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Whether Xiao Wu lived or died, Hu Liena didn't care.
She wasn't worried about displeasing Bibi Dong either. From start to finish, she knew very well that her teacher's focus was solely on Tang San. This was her small act of revenge.
Now it's your turn to choose, Tang San.
From the stands, Han Li silently counted to six in his mind.
He couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth, struggling to hold back his laughter. He hadn't expected Hu Liena to pull off such a bold move.
He knew Hu Liena didn't understand the effect of Xiao Wu's fourth soul skill. Even he was a bit envious of it, but that didn't stop him from mentally giving her a thumbs-up.
Using Xiao Wu's body to take on Tang San's Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer technique—Hu Liena had some nerve.
So, is the next part going to be, "Tang San, watch closely, this is how you use Xiao Wu"?
Han Li suddenly felt a surge of anticipation.
"No, Xiao Wu!"
On the stage, Tang San's heart-wrenching shout echoed. His Clear Sky Hammer had already been swung, and with the momentum of the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer technique, even if it meant breaking his arm, there was no stopping the attack once it had started.
If the blow landed, Xiao Wu would be gravely injured—if not killed.
What devastated Tang San the most was that this attack was coming from him.
By the edge of the stage, the head referee moved closer, preparing to intervene. But because Xiao Wu had teleported into the field, even he wasn't fully confident he could save her in time without causing harm.
Hu Liena went too far. If something really happened, it would bring negative repercussions to Spirit Hall—that was his thought.
But at that moment, a golden light enveloped Xiao Wu's body, wrapping around her.
Her arms, raised in front of her, caught the Clear Sky Hammer's attack and, with a fluid motion, pushed it away, sending Tang San and the hammer flying.
"Huh?"
This time, it was Hu Liena's turn to be surprised. Such powerful defense and strength—was this something an agility-type soul master could do?
But she quickly brushed the thought aside. It didn't matter. The stronger Xiao Wu was now, the better. After all, it wasn't Hu Liena who would be fighting her.
Her smile deepened as she manipulated Xiao Wu to teleport again, chasing after Tang San and raising a leg to kick at his waist.
Tang San, meanwhile, was both surprised and overjoyed. He recalled how Xiao Wu had mysteriously told him, after rejoining the team, that her fourth soul skill would help him, though she hadn't explained further.
It was a relief. He exhaled, only to see the golden-glowing Xiao Wu, still under external control, teleport in front of him again and attack.
His Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer technique hadn't ended yet, and they clashed once more. However, he keenly noticed that the golden light around Xiao Wu had already faded, and as she landed, her left leg trembled slightly.
Damn, Spirit Hall!
A hint of bloodlust flashed deep within Tang San's purple eyes, glowing with a faint violet light. As he shifted his steps, he noticed Xiao Wu's third soul ring glowing again, and her face had turned extremely pale.
Calculating the distance between himself and Hu Liena's team, a look of unwillingness crossed Tang San's eyes. But as he saw Xiao Wu charging at him again, his gaze became resolute. This is it.
A long howl erupted from his mouth, and two purple beams shot from his eyes, meeting Xiao Wu's vacant gaze.
With a crisp cracking sound, the Clear Sky Hammer was thrown diagonally forward, and Tang San's left arm broke in the process. Yet, with a face full of affection, he reached out with his right arm and caught the unconscious Xiao Wu.
Immediately after, most of the arena collapsed under the repeated attacks of the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer technique.
Hu Liena and her teammates exchanged glances but didn't pursue further. Instead, they turned to the referee, wondering how the destruction of the arena would be judged.
As the dust settled, Tang San, with one arm hanging limp and the other holding Xiao Wu, raised his head and calmly met their gaze.
"We concede, and We forfeit the individual match as well."
After that, he ignored the strange looks from others and lowered his head to gaze at the unconscious Xiao Wu in his arms.
This image was frozen on the screen.
The arena was silent for a moment before erupting in an uproar.
In the stands, Han Li lowered his head, biting his lips hard, struggling not to laugh. Using all his strength to hold it in, he thought, Not playing with the hammer but playing the hero—there's something to that.
Meanwhile, beside him, a trace of admiration flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes. This is indeed his disciple. If only...
She stood up, glanced at the referee and her stunned disciples on the ruined stage, and took the initiative to announce:
"Student Tang San has conceded. Spirit Hall Academy's team is the victor. Healing soul masters, please assist in treating the Heaven Dou Academy's second team. The next match will be held on Stage Two."
Her voice was still cold and emotionless, but anyone could hear her approval of Tang San's actions.
On the stage, Hu Liena cast a glance toward Bibi Dong but received no response. After announcing the result, Bibi Dong had already returned to her seat.
Hu Liena looked in Tang San's direction, then turned and walked off the stage with her head down, silently. Her palms had already been pierced by her fingernails.
