On the other side, Gongyang Mo, Dugu Xianmeng, Cao Jinxuan, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, and Wang Dong gathered.
Gongyang Mo grinned mischievously, "Captain, what's the plan? With the vice-captain's team stacked with power‑type fighters, it's obvious they want to steamroll us in one go."
Zhou Sicheng smiled gently. Turning to Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, and Wang Dong, he said, "This is our first time working together, but I trust your strength."
"Soon, A'Xuan (Xu Sanshi) will unleash full control to give Xianmeng a window to strike."
Dugu Xianmeng immediately nodded. "They know how deadly my poison is, so they won't let me go unchecked. I'll condense five poison arrows with my Bi‑Phosphorus Five Venoms and target Dai Yueheng, Ling Luochen, Bei Bei, He Caitou, and Long Xiangyue."
Cao Jinxuan added, "With my soul power I can hold Bone‑Yi and Xiao Tao for about 2 seconds, Dai Yueheng for 3, Ling Luochen for 4, and He Caitou, Bei Bei, Long Xiangyue for 5 seconds."
Gongyang Mo smiled confidently, "What if I fully support your soul power?"
Cao Jinxuan grinned, "Then we can tack on at least one extra second."
Dugu Xianmeng nodded. "That gives me at least 3 seconds—even if they break free after that, they can't dodge all five poison arrows. And in that time, Captain and the rest can rush in. They'll have to choose between fending off our assault or dodging my arrows."
Zhou Sicheng continued, "Gongyang Mo: prioritize soul‑power boosts for Xu Sanshi and Xianmeng, speed boosts for the rest. Distribute other buffs as needed—understood?"
Gongyang Mo nodded. "Got it. We've trained long enough—I can handle the support."
Xu Sanshi, fully understanding the plan, spoke soberly, "I'll protect Cao Jinxuan and Xianmeng‑jie. If Ye‑jie or Ma‑jie break free and go on the offense instead of assisting, I can hold them off."
Zhou Sicheng gives a thumbs‑up, "Good. Guard them so they can use full power, then shift attack when appropriate."
Xu Sanshi responded, "Understood! I'm the top defender of the Outer Court—just leave it to me."
Zhou Sicheng addressed Jiang Nannan and Wang Dong next: "Once control starts, you two join me in the attack."
They nodded in unison.
Zhou Sicheng clapped. "This is our first time pairing up. The plan is a blueprint—once battle begins, improvise. They'll predict our moves; you must predict their predictions."
They all replied together, "Understood!"
Zhou Sicheng went over more details, pointing out weaknesses in Ye Guyi's team.
Ten minutes flew by. The two teams now faced each other from opposite ends.
Elder Xuan's voice booms: "From now on, you're opponents—not classmates. No holding back. Begin!"
In an instant, both sides surged forward.
Ye Guyi and Ma Xiaotao spread their wings—angelic radiance and phoenix flames ignited. They shot forward like lightning.
They knew they needed to strike first to avoid being frozen by control skills. As Soul Sages, they needed to seize the moment.
Dai Yueheng and Bei Bei exploded forward like compressed springs. Ling Luochen stood firm, her soul rings glowing as she readied an ice crystal staff and cast crystalline armor on teammates.
He Caitou bristled with soul‑tool cannons aimed at Zhou Sicheng's formation. Long Xiangyue hefted a massive dragonbone shuriken as his rings gleamed.
All initiated movement—but as they began, barely deploying soul rings, their motion froze.
A chime rang out, locking down Ye Guyi's team range. Even the two Soul Sages had only advanced about ten meters before halting. Dai Yueheng and Bei Bei were suspended mid‑air, around two meters above ground. Every move was halted—absolute control, like time itself stopped.
Elder Xuan watched Cao Jinxuan with approval. For a four‑ring Soul Ancestor to stop Soul Sages for even a moment… remarkable.
Simultaneously, Cao Jinxuan activated the first and fourth soul skills of Time Echo Bell: Time Elapse and Temporal Lock. Together, they crystallized into Time Stop.
Within this bubble, all biological time halts. Duration depends on both the user's soul power and the target's strength.
Under normal circumstances, a four‑ring Soul Master like Cao Jinxuan could only freeze Soul Sages for a second—maybe less. But after stealing higher‑level soul rings (his fourth is near 9,000 years old) and taking legendary herbs, plus Zhou Sicheng's brutal training, this isn't the old Cao Jinxuan.
At level 43, he can now immobilize top Soul Sages like Ma Xiaotao for two seconds.
And with Gongyang Mo's soul‑power support, each target's freeze extends significantly:
Ye Guyi & Ma Xiaotao: 3 seconds
Dai Yueheng: 4 seconds
Ling Luochen: 5 seconds
Bei Bei, He Caitou, Long Xiangyue: 6 seconds
It is a game‑changing window.
