Sky Dou Academy, Martial Arts Field, Arena.
Jing Shaoyu and his six companions stood facing the seven representatives from Sky Dou Academy. Li Zhi acted as the referee for this match, standing in the center. He glanced around and announced, "This match prioritizes friendship over victory; it's primarily for mutual exchange and must not harm harmony. Now, both sides, introduce yourselves."
"Jing Shaoyu," as the captain, he naturally spoke first, smiling.
"Xue Tianhe," the golden-haired youth opposite him, also a captain, responded solemnly.
Hearing his surname, Jing Shaoyu couldn't help but take a closer look. The surname Xue, combined with being a student of Sky Dou Academy, suggested he might be a descendant of the former Sky Dou Empire or the Douluo Empire's royal family. His noble demeanor and proud eyes made this possibility quite high.
"Gu Yue."
"Mu Yun," the Sky Dou Academy student opposite Gu Yue was a cold, long-haired beauty with peculiar pink eyes.
"Jing Na'er."
"Shi Honglong," a burly man over two meters tall, with a menacing aura more akin to a bandit than a student.
"Xu Xiaoyan."
"Yan Su," a thin, rigid-faced youth who indeed seemed difficult to get along with.
"Wu Siduo."
"Sheng Renjie," a handsome, flirtatious youth whose gaze at Na'er and the others made them frown in disgust.
"Ye Xinglan."
"Yi Yutong," a gentle, gracefully smiling beauty.
"Mo Hentian."
"Chen Lin'er," the youngest of the Sky Dou Academy group, a cute, mischievous-looking girl only a few years older than Jing Shaoyu and his team.
After introductions, Li Zhi solemnly said, "Both sides, retreat to your sides of the arena; the match is about to begin!"
Both teams retreated to their sides, formed their battle formations, and tensed up, ready to release their Martial Souls and enter combat.
Jing Shaoyu noted the opposing formation: a standard three-two-two setup, with Shi Honglong, Xue Tianhe, and Mu Yun in front, Yan Su and Sheng Renjie in the middle, and Yi Yutong and Chen Lin'er at the back.
"Three, two, one, begin!"
At Li Zhi's command, all fourteen on the arena released their Martial Souls and Soul Rings. The sight of Shrek Academy's mix of purple and black Soul Rings instantly shocked the Sky Dou Academy spectators, who looked on in amazement. The Sky Dou seven also surprised Jing Shaoyu with their strength.
Their leader, Xue Tianhe, was a five-ring Soul King, and the other six were four-ring Soul Grandmasters. While not exceptional at Shrek Academy, this level of strength was top-tier among high-level academies across the continent.
White wings spread from Xue Tianhe's back, accompanied by two yellow, two purple, and one black Soul Rings, as a radiant aura surrounded him, with white feathers growing on his neck and hands.
A Light Swan! Jing Shaoyu immediately recognized Xue Tianhe's Martial Soul and confirmed his royal lineage.
The release of Martial Souls was instantaneous, and the battle began in the blink of an eye.
Jing Shaoyu's team made the first move. Xu Xiaoyan raised her Star Staff, her first Soul Ring lighting up as a golden Star Wheel flew into the opposing group. They reacted swiftly; Mu Yun, holding crescent-shaped daggers, charged forward sharply, while Shi Honglong activated a Soul Skill, his purple Soul Ring glowing as a shield-headed Armadillo Dragon appeared behind him, enveloping his team in a thin layer of earthy energy.
The rest of the Sky Dou team dodged to the sides.
However, Xu Xiaoyan's Star Wheel Chains targeted one person, quickly ensnaring him. A shadowy figure flashed across the arena, a cold trail brushing past Shi Honglon, who felt his vision blur, followed by two exclamations behind him.
"Be careful!" came the voices of Yi Yutong and Chen Lin'er, one holding a bright yellow staff with earthy elements swirling around her, the other cradling a splendid agate stone, its brilliant red light flickering.
They shouted to warn Sheng Renjie, but he was helpless, tightly bound by Star Chains, watching helplessly as the shadow approached.
The shadow revealed itself to be Wu Siduo, surrounded by blue birds, her agility at its peak as she struck Sheng Renjie with sharp cat claws, leaving him horrified as Li Zhi saved him from the arena, gasping in fear.
Disappointed she couldn't leave a mark on Sheng Renjie, Wu Siduo coldly turned to dodge a fierce wind attack, revealing Yan Su in a wolf form, his wolf tail swishing, claws wielding wind shadows, marking him as a swift attack Soul Master with two yellow and two purple Soul Rings, indicative of his Soul Grandmaster strength and Wind Shadow Wolf Martial Soul.
Less than thirty seconds into the battle, Sky Dou Academy had already lost one member, a disadvantageous start that made the spectators nervous, cheering loudly for Xue Tianhe and his team.
Responding to the crowd's encouragement, Chen Lin'er activated her four Soul Rings, her agate stone glowing brilliantly as she waved her hand, casting four crimson lights onto Xue Tianhe, Mu Yun, Shi Honglon, and Yan Su, enhancing their power.
Clearly, Chen Lin'er was the team's support Soul Master, her agate stone being her Martial Soul, the Heart-Luminous Pearl. Her four Soul Skills—strength, speed, defense, and Soul Power enhancements—were similar to the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda's, but while the latter provided group enhancements, the Heart-Luminous Pearl offered individual boosts.
With these enhancements, Xue Tianhe and his team's combat power significantly increased.
Na'er and Jing Shaoyu teamed up against Soul King Xue Tianhe, Ye Xinglan faced Mu Yun, Mo Hentian took on Shi Honglon, Wu Siduo engaged Yan Su, while Gu Yue and Na'er stayed back for crowd control and preparing a major move, a strategy Jing Shaoyu's team favored; as long as the front held, Gu Yue's intervention could effectively end the match.
Jing Shaoyu, holding Na'er, flew to face Xue Tianhe, whose Light Swan Martial Soul excelled in aerial combat, his wings emitting white light, fluttering rapidly, sending light-infused slashes towards Jing Shaoyu and Na'er.
Na'er, wielding the Silver Dragon Lance, deflected the light slashes with precise strikes, while Jing Shaoyu flapped his Wings of Origin, trying to close the distance with Xue Tianhe. The Light Swan wasn't a particularly powerful Martial Soul, excelling in flight and ranged harassment; close combat would likely lead to defeat.
Xue Tianhe, aware of this, noticed Jing Shaoyu and Na'er's attack pattern and chose to ascend and move quickly to tire Jing Shaoyu, while his ranged attacks drained Na'er's Soul Power.
Below, Ye Xinglan and Mu Yun's battle was the most intense, one wielding the Star God Sword, surrounded by starlight, the other holding dual crescent blades, her figure cold and serene. Their clash of swords and blades was chaotic, resembling a collision of stars and a crescent moon on the arena.
Mo Hentian and Shi Honglon's fight was relatively dull, a simple exchange of attack and defense. Shi Honglon's Martial Soul, the Armadillo Dragon, offered high defense and strong physique, but under Mo Hentian's Sky-Hate Hammer, it seemed insufficient. Mo Hentian's attacks lacked finesse, relying solely on strength; after ten or eleven hammer strikes, Shi Honglon's expression changed.