Chapter 282: Braised Blue Silver Grass?
"You agreed so quickly… I feel like I've been tricked."
Huo Wu was momentarily stunned before regretfully patting her forehead.
"The match hasn't started yet. You can still back out."
Han Li glanced at her and said lazily. He had only agreed on a whim and didn't think much of it.
"I, Huo Wu, always keep my word. How could I back out? Just wait to lose!"
Huo Wu immediately flared up. She hated being provoked the most. On the side, Huo Wushuang had already covered his eyes, unable to watch.
However, he didn't actually oppose Huo Wu's decision. Betting with Han Li was a win win situation for them.
During the tournament, his father the headmaster had been in talks with Tianshui Academy. The more they interacted, the more they leaned toward supporting Spirit Hall, and Divine Wind Academy was in a similar position.
Even if they lost the bet, it wouldn't mean much to the three of them. In fact, it might even help strengthen their relationship with Han Li. The only unexpected element was that Yu Tianxin had somehow gotten involved something Huo Wushuang hadn't anticipated.
Then again, that wasn't his problem. Without showing any emotion, Huo Wushuang glanced at Yu Tianxin. If you really think about it, you're the only outsider here.
Han Li smirked inwardly. I thought you were about to say, "This is my ninja way," Uzumaki Huo Wu. But he didn't dwell on it.
His main focus was still on the arena. Tang San was bound to make his move today, and after this match, the tournament was finally going to heat up.
After a bit more idle chatter, the match officially began, and the atmosphere in the stadium grew increasingly intense.
Two thirds of the preliminary rounds had already passed, and the strongest teams had begun revealing their true strength. From today onward, the real high level battles would begin.
On the stage, both teams exchanged formal bows before the referee quickly retreated after announcing the start of the match.
Though they had never fought before, both teams were well aware of each other's capabilities. They wore confident smiles, and when their eyes met, there was an odd sense of amusement.
As soon as the whistle blew, both sides sprang into action. Their initial formations were just to deceive their opponents.
However, compared to the Imperial Battle Team, Elephant Armored Academy's formation remained largely unchanged. They simply lined up side by side and activated their first soul skills simultaneously.
Under the effect of their soul skills, the originally dark yellow, keratin covered bodies of the seven warriors took on a crystalline sheen. Their bodies now seemed coated in a glossy enamel like layer, making it clear that their defense was formidable.
The strangest part was that they all held hands, forming what looked like a moving fortress as they pressed toward the Imperial Battle Team's second squad, seemingly aiming to constrict their opponents' space.
But upon seeing this, the members of the Imperial Battle Team showed no signs of panic only smiles.
This was not the first time Elephant Armored Academy had used this tactic. In fact, against any slightly stronger academy, they almost always adopted the same approach. But this time, they were in for a disappointment.
On the stage, Elephant Armored Academy steadily advanced, continuously limiting the movement space of the Imperial Battle Team. Meanwhile, apart from Tang San occasionally using Blue Silver Grass leaves as hidden weapons to harass them, the rest of his team stood there as if they were spectators rather than participants, not even attempting an attack.
The students of Elephant Armored Academy found this strange. Tang San's hidden weapons felt like nothing more than an itch they couldn't even break through their defenses. Still, they stuck to their strategy and became even more cautious.
In the audience, the crowd grew restless. To them, the Imperial Battle Team's second squad was clearly throwing the match. If they were so weak, why not just forfeit instead of wasting everyone's time?
Even in the competitors' spectator area, other teams were baffled, completely unsure of what the Imperial Battle Team was up to.
"If I'm not mistaken, that Tang San has been spreading spores this whole time."
The captain of the Botanic Academy suddenly spoke up. If there was one thing he was an expert in, it was plant based soul skills.
Tang San wasn't standing at the front this time. Instead, he let Tai Long and Dai Mubai shield him while launching his hidden weapons from behind them.
Due to their positioning, the members of Elephant Armored Academy couldn't see what was happening. But from the audience's perspective, it was crystal clear.
Even though Tang San kept his soul ring flickering inconspicuously and controlled his soul power fluctuations, the Botanic Academy's captain who had been watching him closely still noticed.
"Yeah, he's definitely spreading spores. He's already covered a quarter of the stage with them."
Han Li nodded. To his enhanced senses, the spores were as visible as day.
"Wait… could they be planning…?"
Huo Wu seemed to realize something, just as she was about to voice her guess but there was no need. The battle on stage had already taken a turn.
As the members of Elephant Armored Academy crossed the red line they had set for their pre match strategy, they decisively added another layer of defense to themselves and accelerated toward their opponents.
They didn't care what the other side was planning charging in headfirst was the best strategy. Whatever schemes the enemy had, they had to endure this charge first.
Just as Elephant Armored Academy launched their charge, Tang San and his team also sprang into action.
