Lost the One-on-One? Then How About All Seven of You?

"You seven come at me together. I'll fight alone."

The training ground fell noticeably quieter as soon as Ling Yun said it.

He had beaten Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Zhu Zhuqing, and Tang San in succession, more than enough to prove his individual strength. But a one-on-one fight and a team Soul Fighting match were two different things.

Seven people attacking together was not simply seven one-on-one fights piled up.

Flender frowned. "Ling Yun, think this through. Little San and the others have worked together for a long time. Team battles are what they're truly good at."

Ling Yun nodded and looked at Tang San. "I know. Isn't that why Little San brought up a team battle right after losing our one-on-one?"

Tang San's face darkened slightly. He wanted to kill Ling Yun.

Ling Yun went on. "It's only natural. If you can't beat someone alone, you have to think of another way. It's just that this routine feels familiar. Winning one-on-one doesn't count, but winning against a team does. And if your team loses too, what's next? Comparing teachers?"

Yu Xiaogang's expression soured.

Tang San did not take the bait. "I'm only telling you that the Soul Master Tournament is a team competition. No matter how strong a captain is individually, if he can't adapt to team combat, he may not be suited to lead."

"That makes sense," Ling Yun agreed at once.

Tang San froze for a moment.

"That's why I told all seven of you to come at me."

Ling Yun swept his gaze over the Shrek Seven Devils. "You wanted a team fight, didn't you? I'm giving you the whole team. That way, when you lose, I won't have to listen to crap about the Shrek Seven Devils being incomplete without one of you."

Dai Mubai said nothing. After those last few fights, they knew Ling Yun had a vicious mouth, but somehow he always found something that was hard to argue with.

Xiao Wu stepped forward again.

Oscar's Recovery Sausage and some rest had done enough for her injuries that she could move without trouble. Tang San had not intended to let her fight, but Xiao Wu clearly had other ideas.

Ling Yun raised an eyebrow when he saw her join the team. "You're fighting too?"

Xiao Wu said coldly, "What, scared?"

"Not at all."

Ling Yun looked her over. "I just want to confirm the rules. If someone already surrendered once, then came back from behind, does she count as one person or one and a half?"

Laughter broke out around the training ground.

Xiao Wu's face flushed scarlet.

"You!"

"Don't get worked up."

Ling Yun offered a solemn reminder. "There's only one match today. If you surrender again, try to say it all in one go. Don't spend the first half telling me you surrender and the second half unleashing a Soul Skill. My comprehension isn't great. I might misunderstand."

Xiao Wu's face looked dreadful by then, but Zhu Zhuqing did not speak up for her. Xiao Wu had been in the wrong before.

Tang San took a deep breath. "Xiao Wu, ignore him."

Ling Yun laughed when he heard that. "Little San's the expert, all right. He gave us a demonstration himself just now. He knows some things only get worse the more you try to explain."

"Ling Yun, shut up."

Tang San finally frowned.

"Fine. Just don't shit your pants later."

Ling Yun let the matter drop.

Soon, all seven took their positions.

Tang San stood in the center, Dai Mubai at the front, and Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu spread out on either flank. Ma Hongjun stood a little farther back, while Oscar and Ning Rongrong took up positions at the very rear, deliberately keeping some distance between them.

One glance told Ling Yun what Tang San was guarding against.

The support types.

In the previous fights, one habit of Ling Yun's had stood out: once he spotted someone who could influence the entire flow of battle, he tended to deal with that person first.

Now Ning Rongrong and Oscar had deliberately separated, with Tang San in the center, clearly ready to support either of them at any moment.

Ling Yun smiled. "Little San, you've got them well protected."

Tang San said evenly, "You've revealed quite a few of your fighting habits."

"Not bad."

Ling Yun nodded. "You've finally learned to study your opponent first. Looks like that beating from the Clear Sky Hammer wasn't for nothing."

A muscle twitched at Tang San's temple.

Both sides released their Martial Souls.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in Ning Rongrong's hand lit up first, sending supportive light onto Dai Mubai and the others. Oscar prepared his sausages in advance instead of waiting until Ling Yun got close to make them on the spot.

