Seeing everyone's excitement, Yu Xiaogang continued, "Dear students, soul bones are extremely valuable. Only the champions of the finals will receive them. This is the greatest reward in the history of the Soul Master Competition. I promise you that the rewards will be distributed based on your performance."
Hearing this, the group became even more excited. However, Yang Xiong inwardly sighed. 'Only three soul bones, and the only one truly suitable for me is the skull bone. But knowing Yu Xiaogang's bias, he'll definitely give it to his disciple Tang San. There's no way I'd get it. As for the other two, they're not even worth considering.'
'Relying on winning the Soul Master Competition for a soul bone? It'd be better to approach Ning Fengzhi directly. The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect might have such treasures in their collection. If that fails, I could recruit a couple of skilled fighters and head to Sunset Forest or Star Dou Forest—I've heard some rumors about these places.'
After Yu Xiaogang's motivational speech, everyone confidently marched onto the stage, as if the championship was already within reach.
Following Yu Xiaogang's arrangements, Yang Xiong served as the lone powerhouse attacker, Ma Hongjun handled aerial harassment, Zhu Zhuqing acted as the agility-type attacker, and Qin Shuang guarded the three auxiliaries.
Once on the stage, Yang Xiong couldn't help but feel exasperated upon seeing Flame Radiance Academy's setup.
The opposing team hadn't fielded a single auxiliary soul master. Aside from one control-type soul master, the rest were all powerhouse attackers and agility-type attackers—there wasn't even a defensive soul master. Clearly, they had studied Shrek Academy's situation beforehand.
Their control-type soul master's martial soul was the Sky Azure Vine, though their soul power was only at Level 36, and judging by their age, they were likely over 22.
As for their captain—their team's sole Soul Ancestor—their martial soul was the Crimson Flame Tiger, which was a fairly decent martial soul.
True to Yang Xiong's expectations, as soon as the match began, Yang Xiong and two others charged straight toward the opponent's formation.
However, the opponents had anticipated this. Three people immediately moved to intercept Yang Xiong, with countless Sky Azure Vines erupting from the ground, attempting to surround him completely.
Yang Xiong teleported directly in front of the control-type soul master, and three more soul masters rushed to rescue their teammate. With a single strike, one of the opponents was sent flying several meters, blood trickling from the corner of their mouth. Despite this, they quickly recovered and continued their assault on Yang Xiong.
Yang Xiong was now completely surrounded, bombarded by an endless barrage of soul skills. Even with his formidable attack power, his movements began to slow under the pressure.
Compared to Yang Xiong, the others fared far worse. The remaining three battle soul masters each faced opponents with soul power levels five ranks higher, leaving them struggling to cope.
Despite Ning Rongrong's support and Oscar's sausages, Shrek Academy quickly fell behind. Their three auxiliaries were systematically picked off and knocked off the stage.
As the other six members gradually fell, a scene unfolded where seven people surrounded Yang Xiong. Though Yang Xiong performed admirably, defeating four opponents, he eventually succumbed to the overwhelming numbers and leapt off the stage himself.
In reality, Yang Xiong had only used about half his strength—roughly equivalent to a Soul Ancestor. Even so, there was little he could do against such a large group. Besides, Yang Xiong had never intended to win in the first place.
Ultimately, Shrek Academy lost to Flame Radiance Academy, marking their second consecutive defeat.
Although Yang Xiong had defeated four opponents consecutively, the overall performance was far from impressive. The team was disorganized, lacking even a basic commander. Had it not been for Yang Xiong's extraordinary combat prowess, it would have been a complete rout for all seven members.
After the match, Yu Xiaogang's expression grew even darker. The match hadn't gone as explosively as he had imagined. While Yang Xiong's performance was solid, it was within expectations. The other battle soul masters, facing opponents with soul power levels five ranks higher, were decisively defeated.
Even the referee couldn't help but sigh. Having presided over numerous matches, he had never seen a team field three auxiliaries before.
Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaogang's face turned ashen, and he stormed off. After all, the tactics for this battle had been his responsibility. He couldn't very well scold the substitutes or blame the auxiliary soul masters for their lack of combat effectiveness.
Next, they faced another mid-tier team. This time, Flender directly announced their forfeit. Matches involving Tian Dou Imperial Academy's Team Two often attracted high-ranking academy officials—and even Emperor Xue Ye—to spectate. Rather than suffer further embarrassment, it was better to claim multiple key players were injured and concede early, at least preserving some dignity.
However, after consecutive losses, Shrek Academy's record dropped to ten wins and three losses, with three consecutive defeats.
After two days of rest, Tang San and the others fully recovered, and the team returned to its usual state.
Unfortunately, luck was not on their side. Just as Tang San and the others returned to action, they drew Thunder Academy in the next match.
As one of the Five Elements Academies, Thunder Academy was undeniably outstanding. With a perfect record of thirteen consecutive wins, they were tied for first place among all teams and were considered an absolute powerhouse.
Thunder Academy boasted four Soul Ancestors—a number surpassing even Blazing Fire Academy and Elephant Armor Academy. Moreover, all members possessed lightning-attribute martial souls, known for their destructive capabilities.
