"Bibi Dong! Are you really this clueless, or are you just pretending?"
Liu Erlong's beautiful yet fierce face was filled with scorn and hatred. With her arms crossed over her chest, she sneered coldly.
"Before the final round of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament, Xiaogang left Heaven Dou City ahead of us on horseback to come to Spirit City."
"He wanted to ask you how to cultivate Twin Martial Souls without self-destructing."
"I'm sure you know, Xiaogang took in a disciple named Tang San—just like you, he also possesses Twin Martial Souls!"
"But even though Xiaogang clearly arrived at Spirit City…"
"…We've been here for so long and still haven't found him."
"If you didn't hide him, then are you saying he just mysteriously vanished?!"
The more Liu Erlong spoke, the more bitter and furious she became. Her delicate hands clenched into fists as she glared at Bibi Dong with gritted teeth.
However, at those words, Bibi Dong's mature and elegant expression grew ugly.
Even if Liu Erlong didn't believe her—Bibi Dong herself knew she was innocent.
Before, when the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was massacred, she and Spirit Hall were falsely blamed.
Now, with her beloved Xiaogang missing—
She was once again the scapegoat!
This made Bibi Dong feel extremely aggrieved and furious. She coldly snapped back at Liu Erlong:
"Believe it or not, I did NOT hide Xiaogang!"
"In fact, Xiaogang never even came to see me in Spirit City!"
"That's all I have to say."
"If you dare slander me again, don't blame me for being impolite."
Having declared her innocence and issued a warning, Bibi Dong—her face full of icy anger—turned to leave with Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei, brushing past Liu Erlong.
Faced with Bibi Dong's imposing presence and Titled Douluo-level pressure—
Liu Erlong ultimately backed down, not daring to pursue or argue further.
Back at the Hall of the Pontiff, Bibi Dong immediately and sternly ordered Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo:
"Find him!"
"I don't care if you have to dig three feet into the ground—I want every trace of Yu Xiaogang."
"I need to know if he ever actually entered Spirit City!"
The next day—
The final round of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament officially began!
Unlike previous matches, this time the championship was held in a specially constructed arena at a large plaza adjacent to the Hall of the Pontiff.
To avoid any damage to the sacred Hall, Spirit Hall reinforced the arena with numerous precious Soul Tools.
"The first half of the final round of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament is about to begin!"
"Now, each of the three teams, please send one representative to draw lots."
"Let's determine who will serve as the first ring master!"
From the VIP stage, a red-robed Archbishop loudly announced and brought out a wooden box.
From Heaven Dou Imperial Team, Zhao Wuji was sent to draw.
Godwind Team sent Feng Xiaotian.
Spirit Hall Team sent Xie Yue.
The three walked to the VIP stage and reached into the wooden box, each drawing a token.
Feng Xiaotian drew the defending token.
"Godwind Team, please send your first contestant to defend the ring!"
The Archbishop's voice echoed.
Feng Xiaotian chose to send the weakest member of his team.
Though the weakest, this Spirit Master still possessed a flying-type Spirit Ability, as every member of the Godwind Team did.
Feng Xiaotian's instructions were clear:
"As soon as the match starts, use your flying Spirit Ability to ascend and harass from a distance. Try to scout out the opponent's Spirit Abilities."
However, in response, Spirit Hall Team sent Zhang Ping, a Rank 47 Spirit Ancestor with a flying-type Martial Soul: Golden-Waist Swallow.
Faced with a significant difference in Spirit Power—
And lacking the advantage of flight—
The Godwind Team's Spirit Elder was swiftly defeated by Zhang Ping.
After Spirit Hall's turn, it was time for the Heaven Dou Imperial Team, with Ye Yu, to send a challenger.
For this match, Ye Yu's selected participants were:
Ye Yu
Zhu Zhuqing
Dugu Yan
Shi Mó
Shi Mò
Yu Feng
Ao Si Luo
Against Zhang Ping, whose Martial Soul was the Golden-Waist Swallow and Spirit Power was at Rank 47, neither Yu Feng nor Ao Si Luo were viable options.
