Chapter 70: Zu Zong's Debut Show
With Supervisor Ao's announcement, the Emperor Battle Team and the Berserk Battle Team each formed their battle formations.
On the Berserk side, team captain Kuang Xi stood at the front, followed closely by the two gloomy-faced middle-aged men. The three formed a triangular frontline.
The seductive woman stood at the center of the seven, still wearing a flirtatious smile. But hidden beneath that smile was clear tension. The Emperor Battle Team was no ordinary opponent—their average level was higher, and all their soul rings were top-tier. If not for the presence of two newcomers, the Berserk team wouldn't even feel confident entering the match.
The two slim youths took up the flanks, while the oldest-looking man brought up the rear. The whole setup resembled a spearhead formation.
Their main targets this time were clearly Zu Zong, wearing a fox mask, and Xiao Wu, with her rabbit mask. As for Ye Lingling, she was guarded by top defensive soul masters Shi Mo and Shi Mo—getting close to her would be impossible.
The Emperor Battle Team formed their own formation in response. Unlike their opponent's 3-3-1 setup, they arranged into a 3-1-3 layout—dividing into three lines.
At the front stood Yu Tianheng, Xiao Wu, and Dugu Yan, with Yu Tianheng, the strongest attacker among them, at the center. Zu Zong stood in the second row, and at the rear were Shi Mo, Shi Mo, and Ye Lingling—who, as a support-type soul master, was guarded in the center.
Zu Zong glanced at the trio behind him and instructed in a low voice, "Shi Mo, Shi Mo, you two guard Lingling on both sides. Lingling, stay right behind me. As a support-type soul master, your first priority is protecting yourself."
None of them found his words inappropriate. Zu Zong's strength was already proven, and the arrangement was tactically sound. They answered in unison, "Understood."
Zu Zong then glanced toward Xiao Wu. As expected, she and he would be the Berserk Team's primary targets. After all, Oslo and Yufeng—both respectable members—had been replaced, making them look like weak links. It would be strange if the enemy didn't try to exploit that.
But Zu Zong wasn't worried. First, Xiao Wu was strong in her own right—especially with her teleportation soul skill, which was extremely hard to counter. Second, she couldn't remain a delicate flower forever. Zu Zong wouldn't always be by her side.
The host asked both sides if they were ready. Team captains Yu Tianheng and Kuang Xi responded at the same time: ready.
"Countdown—five seconds. Five, four, three, two, one. Group Soul Battle, Round Four—begin!"
This countdown didn't exist in one-on-one or two-on-two battles. It gave soul masters time to release their martial souls, ensuring no one suffered from a slow reaction. For the arena, it also made the match more exciting for the audience.
"Everyone—release your martial souls!" Yu Tianheng shouted. His aura surged, blue light radiating from his brow. Lightning spread across his body, and his right arm transformed into a dragon claw—growing half a foot longer and covered in blue-violet scales.
Both teams released their martial souls at the same time. Beast soul masters transformed; tool soul masters summoned their weapons. The platform lit up in dazzling displays of soul rings.
At that moment, Zu Zong finally understood the feeling Tang San once had in the original story—why audiences loved group soul battles so much. The energy of all fourteen soul masters activating their martial souls at once was incomparable to other formats.
Soul ring configuration: two yellow and one purple—two century rings, one thousand-year ring. This was the standard for all seven members of the Emperor Battle Team.
Compared to them, the Berserk Team's rings were inconsistent. Kuang Xi had one white, one yellow, and one purple—standard ten-year, hundred-year, thousand-year combo. The two gloomy middle-aged men had one white and two yellow rings—clearly inferior.
Shockingly, the only member with a top-tier ring setup was the seductive woman. Like the Emperor team, she had two yellow and one purple ring.
With such a ring contrast, the Berserk Team immediately fell behind. Even many of their own supporters began to waver, with some switching sides to cheer for the Emperor team.
The Berserk Team's morale plummeted.
Veins bulged on Kuang Xi's forehead, blood filling his eyes. He roared, "Damn it! These pretty-faced brats across from us aren't scary—let's show them what the Berserk Team is made of!"
"Yeah…" the team muttered weakly.
Kuang Xi's words failed to ignite much spirit. Except for the seductive woman, the others showed little will to fight. Beating weaker teams was one thing, but facing a team superior in both levels and soul ring quality—how could they not feel defeated?
Zu Zong smirked and turned to Yu Tianheng. "Tianheng, since they won't move, how about we make the first move?"
"Fine." Yu Tianheng nodded. He had initially expected a challenge after hearing the opponents had a five-win streak, but these guys only bullied the weak. If they had stood their ground and struck boldly, he might've respected them. Now, he had lost all interest.
