After Yun Yibai left, Shrek Academy faced off against Blazing Fire Academy.
In this battle, Shrek Academy suffered its first defeat.
Although Shrek had four Soul Elders (Soul Sect level), the overall strength of Blazing Fire Academy was stronger. Their fire specialization greatly suppressed Tang San's Blue Silver Grass martial soul.
Fire naturally countered plant-type martial souls, and Tang San's Blue Silver Grass had not yet developed immunity to both fire and ice attributes, making it especially vulnerable.
Another who lost his edge was Ma Hongjun. His main combat attribute was also fire—fire against fire; they could do nothing to each other.
Although Blazing Fire Academy lacked a support-type soul master, the saying goes: "The best defense is a strong offense." Ever since their loss to Wuji Academy, they had been holding in a lot of frustration, and that fire had yet to be extinguished.
Under such disadvantages, Shrek could have used their Martial Soul Fusion Technique to win, but they were well aware of Huo Wu's forbidden soul skill.
Unlike Wuji Academy, they had no means of taking to the skies and evading large-scale attacks.
The forbidden skill Flame Dance - Solar Radiance Huo Wu used previously was still fresh in their minds—a wide-area, indiscriminate fire-type explosion. They couldn't dodge it. They could only endure it.
They still had cards to play, but even if they won, it would have been a pyrrhic victory—the cost far too great.
What they needed now was to secure a top-five position and conserve their strength.
After Round 13 of the preliminaries ended, all academies returned to their hotels. In Shrek Academy's room, the atmosphere was somber.
Yu Xiaogang led the strategy meeting.
So far, thirteen rounds of the qualifying tournament have been completed. Three teams remain undefeated: Wuji Academy, Tianshui Academy, and Thunderclap Academy."
Blazing Fire Academy, like us, has twelve wins and one loss.
Right behind us, Elephant Armored Academy and Divine Wind Academy are eyeing our spot.
But for now, we're still ranked within the top five.
He continued:
To ensure we stay in the top five, we must defeat at least one of the top three academies: Wuji, Thunderclap, or Tianshui.
Tang San asked, Teacher, out of these three, which gives us the highest chance of victory?
Yeah, Master, added Ma Hongjun, now thoroughly convinced of Yu Xiaogang's abilities. Despite having lower spirit power, the man's theories had proven effective time and again.
Yu Xiaogang replied:
Thunderclap Academy is an affiliated soul master academy of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, one of the Upper Three Sects. It serves as a training ground for their younger generation and as a recruitment pool.
All of their members are lightning-type soul masters. Like us, they have four Soul Elders. Their captain, Yu Tianxin, is a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
He then elaborated on their other potential opponent:
Tianshui Academy consists entirely of ice-type soul masters. They have three Soul Elders. Their captain, Shui Bing'er, is just sixteen and already a Level 43 Control-type Battle Soul Elder.
Although they have one fewer Soul Elder than we do, they also possess a Martial Soul Fusion Technique.
Both Thunderclap and Tianshui are natural counters to Tang San's plant-type martial soul, so we'll need a well-crafted strategy.
However, compared to Blazing Fire Academy's full-area destructive fire skill, Tianshui's fusion technique is far more manageable.
After all, Shrek also had Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing's Martial Soul Fusion Technique. As long as they could counter the fusion threat, Tang San and the others were confident they could handle the rest.
As for Wuji Academy, Yu Xiaogang didn't even mention them, clearly aware that Shrek Academy was no match. Not even with Tang San's external soul bone or Dai and Zhu's fusion technique.
As expected, Round 14 matchups were as follows:
Shrek vs. Tianshui
Wuji vs. Thunderclap
Shrek's match came first, followed by Wuji's.
At that moment, Wuji Academy sat in their designated seating area, watching the arena as Shrek Academy and Tianshui Academy took the stage.
Up through Round 13, Tianshui Academy hasn't faced any tough opponents.
Shrek is their first real challenge—an advanced soul master academy with two or more Soul Elders, said Feng Xiaotian, arms crossed as he observed.
Of course, I'm not saying they're weak. I'm just amazed at their good luck so far.
In the Heaven Dou City division, there were only a few truly elite academies.
I didn't expect the continent's most popular idol group, the 'Sweetwater Squad,' to be the representatives of Tianshui Academy.
"Sweetwater Squad?" Yun Yibai was genuinely puzzled. Most of his time was spent on cultivation and career, so he was familiar with Tianshui Academy, but had never heard of this so-called idol group.
Dugu Yan rolled her eyes at him, but deep down, she was quite pleased. A man she liked, knowing nothing about another group of beautiful women? That was comforting.
After all, no woman enjoys her man admiring other women.
"Boss, you've been buried in training too long. You seriously don't know the hottest idol group in the entire continent?" Oscar chuckled mischievously.
"Do I need to?" Yun Yibai looked at Oscar, his voice calm.
"Oscar, tell me—do I need to know?"
He repeated the question with deliberate pacing.
Oscar instantly regretted his joking tone.
Crap… I got too cocky.
He immediately shrank into a corner like a quail, trying to minimize his presence.
Thankfully, Feng Xiaotian stepped in to defuse the tension:
The Sweetwater Squad is an idol group made up of Tianshui Academy's beautiful female soul masters. Not only are they strong, but they're sweet—hugely popular with young people across the continent.
"It's part of what makes Tianshui Academy unique, and also a key source of their funding."
"Yun Yibai, don't you remember their performance at the opening ceremony before the tournament started?"
Yun Yibai frowned.
"Idol group? Since when did the soul master world start doing this kind of thing?"
Feng Xiaotian shrugged.
"Who knows? Maybe the soul master world needs some fresh elements. But jokes aside, their strength is no joke, especially their captain Shui Bing'er—her martial soul is the top-tier Ice Phoenix."
"And with a Martial Soul Fusion Technique to boot… Tianshui Academy is not to be underestimated."