One night passed without incident.
The next day, the Ranking Rounds continued.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy's match was scheduled in the morning. Their opponents had two Soul Ancestors, so their strength wasn't weak.
Yang Yunhai arranged for Shi Mo, Shi Mo, Aosilu, and Yu Feng to take the lead, continuing his promise that every team member would get stage time.
As it turned out, they didn't disappoint. The opponents were defeated before Yu Feng even got a chance to step up.
Afterward, Yu Feng was depressed—he didn't even get the chance to show off his heroic, handsome self. He had been hoping to use his dazzling performance in the tournament to finally escape being single.
The other three teammates agreed: same here.
In the afternoon, Shrek Academy faced off against Barak Academy.
Xiao Wu had already woken up, and Dai Mubai, whose injuries weren't too serious, had mostly recovered. Both were on the lineup list. Yu Tianheng and Tai Long were also present, though the bandages under their collars showed they weren't yet healed. They had only come to watch.
Xiao Wu was the first to step onto the field.
'So this really doesn't change much from the original…' Yang Yunhai narrowed his eyes slightly.
'Without the Yearning Heartbroken Red to protect her, Xiao Wu… I'm curious. If you face that Sunflower Martial Soul Soul Ancestor, how will you handle it?'
Xiao Wu's gaze shifted toward Yang Yunhai, full of resentment. Clearly, after waking, she had learned about Tang San's condition.
Yang Yunhai couldn't be bothered to react.
"Hmph!" Xiao Wu snorted coldly at his indifference and turned back toward her opponent.
At 20 meters apart, she immediately released her Martial Soul, spirit attached, and charged forward. Her second soul ring lit, and her eyes turned pink, staring into the tall youth's gaze. Before everyone's eyes, the youth froze, swaying dizzily on the spot.
Her third soul ring lit. In a flash she appeared behind him, driving a vicious kick into his waist.
"Ah!" the youth screamed as his body was launched skyward.
As if venting her fury, Xiao Wu chased him down, landing a flurry of savage kicks into his back and waist before flipping over, grabbing his collar, and hurling him hard.
Bang
His body crashed heavily onto the ground.
Xiao Wu stepped up, heel stomping into his chest.
Crack
A crisp sound of bones breaking rang out.
Her other foot hooked and drove into his temple. The youth's eyes rolled white and he fainted on the spot.
"That harsh!?" Yu Feng shrank his neck back.
It didn't take a doctor to know that the youth had suffered serious fractures. Without several days of recovery, he wouldn't be getting back up.
Yang Yunhai only shook his head lightly.
"Next." Xiao Wu swept a venomous glance toward Yang Yunhai, her tone icy.
Her blatant provocation infuriated the entire Barak Academy team. They nearly rushed her all at once, but their mentor stopped them. Instead, three students entered—two carried the injured youth out, while one burly youth stayed to fight.
He extended his hand, summoning a massive Sunflower Martial Soul. Four spirit rings pulsed around him.
Yang Yunhai raised his brows.
Xiao Wu's expression turned grim. She recognized this martial soul. Its stalk was iron-hard and could be used like a weapon, and its flower could release poisonous gases with spiritual toxins. Offense and poison in one, it was a difficult opponent.
"You'll pay for what you just did." The burly youth's voice was cold.
His first soul ring lit, and the sunflower grew instantly, the flower expanding to 1 meter across and the stalk extending to 3 meters, like a giant mallet. As he swung it, thick yellow mist spewed out from its core.
His second soul ring lit, expanding the poisonous mist even faster.
Carried by the wind, it spread rapidly toward Xiao Wu.
With no ranged skills, Xiao Wu could only grit her teeth and retreat.
But soon, she caught the faint fragrance of the flower even from a distance. The mist wasn't on her yet, but the scent was.
'Not good!' Xiao Wu's face paled. A suffocating heaviness pressed into her chest, her limbs turning sluggish. Fatigue swept through her.
The youth spun, his third soul ring lit. He swung the massive sunflower down.
From its center, countless pale yellow light motes burst forth, showering toward Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu panicked. She instinctively wanted to use her teleportation skill to dodge, but suddenly, a thought forced itself into her mind—don't move. Her body locked up like sleep paralysis, unable to respond, staring helplessly at the glowing motes flying toward her.
"What's going on!? Why isn't Xiao Wu moving?" Ma Hongjun cried out.
'She's poisoned…' Yu Xiaogang's face changed, raising his hand. "We surrender!"
Too late.
The glowing motes enveloped Xiao Wu.
Bang Bang Bang
Sharp explosions burst over her body, fiery blasts engulfing her.
