibi Dong, watching from the peak of the Pope's Palace, furrowed her brows.
"This—!" The Worship Hall elders stirred as well, shocked. "To unleash such an attack in a tournament… could this be a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"
"Yang Yunhai, don't you dare die…" Huo Wu's face paled as she floated down with the exhausted wolf, worry flashing in her eyes. She wanted to defeat him—but not see him broken or killed.
Gradually, the red glow faded, silence returning to Spirit City.
At the arena's center lay a crater more than ten meters wide, filled with fire. Torn, smoldering vines crisscrossed the pit. At its core stood a single charred mound of vines, like a lonely island amidst a burning sea.
The vine dragon was gone, half of its body obliterated. The cocoon it had wrapped was riddled with deep cuts and gashes. Yet despite the gaping hole, the shield had not been fully pierced.
"They're still fine?!" gasps echoed from the Blazing Acdemy team and the crowd alike.
"Damn, that vine cocoon is thick!" someone cursed.
"Good thing that lightning bolt pierced the fireball before it hit… otherwise, they'd be dead for sure."
"That move—wasn't it like an upgraded version of Huo Wu's Defying Flame Ring?"
Murmurs filled the stands.
Then, as the cocoon unfurled, everyone fell silent—three whole layers of vines still remained.
That cocoon was absurdly thick!
Inside, Yang Yunhai's team stood unscathed, though pale and drained. Yang Yunhai himself looked slightly better than the rest.
With a flex of his legs, Yang Yunhai leapt free of the flames, bounding across the shattered ground until he landed before Huo Wu's team.
Tall, unyielding, backlit by fire—he looked every bit the war god reborn from flame.
"You—!" Huo Wu's face flushed red as she charged recklessly forward, even with her soul power nearly spent. She would never surrender.
Her teammates gritted their teeth and followed. Even drained, they would not go down without a fight.
The two support members, however, collapsed where they stood—completely out of energy.
"Yang Yunhai, take this!" Huo Wu swung a fiery kick at him.
"First soul skill—Extension."
Vines burst from the ground, snaring the feet of Huo Wu and Feng Xiaotian mid-stride.
He had spread his spores outside the crater long before the blast, knowing the explosion would clear the interior. That was why he'd jumped outward—to ensure his spores were close enough to trigger again.
His own soul power was almost gone, but the spores had stored a little energy of their own—just enough to trip them up.
"You—!" Huo Wu stumbled, her left foot caught. The kick froze halfway, sending her crashing down in front of Yang Yunhai in an ungraceful split.
Her face blazed scarlet as she glared up at him.
'She's… really flexible.'
Yang Yunhai quickly averted his gaze, pretending to look only at Feng Xiaotian.
"Brother Feng, I think this battle is over."
But then, he noticed Huo Wu still gathering fire in her palm.
"Yang… Yunhai…" she hissed, cheeks burning with both fury and humiliation.
Yang Yunhai sighed, nudging her leg aside with his boot.
"Hiss!"
Huo Wu gasped, her face whitening in pain as the fire in her palm flickered out. Yet her cheeks only reddened further, and her eyes locked onto Yang Yunhai with burning shame.
"Ahem… we admit defeat!" Feng Xiaotian blurted quickly, his expression twisted. He couldn't tell if Yang Yunhai had acted deliberately or simply waited until they'd all closed in to save power. Either way, the result was devastating.
Still, that last scene with Huo Wu looked way too questionable…
Yang Yunhai ignored it all. He released the vines, nodded slightly, and strode back toward his team.
Feng Xiaotian sighed as the vines at their feet dissolved. 'So he really was at his limit after all.'
Beside him, Huo Wu's hands pressed to the ground. She pushed herself upright, fire flashing in her eyes as she glared at Yang Yunhai's retreating back.
"Yang Yunhai—I hate you!" she screamed, before storming off toward the tunnel.
"???"
The red-robed bishop serving as referee froze mid-announcement, choking on his words.
"???"
The audience erupted into whispers and side-eyes, all eyes turning to Yang Yunhai.
Yang Yunhai's scalp prickled. He bolted toward Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan, helping them into the tunnel as quickly as possible.
"Damn, he's smooth!"
Spectators gaped as Yang Yunhai exited with a girl on each arm. Envy and jealousy filled the air.
Feng Xiaotian and his teammates exchanged wry smiles before hurrying after Huo Wu.
"The Heaven Dou Royal Academy wins!" the referee finally barked, voice regaining its authority.
"Xiao Hai, your luck with women is really something." Dugu Bo chuckled when they returned to the waiting area.
Sure enough, Huo Wushuang had already rushed out to chase after his sister.
Yang Yunhai could only give a bitter smile. "Grandpa, don't tease me…"
"Seems being too outstanding isn't always a blessing," Yu Feng muttered sourly.
'Why can't stuff like this ever happen to me? Huo Wu's fiery, but she's gorgeous too!'
"Hmph!" Dugu Yan hooked her arm firmly through Yang Yunhai's, chin lifted proudly.
Zhu Zhuqing copied the motion silently on his other side.
Yang Yunhai straightened his back, ignoring them both. "Let's focus on the matches."
"The second match of the fourth round—Shrek Academy versus Thunderclap Academy!"
On the field, Shrek played as expected. Now a Soul Ancestor, Xiao Wu joined the fight. Tang San led with his third soul skill, Spider Web Restraint, binding Thunderclap's fighters in place. Then he unleashed his fourth soul skill, Blue Silver Poison Fog.
Too close. The enemy's wings couldn't blow the mist away in time.
One by one, Thunderclap's fighters collapsed, leaving Shrek victorious again.
Tang San, of course, stole the spotlight—binding, poisoning, and then graciously using his Eight Spider Lances to 'detoxify' the fallen.
'Keep absorbing that energy, Tang San. Soon, I'll expose the truth on the battlefield,' Yang Yunhai thought coldly, his eyes sharp.
Later that day, the Spirit Hall Academy breezed through their match against another Star Luo team, not even needing Hu Liena's trio.
And so, the top three teams of the tournament were decided: Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Spirit Hall Academy, and Shrek Academy.
As the day's battles ended, Yang Yunhai didn't linger. He gathered his exhausted teammates and led them straight back to the hotel.
He too needed rest.
(End of Chapter)
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