Attack

Attack

Dusk gradually deepened, and the city lights began to shine.

Inside a private room on the top floor of a luxurious restaurant in Heaven Dou City, Ning Fengzhi sat across from his beloved daughter, Ning Rongrong. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's two Heaven-Supporting Pillars—Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong—stood quietly at either side as usual. Light from the crystal chandelier filtered through glazed lamps, casting a dreamlike glow throughout the room.

The maids quietly arranged the tea and pastries. As they bowed and withdrew, the gilded doors closed soundlessly, completely shutting out the noise beyond.

Ning Rongrong set down her silver chopsticks and blinked her glass-clear eyes. "Dad, what is it that you have to bring up during dinner?"

Ning Fengzhi elegantly wiped the corner of his mouth and said warmly, "Rongrong, Father wants to ask you about someone."

Seeing the puzzled look on his daughter's face, he continued, "How much do you know about Feng Yao, the captain of the Imperial Dou Team?"

"Feng Yao?" Ning Rongrong's expression suddenly turned subtle. "Couldn't Dad just ask Brother Qinghe directly?"

Ning Fengzhi chuckled and shook his head, gently stroking his scepter with his fingertips. "Your Brother Qinghe handles countless affairs every day and is also the Crown Prince. It would not be appropriate for Father to directly inquire about one of his subordinates." His gaze softened as he looked at his daughter. "Father learned that you once fought the Imperial Dou Team in a spirit battle, so I wanted to ask you about him."

Ning Rongrong slowly lowered her teacup, her glass-like eyes filling with recollection. "He was very strong. So strong that even Third Brother lost to him."

"What?" Ning Fengzhi's chopsticks paused slightly. Even Chen Xin and Gu Rong, whose expressions had remained calm all along, could not help showing surprise.

Ning Fengzhi's voice rose unconsciously as he asked in disbelief, "Even Tang San was no match for him?"

"In that spirit battle, we were almost completely crushed." Ning Rongrong unconsciously rubbed the rim of her cup with her fingertips. "Even after Third Brother used every Hidden Weapon he had on him, he still could not defeat him. Instead, he was severely wounded by Feng Yao's Zither Sound, and his internal injuries took a long time to recover from."

A sharp light flashed in Ning Fengzhi's eyes. "Rongrong, tell me about that match in detail."

As Ning Rongrong spoke, the atmosphere in the private room grew increasingly solemn. When she described how Feng Yao's exquisite Zither Sound controlled the entire battlefield and suppressed the Shrek Seven Devils, and how Tang San's Hidden Weapons had all been reflected by sound waves, Chen Xin and Gu Rong's expressions became extremely vivid.

When Ning Rongrong described Feng Yao's unpredictable use of his Martial Soul, even the usually stern Sword Douluo Chen Xin could not help praising him. "That child's understanding of the essence of Martial Souls far surpasses that of his peers."

Gu Rong stroked his chin and added, "He uses the Extreme Path as his foundation, yet through his unique understanding, he has developed his Martial Soul abilities so evenly. He combines offense and defense, with almost no weaknesses. If one had to find a flaw..." He paused. "It would likely be that he is slightly weaker in close combat."

"Close combat?" Chen Xin sneered. "Among Spirit Masters of the same rank, how many can move faster than his fingers plucking the strings?" The implication was clear: unless one was a peak expert like Gu Rong, proficient in spatial power, ordinary Spirit Masters had no chance at all against Feng Yao.

Ning Rongrong suddenly remembered something and pouted. "Today, I saw him practicing Heart Separation Control. Could it be that Dad—"

"It was not taught by me." Ning Fengzhi smiled bitterly and shook his head. "If I am not mistaken, it was Qinghe's doing."

A sharp glint flashed through Chen Xin's eyes. "Heart Separation Control is useless in the hands of an ordinary battle Spirit Master, but in that boy's hands..." He looked meaningfully out the window. "Every additional level of mastery will become another killing move."

The private room fell silent for a moment, with only pale smoke curling upward from the gilded incense burner. Ning Fengzhi stared at the path of the smoke, deep in thought.

Time passed like a galloping white horse. As the tenth round of the Preliminary Tournament came to an end, the situation in the Heaven Dou Division gradually became clear.

Shrek Academy stood far ahead with an impressive record of ten victories in ten battles, firmly occupying the top of the standings. This once obscure team had now become the brightest dark horse of the tournament.

At present, the only other undefeated teams besides Shrek Academy were the remaining four powerhouse academies among the Five Element Academy, excluding Elephant Armored Academy—Kamikaze Academy, Blazing Fire Academy, Heavenly Water Academy, and Thunderclap Academy.

