Chapter 18: Crushing Defeat and the Grand Ranking Tournament Begins
I saw shock freeze Huang Choutian's face.
He muttered, "This… how is this even possible?!"
He took a step back, gasping for air, his spiritual energy nearly exhausted. Every devastating strike he had launched had no effect. We stood before him, waiting for his next move… as if his attacks had been mere illusions.
I noticed his eyes flicker with desperation, creeping into his heart. He had only one card left… the final card where he had pinned all his hopes.
I froze for a moment, taking a deep breath as Huang Choutian's voice of surrender still echoed in my ears.
"This… this team really shouldn't be underestimated…"
His voice was low, tinged with a mixture of astonishment and respect, as he looked toward Ho Youhao and his companions, standing firm after the explosion.
Even the Lan sisters, who had relied on their Spirit Fusion technique, were shocked as they struggled to regain their strength after crashing hard to the ground. They hadn't expected their technique to be undermined in this way.
The crowd around us couldn't believe what they were seeing. Shouts and comments erupted:
"My God! I didn't expect that to be broken!"
"Team Ji Lin is stronger than we thought!"
Coach Wang Yan stared with wide eyes, his face full of astonishment. "No… this only happens once in a lifetime. The power of this team… unbelievable!"
I felt a surge of pride within me, but I was fully aware this wasn't the end. Stronger opponents awaited in the next round, and I had to stay focused with Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao to ensure our streak of victories continued.
"Sir, we surrender."
His words were heavy, dripping with defeat and despair. I lifted my gaze toward him and saw his tense body trying to stand upright, yet his shoulders were weighed down by shame more than fatigue.
The Lan sisters stood behind him, their faces pale. Even without a word, fear shone clearly in their eyes. They realized, as he did, that the pressure we had exerted was not something they could withstand. This was no ordinary confrontation—it was a total crushing that rendered any thought of resistance meaningless.
When Professor Wang Yan announced the result:
"Since you have admitted defeat, I hereby declare your loss in this match."
A soft sigh escaped the Lan sisters, as if a chain had been lifted from their chests. They turned to leave, but before stepping out of the arena, their eyes met mine—a deep look, mingled with astonishment, caution, and perhaps… a touch of incomprehension.
I lifted the corner of my mouth in a small smile. It wasn't a smile of gloating, but of understanding.
The truth was, our victory was not merely raw strength. Had we not chosen our timing precisely, had I not unleashed the Spirit Shock at the exact moment to strike and temporarily disrupt the Lan sisters' Spirit Fusion… the outcome could have been entirely different.
Even as I smiled, deep down I knew: this was only the beginning.
I exhaled with relief, as if the heavy burden that had pressed on my chest had suddenly vanished.
It had seemed like a complete crushing defeat, yet I knew well that every moment of that battle had been like walking on the edge of a razor-sharp blade.
Had I not struck the Lan sisters' awareness with the Spirit Shock at the precise moment, had Xiao Xiao not swiftly advanced with the defenses of the Triple Spirit Cauldron to disperse the power of their fusion, had Wang Dong'er not unleashed the Divine Butterfly Light in those critical seconds… we might have been the ones tasting the bitterness of defeat.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Yet, our collaboration was the single thread of hope that held us together until the very end.
I smiled, gazing at my companions. This was not my victory alone; it was our triumph together.
When we returned to the first-year newcomers' assembly, the surprise came in the form of Teacher Zhou Yi, whose rare smile now graced her usually stern face.
She spoke clearly, her voice carrying a warmth unfamiliar to us:
"I have good news to share with you: after completing all the rounds of the competition, every single member of the first-year newcomers has successfully passed the test!"
In that moment, we exchanged looks filled with pride. I remembered how just three months ago, we had been lost children, unsure even how to wield our Spirit Threads at Partner Academy.
But now… we had become a team. No, more than that: we had become capable of relying on ourselves on the battlefield.
And that was the greatest victory of all.
(From a third-person perspective)
Since the start of the newcomer evaluation, six months had passed in the blink of an eye—precisely six months and ten days.
It was now the beginning of the Grand Ranking Tournament, where the top sixty-four competitors from the ten preliminary evaluation matches would face off.
Ji Lin's team was on the verge of their first match, and with a victory, they would secure a spot among the top thirty-two teams in the tournament.
