Chapter 166: The Upcoming Opponents
Creak, creak—
A carriage slowly rolled out of the Heaven Dou Grand Soul Arena.
Although the competition had ended quite a while ago, many people still lingered outside the arena, reluctant to leave.
The curtain of the carriage was slightly lifted, and a pair of lively, sparkling eyes gazed at the still somewhat crowded crowd, filled with amazement.
"Heaven Dou Arena is almost closing, and there are still so many people here?!"
Zhu Zhuqing exclaimed.
"Haha, the Continental Senior Soul Master Elite Tournament is held once every five years. It's a rare event across the continent. These people are staying overnight so they can get in early tomorrow morning. With 80,000 people entering to watch, it's going to take a lot of time!"
Dai Yao explained with a smile.
This carriage belonged to the Oakland Academy, carrying the nine members of the Oakland Academy team, slowly heading back towards the academy.
Everyone could clearly feel that the streets of Heaven Dou City had become much busier.
People of different skin colors, wearing diverse clothing, and occasionally speaking in strange accents filled the streets.
All of these changes were brought about by the Continental Senior Soul Master Elite Tournament. People from all over the Empire were gradually converging into Heaven Dou City because of the event.
The unusual scene outside the Soul Arena piqued the curiosity of those inside the carriage. Soon, the group began to discuss the matches they had participated in recently.
"We've won eleven straight matches so far. I didn't expect us to be this strong."
Dai Yuan sighed with emotion.
Except for a bit of resistance on the first and second days, when they faced teams like Elephant Armored Academy and Blazing Fire Academy, the rest of the opponents had not posed much of a challenge.
As a result, aside from Dugu Yan, who was kept in reserve, the other eight took turns on the field.
Even Dai Yao had rested for one match. After all, continuous matches were exhausting, and even he needed a break.
During the match Dai Yao took a rest, the weakest member of the team, Dou Yu, replaced him. With Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Qianli, both Soul Emperors, present, and facing an enemy team with only one Soul Emperor, the match ended without incident, and they secured the victory without much trouble.
Dai Yuan's words seemed to spark a chain reaction, igniting the atmosphere in the carriage, which immediately became more lively.
Eleven straight victories had certainly made everyone a bit carried away.
Although Dai Yao's brilliance was too dazzling, the rest of the team had also attracted quite a bit of attention from the audience.
In fact, each of them had even begun to develop their own fan base.
Sensing the increasingly chaotic atmosphere, Feng Qianli sighed.
Although he wanted to keep winning and continue earning honor for the academy, the consecutive victories were gradually clouding everyone's judgment.
Most of these victories had been won thanks to Dai Yao's strength.
He was worried that once they encountered a loss, these people would not be able to handle it.
The powerful teams from the Five Elements Academy, although having the same record as Oakland Academy, showed no signs of arrogance. It was as if these victories were simply what they deserved. Failure would be the only time they'd attract attention.
"This is the foundation of strong teams. Oakland still has a long way to go,"
Feng Qianli thought to himself.
His gaze slowly turned toward Dai Yao, who was sitting with his face turned to the side, staring out of the window, his expression calm, as if the scenery outside was far more interesting than anything happening inside the carriage.
Beside him, Zhu Zhuqing, with her cold expression, sat elegantly, closing her eyes to regulate her breathing, recovering from the exhaustion of the continuous battles.
The noble aura around her, like the phoenix tree she was named after, was evident in the way she carried herself. As always, apart from watching the matches, she was practicing diligently, using every available moment to improve her abilities.
Her strength, while not as strong as Dai Yao's, far exceeded that of her peers. Despite this, she never slacked off.
The reason these people were seen as monsters by the common folk was not just due to their exceptional talent, but also their relentless work ethic. How could someone with average talent ever catch up?
As for the rest of the team members, what right did they have to be proud?
Feng Qianli's gaze flickered as he stared at the noisy crowd outside, then he shouted coldly:
"Enough! Is the noise done yet?!"
Having been the team captain for three years, Feng Qianli's authority was well established, and as soon as his words fell, the noisy carriage instantly fell silent.
Everyone looked at each other, unsure of why Feng Qianli had become so angry.
Dai Yao, who had been focused on the window, also turned his attention toward Feng Qianli.
"Getting complacent after just one eleven-game winning streak! Do you know how many teams are now specifically studying us?!"
Feng Qianli continued.
"The reason we've been winning is partly because of Dai Yao's strength, and partly because our opponents haven't figured us out yet."
He paused for a moment and then added seriously:
"Once others come up with counter-strategies, and we can't provide enough help for Dai Yao, are we just going to rely on him to turn the tide again?!"
