The Wind Is in the Sky, and the Imperial Fighting Team Can Still Connect
When Feng Xiaotian cut the Green Jade Bamboo for the third time, his target had completely changed.
The wind blade descended from above, first slicing off half of the fulcrum that had just formed beneath Yu Feng's feet, then it pressed down, forcing Yu Feng to continue retreating towards the outer edge of the arena. Dong Jian stood below without moving, because Feng Xiaotian had not crossed the ground-air boundary he was responsible for this time.
"He's staring at me," Yu Feng shouted.
"Congratulations," Dong Jian replied.
"You're still congratulating me at a time like this?"
"At least he thinks you're useful."
Yu Feng almost laughed out of anger. Feng Xiaotian had already closed in again, so he had no choice but to shut up and flap his wings continuously to regain altitude.
The situation in Godwind changed rapidly. After Imperial Fighting Team used the rescue points twice before, their ground members no longer scattered and retreated, but instead actively stayed close to each other, preferring to face Yu Tianheng's pressure head-on rather than create a situation where Feng Xiaotian had to rescue people alone.
Yu Tianheng unleashed a lightning claw strike, which both opponents managed to block, retreating three feet without separating.
"They've started to band together," Dugu Yan remarked after a glance.
"Then let's continue to press," Yu Tianheng replied.
He didn't look up to pay attention to Feng Xiaotian. Who was the strongest on the field was one thing, and where the Imperial Fighting Team was going to fight was another. Godwind placed all its aerial advantage on Feng Xiaotian, and the ground would inevitably pay the price.
Shi Mo moved forward to cover, while Tortoise Shell withstood the side impact of a powerful attack from the Godwind. Dugu Yan's poisonous mist continued to spread only in narrow strips, not touching the air, only forcing a few people on the ground to refrain from moving sideways.
Li Man, on the other hand, became increasingly meticulous in calculating the number of times she could use the Dragon Bamboo Borrows the Air.
After generating it three times in a row in the previous round, she could clearly feel that the Soul Power at the edge of the array was being consumed faster than usual. The position of the Yu Feng changed too much, and the direction of the root system had to be changed in advance for each fulcrum. Forcibly laying more layers would only make the main ground network thinner first.
"Two more sure bets left," she said.
Dong Jian nodded. "That's enough."
Yu Feng shouted from the air, "When you say you've had enough, can you at least ask me?"
"Then get down."
Never mind what I said.
Feng Xiaotian descended from directly above him, Yu Feng immediately flew sideways. Two wind blades grazed his shoulders, but the third one did not pursue him; instead, it landed directly on the diagonal spot below where Li Man might be forming bamboo joints.
Li Man did not make a move.
Godwind predicted an empty spot.
Feng Xiaotian also noticed that Zhu Zi hadn't arrived, and without hesitation, he continued to force the Yu Feng outwards. The two of them were getting higher and higher, and were almost out of Dong Jian's reach.
Dong Jian looked up for a couple of moments, then looked away.
"Tian Heng, on the left."
Yu Tianheng immediately noticed that the left side of the Godwind Ground was missing someone who could fill the gap in time due to the aerial blockade. He didn't ask Dong Jian Feng Xiaotian where they were; instead, he stepped forward, and the Thunder Dragon Body changed direction.
"Shi Mo and me."
"Good."
Both of them pressed left at the same time.
Dugu Yan's poison belt closed, forcing the originally clustered Godwind ground formation to squeeze to the right. If the opponents continued to hold their positions, Yu Tianheng could trap the three of them in the same narrow area; if anyone moved sideways, the poison mist would force them to take a step out and detour.
Feng Xiaotian finally turned around.
He had been suppressing the Yu Feng, waiting for Imperial Fighting Team to shift his attention to the air. But Yu Tianheng didn't follow his rhythm at all; instead, he used this time to reduce the size of the ground space under the Godwind.
"Go back!" shouted the member in the Godwind captain's position.
