After the explosion cleared, shattered remnants of Scarlet Flame Thorn vines lay scattered across the arena. Yao Zi had indeed suffered some injuries, but they were nothing serious to her.
By contrast, after using Radiant Sun of Huo Wu, Huo Wu had exhausted most of her Soul Power.
"How is this possible? You're actually unharmed?"
"How can you say I'm unharmed? I was hurt a little. Your fireball did look impressive, but seriously injuring me is still impossible."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yao Zi lashed out with Scarlet Flame Thorn vines again, wrapping them around Huo Wu's waist and flinging her straight off the inner tube.
Huo Wu was a girl, after all. If it had been a boy, Yao Zi would probably have whipped him straight off long ago.
"Next!"
With both Huo Wushuang and Huo Wu, their main forces, defeated, Blazing Flame Academy decisively conceded.
Once this match ended, Botanical Academy immediately drew the attention of the other academies.
Quite a few people began studying the Botanical Academy Team's roster.
After the match, Feng Xiaotian of Godwind Academy went to find Huo Wu.
"Huo Wu, are you all right?"
"None of your business."
"I know you're in a bad mood right now. When I face Botanical Academy, I'll definitely teach them a proper lesson for you."
"If I can't win, you think you can? Feng Xiaotian, you really think too highly of yourself."
"It's fine if you don't believe me, Huo Wu. Just wait and see."
Feng Xiaotian was extremely confident in his own strength. He believed Huo Wu had lost to Yao Zi only because Yao Zi's Scarlet Flame Thorn Martial Soul was immune to fire.
If he were the one facing Yao Zi, he could definitely handle her with ease.
He also believed Yao Zi was Botanical Academy's strongest member and refused to believe there was anyone stronger than her on the Botanical Academy Team.
It could only be said that those called geniuses always carried a certain arrogant self-importance.
Over the next few days, Botanical Academy continued defeating its opponents with ease, and every member displayed considerable combat ability.
Botanical Academy's reputation rose steadily, and it was elevated into a championship favorite alongside the three seeded teams.
Lan Yu specifically paid attention to Shrek Academy's matches.
Although Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer had no Soul Rings attached to it, he wielded it with tremendous force. Combined with his Tang Sect methods, defeating a Soul Ancestor one-on-one was no problem at all.
But Lan Yu still had doubts. Without the support of Immortal Herbs, how exactly had Shrek Academy eliminated Elephant Armor Academy during the preliminaries?
Unable to figure it out, Lan Yu could not be bothered to think further. If Shrek Academy had truly cheated, they would definitely reveal their true colors in front of him.
That day, Botanical Academy faced Skywater Academy. Skywater Academy was an all-female team, while Botanical Academy was also entirely made up of beautiful girls aside from Lan Yu.
Shui Bing'er was the first to take the field for Skywater Academy. On Botanical Academy's side, Ning Rongrong stepped onto the stage.
"Aren't you a support Soul Master? You want to fight me in a solo match?"
Surprise and confusion appeared on Shui Bing'er's face.
"Looking down on support Soul Masters? Today, I'll show you what this young lady can do."
"Since you've put it that way, let me see what special abilities a support Soul Master like you has."
As the match began, both sides unleashed their Martial Souls.
When Ning Rongrong summoned her Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda Martial Soul, quite a few people revealed astonished expressions.
Xue Ye even turned to look at Ning Fengzhi.
"Sect Master Ning, is that your daughter?"
"Indeed, she is. By the grace of the gods, her Martial Soul evolved into the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda. She will also become the next successor of my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"A gift from the gods? Are your words true, Sect Master Ning?"
"I would not dare deceive Your Majesty."
"Hehe, to be favored by the gods, Sect Master Ning, your daughter is truly fortunate."
Ning Fengzhi smiled as well.
In the arena, Ning Rongrong had already applied the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda's boosts to herself.
Shui Bing'er directly activated a Soul Ability, intending to freeze Ning Rongrong in place.
However, Ning Rongrong flashed aside and dodged Shui Bing'er's Soul Ability.
Shui Bing'er's Soul Ability did not come with automatic targeting. To freeze someone, she needed to lock onto her opponent with spiritual power.
If Shui Bing'er could not quickly lock onto her opponent with her spiritual power, her freezing Soul Ability would be difficult to use effectively.
Ning Rongrong's senses were now extremely sharp as well. The instant Shui Bing'er's spiritual power locked onto her, she could shift positions and evade the freezing Soul Ability.
"So fast! I really can't underestimate her!"
By then, Ning Rongrong had already rapidly closed in on Shui Bing'er.
"Third Spirit Ability: Rejection Ice Ring!"
Shui Bing'er had great confidence in her Soul Ability. Throughout the preliminaries, no opponent had been able to cross her Rejection Ice Ring.
Yet now, her eyes widened as she witnessed an unbelievable scene.
Ning Rongrong swung her fist and smashed it directly into the Rejection Ice Ring. That single punch forcibly shattered the Rejection Ice Ring.
Not only Shui Bing'er, but nearly everyone present was stunned by the sight.
For a support-system Soul Master's brute strength to be even stronger than a power attack-system Soul Master's Soul Ability was simply a world-shattering scene for Douluo Continent.
"Xiaogang, can you explain what's going on?"
Flender patted Yu Xiaogang on the shoulder and asked, but Yu Xiaogang did not answer, because he simply did not know.
His meager theoretical knowledge was only enough to explain basic common sense. Any deeper than that, and all he had left was nonsense.
Faced with this situation, he did not even know where to begin spouting nonsense.
Lan Yu merely smiled. It looked as though Ning Rongrong had shattered Shui Bing'er's Rejection Ice Ring with brute force, but that was not actually the case.
Ning Rongrong's hand had been coated in Geo Elemental Power. More precisely, Geo Element broke the ice shield. Although the shield-breaking efficiency was not high, Shui Bing'er's shield was simply too thin.
In the arena, Shui Bing'er had lost focus, but Ning Rongrong had not. After shattering the Rejection Ice Ring, she charged directly before Shui Bing'er and pressed her fist against Shui Bing'er's throat.
Shui Bing'er came back to her senses, swallowed, and broke out in a cold sweat.
If this had been a fight to the death, she would already have died.
"I... concede!"
With Shui Bing'er conceding, Skywater Academy's other members did not need to take the field.
Botanical Academy easily secured another victory.
"How was that? I did pretty well, didn't I?"
Ning Rongrong ran back to Lan Yu with an expression that practically begged for praise.
"You did indeed perform well. Our next opponent is Godwind Academy. The only one worth paying attention to there is Feng Xiaotian."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded. "Mm, I'll defeat him in the next match."
Speak of the devil, and he appeared. At that moment, Feng Xiaotian came looking for them himself.
"Which one of you from Botanical Academy is the strongest?"
Hearing that, all the girls of the Botanical Academy Team blinked at Feng Xiaotian, smiles on their faces. Those smiles made Feng Xiaotian deeply uncomfortable, as though he had become a clown.
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