Xue Ye wore a look of satisfaction, glancing appreciatively at Yang Feng—but it was only a fleeting glance. The deeper furrows between his brows still carried visible worry.
He turned his gaze to a middle-aged man in a black robe standing beside him. Though the man appeared to be in his forties, he was in fact over fifty years old. Thanks to reaching the rank of Soul Sage, the aging process had slowed significantly.
"General Ge Long," Xue Ye said in a low voice, "my royal brother seems to be stirring lately… I suspect he's planning something. Just to be safe, quietly bring in three thousand elite troops from the outer camp into the city in staggered groups. With Father gravely ill, we must be prepared for any sudden changes."
"For some reason, I can't shake this ominous feeling."
There was a growing unease in Xue Ye's heart, as though something major was about to unfold—and it felt directed squarely at him.
Given the sensitivity of the current situation, the only possible threat he could think of was none other than his royal brother Xue Xing—the so-called 'Virtuous Prince,' who had refused to return to his fiefdom and wielded considerable influence in court.
Under normal circumstances, even if they clashed on policy, it remained within manageable bounds.
But now, with their father unconscious for days—beyond even the aid of the famed physician Ye Renxin—his condition was being barely sustained by support-type Soul Masters transferring life force into him. Without their support, he wouldn't even last through the tournament.
To guard against unrest in the imperial capital, Xue Ye had already mobilized five thousand palace guards to secure the area.
Yet despite all these precautions, his anxiety remained unresolved. Thus, he ordered Ge Long to summon another three thousand troops.
"Understood," Ge Long responded, nodding solemnly before turning to leave without another word.
At the exit of the tournament venue, Xue Xing happened to run into General Ge Long.
"General Ge Long, the tournament isn't over yet. Why the sudden rush?" Xue Xing asked with a superficial smile. "If it's urgent, perhaps I can be of some assistance."
Ge Long inwardly cursed the bad luck, but kept his face composed. With a polite bow, he replied, "No need, Your Highness. It's merely a family matter—not something that should trouble you."
Without waiting for a response, Ge Long bypassed Xue Xing and headed in the direction of his residence.
Xue Xing watched his retreating figure until it completely vanished from sight. Only then did he retract his gaze and curl his lips into a cold smile.
"Dear brother… it's far too early to tell who'll come out on top."
With that thought, he gave up any intention of watching the match and quietly turned away.
The second match was soon about to begin.
"The second match is about to begin: Skywater Academy Team versus Spirit Hall Team. Would the participants from both sides please enter the field."
"Brother Gu, it's our turn."
"Mn. Good luck out there, Brother Dugu."
Dugu Xin gave a brief nod and led his team onto the stage.
On the other side, the Skywater Academy team had also assembled.
Both teams consisted of one Soul Ancestor and six high-ranking Soul Elders.
However, compared to the Skywater lineup, Spirit Hall's team was far more forgiving in terms of battle flexibility. With Dugu Xin's Soul Power at Rank 49—just a step away from Soul King—combined with support from the Star Chain Martial Soul, his overall combat strength could already rival a Soul King.
Furthermore, as a group-control-type Soul Master, Dugu Xin posed a tremendous threat to the Skywater side.
Shui Qingwu's expression was tense as she recalled Guang Ling's instructions.
"Remember—at the very instant the battle begins, use your instant-cast skill to freeze all of them. Then focus fire on Dugu Xin. If they gain the initiative, you won't get another chance."
"First Soul Skill: Ice Seal!"
Shui Qingwu's Martial Soul was the Condensed Water Luan—descended from the Ice Phoenix bloodline—an extremely powerful Beast-type Martial Soul.
Her first soul skill was an instant-cast ability that ignored power level limitations. It could freeze a target instantly, either individually or in groups.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
In an instant, the entire battlefield was transformed into a frozen realm. All seven members of the Spirit Hall Team were immediately encased in ice.
"What a powerful first soul skill—instant-cast, no less."
Bibi Dong's eyes widened in surprise. Instant-cast control-type soul skills were exceptionally rare. One could only imagine how devastating it would be if this skill were unleashed in a duel between experts.
