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"What kind of joke is this?! How about I beat you all half to death and then heal you—would that satisfy you?!" the captain of the Heaven Dou Second Team hurled curses at Tang San.
Tang San snorted in disdain. "Try it—if you have the ability."
A mere Soul King–level captain. With his Eight Spider Lances, Tang San could drain trash like that dry in an instant.
Xiao Wu looped her arm through Tang San's and giggled. "Third Brother, your Blue Silver Grass is amazing! Beating on these human punching bags is so satisfying!"
Dai Mubai threw his head back and roared, venting the frustration he had bottled up for so long. Every blow landed on the Heaven Dou Second Team felt like a slap to Ye Lan's face.
Tai Long bowed with gratitude. "Third Brother! From now on, I'm with you. As long as you help me defeat Heaven Dou Royal Academy, I'll do anything you say."
Seeing he had gained another follower, Tang San nodded in satisfaction.
The Second Team's captain, seeing Tang San's shamelessness, was about to continue his protest to the referee when a voice rang out.
"Healing? No need for you 'Shit-rek' brats to worry about that. Lengleng, please treat the Second Team." Ye Lan swept a glance over the students lying half-dead on the ground.
"Nine-Hearted Begonia—Fourth Soul Skill!" Ye Lengleng intoned coolly.
Countless white-and-pink "Nine-Hearted Holy Begonia" petals drifted from the air, settling upon the Second Team members. Their bleeding wounds staunched instantly; then, flesh and bone began knitting back together at an astonishing speed.
Seeing the two yellow and two purple rings around Ye Lengleng, Tang San's face fell. Wasn't she the Nine-Hearted Begonia Spirit Elder back then? How did she become a Spirit Ancestor so quickly?!
Moreover, the Nine-Hearted Begonia itself looked entirely different—nobler and more resplendent.
Ma Hongjun cast a single glance at the blue-haired girl beside Ye Lan before immediately looking away. He no longer dared to look twice at any woman near Ye Lan.
The Second Team's captain, spotting Ye Lan, cried out excitedly, "Ye Lan? Why are you here! This Shrek Academy is outrageous—they're acting like our Heaven Dou Royal Academy is nothing!"
"Captain Wang, they're just grasshoppers in autumn," Ye Lan replied blandly. "Let them jump around a little longer."
No matter how much Shrek struggled, they were still within his control. He now possessed all the immortal herbs. It was safe to say that aside from Xiao Wu and Tang San, it was uncertain if any of the others would ever become a Titled Douluo.
Tang San sneered. "Ye Lan, don't be so arrogant. As you are now, I don't even take you seriously."
"You're just a little Spirit Grandmaster—where do you get the nerve to strut in front of me?!"
Ye Lan rolled his eyes. Tang San was as conceited as ever. Did he really think a Spirit Elder could crush a Spirit Grandmaster at will? Even without immortal herbs, Ye Lan could break through to the Spirit Elder realm anytime. Did Tang San believe that only by using his "evil spirit master" methods could one advance so quickly?
"Ye Lan, do you see this?" A jet-black strand of Blue Silver Grass unfurled in Tang San's palm. "After absorbing another Man-Faced Demon Spider ring, my Blue Silver Grass is not the same as before!"
"You once said my teacher's spirit mimicry theory was useless. I'll prove you wrong—my Blue Silver Grass is the strongest!"
Ever since his martial soul awakened, Tang San had lost to Ye Lan in every encounter. After discovering the devouring property of his Eight Spider Lances, he began recklessly consuming the life force of spirit beasts. In just a year and a half, his soul power had soared. Coupled with the ten-thousand-year poison-type soul bone from his father, his strength had swelled immensely. Now that he had power, he was desperate to prove he was superior to Ye Lan.
After all, besides Ye Lan, he had never truly lost to a peer. Only Ye Lan remained an opponent he could not defeat—not with hidden weapons, the Xuantian Skill, or even the Clear Sky Hammer.
