"Times have changed," Chen Junting shook his head. "If Senior Ling Luochen gains Huo Yuhao's Ultimate Ice, we'll face an Ultimate Ice Control-type Soul King."
Dai Yueheng instantly grasped it. Better to have Ling Luochen on their side than Ma Xiaotao's. But…
"I'll take Ling Luochen," he declared.
Ma Xiaotao's lips curled into a victorious smirk.
Team selections concluded:
Ma Xiaotao's squad: Yao Haoxuan, Chen Zifeng, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong.
Dai Yueheng's squad: Gongyang Mo, Ling Luochen, Xi Xi, Chen Junting, Ning Tian, Bei Bei.
He Caitou and Wu Feng were whisked to the spectator stand by Xuan Zi.
"Now that teams are set," Xuan Zi grinned, swigging wine, "you've got ten minutes to strategize. Loser shouts 'I'm a pig'—consider it your punishment."
The group stared blankly. This was just to feed his sadistic amusement.
But no one dared protest. Both teams retreated to opposite edges.
"Is our team even viable…?" Xi Xi hesitated, eyeing her squad. Ling Luochen was crippled by Huo Yuhao's ice, and the rest were either supports or attackers—no control soul masters at all. This violated basic team composition!
"This is why Elder Xuan emphasizes real combat," Dai Yueheng said grimly. "Perfect teams don't exist. We work with what we have."
"We don't need to overcomplicate it," Chen Junting cut in.
All eyes turned to him.
"Overwhelm with force," he stated. "We've got two top-tier supports. Ignore our lack of control—turn this team battle into six duels."
Dai Yueheng's eyes lit up. "Split the battlefield. Gongyang Mo—you've been studying soul engineering, right? Made any progress?"
"Worry not," Gongyang Mo assured. "Xi Xi and I've equipped ourselves. I can't fight, but self-defense? Easy. Might even take out Yao Haoxuan."
Xi Xi nodded, her custom close-combat and flight soul engineering devices ready to fill in her melee and mobility weaknesses.
"Perfect," Chen Junting said. "Dai Yueheng handles Ma Xiaotao. I'll take Chen Zifeng and Huo Yuhao. Xi Xi eliminates Jiang Nannan and separates Wang Dong from Huo Yuhao—their fusion skill is lethal. Bei Bei deals with Xu Sanshi. Gongyang Mo and Ling Luochen handle Yao Haoxuan."
"Agreed!" Dai Yueheng roared. "Let's do this!"
---
Ten Minutes Later
"Begin!" Xuan Zi's voice boomed.
ROAR—!
Dai Yueheng's tiger roar shook the arena. Before his six soul rings fully rose, he charged like a storm.
SCREECH—!
Ma Xiaotao answered with a phoenix's cry. Crimson feathers drifted as golden-red flames erupted behind her. She shot forward like an arrow—her aura surpassing Dai Yueheng's by a third.
But—
FOUR LIGHTS struck Dai Yueheng: red, orange, orange, green. Ning Tian's Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda and Gongyang Mo's Rainbow Dragon amplified him—his power crushing Ma Xiaotao's.
Then—
His third and fifth soul rings blazed. "White Tiger Vajra Transformation!" "White Tiger Demon God Transformation!"
His strength soared toward High-Grade Soul Saint levels.
"White Tiger Meteor Rain!"
Light orbs pounded the arena.
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao activated Spirit Detection—only for Ning Tian's Illusionary Realm to disrupt it. The fog dissipated in seconds, scattering Ma Xiaotao's team like scattered stars.
"Is Dai Yueheng insane!? How long can his soul power last!?" Ma Xiaotao snarled. "Yao Haoxuan—weaken him! Amplify us!"
Drum-like pulses radiated, boosting her team—though barely affecting Dai Yueheng's side.
Chen Junting struck.
His 10,000-year black soul ring flared. "Fourth soul skill—Sword Domain: Tempest!"
Ten thousand swords rained down—
—but then reversed, soaring skyward to form two colossal blades. With a third sword falling between them, they cleaved downward.
One blade locked onto Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, severing their link.
"Dodge!" Huo Yuhao shoved Wang Dong aside—
—as the sword qi split them apart.
BUZZ—!
The three swords shattered into barriers, dividing the arena into five zones.
Ma Xiaotao's team froze. "They're turning this into duels!"
"Try and stop us," Dai Yueheng taunted, unleashing another White Tiger Meteor Rain.
"You won't!" Ma Xiaotao's phoenix incinerated the sword barriers, meeting his attack head-on—stalemate.
Elsewhere:
Xi Xi, armed with flight and claw soul engineering devices, blitzed Wang Dong.
Jiang Nannan intercepted with "Invincible Golden Body", shielding Wang Dong. "I'll get you to Yuhao!"
But Xi Xi's Thunderclaw (Grade-4 soul engineering device) crackled with lethal current—trapping them.
Xu Sanshi roared, charging to rescue Wang Dong—
—only for Bei Bei's lightning-wreathed dragon claw (four soul rings blazing) to block him.
BOOM—!
Their clash shook the ground. Xu Sanshi's hair stood on end; Bei Bei's organs rattled from the shockwave.
Huo Yuhao realized Ma Xiaotao's strategy was failing. Only their fusion skill could win.
But—
SWISH—!
A sword flash forced him to dodge—slicing off a lock of hair.
"Distraction gets you killed," Chen Junting said, parrying Chen Zifeng's Soulchasing Sword strike.
Huo Yuhao's heart sank. How was Chen Junting's soul power endless after such a massive 10,000-year soul skill?
Unseen, the answer lay in Chen Junting's wristband—a soul engineering device channeling ambient energy.
But Huo Yuhao had no time to ponder.
"Thirteen Strings in a Cup!"
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