Chapter 43: The Royal Battle Team vs. The Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Team One - Douluo's spirit bead sword

**Chapter 43: The Royal Battle Team vs. The Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Team One** Time flew by swiftly; a year had passed almost unnoticed. Under the relentless daily training of the Royal Battle Team, everyone had achieved significant progress in their abilities. Tian Lin, now over eight years old, spent the year engrossed in the study of the Jade Balance Herb Compendium. Consequently, his improvements in soul power and swordsmanship were not as astonishing as one might expect. Currently, he possessed level 26 soul power, having advanced by four levels, and he had mastered the second and third techniques of the Seven Kill Sword Style to a proficient level. Chen Xin was already very satisfied with his rate of progress. Had he known that Tian Lin had diverted much of his energy to other pursuits, he would have been utterly astonished. Half a year ago, Tian Lin had almost mastered detoxification methods. In the following six months, he learned alchemy techniques. Some of the mystical herbs were most effective when consumed directly, while others, according to the notes in the herb compendium, could yield multiple pills when refined, maximizing their value. Tian Lin's rapid learning owed much to the soul ring and the external bone attachment of the Purple Fire Golden Eye Beast. This soul beast, known for its intelligence, had enhanced Tian Lin's memory and comprehension abilities upon fusion. Typically, the soul rings and bones of a soul beast boost physical attributes like strength and defense. For Tian Lin, whose intellect had been enhanced this way, it was a rare occurrence. Perhaps one of the abilities of his external bone attachment contributed to this. Besides him, the other members of the Royal Battle Team had made significant strides as well. All were now Heaven Tier students, and Yu Tianheng was on the cusp of entering the Sky Dou Tier. Currently, the team's status was as follows: - Yu Tianheng, 13 years old, Beast Martial Soul Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, Assault Category, Level 29. - Dugu Yan, 13 years old, Beast Martial Soul Jade Phosphorus Snake, Control Category, Level 28. - Shi Mo, 13 years old, Beast Martial Soul Black Tortoise, Defense Category, Level 28. - Shi Mo, 13 years old, Beast Martial Soul Black Tortoise, Defense Category, Level 28. - Aosluo, 13 years old, Beast Martial Soul Ghost Leopard, Agility Assault Category, Level 27. - Yu Feng, 13 years old, Beast Martial Soul Wind Bell Bird, Agility Assault Category, Level 27. - Ye Lingling, 12 years old, Tool Martial Soul Nine-Hearted Begonia, Healing Category, Level 26. - Gu Ran, 12 years old, Beast Martial Soul Skeleton War Horse, Assault Category, Level 25. - Jun Tian Lin, 8 years old, Tool Martial Soul Demon Suppression Sword, Assault Category, Level 26. Excluding Tian Lin, the talents of the Royal Battle Team's other members were slightly below those of the original Shrek Seven Devils from the novel. After all, they were the protagonists. Gu Ran almost fell behind because he wasn't even mentioned in the original novel, portraying him as an expendable character. Fortunately, Gu Ran had good fortune. Since he pledged allegiance to Tian Lin as his leader, Tian Lin naturally took him under his wing. After Ning Rongrong, he was the second to enjoy the amplification of the Holy Breath Barrier, allowing him to barely keep up with the group. The Royal Battle Team's current prowess was such that even some soul master-ranked teams might not defeat them. Occasionally, they served as sparring partners for the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's team because, in a year, the Continental Elite Soul Master Tournament would commence. Of course, it wasn't the tournament Tang San's team participated in, as the Soul Master Tournament was held every five years, with the last one four years ago. None of them, whether Tang San's group or Tian Lin's, were of age to compete in the next tournament. Their time would come in the one six years later. Unfortunately, Tian Lin held little confidence in the current team from Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. Their first team wasn't strong: three low-tier Soul Masters and four high-tier Soul Masters. What could they possibly use to contend with the Spirit Hall? During their regular sparring sessions, if the three Soul Masters inadvertently triggered Tian Lin’s Ice and Fire Sealing God technique, sealing their fourth soul ring, they would find themselves in a dire fight. These children of privilege, with low levels and deplorable combat skills, were laughable. Perhaps their hard-earned level 40 was, in fact, propped up by familial resources. When Tian Lin reaches level 30, he'd surely trounce them. **Battle Arena** On this day, the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy team was training with the Royal Battle Team. Originally, the Royal Battle Team was meant to merely be a sparring partner, but it was evident that their opponents were the ones being practiced on. Aside from Gu Ran and Yu Feng, the seven Royal Battle Team members exuded vigor and confidence, unflinching even against opponents who boasted over ten levels higher. In stark contrast, the Heaven Dou first team members, bound for the tournament, were all gasping for breath and showed a defeated attitude towards training. "Tianheng, these seniors are really hopeless. Let's motivate them a bit!" Tian Lin suggested. "Alright, Little Tian, let's show them our combo technique!" Yu Tianheng said with a confident smile. Having collaborated numerous times, although they couldn't perform a martial soul fusion technique, they had devised several combined soul technique strategies. Tian Lin's sword could absorb various attributes to enhance itself. Although he hadn't yet absorbed a thunder attribute soul ring, he could temporarily channel Yu Tianheng's lightning to fortify himself. "Second Soul Technique, Thunderbolt Majestic!" Tian Lin raised his longsword, invoking the fire attribute energy from his second soul ring, while Yu Tianheng unleashed his second soul technique, channeling lightning into the sword. The two most fierce and potent attributes, thunder and fire, merged perfectly. "Combo Demon Sword Technique, Sword Qi Flame Thunder!" The flaming sword qi entwined with lightning tore through the opposing half of the Heaven Dou team’s field with explosive force. The most formidable beast martial soul combined with the fierce assault power of a Demon Sword equaled the might of some martial soul fusion techniques. The Heaven Dou first team attempted to evade, but they overlooked that the Royal Battle Team had a control-type soul master. "Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison!" Dugu Yan unleashed the Jade Phosphorus Snake Poison, and the terrifying poison mist enveloped their opponents, sealing off any escape routes. Eventually, the combined power of three left the entire Heaven Dou first team in disarray. Had Tian Lin not held back at the last moment, they would have been severely injured. "Senior classmates, this won't do. I haven't even used Ice and Fire Sealing God or the Seven Kill Sword Style!" Tian Lin remarked jokingly, shouldering his Demon Sword. "Wait... wait a moment, please, junior, the senior students really can't keep up. We’re older now, not as fit as you are. Let's rest up and continue the training in a couple of days," the captain of Team One shamelessly pleaded for a break. "Sigh!" Watching this unfold, Meng Shenji, as the chief, could only feel weary. A group of twenty-year-olds could not defeat a bunch of twelve or thirteen-year-olds, and they even used age as an excuse to ask for mercy. Where was their dignity? If Team One was in such a state, Team Two would be even worse, Zhi Lin thought, no longer caring to watch. Before leaving, he muttered, "This year's tournament is a lost cause for our Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. We’re just waiting to be ridiculed by the Star Luo Imperial Academy."