Lan Luoluo and Lan Susu

Other than Zhui Feng and Zhuang Yuan, the highest cultivation among the age-eligible disciples was only level forty-two, so none of them made the team.

Long Aotian and the other two were simply too high-level.

As for Tian Ming, he was fifteen this year, with Soul Power at level forty-three. His Martial Soul was Hands.

Like Mu Yuan, Tian Ming had been recruited into the sect from Blue Tyrant Primary Soul Master Academy and had grown up under the sect's guidance.

Having followed the right path since childhood, with Mystic Water Pills, Soul Ascension Pills, and Whale Rubber assisting him, as well as the recent high-intensity Medicinal Bath regimen, it was not difficult to understand how he had reached level forty-three at fifteen.

Yu Gu's gaze swept across the seven one by one, unable to suppress the smile in his eyes.

Though this team's composition was far from perfect, and even their ages could not be roughly standardized, with over half of them still able to compete in the next tournament, he was still proud.

The seeds for the next tournament were already capable of taking the stage in this one.

That in itself was a display of strength.

Among the seven, Xiao Ye was a Soul Emperor, Long Aotian was already a Soul King, and the other five were all Soul Ancestors.

With such a lineup, making a name for themselves would not be difficult.

The difficult part was winning the championship.

Based on the intensity of past tournaments, teams that reached the Quarter-finals were generally centered around Soul Kings.

The Body Team currently had only one Soul Emperor and one Soul King, so it would indeed be difficult.

But—

"Absolute strength can crush everything."

Yu Gu looked at Xiao Ye. "Xiao Ye, in this tournament, you will be our absolute leader."

With combat strength equal to a Soul Saint's, Xiao Ye could easily tie down half the opposing team and defeat them.

"Ao Tian, your goal over these next three months is to complete your Secondary Awakening."

Long Aotian had broken through level fifty not long ago and obtained his Second Soul Ring, which had a cultivation age of twenty-seven thousand years.

"Elder, I'll work hard."

After reaching five rings, a Body Martial Soul would likewise grow alongside its master to a certain limit. From then on, one could attempt a Secondary Awakening.

Yu Gu nodded.

He did not doubt Long Aotian's potential to undergo a Secondary Awakening.

A thousand-year Second Soul Ring and a ten-thousand-year Fourth Soul Ring—these absorptions beyond his level had not only strengthened Long Aotian's foundation, but repeatedly stimulated his Martial Soul, paving the way for its Secondary Awakening ahead of time.

"Mu Yuan, Zhui Feng, Zhuang Yuan, Tian Ming, although you are only Soul Ancestors, you must also shoulder heavy responsibilities. Our goal is the championship, so in the final Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, and finals, the enemies you face will be at least Soul Kings. In the training ahead, I will also fight you while keeping my strength at the Soul King level."

"Yes!"

After speaking to the seven official members, Yu Gu looked at the other seven.

"The seven of you will compete as Reserve Members."

The seven Yu Gu referred to were generally very young. Three were close to Mu Yuan's age, one boy and two girls, while the other four were even younger. Judging by their Soul Power, some had not even reached Three-Ring.

Yes, these were the Body Team's Reserve Members.

The other disciples between sixteen and twenty had not joined the reserve team. Instead, the younger disciples behind them had filled those positions.

Among the three who were the same age as Mu Yuan, the boy had a solemn expression and dark skin. His Martial Soul was Elbow, and his Soul Power was at level twenty-seven. The two girls looked seventy to eighty percent alike, both with waist-length blue hair. Their names were Lan Luoluo and Lan Susu.

Yes, both Lan Luoluo and Lan Susu had joined the Body Sect. This had happened before Mu Yuan went to Star Luo City to auction the Spirit-Eating Engraving Knife.

Because of this, Mu Yuan had not tried to stop the two girls from joining Shrek while he was in Shrek City.

Under Mu Yuan's influence, the Body Sect had considered establishing itself in the Heaven Soul Empire and had taken concrete action. The Heaven Soul Royal Family's support for the Body Sect had also become more apparent, and they had secretly begun searching for Soul Masters with Body Martial Souls.

Lan Luoluo and Lan Susu had been discovered by the Heaven Soul Royal Family during this time and brought into the Body Sect.

Yu Gu's gaze passed over the two girls and lingered over their hair, revealing a faint smile.

These two girls had good talent as well.

At twelve years old, having Soul Power above level twenty-five was already quite remarkable.

They also possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Heavenly Net, which further proved their exceptional nature.

Hair was not especially important among body Martial Souls. Many bald people still lived just fine.

However, the two girls' hair Martial Souls seemed to be faintly connected to Mental Power.

For that reason, the quality of their Martial Souls was not low either.

Moreover, their first two Soul Rings had been obtained very appropriately. Their several uses of the Martial Soul Fusion Skill had stimulated their hair Martial Souls and strengthened them ahead of time.

"Today, your task is to display your Combat Techniques."

"Show us what Combat Techniques you have cultivated before, and how far you have cultivated them."

As Yu Gu's voice fell, Xiao Ye was the first to step forward.

He let out a shout as surging Blood Qi erupted from him. A vague phantom of a furnace gradually took shape, protecting him in its center.

"This is a Combat Technique I developed by combining the Bloodline Furnace Method. It has decent defensive power," Xiao Ye said.

Hearing this, Yu Gu glanced at the others.

"Tian Ming, try your Senior Brother Xiao Ye's Bloodline Furnace Shield."

Tian Ming stepped forward excitedly, rubbing his Hands together.

"Ha!"

Two yellow and two purple Soul Rings emerged beneath his feet.

His Hands enlarged, golden light spreading across them before crimson red filled them as well. That was Bloodline Power.

The first, second, third, and fourth Soul Rings shone at the same time.

Xiao Ye pressed his palms together. His crimson-gold palms closed, and a massive phantom of a hand slowly appeared above him.

"Senior Brother Xiao Ye, take this palm strike!"

This palm strike was Tian Ming's strongest attack.

The crimson-gold hand slammed fiercely into Xiao Ye's Bloodline Furnace Shield.

Even the ground of the Martial Arts Arena shook.

The force of the strike pressed the soil behind Xiao Ye into a slight depression.

Xiao Ye's expression turned extremely grave.

Rumble!

The Bloodline Furnace trembled.

Bloodline Power roiled endlessly within the furnace, forming a long dragon that wandered inside it. Because of this, the trembling furnace stabilized.

Seeing this, Tian Ming revealed a bitter smile.

This peak palm strike of his fused all four of his Soul Skills and was bolstered by Bloodline Power. Even a Soul King's defenses might not be able to withstand it.

Of course, it might not severely injure a Soul King, but it would absolutely break through their defenses and wound them.

That was because his palm not only contained immense force, but also had a certain defense-breaking effect. At the moment of impact, it would stack two layers of force.

In the end, the phantom hand would also explode.

Yu Gu watched the palm strike's effects from beginning to end and nodded slightly.

"You fused the four Soul Skills well, but it is still too rough. The four effects are not concentrated enough."

After offering a brief critique, he looked at Mu Yuan again.

"Mu Yuan, your turn."

Mu Yuan took a deep breath and walked to stand opposite Xiao Ye.

"Senior Brother Xiao Ye, be careful."

Only after giving his warning did he begin to mobilize his own power.

Rumble!

Blood Qi thundered. A sound even deeper and more muffled than Xiao Ye's external Bloodline Furnace echoed through the Martial Arts Arena.