Tang San also moved, but he did not send his Blue Silver Grass straight at Ling Yun. Instead, a mass of vines spread along the training ground in every direction, dividing the entire field into sections.

Ling Yun's eyes shifted slightly.

That was clever.

Mist Veil could interfere with sight and the detection of Soul Power, and Water Shadow Clones could mimic Soul Power fluctuations. But his real body might still brush against the Blue Silver Grass when it crossed the ground.

Tang San intended to turn the whole training ground into his sensory net.

Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang finally spoke. "Ling Yun's advantage mainly lies in his mobility and how difficult it is to tell the real one from the fakes. As long as Little San controls the field and the others restrict his movement, that advantage will keep shrinking."

Ling Yun turned to look at him.

"Grandmaster."

"What?"

"Whenever you start analyzing things, I feel especially reassured."

Yu Xiaogang paused.

Ling Yun continued, "Because you usually tell me exactly what to watch out for next."

Liu Erlong burst out laughing.

Yu Xiaogang's face went dark.

Tang San had already shouted, "Boss Dai, pressure him from the front!"

Dai Mubai had been ready for some time. He activated the White Tiger Protection Barrier and White Tiger Vajra Transformation together. With Ning Rongrong's boost, his frontal assault was far more imposing than it had been in their one-on-one fight.

Ling Yun did not meet him head-on. He activated Wave Treading and slid swiftly to the side.

Zhu Zhuqing immediately moved to intercept him.

Ling Yun changed direction a second time.

Xiao Wu followed with Teleportation.

All three routes were sealed almost at once.

Tang San's Purple Demon Eye swept rapidly across the field, and Blue Silver Grass suddenly rose from beneath the water.

"On the right!"

The moment Ling Yun found his footing, the White Tiger Fierce Light Wave came straight at him. This time, he could not dodge it completely. He crossed his arms over his chest and was driven back several meters.

Ma Hongjun perked up at once. "See that? Seven against one makes a difference, doesn't it?"

Ling Yun shook out his numb arms. "It certainly does."

The fat man's grin grew even smugger.

Ling Yun added, "When I fought you one at a time, you lost faster."

Ma Hongjun's smile froze on his face, and laughter rippled around them again. Ling Yun himself, however, was not taking them lightly. Tang San's command of the fight was sound.

Tang San had not even asked anyone to force a victory over Ling Yun. He had simply assigned Dai Mubai to pressure him, Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu to restrict his routes, and himself to control the rhythm of the battle.

In that case, Ling Yun would go for their back line.

His First Soul Ring lit up.

Three Water Shadow Clones scattered at once, and four Ling Yuns charged toward Ning Rongrong and Oscar almost simultaneously.

"Protect the support!"

Tang San did not panic in the slightest.

Blue Silver Grass was already wrapped around Ning Rongrong's and Oscar's waists.

Ling Yun had barely broken past Dai Mubai and appeared beside Ning Rongrong when Tang San gave a sharp pull.

Ning Rongrong was whisked away by the Blue Silver Grass.

Ling Yun pursued her for two steps, but Zhu Zhuqing lunged in from the side. On the other flank, Xiao Wu and Dai Mubai blocked his retreat, forcing him to pull back.

After that exchange, all seven of the Shrek Seven Devils were still standing.

Yu Xiaogang finally relaxed a little.

"That is the greatest difference between a team and an individual."

Ling Yun looked at him.

Yu Xiaogang continued, "Ling Yun, your individual abilities are indeed strong, but teammates can cover one another's weaknesses. As long as Little San keeps the formation intact, picking them off one by one won't be so easy."

Ling Yun listened and nodded thoughtfully.

"Grandmaster is right."

Yu Xiaogang paused. Before he could wonder why, Ling Yun turned back toward the Shrek Seven Devils.

"Then I won't pick you off one by one."

Tang San frowned slightly.

Ling Yun smiled. "I'll break up your teamwork instead. A formation is made of people, after all, and there's always one person who's easier to fool."