Yu Xiaogang: Heh, you looked down on me before. What about now?

As the figures of the group receded into the distance, Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong moved to Lin Qingmo's sides, one on each side.

Dugu Yan crossed her arms, a mischievous smile curving her red lips, "Well done A-Qing. You've only just finished one match, and you've already caught the eye of another beauty."

Ning Rongrong covered her mouth, a smile peeking out from between her fingers, "Still the most beautiful girl in the Blazing Fire Academy."

"Judging from his expression just now, A-Qing, he's interested in you!"

"Hehe."

Lin Qingmo his head and chuckled, not responding with a single word.

He didn't believe that a single Soul Fighting would win someone's heart.

"What nonsense are you spouting!"

Xiao Wu darted between the two, spreading her arms to shield Lin Qingmo, her cheeks puffed out like a rabbit guarding its food.

"I saw it coming a long time ago, that Huo Wu is clearly a vixen!"

Dugu Yan raised an eyebrow, deliberately teasing her. "Oh? Where's the seductive charm? I think she's quite upright."

"What do you mean by 'upright'!"

Xiao Wu stomped her feet in anger.

"He came running over right after losing the match, saying he'd 'defeat you with his own hands'—this is clearly just an excuse to get close to A-Qing, he's definitely up to no good!"

Ning Rongrong was laughing so hard she couldn't stand up straight, "Xiao Wu, are you jealous?"

"Who, who's jealous!"

Xiao Wu raised her voice slightly, but her ears secretly turned red.

"I'm just helping A-Qing check things out, what do you know!"

Lin Qingmo raised his hand and gently rubbed Xiao Wu's head, a slight smile playing on his lips, "Alright, stop fooling around."

Xiao Wu snorted, quieted down, but squeezed her body closer to Lin Qingmo, clearly not giving an inch.

Upon seeing this, everyone burst into laughter again.

VIP private room.

The Xue Ye, slamming his palm on the table, his laughter shaking the tea in his cup.

"Well done! Lin Qingmo!"

His voice was booming, and his face was radiant.

"Indeed, he is a young prodigy of our Heaven Dou Empire. He must be nurtured with all our might, for he will surely become a pillar of our Heaven Dou Empire in the future!"

He had nothing better to do today than come and watch the excitement.

Who would have thought we'd discover such a brilliant and talented young person? This trip was totally worth it.

Ning Fengzhi sat to the side, gently waving his folding fan, and smiled in agreement, "Your Majesty has discerning eyes. This young man is calm and composed, his strength is unfathomable, and he even possesses such an astonishing trump card—his future is limitless."

He appeared calm on the surface, but his mind had already made up his mind.

Such unpolished gems deserve the full support of the entire clan in winning them over.

It just so happens that the other person seems to have a good relationship with Ning Rongrong.

Chen Xin stood with his hands behind his back, his voice deep and resonant like the clang of a sword. "This boy's Martial Soul is no ordinary Blue Silver Grass."

Ning Fengzhi paused slightly in the folding fan in his hand.

"I believe his Martial Soul is a top-tier Mutated Martial Soul."

Chen Xin spoke with certainty.

"Given time, this child's achievements will be no less than mine."

Ning Fengzhi's smile faded.

He understood Chen Xin all too well.

The number one swordsman, Titled Douluo, was proud and unyielding throughout his life, and never made promises to others easily.

To hear him say, "His achievements are no less than mine," is something you won't find another among the younger generation on the entire Douluo Continent.

Just what kind of extraordinary talent is Lin Qingmo?

Could it be that such high praise from Uncle Jian came from such a brief encounter?

Ning Fengzhi's assessment of Lin Qingmo's importance rose slightly.

Beside her, Qian Renxue sat upright with the face of "Xue Qinghe," a polite and gentle smile on her lips.

But beneath the sleeves of her robe, her slender fingers were already clenched tightly.

She is the Young Master of the Spirit Hall, and has seen more geniuses than ordinary people have seen Soul Master.

Even the Golden Generation, which the Spirit Hall was so proud of, had never shaken her so deeply.

Lin Qingmo and Ye Lingling's Martial Soul Fusion Skill actually forced Sword Douluo Chen Xin to personally intervene and stop them.

