The Semifinals

Having his wound pickled was a particularly sharp, stinging experience, but Tang San had tested it many times. The contents of the bottle in his hand really contained no toxins.

Out of his trust in Xiao Wu, Tang San endured immense pain and applied the "medicine" to his wound.

And just like that, an injury that should have healed in a few days dragged on for an entire month...

A few days later, the "New Soul" tournament officially began.

The rules were simple. Each of the twelve cities under Mo City sent three newly advanced Soul Masters to form a team.

The twelve teams were divided into two groups. The format was an arena competition, with round-robin matches within each group determining the top two teams that would advance to the semifinals.

Although Tang San was injured, all they needed was for Xiao Yao or Xiao Wu to go up and defeat three opponents alone, and they still secured a place in the semifinals with ease.

At this point, however, the rules changed again.

"The rules for the semifinals are as follows: the three members of each team will take the stage in an order decided before the match. They will fight three separate bouts, with the best of three winning."

Ma Xiunuo's hand trembled slightly as he held the match schedule and spoke.

He could hardly contain his excitement. How many years had it been? How many years had it been since Nuoding City last reached the semifinals?

Though the price they had paid was rather steep, reaching this stage already made it worthwhile.

"Then Tang San has to compete?"

"I'm fine." Tang San forced a smile.

"Oh, why bother about him? The two of us are guaranteed to win anyway. He's just there to make up the numbers."

Crack.

Tang San heard the sound of his own heart breaking.

True enough. An old hand at dealing with people, Ma Xiunuo naturally did not say it aloud, but he nodded silently all the same.

"Then get ready. Tomorrow's opponent is Tanding City. Xiao Yao will go first."

"Wait." Tang San's previously dim eyes suddenly burst with light.

Tanding City. Oh, Tanding City.

If it weren't for you, how would I have ended up like this?

The one defeating three opponents in the arena, dazzling everyone and drawing every eye, should have been me.

Tanding City, Liu Wei, you have already found your path to death.

Just wait. My revenge against you begins tomorrow.

"I'm competing tomorrow."

Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo hesitated. "But your hand..."

"It's fine. Blue Silver Grass is my hand." Tang San curled his uninjured left hand, and a strand of Blue Silver Grass grew vigorously from it.

"Besides, even if I lose, Xiao Wu and the others can still win, can't they?"

Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo agreed in the end. "All right. You'll go first tomorrow."

Meanwhile, panic swept through Tanding City's team.

"Nuoding City, damn it! How is Nuoding City so strong this year?" Nuoding City's other team leader looked utterly despairing.

Judging by their performance in the preliminaries, Nuoding City's Xiao Yao and Xiao Wu were in a league of their own.

Xiao Wu was agile, and her attacks were bizarre and unpredictable.

Xiao Yao was even more absurd. All he had to do was glance at someone, and they would spontaneously combust, losing most of their fighting strength.

And this was the result of Xiao Yao not wanting to expose himself and refraining from stirring the fire within his opponents' hearts.

In short, in everyone's current rankings, Nuoding City stood first, and everyone else could only fight for second place.

Anyone who encountered Nuoding City early would undoubtedly be eliminated from that contest ahead of time.

Liu Wei's expression was grim as well, but he had not given up.

"No, we still have a chance. They still have a third member. Their third member is just there to make up the numbers. His Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass. We can win."

"But they only need to win two bouts." Tanding City's competitors were also somewhat despairing.

"Shut up. Just follow my arrangements."

The next day, Tang San strode onto the arena platform with his head held high, his gaze disdainful and his heroic spirit soaring to the clouds.

It would have been even more perfect if his right hand had not been hanging from his neck in a bandage.

"Why is it him?" The speaker was Liu Wei.

According to his deductions, Tang San, a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master, was only there to make up the numbers and should have been placed third, so he would not need to fight at all.

The first to take the stage should have been Xiao Wu, because her performance in the preliminaries clearly showed that she enjoyed the limelight more than Xiao Yao did.

