Chapter 160: Huo Wu's Strategy
Huo Wu was strikingly beautiful. While her figure was just slightly inferior to Zhu Zhuqing's, her fair complexion and delicate features, complemented by a pair of gem-like eyes, always radiated a subtle arrogance.
Her talent and status as the daughter of Blazing Academy's principal gave her every reason to be proud, a pride that made her admirers utterly infatuated.
But now, Huo Wu's exquisite face was twisted with anger. She was livid.
The fact that Team Auckland had sent out a Soul Elder with a one-white-two-yellow soul ring configuration was an outright insult to Blazing Academy.
It wasn't just Huo Wu—every member of Blazing Academy burned with rage.
They were determined to teach Team Auckland a lesson for looking down on them.
The audience, too, was dumbfounded, staring at the subpar soul ring configuration on the field.
"What are they doing? Auckland is way too arrogant!"
"They might as well just forfeit if they're going to play like this!"
In the VIP area, Jackson and the elderly members known as Old Pig and Old Egret sat together, their cloudy eyes betraying a hint of unease.
Sending Dou Yu to the field was a decision born of necessity.
Auckland lacked the depth and legacy of veteran teams. If Dai Yao hadn't joined, their top-tier combatants, Feng Qianli and Dai Yuanyi, might have been able to hold their own against the veterans, but their substitute players were far weaker by comparison.
As countless skeptical and mocking gazes turned their way, Dai Yao glanced at Dou Yu with concern and asked,
"Dou Yu, are you alright?"
Dou Yu, a slightly plump young man, was warmed by Dai Yao's words and the worried looks from his teammates. Smiling earnestly, he replied,
"Dai Yao, don't worry about me. I'm used to being looked at like this. Unlike a genius like you, I'm just an ordinary soul master. Being able to participate in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament is already a great honor for someone like me. I cherish every chance to step onto the field."
"In terms of age, I'm older than you! I may lack talent, but I have one advantage—thick skin! Their ridicule doesn't bother me at all!"
Hearing this, Dai Yao couldn't help but smile.
Dou Yu reminded him of his past self—a regular person with no enviable family background.
Suppressing his emotions, Dai Yao's gaze turned resolute as he locked onto Blazing Academy's players.
"Attack!"
At the shout from the control-type soul master Luo Feng, Dai Yao's third soul ring lit up.
"Third Soul Skill: White Tiger Dark Gold Transformation!"
As the skill activated, Dai Yao's body swelled, becoming a humanoid beast. The surging energy emanating from him caused the members of Blazing Academy to pale slightly.
Positioned in a wedge formation, Dai Yao charged forward with Feng Qianli and Dai Yuanyi flanking him. They broke away from Auckland's main formation, aiming straight for Blazing Academy.
"They're using the spearhead strategy!"
The 80,000 spectators exclaimed in unison. Just the day before, Auckland had used this very tactic to rip through Elephant Armor Academy's defenses. How would Blazing Academy counter it?
Huo Wu's gem-like eyes were filled with seriousness.
Ever since her defeat at Dai Yao's hands six months ago, she had reflected deeply on the reasons for her loss. Determined to grow stronger, she had dedicated herself to intense training.
At her insistence, her father, the principal of Blazing Academy, reluctantly agreed to take her to train at a volcanic site.
The volcano, rich in fire elements, was an ideal place for fire-attribute soul masters to cultivate. However, prolonged exposure to its heat could cause severe physical strain.
Despite the risks, Huo Wu spent nearly every waking moment training near the volcano, pausing only for essential rest. Her relentless dedication shocked even her brother, Huo Wushuang.
He had always known his sister to be ambitious, but he hadn't expected her to push herself to such extremes. As a strong attack-type soul master himself, he couldn't imagine enduring what Huo Wu had.
"So they're using the spearhead strategy again? Do they think it's enough to defeat us? Naive!"
As Dai Yao charged forward with unstoppable momentum, a confident smile tugged at Huo Wu's lips.
She had studied Auckland's spearhead strategy thoroughly after their match against Elephant Armor Academy.
"The spearhead strategy relies on Dai Yao's overwhelming individual power. If no one can stop him, he'll tear through the opposing formation, leaving the rest of the team vulnerable to being picked off one by one."
"Pure power over finesse—what brute strength!"
Despite her disdain for the strategy's simplicity, Huo Wu's fiery eyes gleamed with appreciation. As a fire-attribute soul master, she found the straightforward power of the tactic appealing.
"Unfortunately for them, Blazing Academy also has a top-tier strong attack-type soul master! I'll turn their spearhead strategy into their own undoing!"
As Huo Wushuang prepared to meet Dai Yao head-on, Dai Yao's lips curled into a grin. His battle spirit burned brightly.
"Eight Extremes Collapse!"
The distance of a hundred meters vanished in the blink of an eye. Without holding back, Dai Yao channeled soul power into his arm, his fist glowing with white energy. With a piercing sound, his punch hurtled toward Huo Wushuang.