"Ahhhh!" Her screams echoed across the arena as flames devoured her, turning her into a fireball.
The burly youth stood calmly, smirking inwardly. Once released, his attack couldn't be recalled. It wasn't against the rules.
Flander reacted instantly, flying into the field. His wings spread wide, sweeping the flames away.
At the same time, he produced a blanket to cover Xiao Wu's scorched form. The explosions hadn't been deadly, but they shredded her clothes.
A young woman being exposed in front of a stadium full of people—unacceptable.
"Xiaogang, stay here. I'll take her to the infirmary." Without another word, he carried her off.
"One should always leave a line to retreat…" spectators sighed.
To them, if Xiao Wu hadn't crippled someone the moment she entered, the opponent wouldn't have retaliated this harshly.
"I'll avenge her!" Ma Hongjun roared, storming into the field.
With his aerial advantage, the poisonous mist couldn't reach him. The sunflower's light motes were dense but weak. His Phoenix Fire Line blasted them apart, and soon enough, he roasted the youth thoroughly.
Xiao Wu's grudge was avenged.
But it only enraged Barak Academy further.
What followed was brutal. They sacrificed one Soul Elder to exhaust Ma Hongjun's spirit power, then another Soul Elder came in to knock him down hard. Injured and drained, he was carried off.
Next Dai Mubai entered, managing to crush that opponent—but he too was battered into a serious injury.
Fueled by anger, Barak's remaining three Soul Elders charged recklessly, exchanging injury for injury. In the end, Dai Mubai was also beaten unconscious.
Thus—Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun. Shrek Academy lost three more.
'An endless cycle of vengeance…' the watching academies sighed.
But inside, they all marked Shrek with a label: lunatics. They struck hard, provoked others, and dragged everyone into madness. From now on, no one would ever hold back against them. If you showed mercy, Shrek would not.
By contrast, Heaven Dou Royal Academy was far better.
They also fought fiercely, but they didn't go for crippling strikes. Even against Shrek, Yang Yunhai only struck Tang San down hard because Tang San had gone for a killing blow. Otherwise, Dai Mubai and the rest wouldn't even be standing here today. And against other academies, even if someone was hurt, Ye Lingling would heal them on the spot—thoughtful and fair.
Like today.
From Heaven Dou Royal Academy's stands, Ye Lingling's Nine Heart Begonia released petals to heal the Barak Academy students carried off the field.
But Shrek Academy, tied up with their grudge against Yang Yunhai, received nothing. Their wounded were hauled to the medical tent.
"Thank you." Barak's team leader bowed deeply to Ye Lingling. His teammates nodded gratefully.
Ye Lingling answered with a gentle smile, withdrawing her Martial Soul and sitting back beside Dugu Yan.
Healing the other teams was part of the training task Yang Yunhai had given her. As a support-type Soul Master, she couldn't fight much. But the more she used her Martial Soul, the more she would grow with it. Thick roots build tall trees. Every chance to deepen her mastery could one day help her reach Titled Douluo.
It also built goodwill. These were the elites of the younger generation. To heal them now was to forge connections for the future.
More allies meant more security for her clan. More gratitude meant more deterrence for those who would harm them.
And Yang Yunhai's advice was right. She followed it sincerely.
As for offending the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan or the Clear Sky Sect by not healing Shrek—she didn't care. Yang Yunhai was her comrade, her benefactor. She would always stand on his side.
Besides, she had faith that Yang Yunhai would one day stand at the summit of the Soul Master world.
She glanced at him quietly, lips pressing together, and turned back to the match.
Meanwhile, Shrek's students were carried out on stretchers again.
At their camp, hurried footsteps echoed.
"Xiao Wu!?" Liu Erlong's scream tore the air. Tang San, lying in the other room, was startled awake.
'Xiao Wu… Xiao Wu's hurt again…' His face paled. Desperately, he tried to rise, but the agony of his shattered body pinned him back down.
"Why? Why!? If I weren't injured, Xiao Wu wouldn't—!"
His face twisted with self-blame, rage, and despair.
"Power… I need power!"
'If I had power, I could crush Yang Yunhai. I wouldn't be lying here, helpless. I could protect Xiao Wu!'
"Yang Yunhai… Xiao Wu's injury this time, I'll count it on you too!"
If Yang Yunhai hadn't broken him, he wouldn't be sidelined. If he weren't sidelined, he'd have cleared the threats himself. Xiao Wu wouldn't have been left to face danger alone.
"Yang Yunhai, one day, I, Tang San, will tear you into a thousand pieces!"
His eyes burned with madness.
PS: The aftereffects of soul beast devouring are taking hold—his spirit grows unstable, his nature more extreme.
(End of Chapter)
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