The ranking tournament arena was larger and more expansive than any previous battlefield, and the opponents awaiting Ji Lin's team were far stronger. Across from them, Ning Tian's team stood poised for battle.
"Unbelievable! A Spirit Master with a single ring has already appeared in the Ranking Tournament! This is truly astonishing at Partner Academy!"
Suddenly, a woman in her thirties appeared beside Zhou Yi on the viewing platform. It was Mo Jin, an experienced Spirit Master. Her fair, attractive complexion belied her age, and her features conveyed both strength and seriousness.
She said, "Mo Jin, a Spirit Master with a single ring, has passed the newcomer evaluation and qualified for the Ranking Tournament. She has proven her strength and remains capable of competing against the highest-ranked students!"
"Ji Lin's Team vs. Ning Tian's Team—the match begins!"
The referee's announcement echoed across the arena, causing the noise of the crowd to tremble and then fall silent.
"Hah, it's Ning Tian! Isn't she the miracle of the Glazed Nine Treasures Sect? They say her speed in cultivation is astonishing, and she has already reached the level of a Spirit Master!"
"Absolutely, she's incredibly talented. She's only been here for three months this year, yet she's already recognized as the class leader."
"Tsk tsk, Ning Tian is truly remarkable. Her chances of winning this tournament are extremely high. She's a role model for everyone!"
On the stage, Ning Tian's team and Ji Lin's team exchanged formal greetings, then each side focused their spirits and prepared for combat.
However, before the official match began, Ning Tian cast a disdainful glance at Ho Yuhao.
"Ji Lin?"
Her face darkened. "Should I consider you lucky or unlucky?"
Ji Lin was momentarily taken aback. "What do you mean?"
Ning Tian sneered coldly. "Lucky that you're participating in the Ranking Tournament… but unlucky that your fate ends here!"
Ji Lin smiled calmly. "Very well, then I'll face you."
Ning Tian screamed, unleashing the spirit of the Glazed Seven Treasures Temple, her radiant light drawing the eyes of every spectator.
"This is the spirit of the Glazed Seven Treasures Temple! What incredible power!"
"As expected from a sect that has endured for ten thousand years, the Glazed Seven Treasures Temple remains a support spirit not to be underestimated!"
"Yes! With the support of the Glazed Seven Treasures Temple, Ning Tian's team will undoubtedly win the tournament!"
The audience was almost entirely divided. Most were pessimistic about Ji Lin's team, considering the combined strength of Ning Tian's three members to be overwhelming.
Although Wu Feng and Nanmin Yun Er were still in their twenties, with Ning Tian's support, their power could certainly reach the level of Spirit Masters!
Ning Tian's first spirit ring glowed as she activated her first spirit skill on Wu Feng. Wu Feng's battle spirit was the Fire Dragon, and with the amplification from Ning Tian's skill, its power increased by 30%!
At this level, she was capable of facing a Spirit Master head-on.
Immediately after, Wu Feng activated her own first spirit skill.
A golden light descended from the sky, enveloping Wu Feng and transforming her, already immense, into a colossal Fire Dragon.
"Whoa!"
Wu Feng roared toward the sky, her deafening roar freezing the air around her.
Her body, initially about two meters long, rapidly expanded under Ning Tian's amplification, transforming in the blink of an eye into a terrifying beast roughly four to five meters tall.
Her entire body was covered in remarkably coarse brown fur, and her thick arms, like steel whips, bore sharp claws that emitted a chilling, eerie light.
A faint yellow aura enveloped Wu Feng as her body grew further, reaching nearly eight to nine meters, while her fur turned deep red, resembling a blazing meteor.
The opponent assigned to face Wu Feng wasn't Wang Dong'er, who was usually the main attacker, but Xiao Xiao, wielding the Three-Spirit Spirit Suppression Cauldron!
This arrangement was based on Ji Lin's understanding of Ning Tian's team.
Within Ning Tian's team, Wu Feng and Nanmin Yun Er served as the main support pillars: one a strength-oriented Spirit Master, the other agility-oriented.
Xiao Xiao had no real advantage against Nanmin Yun Er, as her battle spirit was the ultra-fast Blue Jade Bird.
Therefore, Wang Dong'er's Goddess of Light Butterfly was deployed to confront her!
"Spirit Skill One: Cauldron Shock!"
Xiao Xiao's first spirit ring glowed, and the Three-Spirit Spirit Suppression Cauldron split into three, encircling Wu Feng.