The Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena was packed to the rafters today.
Ever since the announcement had gone out, the audience had been looking forward to this match for three days straight.
A rising star of the Great Soul Arena taking on an established team.
There was bound to be something worth watching.
Inside VIP Room One, the members of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy team exchanged glances.
"Boss, I heard that Murong Ci is a three-ring Soul Master, with purple, purple, and black Soul Rings. He's probably even stronger than that Tang San."
A blond young man leaned against the wall, his face grave.
"Yu Feng, why are you boosting the other side's morale and dampening our own before the match? We'll give it our all and let our strength speak for itself."
A young woman spoke, a faint chill in her voice.
She was Dugu Yan, the vice-captain of the Imperial Fighting Team. At that moment, she was looking down at the roster.
"Lingling, be sure to stay close to the captain and heal him during the fight. I'll use poison to support our offense."
Without looking up, she gave the order to a young woman in the corner.
"Got it."
The green-eyed woman in the corner nodded.
"All right, guys. Time to head out!"
Yu Tianheng sprang to his feet and called everyone over as they made their way to the Soul Fighting Arena.
In VIP Room Two, Murong Ci watched Huo Ling'er trembling from head to toe. The Yun Hai brothers couldn't help frowning.
"Come on, you three. Keep your spirits up. The crown prince called this a match to give us some pointers, but you can't learn a thing if you're this worked up."
"Exactly. And you're students of Blazing Fire Academy, for crying out loud. We've got A-Ci with us, so what's there to be afraid of? Let's get out there!"
Huo Wu stood up, ready to lead the three of them out.
"Captain... What should we do?"
"Support Huo Wu. Make sure you stay safe."
The fourteen of them stepped onto the platform, to the roar of the crowd.
"Osler, go after those three Soul Grandmasters in a moment. Take out the weakest one, then focus on the strongest."
Yu Tianheng gave his instructions, clearly confident in Osler.
He was sure Osler was fast.
"Little bro, keep an eye on the one in white."
Murong Ci beckoned Feng Xiaotian over.
"Begin!"
The moment the host spoke, everyone released their Martial Souls.
Grey light swirled around Murong Ci, shimmering and curling about him.
"Crimson Flame Pillar!"
Murong Ci raised a hand and swept it outward. A pillar of fire shot into the sky and surged toward the center of the Imperial Fighting Team.
"Fall back!"
Yu Tianheng shouted. The seven of them quickly spread out, leaving a gap in their formation.
As the seven were distracted by the pillar of fire, Huo Yun refused to be outdone. He gripped his spear and thrust it at their support, Ye Lingling.
"Clang!"
The spear struck a hard tortoiseshell. It was the Shi Brothers, Shi Mo and Shi Mo.
Yu Tianheng had ordered them to protect Ye Lingling.
Seeing the three of them tied up, Osler noticed the Fire Bell Soul Master still swaying it toward Huo Wu.
This was one of the Fire Bell's two skills, boosting the power of fire-based attacks.
The seven had studied the Soul Skills of Murong Ci and his companions, so they could naturally tell what it did.
Huo Wu's attacks were already powerful. With the Fire Bell on top of that, she was like a tiger with wings.
Osler didn't waste another thought. He unleashed his Ghost Leopard Martial Soul at full force.
"Ghost Leopard Clone!"
In an instant, three shadowy Ghost Leopards appeared, charging toward Huo Ling'er along different paths.
But Feng Xiaotian was already watching them from above.
How could Osler's movements possibly escape his notice?
"Wind Blade Array!"
Several wind blades flew toward the spot where Osler was.
Osler was visibly startled. He hurriedly tried to dodge, but one of the wind blades struck him and sent him flying backward.
"Give me a break. I might not be able to beat Murong Ci, but I can sure beat you. What kind of trash thinks they can challenge me in speed?"
Huo Wu hadn't said a word. She watched Feng Xiaotian circling overhead.
Her heart was a tangle of emotions.
A-Ci had told her to coordinate with Feng Xiaotian.
Wind and fire together could create the wind's swiftness and the fire's ferocity, making their power even greater.
She trusted A-Ci.
"Feng Xiaotian!"
"Coming!"
