The first contestant was eliminated.
But it wasn't anyone from Ji Siyuan's team.
Wu Feng was sent flying by Wang Dong'er's Butterfly Goddess Light.
The battle took another turn.
Even though everyone was holding back, Ning Tian still felt the situation shouldn't have turned out this way.
Where had things gone wrong? She couldn't figure it out.
Du Weilun entered the arena again. He had just rescued Wu Feng, and now he was here to save Huang Chutian.
Ji Siyuan's vortex had caught Huang Chutian, and Yang Fire immediately followed.
Du Weilun knew full well that Huang Chutian wouldn't be able to block it, so he stepped in to rescue him.
Huang Chutian didn't protest. He'd been roasted into submission. He'd also experienced the power of Ultimate Fire, and now regretted choosing to gang up on Ji Siyuan.
"If we'd teamed up with Ji Siyuan's group, we could've at least scraped our way to third. Maybe even second."
Regrets were useless. At that moment, he could only rely on his two teammates.
Ning Tian had also figured out the problem.
Ji Siyuan was simply too strong on his own. Their three Soul Elders were being suppressed, so they'd sent Huang Chutian over, leaving no one on the other battlefield who could hold Wang Dong'er in check.
"Take Nanmen Yun'er out!" Ji Siyuan suddenly called out to Huo Yuhao and the others.
Of all of them, Ning Tian was the most shocked by this suggestion. Nanmen Yun'er was the other member of their team.
If Nanmen Yun'er went down, Ning Tian would be the only one left.
There was no way she could win the championship.
The twin sisters and Cui Yajie displayed their control abilities in perfect sync.
The three of them, together with Nanmen Yun'er, sent two Soul Masters from Xiao Xiao's team flying out of the arena.
That made four eliminations.
Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao also teamed up to eliminate two members of Xie Huanyue's team.
Their side had two control types and one assault type, while the opposing team had three control types and one assault type.
Yan Shaozhe said, "The battle's really heating up. The Soul Elders are fighting fiercely over here, and it's no less intense over there."
Qian Duoduo said, "They planned it well: four teams against one. But they're holding back too much. Zhu Lu still hasn't shown what she can do; she's been holding back the whole time. I remember those twin sisters have a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, but they haven't used it either. They've given Ji Siyuan's team an opening."
Du Weilun said, "Everyone wants the championship. Zhu Lu is saving her Soul Power because Dai Huabin is the main force against Ji Siyuan, and he's using up a lot of Soul Power."
A melee tested more than just fighting ability. It also tested command, battlefield awareness, and even communication and planning.
Xiao Xiao knew that if the four teams really joined forces to take out Ji Siyuan's team, she would be next.
She could only bet that Ji Siyuan's team had the strength to carry them through.
"Take Nanmen Yun'er out!"
Huo Yuhao went with Ji Siyuan's suggestion. He'd just used a Mental Shock, which had drained a lot of his mental strength, and he needed some time to recover.
Xiao Xiao switched martial souls and used the Nine Phoenix Flute to slow their opponents down.
Nanmen Yun'er immediately felt it become much harder to move.
Wang Dong'er acted at once, using Wing Guillotine to eliminate Nanmen Yun'er.
Although they'd used up a lot of Soul Power, the battle was already turning in their favor.
Ning Tian said, "We have to use our final plan. We can't hold back any longer. Dai Huabin, I'll support you. Xie Huanyue, go stop Huo Yuhao."
Dai Huabin was deeply dissatisfied.
Even with Ning Tian supporting him, he couldn't take down Ji Siyuan. He'd even been suppressed.
It was hard for him to swallow.
Zhu Lu hurried over to Dai Huabin.
They still had their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
Xie Huanyue's task was much simpler: stop Huo Yuhao.
Ji Siyuan said, "Don't come over. I can handle this myself."
His words sent Dai Huabin into a fury. "You can handle it? I'd like to see how! Zhu Lu!"
The Hell Spirit Cat appeared in front of Dai Huabin. They were ready to unleash their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
"Without a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, let's see how you deal with ours!"
Ji Siyuan ignored Dai Huabin and instead tried to persuade the twin sisters. "Lan Susu, Lan Luoluo, look at the situation clearly. Who's really your opponent?"
