Crushing Victory to Advance? Blue Lightning Affiliated Team

Morning light had just spilled over the gilded railings of Heaven Dou City's Soul Fighting Arena, yet the stands were already packed with eagerly awaiting soul masters. Yesterday's scene of the Cauldron Sword Team defeating Yu Tianxin was still replaying on the Soul Gathering Array's light screen. Today's match, "Cauldron Sword Team VS Blue Lightning Affiliated Team," had even been listed by the betting houses as "the least suspenseful matchup"—but no one expected that this team bearing the name "Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan Affiliate" harbored ambitions that would overturn all expectations.

"Did you hear? The captain of the Blue Lightning Affiliated Team is Yu Tianxin's cousin, Yu Lei. They say he secretly learned a simplified version of 'Thunderous Might'!"

"A simplified version is still an imitation. How could it compare to Yu Tianxin's violet lightning? The Cauldron Sword Team could even withstand real Thunderous Might. Why would they fear this?"

Amid the discussions, the seven members of the Cauldron Sword Team stepped onto the Soul Arena. Lin Che had just pressed the Azure Water Sword into its sheath when he sensed a familiar malice—from the shadowed area on the western side of the stands. An even stronger Soul Power Fluctuation than yesterday had locked onto him, like a lurking venomous snake finally baring its fangs. Without drawing attention, he tapped Tang San's arm with Soul Power. Tang San immediately understood, his Purple Demon Eyes quietly sweeping through the shadows as the roots of the Blue Silver Grass at his fingertips silently burrowed into the ground, setting up a concealed anti-surveillance barrier.

"Stay alert." Lin Che kept his voice extremely low, transmitting it into his teammates' ears through the Glazed Jade Token. "The Blue Lightning Affiliated Team wants to use Yu Tianxin's reputation to turn things around. They'll definitely use extreme tactics. Don't let the word 'affiliate' make you lower your guard."

Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda lit up first. The aura of the third level, "Defense Amplification," enveloped Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun in advance. "Defense Amplification is in place! I can switch to speed anytime!" Oscar tossed two sausages glowing with light blue radiance to the pair. "Lightning Resistance Sausages. Eat them, and you'll be able to withstand thirty percent of lightning damage!"

On the other side of the Soul Arena, Yu Lei stood with four teammates. They wore the same silver-white fitted uniforms as Yu Tianxin, with miniature Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Emblems embroidered on their chests, though the patterns were gray rather than gold. "Cauldron Sword Team, don't think you can be arrogant just because you defeated my cousin." Yu Lei's voice carried a deliberately imitated arrogance as light blue lightning gathered in his palm. "Today, I'll show you that the power of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is not something you can profane!"

The referee raised his right hand high, Soul Power shaking the entire arena. "Cauldron Sword Team VS Blue Lightning Affiliated Team, begin!"

"Release!" At Yu Lei's command, all five pressed their hands to the ground at once. Their third soul skill, Miniature Thunderclap, erupted. Unlike Yu Tianxin's violet lightning, theirs was light blue, spraying from the ground like dense strands of rain and instantly weaving a thirty-meter-wide electric net across the center of the Soul Arena. It lacked the berserk force of ultimate lightning, but made up for it in sheer density. Every electric filament carried a paralyzing effect, sizzling as it struck the obsidian. Even the air crackled with faint currents.

"Careful! The lightning conducts!" Dai Mubai roared as he spread his White Tiger Body Protection. The white barrier had barely touched the electric net before countless fine cracks were burned across it. Numbness shot from his claws into his arms, instantly slowing his movements. "Damn it! It's more troublesome than I expected!"

Ma Hongjun was in even worse shape. He had just tried to use Phoenix Fire Line to burn through the net when the electric filaments crawled along the flames and onto his wings. Light blue currents danced across his feathers, and his Phoenix Fire immediately weakened. He grunted, his wings drooping powerlessly. "This lightning counters my fire!"

The stands abruptly fell silent. What had seemed like a one-sided crushing victory had suddenly developed an unexpected twist. In the VIP section, Salas's mouth curled into a scoff as his fingers rapidly moved across the Crystal Ball. "Interesting. I didn't expect the affiliated team to have a trick like this. It would be best if both sides suffered. That would save me the trouble of acting."

Ning Fengzhi merely waved his jade fan lightly, his gaze resting on Lin Che. "Don't be impatient. Young Friend Lin's tactics are only just beginning."

Sure enough, Lin Che's voice cut through the crackling currents. "Rongrong, give me Speed Amplification! Tang San, wrap the Blue Silver Grass in lightning-resistant Soul Power!" He pushed off the ground and leaped into the center of the Soul Arena. The Azure Water Sword spun half a circle in his palm, and azure Sword Qi flowed around the incoming electric filaments like water—this was the simplified Sword Momentum Force Dissipation.

