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On the other side, in a hotel not far from the Tian Dou Grand Spirit Arena.
Inside one of the guest rooms, Shi Nian, the coach of Canghui Academy, gathered all the members of the academy's team.
Shi Nian stood with his hands behind his back, glancing at the group led by their captain Shen Xinshui, and said, "There are only five spots available to advance from the preliminaries. If we want to qualify for the finals, we can afford to lose no more than four matches.
Previously, we've already lost to the Thunderbolt Academy team and the God Wind Academy team. Among the remaining teams, the Blazing Fire Academy, Sky Water Academy, Elephant Armor Academy, and Lan Ba Academy are relatively strong opponents.
Today, your opponent is Lan Ba Academy. For this match, I authorize you to use our trump card. You absolutely cannot afford to lose again!"
Did Canghui Academy have confidence in their ability to win? Of course they did.
The Seven-Man Unified Soul Skill Fusion Technique might pale in comparison to a Seven-Man Unified Spirit Fusion Technique, but due to the larger number of participants, its power wouldn't be inferior to that of a two-person Spirit Fusion Technique.
Moreover, Canghui Academy's Seven-Man Unified Soul Skill Fusion Technique was of the mental type.
If they could overwhelm their opponents on the mental plane, victory would be decided in an instant.
"Teacher Shi, if we use the 'Seven Asura Illusion,' our subsequent opponents will definitely be on guard. Performing the fusion technique requires preparation time, and prepared opponents likely won't give us the opportunity."
Shen Xinshui, the captain of Canghui Academy's team, who appeared prematurely aged despite being only in his twenties, couldn't help but voice his concern.
"It doesn't matter. Even without revealing our trump card, among the other twenty-seven teams in the preliminaries, only the six teams I mentioned earlier surpass us in overall strength.
If we defeat Lan Ba Academy, we can simply forfeit when we face Blazing Fire and Sky Water teams later.
As for Elephant Armor Academy, their weakness is speed—they're all defensive-type soul masters. Even if our trump card is exposed, they might not be able to interrupt the fusion technique in time."
As he spoke, Shi Nian waved his hand dismissively, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
In the Soul Master Tournament, strength is important, but tactics are equally crucial.
When soul power levels, martial soul quality, and soul ring configurations are roughly equal, control-type soul masters are undoubtedly the strongest—specifically, mental control-type soul masters are the most formidable.
Fortunately, Shen Xinshui was a mental control-type Soul Ancestor. Although his martial soul wasn't particularly impressive, his strength might even surpass individuals like Yu Tianxin of the Thunderbolt team or Feng Xiaotian of the God Wind team.
With Shen Xinshui, a mental control-type Soul Ancestor leading the way, Canghui Academy's overall strength in the preliminaries—among the twenty-eight participating academy teams—was unquestionably second only to the Five Elements Academies and Lan Ba Academy.
With only five spots available to advance from the preliminaries, unless there's a triangular defeat situation (where A defeats B, B defeats C, and C defeats A), then to enter the advancement rounds and finals, a team can lose at most four matches.
Out of the six remaining teams, Shi Nian set his sights on Elephant Armor Academy and Lan Ba Academy.
Elephant Armor Academy didn't need much explanation—it had the most obvious weaknesses and was relatively the weakest among the Five Elements Academies.
As for Lan Ba Academy, Shi Nian had a minor grudge with Flender, the vice principal of Lan Ba Academy. Though the conflict wasn't significant, it still existed.
Furthermore, with the preliminaries halfway through, Lan Ba Academy had already defeated two of the Five Elements Academies. Their strength was evident. If they could defeat Lan Ba Academy, wouldn't that better showcase the strength of Canghui Academy?
What about Chu Chengzhou of Lan Ba Academy? His strength seemed somewhat abnormal?
Even if he was unusual, he was still just a Soul Ancestor, and his banner martial soul wasn't a mental-type martial soul. Without any precautions, how could he possibly withstand the 'Seven Asura Illusion'?
