Winning Streak Finale? Epic Can Unlocked

Winning Streak Finale? Epic Can Unlocked

On the light screen of the Soul Gathering Array at Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena, the words "Cauldron Sword Team VS Godwind Academy Second Team" had barely appeared when the stands erupted with cheers even more frenzied than those of the previous nine matches. The betting houses had already raised the Cauldron Sword Team's odds of winning to ninety-nine percent. Some spectators had even unfurled gilded banners reading, "Ten Victories in Ten Battles, Sword and Cauldron Ascend to Godhood." Even the peanut vendor in the corner was shouting, "Place your bets! If the Cauldron Sword Team doesn't win, I'll take the loss!"

As the seven members of the Cauldron Sword Team passed through the tunnel, Lin Che's fingertips quietly brushed over the tassel of the Azure Water Sword. The Chinese Formation Atlas he had activated yesterday was still being nurtured within the Universe Cauldron. The words at the edge of the atlas—"Soul Erosion Array must be broken with poison against poison"—had prompted him to soak the blade in the Heart Rot Dew purified by Jiang Zhu. The nearly invisible azure patterns on the sword were the new killing move he intended to use today.

"Watch out for Godwind's Wind Shadow Clone." Tang San suddenly transmitted his voice through Soul Power. His Purple Demon Eyes swept over the Martial Soul platform opposite them. "Their captain is an Agility Attack System Soul Master. His Soul Power Fluctuation is thirty percent stronger than that of an ordinary level-thirty Soul Master. He may be hiding a Fourth Soul Skill."

The moment his words fell, the five members of Godwind's second team leaped onto the stage. The young man in front wore a dark green combat suit, a pair of translucent wind wings spread across his back. He was their captain, Feng Xun. Idly toying with the wind blade in his hand, he said provocatively, "I hear you can withstand lightning? What a pity. Wind is faster than lightning."

The instant the referee lowered his hand, Feng Xun's figure suddenly split into three afterimages as his Third Soul Skill, Wind Shadow Maze, was activated. At the same time, the other four team members formed a diamond-shaped formation, pale green wind blades condensing in their palms. "First Soul Skill: Spiral Wind Blade!"

Forty wind blades swept in like a swarm of bees, shrieking piercingly through the air. More strangely, as they spun, they whipped up sand and dust from the ground, forming a hazy sandstorm that obscured everyone's vision. "Rongrong, Speed Amplification!" Lin Che kicked off the ground and leaped into the air. The Azure Water Sword traced three arcs through his palm, azure Sword Qi weaving into a net—not to attack, but to use the currents stirred by the Sword Qi to blow away the sand haze.

Just then, Feng Xun's true body suddenly darted out of the sandstorm, and his Fourth Soul Skill, Poison Wind Blade, erupted! The pale green wind blade glowed with a purple-black sheen as it pointed directly at Oscar and Jiang Zhu in the rear—he had actually seen through the Cauldron Sword Team's support core!

"Do not even think of it!" Dai Mubai roared as he lunged forward. Yet the moment his White Tiger Body Protection unfolded, he was entangled by two other Wind Shadow Clones. Ma Hongjun had barely spewed out his Phoenix Fire Line when it was scattered by the Spiral Wind Blades. The flames were instead dragged back toward him by the wind, forcing him to hurriedly withdraw his power.

A wave of shocked cries instantly rose from the stands. In the VIP section, Salas curled his lips into a Scoff. "Godwind made the right move. Cut down the support first—let's see how they fight after that." Hu Liena, however, frowned, her gaze fixed firmly on Lin Che's sword. She felt that something was wrong with that azure Sword Qi.

"Azure Water Entanglement: Poison!" Lin Che's voice suddenly rang out. The Azure Water Sword abruptly burst forth with a fine azure poison mist. With a flick of his blade, twelve streams of Sword Qi coiled together like living creatures, turning into vine-like sword whips that precisely wrapped around Feng Xun's wrist. Feng Xun felt numbness spread up his arm, and his Soul Power instantly stagnated. With a clang, the Poison Wind Blade fell to the ground.

[Detected that the host has used a poison-control fusion technique. Azure Water Sword poison effect increased by 30%; target Soul Power operating speed reduced by 50%.]

"What's happening?!" Feng Xun struggled in panic, only to find the azure Sword Qi already seeping through his skin and into his body. The Soul Power in his Dantian felt frozen, impossible to activate. Only then did he see clearly that the markings on Lin Che's sword were dense poison patterns—those were not ordinary Sword Qi at all, but poisoned threads of Soul Power!