The instant the sword light swept through, a gap appeared in the previously dense electric net. Lin Che gently turned his wrist, guiding the sword momentum along the paths of the electric filaments and forcibly deflecting more than a dozen of them. The strands grazed Dai Mubai's protective barrier and struck empty ground, blasting small scorched pits into the floor. "Cauldron Suppression! Light Press!" With a sweep of his left hand, the Universe Cauldron shrank to fist-sized proportions. A pale golden halo spread from its body, like an invisible palm pressing against the center of the electric net.

[Detected dispersed lightning energy. Cauldron Suppression Light Press Mode activated. Damage reflection: 15%. Prioritizing enemy Soul Power nodes.]

The System Prompt had barely ended when the electric net suddenly trembled violently. Drawn by an invisible force, the light blue filaments all changed direction and shot toward two support members of the Blue Lightning Affiliated Team. The two were busy channeling Soul Power to Yu Lei and were caught completely off guard. Lightning struck them, instantly shattering their Soul Power barriers. They spat blood and collapsed to the ground, while the electric net's density plummeted.

"Impossible! How can you reflect my lightning?" Yu Lei's eyes widened as he stared in disbelief at the sight before him. His Miniature Thunderclap had been developed specifically to counter the Cauldron Sword Team's defenses. He had thought sheer numbers would break through Cauldron Suppression, but he had never expected the counterattack to be so precise.

"Now it's our turn!" Tang San's voice rang out. He had already fused the Soul Power of the Lightning Resistance Sausage with the Mysterious Heaven Skill. Pale golden Soul Power wrapped around the Blue Silver Grass like armor around green serpents, slipping through the gap in the electric net toward Yu Lei's ankles. His second soul skill, Parasite, activated abruptly. Blades of grass covered in barbs wrapped around Yu Lei's calves, and the pale golden lightning-resistant Soul Power canceled out the lightning's paralysis, pinning him firmly in place.

"Hongjun, flames!" Lin Che's sword momentum unfolded again. This time, it was no longer force dissipation. Instead, it condensed into three arcs of azure Sword Qi. Wind Scar Slash, carrying a 10% armor-piercing effect, split toward the Soul Power barriers of the remaining three team members. Ma Hongjun seized the opportunity to activate his Phoenix Soul Power. This time, he compressed his flames into tiny fire needles, shooting them through the openings carved by the sword arcs and accurately striking their Soul Power cores.

"Ah!" One team member let out a scream as his Soul Power barrier was pierced by the fire needles, instantly throwing the Soul Power within his body into chaos. Dai Mubai had recovered as well. His White Tiger Claw, shining with Golden Light, pounced toward Yu Lei. The pale golden Soul Power on the tiger claws was the effect of Oscar's Lightning Resistance Sausage, easily breaking through Yu Lei's lightning defense.

"Seven-Colored Spirit Healing!" At that moment, Jiang Zhu's voice rang out. She noticed that Ma Hongjun's wings had been scorched by residual lightning, with light blue currents still running across his skin. She immediately activated her fourth soul skill. Seven-colored Light fell over Ma Hongjun like a fine drizzle, not only healing the burns but also purifying the lingering paralysis. "Everyone, watch out for residual lightning! I'll keep the healing coverage active!"

Yu Lei watched his teammates fall one after another, despair flashing through his eyes. He tried to break free from the Blue Silver Grass, only to find that Tang San had hardened its blades into a cage. The pale golden lightning-resistant Soul Power rendered his lightning utterly useless. Lin Che's Azure Water Sword was already pressed against his throat, its azure Sword Qi carrying armor-piercing sharpness. If it advanced another half inch, it would pierce his Soul Power barrier.

"I surrender!" Yu Lei's voice trembled as the lightning dispersed from his palm and the Blue Silver Grass loosened accordingly. He looked at his teammates lying on the ground, his face deathly pale. Their painstakingly prepared strategy had not even lasted five minutes.

The referee froze for a moment before coming to his senses and announcing the result. "The Blue Lightning Affiliated Team concedes! The Cauldron Sword Team wins! Match time: four minutes and thirty-eight seconds!"

Thunderous cheers erupted from the stands, and the previous concern turned into even greater enthusiasm. "That was incredible! That Sword Momentum Force Dissipation was so cool!" "The Cauldron Sword Team can even handle dispersed lightning! Who else can beat them?" Many spectators even stood up and waved Cauldron Sword Team banners. Soon, chants of "Cauldron Sword Must Win" echoed through the streets of Heaven Dou City.

In the VIP section, Salas clenched the Crystal Ball so hard that his knuckles turned white. "Damn it! Even the affiliated team couldn't stop them!" He suddenly turned toward the Man in Black behind him. "Have Hu Liena go to the Soul Fighting Arena immediately. I want her to observe the Cauldron Sword Team's tactics personally!"

