In the battle between Elephant Armored Academy and Shrek Academy, the pressure pushed the Elephant Armored team to once again use their Fusion Soul Skill.
However, Tang San, a genius in his own right, had unique and insightful approaches to combat, especially when it came to fighting soul masters who relied on fusion. He was able to disrupt their combined attacks by targeting specific acupoints in their shared bodies.
As the fight turned against him, Hu Yanli, feeling the looming threat of defeat and remembering the stern warnings from his grandfather Hu Yanzhen the day before, made a desperate move—he unleashed the power of his soul bone.
This so-called "treasure" bestowed upon the Elephant Armored Sect by Salas was an 8,000-year-old head soul bone. If Elephant Armored Academy could secure a high placement in the tournament, Bibi Dong herself would recognize Salas's contributions within the Heaven Dou Empire—perhaps even rewarding him with something greater than the soul bone.
But the emergence of such a soul bone caused a stir among the stronger soul masters present. Covetous thoughts began to arise.
Ultimately, Tang San combined medicine and poison, defeating the transformed giant Hu Yanli with precision and strategy.
With that, Elephant Armored Academy suffered its second defeat, eliminating their chances of entering the finals of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.
As of Round 12, the standings among the advanced academies were:
12 wins, 0 losses: Wuji Academy, Thunderclap Academy, Tianshui Academy, and Shrek Academy.
11 wins, 1 loss: Blazing Fire Academy, Divine Wind Academy, Canghui Academy.
10 wins, 2 losses: Elephant Armored Academy.
"The only reason Shrek won today was because Wuji Academy dealt heavy damage to Elephant Armored yesterday."
In a peaceful teahouse in Heaven Dou City, Xue Qinghe met with Ning Fengzhi, each sipping tea they both enjoyed.
"New tea?" Ning asked calmly, sensing the change in flavor.
"You've got a sharp palate, teacher," Xue Qinghe smiled.
Ning Fengzhi always wore a composed, refined expression.
"Regardless, the fact that Shrek was able to defeat an opponent wielding a soul bone proves their strength," Ning continued as he poured another cup for himself and Xue Qinghe.
Naturally, Ning's support for Shrek stemmed partly from Ning Rongrong's involvement with the team.
Additionally, Tang San's talent and background, especially his expertise in crafting hidden weapons, had dramatically improved the survival and combat effectiveness of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's direct disciples. Ning hoped that introducing Tang San to Xue Qinghe could strengthen the Empire's military might—hidden weapons could potentially change the balance of power across the continent.
If Heaven Dou's armies were equipped with such weapons, they could truly become a dominant force. Should that happen, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, as the Empire's protector clan, could rise to unprecedented influence, perhaps even surpassing Spirit Hall.
Yet, where Tang San once seemed like a prime candidate for recruitment, now Wuji Academy had entered the picture. For Xue Qinghe, comparison led to choice. At his status and level, it wasn't just about a person's talent, but also their background and value to his long-term vision.
And truth be told, Tang San and Xue Qinghe shared a blood feud. If more viable options existed, why not pick a better candidate? As for Tang San's hidden weapons? They might affect low-level soul masters, but they were ineffective against stronger ones.
Besides, a Title Douluo like Dugu Bo was equivalent to tens of thousands of troops. That mattered more.
"Qinghe, it's time to make a choice.
A timely lifeline in the snow is always better than flowers added to embroidery," Ning said with a more serious tone.
Xue Qinghe understood exactly what he meant.
Yes, in theory, he could extend friendly gestures to both academies and hedge his bets.
But strategic alliances required primary and secondary partnerships.
Primary meant a full political and military alliance—an extension of Heaven Dou Empire's power structure.
Secondary meant simple mutual benefits or low-risk investment.
After a long pause, Xue Qinghe said:
"Teacher, please arrange an introduction to Shrek Academy."
That same day, after the twelfth round, Yun Yibai walked alone on the road back to the hotel.
Suddenly, Dugu Yan appeared, walking toward him.
"What, not happy to see me?" she said playfully.
"Not quite. But I did tell all of you I wanted some time alone today."
"I was just worried about you."
The two talked for a while. As Yun Yibai noticed her out-of-character behavior, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
He knew—an enemy had arrived.
Or more precisely, the enemy wasn't targeting him alone, but had simply taken the opportunity because Yun Yibai had separated from his team.
He sneered inwardly. He had baited the trap, and the enemy had taken it.
This so-called enemy was none other than Shi Nian, headmaster of Canghui Academy—a Soul Sage and expert in spiritual-type soul techniques.
Shi Nian wasn't targeting Yun Yibai in particular. His true goal was any team ranking higher than Canghui: Wuji, Thunderclap, Tianshui, Shrek, Blazing Fire...
Because these schools blocked Canghui's path to qualifying for the finals, Shi Nian—an insidious and treacherous man—had turned to sabotage.
With his spiritual abilities, he could manipulate minds and create illusions, making him incredibly hard to defend against.
From as early as Round 5, Shi Nian had been scouting for prey. But because all contestants traveled in groups, he had never found the right opening—until now.
But what he never expected… was that someone had set a trap for him.
Suddenly, Yun Yibai's eyes flashed with piercing light. He used the Divine-Grade Elixir "Longing Glance of Eternal Clarity", granting him Fiery Golden Eyes that shattered Shi Nian's meticulously crafted illusion.
Yun Yibai, already above the Soul King level and fortified by the elixir, easily saw through the fake reality. Knowing ahead of time that it was an illusion gave him an advantage.
"Hmph."
A contemptuous voice echoed around him.
Shi Nian's figure emerged, his face cold and emotionless.
"So, you're the hidden ace of Wuji Academy. Not bad," Shi Nian sneered.
To him, Yun Yibai was already a dead man.
"A Blue-Electric Tyrant Dragon martial soul user… your spiritual power rivals that of a Soul Emperor. Very interesting. But I don't care about the secrets of the dead."
He stared at Yun Yibai, ready for the kill.