"Tang San, control the field!" Lin Che flicked his wrist and dragged Feng Xun into the air. The Azure Water Sword seized the opportunity to draw three sword arcs, cutting apart the Wind Shadow Clones binding Dai Mubai. Tang San had already been waiting. Blue Silver Grass surged up like rapidly growing green vines, spreading along the paths of the wind blades as his Second Soul Skill, Parasite, was launched. Grass blades studded with barbs wrapped around the ankles of the remaining four Godwind team members. The Pale Golden lightning-resistant Soul Power, left over from Oscar's sausage yesterday, unexpectedly restrained the flow of wind-element Soul Power, pinning them firmly in place.

"Hongjun, finish them!" Lin Che's voice carried unquestionable force. Ma Hongjun had been holding back for this moment. Soul Power poured into the phoenix wings on his back, and his Fourth Soul Skill, Phoenix Meteor Shower, erupted! Golden flames fell like a meteor shower, every drop of fire rain carrying heat hot enough to scorch the soul. They smashed onto the Godwind team members' Soul Power barriers with sizzling sounds.

"Seven-Colored Spirit Healing!" Jiang Zhu's voice rang out at just the right moment. Noticing that the residual poison from Feng Xun's Poison Wind Blade was spreading through the air, she immediately activated her Soul Power. Seven-colored Light covered the entire field like a fine drizzle, cleansing the poison while replenishing Dai Mubai's depleted Soul Power. At the same time, her system panel quietly updated.

[Poison and Heal Dual Ability proficiency increased to 75%. Effect unlocked: group toxin purification range expanded by 20%.]

Watching his teammates' Soul Power barriers shatter one after another while he himself was bound tight by the Azure Water Sword's poison threads, Feng Xun finally cried out in despair, "I surrender!"

The referee's whistle tore through the air. "Godwind Academy Second Team surrenders! Cauldron Sword Team wins! Match duration: six minutes and eleven seconds!"

"Ten wins in ten battles! The Cauldron Sword Team has won ten battles in a row!" The stands completely erupted. Someone scattered the golden flower petals they had prepared in advance over the Martial Soul platform. "Sword and Cauldron Ascend to Godhood! Sword and Cauldron Ascend to Godhood!" Ning Fengzhi applauded with a smile and said to Chen Xin, "Little Friend Lin's combination of poison control and sword momentum is becoming ever more exquisite. Such talent is rarely seen in a hundred years."

Lin Che had just put away the Azure Water Sword when the system suddenly thundered in his mind:

[Congratulations to the host's team for completing the entire Preliminary Round and achieving the "Ten Victories in Ten Battles" achievement.]

[Hidden Mission triggered: Preliminary Round Winning Streak Legend.]

[Rewards issued: Epic Can ×1, team coordination +30 (current coordination: 100), maximum Soul Power of all members increased by 5%.]

A Golden Light descended from the sky and fell into Lin Che's hand, turning into a golden clay jar half a man's height. Complex dragon patterns were carved across its surface, flowing with a faint sacred aura. Compared with the previous silver Rare Can, the pressure radiating from the Epic Can was as heavy as a mountain, as though even the air had frozen solid.

"An Epic Can!" Ma Hongjun's eyes went round as he leaned in to touch it, only to be bounced away by the Golden Light on its surface. "Good heavens, this thing looks grander than the treasure that guards the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!" Oscar rubbed his hands together as well. "I wonder what kind of treasure it can give us. Could it be a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring?"

Lin Che smiled and shook his head, storing the Epic Can in the Universe Cauldron. "Let's return and recover first. We'll open it once we're ready. The elimination rounds are about to begin, and Spirit Hall won't give us much time." His gaze swept over the shadows on the eastern side of the stands. Hu Liena's Soul Power Fluctuation was clearer than yesterday—she had clearly figured out the tactical core of the Cauldron Sword Team.

After returning to the dormitory, the Cauldron Sword Team immediately began recovering. Oscar pulled out every herbal atlas he had, frowning tightly. "To make Thunder Resistance Sausage, we need Thunder Pattern Grass. But it only grows on Soul Severing Cliff, where thunderstorms strike frequently. Ordinary people wouldn't dare go there." Tang San suddenly said, "I can use Blue Silver Grass to detect the aura of plants. Perhaps I can find a substitute outside Heaven Dou City." Ning Rongrong added, "I'll have Sect Disciples ask around in the black market. Someone might have some stored away."

The next morning, Tang San returned with an herb bearing faint purple patterns. "I found it. This is Purple Lightning Vine. Its effect is slightly weaker than Thunder Pattern Grass, but if I purify it with the Soul Power of my Mysterious Heaven Skill, it can achieve the same resistance." Oscar immediately rushed excitedly into the kitchen. After Martial Soul Possession, his sausage-making machine spun at high speed. The juice of Purple Lightning Vine merged with Soul Power and turned into pale purple sausages, their surfaces covered in fine lightning patterns.