Yet what made matters intriguing was that after their first match against Elephant Armored Academy, Shrek Academy had not encountered another elemental academy. Instead, Elephant Armored Academy had faced the other four elemental academies in succession, losing every single match. Their prized diamond defense had proved so utterly vulnerable before these old rivals.

By this point, the structure of the Preliminary Tournament had become clear: Shrek Academy and the four great elemental academies held steady in the first tier with perfect records. The five teams were like five blazing suns hanging at the top of the standings. Meanwhile, Elephant Armored Academy, once a powerhouse, had achieved only a miserable record of five wins and five losses, struggling in the middle of the rankings. Neither the Elephant Armored Sect nor even the tournament committee had anticipated such a situation.

As the tournament progressed, the gap between the teams grew increasingly pronounced. The five teams in the first tier had already pulled far ahead, leaving the other participating academies far behind.

Feng Yao strolled into the VIP Seats as usual, his moon-white robe immaculate beneath the morning light. He held the ancient "Fuxi" in his arms, his fingertips habitually caressing the strings, creating a pocket of tranquility amid the noisy arena.

A waiter respectfully led him to his seat, positioned perfectly to give him a full view of the central arena. Feng Yao nodded slightly in thanks, but his gaze had already settled upon the green-clad team on the field.

"First round, central arena—Shrek Academy versus Blazing Fire Academy!" The host's impassioned voice echoed throughout the venue. Amid deafening cheers, the members of both teams entered with their heads held high, and the Great Spirit Arena instantly erupted.

A tsunami of cheers rose from the stands. Although Blazing Fire Academy had no shortage of supporters, even more shouts were directed toward the dark horse team that had created miracle after miracle. Since defeating Elephant Armored Academy, Shrek Academy's popularity had soared. If they could defeat Blazing Fire Academy today, they would surely create another legend.

Feng Yao's fingers abruptly paused on the strings, and his brows unconsciously furrowed. Through Fuxi's perception, he clearly sensed something unusual about the Shrek Team's lineup—Tang San, who should have been their core, was nowhere to be seen.

"The plot has actually diverged," he murmured, absentmindedly tapping Fuxi with his fingers. According to his memories of the original story, this crucial battle against Blazing Fire Academy should have been Tang San's stage to shine.

Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng walked at the front of the team, followed closely by Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing. Behind them came Huang Yuan, Jing Ling, and Jiang Zhu. Their distinctive green uniforms were now densely covered in sponsorship logos. Beside the slogan "Washes Clean, Keeps You Healthy," several more merchant logos had been added.

Feng Yao closed his eyes and focused, rapidly reviewing the original plot in his memories. Suddenly, his eyes opened slightly, realization flashing through them before his expression turned subtle.

"Without the opportunity of Immortal Herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eyes..." His fingers lightly tapped the body of the zither. "Tang San not only cannot forge a Hidden Weapon like the King of Hell's Post, but his fire resistance has also been greatly reduced. Blazing Fire Academy's natural advantage over him is likely something even Yu Xiaogang cannot deal with."

At that thought, Feng Yao suddenly realized something, and an odd curve appeared at the corner of his lips. "That extra, Shi Nian... wait." His gaze unconsciously swept toward the competitors' tunnel. "If Shi Nian had truly succeeded, how could Xiao Wu still have the heart to compete?"

The discovery sent a faint chill down his spine. It seemed the course of this world's plot had long since undergone unpredictable changes because of his existence.

"A dragon and tiger combination? Interesting." Feng Yao lightly plucked the strings. "It seems this butterfly's wings have stirred up a far stronger wind than I expected."

His gaze shifted back and forth between the arena and the VIP Seats. He suddenly realized an even more terrifying possibility—if Tang San had truly met with misfortune, that Haotian Douluo would likely have turned Heaven Dou City upside down long ago. Yet the arena was still as peaceful as ever, which precisely meant—

"It seems Shi Nian, that variable, has already been dealt with." Feng Yao murmured quietly, gently plucking the strings. An invisible sound wave silently spread out, attempting to search for traces hidden in the darker corners of the arena.

Feng Yao gently shook his head, tapping the strings thoughtfully with his fingertips. Through Fuxi's perception, he could clearly judge the fatal flaw in Shrek's current lineup—without Tang San as their control core, relying only on Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng's powerful offensive combination made their tactical options extremely extreme.

"Either they crush Blazing Fire with overwhelming force..." His gaze swept over the Hell White Tiger and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, both poised to strike on the field. "Or..." His eyes shifted toward Huo Wu, who stood ready on the opposing side, and Feng Yao's brows furrowed slightly. "They will be slowly strangled by Blazing Fire's chain of control."

"That's not right. Shouldn't they have forfeited under these circumstances?"

