Tang Lie

"I'm sure everyone has already reviewed the Clear Sky Team's information. Although our overall Soul Power isn't much lower than theirs, and our lineup is even better, they possess the Number One Tool Martial Soul in the World from the Number One Sect in the World. So from here on, I hope everyone remembers my arrangements."

Xie Ming looked like a young man under Twenty Years Old, over 1.9 meters tall, with a slender build, pale skin, and an exceptionally handsome face.

As captain, and also the one with the highest Soul Power in this temporary team, he naturally took command.

However, Lin Hanye did not entirely agree with his tactics.

The general plan was for Huang Tianba and Li Bingyan to cover Xie Ming and Hu Mei as they completed their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Bewitching Charm. Dugu Xin would provide support and release Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison at the right moment to control the field. As for Lin Hanye, although reaching Level 29 at fourteen meant he had decent talent in Xie Ming's eyes, he was still one Soul Ring behind and was assigned to protect Ning Caichen, the team's only Support System Soul Master.

It wasn't that there was anything wrong with the tactic itself.

In fact, if it had been anyone else in this world, their arrangement would probably have been much the same.

But their approach to combat was wrong.

Every one of them seemed convinced their heads were made of iron. They all wanted to attack the other side's hammerhead, thinking they had to defeat the Clear Sky Hammer first before defeating the person wielding it.

In short, they were practically throwing their heads straight at the enemy's hammer.

Wasn't that just catering to the Clear Sky Sect's preferred fighting style and serving themselves up on a platter?

Of course, Lin Hanye would not argue with them.

He was merely doing the job for the money.

How the others arranged things was their own business.

To some extent, Lin Hanye even hoped they would lose, since that would benefit him in two ways.

First, it would allow him to thoroughly test the limits of his combat strength.

Second, it would prepare the way for recruiting Xie Ming, Hu Mei, Dugu Xin, and the others into the Soul Master Guild he had yet to establish.

After all, these people all possessed extraordinary talent, yet none had any powerful sect or family backing them.

Even the so-called Dugu Family had only three members when Li Bingyan was included. Their numbers were pitifully sparse, making them little different from Lone Soul Masters.

Golden City Great Spirit Arena, VIP Rest Area, VIP Room Number 11.

The luxurious room covered over two hundred square meters. Its enormous sectional sofa stretched more than fifteen meters long, enough for over a dozen people to rest comfortably.

At this moment, there were only seven people in the room. All seven were broad and burly, dressed uniformly in the Clear Sky Sect's grey robes, and looked under Twenty Years Old.

The one seated in the center of the sofa had the strongest build. He wore a crew cut, and his appearance could not exactly be called handsome—he was even somewhat ugly—but simply sitting there, he exuded an imposing air.

The other Clear Sky Sect disciples did not dare meet his gaze.

There was no other reason: he was Tang Zhan, eldest son of Tang Lie, the Clear Sky Sect's Seventh Elder. At only Eighteen Years Old, his Soul Power had reached Level 39. Among the Clear Sky Sect's Second Generation Disciples, his talent was second only to the Clear Sky Twin Stars, Tang Xiao and Tang Hao.

"Brother Zhan, why did the elders suddenly have us come out to fight spirit battles? Golden City is supposed to be the Star Luo Empire's second-largest city, yet this place is boring as hell. There isn't a single fighter in the arena worth fighting. We'd be better off staying in the sect and cultivating properly."

The speaker was an ordinary-looking young man. He was not tall, but powerfully built, with short black hair and particularly lively eyes.

Tang Zhan glanced at him and said lightly, "There are two reasons. First, several major families in Golden City were unwilling to let the Radiant Sword Lion Family occupy most of the Great Spirit Arena's shares. They paid a huge amount of cultivation resources to invite our Clear Sky Sect to pressure the Radiant Sword Lion Family into making concessions."

"And the second?" the man asked.

"Spirit Hall issued a policy one month ago. Five Years Later, it will hold the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament. The Two Great Empires saw an opportunity for profit and responded in turn. The five of us will represent the Clear Sky Sect in the tournament five years from now and seize the championship of the First Session of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament in one stroke. For now, we're building teamwork and coordination. Although the Soul Master teams in the spirit arena are all too weak to withstand a single blow, they can still provide us with some help."

At the mention of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, Tang Zhan was immediately energized, as were the other six.

It was as though the championship were already theirs for the taking.

Just Then, the room's door opened, and someone walked in from outside.

The appearance of this person made all seven, including Tang Zhan, rise to their feet and respectfully salute him.

"Father! Seventh Elder!"

The Middle-Aged Man who entered was in his fifties and somewhat resembled Tang Zhan. He stood over two meters tall, broad-shouldered and powerfully built, an imposing figure.

He was the Clear Sky Sect's Seventh Elder, Tang Zhan's father, and the future Blazing Sun Douluo—Tang Lie.

Tang Lie was fairly tolerant toward members of his own clan, lacking his usual arrogance and lofty demeanor.

"Today's opponents have been decided. Take a look."

As Tang Lie spoke, he walked over and sat on the sofa. A flash of light came from the Soul Tool in his hand, and a file appeared on the crystal table before the sofa.

Tang Zhan and the other six hurriedly gathered around to inspect it.

The person who had spoken with Tang Zhan earlier was Named Tang Xiong. He glanced over the Golden Team's information and quickly noticed Haibodong, the sole Soul Grandmaster.

A scornful curve immediately rose at the corner of his lips as he sneered, "Looks like the Golden Great Spirit Arena truly has no one left. They actually dragged up a Level 29 ant just to make up the numbers. And he even calls himself the Ice Emperor. What a joke."

Tang Lie said calmly, "Don't underestimate him. This boy possesses an extremely rare Ice Element Martial Soul. I'm afraid he's not as simple as he seems."

Tang Jin, the Clear Sky Team's vice-captain, said unconvincedly, "So what if he isn't simple? They're both Tool Martial Souls. Could his possibly compare to our Number One Tool Martial Soul in the World?"

Tang Lie glanced at Tang Jin without commenting, then continued, "Whether in cultivation or Martial Soul, this boy is far inferior to you. Just pay a little attention to him. The ones you truly need to watch are Xie Ming, Hu Mei, and Dugu Xin."

He pointed at Dugu Xin's and the other two's files. "There is no need to say much about Dugu Xin. He inherited all of Old Poison's Poison Technique. Among low-level Soul Masters, it still has some killing power and cannot be underestimated. As for Xie Ming and Hu Mei, as far as This Old Man knows, the two have been inseparable since childhood and have already mastered a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. You must not let your guard down."

"Rest assured, Father. Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison and Xie Ming and Hu Mei's Martial Soul Fusion Skill may be somewhat troublesome, but our Clear Sky Hammer is invincible. The mere Golden Team is not worth mentioning."

Tang Zhan boldly declared.

As he spoke, he stood up and assigned combat duties to the other six. "Tang Feng! Tang Yun! Tang Shuang!"

PS: First Update. Request Monthly Pass. How embarrassing—I actually forgot to schedule the release. I'll make up for it with an extra update.