Chapter 403: Six Versus Six

“Now, for the final match of this competition,” Shen Yi announced. “The team battle. Both teams will now come up. The first grade’s team may have between three and seven people. The second grade’s team may number one less than the first grade’s.” Her voice didn’t hold even the slightest hint of bias. 

“No,” Elder Cai cut in. “The second grade team field the same number of combatants as the first grade.”

“Understood,” Shen Yi said without batting an eye. “The second grade’s team will number the same as the first grade’s. How large is the first grade’s team?” 

Seated cross-legged, Tang Wulin slowly opened his eyes. “The first grade’s team has six people.” 

Yuanen Yehui looked at him. Their gazes clashed like a burst of sparks. She could see the blazing determination in his eyes. This guy certainly lives up to his position as their team captain! 

Shen Yi turned to the second grade. “The second grade’s team may send out six people. You all have three minutes to prepare. After that, the match will begin.” 

Off among the spectators, Wu Siduo stared at Tang Wulin. Her fingers twitched as she hesitated to say something, but in the end, she held her silence. She had heard about the strength of the second grade’s class president. This made her yearn to battle him. But she hadn’t earn the right to. If it weren’t for her and Luo Guixing being so stubborn in the past, they would have been going on that stage as well! 

The first grade’s team was composed of Tang Wulin, Gu Yue, Ye Xinglan, Xu Lizhi, Xu Xiaoyan, and Xie Xie. At the opposite end of the arena, Yuanen Yehui, He Xiaopeng, Bai Hanying, Yue Zhengyu, Ye Xingmo, and Duan Hunxiao gathered. 

Up on the elevated platform, the Holy Spirit Douluo turned to Elder Cai and smiled. “Which side do you think is going to win, Yue Yue?”

Elder Cai laughed. “Why are you asking me that, Elder Sister Yali? The first grade has essentially already won. Do you not have faith in them?” 

“I watched the selection tournament and saw for myself just how powerful this year’s new students are. They actually could have sent out a full team of seven and increased their odds of winning.”

“The second grade’s team isn’t weak either,” Elder Cai said. “Their class president, Yuanen Yehui, is a working student, has two peak-level martial souls, and is quite the hard worker. I’m well aware of the first grade’s team’s strengths too. It looks like this match will be a showdown between class presidents. If Tang Wulin can take care of Yuanen Yehui, then the first grade’s got a shot at winning, but it will still be tough.” 

The Holy Spirit Douluo chuckled. “Let’s wait and see. I’m here to referee the match anyway.” She stood up, attracting everyone’s attention. Stepping off the platform, she gently floated down to the stage. 

Tang Wulin and his teammates finished up their hushed discussion and walked onto the stage. He stood at the front of his team. To his left was Xie Xie, his right Ye Xinglan. Gu Yue, Xu Xiaoyan, and Xu Lizhi were positioned behind him. Seeing that their opponents had taken stage, Yuanen Yehui led her team up as well. 

Having yet to release her martial soul, Yuanen Yehui didn’t seem very imposing with her average size. However, in the split second she locked eyes with Tang Wulin, an oppressive aura began to swirl around her. Tang Wulin may have already been familiar with her, but this would be his first time actually facing her as an opponent, and just as he was familiar with her, she was familiar with him. She knew that he was the heart of his team, and as long as she defeated him, victory would belong to the second grade.

Her five teammates quickly got into position. He Xiaopeng stood to her left, Yue Zhengyu to her right. Ye Xingmo and Duan Hunxiao stood behind them with Bai Hanying sandwiched in the middle. 

Tang Wulin was already drawing up plans the moment he saw how they were arranged. Considering their battle formation, they shouldn’t have a support-type soul master. All of them should be combat-oriented. That Bai Hanying is probably a control-type, so the rest should be assault or agility-types. His eyes swept from Bai Hanying to the others. Yuanen Yehui and Yue Zhengyu are definitely assault-types. He Xiaopeng probably is too. That means Ye Xingmo and Duan Hunxiao are probably agility-types. Their team composition wouldn’t be balanced without any agility-types after all. 

Standing at one edge of the stage, a hint of a smile played at the Holy Spirit Douluo’s lips as she looked between the two teams.

“You have thirty seconds left,” Shen Yi announced from the platform. “Prepare for battle.”  

Right on cue, Tang Wulin took a step forward, power radiating from his body in waves. He knew that Yuanen Yehui was the cornerstone of the opposing team, and now both he and her were posturing. He sucked in a deep breath and his eyes became a bright gold, a mighty aura thickening around him. The droning of a faint roar emanated from deep within his body. A golden vein flickered to life at the base of his neck, throbbing with power. Yuanen Yehui urged her aura to soar higher in response. They partook in battle of wills before the match even began. Tang Wulin was an unstoppable wave while Yuanen Yehui was an immovable mountain. The clash of their resolves whipped the surrounding air into a frenzy. 

Tang Wulin understood how formidable Yuanen Yehui was, but defeat had never crossed his mind. His eyes had always been set on winning! 

“Begin!”  

Without even summoning his martial soul, Tang Wulin shot forward like a cannonball, hurtling straight at Yuanen Yehui. A single golden soul ring appeared as he activated Golden Dragon Body instead. His body swelled with strength and golden scales materialized down his right arm, the hand transforming into a dragon claw. Light then gathered around the claw and become a fitting gauntlet! With the resplendent golden battle armor gauntlet equipped, his strength soared to its peak. 

He’s going all out from the get-go? All of the second grade students were shocked. Yuanen Yehui, however, took action in a similar fashion. The instant the match started, she leaped forward, her body undergoing the Titan Giant Ape transformation in midair. As she finished transforming, she activated Diamond Titan. She hit the stage with a rumble, leaped forward again to soar directly at Tang Wulin! 

The battle had just begun, yet the champions of each team were already clashing! 

As for their teammates, they all did their own thing.

Xu Xiaoyan held Gu Yue’s hand as she stepped forward and conjured up a blizzard. Xie Xie vanished into the blizzard. Xu Lizhi stood in place, muttering chants to himself as he produced bun after bun. Ye Xinglan replaced Tang Wulin at the front of the formation, standing guard over those who remained. 

At the other end of the stage, the second grade students all summoned their martial souls. Two yellow soul rings and one purple soul ring appeared around He Xiaopeng. His martial soul was a large silver hammer, the head of which resembled a flower in full bloom. His martial soul was called the Eight-petal Plum Blossom Silver Hammer. Unfortunately for him, it was only a single hammer, otherwise, he could have forged with it. Just as Tang Wulin guessed, he was an assault-type soul master! Yue Zhengyu also summoned his Holy Angel martial soul. His second soul ring lit up and a holy sword appeared in his hand. Together with He Xiaopeng, he advanced on the first grade’s team in a pincer attack.

Behind them, Ye Xingmo and Duan Hunxiao jumped into action. Ye Xingmo shot forward, now wielding a sword in hand. A golden star shone on his forehead. He moved astonishingly fast, overtaking He Xiaopeng in a single flash of movement. With another, he would reach his targets. In the same breath, Duan Hunxiao summoned a flute with a wave of his hand. Four soul rings revolved around it, two yellow and two purple. He snatched it out of the air and blew on it, filling the arena with a melancholic tune. It washed over the first grade competitors, overwhelming them with a wave of dizziness.

This was Duan Hunxiao’s crowd control soul skill, Soul Tuning!