On the Eve of the Freshman Tournament

Huo Yuhao's declaration about the "sea of stars" rang out like thunder. Qian Duoduo clenched his fists, his eyes growing warm—

He had spent half his life fighting for the Soul Tool Department, yet he had never looked beyond the narrow goal of "crushing Sun Moon." The young man's soaring ambition rekindled blood that had lain dormant in him for decades.

Fan Yu stood nearby, his usually composed face alight with emotion. He regarded Huo Yuhao with newfound gravity.

"Well said!"

A clear female voice came from the doorway. Xian Lin'er strode in, her fitted outfit outlining her spirited figure. She stopped before Huo Yuhao, admiration shining in her eyes, and gave a solemn nod. "The Soul Tool Department will journey to the sea of stars with you."

"You flatter me, Dean." Huo Yuhao bowed, neither humble nor arrogant.

Three months passed as swiftly as a white colt flashing through a crack. The blazing sun lost some of its heat, and autumn crept into Shrek Outer Court.

In the Freshman Class Nine classroom, Mu Jin stood in simple faculty attire, her features delicate. Her gaze swept over the sixty-six students as she announced briskly, "Starting today, you'll prepare for the freshman tournament in teams of three. The groups are as follows—"

"First group: Huo Yuhao, Gu Yue, Ning Tian."

"Second group: Wu Feng, Nanmen Yun'er, Qiu Jing."

"Third group: Liu Bingzhu, Liu Yunshan, Liu Guhe."

"..."

Once all twenty-two groups had been assigned, Mu Jin looked at the first group's names, certainty flashing in his eyes.

He had hesitated at first. Huo Yuhao's Soul Power was only at level sixteen. Gaining two levels in three months already spoke of extraordinary diligence, but his level still sat in the lower-middle range among the freshmen.

Yet his Martial Souls and Soul Skills defied all reason. Heaven's Apex: All-Seer Clarity granted a god's-eye view without blind spots across a thousand meters. All Beings: Myriad-Sight Heaven could simulate the pressure of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. During a classroom exercise two months earlier, a single thought from Huo Yuhao had left the entire class sprawled helplessly on the floor. After class, they had nearly risen up together to attack him.

Reignbow Arbiter ignored defenses and struck from afar. It was a veritable god of death on the battlefield.

Gu Yue's command of the elements made her an all-rounder in offense and defense, perfectly suited to guarding Huo Yuhao up close. Ning Tian, the young heir of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, could boost both speed and strength. Her second Soul Skill, Dispel, could break control effects. She was among the finest Support System soul masters on the continent.

Ranged attacks, control, support, all-round close combat—the group formed a perfect circuit. Mu Jin could not imagine them losing.

After class, Mu Jin beckoned the three over and led them straight to his private office.

The room was small, its red-and-white walls simple yet elegant. Sunshine poured through the floor-to-ceiling window, filling the room. A pot of blooming hibiscus sat at the corner of the desk, graceful and distinctive.

Mu Jin took his seat and looked at Ning Tian, who seemed to have something to say. "Ning Tian."

"Teacher Mu..." A trace of conflict hid in Ning Tian's eyes. She had wanted to be grouped with Wu Feng. After all, they had been together the longest and understood each other better.

"I know what you're thinking," Mu Jin said earnestly. "But this is the best arrangement. If you insist on switching, I'll respect your choice."

Ning Tian fell silent for a moment, then shook her head.

As the young heir of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she had never been one to lose herself in personal attachments.

The notion that the children of great clans and sects were all spoiled wastrels was simply wrong.

Those wastrels were merely people who had never truly inherited responsibility. The real heirs of great clans and sects had brains. If they were all wastrels, how could their clans and sects have endured for ten thousand years?

They stood higher and knew their own advantages.

In reality, there were no such fools among true heirs. Ning Tian was the young heir of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, and she had brains. Without them, she could never have held that position.