Ning Fengzhi nodded in satisfaction and said to Chen Xin, "After simplifying his sword momentum and Cauldron Suppression, Young Friend Lin has made them even more suitable for handling this sort of dispersed attack. It seems that after these matches, his control over his Dual Martial Souls has deepened another level."

The members of the Cauldron Sword Team gathered around. Ma Hongjun flexed his fully recovered wings and said excitedly, "That reflection just now was so satisfying! Yu Lei's face turned green!" Dai Mubai smiled and nodded as well. "Thanks to Oscar's Lightning Resistance Sausages. Otherwise, my protective barrier couldn't have held out that long."

Lin Che had just put away the Azure Water Sword when the System Prompt suddenly sounded in his mind.

[Congratulations to the host's team for completing its sixth preliminary match victory. Win rate: 100%.]

[Team passive skill unlocked: Winning Streak Buff (all members' Soul Power recovery speed +15%, lasts until the preliminary round ends).]

[Additional reward: Team Coordination +20 (current coordination: 70).]

"Soul Power recovery speed increased by fifteen percent!" Oscar's eyes lit up. "We'll be able to replenish the Soul Power we consume in battle much faster now!" Jiang Zhu said in surprise, "My healing Soul Power consumption is high too. With this buff, I can sustain longer team battles."

Lin Che nodded, his gaze sweeping over the shadowed area of the stands once more. This time, he clearly sensed a trace of feminine softness within that spying Soul Power Fluctuation—it should be a new scout sent by Spirit Hall. Without revealing anything, he handed a Calming Potion to Tang San. "It looks like Spirit Hall can't wait to step in personally. We need to speed up our preparations for the elimination round."

Tang San accepted the Calming Potion, a gentle warmth passing through his fingertips. "I noticed earlier that Yu Lei had a Spirit Hall mark on his sleeve cuff. They may have been used by Spirit Hall." He paused, lowering his voice. "Our opponents in the elimination round may not be as simple as the other academies."

As the sun set, the Cauldron Sword Team appeared outside a pharmacy in Heaven Dou City. Oscar needed to purchase herbs to make new sausages, while Jiang Zhu needed to purify more Calming Potion. Lin Che and Tang San went to the blacksmith to commission lightning-resistant protective gear—though they had the Winning Streak Buff, one more layer of preparation meant one more layer of security against Spirit Hall's schemes.

Many citizens recognized them on the street and gathered around to offer fruit and pastries. Ning Rongrong was surrounded by children asking for her signature, while Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun were eagerly questioned by enthusiastic spectators about soul skill techniques. The entire Heaven Dou City was immersed in the joy of the Cauldron Sword Team's victory.

Yet as Lin Che watched the scene before him, he did not relax in the slightest. He knew that behind this liveliness, Spirit Hall's killing intent was drawing ever closer. And that unopened Rare Can might be the key to resisting Spirit Hall.

Late that night, at Spirit Hall's branch headquarters, Hu Liena knelt before Salas, holding a tactical analysis chart of the Cauldron Sword Team. "Reporting to Bishop Salas, the Cauldron Sword Team's core lies in Lin Che's Dual Martial Souls and Tang San's control. Jiang Zhu's healing is their key safeguard. Their teamwork is exceptionally coordinated, and ordinary tactics will be difficult to break through."

Salas took the chart, a sinister glint flashing through his eyes. "If ordinary tactics won't work, then use extraordinary ones. Go prepare the activation materials for the Soul Erosion Array. Once the Cauldron Sword Team enters the elimination round, I want them to remain on the Soul Arena forever."

Hu Liena bowed and withdrew, a trace of complexity flashing in her eyes. Looking at Lin Che's name on the chart, she unexpectedly felt a flicker of curiosity. What kind of soul master could make Spirit Hall so wary?

Inside the Cauldron Sword Team's dormitory, Lin Che finally took out that Rare Can. The seven sat around the table, all eyes fixed on the silver can. "I wonder what kind of treasure we'll get this time." Ma Hongjun rubbed his hands together, his face full of anticipation.

Lin Che took a deep breath and poured Soul Power into the can. The silver body suddenly lit up with dazzling radiance. Its lid popped open on its own, and a golden stream of light flew out, condensing in midair into an ancient little booklet—the cover bore the words Chinese Formation Atlas (Basic Edition).

[Item obtained: Chinese Formation Atlas (Basic Edition). Can analyze common formation structures and identify points for breaking them. Has special suppressive effects against sinister formations such as Spirit Hall's Soul Erosion Array.]

"Formation-breaking atlas!" Tang San's eyes lit up as he snatched the booklet. "With this, we won't have to fear Spirit Hall's formations anymore!"

Lin Che looked at the atlas, and the weight hanging over his heart finally lifted. He knew that the battle in the elimination round was about to begin. This time, they would no longer be forced into passive defense—they had a trump card to break the deadlock themselves.