Douluo: Soul-Breaking spear

Chapter 93: The Spirit Master Tournament

Since the recent incident with Ning Rongrong, Yang Potian and Ye Lingling no longer hid their relationship. Instead, they openly revealed it, shocking many people around them. After that, Yang Potian and Ye Lingling grew much closer, often strolling hand in hand around the academy. On their days off, they even went into town together, a sight that stirred envy in all who saw them. Dugu Yan, in particular, felt as though she had lost a close friend, with Ye Lingling now spending much less time with her.

Time flew by, and nearly eight months passed quickly.

During this period, Yang Potian trained tirelessly. Perhaps thanks to the lingering effects of the Strange Velvet Sky-Reaching Chrysanthemum, his spirit power rose by three levels. Now, at age 14, he had reached rank 48, marking more than two years since he had joined Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

The rest of the academy's second team also made considerable progress. Dugu Yan, the team's most advanced member, reached rank 36. Yang Ping'an followed closely at rank 35, with Ye Lingling at rank 32. Niu Meng had reached rank 29, and both Tailong and Bai Xiaofei reached rank 28. Given their current rate of development, these three would likely achieve the Soul Elder rank within half a year.

Meanwhile, within the Po Zhi Clan, things had become increasingly low-profile. His grandfather Yang Wudi and great-uncle Yang Wushuang were in secluded cultivation, meeting with no one. Even his father dedicated himself almost exclusively to training.

The most significant news was that his maternal grandfather had finally broken through to the Title Douluo level. With the help of the leaders of the Four Single-Attribute Clans, he had obtained a suitable spirit ring, reaching the rank of 91, which caused a great stir throughout the empire.

The Heaven Dou Empire now boasted four publically acknowledged Title Douluo: Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, Poison Douluo, and Thunder Douluo. With his grandfather, Niu Gao, they had gained a fifth Title Douluo. Niu Gao could finally stand tall, becoming known as the top defensive Spirit Master on the continent, surpassing even the Elephant Armored Sect's Hu Yanzhen.

With the Four Single-Attribute Clans now boasting a Title Douluo, no one dared to underestimate their power. And as the most anticipated event across the continent—the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Tournament—was about to commence, excitement swept over the academy.

However, Yang Potian had no intention of having his team participate in this tournament. With his team members' spirit power levels still insufficiently developed, it would be better to continue their training than to face disappointment in the tournament. Still, with the tournament happening, Yang Potian gave his team a month off to attend and watch the event.

He explained that this would allow them to familiarize themselves with the rules and importance of the tournament while giving them a much-needed break. Long-term training had left everyone's bodies and spirits tense, so this break was also an opportunity for mental relaxation, which could ultimately improve their future training efficiency.

When the tournament began, all the team members went to watch. The stadium was packed, filled to the brim with spectators eager to witness the spectacle. The crowd buzzed with energy as combatants clashed in the ring. The thrill of seeing powerful techniques and abilities on display made the young onlookers brim with admiration. After all, which spirit master didn't dream of commanding the stage and gaining renown?

Each tournament seemed to produce new stars and display impressive talents. At this tournament, Yang Potian spotted a few familiar faces, including the infamous flirt Feng Xiaotian, as well as Huo Wushuang from Blazing Fire Academy and Hu Yanli from Elephant Armor Academy. There was also Yu Tianxin from Thunderclap Academy. All of them were likely to be captains in the next tournament and were already showing promising skill as Soul Elders.

He was a little disappointed, however, that he didn't see the two dazzling female talents of the next tournament—Huo Wu and Shui Bing'er. Given their age, they were likely only 12 or 13 at this point.

The team members couldn't help but be captivated as they watched fierce battles unfold in the arena, filled with dazzling techniques and intense clashes. The male contestants impressed with their strength and technique, while the female contestants radiated energy and elegance. No one could deny their envy and desire to be in that spotlight themselves.

When Tianshui Academy's "female troupe" took the stage, accompanied by dancing performances, every male audience member looked on in awe. It was no wonder that Tianshui Academy was considered the most popular team in the Heaven Dou area.

After a month of fierce competition, the top five teams from the Heaven Dou area emerged: Tianshui Academy, Thunderclap Academy, Godwind Academy, Blazing Fire Academy, and Elephant Armor Academy. The Five Elemental Academies, true to their reputation, dominated the top ranks. The Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team, however, had a disappointing showing, finishing near the bottom.

Back at the academy, Yang Potian addressed his teammates: "I gave you this month off to let you relax and also to observe the Spirit Master Tournament up close. Now that you've seen the competition, you have an idea of the strength level you're up against. Generally, regular tournament teams have around one Soul Elder. The top five teams here all had two or three Soul Elders each."

"However, don't get the wrong idea that these teams are the best. The Heaven Dou area is notoriously weak compared to the rest of the continent and has never won the championship. The real powerhouses are the Star Luo Empire's Royal Team and Spirit Hall's team, who field lineups of Soul Elders, and possibly even a Soul King."

"For the next tournament, our goal is to win the championship. I hope this month has shown you what you're up against and motivates you to push yourselves further."

"Based on your current training progress, I want every one of you to be at least rank 40 before the next tournament, ideally between rank 43 and 45. Only then will we have a competitive edge, and all this training will have been worth it."

When the tournament moved into the knockout stage, Yang Potian used his Heaven Dou Royal Academy connections to gain seats for his team so they could study the battles up close. Although the knockout matches were more straightforward and didn't have the same intensity as earlier rounds, they provided an opportunity to observe individual skills, spirit abilities, and combat techniques.

During the tournament, Yang Potian's relationship with Ye Lingling deepened, and they were often seen walking hand in hand around town, sometimes sneaking embraces when no one was watching. Their outings frequently involved shopping, with Yang Potian readily spending his wealth—over 10 million gold soul coins—without a second thought. After each tournament day, they'd browse auction houses in search of hidden treasures.

Among his purchases were two high-quality storage soul tools: one, a 30-cubic-foot tool capable of storing living creatures, and the other a larger, 100-cubic-foot tool that could store non-living items. These two items alone cost him over a million gold soul coins, but their usefulness was undeniable.

(End of Chapter)

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