No exchange.
Something was wrong!
The moment the battle began, Tang Wu had a nagging feeling that something was off.
The opposing Heaven Dou Royal Team seemed to have an uncanny grasp of timing, and their attacks and retreats were perfectly coordinated.
It was as if they had already figured out his team's habits and reactions.
Their targeted tactics were far too obvious, almost as if someone had leaked their information in advance.
Phoenix Fire Line, ah... ptooey—
And yet.
The flames that had once been unstoppable were now blocked without a scratch by the Shi Brothers.
Ma Hongjun turned to Tang Wu and said helplessly:
"This isn't working. My attacks aren't doing anything at all. They're switching to defense too quickly."
"Hang in there. There's bound to be a weak spot in that turtle shell. Just keep them occupied..."
Tang Wu tried to find an opening.
But Yu Tianheng and the others kept him under tight guard whenever they saw him, and for a while, he couldn't find a single opportunity.
The battle came to a stalemate.
From his box in the Spirit Fighting Arena, Gangzi looked down on the scene.
Seeing Tang Wu in trouble, he laughed with delight.
"Hahaha, Tang Wu, so you can have a day like this after all! You dared to bet against me? You think you're worthy?"
"Just you wait. I'll pay you back a hundred, a thousand times over for the pain you inflicted on me."
As he spoke, his voice dropped low, his face dark as ink.
But just then, Flender seemed to deliberately pour cold water on him and said:
"Judging by how things are going, Xiao Gang, you've won your bet with Tang Wu."
"What if—just what if—they turn things around at the very last moment..."
"Impossible! That's absolutely impossible!"
Before Flender could finish, Gangzi cut him off, eyes blazing with fury.
His eyes were bloodshot, the veins on his forehead bulging. He gritted his teeth like a demon that had crawled out of hell.
And then...
Gangzi pointed at the table in front of him and swore:
"If Tang Wu wins, if he can turn defeat into victory in this situation..."
"Then I, Yu Xiaogang, the great theoretician of the Martial Soul world, will eat this table right here, right now."
"I swear on my Martial Soul. If I break this oath, I'll never advance even a fraction of a level in Soul Power for the rest of my life."
666!
Just say you want a free meal.
While Gangzi was busy eating and drinking on someone else's dime, the battle in the Spirit Fighting Arena was reaching its climax.
"Give it up. You can't beat us."
"How could mere Blue Silver Grass stand a chance against the greatest Beast Martial Soul in the world, the Lightning Tyrant Dragon?"
Blue lightning flickered over Yu Tianheng's right hand, casting shifting shadows across his face.
Thunderous Might was powerful, and it also carried a numbing effect that could greatly weaken its targets.
Things weren't looking good for Tang Wu. Though he dodged most of the lightning, some of it still managed to graze him.
Several wounds covered his body, giving off the smell of charred flesh.
Just as Yu Tianheng thought victory was assured, Tang Wu suddenly said:
"Not necessarily..."
"Team, execute the Power Bank Tactic!"
At Tang Wu's call, Tang San stopped entangling with Dugu Yan and came to join him.
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun exchanged a glance. They both gave up on the tough turtle shells they had been struggling to crack and quickly moved toward him.
"Second Soul Skill, Blue Silver Connection."
Tang San released strands of energy, swiftly linking Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun.
After practicing countless times, Tang San had become adept at the technique, greatly improving the efficiency of the energy transfer.
The time it took to convert the energy had also been shortened.
In just three seconds, he converted the Soul Power from the hidden energy reserves on their backs and channeled it to Tang Wu.
"Oh? I'll wait and see what tricks you can pull off."
However.
Watching Tang Wu and the others, Yu Tianheng didn't stop them. Instead, he folded his arms and waited with a relaxed air.
Only when the fluctuations of Soul Power around them grew stronger did he suddenly realize something was wrong.
As Soul Power flowed into him without end, Tang Wu's watery-blue hair rapidly grew, and his body shot up by a whole head.
Even his once-youthful face grew more mature.
In a few short seconds, he had grown from a boy into an adult.
"I feel incredible. I've never felt this good before..."
Tang Wu rotated his left wrist, savoring the Soul Power continually filling his body, and spoke with satisfaction.
His voice carried a blend of tones, both young and mature.
With the Soul Power of Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun layered together, his own Soul Power briefly surged to level 45, making him a Soul Ancestor.
It might have been only a six-level increase, but the boost to his combat strength was on a whole different scale.
"Wait, I was just talking big. How did you actually pull off something this crazy?"
Yu Tianheng stared at Tang Wu's transformation in disbelief.
He'd just been running his mouth. Who knew the other side could actually pull it off?
Of course.
Part of it was Yu Tianheng's arrogance.
But more than that, he simply couldn't imagine what kind of bizarre reaction a combination of White Tiger, Phoenix, and Blue Silver Grass could produce.
After all.
It made no sense at all!
"You guys were pretty cocky just now. Come on, then!"
"Bring it on! Like I'm afraid of you!"
Faced with Tang Wu's provocation, hot-tempered Dugu Yan immediately voiced her defiance.
A huge cloud of green mist sprayed from her mouth.
The green mist looked eerie, but it was actually laced with deadly neurotoxic venom. Ordinary people would die on contact, or suffer grievous injury from even a touch.
And yet.
Faced with the deadly poison, Tang Wu's expression remained as calm as still water.
His third Soul Skill activated. Flying Wing Soaring Grass appeared, but this time he didn't use it to fly. Instead, he fitted it over his hand.
The huge leaf spun, generating a powerful gale that blew the poisonous mist back.
"Holy crap, it's coming back!!!"
"Sister Yan, quick! Take back your power!"
The Heaven Dou Royal Team's members stared wide-eyed at the sight.
They knew just how dangerous Dugu Yan's poisonous mist was, and they shouted in terror.
But that wasn't all...
The Flying Wing Soaring Grass in Tang Wu's hand transformed into a Blue Silver Overlord Spear.
Its spearhead also carried the sharpness of the White Tiger Martial Soul, further enhancing its Armor Break ability.
Tang Wu tossed it casually. Yu Tianheng had to expend a tremendous amount of effort just to block it.
Yet that attack, which he had barely managed to withstand with all his might, was nothing more than an ordinary strike from Tang Wu.
Skills had no cooldown, and using them in succession cost no energy.
Even more terrifying, Blue Silver Grass could call upon the Martial Soul traits of two other teammates and produce different effects in battle.
How was that not unfair?
You might as well just declare them the winners.
Yu Tianheng: 666. I've made myself one hell of a daddy.
Fortunately.
The Heaven Dou Royal Academy team still had the Shi Brothers, who possessed the "strongest" defense.
Relying on their formidable defenses, they were just barely able to withstand the rain of skills.