Word Count: 3,230 Words
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Two days later, the second elimination round concluded and the third round officially began.
Of the original one hundred sixty-seven participating teams, only forty-two remained. Thirty of these hailed from various sects, making up over two-thirds of the total and gradually showcasing the profound heritage of the continent's ancient clans.
The veteran powerhouse academies remained formidable, particularly the four great imperial academies. Worth noting was that although Shrek Academy no longer possessed its former glory, they had still advanced to the group stage's top thirty-two with one bye and two consecutive victories.
Compared to the direct one-on-one eliminations of the first two rounds, the third round proved more forgiving. Losers would be ranked according to their accumulated points from all three rounds, with only ten of the forty-two teams being eliminated. Teams that had secured higher points in the previous rounds could advance to the group stage even if they lost in the third round.
This year's Spirit Master Tournament had already reached peak discussion levels due to the participation of the sects, but the emergence of the Seraphim Spirit Douluo sent interest soaring to unprecedented heights. Angelic Sanctuary was universally recognized as the number one championship seed, with countless eyes watching them both openly and in secret.
In the first round, Ling Bai had swept the Earthdragon Sect to claim all twelve points. He had not appeared at all for the second round; instead, the six remaining members decided their order with a game of rock-paper-scissors. Wu Feng's explosive luck landed her the first slot, and she single-handedly swept all seven members of the Heavenly Gate. The appearance of her Ultimate Fire-level Fire Dragon left jaws on the floor throughout the arena.
For the third round's match draw, Ling Qiuxi represented Angelic Sanctuary on stage. She drew the Heavenly Dragon Sect, a faction that, like the Earthdragon Sect, hailed from Dragon City.
The Heavenly Dragon Sect far exceeded the Earthdragon Sect in strength. Even accounting for the Body Sect, which was concealing its true power by disguising itself as the Snowdemon Sect, the Heavenly Dragon Sect's raw combat strength still ranked within the top six.
This clash between powerhouses was the battle that everyone, from Sun Moon Prince Regent Xu Tianran down to the most ordinary spectator, most eagerly anticipated. The major teams took their seats punctually in the rest areas, notebooks in hand, ready to document the abilities of the other members of the top-seeded Angelic Sanctuary.
As teams took the stage one after another, the Heavenly Dragon Sect's attention remained entirely fixed on Angelic Sanctuary. Tension among their members had reached an all-time high. They were about to face a Spirit Emperor with a Fire Dragon descended from the Fire Dragon King and a Spirit Douluo wielding the God-level Seraphim!
These two figures loomed like massive mountains before the Heavenly Dragon Sect. Their captain, Yu Tianlong, drew a series of deep breaths, desperately trying to calm his racing mind.
"Captain, the Seraphim isn't here..." someone from the Heavenly Dragon Sect exclaimed in surprise.
Yu Tianlong looked closer and confirmed that Angelic Sanctuary indeed had only six people present. Just as in the second elimination round, Ling Bai had vanished. He clenched his fists, rose to his feet, and strode purposefully toward Angelic Sanctuary's waiting area.
Standing before their six members, Yu Tianlong couldn't help but marvel inwardly. These women were truly stunning.
Nanmen Yun Er possessed a sweet, girl-next-door charm. Na Na radiated an exotic allure. Wu Feng was a vision of explosive sensuality, and Ning Tian carried herself with graceful nobility. None of them fell short in appearance, but his gaze was irresistibly drawn to Ling Qiuxi, who sat with her eyes closed in quiet meditation.
Her golden hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and her exquisite features were utterly flawless. As he drew closer, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon bloodline within him began to throb unconsciously. The sensation was exceptionally strange.
Forcibly suppressing these inappropriate stirrings, Yu Tianlong spoke coldly. "Where's your captain, the Seraphim Ling Bai?"
"He has important matters to attend to," Ning Tian replied evenly.
Yu Tianlong's irritation flared. "So he just sent a bunch of women to deal with us?"
"Eh?"
Xie Huanyue's portly body gave a startled tremor.
What's that supposed to mean, bro?
There are five women and one man here. Show some respect!
"So much pointless chatter. Are you even a man?"
Ling Qiuxi's eyes snapped open, blazing with brilliant golden light. Her mood today was particularly foul.
She had missed her chance to fight due to the luck of the draw against the Earthdragon Sect and had lost at rock-paper-scissors for the match against the Heavenly Gate. To make matters worse, after she drew the Heavenly Dragon Sect on Angelic Sanctuary's behalf, Ling Bai had mocked her mercilessly when they were alone, calling the mighty Emperor Destiny Beast nothing but an unlucky little golden dragon once she set foot in the human world.
