A Clean and Decisive First Victory

"Blue Tyrant Academy? The academy with the blue uniforms? Never heard of it."

"Heaven Dou's second team really drew a winning ticket. They didn't cheat, did they?"

"How could that be? It's luck, just luck."

"Heh, it seems none of you know Blue Tyrant Academy's true strength. Their dean is a being who became a god at Level 100. The students they sent to compete are anything but ordinary."

"They're really that strong?"

"My younger brother is on their team. Do you think I wouldn't know?"

"Oh? Looks like we've run into old rivals. Though we're not on the same team, we did come from the same academy," Oscar teased.

"I wonder how much stronger this second team is than the first. They won't be the kind to collapse after one hit again, will they?" Ma Hongjun remarked.

Tang San looked at the members of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team with faint disdain. His Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul—no, his Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul—had completely awakened two days ago with the help of the Blue Silver Grass King. Only then did he understand why the Martial Soul Ranking had listed his Martial Soul as the Blue Silver Emperor. It turned out that he had inherited his mother's Martial Soul.

After his Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul awakened, he had also gained a Blue Silver Domain. The strength and attack speed of his vines had increased tenfold, and he was full of confidence in his own power.

Tang San smiled. "Teacher Qin, let me handle this battle. I can instantly trap them inside my Blue Silver Prison. The gap in Soul Power Level is too great. They won't be able to break free from my control."

"Alright, then you'll take the field! Everyone else, conserve your strength and don't reveal yourselves too easily." After thinking it over, Qin Ming found Tang San's plan feasible. After all, he was already a Level 57 Soul King. Facing a team whose members were generally only in their forties, and as a control-system Soul Master besides, he could end the battle easily.

"Yes, Teacher Qin."

Qin Ming looked at the members of the academy team around him and smiled. "Today's lineup will be Tang San, Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, Jing Ling, Huang Yuan, Jiang Zhu, and Tai Long. Let Tang San act. You just need to go up there to fill the roster. Don't make a move, so you don't expose yourselves."

"Understood."

Jing Ling, Huang Yuan, Jiang Zhu, and Tai Long had been Blue Tyrant Academy's strongest students. After the two academies merged, Liu Erlong had worried that they would be overshadowed by the Seven Monsters' talent and strength. So, in secret, she had given each of the four an Immortal Herb to consume and had also sent two healing-system Soul Douluos from the Guard Team to train them in secret. In a little over three months, they had all risen from Level 35 Soul Elders to Level 50. The speed of their advancement was simply astounding.

Sending those four to form the Blue Tyrant Academy team this time would not hold the Seven Monsters back. On the contrary, they could provide considerable help, such as concealing their true strength. No one would suspect the Seven Monsters' real power.

"Next up are tonight's main characters—the highly anticipated Heaven Dou Royal Academy second team!" The host, Doudou, flew through the air as she spoke excitedly.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team stepped onto the presentation stage together. Seeing the academy team they supported take the stage, the audience below became excited as if they had been injected with stimulants. Applause and cheers rang out without end.

"Old Bai, this tournament is more grand than ever," one of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's three education committee members, an Level 83 control-system Soul Douluo, said with emotion upon hearing the thunderous cheers outside.

"Yes, but someone tampered with our academy's draw. We ran into Blue Tyrant Academy so early that we won't even make it to the finals. Salas is truly detestable." Bai Baoshan, an Level 85 defense-system Soul Douluo, spoke with grief and indignation.

"Enough, shut up! No matter how wronged you feel, swallow it. Remember, walls have ears!" Meng Shenji, the head of the education committee and an Level 86 control-system Soul Douluo, stopped the two brothers from continuing. He knew their temperaments well. If they voiced all their complaints and someone overheard them, it would cause trouble.

Blue Tyrant Academy's side also took the field and arrived on the Spirit Fighting Stage.

After receiving the cheers of the audience, Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team descended from the presentation stage and stepped onto the Spirit Fighting Stage. They stood face-to-face with the Blue Tyrant Academy team, unable to suppress their fighting spirit as it erupted from them. They wanted to see who was stronger.