What Shi Nian didn't know was that, in one-on-one combat, apart from Chu Chengzhou, there was another person in Lan Ba Academy capable of dominating the entire tournament.
However, although Xiao Wu had previously participated, she concealed her fifth soul ring, displaying only the strength of a Soul Ancestor, planning to reveal her Soul King level during the finals.
At the Grand Spirit Arena, in the rest area.
"Today's opponent is Canghui Academy. Their strength is mediocre—you guys can handle them casually!"
Liu Erlong casually informed the group.
'Canghui Academy?'
Chu Chengzhou raised an eyebrow.
In this year's Soul Master Tournament, Canghui Academy was a dark horse.
Had it not been for the mental backlash that incapacitated Canghui Academy's team when they faced Tang San in the original storyline, they might have secured one of the five advancement spots with their hidden trump card.
In Chu Chengzhou's view, the only ones in Lan Ba Academy capable of withstanding Canghui Academy's seven-man unified fusion technique were himself and Xiao Wu, whose soul power had reached the Soul King level and whose mental strength was also formidable.
Mm, against Canghui Academy, it would be best to end the match immediately to avoid any complications.
By the way, wasn't there supposedly a ten-thousand-year head-type soul bone on Shi Nian, the leader of Canghui Academy?
After some thought, Chu Chengzhou dismissed the idea.
Shi Nian hadn't provoked him; as long as they didn't cross paths, actively seeking to kill someone for their soul bones was no different from being a villain.
Although he was abusing the fact that he knew the plot, he still had some moral principles.
'I wonder if Bibi Dong will still offer those three soul bones as rewards for the champion team?'
Chu Chengzhou couldn't help but ponder.
He doubted it.
In the original storyline, the three soul bones that Shrek Academy received after winning were quite special.
Initially, there were no rewards for the champion team of the Soul Master Tournament—at least not including the sixty-thousand-year Spirit Condensation Wisdom Skull. Those three soul bones were originally prepared by Bibi Dong for her precious disciples Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan.
However, the Elders' Hall opposed this, citing the rule that soul bones should not be awarded arbitrarily. Bibi Dong then designated them as rewards for the champion team.
After all, Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan were all Soul Kings and possessed Spirit Fusion Techniques, making the Spirit Hall team virtually unbeatable.
Unfortunately, something went wrong. Shrek Academy staged a miraculous comeback, defeating the Spirit Hall team. And since the rewards for the champion team had already been announced, the Spirit Hall had no choice but to reluctantly accept it.
Although the three soul bones were valuable, they were still incomparable to the reputation of the Spirit Hall.
Previously, he had defeated Hu Liena, even capturing her in front of Xie Yue and Yan. He had likely caught Bibi Dong's attention. Therefore, it was highly unlikely that the Spirit Hall would offer soul bones again.
As time passed, the sixteenth round of the preliminary matches began.
The match between Lan Ba Academy and Canghui Academy was scheduled for the third group.
Without waiting too long, as the first two groups finished, it was time for the eight teams in the third group to take the stage.
Today, Lan Ba Academy's lineup consisted of Chu Chengzhou, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Tai Long. They exited the rest area together with the seven members of Canghui Academy.
"Scumbag, do you think the captain of Canghui Academy looks so old because he lied about his age?"
Seeing the apparent thirty-something-year-old leading Canghui Academy, Ning Rongrong suspiciously asked Chu Chengzhou.
"Cough, Rongrong, don't call me scumbag in public.
As for lying about his age? That's impossible. If he's eligible to compete, his age must meet the requirements. Perhaps he just ages quickly."
Chu Chengzhou whispered softly.
"Not calling you a scumbag? Having both me and Xiao Wu isn't enough, and now you're getting cozy with Zhu Zhuqing… Mmm~"
Before Ning Rongrong could finish, Chu Chengzhou hastily covered her mouth.
