Chapter 156: The Golden Flood Dragon vs. the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon

"The match begins!"

With a sharp downward sweep of the referee's right hand, the battle between Nine Stars Academy and the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy officially commenced.

The formations of both teams shifted instantly.

On the side of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, the twin brothers Shi Mo and Shi Mo stood at the very front. The moment the referee announced the start of the match, they summoned their basalt tortoise martial souls. Earth-yellow radiance bloomed as massive dark-yellow turtle shells simultaneously appeared on their backs and chests.

"A defensive formation? Mere Spirit Ancestors, just how long do you expect to hold out?"

Xiao Yu sneered with utter disdain. The ferocious and oppressive aura belonging uniquely to a Spirit Emperor surged toward the Royal Dou Team, directly overpowering the defense of the two basalt tortoise spirit masters and pressing down upon every single member of the opposing team.

Ning Li, the auxiliary spirit master with the weakest physical strength, staggered and nearly fell headfirst to the ground.

Yu Tianheng was also left breathless by the immense pressure. With a furious roar, a deep blue radiance burst forth from between his brows, rapidly spreading across his entire body. Blue-purple electrical arcs, like small snakes, coiled around him, barely managing to counteract the spirit pressure unleashed by Xiao Yu.

Watching his teammates drenched in sweat and swaying unsteadily under Xiao Yu's pressure, Yu Tianheng wore a bitter smile. If the Royal Dou Team weren't the seeded team of the Heaven Dou Empire and its public facade, making an outright surrender impossible under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he truly would not have wished to fight Xiao Yu today.

"Attack!"

With a loud shout, Xiao Yu morphed into a streak of light and darted forward instantly. Cang Mo, Rong Dou, Huo Wu, and the others followed closely behind. All seven members radiated surging battle intent as they charged toward the Royal Dou Team.

"Shi Mo, Shi Mo, defend! Ning Li, full auxiliary support!"

While shouting instructions, Yu Tianheng's arms rapidly expanded into twin dragon claws, covered densely in blue-purple scales.

Though Yu Tianheng knew victory was out of reach, he refused to let his team go down in a total slaughter. At the very least, they needed to survive the initial wave of Nine Stars Academy's onslaught to save face.

"The Glazed Tile Pagoda shines brightly! First: Power! Second: Speed! Third: Spirit!"

Under Yu Tianheng's command, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda above Ning Li's hand unleashed its full output. Three distinct rays of light soared from the pagoda into the sky, split in mid-air, and descended simultaneously upon the six members led by Yu Tianheng.

Ning Li's talent among Ning Fengzhi's sons was unremarkable. Not only was his spirit power low—reaching merely the thirty-fifth rank in his early twenties—but his comprehension ability was also abysmal, failing to fully master even the Three-Pronged Mind Control.

Releasing three auxiliary skills simultaneously for six teammates drained Ning Li of his last ounce of energy. The moment the skill finished casting, he turned on his heels and trotted straight off the stage without a second thought.

Unlike the naive Ning Rongrong, who was emotionally manipulated by Yu Xiaogang, Fland, and Tang San into treating Shrek Academy as her home and placing it above the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Li harbored no such illusions.

Ning Li knew very well that his joining the Royal Dou Team was merely a gesture of close cooperation between the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and the Heaven Dou Imperial Family. He had no intention of risking his life for the team. Having done everything he could, remaining on the stage was entirely pointless.

"Third Spirit Skill: Swift Wind Piercing Shadow!"

The exact moment Ning Li leaped off the stage, Xiao Yu had already closed in on the Royal Dou Team. His third spirit ring flared brightly, transforming his entire body into a black shooting star as he struck at maximum speed toward Shi Mo, who was holding his shield aloft.

Boom!

With a resounding collision, Shi Mo was sent flying straight backward like a kite with a broken string, landing squarely and precisely upon Ning Li, who had just stepped off the arena.

"Ah!"

It was Ning Li who let out the piercing shriek. Shi Mo had long since lost consciousness from the devastating impact, and his heavily built frame crushed the pampered young master of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, leaving him foaming at the mouth and screaming continuously.

" Sect Master Ning, your esteemed son is truly..."

Beside Ning Fengzhi sat Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan, an elder of the Spirit Hall who had also come to watch the match. He wore a mocking expression, his gaze toward Ning Fengzhi laden with ridicule.

Ning Fengzhi's expression darkened. Though he cared little for Ning Li given the boy's mediocre talent, the youth was still his son. Especially since Ning Li had displayed his martial soul openly on stage; anyone with a discerning eye could easily deduce his identity. Making a fool of himself in such a public spectacle ultimately humiliated Ning Fengzhi himself.

For a moment, Ning Fengzhi's gaze toward Xiao Yu turned somewhat unkind. He suspected Xiao Yu had done this deliberately to vent the lingering resentment from Ning Fengzhi's repeated interventions on behalf of the Clear Sky School.

"Fourth Spirit Skill: Fierce Lion Strike!"

The black ten-thousand-year spirit ring on Cang Mo lit up. A majestic lion roared, and a torrent of blazing flames erupted, targeting Shi Mo, the other defensive spirit master guarding the front of the Royal Dou Team.

Shi Mo let out a miserable shriek, promptly following in his brother's footsteps. He tumbled across the plaza several times before foaming at the mouth and passing out cold.

Having shattered the defense of the Royal Dou Team, Ao Ao, who had transformed into a gray wolf using his second spirit skill, was the first to plunge into the crowd...