He struck first, lunging at Kuang Xi with his dragon claw. Zu Zong didn't act immediately—this group match was to test coordination. His role was to monitor the overall situation and step in only if something unexpected occurred.
"Damn it! They're charging! Get ready, boys! Whoever contributes the most—tonight, you get me!" the seductive woman shouted.
Gulp—the Berserk Team swallowed hard.
They had long lusted after that woman's curvaceous body. If not for her power and the fact they were teammates, someone would've forced himself on her already.
Spurred by her reward, the Berserk Team's morale surged.
Of course, battles weren't won by morale alone—they required true strength. The seductive woman knew they had no chance of victory, which was why she dared to make such an offer. She refused to lose without a fight.
She might not have been virtuous—but she wasn't about to give herself cheaply to these brutes.
With Dugu Yan's first and second soul skills providing support, the strengthened Yu Tianheng charged into the Berserk Battle Team like a wolf among sheep. Even their captain Kuang Xi couldn't withstand three strikes from his dragon claw and was sent flying on the spot.
Dugu Yan faced off against the seductive woman. That woman was clearly wary of Dugu Yan's serpent venom. Dugu Yan had no intention of interfering with Yu Tianheng—since her boyfriend was having fun, she let him go wild.
As for Xiao Wu, the battle-loving girl refused to fall behind and leapt into the fray. Unfortunately, she wasn't lucky and ran into the goat soul master from the original. Besides a ramming ability, this goat soul master's second soul skill was the rare "Stomp."
Though its range was small, every time Xiao Wu tried to approach, he'd activate Stomp, denying her any chance to get close. After being dazed multiple times and nearly injured by follow-up charges, Xiao Wu had to play it safe. Her teleportation was unexpectedly countered by a mere second-ring skill. The two fell into a stalemate.
Even so, aside from the goat soul master and the seductive woman, the rest of the Berserk Team were thoroughly defeated—and only three members of the Emperor Battle Team had even taken action.
Seeing her teammates overwhelmed so quickly, the seductive woman flew into a rage. "Damn it! Everyone regroup around me!"
At her piercing shriek, all six teammates gathered at her side and halted their retreat.
"Focus your attacks on the one in the rabbit mask!" she screamed again, unleashing her "Frenzy" skill.
Zu Zong narrowed his eyes slightly. He vaguely recalled the "Frenzy" skill—it was a buff ability, reminiscent of the Berserker's Rampage from the Blue Star-era DNF version 60.
It was clear the entire enemy team had entered a buffed state. If that was the case, Xiao Wu might no longer be able to handle them alone.
"In that case… don't blame me."
As he spoke, deep blue light surged from Zu Zong's body. A cluster of Blue Silver Emperor vines grew rapidly from his palm. Each blade of grass was as thick as a child's arm, covered in intricate glowing patterns.
Just like when he fought Dai Mubai, Zu Zong used the sharp-edged state granted by his second soul ring.
The Berserk Battle Team weren't exactly good people. Their brutality in soul battles exceeded even Zu Zong's tactics against Dai Mubai. Their defeated opponents often suffered serious injuries, some even disabled or killed.
So there was no need to show them mercy. The fact he wasn't using poison was already a kindness.
Milky-white light rose from Zu Zong's body. The deep blue vines suddenly expanded, each one as thick as a bowl, twisting like giant serpents and circling around him.
Strange markings on the vines shimmered faintly. Two yellow and one purple ring rose beneath Zu Zong's feet, spinning around his body with majestic pressure.
At nearly the same moment, Zu Zong activated the Nine Yang Divine Skill to control his soul power. The vines shot forward in straight lines, bypassing Yu Tianheng, Xiao Wu, and Dugu Yan—charging directly at the now-buffed Berserk Team.
"Blue Silver Wide-Area Bind."
The seven Berserk members, just about to make Xiao Wu their breakthrough point, were stunned.
What kind of joke was this? Wasn't the guy in the fox mask supposed to be a rookie? Since when did Blue Silver Grass have this kind of power?
No suspense followed. Even though all seven gave it their best—"each showing their unique talents"—Zu Zong's Blue Silver Bind was relentless.
No matter how they struggled, they couldn't break free from the overwhelming vine assault. Before their "Frenzy" even reached its three-minute limit, all seven were bound up like sticky rice dumplings—bloodied and immobilized.
Hiss—gasps echoed across the entire arena.
They had thought the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon soul master Yu Tianheng was already monstrous. Who would've expected the truly hidden monster was the quiet one in the center?
He didn't act—but once he did, he left the whole crowd in awe.
The Berserk Battle Team—utterly crushed.
[End of Chapter]
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