If Yu Tianlong spouted two more sentences of nonsense, a Golden Dragon's Fist the size of a vinegar crock was going straight into his face.
This kind of questioning struck at the very core of a man's pride. Yu Tianlong was no exception. His gaze fixed on Ling Qiuxi for a long, tense moment as a dangerous aura steadily radiated from him. Then he turned toward Ning Tian and spoke:
"You appear to be the vice-captain. This battle won't affect either of our teams' advancement to the top thirty-two, so let's save some time.
Neither of us can pull off a one-versus-seven sweep, and we'll end up in a team battle regardless. Why not skip the individual matches entirely and settle everything with one team fight?"
"Agreed."
Six versus seven. On paper, Angelic Sanctuary seemed disadvantaged, but could their overall strength truly be measured by headcount alone? The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was a god of small-scale team battles!
With Ling Bai absent, Ning Tian assumed the captain's duties. The Spirit Master Tournament represented a precious opportunity to battle geniuses of the same generation from across the continent, and it was the last time in their lives they would participate. She wanted every member to gain real combat experience rather than merely serving to fill the roster.
Ling Bai and Ning Tian's thoughts were perfectly aligned. His direct reason for avoiding the venue was Nangong Wan, who was constantly clinging to Death Abyss Douluo to build rapport, practically wishing they could share the same bed in life and the same coffin in death.
Although Ling Bai had left a Spider Emperor Clone in his place to escape the Duskwater Alliance, the 'Death Abyss Douluo' that remained wore the Thousand Illusion Charming Appearance. If Ling Bai's true body were to appear in the tournament and use his spirit skills, his spirit ring colors would be exposed.
Until he possessed the power to dominate the continent and call deer horses, Ling Bai preferred to keep his true abilities hidden.
The Heavenly Dragon Sect only had Yu Tianlong as a genuine threat, and unlike the Holy Spirit Cult's Evil Spirit Masters, he wasn't particularly dangerous. This matchup was perfect for applying just a touch of pressure to the six of them.
Ling Bai comfortably slacked off for one round while revealing Duskwater Alliance intelligence to Ning Fengyu at Linglong Pavilion, and incidentally engaging in some dual cultivation (pure) with Ye Guyi.
Before the battle commenced, Angelic Sanctuary and the Heavenly Dragon Sect jointly proposed settling the match with a single team fight. The tournament's organizing committee approved their application. The winner of the team battle would claim all twelve points.
"Will the contestants from both sides please take the stage."
A tall, robust figure stood at the center of the competition platform: the Class 9 Spirit Guidance Master, Unbreakable Douluo Zheng Zhan.
After the absurd incident in the first round where the referee's spirit power fell below that of the contestant, the referee committee had implemented emergency measures and assigned Zheng Zhan to officiate all of Angelic Sanctuary's future matches.
Zheng Zhan breathed a quiet sigh of relief when he saw that Ling Bai hadn't appeared. If a Rank 89 Seraphim was determined to kill, he wasn't entirely confident that even his Class 9 Spirit Guidance Device, the Unbreakable Shield, could provide adequate protection. With Ling Bai sitting this one out, his job would be considerably easier. He raised his voice and shouted:
"Begin the match!"
"ROAR—"
Clear, passionate, deep, hoarse... a cacophony of dragon roars echoed across the stage. Every member of the Heavenly Dragon Sect possessed a dragon-type Martial Spirit. Combined with Ling Qiuxi and Wu Feng, nine of the thirteen people on the platform were Dragon Spirit Masters. Nine ferocious dragons in total!
Scorching crimson scales emerged from Wu Feng's chest and spread across her entire body, forming a suit of heavy draconic armor that transformed her into a battle-ready Valkyrie. The air around her rippled violently like heat rising off molten metal, a vivid demonstration of just how explosive and searing the Fire Dragon's Ultimate Fire truly was.
Brilliant golden light burst forth from Ling Qiuxi at the same moment. A layer of fine golden dragon scales rapidly covered her entire body save for her face. The radiance illuminated half the competition stage as six spirit rings rose into the air: two yellow, two purple, two black. Loud gasps erupted from the audience while the faces of the competing teams darkened like storm clouds.
A six-ringed Spirit Emperor with the Golden Dragon, the Ancestor of Strength!
Angelic Sanctuary had another ace!
