Chapter 179: Finals, New Divine Wind

According to the information sent from the Spirit Hall, the competition will officially begin in three days; after the exhausting journey, these three days of rest are also enough for each academy to make adjustments.

The Xingluo Empire's participating academies were assigned to rest on the opposite side of Wu Hun City, and implicitly the Spirit Hall has already divided the two imperial teams into two camps.

Inside the Sleek Academy, the Master met Tang San again, and when the Master learned of Tang San's plight, he was struck as if by lightning.

So that's how it is? No wonder when I went to that woman she not only refused to tell me the secret of the twin martial souls, but bluntly said Tang San couldn't use them; that woman actually sent people to assassinate Tang San? Or two Titled Douluo?

After a long while, the Master sighed, "It's my fault; I shouldn't have let you enter this tournament, and you still attracted their attention."

Tang San gave a faint smile, recalling what Gu Xuan had told him earlier, and replied, "Teacher, why blame yourself? I'm fine; consider it an alternative training. Only after facing a true strongman's duel will I understand how insignificant my power is, and I will double my cultivation effort in the future."

…………

In the Royal Battle Team's lounge, Gu Xuan sat at the head seat, with the petite and charming Ye Lingling beside him.

Gu Xuan scanned everyone with a glance, feeling rather satisfied.

After nearly three months, the Royal Battle Team's members have improved again; this finals, one could say even the Spirit Hall team cannot compare with them.

Because the Royal Battle Team still has Gu Xuan.

The current strength of the Royal Battle Team members is as follows:

Captain Gu Xuan, martial soul: Bone Dragon, Level 56 Strong‑Attack‑type Battle Soul King.

Vice‑captain Yu Tianheng, martial soul: Blue Electric Tyrant Dinosaur, Level 51 Strong‑Attack‑type Battle Soul King.

Member Ye Lingling, martial soul: Nine Heart Begonia, Level 53 Support‑type Soul King.

Member Shi Mo, martial soul: Black Tortoise Turtle, Level 49 Defense‑type Battle Soul Ancestor.

Member Shi Mo, martial soul: Black Tortoise Turtle, Level 48 Defense‑type Battle Soul Ancestor.

Member Ao Si Luo, martial soul: Ghost Leopard, Level 48 Agile‑Attack‑type Battle Soul Ancestor.

Member Yu Feng, martial soul: Wind Bell Bird, Level 48 Agile‑Attack‑type Battle Soul Ancestor.

The greatest improvement, naturally, belongs to Yu Tianheng; his soul power broke through to Level 50, and after obtaining a Soul Ring his soul power reached the Level 51 peak, just one step away from Level 52.

Now the Royal Battle Team, with Ye Lingling as a support, also has three Soul Kings, matching the Spirit Hall team's strength, and Gu Xuan's Soul King cannot be measured by ordinary standards; the championship is essentially secured.

The three days flew by; after Qin Ming finished the final briefing for a few Royal Battle Team members, he explained the rules again.

Qin Ming's voice sounded faintly: "The finals have thirty‑three teams participating, of which three seeded teams are sent by the two great empires and the Spirit Hall. The greatest threat to you is undoubtedly the team sent by the Spirit Hall Academy; they are also the biggest stumbling block to your ultimate victory."

"The finals consist of only five rounds, shorter than the preliminaries and qualifiers, but because the matches are intense, there will be a day of rest between each round, and before the final fifth round there will be a three‑day adjustment period."

"Round one, the three seeded teams will have a bye, meaning we have a bye for the first round."

"The remaining thirty teams vie for fifteen qualifying spots; the losers are eliminated outright. The brutal knockout will force each Soul Master team to risk everything; you must not harbor any slightest carelessness."

He paused, then said seriously, "Your talent is the finest I've ever seen, especially Gu Xuan and Lingling. Though you two are the youngest, your soul power has already reached Levels 56 and 53 respectively. Even so, you must still be wary of the Spirit Hall team."

Gu Xuan and the others replied together, "Understood!"

Qin Ming nodded with satisfaction and continued, "According to the competition rules, in the second round the first‑place academy from each imperial qualifying zone will receive a bye; that is the purpose of the qualifiers."

"Then, the remaining sixteen teams will battle for eight spots to enter the third round, and that's when we need to step onto the field."

