Chapter 121: Shi Nuo Stuns Everyone
On the main viewing stand, Xue Ye couldn't help but find this absurd scene amusing. However, the thought quickly followed that if his own team were to encounter such a situation, the outcome would most likely be exactly the same.
"Qinghe, if this continues, it doesn't seem like it'll serve much purpose in filtering talent, does it?"
Seated slightly behind him, Qian Renxue immediately understood what Xue Ye meant and replied respectfully:
"Yes, Father Emperor. Qinghe will go and mediate. Scenes like today's will not happen again."
"Mhm. The Soul Master Tournament is only interesting when both sides clash fiercely."
"There are so many male soul masters competing—what kind of sight is it for them to step onto the stage and immediately surrender while clamping their legs together?"
Xue Ye had full confidence in Xue Qinghe's abilities. After offering a few brief remarks, he continued watching the rest of the matches.
...…
After the initial clashes between several teams concluded, the Spirit Hall team did not linger any longer.
Because of the tactical choices made by the Five Element Academies, all the noteworthy competitors had already appeared during the promotion rounds.
The battles that followed didn't hold much reference value.
Today's schedule was the 32-to-16 round-robin format, while the team battles were reserved for tomorrow.
"Let's go."
The team members raised no objections. The finals had only just begun, and the upcoming fights indeed failed to spark much interest.
After returning to the hotel and resting for the afternoon, Lin Beiya received a letter that evening. It was a warning sent by Qian Renxue on behalf of the Heaven Dou Empire, the tournament's organizing party.
The contents of the letter were simple: if anything like today's situation occurred again in the subsequent matches, the Spirit Hall team would be directly ruled as having lost.
Upon learning this news, veins instantly bulged on Qiu Tete's forehead.
"This is going too far! Those stupid elephants are covered head to toe in diamonds!"
"Diamond, do you understand? Am I supposed to stupidly shoot arrows at the strongest part of their defense?"
"And some of those teams look at us with those lecherous eyes. I was already planning to deal with them once and for all when we ran into them later!"
Looking at the furious senior sister, Yu Quan chuckled awkwardly and spoke up to comfort her:
"Senior Sister, we can't always rely on the same method to win. If we do, even after winning, people will think we're lacking in strength and undeserving of our reputation."
"That's right, Senior Sister. You should leave some chances for us to show ourselves too, shouldn't you?"
After being comforted, Qiu Tete's expression finally eased a bit.
"Hmph, then I'll let them off this once."
"Oh, right, Captain, how are we arranging the team battle?"
After thinking for a moment and considering the terrifying defensive power of the Diamond Mammoth lineup, Lin Beiya still planned to send Shi Nuo as a safety net. Shi Nuo's fully concentrated Cosmo would definitely break their defense. As for himself, he wasn't very interested in participating in today's match.
"Sister Lei Ying and I will rest. The rest of you will participate in tomorrow's team battle."
"In the next round-robin match, Sister Lei Ying will go first. Any objections?"
The group exchanged glances, but no one voiced any disagreement. With Ye Lusu, a control-type Soul King, present, victory was practically guaranteed.
Time quickly came to the next day. Due to the opponents' relatively weak strength, both the Royal Fighting Team and the Star Luo Team crushed Dragon Tide Academy and Oakland Academy with overwhelming force, securing their team battle victories.
Thus, they eliminated their opponents with a 2:0 score and advanced to the next round.
As the focus of the first round of the finals' team battles, the Spirit Hall Team's match against Elephant Armored Academy also attracted everyone's attention.
Lin Beiya couldn't help but admire the Heaven Dou Empire's medical standards. In just half a day, Huyan Lei—who had suffered heavy injuries—had already appeared in the contestants' resting area. He looked somewhat pale, and his signature thick beard was now mostly gone.
When the referee announced the teams' entrance, Huyan Lei looked at Qiu Tete in the Spirit Hall Team with eyes full of hatred, his terrifying gaze seemingly wanting to ignite the little loli directly.