"I'll deal with you later!"
Glancing at Zhu Zhuqing, whose ears were slightly red, Chu Chengzhou glared at Ning Rongrong.
"You dare to act but not take responsibility, always bullying me," Ning Rongrong pretended to look aggrieved.
Chu Chengzhou: "..."
Skipping over this little episode, both teams entered the competition venue.
Instantly, cheers erupted from the stands.
Lan Ba Academy's strength was evident, bolstered by their previous performances. In terms of fame, Lan Ba Academy was no longer inferior to the Five Elements Academies.
And as the main event of this round, the match between Lan Ba Academy and Canghui Academy was naturally arranged on the central main platform.
"Brother Chu, crush them!"
"Goddess Rongrong, go for it!"
"Brother Chu forever!"
"Goddess Zhu Zhuqing, I love you!"
"Brother Chu, I want to bear your children!"
"Lan Ba Academy, go for sixteen consecutive wins!"
"Damn, why isn't my Goddess Xiao Wu playing again?"
Mixed with fangirl screams, various cheers continuously echoed into the arena. Meanwhile, the professional commentator in the VIP section focused on these two teams stepping onto the central competition platform.
"The third group of the sixteenth round of the preliminaries is about to begin. As everyone can see, Lan Ba Academy is competing in this group.
Their opponent is Canghui Academy, which has achieved thirteen wins and two losses in fifteen battles. Based on their current record, Canghui Academy still has a chance to advance.
Of course, compared to Lan Ba Academy, their strength is noticeably weaker.
After all, when facing the Thunderbolt Academy team and the God Wind Academy team, they were completely outmatched, whereas Lan Ba Academy decisively defeated two of the Five Elements Academies—Blazing Fire and Elephant Armor Academy teams.
Facing Lan Ba Academy today, in my personal judgment, the outcome of this match will be without suspense. The key lies in how long Canghui Academy can withstand Lan Ba Academy's attacks."
The commentator's words were undoubtedly harsh, but as a professional, he had no personal bias. His stance would change according to the audience's preferences, and since the audience supported Lan Ba Academy, such commentary undoubtedly heightened the atmosphere to its peak.
"Ah, everyone look!
Previously, when facing Blazing Fire Academy and Elephant Armor Academy, Lan Ba Academy fielded Captain Chu Chengzhou, Oscar, a food-system Soul Elder, along with Ma Hongjun, Tai Long, Jiang Zhu, Jing Ling, and Huang Yuan—all Soul Elders.
But today, against Canghui Academy, Lan Ba Academy replaced Oscar and Ma Hongjun with support-system Soul Elder Ning Rongrong and agile-attack system Soul Elder Zhu Zhuqing, significantly enhancing their strength compared to their previous matchups against the two academies.
Could it be that Canghui Academy is considered stronger than Blazing Fire Academy and Elephant Armor Academy in their eyes?!"
"Oh, I understand! Perhaps because they've already achieved fifteen consecutive victories, Lan Ba Academy, to be cautious, opted for stronger team members to avoid any upsets.
Such prudence truly befits a king's team—I'm really looking forward to their performance in the finals!"
Chu Chengzhou: "..."
This wasn't because Canghui Academy was stronger or due to caution—it was simply that the two girls drew the short straw and were selected to play today.
The commentator's analysis undoubtedly fueled the audience's enthusiasm even more.
However, it also ignited anger within three teams.
One was Canghui Academy, labeled as a guaranteed loss, and the other two were the Blazing Fire Academy and Elephant Armor Academy used for comparison.
We are one of the prestigious Five Elements Academies—how are we inferior to a small academy like Canghui?
On the battlefield, all eight teams in the third group had entered the arena. The matches on the four platforms simultaneously entered the final preparation phase under the referee's announcement.
What do audiences love to watch the most?
