Doulou Dalu 27

Tang Xiao sighed, shaking his head. "I can't help it. You know how much trouble Miss Yiran can cause. If I don't agree to her request, she'll just stay at my house and refuse to leave. What can I do? None of these four new inner court disciples are above level 50. They have no chance of winning. But don't worry—if they lose, Yiran will have no excuse to pester me again."

An elder beside him let out a resigned sigh upon hearing that Tang Yiran was the one causing trouble. "Forget it," he said. "It doesn't matter. This battle will at least make the outside disciples realize the gap between them and our direct disciples. It should push them to train harder in the future."

Tang Xiao glanced at the competitors, observing their levels. "Among these four, the strongest is only level 47, and the others are below level 45. There's even a level 32 Soul Master among them. I really don't see how they have the courage to challenge our Haotian Sect's original team. Hopefully, they'll give me a surprise. Otherwise, this match will end too quickly, and gathering all these disciples here would be pointless."

Beside him, Tang Yuehua chuckled. "Don't worry, big brother. I've already told Tang Long and Tang Ye to show some mercy to these newcomers. But seriously, Sister Yiran is something else. How did she even agree to let four new disciples challenge our top team?"

Tang Hao, standing nearby, narrowed his eyes. "Don't jump to conclusions just yet. I brought this kid back myself. He might just surprise us."

Tang Hao had personally witnessed Lin Fan's abilities. He had seen him defeat a group of soul masters in the level 30–40 range and even withstand Qian Xunji's attacks for a significant amount of time. It was that very moment that had convinced Tang Hao to step in and save him.

Still, even with that knowledge, Tang Hao wasn't fully convinced that Lin Fan stood a chance against Haotian Sect's elite team. Two of their members were Soul Kings—just above level 50—but Haotian Sect's Soul Kings were in a league of their own.

For the spectators in the stands, this match seemed like a joke—a mere pebble trying to shatter a boulder. Laughter filled the arena as Haotian Sect disciples mocked the challengers.

Liu Erlong's patience snapped as she shot an angry glare toward the stands. "What's so funny? I didn't come here to perform for their amusement."

Shui Yue'er remained silent, her gaze cold and focused straight ahead.

Tang Yiran turned to the four challengers and spoke firmly. "Stay focused. Don't let their words distract you."

The arena itself was massive, built from the sturdiest iron and stone. Even the full force of a Clear Sky Hammer wouldn't leave a dent. Lin Fan couldn't help but admire its craftsmanship.

Yet, as he took in the surroundings, a thought nagged at him. With such strength, why had the Haotian Sect chosen to withdraw after their battle with Tang Hao in the original history? Their power alone should have been enough to give the Spirit Hall a hard time.

Was it fear of Qian Daoliu?

His gaze shifted to the stands, where most of the spectators were direct disciples of Haotian Sect. Then it clicked. Spirit Hall recruited talent from all over, using ruthless methods to forge strong soul masters. But Haotian Sect's inner disciples were mostly from direct bloodlines. Their parents would never send them to a large-scale war against Spirit Hall.

For Spirit Hall, losing a soul master meant nothing. But for Haotian Sect, every direct disciple was precious. That, combined with Qian Daoliu's overwhelming power, explained why they had chosen to retreat.

A middle-aged man approached Tang Yiran. "Miss Yiran, are you sure you want them to participate in this challenge?"

Tang Yiran nodded confidently. "Yes. But their safety must be ensured."

"Of course," the man replied before turning toward the other side of the arena.

Moments later, four figures stepped onto the stage—three boys and one girl, all appearing to be around sixteen or seventeen years old. The boys looked battle-hardened, while the girl seemed comparatively delicate.

Facing them, Tang Yiran addressed both teams. "Introduce yourselves. Remember, this is a sparring match, not a battle between enemies. Once a fighter is unable to continue or admits defeat, stop immediately. Understood?"

"Understood, Teacher Yiran," the tallest boy on the opposing team said with a smirk. He eyed the challengers with amusement. "We won't bully the newcomers. Besides, three of them are girls. How are we supposed to fight them? Sister Yiran, you're making this hard for us."

Another boy yawned lazily. "Honestly, without your backing, they wouldn't even qualify to challenge us. Whatever. Let's get this over with."

Lin Fan took note of how respectful these Haotian Sect disciples were toward Tang Yiran. Clearly, she held a high status within the sect. Without her intervention, they never would have been allowed to stand here.

Tang Yiran turned back to Lin Fan and the others. "Remember, if things get too difficult, surrender immediately. There's no shame in protecting yourself."

Lin Fan nodded, a confident glint in his eye. "Don't worry, Sister Yiran. I'll be fine."

He knew he had several trump cards. His invincibility ability for five seconds, Han Xin's two-stage displacement, his flash movement, and his super blood rage state, which made him immune to two control effects. Restricting him would not be easy.

The opposing team introduced themselves first:

Tang Long – Martial Spirit: Clear Sky Hammer, Level 50 Combat Soul Master.

Tang Ye – Martial Spirit: Crazy Iron Hammer, Level 50 Combat Soul Master.

Tang Feng – Martial Spirit: Clear Sky Silver Snake, Level 50 Control Soul Master.

Tang Xiaoyu – Martial Spirit: Flower of Heaven, Level 48 Auxiliary Soul Master.

Lin Fan turned to Tang Yiran in confusion. "Sister Yiran, aren't all Haotian Sect direct disciples supposed to have the Clear Sky Hammer? What's with these other martial spirits?"

Tang Yiran smiled. "Of course not. Our Haotian Sect was once just a small family. Many of our ancestors married outside the sect, and their children inherited different martial spirits. Some inherited their father's Clear Sky Hammer, while others took after their mother. Even if they don't have the Clear Sky Hammer, their martial spirits still contain its power. The Crazy Iron Hammer, for example, is a variant of the Clear Sky Hammer."

Lin Fan observed the Crazy Iron Hammer—it consisted of two massive iron spheres connected by a chain, but its aura resembled that of the Clear Sky Hammer. This mutated martial spirit could be just as powerful.

Then, it was Lin Fan's team's turn to introduce themselves:

Lin Fan – Martial Spirit: Purple Flame Fire Tiger, Level 32 Combat Soul Master.

Liu Erlong – Martial Spirit: Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex, Level 42 Combat Soul Master.

Ye Keke – Martial Spirit: Nine-Hearted Begonia, Level 41 Auxiliary Soul Master.

Shui Yue'er – Martial Spirit: Frost Phoenix, Level 47 Control Soul Master.

The tension in the arena thickened as the introductions ended. The battle was about to begin.