Right as Cao Jinxuan activated Time Stop, Dugu Xianmeng's rings lit. She summoned her upgraded Grade‑6 Bi‑Phosphorus Divine Bow. Even a regular arrow from it hits with the impact of a Grade‑6 cannon, at the cost of huge soul‑power.
Her five soul rings—the first four flaring up—signaled she was ready. Her venom, already horrifying on its own, had been enhanced with Scarlet Swan Kiss, nearing lethal perfection. Just one drop could kill a Diamond Mammoth instantly. Even Soul Sages would succumb in minutes without an antidote.
But since this was sparring, she'd prepared and distributed an antidote to both teams. A custom‑formula meant they'd still get poisoned, but not die—cleansing after five minutes.
Thus, Xianmeng had no hesitation. In one fluid motion she formed five poison arrows in under a second—she'd practiced this countless times.
With Gongyang Mo's soul support, her arrow draw released simultaneously five green arrows, each locking onto Dai Yueheng, Ling Luochen, Bei Bei, He Caitou, and Long Xiangyue. Ling Luochen took two.
Ye Guyi's team observed with shock. Though immobilized, they well understood the venom's lethality.
Meanwhile, Zhou Sicheng, Jiang Nannan, and Wang Dong rushed toward them. Holy Dragon's roar, Rabbit's shadow‑step, Butterfly's flight—all enhanced by Gongyang Mo's speed buff. Within three seconds, they closed the distance.
As the three‑second mark passed, Ye Guyi and Ma Xiaotao broke free. Ye Guyi drew the Angelic Sword as her sixth soul ring flared and summoned the Angel Shield immediately. She stood between Dai Yueheng's group and the five poison arrows.
Holding the Angel Shield—a Grade‑6 defensive soul tool—it could stop cannon‑level attacks. She also equipped the Bright Dragon‑Turtle Shield, arranging both to block the arrow paths entirely.
Xianmeng's snipe plan appeared ruined.
But Ye Guyi had anticipated her prediction. Xianmeng had her own counter.
With a snap of her fingers and a grin, a "boom!" resonated—
The arrows struck the shields but detonated, releasing the venom into the air.
Even though they hadn't hit anyone, the poison gas billowed around Ye Guyi's team. The shields blocked projectiles—not gas.
Xianmeng had planned for this; when arrows failed, poison mist was the fallback.
Ye Guyi's wings fluttered and lifted her above the mist, avoiding inhalation. Simultaneously, her first soul skill, Holy Light Blessing, and fourth, Radiant Array, activated.
Brilliant holy light radiated, cleansing most of the mist, while the remainder slowed dramatically.
Just then, Dai Yueheng broke free—three seconds up—and retreated while pulling Ling Luochen out. One second later, Ling Luochen freed and cast freezing aura around herself, encasing the remaining mist to slow it further.
When Bei Bei, He Caitou, and Long Xiangyue were released, each used a soul skill to strike at the mist while withdrawing—avoiding poisoning.
In this dance of prediction vs prediction, Ye Guyi's team avoided damage—yet lost momentum. The mist remained, compressing space around Dai Yueheng's group and hindering their advance. To move forward, they'd need to pass through the poison—something they were not yet able to withstand.
Meanwhile, Ma Xiaotao, free of control, rushed behind Zhou Sicheng's team. As she sprinted over them, she launched a sudden kick at Wang Dong—from just under five meters away. With no soul skill, her soul power and flames were still strong enough to knock Wang Dong out of combat.
Wang Dong couldn't dodge; if she'd had another second she might have executed a counter. But Ma Xiaotao, no longer restrained, delivered the blow coldly.
Just in time, Jiang Nannan teleported before Wang Dong and activated her fourth skill, Invincible Golden Body, granting four seconds of absolute defense. Regardless of Ma Xiaotao's strike, Jiang Nannan remained unharmed—but the force still sent both her and Wang Dong flying.
As they were knocked away, Ye Guyi's protective skills were already dispelling the poison mist.
Ma Xiaotao, seeing Gongyang Mo buffing Zhou Sicheng's team and hearing Cao Jinxuan and Xianmeng panting, readied her sixth skill: Phoenix Meteor Shower.
Flames lit the sky as her phoenix cry echoed. She unleashed a scorching meteor barrage at Cao Jinxuan and Xianmeng, despite using only part of her power. Even so, as a top-tier Soul Sage, her meteor shower was enough to force significant reactions.
Gongyang Mo bolted away—he wasn't worried about Cao Jinxuan or Xianmeng's energy drain.
Xu Sanshi roared and leapt before Cao Jinxuan and Xianmeng, blocking with a wicked grin: the battle was joined.
****
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