Originally, Xuan Zi and the academy's senior staff had expected Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, and He Caitou to make the cut, along with Huo Yuhao and the Golden Dragon Girl. The final spot was still undecided.
But what about now?
Everyone on the field was a second-year student, with an average age under thirteen.
Aside from Huo Yuhao and the Golden Dragon Girl, the others would be nothing but cannon fodder at the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament, no matter how talented they were! In five years, their opponents would be twenty, while they would only be seventeen. Could talent alone make up for a three-year cultivation gap?
What's more, even Bei Bei, Mu En's great-grandson, had been eliminated. How was he supposed to explain that to Mu En?
Xuan Zi took a swig of liquor. His old face reddened, and he cleared his throat twice before shamelessly saying, "Things were too chaotic just now. I didn't get a clear look. Besides, a free-for-all like that relies too much on luck and can't show your true abilities. How about this: we'll void the previous assessment. You'll have half an hour to recover your Soul Power, then... we'll start over!"
The whole crowd erupted.
That was blatant cheating!
Huo Yuhao's gaze turned cold in an instant.
What a vice-captain of the Shrek Inspection Team. What a level-98 Super Douluo. Had he no shame at all?
If you want to play dirty, I'll play along to the very end. Huo Yuhao sneered inwardly and turned to the six people behind him.
"You've all seen what's happening. The academy isn't happy with us qualifying, so they want to pull Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and the others back in. When the rematch starts, we'll be everyone's target. If anyone wants to withdraw, you can leave now. I won't hold it against you."
"Yuhao, what are you saying?" Wang Dong was the first to speak up, her eyes full of resolve. "If we're fighting, then we'll fight to the end. I'm standing with you."
"Exactly, class monitor. We'll follow your lead." Xiao Xiao's little face was tense.
The Lan Sisters spoke in unison. "We're with you, class monitor."
Ning Tian gritted her teeth and glanced at Wu Feng, who was cracking her knuckles in the distance. In the end, she sighed. "I'll stay. I want to be with Wu Feng, but reason tells me our odds are better with you."
Huo Yuhao nodded, then turned to the Golden Dragon Girl, who had remained silent all this time.
"What about you? And what's your name?"
The girl raised her head. Her golden eyes seemed to brim with molten lava, noble and wild.
"Jin Nier." Her red lips parted, her voice cool. "I only acknowledge the strong. Here, you're the only one worthy of being my teammate."
"Good!"
Huo Yuhao looked arrogant and unyielding. "Since you all trust me, I'll lead you to another victory! This time, I'll make them accept it wholeheartedly!"
"When the fight starts, stay as close to me as you can. Don't stray too far."
Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.
The twenty-six core disciples returned to the arena.
This time, the atmosphere was completely different.
The air was thick with hostility.
Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, and He Caitou quickly regrouped, then recruited three more powerful senior Soul Ancestors to form the strongest "Avengers Alliance."
The twelve remaining students also huddled together, glaring warily at Huo Yuhao's side.
"Begin!" Xuan Zi gave the order.
At almost the same moment, Huo Yuhao and Bei Bei made the same choice.
"Clear the field first!"
The two strongest teams charged in unspoken agreement at the temporary team of twelve.
Before those twelve could react, they were hit with a devastating attack.
On one side was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, wielding Thunderous Might. On the other was the Golden Dragon Girl, whose strength could shatter a thousand armies.
In less than a minute, all twelve were out!
Once again, only two teams remained in the Soul Fighting Arena.
Seven against seven.
On one side was the senior Dream Team, every member a Soul Ancestor. On the other was Huo Yuhao's "Pretty Girl Team."
The fight was about to begin!
"Caitou, blanket them with fire!" Bei Bei shouted. Countless dark cannon barrels sprouted from He Caitou, unleashing a dense barrage of Soul Guidance Rays like a downpour.
"Pathetic trick."
Huo Yuhao scoffed. Spiritual Detection Sharing instantly covered everyone. The paths of the rays became clear in their field of vision, as if they were moving in slow motion.
"Jin Nier, hold off their three strongest!" Huo Yuhao ordered.
"Leave it to me."
Jin Nier took a step forward, and the ground beneath her feet instantly cracked.
She didn't use any flashy Soul Skills. She simply threw a punch, and the golden shockwave forced Xu Sanshi, charging at the front, back.
Then she moved like lightning and, all by herself, managed to pin down Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and Jiang Nannan—their three Soul Ancestors!
Xuan Zi's eyes nearly bulged out of his head at the sight.
What kind of monster was this girl? Her physical strength was terrifying!
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao sprang into action. He didn't worry about the teammates behind him. Against Soul Ancestor-level opponents, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao's attacks wouldn't be very effective yet.
The Lan Sisters' Martial Soul Fusion Skill, "Heavenly Net," was powerful, but it could only restrain a Soul Ancestor for two or three seconds.
So he decided to end things quickly.
Huo Yuhao blurred forward and instantly cut through to the enemy's back line.
"Silence!"
Words Become Law!
The three senior Soul Ancestors, who were about to unleash their Soul Skills, froze in place.
Huo Yuhao landed one punch on each of them, like a wolf among sheep.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three dull thuds rang out, and the three Soul Ancestors flew away like kites with their strings cut.
A one-hit knockout!
"What?!" Bei Bei, locked in a struggle with Jin Nier, was stunned. He hadn't expected Huo Yuhao to end the fight so quickly.
They had thought the three of them could buy some time. Once they eliminated Jin Nier, they could join forces against Huo Yuhao.
But Huo Yuhao was far stronger than they had estimated.
Huo Yuhao's gaze was now fixed on He Caitou.
"Senior He, will you concede, or should I send you flying?" Huo Yuhao asked with a gentle smile, but He Caitou felt a chill run down his back.
Sweat covered his forehead, and the Soul Cannon in his hands trembled. The pressure Huo Yuhao exuded was simply too overwhelming.
"Forget it. I can't be bothered to wait. Spiritual Shock!"
Golden light flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes, and He Caitou promptly fainted on the spot.
The only opponents left on the field were Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi, whom Jin Nier was holding off.
Jiang Nannan still couldn't escape the Lan Sisters' Heavenly Net. Empowered by Ning Tian's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao joined forces to defeat her.
Huo Yuhao and Jin Nier quickly teamed up to take down the other two, and the fight was over.
If the first time had been an unexpected encounter where they weren't prepared, then this time had been a total and utter display of strength!
Huo Yuhao had led a group of teammates who hadn't even reached three rings to crush an elite team made up entirely of Soul Ancestors in a head-on fight!
The dominance Huo Yuhao and Jin Nier displayed was especially overwhelming—almost despair-inducing.
Beside the Soul Fighting Arena, Xuan Zi ruffled his messy hair. The chicken leg in his hand, which had smelled delicious a moment ago, had lost all its appeal.
He looked at the calm young man on the field and felt a headache coming on.
"If that kid were put straight into the main team, he'd probably beat Dai Yueheng and the others so badly they wouldn't know which way was north."
Xuan Zi sighed to himself. Even if they kept fighting, the result wouldn't change.
Unless he threw away what little dignity he had left and changed the rules to target them directly.
With no other choice, Xuan Zi could only glare at the crestfallen Bei Bei and the others, cursing inwardly: I gave you a chance, and you still couldn't make use of it!
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