Faced with the incoming blow, the members of Blazing Academy turned grim. The force emanating from Dai Yao's fist hit them like a shockwave, stinging their faces.
Huo Wushuang's eyes seemed to ignite as his aura surged. His first and third soul rings lit up simultaneously.
"First Soul Skill: Dragon's Breath! Third Soul Skill: Blazing Dragon Claws!"
Meanwhile, the two auxiliary soul masters at the back of Blazing Academy activated their skills, casting fiery red beams onto Huo Wushuang. His aura surged to new heights.
Huo Wu, standing in the background, quietly activated her third soul skill.
"Third Soul Skill: Repelling Fire Ring!"
A fiery red ring expanded outward from Huo Wu, momentarily halting Dai Yao's charge and forcing Feng Qianli and Dai Yuanyi to retreat a few steps.
Now isolated from his teammates, Dai Yao pressed forward alone, facing the heavily augmented Huo Wushuang head-on.
As Huo Wushuang's Dragon's Breath engulfed the area, Dai Yao's first soul ring lit up, and a white shield enveloped him. Like a blade, he cleaved through the blazing attack, his Eight Extremes Collapse aiming directly at Huo Wushuang.
Realizing he couldn't match Dai Yao's raw power, Huo Wushuang gritted his teeth and shifted to a defensive stance, crossing his dragon claws in front of his chest.
Today, his task wasn't to defeat Dai Yao but to hold him back.
Boom!
Dai Yao's punch collided with Huo Wushuang, producing a thunderous impact.
Huo Wushuang's hands trembled violently as his breathing grew labored. Despite being bolstered by two auxiliary soul masters, he could only barely withstand Dai Yao's attack after the interruption from Huo Wu's Repelling Fire Ring.
The gap between their individual strengths was staggering.
Enhanced by his third soul skill, White Tiger Dark Gold Transformation, Dai Yao's Eight Extremes Collapse had the destructive force of a Soul King. Only under these circumstances could Huo Wushuang hold his ground.
Though Dai Yao held the upper hand, he wasn't unscathed.
While his fire immunity protected him from fire-based energy attacks, the explosive force in Huo Wushuang's strikes, akin to Dai Yao's own internal force technique, left his arm aching and numb.
Shaking his slightly numbed arm, Dai Yao's eyes revealed a serious glint.
"As expected of one of the strongest offensive fighters in this tournament. You managed to block my attack!"
However, Huo Wushuang was utterly shocked.
"Is this guy even human?"
But as he noticed the sly smile creeping up on Dai Yao's face, his heart tightened. Suddenly, a peculiar force traveled along his arms, exploding inside his body.
"Argh, it hurts!"
The strange force rampaged through his body, making Huo Wushuang groan in pain. He immediately mobilized his fire-attributed soul power to suppress and envelop the invading energy, reducing the agony significantly.
"No wonder Hu Yanli was in such pain—this must be the hidden power of that strike!"
Huo Wushuang was even more astounded by Dai Yao's ability, but a flicker of excitement lit up his eyes.
It wasn't just him—nearly all the members of the Blazing Academy Team displayed excitement.
Their captain had succeeded in blocking Dai Yao's attack!
The strategy they'd planned was now a reality.
Due to Huo Wu's Flaming Rejection Ring, two other members of the Auckland Team's vanguard had been forced to retreat, leaving Dai Yao alone deep within Blazing Academy's formation.
Everyone in the crowd understood: Dai Yao was in a perilous situation.
No one could help him.
He now faced the combined might of Blazing Academy's seven members alone.
Cries of astonishment erupted across the audience.
"Is this the end of the match?"
"Is the Auckland Team going to pay the price for their arrogance?"
"Or... is Dai Yao finally about to use that terrifying 10,000-year soul skill?"
A faint smile of satisfaction appeared on Huo Wu's face.
She had simulated countless scenarios and stayed up late to perfect this strategy. Everything was proceeding exactly as she had planned—Dai Yao had fallen into her trap.
From the very beginning, this fight had been a meticulously crafted ambush, targeting Dai Yao.
Everyone knew that Dai Yao was the cornerstone of the Auckland Team. If they could defeat him, the Auckland Team would be nothing more than a tiger without teeth—completely harmless.
The difficulty lay in finding someone capable of enduring Dai Yao's ferocious assaults. After layers of power amplification, Huo Wushuang had fulfilled that role.
"The harvest begins now!" Huo Wu murmured to herself. She refused to believe that Dai Yao could withstand a seven-on-one assault.
"Quick! Go help Dai Yao!"
Luo Feng, his eyes red with panic, roared in desperation.
As a control-type soul master, he understood better than anyone that without Dai Yao, it would be impossible for them to defeat the Blazing Academy Team.