Such an all-or-nothing lineup was clearly not Yu Xiaogang's style. Feng Yao's fingers suddenly stilled as understanding flashed through his eyes. "Yu Tianheng's trump card should not have been revealed this early unless..."

Unless Tang San was truly too severely injured to compete. The thought made Feng Yao unconsciously sit up straighter.

Feng Yao's gaze involuntarily swept toward the other side of the VIP Seats. Ning Fengzhi seemed to have noticed the anomaly as well. At the edge of the arena, Yu Xiaogang's brows were tightly furrowed. Once the match schedule had been locked in, the time to forfeit had already passed. Helpless, he could only make this arrangement—using the powerful burst strength of the Hell White Tiger and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon to gamble for a slim chance of survival.

At that moment, a deafening roar suddenly erupted from the center of the arena. Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing's Martial Soul Fusion Skill exploded alongside Yu Tianheng's lightning, but Huo Wu's bug-like Resistance Ring not only interrupted their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, it even sent Yu Tianheng flying as well.

In the stands, Yu Xiaogang clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He stared at the arena, unwillingness flashing in his eyes. "The energy stacking of two fire-element support Spirit Masters... with control intensity like this, even Tianheng..."

His gaze locked firmly onto the red-haired girl opposite them—Huo Wu of Blazing Fire Academy. This girl's targeting of Dai Mubai had reached an outrageous degree. Every time the Hell White Tiger was about to take shape, she would precisely interrupt it.

"The Martial Soul Fusion Skill has been completely sealed..." Yu Xiaogang's tactical board groaned under the strain in his hands. Veins bulged at his temples as he cursed inwardly. It's all because of that bastard Shi Nian! If not for him...

A sharp pain spread from his heart, forcing Yu Xiaogang to clutch the front of his clothes and take several deep breaths before he could barely calm himself. Yet the worry in those weathered eyes only grew heavier.

"Even if Xiao San had not met with misfortune..." He watched the raging flames on the field and thought bitterly, "Against such mastery over fire, he likely still..."

The thought made his fingers tremble unconsciously. As a theory master, he knew better than anyone—in the face of absolute elemental suppression, even the most exquisite control was nothing more than empty theory. The firepower Blazing Fire Academy displayed at this moment had already exceeded the scope of ordinary Soul Ancestors.

On the field, Dai Mubai's upright body swayed slightly. Sweat mixed with dust ran down his resolute face. He looked around—Yu Tianheng was half-kneeling on the ground, his Soul Power completely exhausted; the other teammates were also at the end of their strength.

"We..." His voice was hoarse beyond recognition, his clenched fists creaking. At last, determination flashed through his tiger eyes as he forced two words through gritted teeth. "We—concede—"

Those two words weighed a thousand pounds, crashing down upon the hearts of everyone in Shrek. After saying them, Dai Mubai turned away, unwilling to let his teammates see his reddened eyes. As captain, this was the first time he had ever uttered those words on the battlefield. Every syllable hurt like a blade cutting into him.

Watching Shrek's members leave the arena with dejected backs, Feng Yao could not help smiling. "They only lost one match. Why make it so tragic?" He gently stroked the strings and shook his head with a laugh. These young people took victory and defeat too seriously, losing the composure Spirit Masters ought to possess.

His fingertips lightly brushed over Fuxi, and Feng Yao quickly gathered his thoughts, continuing to practice Heart Separation Control. Within his sea of consciousness, a wondrous balance gradually took shape.

Ning Fengzhi in the VIP Seats seemed to sense something and turned to glance back. He saw the white-clad youth lowering his eyes as he played the zither, as though the clamor around him had nothing to do with him. That detached bearing made a trace of surprise flash through the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Leader's eyes.

Huo Wu on the field keenly noticed something unusual on Shrek's side. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and a trace of confusion flashed through her ruby-like eyes. As Blazing Fire Academy's genius girl, she had spent no little effort studying Tang San's tactics and fighting style, and she knew every one of Shrek's matches inside out.

Huo Wu crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her ruby eyes slightly as her gaze crossed the field and landed on Dai Mubai. "Why didn't Tang San take the field?" She deliberately raised her voice, her tone carrying a hint of provocation.

A chill flashed through Dai Mubai's golden pupils. He straightened his slightly disheveled collar, his voice steady and restrained. "Sorry, that is none of your concern." He paused briefly, straightened his tall body, and said word by word, "We will not lose again next time."

Huo Wu snorted softly at his words, her fiery red hair swaying lightly in the breeze. A meaningful smile curved her lips. "I hope so." As she turned to leave, she tilted her head slightly, her voice carrying clearly over. "Tell Tang San that I look forward to seeing him fight—don't make me wait too long."

Dai Mubai watched Huo Wu's departing figure, his fists unconsciously tightening.