As the saying goes, amateurs watch the spectacle. During the final preparation phase of the matches, the process of all soul masters releasing their martial souls is undoubtedly the most dazzling.
The blooming of each soul ring, the radiant glow accompanying the manifestation or embodiment of different participants' martial souls, fully stirs the emotions of the spectators.
Perhaps the strength of the soul master profession system isn't particularly strong—even speaking solely of Douluo Continent, it might not be much stronger than an ordinary martial arts world, akin to a fantasy floor tile or sewer—but when it comes to battles between soul masters, the myriad forms of martial souls and the incredibly cool soul skills undeniably constitute a visual feast.
Three soul masters with soul power above forty rings, plus four with soul power above thirty rings—before the match officially began, Lan Ba Academy had already completely dominated their opponents in terms of soul power levels.
After all, among the seven members of Canghui Academy, only their captain Shen Xinshui was a Soul Elder with soul power above forty rings. The remaining six were merely Soul Elder, and one of them didn't even have optimal soul ring configurations, with all three soul rings being yellow.
However, the seven members of Canghui Academy looked very cautious. When the referee announced the release of martial souls, the seven quickly gathered together, forming a hexagon around their captain Shen Xinshui, vigilantly watching Chu Chengzhou and his teammates.
"All gem-type martial souls?"
Seeing that all seven members of Canghui Academy had gem-type martial souls, Ning Rongrong couldn't help but mutter.
Though curious, for Ning Rongrong, the fact that the opponents' martial souls were all gems was advantageous.
After all, the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda was a high-quality gem-type martial soul. Higher-tier gem-type martial souls inherently suppress lower-tier ones, creating a certain suppression effect once close proximity was established.
Of course, with Lan Ba Academy's overwhelming strength and her role as a rear support-type soul master, she didn't need this advantage.
"Preparation time is over, the match officially begins!"
The brief preparation period quickly passed, and the referee's voice rang out.
Instantly, the first soul ring on Chu Chengzhou, holding the True Spirit Banner martial soul, lit up. Accompanied by the surge of soul power, the massive Sky Azure Tree Spirit, Xiao Qing, materialized.
Simultaneously, the seven members of Canghui Academy raised their gem-type martial souls, their soul rings shining brightly.
However, there was a difference: Captain Shen Xinshui activated his fourth soul ring, while the other six members of Canghui Academy activated their third soul rings.
As Xiao Qing's massive form solidified and dense tree roots spread across the competition platform, the seven members led by Shen Xinshui emitted seven towering beams of colorful light.
The next moment, these seven rising beams of colorful light converged instantly around Captain Shen Xinshui's gem-type martial soul, forming a colossal pillar of seven-colored light.
Just as the enormous pillar of seven-colored light was about to completely envelop the seven members of Canghui Academy, who had already formed a special formation, Xiao Qing moved.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—
Accompanied by the sound of breaking air, Xiao Qing's dense network of seemingly harmless tree roots swiftly entangled the ankles of the Canghui Academy team members. With a forceful tug, the seven members of Canghui Academy immediately demonstrated what a perfect split looked like for the tens of thousands of spectators.
Mm, unexpectedly forced into a perfect split—this was probably painful for most men, evoking a sense of impending doom.
Of course, this wasn't the focus. The key point was that the special formation created by the seven was disrupted, causing the rising pillar of seven-colored light to dissipate.
Pfft—
At that moment, the seven-man unified fusion technique, interrupted at a critical juncture, backfired on the Canghui Academy team performing the splits, causing all seven to spew blood simultaneously.
Subsequently, dense vines whipped through the air, and the artistic display continued as all seven members of Canghui Academy were hung neatly on the trees.
Their posture was impeccably aligned.
"Nine treasures emerge with glazed pagoda, one for strength, two for speed, three for...???"
Witnessing this scene, Ning Rongrong, whose soul rings were glowing while she was enhancing her teammates' attributes, couldn't help but show a look of astonishment.