His arrangement had therefore been to put his team's strongest control-type Soul Master first, send their weakest out second and concede that bout outright, then field their middling member in the third bout, which would be more than enough to keep the Blue Silver Grass Soul Master firmly in hand.

This way, he could raise their chances of winning from less than ten percent to around thirty percent.

Yet, to his surprise, that old bastard Ma Xiunuo seemed to have seen through his plan, using his weakest piece to trade off Liu Wei's strongest.

Little did Liu Wei know that the one who had disrupted his arrangements was none other than the Blue Silver Grass Soul Master he looked down on.

Regardless of the mental storms raging below the platform, those on it had already begun introducing themselves.

"Tang San. Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass. Rank thirteen, one-ring Control-Type Battle Spirit Master."

"Qing Rong. Martial Soul: Lie Yan Star. Rank thirteen, one-ring Control-Type Battle Spirit Master."

Newly advanced Soul Masters referred to those who had just broken through between the end of the previous year's "New Soul" tournament and the present. Some sneaky little bastards even deliberately waited until the previous tournament ended before obtaining their Soul Rings, all so they could enter the next one.

Thus, most competitors in this year's "New Soul" tournament were rank twelve or thirteen. There were even two at rank fourteen, who were considered the only obstacles to Nuoding City claiming the championship.

Looking at the Blue Silver Grass in Tang San's hand, Qing Rong, who was around ten years old, smiled scornfully.

"I didn't expect you to have some ability after never appearing in a single bout. But a trash Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul can't possibly be my match."

Tang San delivered the same words as always, each one ringing out firmly. "There are no trash Martial Souls, only trash Soul Masters."

"All right, I take that back. The trash isn't Blue Silver Grass. It's you, the Blue Silver Grass Soul Master."

With that, Qing Rong swung the Lie Yan Star Martial Soul in his hand toward Tang San.

Lie Yan Star was a plant-type Soul Beast that had mutated from baby's breath. Its countless flower centers were made of sparks, and when swung, it was even more dazzling than fireworks.

With a swing of the Lie Yan Star Martial Soul, a cloud of fire formed and rushed straight at Tang San's face.

Tang San used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, dodging the cloud of fire with his uncanny footwork.

Then he clenched his left hand. "First Soul Skill, Entanglement."

The Blue Silver Grass beneath Qing Rong's feet suddenly grew vigorously, climbing up his legs.

Qing Rong swung his Lie Yan Star Martial Soul, sending out a blossom of sparks that burned away the Blue Silver Grass.

Tang San's expression darkened. The Hundred-Year Soul Ring he had taken such pride in at Nuoding Academy was commonplace here.

After all, most of the people here were second-generation rich kids or officials' children who had slowed their breakthroughs under their elders' guidance. Who among them didn't have a Hundred-Year Soul Ring?

Without the advantage of his Soul Ring's age, Blue Silver Grass's inferior quality was exposed once again.

Was Blue Silver Grass really that bad?

"No, there are no trash Martial Souls, only trash Soul Masters."

Tang San gritted his teeth and used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. A faint jade glow spread over both hands as he moved to engage Qing Rong in close combat.

Since Blue Silver Grass can't match Lie Yan Star, I simply won't use it to clash with you head-on.

Mysterious Jade Hand against ordinary flesh and blood-let's see how you win.

Qing Rong was just about to swing Lie Yan Star when a strand of Blue Silver Grass crept along beneath his feet, forcing him to turn his attack toward it.

Under the cover of Blue Silver Grass, Tang San drew closer and closer to Qing Rong.

Five meters.

Three meters.

Two meters.

The internal power of Mysterious Heaven Skill surged madly into Mysterious Jade Hand, and the light of victory shone in Tang San's eyes.

Just then, the panic on Qing Rong's face suddenly vanished.

"Idiot, didn't you hear me say I'm a control-type Soul Master?"