Douluo Phoenix

Chapter 30 Fierce Battle

After another day of rest, the six participating teams arrived at the competition venue. Based on the current situation, almost every team hoped to be drawn against the Longkui Academy team, as doing so would clearly guarantee their advancement to the top three. As a result, Dean Huo Tianchen returned to his residence somewhat dejectedly.

Seeing everyone's anxious eyes, Huo Tianchen said, "We're not very lucky. The results of the random selection are out. We were drawn against the Star Luo Royal Academy team, the Spirit Hall team against the Heaven Dou Royal Academy team, and the Shrek Academy team against the Dragon Sunflower Academy team."

Huo Wu said domineeringly, "Isn't it just the Star Luo Royal Academy team? Our goal is the championship, and we will defeat the Star Luo Royal Academy team sooner or later."

Xiao Fei found it a bit strange. Wasn't the original story about Shrek Academy team versus Star Luo Royal Academy team? How come it's Blazing Fire Academy now? Could it be because of my joining? Or is there some other reason?

The first match was between the Spirit Hall team and the Heaven Dou Royal Academy team. Yan of the Spirit Hall team took the lead, immediately using his fifth spirit skill, "Flying Sand Raging Flames." A large-scale sandstorm and fire attack instantly appeared on the ground, affecting Dugu Yan's poisonous mist, which gradually dissipated. Yan and Yu Tianheng clashed, with Yu Tianheng clearly struggling. The other members also joined the battle. Xie Yue and Hu Liena activated their Bewitching Charm, instantly covering a large area with red mist, from which screams could be heard. Then the red mist dissipated, and the entire Heaven Dou Royal Academy team lay on the ground. It was another swift battle. The Heaven Dou Royal Academy team had almost no chance to fight back, and the entire arena erupted in cheers.

The Spirit Hall team defeated their opponents with virtually no effort. Next up were the Shrek Academy team and the Longkui Academy team.

As expected, Shrek Academy easily defeated Longkui Academy. Tang San didn't even need to use his Clear Sky Hammer; instead, he used his Blue Silver Grass Meteor Hammer to entangle the attacking team members. Shrek's personnel displayed remarkable agility, rotating rapidly, while Ma Hongjun provided support from the flames in the sky. Behind them, Ning Rongrong directed a massive Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, continuously amplifying the team's power.

Xiao Fei carefully examined the Shrek Academy team. Up to now, Shrek's hidden strength mainly includes: Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing's Spirit Fusion Skill, the Netherworld White Tiger; Oscar's Flying Mushroom Sausage; and the Seven-in-One Spirit Fusion Skill. However, their strength is clearly lower than in the original story. It's unknown whether Tang San can withstand the Seven-in-One Spirit Fusion Skill.

Next up is today's highlight match: the Blazing Academy team versus the Star Luo Royal Academy team.

Blazing Fire employed the same tactic, but just as Xiao Fei took to the sky to prepare his second soul skill, Davis and Zhu Zhuyun's Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Netherworld White Tiger, was already activated and pounced directly on Xiao Fei. If Xiao Fei unleashed a wide-range skill, the Netherworld White Tiger would brave the rain of fire to directly injure Xiao Fei, attempting to eliminate him in one strike.

However, to everyone's surprise, Xiao Fei still unleashed his Soul Skill "Rain of Sparks," but this time, instead of scattering, all the feathers gathered together to form a giant sword, thrusting it with all his might at the oncoming Netherworld White Tiger, somewhat resembling Sword Douluo's "Ten Thousand Swords Return to One." The Netherworld White Tiger roared fiercely as it met the giant sword in mid-air. Meanwhile, the other members of the Blazing Fire Academy, using their usual tactics, swiftly pounced on the rest of the Star Luo Royal Academy team. Especially the Star Luo support personnel, preventing them from assisting the Netherworld White Tiger.

With a mournful howl, the Netherworld White Tiger plummeted from the sky, splitting into two individuals: Davis and Zhu Zhuyun. Both lay unconscious on the ground, covered in blood, clearly seriously injured. Meanwhile, at another scene, the remaining members of the Star Luo Royal Academy team were eliminated one by one.

Thus, the Blazing Fire Academy team won again and entered the top three of the competition, while the Star Luo Royal Academy team was eliminated.

The audience was stunned. Wang Xiaofei's second soul skill had such a transformation, and it seemed to be extremely dangerous, with powerful single-target damage. The Shrek Academy team swallowed hard. They had originally planned to use this tactic as well, but the Netherworld White Tiger, which was stronger than them, had been defeated in one blow. This made things much more difficult.

The Sword Douluo next to Ning Fengzhi nodded and said, "This kid has a lot of talent for swordsmanship, it's a pity his martial soul isn't a sword, otherwise I would have liked to take him as my disciple."