This super support hadn't even had time to buff all her teammates yet—the match was already over?
Apart from the ongoing matches on the other three platforms, the entire Grand Spirit Arena fell silent for two seconds before erupting into cheers.
What is called an instant kill? This is it!
In less than three seconds after the start, all opponents were hung up.
Unless they surrendered before the match began, this was undoubtedly the shortest match to determine a winner!
In contrast, on the other three platforms, the teams had just begun to engage.
"I declare that in the sixteenth round of the preliminaries, Lan Ba Academy versus Canghui Academy—Lan Ba Academy wins!"
The referee, who had just stepped off the platform, had to turn back and announce the result.
In the VIP seats.
"Sect Leader Ning, you are wise and knowledgeable about martial souls. Can you discern what technique the Canghui Academy team was attempting to use?"
Emperor Xue Ye turned to Ning Fengzhi on his left.
Earlier, Emperor Xue Ye clearly saw that the Canghui Academy team had condensed a massive seven-colored pillar of light, evidently using some powerful hidden card, only to be interrupted by Chu Chengzhou's summoned beast.
This conclusion was evident from the backlash suffered by the Canghui team when their move was broken.
"They didn't fully execute their technique, so I can't discern much, but it looked like a Spirit Fusion Technique?"
After pondering, Ning Fengzhi replied.
"A Spirit Fusion Technique? That shouldn't be possible, right?"
Emperor Xue Ye couldn't help but show a shocked expression.
From what he knew, most Spirit Fusion Techniques on the continent were two-person techniques. There was only one recorded instance of a three-person Spirit Fusion Technique, with Liu Erlong and Flender of Lan Ba Academy being two of those three people.
As for Spirit Fusion Techniques involving more than three people?
Theoretically, it wasn't absolutely impossible, but there had never been any historical records of such a thing, let alone a seven-person Spirit Fusion Technique.
Moreover, the combat effectiveness of Spirit Fusion Techniques before reaching the nine-ring level generally increased by one major rank for two-person techniques and barely two ranks for three-person techniques. If this were a seven-person Spirit Fusion Technique, combining one Soul Ancestor and six Soul Elder, it would likely be unstoppable unless a Title Douluo intervened.
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
After some thought, Ning Fengzhi also found it improbable. Nodding, he said, "The likelihood of a seven-person Spirit Fusion Technique is indeed very low. If it were true, it would be overwhelmingly powerful. Perhaps it was a seven-man unified soul skill fusion technique?"
Joking aside, if this really were a seven-person unified Spirit Fusion Technique, Ning Fengzhi would have immediately ordered Chen Xin beside him to bring these seven people back to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, treating them like ancestors.
"A seven-man unified soul skill fusion technique? Hmm, it's not bad either! It seems the empire's outstanding young talents are increasing. Patriarch Ning, why don't we arrange for the royal family to interact more with them!"
Nodding, Emperor Xue Ye smiled and spoke to Ning Fengzhi.
Even if this wasn't a seven-person unified Spirit Fusion Technique but merely a soul skill fusion technique, its power couldn't be underestimated.
After all, quantity leads to qualitative changes. The effects of a seven-man unified soul skill fusion technique were likely superior to those of a two-person Spirit Fusion Technique.
Although the seven members of Canghui Academy weren't top-tier talents—with only Captain Shen Xinshui qualifying as excellent and the other six being average, with one not even having optimal soul ring configurations—they were still elites among the continent's young soul masters. Their mediocrity was entirely relative, given that their comparisons were with true geniuses of the continent.
And for outstanding young soul masters, the Tian Dou Empire valued them no less than any other faction.
The suggestion that the royal family interact more with these seven members of Canghui Academy didn't need to be explicitly stated—normally. But since it was voiced, the implication was clear: these seven belonged to the Tian Dou Empire, and Ning Fengzhi shouldn't compete with them.
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