The heart of a clan or sect's ten-thousand-year legacy lay in weighing gains against losses and joining hands with the strong.

Huo Yuhao's strategic value and Gu Yue's combat strength far outweighed mere bonds of friendship. She raised her eyes to Mu Jin and said firmly, "I trust your arrangement, Teacher."

Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Huo Yuhao, a flicker of annoyance stirring in her heart.

Mu Jin nodded, his eyes full of expectation. "The freshman tournament is crucial. I ask only one thing of you: aim for first, secure second, and win without taking reckless risks. Huo Yuhao's level is low, and the arena terrain puts ranged fighters at a disadvantage. Don't grow arrogant or impatient."

"Don't worry, Teacher Mu. We'll take the championship!" Huo Yuhao declared, his voice ringing with conviction.

Compared with Zhou Yi's harsh rigidity, Mu Jin taught according to each student's strengths, protected his own, and knew right from wrong. To Huo Yuhao, he was a good teacher—

One look at the miserable state of Class One after Zhou Yi had made them run laps for two and a half months showed the difference.

"The championship." Gu Yue's violet eyes remained calm, her interest scant.

"The... championship," Ning Tian echoed softly.

"Confidence is good. Just keep your heads steady, and you won't lose a hundred battles." Mu Jin smiled and waved the three of them away.

Once the door closed, a sly smile tugged at his lips. He murmured to himself, "Zhou Yi, Zhou Yi, you're bound to lose this freshman tournament. Huo Yuhao, seize the chance. An olive branch from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect comes once in a thousand years."

He had noticed Ning Tian's little gestures and found them only natural—

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had arranged marriages with powerful people for generations. With Twin Martial Souls and the potential for four Ultimate Attributes, Huo Yuhao was the ideal choice. Ultimate Attributes could not be passed down, but his strength and talent alone would make the match a sure gain for the sect.

After leaving the office, Huo Yuhao went straight to the Soul Tool Department to ask for a week off to prepare for the tournament.

Qian Duoduo approved without a second thought, waving a hand. "The freshman tournament comes first. You can make up the soul tool lessons anytime. Bring home the championship!"

The three walked side by side down a tree-lined path. Ning Tian suddenly stopped, autumn wind stirring her golden hair. Her voice was gentle but firm. "Huo Yuhao, Gu Yue, let's train together before the tournament. We haven't built any teamwork yet. That'll cost us in a real fight."

Huo Yuhao and Gu Yue exchanged a glance. One was meticulous, the other possessed astonishing wisdom, but neither cared to overcomplicate matters. Their tactical core had just one principle: charge straight through.

"How should we train?" Gu Yue asked, narrowing her violet eyes. She noticed Ning Tian deliberately edging closer to Huo Yuhao, and irritation flared in her heart for no apparent reason.

"I'm a Support System soul master," Ning Tian said frankly. "I'll team up with Huo Yuhao against Gu Yue. That way we can practice working together and test our combat strength."

An invisible "#" seemed to pop out on Gu Yue's forehead. Her anger shot straight up.

"Why don't you and I team up against Huo Yuhao?" Gu Yue asked coldly.

"Huo Yuhao has the lowest level, so he needs support boosts the most. You're strong enough to face us alone. It's the best tactic," Ning Tian replied, her reasoning clear.

Gu Yue: anger +1 +1 +1...

Huo Yuhao missed the tension entirely. His straightforward thinking took over. "Makes sense. Gu Yue's strong, so two against one is fair. Let's do it!"

After all, they had only known each other for about three months. How could the Silver Dragon King possibly like him?

Douluo Continent: Guess what my other name is?

Gu Yue's anger instantly hit its limit. She spoke one word at a time. "Fine. Come on."

The three found a secluded stretch of forest with flat, open ground suited to combat practice.

"Seven treasures emerge from glazed tile!" Ning Tian released her Martial Soul first. The exquisite Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda hovered above her palm, three Soul Rings revolving around it. "First: speed! Third: strength!"