Facing two Ultimate True Dragons, Yu Tianlong lowered his stance as an ear-piercing crackle of thunder filled the air. Blue-purple dragon scales sprouted from his right arm and spread rapidly across his body. His Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon manifested, and he appeared to grow a full size larger as six perfectly configured spirit rings materialized amidst the lightning.
"ROAR—"
With their Martial Spirit Manifestations complete, the nine dragons from both sides freely unleashed their dragon might, roaring madly at one another!
Crimson flames, brilliant golden radiance, blue-purple lightning. Three dazzling displays of power suppressed all other colors and dominated the entire stage. The sides had yet to officially engage, but the spectacle had already stirred the audience's emotions to a fever pitch. Even Xu Tianran, seated on the main platform, wore a flushed expression as he stared unblinkingly at the grand clash of nine dragons vying for supremacy.
Xu Tianran was also a Dragon Spirit Master. His Martial Spirit was the Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon!
Spirit Masters were generally influenced by their Martial Spirit's fundamental nature; fire attributes often bred fiery tempers, while ice attributes led to colder personalities. Xu Tianran's aggressive, warlike disposition partly stemmed from the destructive power of his own Martial Spirit. He even felt the urge to leap from the platform and pit himself against those Dragon Spirit Masters.
Unfortunately, he was the Prince Regent of the Sun Moon Empire, a disabled Spirit Master with paralyzed lower limbs. He was destined never to engage in a satisfying, all-out battle.
"Your Highness."
Ju Zi had followed Xu Tianran for years, and she caught the shift in his expression in an instant. After a moment's thought, she reached out and grasped his hand.
Xu Tianran squeezed her small hand and sighed. "It's nothing. After so many years, I've grown accustomed to it.
A Golden Dragon, a Fire Dragon, and a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon all gathered in one place is truly a rare sight. The three nations of the Douluo Continent are rich with talent indeed..."
The dragon pressure from the nine Spirit Masters ground against each other like colliding tectonic plates. With the power of their two dragons alone, Ling Qiuxi and Wu Feng stood as equals against all seven members of the Heavenly Dragon Sect. The Sect had only one Spirit Emperor, true, but their remaining six members were all carefully selected wielders of high-level dragon Martial Spirits, each at the Spirit King level.
Even so, they couldn't suppress the two women, demonstrating the might of Ultimate True Dragons.
The Heavenly Dragon Sect strained with everything they had, hoping to seize the advantage in momentum. Ning Tian merely revealed a gentle smile. She spread her jade-white palm and chanted softly:
"The Nine Treasures revolve to produce a Glazed Pagoda."
Nine-colored light blossomed as a noble, nine-story pagoda materialized in her palm. The ten-thousand-year pitch-black spirit ring at the end of her six blazed with brilliant radiance!
"The Nine Treasures have a name. The sixth is: Amplify!"
A torrent of attribute amplification flooded into the two Ultimate Dragon Spirit Masters. Both women raised their heads in long cries as wild dragon roars erupted from their cores. In an instant, their combined might overwhelmed the pressure from all seven opposing dragons, the force so intense it seemed to shake the sky!
"The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?!"
A large portion of the audience sat stupefied. Angelic Sanctuary was simply heaven-defying!
An eight-ringed Seraphim, a six-ringed Golden Dragon, a six-ringed Fire Dragon, and a six-ringed Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Just the four of them standing there radiated an off-the-charts aura of power!
Specter and Rubber Elephant were outstanding among Spirit Kings in their own right. With the full support of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, they could easily be regarded as Spirit Emperors.
Angelic Sanctuary's sole 'weak link,' Jade Azure Bird Nanmen Yun Er, offered her own assessment of the situation:
Hee hee, the seven of us are really strong!
The competing teams who had intended to take notes suddenly flung their notebooks aside. Why even bother fighting? Just award them the championship and let everyone go home!
On the competition stage, the seven members of the Heavenly Dragon Sect wore expressions of stunned terror. Empowered by the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's attribute amplification, Ling Qiuxi and Wu Feng seemed to have transformed into genuine roaring dragons, one of gold and one of fire. The terrifying pressure they exuded sent violent tremors through the Heavenly Dragon Sect's own Martial Spirits.
Yu Tianlong gritted his teeth until they ached. Before today, he had never imagined his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon could be suppressed to such an extent. A devastating blow had just shattered his pride.
Regardless of what churned through his mind, Ning Tian's movements continued without pause as her spirit rings lit up in succession!
"The Nine Treasures have a name. The first is: Strength!"
Ling Qiuxi's golden hair rose weightlessly around her as the Spirit Barrier enclosing the stage began to ripple, sensing dangerous fluctuations!
