Ignoring the announcer's long-winded introduction of the match, Yu Yan and Xiao Wu walked straight toward the small contestant area after finding Vice Dean Jiang Jing and Ye Lingling, who had not yet taken the field.
"Yu Yan, is your fifth spirit ring sorted out?"
Seeing Yu Yan approach, a clear smile appeared on Vice Dean Jiang Jing's face. After Yu Yan sat down, she leaned in and whispered the question about his fifth spirit ring.
"Both Xiao Wu and I have absorbed our fifth spirit rings, and we've both obtained quite excellent Spirit Abilities."
Hearing that Yu Yan and Xiao Wu had successfully obtained their fifth spirit rings, Vice Dean Jiang Jing suppressed the urge to laugh out loud. After calming her emotions, she whispered instructions: "You two must keep your fifth spirit rings hidden. We want to give everyone a surprise at the critical moment."
"Alright."
"No problem."
Yu Yan and Xiao Wu nodded one after another. They didn't really care about hiding or revealing their fifth spirit rings.
If it weren't for the three members of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation—Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan—the two of them would probably still be claiming to the world that they were Four-Ring Spirit Ancestors.
Ye Lingling, who knew what Yu Yan and Xiao Wu had gone to do, looked Yu Yan up and down. Usually indifferent, she had a pile of questions for him but couldn't ask due to the setting.
"Watch the match first. You need to take a good look at the Hagendasi Battle Team's match later. There's a Rank 48 Spirit Ancestor in that team that Dugu Yan might not be able to handle. Yu Yan, observe him closely. If we face them, you'll be the one to deal with him."
After instructing them to hide their spirit rings, Vice Dean Jiang Jing gestured for Yu Yan to watch the match.
On the field, after her Martial Soul Possession, a few emerald Dragon scales appeared on Dugu Yan's body. The emerald scales shimmered in the sunlight, adding a different kind of charm to Dugu Yan's already outstanding appearance.
Compared to Dugu Yan's sharp and exposed presence, Zhu Zhuqing's movements were much quieter, yet her proud figure still attracted many fans for her.
Standing behind the group, Ning Rongrong chanted her Spirit incantations, raising her hand to apply four support Spirit Abilities—Strength, Agility, spirit power, and Defense—to Dugu Yan, Zhu Zhuqing, Bai Chenxiang, and Meng Yiran.
With the buffing Spirit Abilities applied, Dugu Yan and Zhu Zhuqing charged from two different positions toward the Xilu Team's formation, breaking it apart.
Meng Yiran rushed forward to unleash her Spirit Ability, providing support from the side. Originally intended to be the team's core as a Control System Spirit Master, she was forced to play a supporting role for her two attack system teammates because they were simply too dominant.
While the Xilu Team showed signs of fatigue in the frontal confrontation, the pure-speed Spirit Master Bai Chenxiang had already reached the side of the Xilu Team's support system Spirit Master. Using her flexible speed to bypass the agility-attack system and Defense System guardians, she kicked the Xilu Team's support system Spirit Master off the stage.
The members of the Xilu Team wanted to provide backup, but they were pinned down by Dugu Yan and the other two, forced to watch helplessly as their support system Spirit Master left the field.
As a pure-speed agility-attack system Spirit Master, Bai Chenxiang's combat power was indeed not strong, but defeating a support system Spirit Master was easy. With her ability to fly and high agility, Bai Chenxiang could bypass ninety-nine percent of Spirit Masters to take down the enemy's support system Spirit Master.
"Look, it's the Exotic Beast Team's classic tactic again! Contestants Dugu Yan, Zhu Zhuqing, and Meng Yiran hold down the main force at the front, while Bai Chenxiang flies to the rear of the enemy formation to deal with the support system Spirit Master. It seems the victory of this battle belongs to the Exotic Beast Academy."
"Dugu Yan has successfully dealt with the opponent's attack system Spirit Master. To easily defeat a Xilu Academy attack system Spirit Master in just over two minutes from the start—this level of strength is extremely rare even among Spirit Ancestors. Let's cheer for her!"
The announcer for this Spirit Duel commentated on the match with an excited voice, as if the victory of Dugu Yan and the others was his own.
Shortly after the announcer finished speaking, as the members fell one by one, the remaining two raised their hands in surrender, declaring the end of the match.
As Dugu Yan and the others exited the stage, the Hagendasi Royal Academy team entered the battlefield. Vice Dean Jiang Jing pointed to a certain large fellow in the team and introduced the Rank 48 Spirit Ancestor to Yu Yan.
Wu Li, Martial Soul: Divine Strength Ape, an attack system Spirit Master with extremely powerful strength.
In this team, there was a support system Spirit Master who could apply movement speed buffs to teammates. With four rings stacked, Wu Li's speed was no weaker than an average agility-attack system Spirit Master.
The combination of powerful strength and speed comparable to an average agility-attack system Spirit Master created an attack system Spirit Master who was not inferior to Dugu Yan or Zhu Zhuqing.
Although Meng Yiran was a Control System Spirit Master, her control methods clearly couldn't restrain this big fellow with terrifying strength.
Originally, Vice Dean Jiang Jing was worried about how to guarantee a victory against this guy, but after Yu Yan and Xiao Wu returned, that worry vanished.
While Yu Yan watched Wu Li showing off his Divine Might on the Soul Fighting Arena with interest, Dugu Yan and the others, who had finished their match, spotted him and Xiao Wu.
"Yu Yan, Xiao Wu, you're back from getting your spirit rings?"
Dugu Yan, who had been friends with Yu Yan and Xiao Wu for a long time, waved and greeted them.
"Dugu Yan, lower your voice. Those two are our Exotic Beast Team's secret weapons. The fact that they are Five-Ring Spirit Kings must be kept secret to catch the opponents off guard in the finals."
Hearing Dugu Yan's voice, Vice Dean Jiang Jing quickly moved to Dugu Yan's side, covered her mouth, and forcefully silenced her. She then whispered to the Exotic Beast Team members to keep it a secret.
Those who didn't know Yu Yan and Xiao Wu's actual Rank nodded in agreement; catching the opponent by surprise at a critical moment was indeed a common tactic.
Dugu Yan, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong, who knew their actual Ranks, had no such concerns. The championship couldn't possibly belong to anyone else. If it weren't for their own goals, they would have long since slacked off and coasted to victory.
Dugu Yan's goal has been mentioned before, so it won't be repeated here.
Zhu Zhuqing's goal was to temper herself in battle, and when she met Dai Mubai, who had caused her years of grievance, she would defeat him fairly and squarely, then defeat Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun to settle the obsession in her heart.
Ning Rongrong's goal was to use battle to digest the Immortal Herb's medicinal power in her body as quickly as possible and grow into a Titled Douluo, so as not to fail the expectations of her father and Grandpas Sword and Bone.
Vice Dean Jiang Jing, worried that everyone might accidentally leak the secret, emphasized the importance of secrecy once more before finally letting go of Dugu Yan's mouth. This was the Exotic Beast Academy's most hopeful chance to win the championship, so Jiang Jing was simply letting her anxiety get the better of her.
The three who knew Vice Dean Jiang Jing's character and understood why she placed such importance on this didn't think she was making a mountain out of a molehill. The Rank she knew for Yu Yan was indeed just over 50, so being cautious was normal.
After the Hagendasi Battle Team's match ended, Vice Dean Jiang Jing asked Yu Yan, "How is it? Do you have the confidence to defeat Wu Li?"
"No problem, you can rest easy."