[Oscar has developed a new Soul Skill: Thunder Resistance Sausage. Upon use, grants 50% lightning damage reduction for ten minutes.]

Meanwhile, Jiang Zhu was practicing her Poison and Heal Dual Ability in the courtyard. She dripped a small amount of Heart Rot Dew onto a flower petal, then activated her healing Soul Power. As she watched the petal go from withered to blooming anew, the System Prompt sounded at the right moment.

[Poison and Heal Dual Ability proficiency increased to 80%. Effect unlocked: can neutralize poisons below the third tier; healing speed increased by 30%.]

She picked up a poisonous herb beside her, and Seven-colored Light flashed from her fingertips. The poisonous herb instantly lost its toxicity and turned into ordinary green grass—this meant she could now easily neutralize most of Spirit Hall's standard poisons.

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun sparred in the courtyard. The former's White Tiger Claw grew sharper and fiercer, while the latter's Phoenix Fire became more condensed. Ning Rongrong stood to one side, continuously switching the enhancement attributes of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, her proficiency rapidly rising through actual combat. Lin Che sat beneath the eaves, studying the Chinese Formation Atlas. His fingers traced the points for breaking the Soul Erosion Array, his brows slightly furrowed. The atlas stated, "Yang fire is required to break yin souls." Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fire was indeed yang in nature, but its purity was still insufficient.

"Perhaps the Epic Can can give us a treasure that improves the purity of flames." Tang San walked over and handed Lin Che a bottle of pale purple liquid. "This is concentrated Purple Lightning Vine juice. It can strengthen your poison sword. Combined with your Azure Water Entanglement: Poison, it can temporarily restrain even a Soul Douluo."

Lin Che accepted the essence and poured it into the sheath of the Azure Water Sword. The blade immediately glowed with a faint purple light. He stood and looked beyond the courtyard. Dark clouds were quietly gathering over Heaven Dou City. Spirit Hall's shadow had already enveloped the arena of the elimination rounds.

Late that night at the Spirit Hall branch, Hu Liena placed a detailed tactical report before Salas. "The Cauldron Sword Team's weakness is Ma Hongjun. His Phoenix Meteor Shower consumes an enormous amount of power, and its cooldown lasts a full three minutes. Although Lin Che's poison control is powerful, his Soul Power drops by twenty percent after every use. We can arrange the Soul Erosion Array around those two points." Salas nodded, a sinister gleam flashing in his eyes. "Transfer another thirty Soul Masters to feed Soul Power into the array core. I want the Cauldron Sword Team to disappear completely in their first elimination match."

Inside the Cauldron Sword Team's dormitory, all seven sat around the table, their eyes focused on the Epic Can in Lin Che's hands. Ma Hongjun rubbed his hands together and swallowed nervously. "Captain, open it already. I can't wait any longer!" Lin Che took a deep breath and injected Soul Power into the jar. The golden dragon patterns suddenly lit up, and the lid slowly opened. A Dazzling Golden Light shot into the sky, gathering in midair into a single drop of golden liquid that radiated a heart-palpitating Energy Fluctuation.

[Item obtained: Myriad Poison Returning Essence Dew (Epic Grade). Increases poison-type Soul Skill power by 50% and grants the passive effect "Immune to Myriad Poisons," with special resistance against yin poison arrays.]

"Myriad Poison Returning Essence Dew!" Jiang Zhu said in delight. "With this, we won't have to fear Spirit Hall's Soul Erosion Array or poison attacks!" Lin Che divided the Returning Essence Dew into seven portions, and each of them consumed one drop. The cool liquid slid down their throats and instantly turned into a warm current that merged into their limbs and bones. He could clearly feel the poison power of the Azure Water Sword becoming more condensed. The Universe Cauldron also glowed with faint Golden Light, as though it had developed an innate rejection of sinister forces.

Outside the window, a Black Shadow quietly flashed past. Hu Liena looked at the Golden Light inside the dormitory, and a trace of gravity flickered in her eyes. She knew that dealing with the Cauldron Sword Team might be more difficult than she had imagined. But she did not retreat. Turning, she disappeared into the night. Preparations for the Soul Erosion Array had entered their final stage.

Lin Che walked to the window, looked at the dark clouds on the horizon, and tightened his grip around the Azure Water Sword. The Epic Can's reward had undoubtedly given the Cauldron Sword Team another trump card, but he knew this was only the beginning. The arena of the elimination rounds would be the true battle of life and death. And he and his teammates were ready.