Seventy percent strength amplification poured into the Golden Dragon. The Golden Dragon already possessed Ultimate Strength, and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's attribute amplification likewise manifested as a boost to strength. With the two effects stacked, Ling Qiuxi's power was great enough to shake the heavens and move the earth!
Her right foot slammed down, caving in several square meters of the thick metal stage. She shot forward like a golden cannonball, heading straight for the Heavenly Dragon Sect's captain!
Earlier, Ling Qiuxi had sensed the disdain for women in Yu Tianlong's tone. Now she would use her fists to teach him what it meant for women to hold up half the sky!
Yu Tianlong's expression turned grave. He rubbed his hands together before him, instantly forming a blue-purple thunderball between his palms. His first, second, and third spirit rings shone simultaneously as countless bolts of lightning exploded forth, condensing frantically into the sphere.
As the lightning gathered, the ball's color deepened from blue-purple into an abyssal black that seemed capable of devouring all things, surrounded by wisps of dark, crackling electricity.
He stepped forward with his left foot, locked onto the charging Ling Qiuxi, and hurled the thunderball with the full lightning power of his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon behind it!
Intense golden light rapidly gathered in Ling Qiuxi's right hand. By the time she raised her palm, it blazed like flawless golden crystal!
Her fighting style was simple and brutal. She would block the thunderball with nothing but her fist: a Golden Dragon's Fist brimming with raw power!
A violent boom dimmed the entire competition stage. The black thunderball exploded, its volume increasing a hundredfold as it transformed into a massive net of crackling electricity that enveloped Ling Qiuxi's body. Pitch-black lightning tore at everything within while serpentine bolts scattered wildly in all directions.
BOOM—
Another thunderous crash followed on its heels. The newly formed electrical net was blasted wide open, a gaping hole torn clean through its center. Ling Qiuxi's toes touched the ground, the steel plate beneath her buckling as she shot out like an arrow with unstoppable momentum behind her fist.
How is this possible?!
Shock flooded Yu Tianlong's eyes. He had never imagined anyone could shatter his Thunder Prison, an attack containing half his total spirit power, through sheer brute force!
Wisps of black electricity still clung to Ling Qiuxi as she burst free, but the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's lightning couldn't penetrate the Golden Dragon's protective scales. She was too fast and too fierce. Yu Tianlong barely managed to cross his dragon-transformed arms in a desperate guard against that unparalleled punch!
BANG!!!
Elsewhere on the stage, Ning Tian commanded from the rear, sending streams of colored light flowing into her teammates.
She amplified Nanmen Yun Er's spirit power, Xie Huanyue's defense, Na Na's speed, and Wu Feng's attack power. Years of training combined with crafting Spirit Guidance Devices had allowed her to achieve the Seven Aperture Exquisite Heart ahead of schedule, and she controlled this small-scale team battle as naturally as moving her own fingers.
All seven members of the Heavenly Dragon Sect were Battle Spirit Masters without a single support type among them. With Yu Tianlong locked in single combat against Ling Qiuxi, the remaining six struggled desperately under the tidal wave of attacks from Angelic Sanctuary's other four members.
Defeat seemed inevitable. The Heavenly Dragon Sect needed three people working in concert just to halt the Fire Dragon Spirit Emperor Wu Feng's advance, and even then they teetered on the brink of collapse at every moment.
The Heavenly Dragon Sect's vice-captain, a Speed Dragon Spirit King, dodged a blast of Wu Feng's dragon flame and stole a glance at the composed Ning Tian in the rear. His resolve hardened, and he roared:
"You two hold them off! I'll take out the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda! We still have a chance!"
His fifth spirit ring blazed as he accelerated to a speed that generated sonic booms. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's support abilities were unmatched under heaven, but its wielder possessed no offensive power whatsoever. If he could knock Ning Tian out of the fight, the seven-versus-five advantage might allow the Heavenly Dragon Sect to reverse their fortunes!
However, just as victory seemed within his grasp, a pair of emerald wings suddenly sprouted from Ning Tian's back. Her speed surged, instantly overtaking the five-ringed Speed Dragon!
100,000-year Emerald Demon Bird external spirit bone, Emerald Wings. Attached skill: Emerald Speed!
"Next time, remember not to underestimate support types."
Ning Tian smiled slightly and pressed a Class 6 Rainbow Cannon against the Speed Dragon Spirit King's forehead.
"Ah..."
The Speed Dragon Spirit King's pupils dilated in shock.
"You're out."