Blazing Fire Academy won.
But it had not been an easy victory. When Huo Wushuang stepped off the arena, he was clutching his chest, the blood at the corner of his mouth not yet wiped clean. Huo Wu's face had also gone a shade paler.
"Hard to say who they'll face next, but if they keep fighting like this," Shui Bing'er whispered beside Bing Yekong, "the road ahead won't be easy for them."
Bing Yekong gave a quiet hum and offered no further comment. His gaze fell on Yu Tianheng's retreating back. The man's expression was calm after his defeat, neither angry nor dejected. As he led his teammates off the arena, he merely turned his head slightly and glanced in Huo Wushuang's direction.
Someone like that would not be brought down by a single loss.
"Let's go." Bing Yekong stood and brushed at the hem of his clothes. "It's our turn."
Skywater Academy's team began warming up in the rest area. Bing Yekong held the Tianshuang Sword in his hand, feeling the familiar icy chill emanating from its blade. He closed his eyes and spread out his senses, locking onto the group of burly figures forming up on the opposite arena.
Elephant Armored Academy had arrived.
Huyan Li walked at the front, looking even bulkier than he had during the qualifiers. His expression was far tenser than last time, and none of the contempt he had shown during the qualifiers remained in his eyes. In its place was an almost battle-ready solemnity.
The seven of them took their positions on the arena, and Huyan Li shouted in a deep voice, "Formation!"
This time, their formation had changed.
The seven were no longer arranged in three lines of defense. Instead, they formed a circle, with Huyan Li standing in the