After Tang San and the others returned to the team, Yang Xiong resumed his role as a defensive soul master, restoring the team's 3-1-2-1 formation. Dai Mubai stood at the forefront, followed by Xiao Wu and Tai Long as flanks, then Tang San in the center for control, and finally Yang Xiong and the two auxiliaries at the back.
However, as soon as they stepped onto the stage, Shrek Academy's members felt immense pressure. The entire arena was filled with terrifying lightning energy, making the air seem charged with explosive force.
Thunder Academy had four Soul Ancestors: Captain Yu Tianxin, a Level 43 powerhouse attacker with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul; Vice-Captain Lei Dong, a Level 42 control-type soul master with the Thunder Spider martial soul; Lei Tian, a Level 42 powerhouse attacker with the Thunder Eagle martial soul; and Lei Mie, a Level 41 agility-type soul master with the Thunder Blade martial soul.
Surprisingly, the team didn't include a single auxiliary soul master. In fact, they only had one control-type soul master, with the rest being powerhouse attackers and agility-type attackers.
As the match began, Thunder Academy charged forward with overwhelming momentum and incredible speed—true to their reputation as lightning-attribute soul masters.
Tang San's eyes flashed, and countless strands of Blue Silver Grass erupted across the stage, wrapping around Thunder Academy's seven members in an attempt to slow their advance and reduce the intensity of their attacks.
However, one of the opposing Soul Elders unleashed a large-scale soul skill: Thunderstorm Domination. Instantly, the stage was flooded with countless bolts of lightning, all striking the Blue Silver Grass. The widespread Blue Silver Grass was scorched black and quickly disintegrated into fragments.
Tang San was stunned. His Blue Silver Grass had been countered yet again. The suppression effect of lightning was just as severe as that of Blazing Fire Academy. Under the barrage of lightning, the Blue Silver Grass was not only fragile but also left his martial soul feeling numb.
As the two sides were about to collide, Ning Rongrong raised her massive Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda Tower and chanted, "The Seven Treasures have names: first is strength!"
Three beams of light immediately enhanced the strength of the frontline fighters—Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu, and Tai Long.
Even with Ning Rongrong's boosts, the two sides clashed rapidly. However, the trio was forced back several meters.
Dai Mubai's opponent was Thunder Academy's captain, Yu Tianxin, whose martial soul was also the top-tier beast-type Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. With a soul power level of 43, the two quickly engaged in fierce combat.
Though Xiao Wu and Tai Long had support, a Soul Elder facing a Soul Ancestor was still at a significant disadvantage.
Tang San reacted swiftly, and countless strands of Blue Silver Grass wrapped around Dai Mubai and the others, pulling them out of the fight to prevent them from being overwhelmed by multiple opponents.
At the same time, a strand of Blue Silver Grass wrapped around Yang Xiong's waist, instantly bringing him from the rear to the front lines.
Now, the opposing team had seven battle soul masters—an extreme representation of the limit-breaking style. With just the three or four of them, resistance was nearly impossible.
In an instant, Shrek Academy's formation completely shifted. The two auxiliaries were now unprotected, and the formation changed to a 2-1-2-2 structure, with Yang Xiong and Dai Mubai at the forefront.
Clearly, Tang San understood Yang Xiong's strength well. In an instant, Yang Xiong found himself facing Yu Tianxin, while Dai Mubai confronted another opponent—Lei Tian, a Level 42 powerhouse attacker with the Thunder Eagle martial soul. Xiao Wu faced Lei Mie, a Level 41 agility-type soul master.
The battle intensified, with both sides exchanging blows fiercely. However, Tang San's control with the Blue Silver Grass was clearly inferior to that of Thunder Academy's vice-captain, Lei Dong—a Soul Ancestor.
Lei Dong's martial soul was the Thunder Spider, a massive spider covered in lightning that could shoot electrified silk threads to control the entire battlefield.
While the silk threads lacked the flexibility of the Blue Silver Grass, their electrified nature made them far more destructive.
Each time the Blue Silver Grass collided with the silk threads, it was scorched black by the electricity, leaving Tang San in a difficult position.
With the opposing team pressing hard, in the blink of an eye, Yang Xiong and the others faced a full-scale assault from six opponents.
At this moment, Yang Xiong faced Yu Tianxin alone. Known as one of the Blue Lightning Twin Stars, Yu Tianxin's attack power was indeed formidable, excelling in both strength and speed. Yet, even he could gain no advantage against Yang Xiong, who completely restrained him.
On the battlefield, a captain typically served as the spearhead. If they couldn't break through the enemy's formation—or worse, were restrained by the enemy—their leadership role would vanish.
Yu Tianxin sneered coldly. "Are you telling me that Tian Dou Imperial Academy has no one else? You dare use a mere Soul Elder to restrain me? This is an insult!"
Yang Xiong smirked. "Is it us underestimating you, or are you simply too weak? A captain who can't even defeat me is truly pathetic."
The two exchanged countless blows, their fists and feet colliding repeatedly. Yet, neither could gain the upper hand, and neither could overwhelm the other.
Yang Xiong felt the terrifying power of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon with every exchange. Even his arms tingled faintly from the intense lightning. No wonder it was hailed as the most destructive lightning attribute.
At this moment, Yang Xiong understood even more clearly why the First Iron Rule of the Body Sect forbade the reckless use of soul skills. In clashes with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, his body seemed particularly vulnerable to impact. This was the true terror of lightning-elemental power.
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