Chapter 28: Familiarity

Yesterday Tie Li gave the cafeteria uncle a jin of Thunder Python Blood Flesh, asking him to process it as the morning breakfast.

Tie Li went to the window to hand over five Copper Soul Coins, then received the Thunder Python meat stew from the cafeteria uncle—a full large pot, with flavor‑enhancing shiitake mushrooms and other auxiliaries added.

Carrying the big pot, he sat beside Duolangbu, where the team members gathered together, apparently for something.

"Tie Li, after we finish breakfast we'll digest for a while, then head to the training grounds. We need to get familiar with each other—what do you think?"

Tomorrow night's Grand Soul Battle arena, Fu Zhuguan has arranged a Team Soul Battle for us," Duolangbu said.

"Fine," Tie Li replied while chewing the meat.

Watching Tie Li eat meat and soup alternately, the six of them couldn't help but turn their heads aside.

He's eating the meal so deliciously!

After eating their fill and drinking enough, they rested at their seats for a while, then the seven of them went together to the training grounds.

"The seven of us will have a three‑versus‑three Team Soul Battle; Caixin will be the support Soul Master, watching from the side. What do you think?"

Duolangbu's suggestion is good; it's the fastest way for the team to get familiar with each other.

No one objected; they nodded in approval of Duolangbu's proposal.

"I prepared six paper bundles—three with characters and three blank; I think you all understand my meaning now."

Duolangbu shuffled the paper bundles, placed them on the ground, and let the five of them draw first.

The final result: Team A—Tie Li, Zonghao who has the Mountain Turtle martial soul, and Yang Xiaoyun; Team B—Duolangbu, Baijiao, and Daise.

Tie Li glanced at his side's Soul Master configuration—one Strong Attack, one Agile Attack, one defense; compared with the opponent they're a bit lacking, but that's only the apparent gap, the actual Soul Battle result will decide.

The two teams separated, and Caixin was responsible for announcing the start of the Soul Battle.

"Xiaoyun, you're in charge of disrupting the Team Leader; you don't have to eliminate him directly," Tie Li said.

Yang Xiaoyun exhaled in relief; as the team's Agile Attack-type Soul Master she feared Tie Li would send her to eliminate the Team Leader, but she knows Duolangbu's strength well.

If it's just disruption, the problem isn't big.

"Don't worry, no problem."

"Zonghao, you'll strong‑attack with me."

"Alright."

Zonghao's build is towering, appearing fierce and hard to get along with, but after brief conversation you'll find he's a bit of a simpleton.

Duolangbu's side was briefly discussing tactics; having a Control-type Soul Master, their strategy can be more flexible.

As both sides formed their formations, Caixin announced the Soul Battle's start.

Immediately they summoned their martial souls and Soul Rings.

On Tie Li's side, besides Tie Li's optimal Soul Ring Configuration, Zonghao and Yang Xiaoyun each have a one‑white‑one‑yellow Soul Ring pairing.

Yang Xiaoyun's martial soul is the Spirit Cat; as an Agile Attack-type Soul Master she quickly leaves the front view and attacks Duolangbu from the side.

Duolangbu's martial soul is a kind of vine, with two yellow Soul Rings appearing beneath him; his Soul Ring pairing is equally solid.

Daise and Baijiao each have the standard one‑white‑one‑yellow Soul Ring pairing.

From the corner of his eye, Duolangbu saw Yang Xiaoyun attempting a side attack, but he chose to ignore it.

The First Soul Ring lit up; two bowl‑wide vines surged from the ground toward Tie Li and Zonghao, and Baijiao, in Martial Soul Possession State, followed the vines, ready to unleash an attack at any moment.

"Xiaoyun, my speed isn't inferior to yours," a familiar voice sounded beside Yang Xiaoyun; Daise was right there.

Daise, who possesses the Rapid Electric Leopard martial soul, is a Strong Attack-type Soul Master, but his speed is no weaker than Yang Xiaoyun's.

Seeing Daise's upturned mouth, Yang Xiaoyun seemed to guess her own fate.

On the front battlefield, Zonghao's First Soul Ring lit up; the turtle shell he held was enveloped by a white glow, turning into a two‑meter‑tall shield.

Zonghao stood in front of Tie Li, intending to use his defense to block the opponent's frontal assault.

The seemingly fierce vines suddenly changed direction, veering left and right to bypass Zonghao's guard; Baijiao, following closely, stepped on the shield with one foot and leapt up using its momentum;

From the start, their goal was to eliminate Tie Li.

Relying on Baijiao alone isn't enough, but combined with Duolangbu's vine attack they estimate at least a sixty‑percent chance to eliminate Tie Li.

Duolangbu's Second Soul Ring lit up; the thick vines suddenly began to split, instantly turning into dozens of slender tendrils that assaulted Tie Li from all directions, leaving no chance for him to escape.

Once trapped, Baijiao, amplified by two major soul skills, can easily eliminate Tie Li.

Duolangbu's martial soul, to some extent, counters Tie Li; its resilience is the best defense against blunt‑weapon attacks, and the vines themselves can neutralize lightning, so the combination perfectly restricts Tie Li.

But all this only holds when the two sides' strengths are roughly equal.

When the force of blunt‑weapon control exceeds the resilience's tolerance, it can also break the defense; when raging lightning possesses terrifying destructive power, it cannot be neutralized.

And Tie Li possesses both of those.

First Soul Technique, Thunder Hammer!

Seeing Tie Li's martial soul emit Lightning Light, Duolangbu displayed a look of assured victory; it was all part of his calculation.

One by one, the slender vines formed a huge net, about to trap Tie Li inside.

When Tie Li swung the Thunder Hammer at the vines, Duolangbu thought he was making a futile effort.

But he felt the vines snapping one by one, and the raging lightning wildly destroying the vines' vitality, causing his complexion to change dramatically.

Although his martial soul is an ordinary vine, with the boost of two Hundred-Year Soul Rings it shouldn't be so fragile.

Yet under Tie Li's attack, the vines' resilience appears immature.

If his vines hadn't split but stayed together, perhaps they could still trouble Tie Li.

Baijiao's expression changed: why did the Team Leader's vines become so fragile?

No, it's not the Team Leader's martial soul that weakened; the opponent's lightning is too powerful.

Duolangbu quickly readjusted his mindset, decisively abandoned the split vines, and controlled the remaining unsplit vines to coil around Baijiao's waist, pulling him back.

"Alright, I think that's enough; continuing would be unnecessary," Duolangbu paused, then restored a confident smile.

On the side, Yang Xiaoyun had already been eliminated by Daise; would letting her join the front battlefield change the situation?

Caixin, watching from the side, quietly speculated in her heart.

Seeing Duolangbu open his mouth, everyone quickly put away their martial souls.

Since we all understand it fairly well, let's discuss tactics. This is the opponent information that Fu Zhuguan gave us.

Duolangbu took out the data that Fu Zhuguan had handed him; it recorded the Soul Master team we will face tomorrow night.

This Soul Master team was assembled by a great noble of Longxing City, who, by means of this team, took a lot of Gold Soul Coins in the Great Soul Battle arena.

(End of chapter)