Not long after, at the personal battle stage of the Great Spirit Arena, Yang Yunhai strode out of the passage.
Seeing his opponent's face clearly, he gave a slight nod.
On the other side, Yu Tianheng's expression remained steady as he returned the nod.
In the half month since arriving, Yang Yunhai had not lost a single match in the arena, becoming the fastest spirit master in its history to earn a Silver Spirit Badge. But due to the arena's rules, unless he requested otherwise, his opponents could only be of the same cultivation stage. At present, the strongest opponent he could match with was a rank 39 Soul Elder. And Yu Tianheng happened to be exactly that.
So fate had matched them together.
Yu Tianheng knew he couldn't win. No one understood Yang Yunhai's strength better than a teammate and former rival. But as the direct heir of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, his pride would never allow him to shrink back before the fight even began.
'Even if I lose, I must show my spirit!' he thought, eyes blazing as he strode to the center of the stage.
Facing each other, Yu Tianheng spoke first. "Xiao Hai, don't hold back. Let me test the results of my training these days."
"Alright." Yang Yunhai nodded slightly.
Moments later, after the announcer's booming introduction, the match officially began.
Light flared as both men activated their spirits almost simultaneously.
"Third soul skill, Thunder Fury!" Yu Tianheng roared, immediately buffing himself.
The next instant: "Dragon Transformation!" A dazzling blue light shone from his brow, arcs of lightning danced, a thunderbolt-shaped mark appeared, and his right arm swelled with muscle, covered in fine blue-violet scales. Two yellow and one purple rings hovered around his wrist.
Yu Tianheng knew well how dangerous Yang Yunhai's control was. He had only one chance: use overwhelming power and speed to break through. Dragging things out meant certain defeat.
With a stomp, he shot forward.
Swish!
Yang Yunhai snapped his right hand, releasing a vine whip low across the ground, same as in their last duel.
'Again with this move?' Yu Tianheng thought, eyes flashing as he leapt into the air to vault over it.
But Yang Yunhai's wrist flicked forward, and the vine arched like a wave, stretching ahead. The vine stopped taut directly under Yu Tianheng's feet, then split into countless branches.
In an instant, a massive V-shaped net closed around him midair.
'A trap!' Yu Tianheng's scalp prickled.
"First soul skill, Thunder Dragon Claw!" His right arm morphed into a massive claw, slashing hard.
Crack!
Sparks flew as the claw raked the vines, leaving only shallow white marks. No real damage.
'This toughness… impossible!' Yu Tianheng's heart sank. Even with triple amplification—his third skill Thunder Fury, his Dragon Arm, and the inherent boost of Thunder Dragon Claw—he still couldn't tear Yang Yunhai's first skill vines.
He had never felt it as a teammate, but as an opponent, he now realized how absurdly strong Yang Yunhai's vines were.
And Yang Yunhai wasn't finished. The vines on both sides clamped inward, sprouting more and more branches until Yu Tianheng was completely entangled.
"Second soul skill, Thunder Crash!" Yu Tianheng roared, lightning exploding outward.
But it was useless.
In moments, he was bound tight, suspended in midair with only his eyes showing. His soul power drained rapidly, his skin stinging like a thousand needles.
In the stands, Chrysanthemum Douluo grinned wide. "As expected of my disciple!"
Across from him, Dugu Bo curled his lip. "And this is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's heir? Pathetic. He fell for the same trick with a tiny variation. That boy's mind is soft compared to Yang Yunhai's cunning."
Beside them, Dugu Yan lowered her head in silence. Zhu Zhuqing bit her lip, her eyes burning with determination to keep up with her partner.
"Impressive as always, Xiao Hai. His control is flawless," Yu Feng remarked.
The others nodded in agreement.
"Lingling, let's go. Tianheng needs healing." Dugu Yan suddenly stood, calling to Ye Lingling.
"Alright." Lingling followed.
"I lost." Feeling his spirit power draining away, Yu Tianheng finally stopped struggling.
Yang Yunhai immediately released the vines, letting the battered Yu Tianheng down.
"You've grown stronger again, Xiao Hai." Yu Tianheng forced a faint smile, nodding before turning away toward the tunnel, ignoring the cheers and the announcer's declaration of Yang Yunhai's victory.
Yang Yunhai said nothing, simply turning to leave as well.
"This defeat in front of a crowd will make the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan hate my disciple even more," Chrysanthemum Douluo thought grimly. "Last time was private. This time, the shame is public." He sighed and left.
'Looks like I'll need to watch over him constantly now,' Dugu Bo thought, also rising to leave.
Later, in the rest room, Yu Tianheng was healed by Ye Lingling and changed clothes. Qin Ming reminded him, "Tianheng, the team battle starts in half an hour. Rest quickly."
"Yes." Yu Tianheng sat down cross-legged to recover.
Yang Yunhai, meanwhile, went to watch Zhu Zhuqing's match. Afterward, he accompanied her back, then joined the others for the team match.
Without Yang Yunhai's control, the team's weaknesses became painfully obvious. Their opponents, older and more experienced, exploited their lack of coordination.
Though Zhu Zhuqing fought steadily and stood out despite her lower rank, it wasn't enough. The team lost.
Afterward, Qin Ming gathered everyone for reflection. "Yang Yunhai's control has carried us to a level we weren't ready for. Without him, our flaws show clearly. We must use this to improve."
The following days proved the point. Without him, they often lost. With him, they crushed opponents with ease.
The team came to truly recognize who the backbone of their squad was.
Days passed, training continued. Finally, in the hotel lobby, Qin Ming announced, "This phase of training is complete. You'll have three days off. Then we'll head to other major cities for the next stage."
Everyone nodded.
At that moment, Dugu Yan turned. "Xiao Hai, since we're in Heaven Dou City, why don't you and Zhu Zhuqing come visit my home?"
(End of Chapter)
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