At Bibi Dong's command, outer sect Elder Yang began presiding over the details of the tournament, explaining the rules and procedures.
"Injuries and disabilities sustained during the matches are of no consequence!"
"If one side announces its surrender, the other must stop attacking immediately. Otherwise, they will be disqualified and jointly punished by Spirit Hall, Heaven Dou, and the Star Luo Empire."
"Now, representatives from each team, please step forward to draw lots."
There were thirty-three teams in the finals. One lot granted a bye, allowing the team that drew it to advance automatically without a match.
Skywater Academy
Shui Yue'er's pretty face lit up with delight. "Sister, Sister Hairou, I drew the bye~"
Yu Hairou pinched her pretty cheek. "Yue'er, you really do have a lucky hand. Now we won't have to fight in the first round, and we can get a good two days' rest."
Shui Yue'er pouted. "Sister Hairou, stop pinching my cheeks all the time. You've made them red~"
"Hehehe..."
Three days later...
After two rounds, nine teams remained: the Spirit Hall seeded team, Heaven Dou Team One, Star Luo First Team, the Shrek team, the Divine Wind Blazing Fire Team, Plant Academy, Skywater Academy, and others.
"The third round officially begins now. Heaven Dou Team One and Skywater Academy, please take the stage!"
The comely Xue Wu blinked her big, watery eyes. "Sisters, let's do our best!"
As the seven women took the stage, they immediately drew the eyes of every Soul Master. There was no other reason: the Tianshui Girl Group's looks and outfits were both absolutely top-notch.
The captain of Heaven Dou Imperial Family Team One was Yu Tianheng of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, a level forty-three Soul Ancestor. The vice captain, Dugu Yan, was a level forty-three control-type Soul Master. Other members, such as Ye Lingling and Yu Feng, were all level thirty-nine Soul Elders.
Shui Bing'er, captain of the Tianshui Girl Group, was a level forty-three Soul Ancestor. Xue Wu was level forty-two, and Yu Hairou was also a level forty-one Soul Ancestor. The other women were all in their thirties. Although they couldn't match Ye Lingling, Yu Feng, and the others, they had one more Soul Ancestor than Heaven Dou, so the two sides were fairly evenly matched overall.
"Let the match begin!"
At the command, both sides released their Martial Souls. The Tianshui Girl Group's Martial Souls were blue across the board, and all were closely connected to water.
Shui Bing'er's Martial Soul was the Ice Phoenix, with two yellow and two purple Soul Rings. Shui Yue'er's Martial Soul was a dolphin, while Xue Wu's was rather unusual, resembling a crystal-clear splash of water.
On the viewing platform
Lin Chen had his left arm around Pope Bibi Dong's slender waist and held the Spirit Hall Holy Maiden's delicate hand in his right as he admired the Tianshui Girl Group's graceful figures below.
Hu Liena asked in a seductive voice, "Brother Lin Chen, which side do you think will win?"
Lin Chen said calmly, "Skywater Academy's Martial Souls are too uniform. Their strengths and weaknesses are both obvious. If they can't take down Heaven Dou in the first exchange, it'll only get harder as the fight goes on."
"Why?"
"Because their team has no healing-type or food-type Soul Masters. If the fight drags on, they'll easily be worn to death."
Hu Liena looked down at Shui Bing'er, a peculiar glint flashing in her beautiful eyes. "An Ice Phoenix, a top-grade Beast Martial Soul, and a Soul Ancestor at sixteen. Teacher, Brother Lin Chen, if she can be brought over to Spirit Hall, she's very likely to reach the rank of Titled Douluo someday~"
Bibi Dong said softly, "I've already made plans for this. After the tournament, husband, come with me to meet the leaders of these factions~"
Lin Chen nodded. "All right. I am quite interested in Skywater Academy~"
Bibi Dong narrowed her eyes slightly and secretly slipped her right hand to his waist, giving it a gentle pinch. "Husband, are you interested in Skywater Academy, or in the 'people' at the academy?"
"Pfft..." Beside them, Hu Liena covered her mouth and chuckled.
