What? Another Forfeit?!
In the third round of the draw, Ye Hua casually picked up a bamboo stick, and the words "[Skywater Team]" were clearly engraved on it.
"Tianshui again?" Ning Rongrong leaned closer. "We played in the Preliminary Tournament, and now we're facing each other again in the finals?"
"It's fate," Ye Hua said, placing the bamboo skewer on the ground. "Get ready to go on stage!"
"I still won't play. I believe in you guys!"
Led by Ye Hua, the Long Night Team arrived on time to await the battle.
But even after the referee raised the flag, the Skywater Team's waiting area remained empty.
The chief referee frowned and sent someone to urge them on.
A moment later, the messenger returned, panting, and whispered a few words to him.
The chief referee, with a strange expression, cleared his throat.
"Skywater Team, forfeit!"
"Long Night Team advances to the top six!"
Ye Hua:???
Long Night Team:???
Not again?!
Chihuo forfeited, and Tianshui also forfeited?
We advanced to the top six without playing a single game?
Boos erupted from the audience.
"Abstaining again? Are you kidding me?!"
"They forfeited in the Preliminary Tournament, and they forfeited in the finals? Is the Skywater Team here for a vacation?"
"The Skywater Team must have some players!"
"Wait! Someone's here! They have people in the Hou War Zone!"
Everyone's eyes turned to look.
But then the girl skipped over and bowed slightly to the crowd.
"It's the acting captain, Shui Yue'er!" Someone recognized the girl's identity.
"Acting captain of the Skywater Team," the referee frowned, "Please state the reason for your forfeit."
Shui Yue'er smiled and said, "My sister has some health issues, and as the acting team leader, I have to be responsible for the team members."
"Everyone did their best, and there are no regrets. To avoid unnecessary injuries, we have decided to forfeit!"
The boos grew louder.
If you can't win, then don't fight?
Cowardice?
It seems the Skywater Team is nothing special!
Only Ye Hua vaguely sensed that something was amiss.
He also stayed to watch the game a couple of days ago.
The captain and vice-captain of the Skywater Team, Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu, did not take the stage.
Every time, it was Shui Yue'er who led the remaining team members in the fight, even getting injured in the process.
"Don't rush back later," Ye Hua said cautiously, "Wait for the Kamikaze Team to take the field!"
The people surrounding him, the teams fighting alongside him, except for the Royal Team, all deliberately avoided him.
Something's fishy! There's definitely something fishy going on!
Fortunately, the next match is between the Kamikaze Team and the Star Luo Team.
But what Ye Hua saw was still the original lineup of the Kamikaze Team.
"Tsk," Ye Hua stood up abruptly, "Let's go!"
"Not watching anymore?" Xiao Wu blinked.
Ye Hua shook his head, "They've hidden it well. You'll find out the day after tomorrow!"
"If I'm not mistaken, the Spirit Hall will definitely arrange for us to face off against the Kamikaze Team the day after tomorrow!"
"Isn't it supposed to be a lottery?" Meng Yiran asked, confused.
But then she realized what was happening and frowned.
Ning Rongrong murmured, "It can't be that dark, can it?"
"What are you saying?" Oscar, his eyes clear.
"Who knows?" Ye Hua ignored him. "I'm playing the day after tomorrow, and—"
"Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Wang Qiu'er, Meng Yiran, Oscar!"
Ye Hua sneered, "So this is the Spirit Hall's little scheme!"
The merger of the Blazing Fire Team and the Kamikaze Team was within his expectations.
But if Skywater Academy is doing the same thing, and the Spirit Hall isn't interfering, then that's interesting!
The number three is a very subtle one.
"Two" may be a tentative first step, but it can also be a wild sprint after the trial!
Could the Xue Ye play like this?
Come on, let's call on all teams to join Imperial Fighting Team!
Then the most brilliant genius in the entire empire went to fight the Spirit Hall Team!
May I?
Would they be willing to do that?
Isn't this bullying?!
The reason why the Spirit Hall agreed is self-evident.
Let's manipulate things behind the scenes and arrange for them to run into the "new" Kamikaze Team!
This is a good opportunity to test his cards!
"Fine," Ye Hua's eyes narrowed slightly, "Doesn't Feng Xiaotian realize he's being used as a pawn?"
"The Spirit Hall plotted against me? Then you're finished."
"I'll gladly accept the three ten- Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone as prizes for the grand finals, and I'll give you an even bigger gift in the future!"
A wicked smile crept across Ye Hua's lips as an image of a certain drunkard flashed through his mind.
Sure enough, the morning after tomorrow.
Long Night Team vs. Kamikaze Team.
A commotion suddenly broke out in the waiting area!
"That's... the Kamikaze Team?"
"Holy crap! Cheating!"
Xiao Wu tiptoed and followed the crowd's gaze, then froze in shock.