"In the third match of the first round of the preliminary stage of the Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team will face the Blue Tyrant Academy team!" Doudou announced passionately from midair, her voice spreading through the entire Soul Fighting Arena through the microphone.

"Go! Go!"

"Go, Heaven Dou Royal Academy second team!"

"Go, Blue Tyrant Academy!"

"Heh, they're just a bunch of toads. Why cheer for them?"

"What did you say? Toads? You've got some nerve. Blue Tyrant Academy's dean is a god. How weak could these students possibly be?"

"Really?"

"You think it's fake? The news has spread through many Major Sects, factions, and advanced Soul Master Academies. Do you see any of them daring to mock them?"

Ning Rongrong was somewhat angry and could not help wanting to teach those rude people a lesson, but Oscar pulled her back. He gently inhaled the fragrance of the little blue flower and smiled. "Rongrong, Blue Tyrant Academy doesn't rely on popularity. We rely on strength."

"Yeah! Go, Blue Tyrant Academy team!" Ning Rongrong, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and Zhu Zhuqing, who were not competing, threw the little blue flowers in their hands onto the Spirit Fighting Stage and shouted loudly.

"Both sides, salute," Doudou said.

After Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team and Blue Tyrant Academy bowed to each other in salute, they straightened up and waited for the signal to begin the battle.

"Battle countdown. Three, two, one—begin!" Doudou announced.

"I'll summon my Martial Soul. Don't move."

Tang San spoke softly. Seeing the opposing side summon their Martial Souls in unison, a hint of disdain appeared at the corner of his lips. A crimson Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul blossomed in his right hand. At the same time, five Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, black, black, black—appeared around him, shocking everyone present.

"What? A Level 50 Soul King, and he has three black ten-thousand-year Soul Rings!"

In the viewing room on the second floor, Xue Ye said in shock, "What is this student's background?"

Ning Fengzhi nodded elegantly and smiled. "Your Majesty, his name is Tang San. He comes from the Clear Sky Sect, and his father is Tang Hao, the Clear Sky Douluo who is renowned across the continent. He has appeared on the rankings twice, at thirty-fifth place and fifteenth place respectively."

Hearing Ning Fengzhi's words, Xue Ye said with feeling, "So he is a descendant of the Clear Sky Sect. His talent truly is exceptional. No wonder he has achieved so much at such a young age. Sect Master Ning, this is the team you favor, isn't it?"

"Precisely, Your Majesty. My daughter is also at Blue Tyrant Academy and is a member of their team. It is simply that we will not see her take the field in today's match." Ning Fengzhi nodded with a smile.

"Hmph! So he's Tang Hao's son! What does Ning Fengzhi mean by saying that here? Is he trying to let Spirit Hall know that they also have ties to Blue Tyrant Academy? Is he afraid that Spirit Hall will move against his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in the future?"

Salas snorted coldly and flicked his sleeve. As the index finger of his right hand tapped against the armrest, he continuously pondered the meaning behind Ning Fengzhi's words.

On the Spirit Fighting Stage, Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team was thoroughly alarmed upon seeing Tang San's Soul Rings. He was actually a Soul King above Level 50. How were they supposed to fight him?

Tang San and the others immediately charged toward them.

"Not good, they're attacking! Quick, strike first!"

Seeing them rush over, the members of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team immediately ran out to meet them. However, when the straight-line distance between the two teams closed to less than twenty meters, Tang San smiled disdainfully and directly activated his Soul Skill.

"Fourth Soul Skill, Blue Silver Prison."

Scarlet vines suddenly burst from the ground, filling the sky as they tightly trapped all seven members of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team. The vines writhed and rapidly constricted.

"Ah!" Everyone on Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team let out a miserable scream. It hurt—hurt far too much. The force of the constriction continued to increase, and they felt as though a giant python had coiled around them, squeezing their flesh and bones into a single mass.

"Just surrender. You can't break my Blue Dragon Prison. The longer you delay, the worse the pain will become." Tang San smiled faintly, arms folded as he watched them.

"C-Captain, maybe we should surrender."

"W-We surrender."

Upon hearing the captain of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team admit defeat, host Doudou announced the result in shock. "I-I declare Blue Tyrant Academy the winner."