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After an afternoon of study, the tactical communication between the group finally didn't encounter any major issues.
It was important to note that among the seven members of the Seven Treasures team, aside from Ning Tianchen and two others, the rest were from various parts of the continent.
The terminology used in different regions inevitably varied.
When necessary, using tactical hand signals could prevent misunderstandings among teammates.
By evening, the group of seven, led by Sun Buyu, entered the Tiandou Grand Spirit Arena.
On their way to the registration area, a group of people blocked their path.
Seeing who it was, Ning Tianchen coldly said, "Yu Tianheng, do you want another fight?"
"Hmph, sharp-tongued as ever," Dugu Yan sneered, stepping forward in front of Yu Tianheng. "Winning a one-on-one spirit duel doesn't prove much. Conveniently, I see you also have seven people. Tonight, our Imperial Team Team challenges you—what do you say?"
After returning to the academy last night, Qin Ming had reviewed the details of the spirit duel with the Imperial Team.
Ultimately, they concluded that Ning Tianchen's swordsmanship had reached an extraordinary level. It was almost impossible to surpass him in technique. His decision-making during the duel was impeccable.
A genius like this was nearly unbeatable in a one-on-one match.
Moreover, the soul skills of the Imperial Team weren't secrets. With a little investigation, their opponents could easily learn about their abilities.
Thus, Yu Tianheng and the others abandoned the idea of seeking revenge against Ning Tianchen through one-on-one duels.
Originally, Dugu Yan had planned to team up with Yu Tianheng for a two-on-two spirit duel to regain the face they had lost the previous day.
Unexpectedly, today they discovered that Ning Tianchen had formed a seven-person team. If they fought in a team spirit arena, their chances of victory would be much higher.
After all, the Imperial Team had been established for a year. After a year of training and coordination, their teamwork was seamless.
In contrast, Ning Tianchen's team had never participated in any team spirit duels—how could they claim to have chemistry?
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Sun Buyu felt concerned and quietly discussed with Ning Tianchen, preparing to decline the challenge.
"Why refuse? Having such a good training opponent is exactly what we need," Ning Tianchen asked with a smile, clearly showing no intention of backing down.
That afternoon, the seven of them had already established basic coordination and were familiar with each other's soul skills.
Now, they needed a victory in a team spirit duel to boost their confidence.
"Alright, I hope you don't back out at the last minute!" Yu Tianheng said with a satisfied smirk.
With that, he led the Imperial Team away, fearing the other side might change their minds.
Sun Buyu sighed softly and found a lounge for the group inside the Grand Spirit Arena.
Everyone gathered in a circle, and Ning Tianchen began, "Since we've decided to duel the Imperial Team, we need to come up with a strategy."
Sun Buyu had no experience leading team spirit duels, so he wouldn't interfere with the arrangements for the team battle.
"I've observed the Imperial Team's training. They're different from other academies within the Tiandou Empire—they aren't an extreme-style team but rather a well-rounded balanced team."
Extreme style and balanced style were the two main schools of thought in soul master teams.
An extreme-style team referred to a group composed of soul masters of the same attribute, such as the teams from the Blazing Fire and Divine Wind Academies.
The advantages of the extreme style were obvious: a team of the same attribute could support each other effectively during battles, elevating the team's overall combat power to another level and fostering better coordination.
However, the downside was equally clear: when facing a team with an attribute advantage over them, they would suffer a crushing defeat.
The balanced style was easy to understand—a team with a diverse mix of soul masters, forming a versatile lineup.
The more tacit understanding the team members had, the higher the upper limit of a balanced team. Conversely, the lower limit could be very low.
Almost all high-level soul master academies within the Tiandou Empire followed the extreme style. The fact that the Tiandou Imperial Academy chose to form a balanced team proved they were fully prepared for the next Soul Master Competition.
Sun Buyu shared a lot of information, revealing everything he knew to the group.
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"We've never participated in a team spirit duel before, so outsiders know very little about us. This is our advantage. The Imperial Team Team will most likely adopt a relatively conservative formation at the start because of this."
As for the Seven Treasures team's disadvantages, there were too many to count on two hands.
"If necessary, my sister and I can use our martial soul fusion technique," Yu Die suggested.
This was their first team spirit duel, and the outcome would greatly influence their future training. Even if it meant exposing their trump card, they had to secure a victory.
Ning Tianchen firmly rejected the idea. "Absolutely not. The martial soul fusion technique is our last resort. This trump card must not be exposed before the finals of the Soul Master Competition. In the future, if you want to train your martial soul fusion technique, you must find a safe place to ensure it isn't revealed before the competition."
"Is it really that serious?" Yu Die was dumbfounded, thinking Ning Tianchen was exaggerating.
However, having personally experienced the power of their martial soul fusion technique, Ning Tianchen knew his decision was justified.
Once the sisters' soul power levels increased, the power of their martial soul fusion technique could rival the sixth soul skill of a Soul Emperor. By the time of the Soul Master Competition, it would be enough to counter Hu Liena and Xie Yue's martial soul fusion technique.
"A trump card only achieves its maximum effect when used for the first time. If the opponent is prepared, its threat level will drop significantly." As he spoke, Ning Tianchen couldn't help but chuckle. "Besides, even without using the martial soul fusion technique, we're not guaranteed to lose."
In the Imperial Team, the only power-type soul master was Yu Tianheng. The agility-type soul masters, Yu Feng and Oslo, would harass from the flanks. Shi Mo and Shi Mo stood in the backline, protecting Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling.
After some thought, Ning Tianchen began assigning tactics. "We don't have a control-type soul master. Engaging in a chaotic battle with the Imperial Team will put us at a disadvantage."
"I'll restrain Yu Tianheng, while Yu Die and Cai Die handle Yu Feng and Oslo. Zhu Zhuqing, don't try to break through to their backline—stay ready to support the frontline. Fatty, stay behind to protect Rongrong and Oscar."
This was just the initial restraining strategy. If the situation changed, Ning Tianchen would adjust accordingly.
"For now, this is the plan. However, keep in mind that our soul power levels are generally lower than theirs, so focus on restraining them. Yu Tianheng is the absolute core of the Imperial Team Team's frontline. Once he's eliminated, their formation will crack open. At that point, the scales of victory will tip in our favor."
As for Dugu Yan's poison, Ning Tianchen had other plans.
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Inside the Imperial Team Team's lounge.
Before Yu Tianheng and the others lay a dossier on the Seven Treasures team.
Among them, Ning Tianchen and four others had participated in spirit duels at the Grand Spirit Arena, so their information was relatively detailed.
The Yu Die sisters had just arrived in Tiantou City.
Their records simply stated, "Possibly Soul Elders."
"What kind of garbage team is this? They still have two Great Soul Masters?" Oslo sneered, looking down on the composition of the Seven Treasures team.
In this dossier, aside from Ning Tianchen, the others seemed unworthy of attention.
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