"Match, begin!"
With the referee's announcement, the battle commenced.
The moment the match started, Mu Yang's expression sharpened as he secretly unleashed a Soul Capturing Secret Technique on Yu Tianxin.
Given Yu Tianxin's mere four-ring level, he naturally couldn't resist Mu Yang's mental control technique and was instantly manipulated, becoming a temporary puppet.
Low profile?
No need for that anymore. With three powerful allies by his side, Mu Yang felt that apart from Spirit Hall, no other force would dare harbor ill intentions toward him.
As for Spirit Hall, with Xue Qinghe, that "plastic big brother," around, he was considered an "insider" in the eyes of Spirit Hall's true upper echelon. Insiders don't attack insiders.
Immediately, the mind-controlled Yu Tianxin shouted, "Stop!"
In an instant, apart from Mu Yang, the remaining twelve members of both teams all turned their gazes toward Yu Tianxin.
"Blazing Fire Team, I, Yu Tianxin, acknowledge you as the strongest!"
Seeing everyone's eyes on him, Yu Tianxin crossed his arms over his chest, his expression proud.
"???"
Everyone was utterly confused.
What kind of stance was this?
"Ahem~ Players of the Thunderclap Team, please continue the match. Otherwise, I will declare you disqualified."
Clearing his throat, the referee outside the stage sternly warned Yu Tianxin.
"Hmph~ A mere referee? Ridiculous, ridiculous!"
Yu Tianxin scoffed disdainfully. Before the increasingly irritated referee could say anything, he continued, "For this battle, I, Yu Tianxin, declare on behalf of the Thunderclap Academy Team… we surrender!"
Declaring surrender on behalf of a team wasn't a privilege just anyone had. Only three people held such aauthority
The Academy Head
The Team Leader
The Team Captain
As the Captain of the Thunderclap Academy Team, Yu Tianxin naturally had the right to surrender on behalf of the team.
"Yu Tianxin, are you sure you're surrendering on behalf of the Thunderclap Team?"
Hearing Yu Tianxin's abrupt surrender, the referee was visibly surprised.
At this moment, the referee was completely baffled.
If the Thunderclap Team was planning to surrender, why not do it earlier? Why wait until stepping onto the stage just to embarrass themselves?
After all, forfeiting without a fight was never a glorious thing.
Glancing at the referee, Yu Tianxin turned around with a graceful flair and began walking back down the steps from which the Thunderclap Team had entered the arena.
Seeing this, the Thunderclap Team members exchanged glances, bewildered.
After a moment of silence, the vice-captain, Lei Dong, shrugged and followed Yu Tianxin off the stage.
Indeed, putting aside pride, this battle wasn't worth fighting at all.
Their Thunderclap Team was simply no match for the Blazing Fire Team.
As for why their normally proud captain, Yu Tianxin, chose to surrender after stepping on stage, that remained a mystery.
Hmm… maybe he originally planned to forfeit from the start, but since they had come all the way to Spirit City to participate, not even stepping onto the battle stage would be too humiliating. So, he decided to at least set foot on it before surrendering?
Yes, that must be it.
"I announce, in the first round of the finals, match four—Blazing Fire Academy vs. Thunderclap Academy—Blazing Fire Academy wins! Congratulations to Blazing Fire Academy for advancing to the second round!"
Seeing that the Thunderclap Team had truly forfeited, the referee stepped onto the stage and officially declared the results.
Thunderclap Academy Rest Area
"Tianxin, what were you thinking?"
In the corner, Thunderclap Academy's Headmaster, Lei Batian, looked at Yu Tianxin with confusion after he returned from the stage with a dark expression.
In Lei Batian's eyes, Yu Tianxin was someone with immense pride.
Even if the Blazing Fire Team was stronger and Thunderclap Academy had no chance of winning, Yu Tianxin shouldn't have surrendered so easily.
"Headmaster, it wasn't my decision to surrender."
Suppressing the anger in his heart, Yu Tianxin spoke in a low voice.
"???"
Lei Batian was stunned.
He understood every word Yu Tianxin said, but put together, he couldn't comprehend them at all.
"Headmaster, at the very start of the match, someone used a mental secret technique on me, controlling my mind. Though I have no proof, I strongly suspect that Blazing Fire Team cheated."
Yu Tianxin's voice was strained with frustration.
Hearing this, Lei Batian's eyes widened, but then he fell into deep thought.
After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"Blazing Fire is already stronger than us. They don't need to take risks and cheat. If my guess is right, that mental technique was most likely cast by their captain, Mu Yang."
Although it seemed unbelievable, this was the most logical explanation.
After all, Lei Batian had wondered before—why was the captain of the Blazing Fire Team not the obvious candidates like Huo Wu or Huo Wushuang, but instead, a food-type Soul Master like Mu Yang, who supposedly lacked combat ability?
If the one who controlled Yu Tianxin into surrendering was indeed Mu Yang, then everything made perfect sense.
No other reason.
The team captain's position belongs to the strongest.
Mu Yang had earned his place with sheer power.
"This… this can't be possible, right?"
Yu Tianxin found it hard to believe.
Losing to Huo Wu or Huo Wushuang was one thing.
But he, one of the Twin Stars of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, being instantly defeated by a food-type Soul King?
Even if he had faced Huo Wu or Huo Wushuang, he wouldn't have lost that fast!
Patting Yu Tianxin on the shoulder, Lei Batian offered some consolation.
"The world is vast, and there are many things beyond our comprehension."
"Take the Shrek Academy's Tang San, for example. At such a young age, he became a four-ring Soul Ancestor with a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul and even obtained a ten-thousand-year fourth soul ring. To the world, isn't that just as unbelievable?"
A food-type Soul King using a mental technique to instantly defeat a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Soul Ancestor?
Sure, it sounded crazy.
But if he had just learned a secret mental technique, then the logic checked out.
In comparison, a fourteen-year-old Blue Silver Grass Soul Ancestor was even more outrageous.
"By the way, don't spread this around just yet."
"This year's Blazing Fire Team is one of Spirit Hall Team's greatest threats. Let's leave a surprise for those so-called Golden Generation elites."
Lei Batian warned Yu Tianxin with a smirk.
Although Thunderclap Academy and Blazing Fire Academy weren't exactly close allies, they at least maintained a neutral relationship.
But Spirit Hall?
That was a different story.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had never gotten along with Spirit Hall.
If Mu Yang could catch Spirit Hall off guard and eliminate their team, causing them to lose the championship, Lei Batian would be ecstatic for an entire year.
Yu Tianxin: "..."
Hopefully, Mu Yang from Blazing Fire Academy wouldn't go around boasting, or this would be even more humiliating.
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}
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