Focus Match: Heaven Dou Royal Academy

The morning mist over Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena had yet to disperse, but the stands were already packed. The gilded railings glowed warmly beneath the rising sun. In the royal box at the highest point, Emperor Xue Beng chatted merrily with Ning Fengzhi, while in the Spirit Hall box on the other side, Salas kept tapping his fingers against a Crystal Ball, his sinister gaze sweeping over the Spirit Arena. Today's match, "Cauldron Sword Team VS Heaven Dou Royal Academy," concerned not only the group rankings, but also the influence of two major powers among the younger generation of Soul Masters.

"Stay sharp!" Lin Che stood at the edge of the Spirit Arena, the Azure Water Sword spinning halfway around in his palm. The glazed bead on its tassel shimmered with azure light. "Follow the tactics we planned last night. Rongrong, don't mess up the order of your boosts. Oscar, get the Lightning Resistance Sausages ready. Jiang Zhu, be on standby to cleanse any paralysis effects."

Seven Glazed Jade Tokens lit up with pale golden halos at once. Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda rose first to five feet tall, and the halos of the first tier, "Strength Amplification," and the third tier, "Defense Amplification," wrapped around Dai Mubai and Lin Che. "Boosts ready! I can adjust at any time!" Phoenix Fire danced in Ma Hongjun's palm, but he deliberately kept its temperature suppressed. Tang San had specifically warned them last night that high heat might trigger a lightning resonance and give Yu Tianxin an opening.

On the other side of the Spirit Arena, Yu Tianxin had already rolled up the cuffs of his silver-white combat uniform. The dragon-patterned mark on his brow slowly opened as his Soul Power operated. The four teammates behind him spread out in a fan formation. Martial Souls such as the Thunder Leopard and Thunder Snake lit up at the same time, light blue lightning coiling around their fingertips in stark contrast to the violet electricity all over Yu Tianxin's body. "Cauldron Sword Team, don't waste any more time." Yu Tianxin's voice carried the peculiar tremor of lightning. "Let me show you what the power of a top-tier beast Martial Soul truly is."

The referee raised his right hand, and his Soul Power shook through the entire arena. "Group A's featured match of the All-Continent Soul Master Competition preliminaries: Cauldron Sword Team versus Heaven Dou Royal Academy! Begin!"

"Roar—!"

Before the referee had even finished speaking, Yu Tianxin threw back his head and released a dragon-like roar. His third Soul Skill, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon True Body, launched abruptly. Pale violet Soul Power erupted like a volcano, and his body rapidly expanded within the light. Silver-white dragon scales rose from beneath his skin, his arms turned into dragon claws covered in violet lightning, a pair of membranous wings condensed from electricity spread behind him, and even his pupils became golden vertical slits.

"It's a True Body form!" Cries of alarm erupted from the stands. Emperor Xue Beng in the VIP area sat up straight as well. "Yu Tianxin has already grasped the prototype of a True Body at level thirty-eight. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan truly lives up to its reputation!"

Ning Fengzhi's jade fan paused slightly. "Revealing his trump card so early may not be a good thing."

On the Spirit Arena, Yu Tianxin's dragon claw slammed into the ground. His third Soul Skill, Thunderous Might, stacked with the effects of his True Body, and its power surged to three times what they had seen during their scouting! The deep purple lightning was no longer scattered electric dragons. It transformed into a cascading thunderstorm waterfall, spreading outward from Yu Tianxin and covering Cauldron Sword Team's diamond formation. The obsidian floor shattered beneath the lightning bombardment, chunks of stone sprayed out with electric sparks, and the ozone stench in the air was chokingly thick.

"Mubai, hold it!" Lin Che's voice pierced through the roar of the thunderstorm. The Universe Cauldron spun rapidly above his head, and a pale golden cauldron-shaped Soul Power field had already expanded half an inch. Yet Dai Mubai reacted even faster. His White Tiger Martial Soul fully possessed him, white fur bristling as the White Tiger Body Protection burst forth in dazzling white radiance and planted itself squarely in front of the formation.

Bang!

The instant the thunderstorm waterfall crashed into the White Tiger Body Protection, Dai Mubai let out a muffled groan. The white light dimmed at a visible rate under the erosion of violet lightning, fine cracks appearing across the protective barrier. His knees bent uncontrollably, and his calves pressed a Deep Pit into the ground. "This power... is far stronger than during the scouting!" Black spots like dragon scales rapidly spread up his arms, while numbness raced through his meridians toward his dantian.

