After the referee announced the match format, both sides returned to their rest areas. Once the format had been decided by drawing lots, they were given a brief three minutes to devise tactics and settle their fighting order and team lineup. Once the fighting order was set, it usually could not be changed, and each person could only take the stage once. This format tested the overall individual strength of a team, requiring all seven members to fight and balancing individual combat with teamwork. There would be no single fighter sweeping through seven opponents, nor would there be too much team coordination. Instead, it emphasized how individual abilities complemented one another and were put to use, while also testing both sides' tactical skill.
"East Cang Academy versus Tianlong Academy. First match: two-on-two. Contestants from both sides, please take the stage," the referee announced.
"Teacher, we're off!" Feiyan and Sun Yunhai rose and said.
On the other side, two tall young men stepped out of Tianlong Academy's team. The instant they saw those two, everyone from East Cang Academy widened their eyes. How could this be?
Feiyan's and Sun Yunhai's hearts kept sinking.
"Didn't expect this, did you? Our main fighters aren't going first. If you thought you could beat us with Tian Ji's horse-racing strategy, you were being far too naive!" one of the tall young men sneered.
The two students Tianlong Academy had sent out were not a pair of Soul Kings, but merely two Soul Ancestors.
"Both sides, state your names!" the referee said.
"Zuo Zonglong. Zhao Xiaoyao," the two young men from Tianlong Academy said.
"Feiyan!" Feiyan called in a lilting voice.
"You're celebrating too soon!" A faint smile appeared on Sun Yunhai's face, and he likewise called out loudly, "Sun Yunhai!"
Faced with Sun Yunhai's smile,