A pale-gold aura enveloped Huo Yuhao. He felt his body grow thirty percent lighter and his strength surge by twenty percent.

"First Soul Skill, Heaven's Apex: All-Seer Clarity!" Golden light blazed in Huo Yuhao's eyes as his thousand-meter field of vision spread out. Every current of Soul Power within Gu Yue and every elemental fluctuation around her entered his mind. At the same time, he shared his vision with Ning Tian.

Protecting the support fighter first was basic battlefield logic.

Gu Yue's expression turned frosty. She activated her first Soul Skill, Elemental Tide!

"Second Soul Skill, Elemental Control: Fireball!"

A scarlet fireball took shape. The temperature soared, the air twisted and crackled, and the fireball hurtled straight toward Huo Yuhao's face as fast as a meteor!

"Whoa!" Huo Yuhao's pupils contracted. With Ning Tian's speed boost, he threw himself into a roll to the left, then pushed off the ground and sprang up in one crisp motion. The fireball missed him by a hair.

Boom—

The fireball struck the ground. Flames roared, and the smell of burning spread through the air.

Huo Yuhao froze. Gu Yue had ignored all conventional tactics and focused her fire on him, the ranged fighter, without paying the support fighter any mind!

"Second Soul Skill, Elemental Control: Ice Spikes!" Gu Yue's cool voice rang out again. Several sharp ice spikes formed at her fingertips, radiating bitter cold. They shot toward Huo Yuhao, sealing off every path of escape.

Huo Yuhao flipped his palm, and the azure Reignbow Arbiter appeared at once. A platinum arrow of light formed upon the stringless bow.

Twang—

The arrow tore through the air with a piercing sonic boom, reducing the ice spikes to shards that scattered everywhere.

"Second Soul Skill, Elemental Control: Earth Collapse!"

Gu Yue gave him no chance to catch his breath. She tapped the ground with her toe, and the earth beneath Huo Yuhao suddenly caved in. Earth elements surged, threatening to trap him where he stood!

"Second: dispel!" Ning Tian reacted instantly. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda flared, and her second Soul Skill took effect, wrapping Huo Yuhao in a pale-gold curtain of light.

Huo Yuhao used the momentum to leap free. The speed boost made him light as a swallow. In midair, he drew his bow and aimed an arrow of light straight at Gu Yue.

"Third Soul Skill, Elemental Fusion: Ice and Fire Storm!" Gu Yue's gaze darkened. Three layers of ice wall rose before her. The platinum arrow pierced two, but the third stopped it.

Then red and blue elements merged, sending a violent storm sweeping toward him. Scorching heat and extreme cold tore at everything in turn, far more powerful than either element alone.

Huo Yuhao landed in the heart of the storm, yet, to his surprise, he felt no pain at all.

"Huh? I'm fine?" Huo Yuhao rubbed his head, utterly baffled.

He suddenly remembered his third Martial Soul, Perfected Lord of Clear Origin and Wonderful Dao. Nine Ultimate Attributes flowed through his body, making him immune to every element: water, fire, wind, earth, metal, wood, light, darkness, and lightning!

Gu Yue's eyes widened, shock filling her violet gaze. Then a thought flashed through her mind: Is it that god behind this brat?

"Immune to elements, are you?" Gu Yue sneered and drove her third Soul Skill to full power. "Elemental Fusion: Forest of Quicksand!"

The ground instantly turned to flowing yellow sand. Earth and wood elements merged, and black-rock-colored vines burst from the soil, spreading wildly like frenzied tentacles.

Huo Yuhao leaped up, but a vine caught his ankle and yanked him back to the ground.

Countless vines coiled around him in an instant, binding him tight. Only his head remained exposed. He could not move.

Huo Yuhao: ...

So elemental immunity doesn't cover being physically tied up?!