Chapter 267: Victory and Prospects
Beautiful.
That was the first thought in everyone's mind upon witnessing the scene, even for the four members of the opposing team facing the attack.
The sky blue uniform combined with the faint black, glowing claw marks intertwined into a mesmerizing display, filling their entire field of vision.
Unfortunately, beneath this breathtaking spectacle lay a killing intent that was cold and absolute.
The shadows in the lead, enhanced by extreme speed, struck the four combatants the instant they made contact, sending them flying into the air.
Following them closely were countless identical shadows, tracing elegant arcs through the air and colliding into the four in rapid succession.
Each time the glowing claws slashed, their bodies convulsed in unison, accompanied by the splatter of crimson, creating a macabre yet rhythmic display.
The arena was deathly silent, for the four had already lost consciousness the moment they were bombarded with the relentless assault.
Ten seconds. A full ten seconds.
As the afterimages faded after delivering their strikes, Zhu Zhuqing's clones dissipated as well. The four victims remained suspended mid air until the onslaught ended, after which they crashed heavily onto the ground.
And on the giant screen hovering above, only one figure remained the cold and indifferent Zhu Zhuqing, floating alone in the sky.
Silence.
For a brief moment, the entire arena was as quiet as death.
Then, all at once, an eruption of cheers.
Countless spectators leapt from their seats, their deafening applause and shouts shaking the venue.
A visual spectacle.
From the audience's perspective, this was by far the most exhilarating battle of the tournament.
Never mind the fact that Zhu Zhuqing had single handedly taken on seven opponents. First, there was the near half field blaze, then Tang San's dazzling display of hidden weapon techniques.
And finally, Zhu Zhuqing's transformation into dozens of shadows, launching her decisive attack.
For the spectators, this was an unforgettable match.
No one knew who started it, but soon, the entire coliseum roared in unison, chanting "Tianshui! Tianshui!"
The commotion was so intense that even those passing by outside the tournament venue stopped in their tracks, eager to know what had just unfolded within.
The chant continued for nearly a full minute before the crowd's enthusiasm gradually waned, and the thunderous applause slowly died down.
By then, Zhu Zhuqing and her three teammates had quietly disappeared from the stage.
In their place stood the referee, accompanied by the healing type Soul Masters, who had just retracted their martial souls.
They were now overseeing the medical staff, who were carrying the four unconscious fighters off the stage, their wounds no longer bleeding, though further treatment awaited them once they left the arena.
As the spectators shifted their attention toward him, the referee cleared his throat before solemnly announcing:
"This match victory goes to Tianshui Academy!"
At that moment, the event host, who had seemingly vanished after the match began, reappeared beside the referee.
"A big thank you to both academies for presenting us with such an exciting, high quality battle."
"Everyone, rest assured, the injuries sustained by the members of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's second team have been stabilized. Official assessments confirm that their conditions will not affect the rest of the tournament. Let's give another round of applause for the victors Tianshui Academy!"
"And with that, the first match concludes. Now, let's welcome our next competing teams "
The Soul Master Tournament continued in an orderly fashion, as today's schedule included more than just this match.
However, the audience's enthusiasm had noticeably dulled. The last fight had drained too much of their energy and excitement.
Even in the VIP stands, a momentary silence lingered.
"The younger generation these days is truly remarkable," Emperor Xue Ye murmured after a long pause.
He had been eager to see what changes Zhu Zhuqing's martial soul had undergone after its mutation, but he hadn't expected her to completely dismantle the second team on her own.
Of course, he had mentally prepared himself for their loss before the match even began.
Thankfully, that Tang San had unleashed strength far beyond what his soul power level suggested, salvaging at least a sliver of dignity.
"Just luck, just luck," Han Li chuckled, responding smoothly. "Your academy's Tang San performed quite impressively as well. If he can maintain consistency, reaching the finals shouldn't be too difficult."
Flattery went both ways, after all. Besides, he was simply stating the truth.
Despite the defeat, Tang San had successfully developed a new offensive technique one he could openly use.
With his current abilities, as long as he fought smartly, he could compete against most teams in the tournament. Apart from Tianshui Academy and Blazing Academy, which naturally countered him, once Dai Mubai acquired his next spirit ring and with Ning Rongrong providing support, their chances against other schools were reasonable. In fact, it might even be easier for them than it was in the original timeline.
That said, without the immortal herbs and their martial soul fusion technique, advancing much further seemed unlikely.
Even if Grandmaster somehow replicated Canghui Academy's Seven in One Fusion, it wouldn't be enough.
At most, Tang San's spiritual power was equivalent to that of a newly advanced Spirit Emperor. He couldn't control a Martial Soul Avatar.
