The stadium exploded into chaotic noise.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
"She just knocked an Agility Attack system Soul Master out of the arena!"
"A Nine Heart Begonia did that?!"
The students erupted into overlapping conversations. Some were cheering, others were arguing about what they had just seen, while quite a few simply stared at Ye Lingling as though they had never seen a Support Soul Master before.
At the Blazing Academy dugout, Huo Wu's expression had completely changed. Her arms were crossed, but her fingers had tightened around her sleeves.
"That wasn't just physical strength," she said quietly.
Huo Wushuang nodded. "No. Her control over soul power is ridiculous."
Huo Wu glanced toward the black-uniformed boy sitting calmly in the Royal dugout.
"So that's what he's been teaching them."
Across the arena, a Thunder Academy student swallowed.
"First Yu Tianheng catches Hu Yan Li's punch. Then that turtle traps a speed-type fighter. Now their healer throws someone out of the ring."
Another student gave a nervous laugh.
"Maybe we should stop calling them the Royal Team and start calling them something else."
"What?"
"...I don't know. Something less comforting."
The Elephant Armored students were even quieter.
Hu Yan Li, who had fought Yu Tianheng earlier, stared at Lingling with a troubled expression.
"That little flower girl?"
His teammate nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
Hu Yan Li rubbed his still-sore ribs.
"Remind me never to underestimate a Support Soul Master again."
Meanwhile, the Kamikaze students were having their own argument.
"She wasn't supposed to be able to fight!"
"That's what everyone thought!"
"Then how did she move like that earlier?"
A senior student finally pointed toward the Royal dugout.
"Look at them. They're not surprised."
The others followed his gaze.
Yu Tianheng was talking quietly with Dugu Yan. Shi Mo was grinning like he'd just witnessed something hilarious. Osler was practically jumping around. Even Ye Feng looked more relieved than shocked.
And Arthev? He was calmly writing something in his notebook.
The Kamikaze student stared.
"Wait..."
His expression slowly fell.
"They knew."
Over at Tianshui Academy, the girls were equally stunned.
Shui Yue'er leaned toward Xue Wu.
"Did you see that?!"
"I saw it."
"She actually used her martial soul's soul power like a weapon!"
Xue Wu nodded, still staring at Lingling. "And she was dodging before that. Her footwork has improved enormously."
Yue'er suddenly frowned.
"Wait. If their Support Soul Master can fight like that..."
She looked toward the Royal dugout.
"...what exactly have they done to the rest of the team?"
Tianshui's instructors exchanged similarly uneasy looks.
Shui Bing'er said nothing. Her eyes had already found Arthev.
He was still seated, one hand resting on his notebook while the other held his cup of water. When he noticed her looking, he gave the faintest nod.
Bing'er understood immediately.
He wasn't surprised. Neither was he celebrating.
To him, Lingling's performance was simply the result of training.
Her lips curved into a small smile.
'So this was another one of your secrets.'
On the VIP platform, Prince Xue Xing looked around at the stunned faces of the visiting academies. His earlier smugness had returned in full.
He leaned toward Xue Qinghe.
"Your Highness..."
Xue Qinghe glanced at him.
"Yes, Uncle?"
Xue Xing stroked his beard, barely suppressing a pleased smile.
"It seems our Royal Academy's students are making quite an impression."
Ning Fengzhi chuckled softly.
"An impression is putting it mildly."
Sword Douluo's gaze remained fixed on the Royal dugout.
"Their physical foundation, combat awareness, and soul-power control are all impressive."
Ning Fengzhi's eyes shifted toward Arthev.
"And I suspect that someone is sitting right there."
Below, the referee was still trying to restore order as the spectators continued talking over one another.
The match had ended. But the real effect of Ye Lingling's victory had only just begun.
The visiting academies had come expecting to study the Heaven Dou Royal Team.
But now, they were beginning to wonder whether they had underestimated every single member of it.
---------
The afternoon sun slowly dipped toward the western peaks as the 1v1 tactical exhibitions continued.
Following the shocking spectacle of Ye Lingling's victory, the subsequent matches felt almost traditional by comparison, though
the tension in the Colosseum remained at an absolute boiling point.
The seventh match featured a swift, aggressive striker from the Thunder Academy against a hulking defender from the Elephant Armored Academy. It was a battle of attrition.
Despite the Thunder student landing several high-voltage strikes, the Elephant Armored youth simply dug his heels into the stone, tanking the damage until the Thunder student exhausted his soul power. With a final, earth-shattering tackle, the Elephant Armored Academy claimed the win.
Then came the eighth match.
The Colosseum collectively held its breath as Dugu Yan strutted onto the floor to face another giant from the Elephant Armored Academy.
Expecting a slow, prolonged fight against her toxic mist, the massive youth prepared his
diamond-hardened skin.
He never even stood a chance.
Free from the agonizing internal suppression of her family's curse, Dugu Yan moved with terrifying, viper-like agility. She didn't even bother summoning her fourth ring. Utilizing her newly refined Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor venom, she launched a concentrated, highly acidic liquid strike that instantly corroded the Elephant student's supposedly impenetrable armor.
The giant surrendered in under two minutes, granting Dugu Yan a flawless, terrifying
victory.
The ninth match saw Shui Yue'er of Tianshui Academy facing a nimble flyer from Kamikaze. Despite Kamikaze's aerial advantage, Yue'er utilized her slippery water-attribute agility and playful, unpredictable attacks to ground the bird, freezing his wings with a well-placed frost wave to secure a win for Tianshui.
Finally, the tenth match, a high-speed clash between Kamikaze and Thunder Academy ended in a chaotic of dodging and missed strikes, resulting in the day's second eight-minute draw.
--------
17:00 P.M. – The Colosseum Floor
DING! DING! DING!
