"First soul skill: Phoenix Fireline!"
Seeing the spreading snow and ice, Ma Hongjun wasted no time unleashing his first soul skill.
But instead of targeting Shui Bing'er or the other Tianshui members, his aim was the icy terrain on his own side of the arena.
The wicked fire blazed, melting ice into water and turning water into steam. In just a few moments, more than half of the ice and snow had vanished.
Meanwhile, Tang San, Huang Yuan, and Jing Ling charged toward the Tianshui group.
Qiu Ruoshui, Shui Yue'er, and others quickly engaged their respective opponents.
With Dai Mubai, Dugu Yan, and the support-type Oscar staying out of the fight, the Tianshui team held a numerical advantage.
Tang San, wielding the mighty Clear Sky Hammer, held his ground effortlessly in a three-versus-one battle. His movements were powerful and overwhelming.
However, Huang Yuan and Jing Ling were struggling. Their martial souls and soul power levels were simply no match for their opponents.
"Little chubby, where do you think you're going?"
Shui Yue'er called out to Ma Hongjun with a teasing smile.
Ma Hongjun froze for a moment. Facing such a beautiful woman, he found it hard to make a move.
But her casual address as "little chubby" ignited his irritation.
"I'm not chubby! I'm sturdy!" Ma Hongjun retorted.
"Hahaha, this is the first sturdy Phoenix I've ever seen!" Shui Yue'er teased, her voice full of playful charm.
Her real goal, however, was to stall Ma Hongjun. As long as Xue Wu could continue spreading the ice and snow, they could prepare their ultimate move—their martial soul fusion skill.
Ma Hongjun's wicked fire was a nuisance, preventing Xue Wu's icy terrain from fully covering the battlefield. This would weaken their fusion skill's effectiveness.
By drawing Ma Hongjun's attention to herself, Shui Yue'er aimed to ensure Xue Wu could complete her setup.
"Don't think your looks will stop me from attacking you!" Ma Hongjun shouted angrily, his frustration bubbling over. His mutated martial soul had always been a sore spot for him.
Why couldn't he have a proper Fire Phoenix instead of this twisted version?
"Go ahead, hit me!" Shui Yue'er taunted.
Ma Hongjun: "…"
On the other side, Tang San was swinging the Clear Sky Hammer with overwhelming force, keeping his three opponents at bay. But then Shui Bing'er's first soul ring lit up.
"First soul skill: Ice Seal!"
This was a single-target, instant-cast skill with a short cooldown and minimal energy consumption. Shui Bing'er unleashed it four times in quick succession, freezing Tang San, Huang Yuan, Jing Ling, and Ma Hongjun in blocks of ice.
For ordinary Soul Elders, breaking free from the control of a Soul Elder's skill was no easy feat.
"Crack!"
"Crack!"
Tang San and Ma Hongjun broke free from the ice almost instantly, but their movements paused ever so slightly.
This momentary delay gave the Tianshui team the opening they needed. Barely free of the ice, they were bombarded by a flurry of soul skills from their opponents.
Huang Yuan and Jing Ling struggled briefly before breaking free as well, but both shivered from the cold.
"Hmph! First soul skill: Clear Sky Shield!"
Tang San, facing the onslaught of soul skills, let out a cold snort as his first soul ring lit up.
The Clear Sky Shield—a protective soul skill from the Clear Sky Hammer—manifested as an earthen-yellow shield around him, nullifying the attacks of his three opponents.
This was a millennium-level soul skill. Since his opponents had only used hundred-year soul skills, their attacks had no chance of piercing his defenses.
Even if they had used their stronger soul skills, it would have been a tall order—Tang San was already at Rank 49, nearly at the Soul King level, while his opponents were mere Soul Elders.
"Clear Sky Hammer, Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique!"
Seizing the moment of their surprise, Tang San rotated on his right foot, generating power from his leg as he swung the Clear Sky Hammer toward Qiu Ruoshui.
"Ice Seal!"
Tang San: "…"
Though the ice couldn't hold him for long, it caused just enough of a delay for Qiu Ruoshui to distance herself from him.
"Crack!"
Breaking free of the ice once again, Tang San's eyes narrowed in thought.
Unless he dealt with Shui Bing'er first, her instant-cast soul skill would continue to interrupt his attacks. He'd never have the opportunity to fully charge his strikes.
Gripping the hammer tightly, Tang San made his decision and dashed toward Shui Bing'er, ignoring the other Tianshui members entirely.
Meanwhile, Ma Hongjun wasn't faring nearly as well. Though he managed to break free from the ice, Shui Yue'er's attacks had left him with minor injuries.
"Mubai, do you think Tang San can win?"
Standing at the edge of the arena, Dugu Yan asked Dai Mubai, clearly bored.
If she had been participating, Tianshui Academy would have been crushed in under five minutes.
"If Tang San can take out either Shui Bing'er or Xue Wu before they unleash their martial soul fusion skill, he'll win," Dai Mubai replied.
"If he can't, then…"
Dai Mubai left the thought unfinished. Sometimes the protagonist's fate defies logic, and who knows? Tang San might pull off a miraculous turnaround.
"Oh? Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu have a martial soul fusion skill? How do you know that?"
Dugu Yan raised an eyebrow, surprised by Dai Mubai's insight.
Their fusion skill had never been revealed in the tournament thus far.
Oscar, standing nearby, looked baffled. Why were these two having such a casual conversation during the match?
As a food-type Soul Master, what was he even supposed to do now?
"I heard it from Feng Xiaotian of Kamikaze Academy," Dai Mubai replied smoothly, his expression unchanging.
"It's normal for the Five Elemental Academies to have some knowledge of each other's strengths."
"Oh, I see." Dugu Yan nodded thoughtfully, then turned to Oscar.
"What are you standing around for? Boost Ma Hongjun and the others!"
Oscar: "???"
What? They're the ones chatting away, and somehow this becomes my responsibility?!
As a support-type food Soul Master, life was hard.
"I have to figure out a way to attack somehow!" Oscar thought to himself, even as his hands kept working.
With a delicate gesture, he activated his first soul skill, shouting:
"I have…"
"Fatty, Huang Yuan, Jing Ling! Catch!"
With a loud cry, Oscar threw his soul skill creations to the trio.
The Tianshui team, however, wasn't about to let this happen.
The moment the items left Oscar's hands, their opponents moved to intercept them.
Ma Hongjun: "???"
Due to the icy terrain, the Tianshui girls were faster than Ma Hongjun and his team.
(End of Chapter)