Challenging the Academies (Seeking Reads)

Returning to Heaven Dou Royal Academy!

He had originally assumed that without the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and the opportunities provided by immortal herbs, Tang San's growth would be limited. He had not expected the combat power Tang San erupted with to remain so astonishing, especially that Clear Sky Hammer; even without a soul ring, it displayed terrifying destructive power.

He summoned the core members of the Imperial Fighting Team—Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, Shi Mo, Shi Mi, Osler, Yu Feng, Ye Lingling, and Xiao Wu—to the training room. Now serving as an official member, Xiao Wu also participated in this meeting.

"You all saw the preliminary matches today." Lin Yi got straight to the point, his voice calm yet carrying a hint of gravity. "Shrek Academy, especially that Tang San—what are your thoughts? If we meet them in the finals, what are our odds of winning?"

The training room fell into a silence.

As the team captain, Yu Tianheng spoke first. His brows were tightly locked, his tone heavy: "Leader, to be honest, that Tang San... is extremely troublesome. His Blue Silver Grass control is incredibly strong, his hidden weapon techniques are bizarre and hard to guard against, and now he has revealed that small hammer with terrifying power... Furthermore, he possesses the External Soul Bone, the Eight Spider Lances. Back at the Suotuo City Great Soul Arena, we were defeated by his Eight Spider Lances and his devious tactics. It seems he is even stronger now than he was then."

Dugu Yan added, her emerald eyes filled with wariness: "His poison-using skills are also highly sophisticated; my Jade Phosphorous Serpent poison has little effect on him. Moreover, their team's overall coordination is even more tacit than it was in Suotuo City."

The brothers Shi Mo and Shi Mi muttered: "That hammer is very heavy; it's not easy to block."

Osler and Yu Feng also wore grave expressions; Tang San's hidden weapons and elusive footwork were a massive headache for agility-type soul masters like them.

Although Ye Lingling did not speak, her cold, clear gaze indicated her agreement.

Xiao Wu kept her head lowered, listening to everyone's evaluation of Tang San, her mood complex.

She knew Tang San was strong—she had always known—but hearing others discuss how to defeat him with such solemnity left a strange, indescribable feeling in her heart.

Lin Yi took in everyone's reactions and nodded: "It seems you are all very clear on the situation. Shrek is indeed stronger than we imagined. Although they lost Xiao Wu," he paused, glancing at the silent, downcast Xiao Wu beside him, "their strength has suffered a blow, but their core combat power remains. Especially Tang San, that variable; he cannot be underestimated."

He stood up, his gaze sweeping over the group: "Closing the door to build a cart will never lead to great success. We do not need to participate in the preliminary rounds, but this is the best time for us to hone ourselves and identify our shortcomings. Starting tomorrow, we will take the initiative to seek out academy teams with unique martial souls and powerful strength for sparring matches!"

Upon hearing this, the eyes of the group lit up with eagerness. They had been training constantly and truly needed real combat to test their results.

Lin Yi's first target was one of the Five Elemental Academies, famous for its abundance of beauties and powerful ice-attribute control: Skywater Academy!

The next day, Lin Yi led the Imperial Fighting Team to Skywater Academy. After stating their purpose, the female dean of Skywater Academy attached great importance to the visit from a seeded team of Heaven Dou Royal Academy and readily agreed to the request for a sparring match.

The match took place on the main arena of Skywater Academy. The opposing side fielded their main force, centered around Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu.

As soon as the battle began, Skywater Academy demonstrated their powerful control capabilities. Shui Bing'er's Ice Phoenix martial soul radiated extreme chill; her first soul skill, Ice Seal, and second soul skill, Ice Ring Armor, were used in succession, severely restricting the movement and attacks of the Imperial Fighting Team. The ice-attribute soul skills of the other members also coordinated perfectly, turning the arena into a domain of frost in an instant.

However, the current Imperial Fighting Team was no longer what it used to be.

Under Lin Yi's guidance, Yu Tianheng no longer charged blindly, instead focusing more on seizing the right moment to attack. Enduring the slowing effect of the ice rings, he spotted an opening and used a Thunder Dragon Claw to forcibly break through the opponent's defensive formation.

Dugu Yan's Jade Phosphorous Serpent poison had become even more insidious; it was no longer just a simple shroud of poisonous mist, but condensed into tiny, sharp poisonous needles. Combined with the speed of Osler and Yu Feng, they performed precise, lethal strikes that left the members of Skywater Academy unable to defend themselves.