Feng Xiaotian turned and swooped down.
Yu Feng chased after them.
At normal speeds, he couldn't catch up. But this time, the jade in Li Man's hand finally lit up.
A short bamboo segment didn't appear beneath Yu Feng's feet, but rather slightly to his right. Upon seeing this, Yu Feng immediately understood. Instead of continuing the pursuit, he lowered his body to the right.
Only the toes touched it.
The bamboo joint bends gently.
Using the Yu Feng as leverage, he suddenly exerted force from the right wing root, cutting himself into an almost horizontal line from the rear, perfectly blocking the outside of Feng Xiaotian's return reinforcement.
Feng Xiaotian had no choice but to change the route.
He can force his way through the Yu Feng.
But that would involve another collision, and the rescue time would be longer.
He chose to veer downwards.
Dong Jian is downstairs.
This time he still didn't jump, only taking half a step to the left. Feng Xiaotian's dive line was much lower than before after being forced by the Yu Feng, and his right shoulder made a brief collision with Dong Jian's palm.
Contact was still barely a breath away.
That's enough.
Dong Jian didn't try to completely change the direction; Feng Xiaotian's already downward momentum. He followed with his shoulder and waist, leaving just enough space for a narrow line between his feet, and then released his grip.
Feng Xiaotian was not pulled to the ground; in fact, he was able to continue flying.
However, he was originally going to insert himself into the rescue line between Yu Tianheng and the Godwind team members, but Dong Jian deflected him to Shi Mo's side.
Shi Mo had been waiting for a long time.
The Black Tortoise lifted upwards.
Feng Xiaotian certainly wouldn't crash into the tortoise shell himself. He spread his wings and pulled himself up into the air again. It was this sudden rise that caused him to completely miss the shortest possible contact with his teammates on the ground.
"Now," Yu Tianheng began.
The Thunder Dragon Body pressed down with all its might.
The Godwind member on the far left had just been forced half a step back by the poisonous fog, and before his companion could catch up, Yu Tianheng's dragon claw had already smashed between the two.
Boom!
Lightning exploded, the first person retreated, and the second person was forced to move to the right. Shi Mo blocked the third person's position from the front, Dugu Yan's poison belt pressed in through the gap.
For the first time, Godwind was truly cut in two.
Feng Xiaotian pressed down again.
Yu Feng was still behind.
Li Man did not provide a second support.
"That's all?" Yu Feng asked.
"One more time."
"Then why not use it?"
"Not now."
Li Man used the last Dragon Bamboo Borrows the Air on her hand. Imperial Fighting Team had already obtained the ground breakpoint, and if she used up the last fulcrum to Feng Xiaotian, she would only drag herself back into the opponent's most comfortable aerial rhythm.
Dong Jian didn't even look at Feng Xiaotian.
He turned to Yu Tianheng's rear to receive the blow that Shi Mo had been knocked back by the opponent's strong attack. The tortoise shell's retreat was heavy, but much lighter than the Elephant Armor's. Dong Jian put his arm around Shi Mo's shoulder, guiding the retreat to the side and giving Yu Tianheng a position to continue pressing forward.
Each person handles one section.
Yu Feng, soaring through the sky Feng Xiaotian.
Li Man made a fulcrum.
Dong Jian is at the boundary between ground and air and the front-line breakpoint.
Yu Tianheng only cared about where it was worth fighting.
The strongest warriors of the Godwind are still in the sky, but the ground formations are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain their integrity.
Feng Xiaotian clearly understood as well. He stopped chasing Yu Feng, suddenly increased his speed to the maximum, and charged directly at Dugu Yan from the other side.
This is a very smart choice.
Once Dugu Yan is forced away, the poisonous zone on the ground will loosen, giving the two parts of Godwind that were cut apart a chance to rejoin.
"Yanzi," Yu Tianheng called out first.