After examining Tang San's Blue Silver Grass up close, Ye Lan gave him a look one would reserve for an idiot. Has this fool really swallowed Yu Xiaogang's theories whole?
If Tang San's fourth ring had come from a Subterranean Demon Spider with weaker toxins, as in the original story, the Blue Silver Emperor might have been salvageable. Ye Lan didn't know what other foolish things he had done, but he was certain of one thing: this Blue Silver Grass could no longer awaken its imperial bloodline. He couldn't sense even the faintest life aura of the Blue Silver Emperor from it.
So be it. Let him walk this dark path to its end. The Asura God is an evil god, after all.
Noticing the Second Team members were back on their feet, Ye Lan ignored Tang San, took Ye Lengleng's hand, and headed back to the VIP seats without a second glance.
Stung by the dismissal and the pitying look, Tang San's blood boiled. He roared in fury, "Ye Lan!! Before the eyes of the world, I will trample you into the mud!"
"Oh? Best of luck with that," Ye Lan replied casually as his figure faded from view.
Tang San clenched his fists so hard they bled. Just you wait. Let's see if you can keep that attitude the next time we meet!
"Third Brother!! I believe in you! You're the fastest-growing spirit master I've ever seen!" Xiao Wu's eyes sparkled. Tang San had gone from level twenty-nine to forty-two in just two years!
Back in the VIP room, as Ye Lan was contemplating his plans for Tang San, Ye Lengleng greeted, "Hello, Elder Meng!"
Seeing them, Meng Shenji said, "Lengleng, Xiao Lan—perfect timing! I have good news and bad news. Which first?"
Ning Rongrong perked up and shouted, "The bad news, Elder Meng!!"
"I regret to inform you that you're all being expelled from the 'Emperor Team,'" Meng Shenji said, feigning sorrow.
Dugu Yan frowned. "Expelled? Us? Then what's the good news?!"
Ye Lan had already guessed it, and the result matched his expectations.
"Hahaha, the good news is you can join the Heaven Dou Second Team! We're counting on you for the qualifiers. His Majesty has decreed: as long as you make it to the grand finals, you can return to the Emperor Team!" Meng Shenji laughed.
"I knew it. This is fine. We can settle our scores with Shrek sooner in the ranking matches." Ye Lan thought of Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai, and Ning Rongrong and Oscar.
"Hearing you say that, Xiao Lan, I know the Second Team's advancement is a sure thing," Meng Shenji said with relief.
"Elder Meng, who will replace us on the Emperor Team?" Xiao Xue asked.
"His Majesty said you can decide for yourselves. Personally, I think Captain Xiao Lan should make the call," Meng Shenji replied.
"Good. We'll hold a meeting once we're back at the academy and the Second Team's roster is finalized," Ye Lan said. "The qualifiers start tomorrow! We head back now, I'll set the lineup, and we'll compete immediately. If the original Second Team plays tomorrow, they'll lose for sure!"
"Okay, we'll listen to our teacher!" Zhu Zhuqing said obediently.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy—Emperor Team Training Grounds.
"Tianheng, Shi Mo, Shi Mo—are you interested in stretching your legs in the qualifiers?" Ye Lan asked.
Yu Tianheng cracked his knuckles, eyes bright. "Of course! It's been over a year since we've fought in an arena, all to keep the immortal herbs a secret. It's about time I loosened up!"
The Shi brothers spoke in unison, "We'll follow Captain Ye's arrangements."
"Osluo, Yufeng—what about you two?"
"Heh, the senior sisters are lovely, but my true home is the battlefield! I'm in!" Osluo grinned.
"Absolutely! The junior girls need to see how dashing their upperclassman is!" Yufeng declared.
"Forget it. With Captain Ye around, all their eyes will be on him," Osluo teased.
"To each their own! I refuse to believe no junior will notice me!" Yufeng shouted.