Even though it was just a first soul skill, in the hands of a skilled user, it could determine the outcome of a match in the blink of an eye.
Boom!!
As expected, the first to break free was Dugu Xin.
"Second Soul Skill: Emerald Phantasm Mist!"
Without delay, he released a wave of green mist that expanded outward from his position. This poisonous fog dulled the senses, disrupted sight and hearing, and paralyzed the body, severely weakening spatial awareness.
"Careful!" Shui Qingwu shouted. Her team quickly activated their own soul skills to either disperse or defend against the poisonous mist.
Crack... Crack...
The sound of ice shattering echoed throughout the field as the rest of the Spirit Hall team began breaking free from the frozen control.
"This isn't good! Sisters, quickly! Focus your attacks on Dugu Xin!"
Realizing the urgency, Shui Qingwu immediately took command.
At the same time, her fourth soul ring lit up.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Ice Prison!"
She swiftly formed hand seals. Countless tiny ice crystals began to coalesce around Dugu Xin, spinning rapidly until they formed a cage of ice to trap him.
The rest of the Skywater team launched their own soul skills, aiming to eliminate Dugu Xin from the field in one swift strike.
"This is bad—Dugu Xin is a control-type Soul Master. His first four soul skills are all poison-based. He has no real defensive options. Even with a soul power advantage of ten levels, he won't withstand a concentrated attack from seven people."
Lingyuan's eyes narrowed. The opponent clearly knew Spirit Hall's team inside and out. Her gaze shifted to the Skywater spectator area—directly toward Guang Ling.
After all, Dugu Xin hadn't participated in any prior matches. This counter-strategy had to be Guang Ling's doing.
The Condensed Water Luan flapped its wings, turning the stage into an arctic domain. The chilling cold seeped into Dugu Xin's body.
Trapped in the Ice Prison, Dugu Xin had no way to dodge. He curled his Martial Soul around himself like a shield, trying to endure.
Boom!!
"Don't panic, Brother Dugu—I'll cover you!"
With a thunderous bang, one of his teammates broke free. A massive black bear manifested behind him.
"Third Soul Skill: Demon Bear's Protection!"
The black bear let out a deafening roar as a protective black soul shield enveloped him.
Boom! Boom! Boom!!
One after another, the rest of the Spirit Hall team shattered their icy restraints.
Under their support, Hua Lan also broke free. Her Star Chain Martial Soul erupted with dazzling light, enhancing the entire team's defense and attributes.
"Watch this—Lava Hammer Smash!"
The Blazing Flame Gorilla rose to its full height, lifted its arms, and slammed them into the ground.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
Fiery stones burst from the icy ground and were flung into the air, pounded one by one by the gorilla's fists.
Attacks clashed in rapid succession. The match fell into a fierce stalemate.
"A perfect opening—Third Soul Skill: Emerald Purple Venom!"
With the enemy's attention diverted, Dugu Xin seized the moment. His third soul ring lit up beneath him as he conjured glowing balls of poisonous purple mist and hurled them toward the Skywater girls.
"Ice Repulsion Ring!"
Buzz!!
A wave of icy-blue energy radiated outward from Shui Qingwu, forcing back the Soul Master with the Panther Martial Soul.
Immediately afterward, she activated her second soul skill—Ice Ring Armor—and began clashing head-on with the giant black bear.
The battlefield descended into chaos. Poison mist surged, lava roared, and snowflakes danced across the field. The Skywater team gradually began to lose ground.
In the end, overwhelmed by Dugu Xin's toxins, the Skywater girls collapsed from exhaustion, one after another.
"We admit defeat."
Guang Ling shook his head slightly. In the end, the soul power gap was simply too great. If Shui Qingwu had reached Level 45 or higher, her ice element could have completely frozen the poison, perhaps giving them a fighting chance.
But he had never expected them to win. He'd only offered a strategy to ensure that Skywater lost with dignity.
After all, he was technically a guest elder at Skywater Academy now, wasn't he?
~~~
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