Two years had quietly passed.
Azure Dragon Academy, once unknown, had steadily risen in influence under the leadership of its dean, Dugu Bo, a titled Douluo. Though the academy had stayed away from the public eye—rarely appearing in soul arenas or tournaments—it had silently grown, its elite team honed in seclusion, unknown to the outside world.
That team was the Azure Dragon Squad.
Jiang Yun stood before the academy gates, clad in his usual crimson attire, a calm expression on his face. He was no longer the young boy who had just begun his journey. At fourteen, he had already reached the peak of the Soul King realm—level 51. His recent fifth soul ring had unlocked his Titan Form, allowing him to summon his Titan Sword freely. His physical power, soul strength, mental energy, perception, and every aspect of his being had evolved, surpassing the limits of ordinary Soul Kings. His strength now rivaled Soul Emperors, and even among them, few could stand against him one-on-one.
Behind him stood his squad—each one transformed.
Zhu Zhuqing, also fourteen, had reached level 49. Her mastery of the Hell Civet's agility and assassination techniques made her a shadow that no one could grasp.
Dugu Yan, seventeen, had broken through to level 51 just a month earlier. Her fifth soul ring, a 20,000-year-old soul beast known as the Jade Venom Hydra, had granted her a powerful new ability—Hydra Venom Storm. With it, she could release a barrage of poisonous hydra heads from her martial spirit, each carrying a different poison type, overwhelming enemies with layered, unpredictable toxins. It was a pure offensive ability that finally complemented her existing domain-type fourth skill, giving her devastating mid-range capabilities.
Hua Yue, sixteen, stood proudly at level 49. Her Blazing Flame Tiger spirit now radiated an intense battle aura. She was only a breath away from breaking through.
Feng Ming, seventeen, had reached level 49 as well. His Phoenix Gale Falcon had developed further, combining sharp aerial strikes with fire attributes imbued with his wind elements. His battlefield control from above was exceptional.
Qiao Xuan, level 48, seventeen years old, was now a reliable frontline support. His evolved martial spirit, the Rockscale Earth Python, gave him increased defense and area suppression. His fourth Soul ring had granted him the ability Seismic Maw. It tears open the earth and swallows targets, locking them with chains underground.
Bai Ling, sixteen, was at level 47. Her Sacred Lotus bloomed with gentle, sacred light. Her fourth soul ring ability, Lotus tranquility, could now heal mental fatigue and recover soul power during battle—allowing her allies to maintain peak condition through prolonged combat. She also has trained enough with her light attribute self created Soul skill,so that she can protect herself from any dangers or delay for enough time for her teammates to help her. She was the team's heart, quietly supporting them through every trial.
Finally, there was Ning Rongrong. At just fourteen, she had reached level 43. Her martial spirit had evolved into the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, the strongest auxiliary tool spirit known. Her fourth soul ring came from a 5,000-year-old Armored Beast known for its unmatched defense. The soul skill she gained was Defense Amplification, granting a powerful defensive buff to her allies.
More importantly, the amplification of her support abilities had increased. With her current four rings, the formula of (number of soul rings +1) × 10% allowed her to enhance strength, speed, defense, and soul power by 50%—a terrifying boost that no auxiliary-type spirit master her age should have.
Flashback...
The gentle evening light spilled across the tiled courtyard of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan. It had been over a year since Ning Rongrong had returned home, and as she stepped through the familiar gates, a rare sense of warmth filled her chest.
Awaiting her were the three people she respected most—her father, Ning Fengzhi, and the two Douluo protectors of the clan: Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong.
"Rongrong!" Gu Rong's hearty voice rang out first as he stepped forward with open arms. "Look at you! Blooming like a lotus in spring! You've grown taller, haven't you?"
"I missed you too, Grandpa Gu," Rongrong said, giggling as she hugged him.
"Welcome back," Sword Douluo greeted with a slight smile and a nod. Though always composed, even he seemed pleased.
Ning Fengzhi stepped forward with a soft, fatherly smile. "It's good to see you again, Rongrong. You've been gone a long time. Your letters hinted at progress… but seeing you in person is even better."
Rongrong twirled slightly on her feet, giving a mischievous grin. "Guess how much I've improved."
"Oh?" Fengzhi raised a brow, amused.
