Dai Mubai and the others stepped onto the arena, while Xiao Tianyang remained in the rest area to observe the match.
After all, the Whitebeard team he represented had only one participant—Fei Xue.
When he returned to his team's lounge, it was merely to change into a different outfit before watching the match. There was no real difference.
But to be honest, this match held no suspense whatsoever.
Setting aside tactical arrangements for a moment, Dai Mubai's combat prowess had soared to such heights after receiving Ning Rongrong's enhancement that the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy stood no chance of stopping him.
In close combat, the four offensive members of the HHeaven Dou Imperial Academy couldn't even hold their own against him together!
If they tried to create distance and target the support system first, the situation would only worsen.
Jing Ling of the Agility Attack Department was far more dangerous than he appeared. Initially, the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy had underestimated him.
But as the match progressed, they realized their mistake.
With his speed advantage and the opponent's desperation to break the stalemate, Jing Ling toyed with them effortlessly.
He knew his limits—engaging in a head-on fight would be futile.
So instead, he settled for the next best strategy: harassing the stronger opponents, tying them down.
Once he accomplished that, his task was complete.
As for Zhu Zhuqing, another Agility Attack specialist, she was even more terrifying—and her style was entirely different from Jing Ling's.
If Jing Ling was a slippery loach, impossible to pin down, then Zhu Zhuqing was a silent reaper.
Her speed was ghostly, appearing and vanishing without a trace.
It was as if one's senses dulled—only for her to materialize behind an opponent and strike with lethal precision.
What truly horrified the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was that, within two minutes of the match starting, Zhu Zhuqing had taken down an opponent without anyone noticing.
In fact, had it not been for the sound of the fallen body hitting the ground, they might not have realized a teammate had been eliminated at all.
Thus, the battle descended into chaos.
The Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's team was undoubtedly strong—even their sub team was no exception.
But they were simply unlucky to face Shrek Academy in their very first match.
…
"This should have been the academy's glory..." Meng Shenji sighed deeply, a trace of weariness flashing across his face.
Had they persevered back then, perhaps things would have been different now.
But with age came clarity—some things were simply not meant to be.
So he didn't voice these thoughts to anyone, merely lamenting the unpredictability of fate.
However, as the saying goes: "The speaker may mean nothing, but the listener takes it to heart."
Prince Xue Xing, who already harbored guilt over the matter, stiffened at the words.
The next moment, he met the piercing gaze of Emperor Xue Ye.
But with so many eyes watching, the emperor couldn't openly reprimand him.
Instead, he merely snorted coldly before turning his attention back to the match. Still, resentment simmered within him.
Leaning toward the attendant beside him, he whispered a few words.
The attendant then approached Qian Renxue.
Anyone with sharp eyes could see the emperor's dilemma—it wasn't appropriate for him to personally intervene with Tang San and the others.
Thus, he delegated the matter to Qian Renxue, the Crown Prince.
"Sect Master Ning, don't you think these youngsters are a bit too… spirited?" Salas suddenly spoke up.
"This matter hardly concerns His Excellency the Bishop, does it?" Ning Fengzhi maintained his usual elegant demeanor, but his words carried a subtle edge.
Of course, as one of the Spirit Hall's four Platinum Bishops, Salas was no fool.
This position demanded not just strength but shrewdness—political acumen and connections were key.
If he couldn't handle a simple verbal exchange, he wouldn't have earned his title.
'It seems the recipe we procured is of fine quality, yet still falls short in potency compared to theirs...' Salas narrowed his eyes, deep in thought.
"These kids don't know how to hold back. Starting off so fiercely—what will they do later?" Sword Douluo murmured in a low voice, audible only to Ning Fengzhi.
"Uncle Jian, don't you think they're behaving rather… ordinarily?" Ning Fengzhi smiled meaningfully.
Sword Douluo's eyes sharpened.
"You mean they haven't even gone all out?" He paused, then shook his head. "Unlikely. Unless my old eyes deceived me."
When it came to worldly experience and cultural refinement, Ning Fengzhi undoubtedly surpassed him.
As the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, his poise and intellect were beyond question.
Meanwhile, Sword Douluo was a warrior through and through—his expertise lay in combat and battle instincts.
And it was precisely this expertise that allowed him to make such observations.
No one, not even Miao Zhenshan, could rival his ability to dissect combat details.
If a sword wasn't fast enough, it was worthless in Sword Douluo's eyes.
But true speed was more than just movement—it was precision, reaction, and perception.
With those traits, how could his insight into battle be anything but razor-sharp?
"Did Uncle Jian forget what Rongrong mentioned last time?" Ning Fengzhi didn't answer directly but instead posed a question.
Sword Douluo frowned, then his expression shifted to realization.
"You're right. They've been dominating with sheer force from the start, yet their demeanor is relaxed—completely unlike their usual style."
"And they only fielded five members, two of whom are substitutes."
Ning Fengzhi chuckled. "I suspect that unless they face an opponent too powerful for these five to handle, they'll maintain this approach all the way to the top."
"Not just that—their team composition is fascinating."
Sword Douluo nodded. "The two support members poured everything into Dai Mubai."
"And he didn't disappoint. Alone, he held off four opponents!"
"The two Agility Attack specialists exploited weaknesses, targeting the enemy's support."
"Once they finished their targets, they shifted to assisting Dai Mubai, turning the tide."
"If executed flawlessly, the entire enemy formation would collapse—their morale shattered in an instant!"
Indeed, Sword Douluo's analysis laid bare Tang San's entire strategy.
Such insight was only fitting for a Titled Douluo who had weathered countless battles.
"So, Uncle Jian, who do you think devised these tactics?" Ning Fengzhi teased.
"Logically, since Tang San is leading the team, he should be the tactician. But..." A glint flashed in Sword Douluo's eyes.
"This style is too unconventional—it demands extraordinary creativity. Compared to Tang San, I believe this was Xiao Tianyang's doing!"
…
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