The final bell rang across the Colosseum. The afternoon sunlight had begun to soften, casting long shadows across the arena floor.
Director Meng Shenji stepped onto the central podium. His voice, amplified by the sound-type soul tool, carried easily across the stadium.
"And that concludes Day Two of our Imperial Exchange!"
A wave of applause rolled through the stands.
"Today, we witnessed the unyielding defense of earth, the ferocity of lightning, the grace of water, and..." Meng Shenji paused, glancing toward the Heaven Dou dugout with an amused smile. "...the rather surprising versatility of support."
Laughter rippled through the audience.
Even Ye Lingling couldn't help lowering her head in embarrassment.
Meng Shenji continued, his expression becoming more solemn.
"Remember, young masters and ladies, victory today is merely a stepping stone. Defeat, however painful, is an even stricter teacher. Take what you have learned, refine your weaknesses, and return tomorrow stronger than you were today."
He raised a hand toward the assembled academies.
"Rest well. Tomorrow, the trials continue!"
Polite applause filled the arena.
Then Prince Xue Xing rose from the VIP platform.
"Students!"
The remaining chatter quickly faded.
"You have fought with courage today, but this exchange is about more than winning. You have come from different academies, different regions, and different traditions. Use these days to learn from one another. The Empire is proud to witness the strength of its younger generation."
He gave a satisfied nod.
"Continue to fight with honor."
The applause grew louder.
Finally, Ning Fengzhi stood. The moment the Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect rose, the atmosphere became noticeably quieter.
"Young friends," Ning Fengzhi said with a warm smile, his voice carrying naturally through the arena.
"I watched today's matches with great interest. Some of you displayed tremendous strength. Others demonstrated excellent judgment. A few even showed us things we did not expect."
His eyes briefly moved toward Ye Lingling, then toward the Royal Team dugout.
"Do not become too proud of your victories, and do not become discouraged by your defeats. A true Soul Master does not stop improving simply because the match has ended."
He inclined his head.
"I look forward to seeing what all of you show us tomorrow."
The applause that followed was considerably more enthusiastic.
In the Royal dugout, Osler stretched both arms above his head.
"Finally! I thought that ceremony was never going to end."
Dugu Yan laughed. "You're complaining about a speech after surviving Arthev's morning training?"
"That's different. Arthev's training at least lets me eat afterward."
Shi Mo snorted.
"You mean it lets you eat after you finish throwing up."
"Details."
Tianheng shook his head, though a tired grin had appeared on his face.
-------
The Faculty Lounge
Teacher Leng Qingxue paced slowly in front of the tall windows, her usual calm expression replaced by quiet concern.
Across the room, Teacher Huo sat in a velvet chair, staring at his untouched tea.
"A Support Master," he muttered. "She used raw soul power to drive an Agility-type Soul Master out of the arena. I still don't understand how she managed it. Raw soul power should disperse once it leaves the body."
At a small mahogany desk nearby, Instructor Silas calmly sorted through a stack of requisition forms. He adjusted his glasses without looking up.
"Instructor Silas," Teacher Leng said, stopping beside the table. "You are the Royal Team's tactical instructor. Surely you can explain that technique."
Silas paused his writing.
"First, I am not the one who taught her that technique," he said evenly. "I only serve as an analyst for the team. Their actual training is handled by someone else."
Teacher Huo frowned. "Then who taught them?"
Silas ignored the question.
"As for the technique itself, there is nothing particularly mysterious about it." He dipped his quill into the ink. "Have you ever watched a whirlpool?"
Teacher Huo blinked. "A whirlpool?"
"Yes. Water has no fixed shape. Yet when it is drawn into a strong enough rotation, it can wear away stone." Silas gestured lightly with his quill. "Student Ye simply applied the same principle to her soul power. She gathered it into one point and maintained its rotation."
Teacher Leng's eyes narrowed. "You make it sound simple."
"It is indeed simple to understand. Doing it is another matter."
Teacher Huo leaned forward. "And you expect us to believe a young Support Master figured that out on her own?"
"I did not say that."
Silas calmly returned to his paperwork.
"I merely explained what she did."
Teacher Huo stared at him for several seconds before leaning back with a tired sigh.
"So the Royal Team has learned to turn basic soul power into a weapon."
"Apparently."
"And you have no idea who taught them?"
Silas looked up at him.
"I know many things, Teacher Huo. That is not one of them."
Leng Qingxue studied him quietly. His breathing remained steady, his expression unchanged.
She still wasn't convinced.
Teacher Huo leaned back in his chair and let out a slow breath.
"Fine. Perhaps we won't get anything useful from you." His gaze drifted toward the window.
"But there is something else bothering me."
Leng Qingxue glanced at him. "The Royal Team?"
"More specifically, the boy sitting among them."
Silas's quill paused for the briefest moment.
Teacher Huo continued, unaware of the tiny movement.
"Arthev. He's officially their substitute, yet the entire team follows his advice as if he's been training them for years."
Leng Qingxue's expression became slightly more serious.
Another instructor gave a faint nod. "And Shui Bing'er seems unusually interested in him."
Teacher Huo glanced toward Teacher Leng. "You noticed that too?"
"Everyone with eyes noticed it."
Teacher Huo gave a quiet sigh. "That boy has been sitting beside the Royal Team all day, yet somehow he attracts more attention than their actual captain."
Teacher Leng's gaze hardened slightly.
"That may be the most concerning part."
The five visiting instructors exchanged a knowing look.
The instructors began leaving the lounge one after another. The heavy wooden door eventually clicked shut.
Silas remained alone. His quill stopped moving.
The dull expression vanished from his face. Silas slowly lifted his eyes toward the closed door.
"...So they noticed."
He leaned back in his chair and quietly exhaled.
"Troublesome."
To be continued...