Chapter 25: The Formation of the Team

Chapter 25: The Formation of the Team

"Congratulations, Host, for successfully recruiting Master Smith Lou Gao, thereby cutting off an important opportunity for Tang San. Red-level mission complete. Reward: 1 Red-level Character Summoning Card and 500 Diamonds."

"Congratulations, Host, for successfully recruiting the majority of the Blacksmith Association members, exceeding the system task. Reward: 1 Black-level Character Summoning Card."

"Use the Red-level Summoning Card and Black-level Summoning Card immediately," Xiao Yu ordered without hesitation. With only Mu, a Titled Douluo, holding down the fort, they could deter some threats, but they were still lacking compared to the top powers on the continent.

"Ding! Black-level character selected. Congratulations, Host, you have obtained Ikki of the Phoenix, one of the SS era's Bronze Five Saints. Martial Soul: Undying Fire Phoenix, innate soul power level 10, current soul power level 32."

"Ding! Red-level character selected. Congratulations, Host, you have obtained Milo of the Scorpius, an SS era Golden Saint. Martial Soul: Golden Scorpion, innate soul power level 9.5, current soul power level 95."

"Ding! Detected that the Host and subordinates have a sufficient number of members with similar soul power levels to form a team. Issuing the following tasks:

1. Purple-level task: Register for the Great Spirit Arena Team Battle, and all members must earn the Silver Spirit Badge.

2. Black-level task: All members must earn the Gold Spirit Badge in the Great Spirit Arena Team Battle.

3. Red-level task: All members must earn the Purple-Gold Spirit Badge in the Great Spirit Arena Team Battle.

4. Gold-level task: All members must earn the Sapphire Spirit Badge or higher in the Great Spirit Arena Team Battle.

5. Winning Streak Rewards: Three consecutive wins in the Great Spirit Arena Team Battle will earn a White-level reward, five consecutive wins will earn a Yellow-level reward, ten consecutive wins will earn a Purple-level reward, twenty consecutive wins will earn a Black-level reward, fifty consecutive wins will earn a Red-level reward, and one hundred consecutive wins will earn a Gold-level reward."

The Great Spirit Arena? Xiao Yu lifted his head slowly.

He would have gone there even without the system's task. Cultivating as a soul master requires more than just secluded training; practical combat experience is crucial. Although the All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Elite Tournament is more formal, with better rules and the opportunity to fight peers, it only occurs every five years.

On the other hand, the Great Spirit Arena allows daily participation if conditions permit.

Considering the current team composition, Xiao Yu reflected:

1. Xiao Yu, Martial Soul: Underworld Apostle, Level 35 Power Attack System Battle Spirit Master.

2. Ikki, Martial Soul: Fire Phoenix, Level 32 Power Attack System Battle Spirit Master.

3. Eden, Martial Soul: Thunder Lord, Level 33 Control System Battle Spirit Master.

4. Zi Long, Martial Soul: Azure Dragon, Level 32 Power Attack System Battle Spirit Master.

5. Xie Wu, Martial Soul: Qilin, Level 30 Agility Attack System Battle Spirit Master.

6. Mii Mei, Martial Soul: Harp, Level 30 Support System Battle Spirit Master.

7. Io, Martial Soul: Sea Phantom Beast, Level 26 Power Attack System Battle Spirit Master.

This lineup wasn't bad, but it still fell short of Xiao Yu's expectations. However, with time before the Spirit Master Tournament, and just like Shrek Academy having Tai Long, Jing Ling, Huang Yuan, and Jiang Zhu as substitutes, the team would eventually need substitutes as well. Arrangements could be made later.

A few days later, Lou Gao, having handled association matters, led Si Long, Si Yu, and dozens of blacksmiths, hiring over ten carriages to leave Gengxin City with Xiao Yu's group. Lou Gao's other two disciples, Si Kai and Si Di, stayed behind to oversee the Blacksmith Association.

The Blacksmith Association was vast and influential, making it impractical to relocate entirely to the Nine Star Palace. After discussing with Lou Gao, Xiao Yu decided to establish the Blacksmith Association as a branch of the Nine Star Palace in Gengxin City, with personnel rotating periodically.

Si Long and Si Yu would first depart with Lou Gao to learn soul tool knowledge and manufacturing, and after three months, they would return to switch with Si Kai, Si Di, and other senior blacksmiths.

Returning to the sect and handling the Blacksmith Association's matters, Xiao Yu then arranged for Xie Wu and Mii Mei, who had reached bottlenecks, to acquire their spirit rings. Accompanying them were guards Milo and Hui Huo, as well as Ikki, Eden, Zi Long, and other team members with similar spirit power levels, preparing to form a team.

Initially, the lone wolves Ikki and Eden wanted to refuse, but Xiao Yu didn't allow it. He kindly persuaded them, emphasizing that future success would come from teamwork and that the Star Dou Forest, teeming with spirit beasts, would enhance their combat skills. They finally agreed.

Xiao Yu had been to the Star Dou Forest before and was familiar with the outskirts. Under his guidance, the group quickly entered the forest's interior.

"Everyone, stay alert. The spirit beasts in the Star Dou Forest generally don't like humans and are usually aggressive. Maintain your formation and do not wander off."

Xiao Yu said sternly, "This is our team's first practical combat exercise. Milo and Hui Huo will not intervene unless absolutely necessary."

Everyone nodded in agreement. With his top-tier beast martial soul, Fire Phoenix, Ikki naturally suppressed spirit beasts by bloodline, so he took the lead.

Xiao Yu and Zi Long, both strong attack types, walked on either side. The relatively weaker Xie Wu, Mii Mei, and Io stayed in the middle, while Eden covered the rear. Milo and Hui Huo kept a few meters behind, observing from a distance.

In the first book, the truly powerful spirit beasts like Di Tian were busy absorbing energy from the Lake of Life. Unless the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape went crazy and charged to the forest's outskirts, no spirit beasts could threaten the group.

Xie Wu's martial soul was a Qilin, so the best spirit rings for him would come from similar beasts, such as the Sacred Qilin or the Radiant Qilin. Alternatively, horse-type spirit beasts could also work, though they were more challenging to find.

Mii Mei, although positioned as a support spirit master, was actually half-support, half-control. Her harp could boost allies' abilities and deliver mental attacks, stunning or weakening enemies with lower mental strength.

This reminded Xiao Yu of the future prodigy Huo Yuhao. His first martial soul, Spirit Eyes, was a mental control martial soul, with the first spirit skills being Spiritual Detection and Spiritual Sharing, which were also supportive. Huo Yuhao's spirit rings could serve as a reference.

Among these, the Ice Jade Scorpion was in the Extreme North, and the only one in the Star Dou Forest was being used as nourishment by hundred-thousand-year-old fierce beasts—attempting to take it would be suicidal.

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion was even less feasible. If the Ice Jade Scorpion was merely food with some negotiation potential, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion was their reverse scale. Any attempt to harm her would result in relentless retaliation.

The Evil-Eyed Tyrant King was in the Sun-Moon Continent. Xiao Yu was unsure if such a beast existed on the Douluo Continent. However, the spirit beasts producing the other rings—Purple Spirit Wolf, Silver Moon Wolf, and Silver Ying Beast—were rare but more attainable.

(End of this chapter)

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