Ji Siyuan's original plan had been to eliminate Nanmen Yun'er, stripping Ning Tian of any chance at the championship.
Second or third place made little difference to Ning Tian.
But he'd overlooked something: Ning Tian's pride.
She couldn't accept that even with two Soul Elders supporting her, she couldn't suppress a single Soul Grandmaster.
She was determined to take Ji Siyuan down, even if it meant missing the top three.
When Ji Siyuan saw that Ning Tian remained unmoved, he knew he had to persuade someone else.
The only reward he could offer was third place. After all, second place had to go to Xiao Xiao, who had come to their rescue when they were in need.
"You've got time to worry about everyone else? You should be figuring out how to survive our Martial Soul Fusion Skill first!" Dai Huabin wrapped his arms around Zhu Lu, and the Hell White Tiger appeared.
It was one of the three great Martial Soul Fusion Skills among the first-year students.
Ning Tian lit up all three of her Soul Rings and boosted the Hell White Tiger.
"Hell White Tiger Kill!"
Nine Lotus Seeds circled around Ji Siyuan. "How am I going to deal with it? I'll show you! Second Soul Skill, Blazing Fire Lotus!"
Along the Hell White Tiger's path, the earth melted, and red lotuses bloomed from the ground.
Not just one, but three—magnificent and dazzling.
Pillars of fiery red light shot up from the earth!
Dai Huabin was reckless. He chose to force his way through the Blazing Fire Lotus and pounce on Ji Siyuan.
"I've been giving you too much face!" Ji Siyuan gathered all his Soul Power and conjured a red lotus beneath his feet.
The Fire Demon Vortex combined with the Blazing Fire Lotus, forming a double assault.
Yan Shaozhe immediately entered the arena, light power coiling around his hands.
While this fight raged, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er were fighting too.
Wang Dong'er avoided the twin sisters and charged at Cui Yajie.
Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo exchanged a glance, unable to decide.
Xie Huanyue charged at Huo Yuhao.
At Huo Yuhao's signal, Xiao Xiao moved away.
"We've won!" That was what Xie Huanyue thought before he reached Huo Yuhao.
The Hell White Tiger would defeat Ji Siyuan, and Xie Huanyue would take Huo Yuhao out with him.
Wang Dong'er and Dai Huabin would be too drained to fight, leaving Ning Tian to fend for herself.
He would be the final champion.
"Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Heavenly Net!"
The twin sisters made their choice.
They changed sides and restrained Xie Huanyue.
Once Xie Huanyue was dealt with, they, together with Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong'er, and Xiao Xiao, would have four control types and one assault type. They might not lose to Dai Huabin, who was severely drained and probably couldn't fight again.
The other side was less certain. After defeating Ji Siyuan's team, they would still have Xie Huanyue, Zhu Lu, and Ning Tian to face. The two sisters would inevitably become the focus of everyone's attacks, and would most likely miss the top three.
The battles ended at the same time.
Half of Yan Shaozhe's clothes were in tatters, while the other half had been burned away.
"I shouldn't have stepped in," he said, then flashed away with Dai Huabin, leaving Zhu Lu and Ji Siyuan behind.
Ji Siyuan sat on the ground, panting heavily. Zhu Lu looked utterly bewildered.
There was no doubt about it: their Martial Soul Fusion Skill had lost this time.
The state of their clothes also made the difference in strength between the two sides clear.
After the first round of the Blazing Fire Lotus, the Hell White Tiger's power had dropped dramatically.
And Ji Siyuan had still managed to unleash another Fire Demon Vortex and Blazing Fire Lotus.
"If I weren't Level 23, I really wouldn't have been able to use that last Fire Demon Vortex."
The outcome was now crystal clear.
Ning Tian also gave up her futile struggle and conceded.
Zhu Lu decided to take one more shot and see if she could take Xiao Xiao down, but the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron pinned her in place.
Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo conceded too, taking third place.
Xiao Xiao said, "You're really amazing. So I'm in second place now. I never thought our team would come second."
As the only girl openly recognized as a member of their team, Wang Dong'er took the initiative to go over and talk.
"I didn't expect it either. And I'm grateful to your team, too."
Xiao Xiao raised her hand. "I concede."