"Rongrong, increase the Defense Amplification by another thirty percent! Oscar, give Mubai a Lightning Resistance Sausage!" Lin Che crazily poured Soul Power into the Universe Cauldron, and its body instantly expanded to half a man's height. "Cauldron Suppression! Full Power!" The pale golden Soul Power field descended like an inverted golden bell, precisely covering the area behind Dai Mubai. When the thunderstorm waterfall struck the golden light, it emitted a sizzling corrosive sound as countless tiny Thunder Snakes slithered across the barrier's surface.

[Extreme lightning energy impact detected. Cauldron Suppression skill consumption intensified. Currently negating 60% of paralysis effect and reflecting 30% of damage. Continuous injection of 50% Soul Power required for maintenance.]

The System Prompt rang urgently in Lin Che's mind, and a flush rose to his face. He could clearly feel that Yu Tianxin's lightning contained Dragon Might, constantly battering the Soul Power structure of Cauldron Suppression. If the Universe Cauldron had not absorbed residual lightning energy beforehand, the barrier would likely have shattered already.

"Now!" Tang San's voice suddenly rang out. Taking advantage of the gap while the thunderstorm was blocked by Cauldron Suppression, he had already quietly extended the roots of his Blue Silver Grass into the broken stones beneath Yu Tianxin's feet. His second Soul Skill, Parasite, launched abruptly. Countless barbed blades of grass shot out from the ground, accurately wrapping around Yu Tianxin's ankles. Their surfaces were covered in a pale golden lightning-resistant Soul Power layer—the Defense Amplification Ning Rongrong had just added on the fly.

Yu Tianxin's movements abruptly stalled, and the thunderstorm waterfall's power instantly weakened. He lowered his head to look at the Blue Silver Grass around his ankles, fury flashing through his eyes. "You're courting death!" His dragon claw, wreathed in violet lightning, swung down to tear the grass apart. But Tang San had long been prepared. The Blue Silver Grass suddenly released the Soul Power it had stored in advance, and the blades instantly hardened, forcibly withstanding the dragon claw's first strike.

"Reflect!" Seizing this Critical Moment, Lin Che sharply contracted the Cauldron Suppression Soul Power field. The Thunder Snakes on the barrier's surface suddenly reversed direction, turning into three bolts of violet lightning as thick as arms and shooting precisely toward two support members of the Heaven Dou team. They had been busy channeling Soul Power to Yu Tianxin and were completely unprepared. The lightning struck them head-on, and they screamed miserably as their Soul Power barriers instantly shattered. They Spit Blood and collapsed to the ground.

"Support!" Yu Tianxin roared, wanting to rush to their aid, only to discover that the Blue Silver Grass around his ankles had suddenly released paralytic poison. Although its effect on his dragon scales was limited, it caused a momentary obstruction in the operation of his Soul Power. In that single breath, the fourth tier of Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda suddenly lit up with Speed Amplification, and a pale violet halo washed over Lin Che like a tide.

"Lin Che!" Ning Rongrong's voice shook with Soul Power. "Double boost to speed and strength, lasting ten seconds!"

Lin Che instantly turned into an azure afterimage, dense Soul Power gathering around the Azure Water Sword in his palm. He stepped on the temporary stairs Tang San had built from Blue Silver Grass and charged straight at Yu Tianxin. Rippling light patterns flowed across the blade like water—this was Wind Scar Slash, combined with its armor-piercing effect.

"Do not even think of getting close!" Yu Tianxin forcibly suppressed the numbness inside his body, gathering violet lightning in his dragon claw before swinging it at Lin Che. Yet his movements were no longer as swift as before. The lightning reflected by Cauldron Suppression had not only injured his support teammates, but also caused a brief break in the flow of his Soul Power.

"Wind Scar Slash—Armor Break!" Lin Che shouted, his blade drawing a perfect arc. The Azure Sword Qi collided with the violet lightning dragon claw, and the ten-percent armor-piercing effect took hold at once. The violet lightning defense was torn apart like paper. Yu Tianxin's pupils contracted. He wanted to retreat and evade, but the Blue Silver Grass around his ankles held him firmly in place. He could only watch helplessly as the sword light slashed toward his chest.

Clang!

The blade ultimately stopped before the Dragon Scale Armor on Yu Tianxin's chest, its tip pressed against the gap they had discovered during their scouting. Azure Sword Qi seeped through the opening, and Yu Tianxin felt a stabbing pain in his chest. The Soul Power inside his body instantly fell into disorder, and the thunderstorm waterfall completely dissipated. He looked down at the Azure Water Sword against his chest, then at his support teammates lying on the ground. Unwillingness and humiliation flashed through his eyes.