At the entrance to the waiting area for the Kamikaze Team, Feng Xiaotian stood at the very front.
But the faces following behind them left everyone looking at each other in bewilderment.
Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang.
Shui Bing'er, Xue Wu.
They were originally core members of the Blazing Fire Team and the Skywater Team!
At this moment, they all stood in neat rows, perfectly aligned with the Kamikaze Team!
"Holy crap?" Oscar's eyes widened. "What are they doing?"
"Exploiting loopholes in the rules," Ye Hua said calmly. "It's not like we haven't done it before. Didn't Huang Yuan and the others do the same thing, transferring to our team?"
Ning Rongrong exclaimed indignantly, "Too cunning!"
"Exactly," Wang Qiu'er chimed in, "And you even saved Huo Wu!"
"We were fighting side by side just a few days ago!" Meng Yiran was also unwilling.
They were heroes who admired each other, but they didn't have much of a relationship.
And the result? Now the hero has become a cunning fox!
Feng Xiaotian had obviously heard the discussion as well. He scratched his head, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Ye Hua from a distance, and gave a sheepish smile.
"Teacher Ye, we apologize for the inconvenience, but we really have no other choice."
"You 'Overwhelm all the way; we can't beat you one-on-one. Teaming up is the only option."
Ye Hua noticed their twitching lips.
The team uniforms are colorful: fiery red, sky-blue, and Kamikaze Team green.
The New Kamikaze Team also realized they were in the wrong and avoided eye contact.
In the Hou War Zone, all the major battle teams craned their necks to watch.
Most of them have been eliminated, but that doesn't stop them from enjoying the show!
"The three formidable teams, Kamikaze Team, Blazing Fire, and Heavenly Water, have joined forces! This is a situation never seen before in this tournament!"
"Feng Xiaotian's Gale Demon Wolf Thirty-Six Consecutive Slashes, Huo Wu Fire Dance Meteor, and Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu's Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Ice and Snowfall... If these three deadly moves were unleashed simultaneously, they could all threaten Soul Emperor, right?"
"And look, the New Kamikaze Team is entirely composed of Soul Ancestor; it's the most luxuriously equipped team besides the Spirit Hall Team!"
"The Long Night Team is in danger. If Ye Hua doesn't intervene soon, Xiao Wu and the others alone probably won't be able to defeat them!"
Amidst the murmurs, the chief referee had already stepped onto the ring.
"The final six to three, the first match: Long Night Team vs. Kamikaze Team!"
"Please bring your players onto the field!"
Feng Xiaotian led his team onto the arena and took a deep breath.
He was already prepared; as long as Ye Hua didn't participate, they were confident of winning.
He knew the strength of the Long Night Team; they were indeed strong.
But we're not strong enough to fight them together!
However, the next second, Feng Xiaotian's face turned bitter.
Ye Hua walked out of the waiting area, his pace neither hurried nor slow.
Following behind them was none other than the strongest lineup of the Long Night Team!
Feng Xiaotian's apple bobbed as he looked at Huo Wushuang and sighed.
"Don't panic," Huo Wu whispered, "Isn't this what we expected?"
"The knockout stage is a one-off event, so stick to the plan!"
Shui Bing'er silently tightened her grip on Xue Wu's hand.
Xue Wu understood, and icy blue Soul Power flowed.
On the ring, the two stood still.
The chief referee raised the flag.
"The match begins!"
The moment the flag was cut down,
New Kamikaze Team goes all out!
Feng Xiaotian made the first move.
The Gale Two-Headed Wolf Martial Soul erupts!
"Gale Demon Wolf Thirty-Six Consecutive Slashes!"
Huo Wu followed closely behind, gathering power through the Ring Fusion.
"Fire Dance Meteor Rain!"
Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu held hands tightly.
"Snowfall!"
The wind wolf went berserk, its claws displaying their ferocity;
Fireballs rained down like a storm, covering the arena.
Snowflakes froze into ice, sealing off Ye Hua's escape route;
Blazing winds filled the sky, raging fires spread across the plains, and a chill permeated the air.
Without reservation!
My Soul Power is completely depleted!
Attempting to achieve victory in one fell swoop!
Such a desperate struggle would even force the Soul Emperor to temporarily retreat.
In the Spirit Hall Team, Xie Yue felt Hu Liena's gaze and shook his head slightly.
He couldn't stop it.
Even if he doesn't want to admit it.
"I'll have to talk to the teacher about this later," Hu Liena said, looking towards the playing field. "This style of play is too cheating!"
"I think Ye Hua is in grave danger," Xie Yue nodded, "But the Kamikaze Team's victory is dishonorable."
Hu Liena, sensing the raging elements, stood up. "I need to go and prepare the tactics."
"I'm not confident about this kind of play, so it's better to prepare early."
"Wait!" Xie Yue suddenly exclaimed.
"How?"
"Look there!"
Hu Liena turned around, her heart trembling instantly!