Gu Rong scratched his chin. "Hmm… you were Twenty-six when you left, right? Maybe level 30?"
Chen Xin narrowed his eyes, trying to sense her aura—but his expression stiffened slightly. "Strange. I can't tell."
"That's not possible," Gu Rong blinked. "Are you suppressing it?"
Rongrong smiled even more cheekily. "Nope."
Ning Fengzhi gave her a curious glance. "Alright then, stop teasing your elders. Tell us."
She clasped her hands behind her back. "Level forty-three."
Silence fell for a moment.
"…Forty-three?" Ning Fengzhi repeated slowly, blinking. "That's—"
"A huge leap in less than two years!" Gu Rong exclaimed. "And your aura is so well-hidden… Rongrong, you're not cultivating recklessly, are you?"
Chen Xin stepped forward, gently taking her hand with the same solemn expression he used during clan tests. He closed his eyes, checking her condition carefully. After a few moments, he let go and nodded.
"No signs of instability. Her soul foundation is solid. Her spirit power is natural and steady."
Fengzhi let out a quiet breath of relief. "Good… very good."
Rongrong pouted slightly. "Really, you think I'd do something reckless? I'm not that impulsive anymore."
"Just cautious," her father said with a soft laugh. "We worry because we care."
"Well, you might want to brace yourselves again," Rongrong said, her tone playful, eyes twinkling. "I have another surprise."
She raised her hand, and with a swirl of dazzling light, her martial spirit materialized in the air.
A pagoda appeared — no longer seven-tiered, but nine levels high, its glow majestic and refined, like a sacred artifact untouched by time.
Gasps echoed in unison.
"The… the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda?" Chen Xin's usually calm tone actually wavered.
Gu Rong's eyes were almost popping out. "Rongrong! Where did you get this?!"
Ning Fengzhi took a few steps forward, his gaze locked on the pagoda as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "This has never existed before… The martial spirit of our clan has been Seven Treasures for thousands of years. This…"
"I didn't get it anywhere," Rongrong said gently, lowering her hand. "It evolved on its own."
"Evolved?!" the three exclaimed almost together.
"I don't know how exactly," she said honestly. "It just… happened after I broke through one day."
Ning Fengzhi stared at her for a long time before a slow, proud smile appeared on his face. "Rongrong… you've changed the legacy of our entire clan."
Gu Rong shook his head in amazement. "The amplification power of the Nine Treasures… it could surpass everything we ever dreamed of."
"It's still me," Rongrong said softly, "just with a little more strength to support those I care about."
Sword Douluo didn't speak immediately. He stared at the fading image of the nine-tiered pagoda, then turned toward Ning Fengzhi. "The future of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan… has never been brighter."
Fengzhi stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on Rongrong's shoulder, his voice full of warmth. "Welcome home, Rongrong. You've grown into someone even greater than I imagined."
Rongrong smiled, her eyes misting slightly. "It's good to be back."
Flashback ends.....
These details, however, were known only to the squad themselves and the inner circle of Azure Dragon Academy.
They had intentionally stayed hidden, not revealing their full strength to anyone.
The Soul Arena had not seen them in months. No missions, no public duels. Their growth remained a secret.
Now, as the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament approached, their time had finally come.
Heaven Dou City would serve as the preliminary battleground for the top academies. Though Azure Dragon was not originally among the five slots allocated, with Dugu Bo himself acting as the academy's dean, and under immense pressure from influential backers, Azure Dragon Academy was granted a place in the Heaven Dou preliminaries.
The Azure Dragon Squad would step into the arena not as challengers, but as a mystery.
Unknown, unscouted, and unreadable.
Jiang Yun looked up at the clouds above, his red Kuuga armor briefly flickering into existence before vanishing.
"Is everyone ready?" he asked without turning.
Zhu Zhuqing's voice was calm. "Always."
Dugu Yan smirked. "Let's show them what they've been missing."
Hua Yue crossed her arms. "I'm tired of waiting."
Qiao Xuan and Bai Ling both nodded, their eyes steady.
Feng Ming grinned, wind swirling gently at his feet. "Let's go. The sky's waiting."
Ning Rongrong took a deep breath and stepped forward. She gripped the short sword at her waist, the symbol of her resolve. Her eyes sparkled with confidence, no longer the naive girl from two years ago.
This was their moment.
And the Azure Dragon was ready to soar.