So Ye Yu chose Shi Mó to step up.
For agility-type Spirit Masters, encountering defense-type Spirit Masters is extremely frustrating—their offense often can't break through the defense.
Sure enough, Zhang Ping was unable to overcome Shi Mo's solid defense.
In the end, Shi Mo found his opening and knocked her from the ring.
Time passed swiftly.
From Godwind Team, only Feng Xiaotian remained.
From Spirit Hall Team, only Xie Yue, Yan, and Hu Liena remained.
From the Heaven Dou Imperial Team, only Ye Yu, Dugu Yan, and Zhu Zhuqing were left.
Currently, Zhu Zhuqing was on the ring defending.
Next up: Spirit Hall's turn to challenge.
"Brother, it's your turn!"
Since Zhu Zhuqing was both agility-attack and power-attack type, and she had trained in Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, her speed was incredible.
Hu Liena decided to have her older brother, Xie Yue, take the challenge.
"Zhuqing, come down."
Seeing that Xie Yue would be entering, Ye Yu called out directly.
He knew Zhu Zhuqing wouldn't be able to defeat Xie Yue. Rather than have her risk injury, it was better for her to admit defeat and conserve strength.
Zhu Zhuqing understood and conceded the match, stepping down from the Dueling Arena.
"Godwind Team, please send your challenger!"
With Zhu Zhuqing stepping down, Xie Yue became the current ring master.
The red-robed Archbishop looked toward Feng Xiaotian, who was now the only remaining member of the Godwind Team.
Feng Xiaotian had no choice but to step forward.
The host announced the match start and gave the signal to release Martial Souls.
"Stormwind Demon Wolf, Possession!"
Feng Xiaotian shouted and entered Spirit Possession mode.
A burst of azure light surrounded him. His body grew taller, muscles bulked up, hands turned into razor-sharp wolf claws, and his eyes transformed into beast-like azure pupils.
On his shoulder, a second azure wolf head manifested.
At the same time, two yellow and two purple Spirit Rings rose from his feet and circled him.
"Third Spirit Ability: Stormwind Wings!"
With his Martial Soul activated, Feng Xiaotian unleashed his third Spirit Ability, spreading a pair of azure wings and soaring into the air.
He even unleashed his self-created Spirit Ability: Stormwind Demon Wolf's Thirty Six Successive Chops.
But—
Faced with a full major tier of difference in Spirit Power,
Feng Xiaotian was ultimately defeated by Xie Yue.
"Your Stormwind Demon Wolf's Thirty Six Successive Chops isn't bad,"
Xie Yue commented flatly, dual crescent moonblades in hand.
"But against me—it's still not enough."
Although Feng Xiaotian's self-created technique was impressive, Xie Yue had also developed his own self-created Spirit Ability: Full Moon Slash!
It shared a similar chain combo style, but had lower requirements for momentum and delivered greater destructive power.
Xie Yue easily saw through the flaws in Feng Xiaotian's technique and broke his combo, sealing victory.
With Feng Xiaotian defeated—
It was time for the Heaven Dou Imperial Team to take the stage.
Dugu Yan would not be able to defeat Xie Yue either.
So, after a short rest, when the red-robed Archbishop announced:
"Next, Heaven Dou Imperial Team, send your challenger!"
Ye Yu stepped forward onto the dueling platform.
"Ye Yu, I've been waiting for this moment!"
Xie Yue stood with his pair of sharp, crescent-shaped Moonblades, his cold face filled with battle intent.
"In all the previous Elite Tournaments, only our Spirit Hall Team had Spirit Kings among the ranks."
"But this year, you, Ye Yu, actually reached the level of a Spirit King as well!"
"I heard your Martial Soul was once just ordinary Blue Silver Grass—but you refused to be mediocre. You discovered how to evolve it and climbed step by step to this point."
"In terms of ability and talent, this is the first time I've ever wanted to acknowledge someone as superior!"
"But in terms of pure strength—don't think you can beat me!"
"This duel, I must win. Not just for myself—but for Spirit Hall!"