"Alright. Since you're all participating, the entire Emperor Team will officially withdraw and join the 'Heaven Dou Second Team'!" Ye Lan announced with a laugh.
Dugu Yan snorted. "Some garbage 'Emperor Team'! Can it even beat ants now?!"
Everyone burst out laughing. Who came up with such a ridiculous maneuver? The "Emperor Team" was now an empty shell.
"Alright. Since we're entering the 'Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament,' we will take it seriously. We aim for a perfect finish."
"The face the Second Team lost today—we will win it all back!" Ye Lan rallied them.
"Right!! Emperor Team, to victory!!" they roared.
"I'll summarize the rules. If anything's unclear, ask," Ye Lan said, and the team's focus sharpened.
"The tournament has three stages: qualifiers, ranking matches, and grand finals."
"The qualifiers are hosted by the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires to select the top fifteen teams from each nation."
"The Heaven Dou City division has the most spots and the fiercest competition. Any team that emerges from here is basically among the empire's top five."
"That said, our team is already the strongest. We just need to win twenty-six straight matches to secure the first seed into the ranking stage!"
Hearing this, Osluo grew excited. "That sounds way more fun than the grand finals! The seniors said they barely got to fight!"
"So many matches in the qualifiers! If we keep a perfect win streak, we'll be famous across the land!" Yufeng exclaimed.
"Exactly. The Great Spirit Arena is packed with spectators and tourists. After this, we'll be stars," Ye Lan said.
"Great! Captain Ye, tell us about the ranking matches and the finals!" Yu Tianheng urged.
Ye Lan explained, "The qualifiers are seven-on-seven team battles. The ranking stage is one-on-one duels."
"Each team sends seven members for a solo challenge ladder. Winners stay, losers are replaced. The first side to have all seven members eliminated loses."
"Honestly, the ranking stage isn't that important. The standings only affect the byes in the grand finals. Its main purpose is to showcase individual talent for the empire. So, we could skip it and still advance. However, we have a score to settle with Shrek Academy, and I don't want to wait four months for the finals. So, aside from our match with Shrek, the rest is up to you. Tianheng, your cousin is at Thunderclap Academy, right? You can challenge him then."
Yu Tianheng shot Ye Lan a grateful look and laughed. "Now, he's the challenger!"
"Hahaha, Tianheng has picked up Ye Lan's bad habits!" Dugu Yan teased.
"As for the grand finals, you know the basics. The format is single-elimination with thirty-three teams. All matches are seven-on-seven team battles, except for the final championship match, which will be decided by one-on-one duels."
After Ye Lan finished, Ye Lengleng handed him a waterskin. He drank deeply, then laid out the next day's tactics.
"I got the roster for tomorrow's opponent—Blazing Academy—from Captain Wang. Pass it around."
The team began reading.
Blazing Academy:
Huo Wushuang — Martial Soul: One-Horned Fire Tyrannosaurus; Level 42, Assault-type Spirit Ancestor.
Huo Wu — Martial Soul: Fire Shadow; Level 43, Control-type Spirit Ancestor.
Huo Yun — Martial Soul: Fire Crane; Level 39, Agility-type Spirit Elder.
Huo Yu — Martial Soul: Fire Crane; Level 39, Agility-type Spirit Elder.
Huo Lie — Martial Soul: Fire Leopard; Level 38, Assault-type Spirit Elder.
Huo Chui — Martial Soul: Fire Star; Level 39, Support-type Spirit Elder.
Huo Jun — Martial Soul: Fire Star; Level 39, Support-type Spirit Elder.
After everyone finished, Ye Lan continued, "Now that you've seen it, let me explain our purpose in these qualifiers. Besides winning, we need to refine our tactics and teamwork. We don't just win—we win beautifully."