"After the sixteen teams produce eight, together with the two bye teams there will be ten teams; the third‑round bye will go to the second‑place qualifier, and the remaining eight teams will fight for four spots to join them in the fourth round."

"In the fourth round there will be no byes, so in the qualifiers only the top two teams can benefit in the finals, and the earlier a team gets a bye, the more advantageous, because it avoids early elimination."

"The remaining six teams in the fourth round will contest for the top three."

"The final, fifth round, also the tournament's last round, will involve only three teams; the three teams will first, in a qualifier‑style format, each field seven members for a round‑robin elimination to determine the strongest team."

"Then the two losing teams will have a team battle, and the winner will challenge the earlier individual‑match winner to decide the ultimate champion; did you all understand?"

"Understood!" Gu Xuan nodded in response.

To be honest, the rules aren't complicated, but there is plenty of room for maneuver.

For example, the merger of the Blazing Fire Academy and the Divine Wind Academy in the original work is exactly like this.

Afterwards Gu Xuan discussed battle strategies with a few members of the Royal Battle Team, since he still wants to preserve as much as possible when he can.

Compared to showing off, being the sixth member aligns better with Gu Xuan's way of survival.

………

The three days passed quickly; for the continental Elite Soul Master Academy Finals, Wu Hun City specially prepared a dedicated arena located at the city's center, a massive arena over a hundred meters in diameter, entirely built of granite.

On this huge stage, a vast number of Soul Tools were used to reinforce it against damage.

According to information from the Spirit Hall, this arena can withstand any attack from a Soul Saint‑level Soul Master without damage.

The front of this arena faces the Papal Hall; the hill where the Papal Hall stands is less than a kilometer away. The Spirit Hall's posted notice already announced that the final three of the finals will compete in front of the Papal Hall.

At that time, the Pope will appear in person to crown the final champion, an unparalleled honor for any Soul Master.

Early in the morning, all participating academies, led by officials from the Spirit Hall, arrived at the arena; each academy had its own separate resting area built around the competition field.

On the side opposite the Papal Hall is the VIP judges' seats, where representatives of the two great empires watch, as do members of the Spirit Hall.

Before the competition starts, only the team leaders of each academy may draw lots to determine today's opponent.

The Royal Battle Team has a bye in the first round, so they need not do this.

However, this time a dramatic scene reappeared; just like in the original, the Blazing Fire Academy outright gave up the first‑round contest, or rather they forfeited their chance to vie for the finals championship.

Because the finals are a pure knockout format, a loss means no further chance.

This time, however, the Blazing Fire Academy's opponent was not the Sleek Academy but the Seven Treasures Academy, so the Seven Treasures Academy dramatically secured the first‑round victory.

They won before the match even began.

Moreover, because the Seven Treasures Academy placed first in the Heavenly Battle qualifying zone, they also have a bye in the second round, effectively advancing to the third round without pressure.

Gu Xuan couldn't help but laugh a little—was this just luck?

However, Gu Xuan quickly spotted the crux: just like in the original, Fire Dance brought the Blazing Fire Academy members into the Divine Wind Academy, making them students of the Divine Wind Academy, effectively exploiting the tournament's loophole to the fullest.

After all, the tournament does not forbid a student from leaving their academy midway to join another.

This time the Blazing Fire Academy's move is not only to defeat the Sleek Academy led by Tang San, but also to deal with the Seven Treasures Academy and the Royal Battle Team of the yet‑inactive Heavenly Battle Royal Academy.

After all, the Seven Treasures Academy's strength is evident, and the captain of the Royal Battle Team is Gu Xuan.

Feng Xiao Tian persuaded Huo Wu to do this in order to finally have a chance to compete for the championship.

This time, Huo Wu wasn't as tsundere as in the original story; after becoming Feng Xiao Tian's girlfriend, she always thought of him, so she finally agreed as well.

Moreover, relying solely on the Flaming Fire Academy, they might not even make the top five; so they simply teamed up with Feng Xiao Tian, giving them a chance to vie for the championship!

In the first round, a new God Wind team stood out, becoming the second team after the Seven Treasure Academy squad whose every member is at Soul Ancestor level or higher.

ps: Fix the typos first, then revise.

(End of chapter)