"Uh... well, both interest me. Sss... wife, don't~" Lin Chen sucked in a sharp breath.
"Nana... quick, help me talk your teacher around~"
Hu Liena hurried away, giving him a look that said her hands were tied. "Brother Lin Chen, Teacher cares about you so much that Nana can't help you either~ Hehehe..."
Bibi Dong had only just managed to tacitly accept her relationship with Brother Lin Chen. How could she help Lin Chen "bully" her own teacher at a time like this?
Besides, the young lady was also a little jealous of how much attention Lin Chen was paying to the Tianshui Girl Group. Though she didn't mind it in her heart, she was happy to see Bibi Dong vent a little temper on Lin Chen.
Lin Chen hurriedly moved her delicate hand away and said with a flash of wit, "Wife, look, they've started fighting~"
Bibi Dong gave a soft snort. "You men are all cut from the same cloth, eating what's in your bowl while eyeing what's in the pot..."
Lin Chen scratched his head sheepishly and didn't argue.
Because she was right!
Bibi Dong remained silent, analyzing the matter inwardly. Husband is extraordinarily gifted. Even if he reaches the Divine Realm someday, he'll have a place there. With such great strength and the mysterious force behind him, he'll certainly have more women than just Nana and me in the future.
If I want the position of principal wife, I must hold his heart firmly in my grasp...
Besides that, I must also have an unassailable position among husband's entire harem of women in the future. Nana is my disciple, so naturally she goes without saying. But what if a woman whose status and strength are no weaker than mine appears in the future?
No, I am the dignified Pope of Spirit Hall. How can I think about such messy things!
Bibi Dong stared expressionlessly at the battle below, but her mind was elsewhere entirely, occupied with how to capture that young man's heart.
On the tournament stage
Skywater Academy's blue Soul Skills clashed head-on with those of Heaven Dou Imperial Team One. Soul Power surged in every direction, and the battle was fierce.
Shui Bing'er cried out, "Wu'er, Martial Soul Fusion Skill!"
"All right!"
The short-haired Xue Wu leaped up, striking an enchanting pose in midair. Immediately afterward, a surge of powerful Soul Power erupted from both women.
"Ice and Snow Drifting!"
Whoosh...
The entire stage was instantly covered in terrifying blue icebergs and snowflakes. The members of Heaven Dou Imperial Team One all changed color.
Yu Tianheng shouted, "Fourth Soul Skill, Blue Lightning Divine Dragon Rush!"
Dugu Yan also unleashed her fourth Soul Skill directly. "Treacherous Poison Eruption!"
Boom, boom, boom... whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
The three great Soul Skills were unleashed at once. Yu Tianheng was sent flying by Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu's Martial Soul Fusion Skill, suffering grievous injuries, but Dugu Yan's fourth Soul Skill likewise took control of the battlefield.
Ye Lingling cried out, "First Soul Skill, Begonia Heart Revival!"
Her Martial Soul was the Nine Heart Begonia, unique to Douluo Continent. She was a specialized healing-type Soul Master, and her healing and recovery effects were not much inferior even to those of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
"Ugh..."
Among the Tianshui Girl Group, Qiu Ruoshui and Shen Liuyu, the weakest members, were poisoned one after the other. Apart from Yu Hairou and Gu Qingbo, who could still barely resist the poisonous fog, the other women were all in dire straits.
Shui Bing'er's voice was cool. "Yue'er, you and the others surrender and leave the stage first. Wu'er, let's give it one more try!"
A flash of determination passed through Xue Wu's blue eyes. "All right!"
"A thousand miles sealed in ice, ten thousand miles of drifting snow!"
Yu Tianheng's expression shifted slightly, and he ordered, "Lingling, get over here, quickly! Yan'er, protect the others."
Xue Wu snorted softly. "It's no use. They can't withstand it!"
Crack, crack...
With a series of freezing cracks, everyone on Heaven Dou Team One except Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan was frozen solid, utterly unable to resist.
As things stood, the Tianshui Girl Group had three members left, while Heaven Dou Team One also had three people still able to fight.
Three against three!