"I concede." Yu Tianxin's voice was hoarse as the dragon scales and lightning slowly receded, restoring him to human form. He knew that continuing would only make his defeat more miserable. Two support members were severely injured, his own Soul Power was exhausted, and Cauldron Sword Team's coordination was far more seamless than he had imagined.

The referee froze for a moment before recovering enough to announce the result. "The captain of Heaven Dou Royal Academy concedes! Cauldron Sword Team wins!"

Silence lasted for three seconds, followed by thunderous applause and cheers from the stands. That series of coordinated maneuvers—Cauldron Suppression blocking lightning, Blue Silver Grass restraining the enemy, double-amplification assault—had set everyone's blood boiling. "Incredible! This is what top Soul Master teamwork looks like!" "Cauldron Sword Team actually defeated the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon! It's unbelievable!"

In the VIP area, Emperor Xue Beng laughed heartily as he slapped the railing. "Good! What an outstanding Cauldron Sword Team! I never expected the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Shrek to cultivate such a team!" Ning Fengzhi gently closed his jade fan, his eyes full of satisfaction. "Young Friend Lin's adaptability in battle, Tang San's tactical execution, and Rongrong's control over her amplifications have all reached the highest level."

Salas's face, however, was so gloomy it seemed ready to drip water. He suddenly clenched the Crystal Ball hard enough to crack it. "A bunch of country Soul Masters. They were merely lucky." His assistant cautiously said, "Lord Bishop, should we... arrange for someone in the later matches...?"

"No need." Salas cut him off, his eyes icy cold. "Spirit Hall's prestige is not maintained through petty tricks. Let them be proud for a few more days. When they meet the Golden Generation in the elimination rounds, they will suffer soon enough."

On the Spirit Arena, Dai Mubai dropped onto the ground and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "I almost thought that was the end of me. That lightning was terrifying." Ma Hongjun handed him a Recovery Sausage. "Good thing Lin Che had Cauldron Suppression and Tang San had his Blue Silver Grass. Otherwise, we would have been struck into charcoal long ago."

Tang San put away his Blue Silver Grass and walked over to Lin Che. "Your timing with that sword was perfect. One second later, and he would have broken free from the Blue Silver Grass."

Lin Che put away the Azure Water Sword as the Universe Cauldron slowly shrank in his palm. "Everyone worked well together. Rongrong's double amplification was crucial. Otherwise, I might not have been able to break through his lightning defense." He looked toward the Heaven Dou support members lying on the ground and said to Jiang Zhu, "Help them treat their injuries. A match is a match. There's no need to wipe them out completely."

Jiang Zhu nodded and walked over with the Seven-Colored Sacred Staff. Green and golden patterns lit up at the same time, and gentle Soul Power seeped into the two support members' bodies. Their faces soon regained some color. Watching this, a complicated expression flashed through Yu Tianxin's eyes. In the end, he still walked up to Lin Che and clasped his fists. "You won this match. But the next time we meet, I will not lose again."

Lin Che returned the gesture. "I look forward to our next match."

As the sun set, Cauldron Sword Team appeared on the streets of Heaven Dou City. The seven of them chatted and laughed, discussing the details of the match. Oscar was still excitedly developing new Lightning Resistance Sausages, while Ning Rongrong clung to Lin Che and asked about the principles behind Cauldron Suppression's reflection. Looking at his well-coordinated teammates, then at the lanterns gradually lighting up in the distance, Lin Che's heart was filled with confidence.

The victory in this featured match not only allowed Cauldron Sword Team to gain a firm foothold in the preliminaries, but also proved that—even against a top-tier beast Martial Soul—as long as a team worked together seamlessly and executed its tactics properly, miracles could be created. And Lin Che knew this was only the beginning. On the stage of the elimination rounds, even stronger opponents awaited them.

As night deepened, lights came on in Cauldron Sword Team's dormitory. Lin Che sat by the window, turning the unopened Rare Can over in his hand. He could feel that as the competition progressed, the quality of the system rewards was Growing Stronger, while his Universe Cauldron and Azure Water Sword were also becoming stronger through battle after battle.

Moonlight spilled over the Azure Water Sword outside the window, and the glazed bead on its tassel gave off a faint glow, as though foreshadowing that the next match would bring even more thrilling clashes and even more astonishing miracles.