Counterattack

Their next opponent had been decided: the Giant Stone Team, who had defeated them in the elimination round.

But this time, they had sent out their full main lineup. They had three Soul Elders, while the Giant Stone Team only had two.

The two teams ran into each other as soon as they entered the Great Soul Arena.

"Looks like it's you losers again."

The Giant Stone Team's vice-captain could not resist mocking them the moment they met.

He was the Giant Stone Team's second three-ring Soul Elder, as well as a control-type Battle Soul Elder. They had won the elimination match because of his control over the battlefield.

"Hope you can beat us again this time. Otherwise, I'll step on your head and spit on it," Zhang Yang sneered from the side.

Ever since he had joined the soul fighting matches, he had always been on the fringes and had never participated in a single match.

"Heh, what right does a substitute like you have to say that?"

"Vice-Captain, don't waste words on them. We'll beat them again in a moment and make them shut up for good," said a skinny, monkey-faced man beside him.

The Giant Fang Team came from a Soul Master sect called the Giant Stone Sect. Its sect master was a Seven-Ring Soul Saint in his early fifties. Rumor had it that he would become the first Giant Stone Sect master in history to reach Soul Douluo.

"Your teeth got knocked out, so no wonder you're whistling when you talk," Tie Li mocked.

In their previous soul fighting match against the Giant Stone Team, Tie Li had deliberately struck the man's face and knocked out his two front teeth.

This time, Tie Li intended to knock every tooth out of his mouth.

"Hmph, we'll see whose teeth get knocked out." He still deeply resented that incident.

The two teams exchanged looks, then each returned to their own lounge.

The Giant Stone Team's member profiles surfaced once more in Tie Li's mind.

Giant Stone Team: Captain Li Yao, Level 32 Power Attack-type Battle Soul Elder. Martial Soul: Iron-Armed Ape. Soul Ring configuration: one white, one yellow, and one purple.

Vice-Captain Weinuosi, Level 31 control-type Battle Soul Elder. Martial Soul: Ghost Vine. The optimal Soul Ring configuration of two yellow and one purple.

As for Sun Yutao, the skinny monkey whose front teeth Tie Li had knocked out, he was a Level 26 Agility Attack-type Soul Master. His Martial Soul was the Feather Monkey. The only troublesome thing about him was his First Soul Skill, which granted him the ability to fly briefly.

The Feather Monkey had long feathers on its arms, allowing it to glide freely through forests or fly for short periods. Sun Yutao's First Soul Ring came from an avian Soul Beast, which made his First Soul Skill special and gave him temporary flight.

His flying ability, combined with Weinuosi's control Soul Skills, had caused Tie Li and the others considerable trouble.

But this time was different. With Zhang Yang, a three-ring Soul Elder possessing a flying Martial Soul, Sun Yutao would not be able to gain any advantage.

After putting away their personal belongings in the lounge, they headed to the waiting area for the referee's instructions.

"This is once again a team soul fighting match. The two teams are the Rock Team and the Giant Stone Team, which has already defeated the Rock Team once."

The host's opening carried a trace of discrimination, and the referee's expression changed slightly.

Did he not know that the Rock Team belonged to the Great Soul Arena? Did he still want to keep working here?

But the host clearly had not realized he had misspoken and continued hyping up the atmosphere.

Only when he saw the referee step onto the stage did he leave the Soul Fighting Platform.

The moment he stepped down, a staff member approached him and whispered a few words into his ear. His face immediately turned deathly pale.

At the referee's signal, both teams stepped onto the Soul Fighting Platform.

"The soul fight begins!" The referee decisively announced the start of the match.

Both sides released their Martial Souls and Soul Rings at the same time.

When the Giant Stone Team's seven members saw the three Soul Rings circling Zhang Yang, all their expressions changed.

"Damn it, they hid their strength during the elimination round," Weinuosi said through gritted teeth.

But the next second, their hearts sank.

Zhang Yang spread his wings and flew into the air.

In soul fighting matches, flying Soul Masters could not exceed a height of five meters, or they would be considered to have voluntarily forfeited.

The moment they saw that Zhang Yang was a flying Soul Master, they knew things were bad.

The Giant Stone Team relied on Weinuosi's battlefield control and Sun Yutao's aerial interference. Working together, the two were exceptionally troublesome.

And he was not merely a flying Soul Master, but a three-ring Soul Elder.

"Focus fire and eliminate him first," Li Yao said.

Only by eliminating the enemy's flying Soul Master first could they reclaim the advantage.

"Watch out!" Weinuosi cried out.

Tie Li was already before them, the Forging Hammer in his hand blazing with lightning.

Li Yao had long witnessed Tie Li's fearsome Power Attack methods. He was nothing like an ordinary Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster.

His First Soul Ring lit up. His iron arms gleamed with a metallic luster as he concentrated his strength into his fists and slammed them toward Tie Li's hammer.

Bang!

As the two collided, powerful air currents burst outward in every direction.

At that moment, Tie Li's Second Soul Ring lit up.

Second Soul Skill, Thunderclap Break!

Li Yao's expression changed. Having suffered from it once before, he hurriedly unleashed his Third Soul Skill.

The knockback effect of Thunderclap Break, combined with Tie Li's own strength, had made Li Yao suffer badly from that strike last time.

Li Yao's body swelled wildly. Dark light coiled around his power-filled arms, gathering over his fists under his control.

A Millennium Soul Skill against a Hundred-Year Soul Skill—Li Yao did not believe he could lose.

Last time, he had merely been careless and had used his Hundred-Year Soul Skill against the enemy, which was why he had suffered such a heavy loss.

Boom!

Both retreated eight meters. This clash had indeed been evenly matched, but that was not what Li Yao wanted.

How could a Millennium Soul Skill against a Hundred-Year Soul Skill end in nothing more than a draw?

But he had no time to think. Tie Li's side also had a three-ring Power Attack-type Soul Elder.

Wolf claws like wind blades filled his entire vision. He twisted his body aside as far as he could.

Rip! Rip!

Several wounds were torn open across his chest by the wolf claws, and blood streamed down from them.

"Xiao Ke!"

When Li Yao heard Sun Yutao shout, he immediately sensed that something was wrong.

The only Auxiliary Soul Master on his team had been eliminated by the enemy's Agility Attack-type Soul Elder.

The two Defense Soul Masters tasked with protecting the Auxiliary Soul Master had also suffered serious injuries as a result.

From the enemy's posture, they intended to eliminate the injured Defense Soul Masters as well.

"Ah!"

Another scream rang out. Sun Yutao, who had intended to forcibly cooperate with Weinuosi, unleashed his First Soul Skill: flight.

Zhang Yang seized the opportunity, and his Second Soul Ring lit up.

Second Soul Skill, Darkness Impact!

A streak of black light flashed past, striking Sun Yutao squarely in the chest and smashing him viciously into the ground.

Boom!

The sound of his bones breaking could even be heard. Such injuries were enough to rob him of most of his fighting strength.

Dolangbu's Vines and Weinuosi's Ghost Vine tangled together. Dolangbu was at a disadvantage, but his teammates' repeated successes only made his desire for victory burn more fiercely.

As long as they defeated them, they would enter the finals. At worst, they would finish second.