If such a record were to spread, it would surely leave countless people speechless.

"Lin Qingmo."

She silently repeated the name in her heart.

This person must be won over; we must do everything in our power to win him over.

The problem now is that Xue Ye and Ning Fengzhi seem to be paying close attention to Lin Qingmo.

Tsk, she regretted bringing this Soul Fighting together.

He picked up his teacup and took a small sip, his face calm and composed, revealing no one the turbulent undercurrents within his heart.

A corner of the audience seats.

Flender, Yu Xiaogang, Tang San, Dai Mubai, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Yu Tianheng, and the rest of the group all wore increasingly solemn expressions.

Watching the entire match from beginning to end, everyone was completely stunned.

Huo Wu's Ring Fusion Technique is terrifying enough.

Lin Qingmo and Ye Lingling's Martial Soul Fusion Skill is so powerful it's terrifying.

Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng exchanged a glance, and both read the same thing on each other's faces—powerlessness.

"That move, Nine Hearts as One..."

Yu Tianheng's voice was dry, like sandpaper scraping his throat. "Can you handle it?"

Dai Mubai remained silent for a long time, then slowly shook his head. "I can't catch it..."

He paused, then added, "I'm not entirely confident about Huo Wu's Ring Fusion either."

"In a one-on-one situation, I might not be her match."

"..."

The two had nothing more to say.

Everyone knows that continuing the conversation will only make things more awkward.

Dai Mubai's expression grew increasingly grim.

The scene on the Spirit Fighting Arena kept flashing through his mind— Zhu Zhuqing's movements were as fast as Gui Mei, and she tore the Blazing Fire Agility-attack-type Spirit Master to pieces with just a few attacks.

The light stung his eyes.

On what grounds?

Why is it that Zhu Zhuqing became even stronger after leaving him?

She was supposed to be his vassal, a partner to assist him in unleashing the Hell White Tiger technique.

Without him, she should be nothing!

But reality slapped him hard and loudly.

The gap is narrowing, and it seems I can no longer be proud of myself in front of her.

Humiliation and anger were stuck in my chest, unable to be uttered or swallowed, like a red-hot iron branding my lungs.

Yu Xiaogang of his shock, pushed up his glasses, and looked ashen-faced.

"Have you seen everything clearly?"

He swept his gaze over Tang San and the others, his tone more stern than ever before.

"Geniuses are as numerous as carp crossing a river on the mainland. What can you do with your current strength?"

In the past, his reprimands were met with dissatisfaction from the people.

This time, no one dared to respond to the reprimand.

Seeing everyone's reaction, Yu Xiaogang was secretly delighted.

He preferred the current version of them to the people he usually looked down upon, such as Dai Mubai and others.

This gave him a sense of pride and satisfaction.

"Starting tomorrow, the training volume will be doubled."

"You must improve my strength before the Continental Tournament begins."

Yu Xiaogang spoke slowly and deliberately, his words ringing with conviction. "Otherwise, with your current strength, you won't even make it to the finals."

Tang San nodded silently, a slight purple light flashing in his eyes.

He saw the dark golden beam of light clearly with his Purple Demon Eye.

The Destruction Force it contains is such that even the Clear Sky Hammer might not be able to withstand it head-on.

Lin Qingmo... is definitely his number one rival in the future.

Oscar and Ma Hongjun put away their usual playful expressions and nodded emphatically.

The Grandmaster's words were blunt and unbiased, yet every word he uttered was true.

If we don't give it our all, we'll be left far behind by our peers, so far that we won't even be able to see their backs anymore.

Not to mention Lin Qingmo and his group, even the Blazing Fire Team put considerable pressure on them.

Not to mention the other Elemental Academies, and even the strongest team from the Spirit Hall.

"Um?"

Flender suddenly frowned.

His gaze swept across the exit of the Soul Fighting Arena —the direction where the Imperial Fighting Team had left—and a familiar figure seemed to flash by.

He trembled slightly and blurted out, "Er Long?"

He shook his head as soon as he said it.

No.

Liu Erlong had already left Heaven Dou City.

I must have been too preoccupied and my eyes were playing tricks on me.

"Sigh... Er Long, where are you now...?"

He sighed deeply, looked away, but the emptiness in his heart lingered for Jiujiu.