This time, Tang San swiftly summoned his Blue Silver Grass, forming a wall of vines and pushing it toward the enemy.
That's right he pushed it toward them. The soft, flimsy vines seemed completely harmless, incapable of causing any damage. The most they could do was obstruct the enemy's vision.
And that was exactly what Tang San wanted.
"Rise."
A small voice echoed within the Imperial Battle Team's second squad. This was the first time since the start of the match that Tang San had issued a command.
As soon as his voice fell, Blue Silver Grass wrapped around the waists of all five teammates except Ma Hongjun. At the same time, a pair of light red wings appeared behind Tang San's back.
Swift Flight Mushroom Sausage Oscar's third soul skill. Though it had a short duration, its speed over short distances was remarkable.
Using the Blue Silver Grass wall to block the enemy's sight, Tang San wasted no time in taking flight, leading his five teammates into the air. In the blink of an eye, they soared over the heads of Elephant Armored Academy and landed behind them.
Ma Hongjun was slightly slower than the others, but compared to the members of Elephant Armored Academy, he was still incredibly agile.
"Fatty, block the path."
Even before Elephant Armored Academy's charge could fully play out, Tang San and his team were already setting up their counterattack from behind.
"Got it!"
Ma Hongjun didn't hesitate. Almost the instant Tang San's voice rang out, he had already prepared his move. Three soul rings flickered in sequence.
Meanwhile, behind him, Ning Rongrong's amplification skills had fully settled on him.
However, unlike before, his attack wasn't aimed directly at the members of Elephant Armored Academy. Instead, following the Blue Silver Grass markings on the ground, he manipulated his Phoenix Fire Wire to create a wall of fire at the quarter mark of the arena, effectively trapping their opponents in their original position.
In an instant, the situation had completely reversed.
No reminders were needed Elephant Armored Academy's team members immediately realized they had fallen for their opponent's trick.
Huyan Li's expression darkened. They had information on their opponents. Even though Ma Hongjun was lower in level, his martial soul made his flames significantly stronger than those of an average fire type spirit master.
That was troubling enough, but the real problem was that his flames had a strong adhesive effect, and with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's support, their power was even greater.
Now their escape route was blocked. Other than Huyan Li, most of his teammates wouldn't be able to cross that fire wall without taking serious damage. This was a problem.
As Huyan Li hesitated, Tang San hovering in the air smiled. It was finally time for his main act.
"Parasite."
The word left his lips clearly. On the ground below, where Elephant Armored Academy's members stood, specks of blue light flickered. Some of them sprouted directly from the opponents' bodies, but the majority began growing from the ground.
Parasite Tang San's second soul skill. By attaching spores to an opponent's body, he could extract their soul power to facilitate growth. Alternatively, he could use his own soul power to nourish them.
His previous hidden weapon attacks were merely a means to spread the spores. Due to the enemy's defensive soul skills, deep parasitism wasn't possible, but he had still managed to conserve a significant amount of his own soul power.
Most of the Blue Silver Grass growing on the battlefield was fueled by Tang San's own energy. However, because it was his own martial soul, the cost wasn't too significant.
"Fatty, turn up the heat."
Even without Tang San's reminder, Ma Hongjun was already excited. He unleashed his flames without restraint, hurling them at the battlefield below. Seeing the ground nearly covered in Blue Silver Grass, he couldn't wait any longer.
While they were exhilarated, Elephant Armored Academy's team was suffering. The Blue Silver Grass, which they could easily snap before, had now turned into a death sentence.
Despite their best efforts to destroy the vines around them, their efforts were futile the opponent's plants were growing too fast.
To make matters worse, that damn guy floating in the air had started launching Blue Silver Grass leaves again. Under his control, countless blades of grass flew toward them, only catching fire at the very last moment. The grass itself burned away, but the flames that landed on them were far more concerning.
On the stage, the members of Elephant Armored Academy were struggling to maintain their defenses. In the spectator area, Han Li simply shook his head.
They might as well surrender now. It was only a matter of time. Even if they endured this wave of attacks, there were still two fully energized Soul Ancestors waiting for them.
A soul bone was just a defensive measure it also consumed a lot of soul power. Holding on was meaningless.
What truly surprised Han Li, however, was that Tang San hadn't revealed his Clear Sky Hammer yet. Had he actually gotten smarter? Was he playing some kind of Douluo style Iron Chain Crossing the River? Or Blazing Encampment Strategy?
Then again, this whole setup of igniting Blue Silver Grass… should it be called Braised Blue Silver Grass? Or maybe Stir Fried Blue Silver Grass?
Protecting his grass with a hammer?
Recalling the confidential letters he had glimpsed before, Han Li couldn't help but chuckle strangely.
That said, Tang San's tactics were indeed impressive. He had to give him credit for that.
(End of Chapter)
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