"Have some shame!"
The last sentence Feng Qianli nearly shouted out. Fortunately, the carriage was soundproofed, so the people outside couldn't hear it; otherwise, it would have caused quite a stir.
Indeed, in the following nine matches, Dai Yao and his team performed excellently.
They had used both "pincer tactics" and "decapitation tactics" consecutively.
Against different enemies, they used different strategies.
When they faced an opponent without a sufficiently strong assault-type Soul Master, they used the pincer tactics, charging head-on to break through the opponent's defense and then concentrating their firepower to eliminate the surrounded enemy.
When the enemy's control-type or support-type Soul Masters were strong enough, they used the decapitation tactics.
Relying on Dai Yao's powerful individual strength, they would eliminate the opponent's control or support Soul Masters, severely weakening their strength and speeding up the battle.
The core of these two strategies was, of course, Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Yao.
Naturally, others could also play key roles in these strategies.
For example, in today's match, Dou Yu, under Dai Yao's protection, used his speed advantage to eliminate the enemy's strongest support-type Soul Master, making the match much easier to win.
Even the weakest could shine.
However, as the competition progressed, the two strategies were increasingly exposed, and other teams were developing more targeted countermeasures. Dai Yao could clearly feel that the resistance he faced during his attacks was getting stronger.
Feng Qianli also noticed this problem. He felt anxious, but when he saw the others lost in the triumph of their winning streak, with no sense of urgency, he became even angrier.
Although they had won many victories thanks to Dai Yao, the others should not become completely dependent on him. They were Soul Masters too, and they needed to play their part in the competition!
Hearing Feng Qianli's words, several people felt a sense of guilt.
Seeing their ashamed expressions, Feng Qianli's anger lessened somewhat. The carriage fell silent for a while before he spoke again:
"Don't get too carried away by our winning streak. Our opponents haven't been that strong. How many times have we faced Five Elements Academy? Thunderbolt Academy, Divine Wind Academy—none of them yet."
He paused for effect, his expression darkening:
"The real battles are in the second half!"
"Just as we leave the Heaven Dou Grand Soul Arena, our next two opponents have been decided."
He paused again, his tone grim, as if the next two teams were terrifying opponents.
Dai Yao's heart stirred, and he asked, "Which two teams?"
Feng Qianli bitterly replied:
"The next match, which is tomorrow, will be against Thunder Academy. The day after that, our opponent will be the team widely acknowledged as the strongest in this tournament: Divine Wind Academy!"
Hearing this schedule, everyone felt a jolt in their hearts.
Thunder Academy, Divine Wind Academy, and Auckland Academy were all part of the top tier. Each had achieved eleven consecutive victories, showcasing extraordinary strength.
Moreover, both Thunder Academy and Divine Wind Academy were Five Element Academies, pursuing the extreme specialization of soul masters.
Thunder Academy was particularly terrifying in terms of explosive attack power, on par with Blaze Academy.
Most importantly, Thunder Academy boasted no fewer than four Soul Elders (Soul Ancestors), all possessing lightning-based attributes. Their offensive power far surpassed that of ordinary soul masters. Even if Dugu Yan took to the field, Auckland Academy would still face an uphill battle to secure victory.
What's more, after the match against Thunder Academy, they would immediately face Divine Wind Academy.
Divine Wind Academy was unanimously recognized as the strongest team in this year's tournament.
Not only were their numbers of Soul Elders comparable to Thunder Academy, but what set them apart was their ability to fight in the air, launching attacks from above against ground-bound soul masters.
This made it impossible for opponents to mount an offensive and left them with no choice but to defend passively. After several rounds of relentless aerial strikes, their opponents typically surrendered automatically.
So far, Divine Wind Academy had not even needed to deploy any alternative strategies. As an experienced powerhouse team, it was certain they had more tactics in their arsenal. Their unfathomable strength instilled dread in all other teams.
Hearing the names of these two opponents made Dai Yao's expression turn much more serious.
The recent conflict with Yu Tianxin and Feng Xiaotian was still fresh in his mind. These two teams, knowing he was their opponent, would undoubtedly fight with everything they had.
Dai Yao wasn't afraid of them, but he couldn't ignore how tight the schedule was.
Right after battling Thunder Academy, they would have to face Divine Wind Academy the very next day. A single night's rest wouldn't be enough to recover fully.
If the opponent was an ordinary team, they could win easily, consuming minimal soul power, and still be full of energy after a night's recovery.
But against a formidable team like Thunder Academy, even a hard-fought victory wouldn't come easily. This meant that by the time they faced Divine Wind Academy the next day, they would not be in peak condition, making the outcome uncertain.
