The vast waiting area was filled with noise and movement.
Ye Yu chose a seat away from the crowds and quietly sat down. Wearing a full-coverage helmet that only revealed his eyes, he looked around, scanning the space.
Because he was five years older than Tang San, and now already thirteen, he estimated that the top talents in Heaven Dou City—like Feng Xiaotian, Huo Wushuang, and Yu Tianxin—should also have reached the Soul Elder realm by now.
He was curious whether he might coincidentally run into any of them here in this rest area.
Unfortunately, he didn't spot anyone who looked familiar.
But that was to be expected.
After all, the Heaven Dou Grand Spirit Arena had fifty sub-arenas, and each sub-arena could host several hundred people. The odds of encountering a few specific individuals here were exceedingly slim.
"...Now entering the arena: Liu Ming, a Level 25 Grandmaster Spirit Master with the Willow Sword Martial Spirit, and Niu Mang, a Level 24 Grandmaster with the Rockhide Rhinoceros Martial Spirit!"
"...Next up: Shen Xiaobao, a Level 22 Grandmaster with the Ghost Leopard Martial Spirit, versus Feng Lie, a Level 26 Grandmaster with the Gale Demon Wolf Martial Spirit!"
"...Entering now: Lin Xiaotian, a Level 32 Soul Elder with the Scarlet Flame Tiger Martial Spirit, and Xie Ao, a Level 35 Soul Elder with the Gale Blade Martial Spirit!"
From the speakers built into soul amplifying devices, the announcer's voice rang out in the rest area, continuously broadcasting the names of upcoming contestants for one-on-one battles.
Whether at the Heaven Dou Grand Spirit Arena or others like it, combat always followed a strict sequence:
Solo battles
Duo/team battles
Squad battles
Each category took place in separate designated zones.
Within each category, fights were arranged by rank—starting from Spirit Masters, then Grandmasters, followed by Soul Elders, and so on.
Naturally, the higher the rank, the fewer contestants, and the fewer the matches.
Finally, Ye Yu's turn came.
"Now entering the field: contestant An Lan, Level 32 with the Spear Martial Spirit, and contestant Lin Wu, Level 36 with the Wind Howler Baboon Martial Spirit!"
Finally, my match...
Ye Yu opened his eyes and calmly stood up. Without hesitation, he walked toward the nearest contestant tunnel.
Not far away, another man stood as well—a tall, wiry man in black, with a long face. He also made his way to a separate entrance.
That must be my opponent, Ye Yu guessed silently.
As he walked through the corridor leading to Sub-Arena Sixteen, the sound of roaring cheers and excited chants grew louder.
"Contestant An Lan is a newly registered Iron Spirit Badge fighter—this is his first match in our Heaven Dou Grand Spirit Arena. With no prior record, and a lower spirit power level, he may be at a disadvantage today."
"In contrast, contestant Lin Wu is a seasoned veteran of our arena, with 108 matches, 68 wins, and 40 losses. Known for his 'Stormblade Combat Style,' he's earned quite a following here!"
"Let's see how these two fighters perform!"
As Ye Yu and Lin Wu emerged from the tunnels, the host—hovering midair using his Spirit Ability wings—held a sound-amplifying soul device, and dramatically raised his hand.
Beams from soul-powered spotlights shone down upon Ye Yu and Lin Wu, bathing each in dazzling light.
Lin Wu was clearly accustomed to the attention. Laughing confidently, he opened his arms wide and gestured toward the cheering crowd, soaking in the applause.
"Lin Wu! Lin Wu!"
By contrast, almost no one cheered for Ye Yu.
Though Du Gu Yan and Ye Lingling were tempted to call out for him, they remembered his instructions—he had told them not to draw attention. This training match was meant to be incognito.
Ye Yu had disguised his identity for a reason.
Under the spotlights, Lin Wu continued grandstanding with open arms and flashy poses, while Ye Yu merely walked forward in silence—like an awkward rookie.
The two finally met at the center of the stage and exchanged a traditional fist-salute.
"Kid, tough luck running into me—Stormblade Lin Wu!"
"Judging by your look, this must be your first time in the Grand Spirit Arena, right?""Don't worry, we've all been rookies once."
"I'll go easy on you."
Lin Wu grinned broadly, folding his arms across his chest, showing two rows of gleaming white teeth.
Hovering above, the host began reciting the rules for the match:
"You have one minute to summon your Martial Spirits before the match begins!"
The two fighters stepped back several paces.
"Wind Howler Baboon—Spirit Possession!"
With a loud shout, Lin Wu summoned his Martial Spirit in a swirl of green light—a long-limbed, blue-furred baboon known as a Wind Howler, a beast famed for its speed and ferocity.
Spirit Possession activated.
Lin Wu's body grew taller, muscles bulged, and his limbs extended unnaturally. His hair turned a vivid green, and thick fur sprouted along his arms.
At the same time, three spirit rings—yellow, yellow, purple—rose beneath him, orbiting his figure.
On the other side, Ye Yu discreetly activated his Blue Silver Domain's illusion effect to obscure his true Martial Spirit. From his Jade Dragon Bracelet, he pulled out a fine steel spear and mimicked the summoning of a Martial Spirit.
He also simulated the glow of three spirit rings: yellow, yellow, purple—just like any normal Soul Elder.
"Battle start!"
The match officially began.
"First Spirit Skill—Tailwind!"
Lin Wu yelled as a gentle breeze wrapped around his body. He became lighter on his feet, his movements more agile, and his speed visibly increased.
In a blur, he lunged toward Ye Yu while activating his second Spirit Skill—Windblade Flurry. Dozens of sharp, green wind blades materialized and flew rapidly toward Ye Yu from every angle.
"Here it is! Lin Wu's signature Stormblade Combat Style—overwhelming his opponent with blinding speed and relentless wind blade barrages!"
But Ye Yu, thanks to his Inner Core Method which trained body, energy, and mind as one, had razor-sharp senses. Combined with his true Level 47 soul power, he could clearly track each incoming attack.
Holding his steel spear, Ye Yu expertly deflected the wind blades mid-air, breaking them apart with precise strikes.
Still, watching Ye Yu's spear technique, Lin Wu couldn't help frowning slightly.
This guy... why does his spear form look so off? Doesn't even seem like he's trained properly...