"Tomorrow, we face Blazing Academy. As the name suggests, they are all fire-aspected. Our team possesses a depth no other academy can match. To counter their fire affinity, here is tomorrow's lineup: myself, the Shi brothers, Lengleng, Yufeng, Rongrong, and Tianheng."
Dugu Yan pouted. "Idol, why am I benched?!"
Ye Lan pinched her cheek. "Your Jade Phosphor poison is hard-countered by fire!"
"But Idol, your Blue Silver Grass isn't afraid of fire?" she asked.
"Sorry, I'm fire-immune," Ye Lan smiled.
"Ugh! What kind of broken Blue Silver Grass is that?!" Dugu Yan grumbled.
Ning Rongrong giggled. "Bad woman, just watch me shine!"
"Rongrong, call her Yanyan!" Ye Lan tapped her on the head.
Ning Rongrong rubbed her head, looking aggrieved, while Dugu Yan laughed.
Xiao Xue smiled. "Ye Lan, can you also ignore my Solar Flame?"
"Don't play dumb. You've read my theory. Fire immunity doesn't work on Extreme Fire," Ye Lan said helplessly.
He glanced at the pensive Zhu Zhuqing. "Zhuqing, do your best. In the ranking stage, you can complete the task your teacher assigned you."
"Alright." Zhu Zhuqing nodded.
The next afternoon. Heaven Dou City Great Spirit Arena, Second Main Arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen!!!" the referee's voice boomed. "Great news! Here on Platform Two, we are about to witness a thrilling match!"
"Heaven Dou Royal Academy versus Blazing Academy!!"
"Tch, what's so great about that? We came to see Blazing Academy stomp them!"
"Exactly! They got wrecked by that 'Shit-rek Academy' yesterday. Nothing to see here!"
"Go, Huo Wu!! I'm a fan of your pretty face!!"
In their lounge, the members of Blazing Academy were not nearly as optimistic; every face was grim. They knew Heaven Dou had swapped rosters. The entire Emperor Team had been moved to the Second Team, leaving the original name a hollow shell. This meant the qualifiers would be fiercer than ever.
The Four Elemental Academies, Shrek Academy, Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Elephant Armor, and Cang Hui—eight powerful teams fighting for five slots! After this overhaul, Blazing Academy was already on the verge of elimination.
The referee chuckled mysteriously. "Today's Heaven Dou Royal Academy is something special—try not to scream~"
"Tch, what could it be? Is the 'Green Emperor' himself showing up?"
"Yeah, right. As if the whole Emperor Team would get demoted!"
"What a clickbait announcer!"
"Booo! Booo!"
Sensing the crowd's restlessness, the referee grinned. "Let's welcome the captain of Heaven Dou Royal Academy…"
"The G-G-G-Green Emperor, Ye Lan!! Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass! Level 38, Life-type Spirit Elder!!"
"Ahhh!! It's the Green Emperor!!"
"What the hell?! Has the world gone mad? The Green Emperor was kicked off the Emperor Team?!"
"Green Emperor!"
"Green Emperor!"
The unenthused audience erupted.
A flash of light cut through the air as Ye Lan, dressed in a white-and-gold team uniform, appeared at the center of the stage. The sight of him in uniform sent the crowd into a frenzy.
He was too handsome! Several die-hard fans fainted on the spot.
The referee continued, "Vice-Captain, Yu Tianheng!! Martial Soul: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon—Level 49, Spirit Ancestor!!"
"Shi Mo! Martial Soul: Black Tortoise—Level 48, Spirit Ancestor!!"
"Shi Mo! Martial Soul: Black Tortoise—Level 47, Spirit Ancestor!!"
"Yufeng! Martial Soul: Wind Spirit Bird—Level 46, Spirit Ancestor!!"
"Ning Rongrong! Martial Soul: Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda—Level 39, Spirit Elder!!"
"Ye Lengleng! Martial Soul: Nine-Hearted Begonia—Level 48, Spirit Ancestor!!"
(End of Chapter)