Of course, if they wanted to create a weakened version or just put on a fireworks display, they could give it a try. But the real question was whether Tang San had the guts for it and if Ning Rongrong would even cooperate. After all, Grandmaster's replicated Seven in One Fusion Technique relied entirely on Ning Rongrong. It was her fusion ring and the special properties of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda that allowed the technique to function. Given the current team atmosphere, there was no way she'd agree.
Han Li was certain that if it weren't for Ning Fengzhi's request, Ning Rongrong would have long since abandoned them. To her, the Soul Master Tournament was meaningless she didn't need it to build her reputation or showcase her abilities.
"Hmm, Tang San is indeed worth cultivating."
Hearing Han Li's words, Emperor Xue Ye nodded in agreement, taking the compliment as a given.
However, he failed to notice the strange expressions of those around him. Aside from Yu Yuanzhen, who kept his head down, and the three academy elders who merely echoed his sentiment, the rest of the group seemed a bit uneasy.
At that moment, the next match had already begun, and they stopped their discussion, shifting their focus back to the arena.
Meanwhile, in the waiting area, after receiving permission, they had invited the Ye Clan's patriarch to assist with healing. The injuries of the second team members weren't as light as the host had claimed. Of course, in the presence of the Nine Heart Begonia, they weren't considered severe either.
In less than ten minutes, the healing process was complete. Though the team members were still pale due to blood loss, a good meal and a night of rest would be enough for them to recover without affecting the rest of the tournament.
Sun Buyu glanced at the group, now awake but steeped in a gloomy atmosphere, and sighed internally.
After Flender was expelled, he had temporarily taken over as the second team's leader a responsibility thrust upon him in a crisis.
The problem was, the team didn't acknowledge him.
During tactical meetings and opponent analysis, they acted respectfully, but there was always a sense of exclusion that frustrated him.
"Although we lost this match, don't be discouraged. Everyone performed commendably. Tang San, your idea of using Blue Silver Grass leaves as weapons alongside your self created soul skill was excellent. Once we return to the academy, you should consider refining it into a regular attack strategy."
"For now, get some rest. Our next opponents are about to compete I'll go gather intelligence, and once the match ends, we'll return together."
Sun Buyu checked the time. He wanted to continue encouraging them, but as their leader, he had other responsibilities. Giving them some space to process their emotions might not be a bad idea.
Before leaving, he gave Oscar a glance, signaling him to keep an eye on the others.
Oscar forced a bitter smile as he stared at the ceiling, feeling utterly drained.
The so called "royal treatment" wasn't as comfortable as it seemed.
He was just a food type Soul Master, yet somehow, he had become the team's de facto emotional counselor. How had things come to this?
Then, his eyes drifted to Ning Rongrong, who was leisurely flipping through a book she had pulled from her storage soul tool, completely unconcerned. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself and walked toward his depressed teammates.
Perhaps due to the sheer intensity of the first match, the rest of the day's tournament concluded at an unusually fast pace.
Since their identities were already exposed and Tianshui Academy had no matches scheduled for the next day, the others chose to leave early.
As Han Li stepped down from the VIP stands, he saw the four women waiting for him.
"Zhuqing's performance was excellent. I'd say she'll be the talk of the tournament for quite some time."
Han Li smiled as he glanced at Zhu Zhuqing, who, compared to before, now seemed more full of life.
"Of course! You wouldn't believe it, but as we walked over, people were already calling her the 'Shadow Queen'!"
Ignoring Zhu Zhuqing's weak attempts to stop her, Dugu Yan teased with a grin.
"Is that so? Not a bad title."
Laughing and chatting, they strolled back toward their residence.
As the sky darkened, Heaven Dou City remained brightly lit. Fueled by alcohol, the events of the day's matches spread rapidly through the streets, causing frequent bursts of excitement among the people.
At the Heaven Dou Academy second team's private villa, Tang San lay on his bed in darkness, staring blankly at the ceiling.
He had lost again.
He had lost to Zhu Zhuqing the very person he had sworn to kill.
Through his teammates' retellings, he knew exactly what had happened in the arena.
Using Blue Silver Grass as a hidden weapon was something he had experimented with back when he had only two spirit rings. However, the plant was too fragile at the time, so he had dismissed the idea and moved on.
Now, after today's match, he had a new approach to consider one that might significantly improve his combat capabilities.
But he felt no joy.
Even though Xiao Wu had smiled and reassured him afterward, saying, "Brother, you're already strong enough," he couldn't forget the image of that bright red handprint on her face.
And he knew this moment, their humiliating one versus seven defeat, would be something others would gossip about for a long time.
Why? Why did it have to be like this?
Clenching his fists tightly in the darkness, Tang San's heart roared with frustration and anger.
He failed to notice the shadowy figure outside his window, who, after watching him for a moment, silently disappeared into the night.
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