Rule Change, Heavenly Dou Competition for Finals Spot

As the practical training concluded, the dust in the arena slowly settled. Qin Wei, the team leader, turned his gaze toward Lin Fan in the ranks and spoke in a deep voice:

"Lin Fan, in terms of individual combat fundamentals and battle experience, you have now fully met the requirements. There is no need for further specialized individual training."

He shifted his tone, immediately finalizing the subsequent arrangements: "From now on, the entire team will adjust its training program. We are shifting to specialized training for two-on-two coordinated attacks to refine team synergy and synchronize our offensive and defensive rhythms."

"Beyond that, you have only one priority: stabilize and master the forty-nine Star Seeds within your body as quickly as possible. Do not delay."

Lin Fan's expression remained steady as he nodded in immediate agreement.

Li Xiong, Ye Qing, and the other students standing nearby caught the key information in his words, their faces filled with astonishment.

"Forty-nine Star Seeds?"

Unable to suppress the doubt in his heart, Li Xiong stepped forward and asked, "Teacher Qin, we all know that when Lin Fan releases his innate soul skill, he only uses seven Star Seeds. Where did these extra forty-two come from?"

Ye Qing and the other companions also turned their heads, casting their gazes toward Qin Wei, filled with curiosity and an urgent desire to know the reason.

A faint smile touched the corners of Qin Wei's lips as he spoke in a calm, indifferent tone: "Lin Fan's innate martial soul is naturally gifted and extremely rare. What is so strange about it having forty-two extra Star Seeds?"

He deliberately emphasized his tone to remind everyone present: "I might as well tell you plainly: within a month or two, once Lin Fan fully masters all forty-nine Star Seeds, the power of his martial soul's innate soul skill will only grow stronger."

The words landed like a thunderclap, and the entire field erupted in an uproar.

"What? Lin Fan's martial soul actually has a hidden trump card, and it can become significantly stronger again?"

Li Xiong's pupils contracted, his face showing utter disbelief as if he had encountered a supernatural phenomenon, staring straight at Lin Fan beside him.

Ye Qing could not suppress the shock in her heart and asked softly, "Lin Fan, is this true? Can your martial soul really increase the power of your soul skill again?"

Lin Fan nodded candidly, his tone firm: "That's right. My own senses are exceptionally clear. Once I have completely mastered the forty-nine Star Seeds, the power of the soul skills I release will increase by at least several times over."

"Several times over!"

Everyone was shaken to the core upon hearing this. Even the highly experienced Qin Wei could not help but let a flicker of genuine astonishment cross his eyes.

A several-fold increase, layered on top of the bonuses provided by his own soul rings!

With such combat power, the basic soul skills Lin Fan released casually would likely rival the fourth soul skills of others, perhaps even surpassing them!

In an instant, the way everyone looked at Lin Fan changed. Beyond the envy, they began to view him from the bottom of their hearts as a peerless prodigy.

Three days later, within the main assembly hall of the Martial Soul Hall, a solemn pressure permeated the air.

Qian Daoliu sat on the high throne, his holy golden hair draped over his shoulders. His gilded eyes swept calmly over the rows of red-robed bishops seated below, carrying an inherent, imposing majesty.

"Speak, what are your thoughts on this matter?" Qian Daoliu's tone was flat, yet brooked no questioning.

Not long ago, he had received a formal document jointly submitted by the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire. The two great empires had joined forces to exert pressure, intending to change the core rules of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, which was set to begin in a few months.

A senior red-robed bishop was the first to rise and bow, saying in a deep voice, "Your Eminence, in this subordinate's opinion, we can agree to the request of the Heaven Dou and Star Luo empires to cancel the privilege of the three great empires' seed teams advancing directly to the finals."

"Given the overall foundation and strength of the Martial Soul Academy's current students, participating in the preliminary rounds from the very beginning poses no pressure at all; it would merely be a matter of revealing a portion of their combat power early."

He continued his calm analysis, "Furthermore, our academy's students are already a cut above the geniuses of the same age in all the advanced soul master academies within the Heaven Dou and Star Luo empires."

"Experiencing more high-intensity practical combat and tempering their temperament and combat power in the arena will actually be more beneficial to their future cultivation."

After speaking, the red-robed bishop bowed again.

Qian Daoliu glanced at him indifferently, then scanned the hall and asked again, "Does anyone else have a different opinion?"

Hearing this, the red-robed bishops in the hall looked at one another, but in the end, no one else spoke up.

When it came down to it, the joint petition from the Heaven Dou and Star Luo empires might look like a persistent push, but to the deep-rooted Martial Soul Hall, it was not worth mentioning and nothing to fear.

In every previous Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, the Martial Soul Academy had never failed. Every session, they precisely cultivated a core genius of the appropriate age at the Soul Ancestor level to lead the team.

The baseline cultivation for all remaining participating students was firmly at the Soul Ancestor level!

With such a top-tier, formidable lineup, the difficulty of losing to the ordinary geniuses of outside academies was akin to ascending to heaven.

There was only one possibility: among the other participating academies, a carefully cultivated, heaven-defying dark horse with immense talent might have a sliver of a chance to shake the status of the Martial Soul Academy.

Just like in the previous five sessions, the geniuses of the Martial Soul Hall had only reached the Soul Ancestor level, with no Soul Kings appearing.

Yet, in the Star Luo Empire, an owner of an Evil-Eyed White Tiger martial soul at the Soul King level had emerged.

It could be said that it was too easy for the Martial Soul Hall to achieve final victory.

The reason the two empires proposed this was because they wanted to know in advance which students the Martial Soul Academy would be sending to the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, so they could prepare accordingly.

"Since that is the case, then we shall follow the reforms of the Heaven Dou and Star Luo empires. In the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, all seed teams will have their direct qualification to the finals canceled. Our Martial Soul Academy students will start from the preliminary rounds."

Qian Daoliu made the final decision.

The meeting was not yet over, as there was still one more matter to discuss.

"From which region shall our Martial Soul Academy qualify for the finals?"

Qian Daoliu asked calmly.

The most important matter had been decided, and now the bishops spoke up one after another.

"Your Eminence, I think we can choose the Star Luo Empire. After all, the style of the Star Luo Empire is to fight through combat. Facing the Star Luo Royal Academy team in advance will naturally provide motivation for those little ones."

The bishop of the Martial Soul Hall in Star Luo City, Star Luo Empire, spoke up.

"Your Holiness, I believe we should head to the Heaven Dou Empire to secure our tournament entry."

The bishop of the Martial Soul Hall in Heaven Dou City spoke up, "In recent years, the Heaven Dou Royal Academy of the Heaven Dou Empire has recruited geniuses from the Clear Sky Sect, the Blue Lightning Overlord Dragon family, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"Especially the Clear Sky Sect; that Tang Hao from the Clear Sky Sect will likely participate in this Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament."

"According to our intelligence, that Tang Hao has already reached level 38, and Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has already reached level 42."

"If we continue to let them grow unchecked, they will surely become major rivals to our Martial Soul Hall in the future."

"Tang Hao? Ning Fengzhi?" Qian Daoliu murmured.

He had heard of these two geniuses; both possessed Innate Full Soul Power, and it would be no problem for Tang Hao to become a Title Douluo in the future.

However, this Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would at most become a seven-ring Soul Saint, yet with his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, his amplification for soul masters was immense.

After all, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was one of the strongest support-type martial souls on the continent!

"Then we shall go to the Heaven Dou Empire," Qian Daoliu said slowly.

As for where they went, it actually made little difference.

For the geniuses of the Martial Soul Academy, it mattered not where they went; they would secure the final championship regardless!