"Dai Yao, do you have any specific strategies for dealing with Thunder Academy tomorrow? We'll give you our full support."
Feng Qianli asked.
Dai Yao leaned against the window, his gaze flickering. He exhaled deeply, the prospect of facing such strong opponents igniting his blood.
"At this point, I think it's time to share the details of my fourth spirit ring."
"Oh? You've been keeping your fourth spirit ability a secret all this time, and now you're finally ready to reveal it?"
Hearing Dai Yao mention his fourth spirit ability, Feng Qianli's eyes lit up.
"But even if your fourth spirit ability is a ten-thousand-year ability, can it really make much of a difference against a powerhouse like Thunder Academy?"
Dai Yuan had some doubts.
Dai Yao chuckled.
"No, I'm not talking about my fourth spirit ability. I'm talking about my fourth spirit ring. It comes from the legendary Thunder Prison Vine."
"Thunder Prison Vine? What kind of spirit beast is that?"
"Thunder Prison Vine is said to have the bloodline of the Thunder God. Only after enduring tribulations of lightning can it grow," Dai Yao explained.
"Thunder God? Are you serious? A terrifying spirit beast like that, and you managed to absorb it?! And you even surpassed your level to do so with your fourth spirit ring?"
Everyone was utterly shocked.
"I don't know if the legend is true, but the Thunder Prison Vine spirit ring granted me a unique ability: Thunder Immunity. I'm completely immune to all lightning-based attacks," Dai Yao said.
At this point, Luo Feng, a control-type soul master known for his quick thinking, immediately grasped Dai Yao's plan. His eyes widened with excitement as he exclaimed to Dai Yao:
"Are you saying…?"
Dai Yao nodded.
The cryptic exchange between the two left the others puzzled. Dou Yu scratched his head in frustration and said, "What are you two mumbling about? What does this mean?"
Luo Feng explained, "Thunder Academy, as the name suggests, has unparalleled explosive power. Few soul masters can withstand their direct attacks. But with great power comes great weakness. Their incredible offensive capabilities come at the cost of endurance."
"If they fail to defeat their opponents quickly, their continuous powerful attacks will drain their soul power entirely. At that point, they'll be nothing more than lambs to the slaughter."
"What does that have to do with Dai Yao's Thunder Immunity?"
Luo Feng cleared his throat and said, "Because Dai Yao has Thunder Immunity, he can exploit this weakness. With proper planning, he can continuously drain their soul power—possibly even completely exhausting them!"
"At that point, we can achieve victory without even fighting!"
Everyone suddenly understood, their faces lighting up with joy.
Thunder Academy's fearsome reputation was well-known. The seniors' descriptions had painted them as terrifying and invincible, casting a shadow over everyone's hearts. Now, as the battle with them loomed, a natural fear had taken root.
But after hearing Dai Yao's plan, much of that fear dissipated.
Feng Qianli let out a long sigh of relief. As the captain of an eleven-win team, the pressure of facing Thunder Academy weighed heavily on him.
With a thought, he said, "Now that we have a plan for Thunder Academy, what about Divine Wind Academy?"
This stumped everyone. They reluctantly put forward a few suggestions, but all were dismissed.
Divine Wind Academy's ability to fight in the air already placed them in an unbeatable position.
To defeat them, they would need to engage in aerial combat—but no one could match Divine Wind Academy in the air.
This created a paradox.
It was a challenge that had frustrated all teams. Countless academies had racked their brains, but none had found a way to defeat Divine Wind Academy. For Auckland Academy, with its limited resources, the task seemed nearly impossible.
Seeing his teammates sink into self-doubt, Dai Yao sighed and said:
"Divine Wind Academy… I have a plan, but the odds aren't great. We'll see when the time comes."
Hearing this, everyone forced a smile.
Dai Yao had already carried the team this far. Facing ordinary opponents, they could lend a hand. But when up against truly formidable foes, they didn't even qualify to step in.
This realization made their expressions heavy.
"Divine Wind Academy may be strong, but as long as we're united, there's still hope. If we can't attack effectively, we'll just have to rely on solid defense. When the time comes, it'll be up to the captain and everyone else to hold the line."
Dai Yao spoke softly, offering comfort.
Hearing this, Feng Qianli said firmly, "Don't worry, Dai Yao. I might not excel at offense, but when it comes to defense, I'm no worse than Hu Yanli of Elephant Armor Academy!"
The wheels of the carriage turned steadily.
Dai Yao clenched his fists tightly, his blood boiling. Facing opponents like Thunder Academy and Divine Wind Academy would push him to unleash his true strength.
(End of Chapter)
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