The Black Tortoise shields of the brothers Shi Mo and Shi Mi were as steady as a rock, firmly protecting Ye Lingling in the rear. Meanwhile, the healing light of Ye Lingling's Nine Heart Begonia always fell in time to dispel the cold and recover injuries, granting the Imperial Fighting Team immense endurance.

The most surprising member was Xiao Wu. As the newly joined agility-type soul master, her figure was like a ghost, remaining incredibly nimble even on the ice.

Her Waist Bow and soft techniques played a miraculous role in team coordination, often launching attacks from angles the opponents never expected, interrupting their soul skill casting, or throwing opponents out of formation to create excellent attacking opportunities for Yu Tianheng and the others. Her presence greatly compensated for the Imperial Fighting Team's previous lack of close-quarters agility.

Seeing the situation turning against them, Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu exchanged a look and nodded simultaneously. Intense soul power fluctuations erupted from their bodies as azure and pearly-white lights intertwined and fused!

"Martial Soul Fusion Skill—Ice and Snow Fluttering!"

In an instant, dark clouds gathered over the arena, and countless cold snowflakes mixed with sharp ice crystals swept down. The temperature plummeted, vision became blurred, and the entire arena seemed to transform into an icy hell! This was a powerful fusion skill that even the Shrek Seven Devils in their prime had found troublesome!

Facing this wide-range, terrifyingly powerful Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the members of the Imperial Fighting Team felt immense pressure.

"Defend!" Yu Tianheng roared. Shi Mo and Shi Mi immediately moved to the front, their Black Tortoise shields blooming with earthy-yellow light. Ye Lingling's healing light showered down continuously, resisting the erosion of the cold.

Lin Yi stood on the sidelines, his expression unchanged, observing quietly.

Just as the power of Ice and Snow Fluttering reached its peak, a flash of lightning flickered in Yu Tianheng's eyes; he had found the momentary opening left by Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu as they maintained the fusion skill!

"Now! Thunder Fury! Thunderbolt!"

He violently pushed his soul power to the limit, lightning snakes dancing wildly around his body. He forcibly tore a hole through the ice and snow domain, transforming into a bolt of blue electricity as he charged straight at Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu!

At the same time, Xiao Wu's figure appeared on Shui Bing'er's flank as if teleporting, her Waist Bow activated in an attempt to interrupt her soul power output! Osler and Yu Feng also launched fierce assaults from two other directions!

Facing the sudden eruption and perfectly coordinated multi-point attack from the Imperial Fighting Team, Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu, who were exerting all their effort to maintain the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, could no longer defend themselves.

Boom!

Yu Tianheng's dragon claw and Xiao Wu's Waist Bow struck almost simultaneously!

The domain of Ice and Snow Fluttering collapsed instantly. Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu turned pale and stumbled backward as their fusion skill was forcibly interrupted!

Having lost their strongest fusion skill, Skywater Academy had no power left to resist and was soon defeated.

The sparring match ended; the Imperial Fighting Team was victorious!

The female dean of Skywater Academy looked at the Imperial Fighting Team—who, though somewhat disheveled, possessed a soaring momentum and exquisite coordination—and especially at their young leader, Lin Yi, who stood with a calm gaze and decisive command. Her eyes were filled with astonishment. She had to admit that this Heaven Dou Royal Academy team was far more powerful than they had anticipated.

Leaving Skywater Academy on the return journey, the members of the Imperial Fighting Team were exhausted, but their eyes were filled with excitement and confidence.

Real combat against strong teams allowed them to recognize their own progress and shortcomings more clearly.

Lin Yi looked at Yu Tianheng and the others, saying faintly: "Well done, but there is still room for improvement. Rest for a day; the day after tomorrow, we head to Blazing Fire Academy."

In the days that followed, under Lin Yi's leadership, the Imperial Fighting Team went on a campaign, visiting powerful elemental academies like Blazing Fire Academy, Godwind Academy, and Thunder Academy, as well as other formidable teams.

They remained undefeated, but every sparring match provided them with immense benefits; their team coordination became increasingly refined, and their ability to handle various tactics was greatly enhanced.

Although the successive victories in these sparring matches boosted the confidence and cohesion of the Imperial Fighting Team, the clear ledger in Lin Yi's mind only became more transparent.

Relying solely on the current average strength of Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, and the others, the hope of winning the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament—especially when facing those two behemoths, the Star Luo Empire Royal Team and the Martial Soul Hall Academy team with their Golden Generation—remained slim.

And he wanted that championship reward...