Three soul rings simultaneously lit up around him as Greenwood Vines rapidly grew, racing toward Dai Yao's location in an attempt to pull him out.
Meanwhile, Feng Qianli and Dai Yuan, their expressions grim, surged with soul power and sprinted toward Dai Yao.
Only Zhu Zhuqing remained motionless. Standing amidst the oppressive heat radiating from the battlefield, she appeared like a snow lotus atop a glacier—elegant and aloof.
It wasn't that Zhu Zhuqing didn't care about Dai Yao. She simply knew that the current level of attacks from the Blazing Academy wasn't enough to harm him. Additionally, without Dai Yao's orders, she would not reveal her hidden strength prematurely.
"You're too late!"
Huo Wu chuckled, her beauty blooming like a dazzling rose. Beside her, Feng Xiaotian couldn't help but stare at her in admiration.
Huo Wu's third soul ring lit up again, activating another Flaming Rejection Ring. Not only did it repel Feng Qianli and Dai Yuan, but it also incinerated Luo Feng's Greenwood Vines entirely.
"Flame On!"
Huo Wu commanded, her tone sharp and triumphant.
The entire Blazing Academy team erupted in unison. Soul rings of varying colors lit up as blazing heat filled the arena, raising the temperature dramatically and earning thunderous cheers from the audience.
In front of Dai Yao, Huo Wushuang's attack finally exploded. His dragon claws, glowing like molten lava, radiated searing heat, sizzling audibly in the air.
To Dai Yao's left, a fire leopard soul master conjured seven spectral fireballs, glowing with an eerie blue hue.
On his right, two sharp cries pierced the air as enormous flaming crane silhouettes darted toward him at lightning speed, tearing through the air with deafening shrieks.
Dai Yao was completely surrounded—front, left, and right.
And yet, retreating wasn't an option. If he fell back, the rest of the Auckland Team would struggle to hold off the Blazing Academy's offensive, likely resulting in a total defeat.
Thus, he had no choice but to face their attacks head-on.
Looking at the fiery figures closing in on him from all directions, Dai Yao sighed softly.
"It seems I have no choice but to get serious."
His first yellow soul ring lit up.
The audience was baffled.
What was Dai Yao thinking? Was he really planning to use his first soul skill to fend off so many attacks?
But they soon realized they had underestimated him.
Unlike a typical White Tiger Protective Barrier, this skill didn't cover his entire body. Instead, it concentrated entirely on his hands, which now glowed faintly white, shrouded in wisps of cloud-like energy.
This was Dai Yao's improved first soul skill, where he focused all the defensive power of the White Tiger Protective Barrier into his hands, drastically enhancing its protective strength.
Because of the swirling, cloud-like energy, Dai Yao had named it Cloud Pattern Hands.
Over the past six months, Dai Yao had made significant progress, and this technique was one of his achievements.
The Cloud Pattern Hands provided astonishing defense. Dai Yao had tested them against a full-strength attack from a Soul King-level opponent and emerged completely unharmed.
Not only did the technique bolster defense, but it also enhanced the strength of his hands.
If a single layer of cloud patterns offered such immense power, how strong could his hands become with multiple layers?
To Dai Yao, mastering the Cloud Pattern Hands represented the future of his cultivation.
"Another self-created skill?" someone murmured.
"No, that's not it," Ning Fengzhi interjected confidently. "It's an improved version of his first soul skill!"
When Dai Yao activated the Cloud Pattern Hands, his first soul ring lit up without the characteristic barrier of the White Tiger Protective Barrier. Ning Fengzhi immediately deduced that Dai Yao had altered the skill.
He chuckled softly, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Dai Yao, just how many tricks are you hiding? How many times are you going to surprise me?"
Nearby, Salas stroked his beard, his usual stern and icy demeanor replaced by a look of approval and affection as he gazed at Dai Yao.
Only Yu Xiaogang seemed unsettled.
As a respected master, Yu Xiaogang fully understood the difficulty of modifying a soul skill. If it were so simple, everyone would do it to perfect their abilities.
To alter a soul skill, one had to first understand it completely, down to the flow of soul power through their meridians. This was merely the foundation. A feasible improvement plan was also essential.
A reckless modification could lead to the collapse of the soul ring, temporarily weakening the user in a manner similar to the Clear Sky Hammer's Ring Explosion technique.
Knowing this, Yu Xiaogang was deeply shaken by Dai Yao's success.
As a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yu Xiaogang was acutely aware of the brewing tension between Spirit Hall and the rest of the continent.
Through Dai Mubai, Yu Xiaogang knew that Dai Yao was certain to join Spirit Hall in the future. This realization darkened his thoughts considerably.
Dai Yao's recent accomplishments had left him astonished—second only to Tang San's twin martial souls and 10,000-year soul rings. Each new skill or technique Dai Yao displayed only amplified his concerns.
If such a prodigy were to fully pledge himself to Spirit Hall, his future achievements would be immeasurable.
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