Sensing the gaze from the other side, Qiu Tete didn't even turn her head. She merely made a bow-drawing motion toward the ground.
The group from the Elephant Armor Academy immediately reacted on instinct, clamping their thick legs together and shuddering all over.
If they hadn't received word from the organizers that the other side would no longer use that kind of tactic, they would have wanted to forfeit even the team battle altogether.
After all, the miserable state of their own captain was still vividly etched in their memories.
No one was willing to gamble the happiness of the rest of their life on a mere chance at advancing.
Only Huyan Lei, after clearly seeing Qiu Tete's gesture, had bloodshot eyes. He had yet to recover to his peak condition, but the hatred in his heart drove him to insist on participating—determined to crush that vile woman who had ruined everything.
"Damn brat, just you wait. Even if I get punished by the organizers, I'll still crush you!"
"Ah! I'm so scared~."
Hearing this, Qiu Tete immediately put on a timid, frightened expression. After letting her gaze sweep downward, she revealed a mischievous grin.
"But it seems you don't have anything left to be crushed."
"You're courting death!"
That single sentence completely enraged Huyan Lei. If his teammates hadn't restrained him, their captain might have already rushed forward to fight her to the death before the battle even began.
"Captain, calm down. The match is about to start—we'll settle it on the stage."
"Hmph."
Huyan Lei snorted coldly, his voice noticeably sharper than usual, trending disturbingly close to Yue Guan's pitch.
As both sides entered the arena, the referee directly announced the start of the third team battle.
He then deliberately glanced toward the very back of the Spirit Hall team's formation—where Qiu Tete had already summoned her Demon-Breaking Bow.
"Ahem—well, um, don't shoot arrows at the ground."
"Got it, got it. I've already been warned. So annoying."
The referee's reminder and Qiu Tete's response made the Elephant Armor Sect members collectively sigh in relief. It seemed they could finally fight without clamping their legs together.
With seven Diamond Mammoths roaring into existence, aside from Huyan Lei and Huyan Pin—who were Soul Ancestors—the remaining members were all Soul Elders.
All seven possessed optimal soul ring configurations.
Seeing this, the Spirit Hall team members also released their martial souls one after another. The dazzling display of soul rings instantly shattered the Elephant Armor Sect's composure.
A synchronized gasp rose from the stands.
In midair, the host was visibly thrilled, enthusiastically narrating:
"He's here—he's here! The tournament's first Soul King-level powerhouse has appeared! He is the Spirit Hall team's core control-type soul master, Ye Lusu!"
"And guess what else I'm seeing? Contestant Shi Nuo, who has never taken the field before, actually possesses a ten-thousand-year fourth soul ring!"
It wasn't just the audience that was stunned. Even Ning Fengzhi in the main viewing stand could no longer remain seated. As the head of a sect, he understood better than anyone what Shi Nuo's soul ring configuration truly represented.
In contrast, Platinum Bishop Salas—though equally surprised—was quickly overtaken by delight. He shot a mocking glance at Ning Fengzhi beside him and said:
"It seems His Holiness the Pope is indeed a capable leader, Sect Master Ning, wouldn't you agree?"
Coming back to his senses, Ning Fengzhi cast Salas a glance filled with shifting emotions, before swiftly returning to his usual refined demeanor.
"That may not necessarily be the case. In the entire team, only that child possesses a ten-thousand-year fourth soul ring. He likely encountered some extraordinary, unknown opportunity."
"Hmph. Still stubborn."
Salas didn't bother continuing the exchange. After all, Spirit Hall had already gained the upper hand in terms of prestige.
...…
"How… how is this possible?"
"Having a Soul King is one thing, but what exactly is that kid?"
Vice-captain Huyan Pin's eyes were filled with disbelief. As one of the soul masters belonging to the strongest physical builds on the continent, no one understood better than him just how difficult it was to absorb a soul ring beyond one's limits.
"Don't panic. Form up—we'll take formation. Elephant Armor's defense has no blind spots!"
—
End of Chapter