Feng Xiaotian led the attack while Huo Wu supplied a surge of frenzied fire energy.
Eighteen Consecutive Slashes of the Gale Demon Wolf!
Unlike its usual fierce assault, this time the attack clearly carried the destructive power of fire.
"Not bad. You're a quick study."
Murong Ci offered his assessment, pleased.
Then he looked toward their captain, Yu Tianheng.
The captain's strength would decide the outcome of the match.
"Captain, the Nine Heart Begonia will keep supporting you."
Ye Lingling reminded Yu Tianheng, then winked at Dugu Yan, who still hadn't made a move.
Dugu Yan began gathering her strength as well.
Her Martial Soul was the Jade Phosphorous Serpent, inherited from Poison Douluo Dugu Bo. It was a highly venomous Soul Beast.
[Hey, you could get on good terms with Dugu Yan. Then, when you meet Dugu Bo later, you'll already have an introduction. But it's up to you, of course. I won't interfere.]
Hmm... Good idea. But first, let's fight.
"Murong Ci, I want you to know that the Imperial Fighting Team doesn't take kindly to being given pointers!"
"Third Soul Skill, Thunder Fury!"
Dragon scales appeared across Yu Tianheng's body, especially thick over his right hand.
"Thunder Dragon Claw!"
Blue-violet scales unlike the others appeared over Yu Tianheng's right hand, and his nails lengthened into claws.
"Thunderbolt!"
As he unleashed his second Soul Skill, faint arcs of lightning coiled around his claws.
Yu Tianheng gave a cold snort and charged at Murong Ci.
But Murong Ci only curled his lips into a smile and murmured a few indistinct words.
"Yongzhen, Imprint!"
[ Ding—Lightning attribute recorded in Yongzhen. Congratulations, host.]
"Got what I came for."
Murong Ci smiled in satisfaction, his gaze turning cold.
His second Soul Skill, Ice Scorpion Pincer, activated, meeting Thunder Dragon Claw head-on.
Ice and lightning clashed. The heat of their collision sent steam bursting outward.
Just as the two stood locked in a stalemate, Dugu Yan opened her eyes.
"Third Soul Skill, Jade Phosphorous Purple Poison!"
The Jade Phosphorous Serpent behind Dugu Yan spewed poisonous purple mist from its mouth, blanketing the arena in moments.
Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang, and Feng Xiaotian were caught off guard while attacking the Shi Brothers nearby. In an instant, the poison cloud engulfed them.
Before long, it had spread all the way to Murong Ci.
"In a team battle, Yanzi is invincible!"
Yu Tianheng said coldly, his gaze chilling.
But Murong Ci's next words sent a chill down his spine.
"Had enough? My turn."
Ice Scorpion Pincer flared at full power, instantly hurling Thunder Dragon Claw away.
Without pausing, Murong Ci's ever-present grey light turned icy blue.
A bone-deep chill shot straight to the crown of his head.
"Ultimate Ice fears no poison!"
Murong Ci shouted, circulating his ice-attribute Soul Power at full force.
Frost welled up from beneath Murong Ci's feet, and countless icy currents gathered, freezing the entire arena.
[Compared to the Eternal Frozen Domain, this is still a long way off. Keep working at it.]
The poison was dispelled in an instant.
Dugu Yan's face was deathly pale. She had clearly been badly hurt.
Yet a wave of pleasure rose in her heart, tingling and numb, making her unable to suppress a moan.
"The crown prince said he'd give you pointers, so pointers you'll get."
Murong Ci chuckled, but his words carried a chill that made everyone's blood run cold.
"Third Soul Skill! Hundred Years in an Instant!"
The third Soul Ring, black as lacquer and ink, glimmered at his feet, sending a chill down everyone's backs.
In the blink of an eye, all seven members of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy were swallowed by a deep pool of black-green.
Three seconds. Only three seconds passed in the outside world, yet when the seven emerged into daylight again, every one of them was pale as a sheet.
"Got you!"
Murong Ci beckoned, and the seven members of Blazing Fire Academy came out from beneath the platform.
Applause rang out behind them.
"You all did great. We're having a feast tonight!"
Murong Ci smiled and held out his hand to everyone.
"Yeah!"