Dugu Yan immediately tucked herself to the right, while simultaneously pressing the poisonous mist down to her feet.
Dong Jian was going to fix her left side.
Feng Xiaotian changed course again halfway through the journey.
Fake rescue.
The real target was Li Man.
Yu Feng had the clearest view from above, exclaimed, "Behind us!"
Li Man did not back down; she used the last of the Dragon Bamboo Borrows the Air.
This time, Green Jade Bamboo was neither given to Yu Feng nor to Dong Jian.
It grew diagonally upwards from Li Man's side, blocking Feng Xiaotian's lowest cutting line. Of course, the bamboo couldn't stop Feng Xiaotian; he could break it with a single claw.
Interruption requires a physical action.
Feng Xiaotian did not fight.
He chose to raise the level by half a foot to go around it.
Half a foot.
Yu Feng has arrived.
He used a wind blade from above to suppress Feng Xiaotian's upward angle, forcing the opponent to slide to the right.
Dong Jian arrived just in time to the ground on the right.
There was no contact this time.
He just stood there.
Upon seeing Dong Jian's location, Feng Xiaotian abandoned his advance on Li Man and took to the air again.
Li Man's last bamboo stalk remained intact, untouched and unbroken, before dissipating on its own after a few breaths.
Yu Feng descended back into the low sky, he caught his breath. "Is this even considered useful?"
"Yes," Li Man replied.
Nobody stepped on it.
"He went around in circles."
Yu Feng was speechless.
Dragon Bamboo Borrows the Air never takes responsibility for letting anyone fly.
Whether a short-term pivot point can be hit is sometimes unimportant. As long as it allows the person in the air to change direction once more, the Imperial Fighting Team below can gain an extra half-beat.
Godwind's ground formation finally gave way.
Yu Tianheng broke through the point twice in a row, Shi Mo blocked the return. Dugu Yan's poison belt narrowed the last parallel channel. Ye Lingling always stood at the back and was not truly cut off from the treatment distance.
Feng Xiaotian can still fight.
His Soul Power was not exhausted either.
If the fight continues, he will have to save two places at the same time. Yu Feng will continue to entangle in the air, while Imperial Fighting Team has already established a stable advantage on the ground.
The teacher leading the team, Godwind, raised his hand.
"I admit defeat."
The referee immediately separated the two sides.
"Heaven Dou Royal Academy wins!"
Yu Feng was the first to land. As soon as he got his footing, he turned around to look at Feng Xiaotian: "How was it? I didn't let you stay up there comfortably all day, did I?"
Feng Xiaotian landed as well, glanced at him, and said, "You should first secure your own altitude."
"At least I can fly."
After he finished speaking, he deliberately glanced at Dong Jian.
Dong Jian pretended not to see it.
Feng Xiaotian walked over instead, his gaze first landing on Dong Jian: "Even if you come up alone, you still won't be able to catch me."
"I know."
Dong Jian answered quickly.
Feng Xiaotian, then looked at Yu Feng and Li Man: "Today's fighting style is quite interesting."
Li Man said, "You'll dismantle it next time."
"Certainly."
"Then we'll change it next time."
Feng Xiaotian smiled and said nothing more.
Godwind's inability to win this match doesn't mean their aerial combat strategy is over. Imperial Fighting Team is only dealing with that crucial connection point in their team match today.
Qin Ming and the others returned to the rest area before placing the next batch of documents on the table.
Yu Feng was still reviewing his previous attempts to change direction using bamboo when he saw the title on the cover, and his smile slowly faded.
Skywater Academy
The first page of the document contains only one chart of the competition record.
The same piece of ground was frozen into three layers.
There is water beneath the ice.
Below the water level, there are still several man-made cavities.
After a few moments, Dong Jian noticed that his Fourth Soul Ring hadn't lit up yet, but the tremors that had circled back from the ice surface last time were already replaying in his lower back.
This time, Shui Bing'er clearly wasn't planning to use the old answer.