Why? She didn't understand. Why? She was the victor, wasn't she?
...
The competition entered a brief intermission. Since Hu Liena and her team hadn't expended much energy, and with the assistance of an auxiliary soul master for recovery, the final match was scheduled to take place in half an hour.
In the arena, everyone was discussing the previous match, marveling at the power of Tang San's final strike and his decision. This shift in focus was largely influenced by Bibi Dong, who had personally guided the narrative.
Behind her, Guang Ling wore a sour expression. He genuinely disliked Hu Liena and her teammates, but Bibi Dong's actions disgusted him even more. This is a competition, and the opponent is from the Clear Sky Clan. Have you lost your mind, Bibi Dong?
However, this was a public event, and other factions were present, so he couldn't express his dissatisfaction openly.
Under the wary gazes of the crowd, Guang Ling stood up with a blank expression and descended from the stands.
A short while later, he returned to his seat.
Han Li glanced at his master but said nothing. He knew exactly where Guang Ling had gone—to see Xiu'er and the others. It was clear that the final match would end quickly.
Seeing this, Han Li didn't bother hiding his mental fluctuations anymore and initiated mental sharing with Qian Renxue, signaling her to prepare to execute their plan at any moment.
Meanwhile, Bibi Dong, who had been resting with her eyes closed, opened them slightly and glanced at Han Li, meeting his smile before closing her eyes again.
During the tournament, this wasn't the first time the two of them had communicated in front of her. Although Bibi Dong could vaguely sense their interaction due to her unique abilities, she couldn't discern the content of their conversation, leaving her no choice but to pretend not to notice.
Below the stage, Ye Lingling, using the miniature figurine Han Li had given her, communicated with him as she carefully and precisely controlled the healing process.
After giving Tang San's left arm a simple treatment, she looked at the others and said, "I need to recover a bit. I'll perform a group healing shortly."
Tang San and his companions nodded gratefully. Ye Lingling's healing process had been like this recently, and outsiders just assumed she was aiming for perfection, never suspecting anything unusual.
They had overheard the discussions in the arena while returning to the rest area, and Tang San was quite satisfied. Although he regretted not eliminating any of the opponents, the outcome still met his expectations, and that was enough.
Thinking of this, he looked at Xiao Wu beside him. She gazed back at him with affection, and Tang San felt that this Soul Master tournament had already been perfect for him.
Now, it was time to observe the true strength of Spirit Hall's new generation of geniuses, as they would be his future opponents. Holding Xiao Wu's hand, he looked toward the stage.
In his mind, Hu Liena's name had already been written on his must-kill list. That vicious woman, who had controlled Xiao Wu to fight him, had already chosen her path to destruction.
...
The half-hour break passed quickly. The audience hadn't yet finished debating the previous match when, in response to the referee's call, the contestants from both sides returned to the stage.
The two teams were in starkly different states. On the Skywater Academy side, the four contestants were relaxed and smiling, while the Spirit Hall team, led by Hu Liena, had grim expressions.
As soon as the whistle blew, Xu Yu's radiant golden scepter on the Spirit Hall side lit up, casting golden light onto Hu Liena and Xie Yue. Right from the start, they activated their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
On the other side, after exchanging glances, Xiu'er and Zhu Zhuqing shook their heads and retreated.
Dugu Yan and Shui Bing'er, seeing their actions, smiled helplessly and stepped forward, clasping hands.
Golden-red flames of fire and blue-white ice instantly filled everyone's vision, and time seemed to freeze at that moment.
When the light faded, the stage had disappeared, leaving only a deep crater where Xiu'er and Zhu Zhuqing had been standing. The seven members of the Spirit Hall team lay unconscious in the pit.
Around them, flames and ice crystals swirled silently. No one doubted that had the two wanted to kill, their opponents would not have survived.
Even the referee couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from his brow. He hadn't dared to move earlier; the two extreme forces had deliberately avoided him, leaving him unharmed.
The entire arena was silent, save for the sound of people swallowing nervously.
"Now, can the result be announced?"
Shui Bing'er's voice, amplified by her soul power, spread across the stage, snapping the stunned audience back to reality.
"Skywater Academy wins!"
The referee's voice was strained, making no mention of the individual matches. With the Spirit Hall team unconscious, the match had ended early.
After a brief second of silence, the arena erupted in cheers. Without a doubt, this had been the most shocking and intense championship they had ever witnessed.
"Skywater, Skywater!" the crowd chanted, filling the entire arena, though it left a few people feeling irritated.
"I didn't expect it to end so quickly. Lets start now."
Ye Lingling's voice broke the silence in the Heaven Dou Academy second team's rest area, bringing a bit of life back to the room.
"Thank you," Tang San said, turning to her with a weak smile.
"Mm."
Ye Lingling nodded as a large-scale green healing array appeared beneath their feet.