It was already afternoon, and the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena was a sea of people. Intense battles were already underway on the main stage and the twenty sub-arenas. Countless bettors were roaring at the top of their lungs, as if they were the ones fighting down on the stage.
Gu Xuan and the others followed Qin Ming to the Emperor Team's private lounge. For a team of genius soul masters who competed here frequently, the Spirit Arena always prepared a dedicated lounge.
Every member of the current Emperor Team already held a Silver Spirit Fighter Badge, making them an exceptionally formidable squad.
The ranking system in the Great Spirit Arena starts with Iron, followed by Copper, Silver, Gold, Purple Gold, Sapphire, and finally, the Ruby badge.
Being at the third tier—Silver—at such a young age was rare. Consequently, every one of their matches was a headline event that generated significant profit for the arena and a handsome income for the team members themselves.
Upon entering the lounge, Qin Ming went straight to register them for a team battle. In his view, the best way to temper their coordination was through combat. He didn't give Gu Xuan time to practice maneuvers beforehand; he wanted them to find their rhythm in the heat of battle.
Losing wasn't scary; what was scary was being unable to handle the loss.
Qin Ming had seen Gu Xuan's talent, so he wanted to use this method to give Gu Xuan a taste of defeat, believing it would better mold his character.
Of course, that was Qin Ming's perspective. Gu Xuan didn't mind at all. He was far too familiar with his team's capabilities. Honestly, coordinating a team fight was hardly a challenge for him.
Furthermore, that morning, Gu Xuan had discussed the mechanics of the second soul skill with Shi Mo and Shi Mo. After he shared his insights, both brothers felt the ideas were highly feasible.
Although such a maneuver would require their control over soul skills to increase exponentially, if they could achieve the level Gu Xuan described, they would become a powerful force capable of both offense and defense.
Most importantly, Gu Xuan had directly given them the cultivation method for Heart Separation Control.
While this method wasn't a total secret among major powers, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's version was the most complete, as it was a mandatory skill for every Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda soul master.
Shi Mo and Shi Mo were naturally grateful for Gu Xuan's selflessness and generosity. Already awed by his strength, they now felt an even deeper level of respect and acceptance toward him.
After registering the team, Qin Ming helped Gu Xuan register his personal Spirit Fighter Badge. He used his real name. Since it was his first time, his badge was at the lowest rank: Iron.
However, because he was registered as part of the Emperor Team, his individual rank didn't matter for matchmaking; a team's rank is determined by its highest-ranking member. Since the rest were Silver, they would be matched against a Silver-ranked team.
Once everything was settled, Qin Ming returned with the opponents' data. He handed the files to the group and stood aside silently, observing everyone's reactions.
Reviewing the data, the team began its analysis. The opponents were also a Silver-ranked team on a seven-match winning streak—a very powerful squad.
Their average age was in the mid-teens, and every member possessed a fire-attribute Martial Soul. When Gu Xuan saw the names, his expression shifted slightly. The opponents were a dark horse team from the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament in the original records: the Blazing Team from Blazing Academy.
Their captain was Huo Wu, and the vice-captain was Huo Wushuang. The two were siblings and exceptionally gifted geniuses.
In the original records, when Huo Wu debuted at eighteen, her soul power was already Rank 43. Huo Wushuang was Rank 42 at age twenty. Both possessed excellent talent.
Generally speaking, those who break through to Soul Ancestor around age twenty and Soul Emperor around thirty have the potential to challenge the Titled Douluo realm. Even at the lower end of that potential, they could reach the Soul Douluo rank.
One should not think that only Titled Douluos are impressive. While they are indeed the peak, most Titled Douluos live in seclusion. Soul Douluos are the primary high-level figures active across the continent. With only a few hundred Soul Douluos in the entire soul master world, having the potential to reach that rank makes one a rare talent.
Gu Xuan's upcoming opponents were the Blazing Team of the original era. With three years left until the next Continental Elite Tournament, they were currently high-level Soul Elders. Since they were a cohesive academy team, this would undoubtedly be a tough fight.
After reading the data, Gu Xuan immediately began assigning the lineup. It was simple: everyone would play except for Osler.
Osler was naturally unhappy with this. He didn't want to miss a chance to show off.
However, Gu Xuan wasn't benching him because he was too playful. It was a tactical decision based on the Blazing Team's profile. No matter how much Osler grumbled, he didn't argue further. They had participated in enough matches before Gu Xuan arrived to know that the right lineup was essential for the best results.
The seven members of the Blazing Team were the same as the tournament roster in the original records, though their soul power wasn't as high yet.
Captain Huo Wu: 15 years old, Rank 37. Martial Soul: Fire Shadow, Control Type.
Vice-Captain Huo Wushuang: 16 years old, Rank 37. Martial Soul: One-Horned Fire Dragon, Power Attack Type.
Huo Lie: Rank 35. Martial Soul: Fire Leopard, Agility Attack Type.
Huo Jun: Rank 35. Martial Soul: Fire Spark, Agility Attack Type.
Huo Yu: Rank 34. Martial Soul: Fire Crane, Support Type.
Huo Yun: Rank 34. Martial Soul: Fire Crane, Support Type.
Huo Chui: Rank 34. Martial Soul: Fire Spark, Power Attack Type.
This was the information on the Blazing Team, including descriptions of their soul skills. However, the data came with a disclaimer: the information wasn't absolute, as the opponents might have hidden abilities. It was only for reference.
Gu Xuan arranged a strategy based on this info. No one objected.
Gu Xuan patted Osler on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, there will be plenty of chances for you to take the stage in the future."
Osler sighed helplessly. "Fine, but you guys better win."
Gu Xuan smiled. "Don't worry. I'm here."
Osler didn't refute that. Although Gu Xuan currently had the lowest soul power among them, his combat strength was the highest. It was an undeniable fact.
Just then, the loudspeaker in the room crackled to life: "The next team match will be between the Emperor Team and the Blazing Team. Will both sides please proceed to the preparation area?"
Hearing the announcement, Gu Xuan took the lead. "Brothers, this is my first time fighting a team battle with you, but I believe our coordination can be perfect. Let's go!"
The group responded in unison, "Let's go!"
The team filed out of the room and headed toward the preparation area.
(End of Chapter)
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