And so, the fourth round of the competition came to an end. Everyone could rest for three days and wait for the final fifth round, which was the real final.

The final three teams to enter the finals were the Spirit Hall team, the Blazing Fire team, and the Shrek Academy team. The popularity of these three teams instantly soared. Up to this point, Blazing Fire Academy hadn't shown much; Wang Xiaofei had only used one spirit skill, Huo Wu hadn't used her Fusion Ring, and each of the other players had used a maximum of three spirit skills. Of course, the Shrek Academy team had relatively lower popularity, and many people doubted their ability to reach the top three. But they were lucky; after all, they kept drawing weaker teams.

Three days later, in front of the Papal Palace.

Early in the morning, the three teams that had advanced to the final three were already quietly waiting in front of the Papal Palace. All twenty-one players participating in the finals stood silently in the square, waiting for this final moment to arrive.

A group of twelve cardinals, second only to the Platinum Cardinals in rank, emerged from a side entrance of the Papal Palace. They walked slowly towards the entrance, standing six on each side. The leader announced loudly, "His Holiness the Pope has arrived!"

"Long live the Pope! Long live the Pope! Long live the Pope!" The massive palace doors slowly opened, and the six emblems on the two doors gradually veered off course. Bibi Dong, dressed in a long, gleaming gold gown from head to toe, wearing a purple-gold crown, holding a scepter, and with a solemn expression, was the first to emerge from the Papal Palace. She had an almost surreal feeling about her.

At that moment, all the members of the Spirit Hall knelt on one knee, saying, "Greetings, Your Holiness the Pope." The atmosphere at that instant was indescribable.

At this moment, only the seven students from Shrek Academy remained standing on the platform. Even the seven students from Blazing Fire Academy had already knelt on one knee.

Bibi Dong's gaze fell directly on the seven youths, and all the members of the Spirit Hall glared angrily at the Shrek Seven Devils.

"How dare you be so disrespectful to His Holiness the Pope!" The cardinal who had been chanting earlier shouted angrily. Bibi Dong's gaze had softened, and she raised her hand. The cardinal immediately shut his mouth, his face filled with awe.

A faint smile appeared on Bibi Dong's face as she gazed at Tang San. "You're Tang San, the disciple of Grandmaster?" Tang San was startled; he hadn't expected that this exceptionally beautiful Pope would also know his teacher. "Yes, Your Holiness," he replied neither humbly nor arrogantly. Bibi Dong nodded to Tang San. "You're very good. You do indeed possess some of your teacher's former spirit."

"Rise." All those who had been kneeling on the ground stood up. Because of the Pope's inquiry to Tang San and his seemingly affirmative words, their gazes toward the Shrek Seven Devils were no longer so angry.

Wang Xiaofei looked at the Pope and the Shrek Seven Devils with a speechless expression. If he dared not kneel, his legs would probably be broken. The Shrek Seven Devils, on the other hand, were completely unharmed.

A smile appeared on Bibi Dong's face as her gaze swept from left to right over all twenty-one young Soul Masters participating in the final three. "I see hope in you all. Before the Pope's Palace, I hope to see even more of your talent and strength. The ultimate victor will receive the Spirit Hall's greatest reward."

As she spoke, she lightly waved her scepter. No one saw how she did it, but three points of light instantly magnified before Bibi Dong, floating in mid-air. They were three different objects, none large in size, shaped like skeletons: a right arm bone, a skull, and a left leg bone. They shimmered with fiery red, pale blue, and dark green light respectively. Soul bones—three soul bones indeed. Even at the foot of Pope Mountain, the light of the three soul bones could be clearly seen. In an instant, the entire Spirit City was in an uproar.

Standing behind the Pope, Ghost Douluo Ghostly spoke in a deep voice: "The three soul bones are the Skull of Spiritual Condensation, the Right Arm of Explosive Burning Flames, and the Left Leg of Rapid Advancement. All three soul bones originated from ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts. Among them, the Skull of Spiritual Condensation came from a soul beast that was over fifty thousand years old. It was personally slain and obtained by His Majesty the previous Pope. It is a top-grade soul bone, second only to external soul bones and the top-tier soul bones produced by one-hundred-thousand-year-old soul beasts."

The Pope said calmly, "There can only be one victor, and the same goes for the champion. Therefore, these three soul bones will belong to the final champion team. I hope that the three academies that have entered the top three will give their all and earn this honor."

The Pope continued, "This morning will be the individual elimination rounds, with each of your three teams sending seven players. The team that remains will have an advantage. Tomorrow, the championship match will begin directly. The two losing teams will compete for the other final spot this afternoon. Now, you can send out your first players."

The finals have now begun.

Author's note: This passage in the original work is very well written. No matter how I rewrite it, it will be about the same. I might as well just borrow from the original work.

(End of this chapter)