Imperial Fighting Team Selection Match

"Zhou Tong, you performed well this time."

"However, your cultivation is progressing too quickly; you need to participate in more real combat to consolidate your foundation."

"Go to the Imperial Fighting Team, train alongside them, and join the soul fights to hone your practical combat skills."

His teacher, Dugu Bo, left Zhou Tong with this task.

Shortly after.

Upon returning to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Zhou Tong did not rush into cultivation, but instead pondered how to complete the second trial of the Thunder God Divine Trial.

This divine trial required him to obtain a hundred-thousand-year Thunderous Hell Vine martial soul within three years.

Slaying a Thunderous Hell Vine was difficult, but not entirely impossible.

After all, Zhou Tong had Dugu Bo as his bodyguard.

The real challenge lay in how to safely absorb a hundred-thousand-year soul ring.

Beyond the immense pressure the soul power would exert on his physical body, there was the challenge posed by its formidable spiritual power.

A hundred-thousand-year soul beast possessed its own consciousness, and before death, it would undoubtedly launch a frenzied assault on the soul master.

Therefore, Zhou Tong needed to significantly strengthen both his physical body and his spiritual power.

Currently, my physical body and spiritual power seem to have reached a bottleneck. Perhaps going to the Soul Fighting Arena for some tempering and life-and-death combat will accelerate my breakthrough.

The Heaven Dou Royal Academy was about to hold a soul master selection competition.

Zhou Tong had promised Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling that they would enter the Heaven Dou Royal Academy together, and now was the time to officially go.

After a brief rest, Zhou Tong changed into a clean, sharp black outfit, with a belt inlaid with thunder patterns fastened around his waist.

He looked strikingly handsome.

Standing before the mirror, Zhou Tong's gaze was profound, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile.

"Heaven Dou Royal Team, here I come!"

Zhou Tong went out, met up with Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan, and the three of them headed toward the soul fighting zone of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

At this moment, the soul fighting zone was already packed with people, as a large number of academy soul masters had gathered there, eager to witness the prowess of the team's soul masters.

On the guest platform for the soul master selection competition, Zhou Tong spotted several distinguished figures.

One of them was a middle-aged man with a gentle, jade-like demeanor and an elegant temperament. He wore a long white robe and watched the crowd with deep, thoughtful eyes.

This person was none other than Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Standing beside him were two powerful soul masters.

One was a broad-shouldered, pale-faced, and sturdy-looking defense-type soul master: Bone Douluo Gu Rong.

The other was an elderly man dressed in a snow-white robe with a silver ribbon tied around his waist. His hair and beard were completely white, his silver hair cascading down to his waist, and he exuded an awe-inspiring aura. This was Sword Douluo Chen Xin.

"Teacher, Your Excellency Sword, Your Excellency Bone, it is truly an honor for the academy that the three of you could come."

Dressed in the formal attire of a Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe looked handsome and gentle as he engaged the three in conversation.

This person was the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe, who was being impersonated by the "angel" from the original story.

Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi smiled warmly: "Since Qinghe extended the invitation, how could your teacher not come?"

"Besides, I heard that several prodigies are participating this time, so it is a perfect opportunity for my daughter to meet them, lest Rongrong become too arrogant."

Ning Fengzhi had long received word that Dugu Bo's granddaughter Dugu Yan, the genius youth Zhou Tong, and Ye Lingling of the Ye Family would all appear at this selection competition.

Therefore, he simply had Ning Rongrong participate as well.

Ning Rongrong had been spoiled at home, turning into a little witch whom no one could restrain, which had fostered a willful personality.

Even Ning Fengzhi found her troublesome.

Every time he wanted to discipline Ning Rongrong according to family law, he would encounter obstruction from the two elders.

Facing this daughter who possessed peerless talent but was exceptionally willful, Ning Fengzhi was at his wit's end.

Taking advantage of the Imperial Fighting Team's recruitment of new members, he had coaxed Ning Rongrong into participating in the selection, hoping the geniuses within the team would teach her a lesson.

He wanted to see if he could straighten out her temperament.

He was particularly interested in Zhou Tong.

He had heard that this was a genius of the assault system, gifted with extraordinary talent and a very unyielding personality.

If Rongrong encountered Zhou Tong, perhaps she would learn to restrain herself.

Just then, a hoarse voice tinged with mockery cut in: "Yo, I wondered who was putting on such a grand display; so it's Sect Master Ning."

"Old Bone, shouldn't you be at home looking after the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect instead of running to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy to watch the show?"

Dugu Bo appeared on the guest platform out of nowhere and arrived before Ning Fengzhi and the others. He glanced at the three of them and unceremoniously found a seat.

Seeing this, Xue Qinghe and Ning Fengzhi both bowed slightly to show their respect.

"Your Excellency Poison."

Gu Rong, standing to the side, snorted coldly: "Old Poison, your tongue is as sharp as ever."

"Today, the three of us were invited by His Highness Xue, and we even brought Rongrong along, just to meet that precious disciple of yours."

"Rongrong is the greatest genius our sect has seen in hundreds of years, Old Poison. Don't feel too much pressure."

Bone Douluo Gu Rong said with a smile.

"Pressure?"

"My disciple is ten years old with thirty-two levels of soul power. Does your Ning Rongrong have such talent?"

"Ten years old and thirty-two levels?"

A flash of surprise crossed Ning Fengzhi's eyes, and his gaze instantly shifted to Zhou Tong, who was waiting below.

"Congratulations, Your Excellency Dugu, for taking in such a genius disciple. My Ning Rongrong will have to interact more with your disciple in the future."

Ning Fengzhi said on the spot.

This talent was truly terrifying; it was absolutely the potential of a Titled Douluo.

He must ensure Rongrong befriended this genius.

Xue Qinghe also looked toward Zhou Tong, his gaze sweeping over him repeatedly, though it was unclear what he was thinking.

However, Gu Rong remained unconvinced.

"Good talent is one thing, but whether he's actually capable depends on the results of real combat."

"You old bag of bones, you really are stubborn."

Dugu Bo laughed heartily, and the two began a fierce verbal exchange.

At this moment.

Within the crowd, Yu Tianheng of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect slowly stepped into the Soul Fighting Arena.

Seeing him appear, the crowd began to discuss him one after another.

"Yu Tianheng is the soul master with the most potential in the Imperial Fighting Team."

"It's said that he is very likely to be the next captain."

"The old captain is about to step down; perhaps the new captain will be decided today."

"Then Yu Tianheng must be the one."

Listening to the rising and falling discussions of the crowd, Yu Tianheng's expression remained as calm as an ancient well, showing no reaction; he did not care about their chatter at all.

He scanned the crowd, and finally, his gaze landed on Zhou Tong, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling.

A flicker of wariness flashed in Yu Tianheng's eyes.

His goal was actually to win over Dugu Yan and pull Dugu Bo into his camp.

The best way to do that was to win Dugu Yan's heart.

Previously, Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan had been on good terms, and the two had nearly entered a romantic relationship.

But the sudden appearance of Zhou Tong had interrupted everything.