Chapter 0161: First Team Clash

Training field.

Six people from two squads were currently lined up—Li Luo and Bai Doudou's teams.

Their mentors, Chi Chan and Mi Er, were watching from the sidelines.

"Mentor Chi Chan, how's Li Luo's dual resonance cultivation coming along?" Mi Er asked.

"He hasn't grasped it yet." She shook her head.

"That's to be expected. Dual resonances are a highly advanced skill. Li Luo's only at the Resonant Master Stage. It won't be easy.

"Which means," he chuckled, "chances are that I'm going to win this practice match. You don't have anyone to stop Bai Doudou."

It was true enough. Bai Doudou was already a First Pattern, Pattern Genesis Tier. She was far stronger than Li Luo and Xin Fu, and her speedy wind resonance was quite decent on offense and speed as well. She would decimate them like a hurricane through dry leaves.

Qiu Luo was an Upper Flowering, while Yu Lang had just managed to reach Lower Clear.

On Li Luo's side, the theoretically strongest was Xin Fu. Like Qiu Luo, he was an Upper Flowering, while Li Luo was a Lower Flowering. Bai Mengmeng was an Upper Clear.

Overall, Bai Doudou's team was much stronger.

Chi Chan smiled over her teacup. "I'm very interested in seeing how far your three winds have come."

Indeed, Mi Er's team of Bai Doudou, Qiu Luo, and Yu Lang were all wind resonance cultivators. They were known collectively as the three winds. Agile, speedy, and suited to closing the battle cleanly.

On the field, the six were finishing up their respective warm ups.

"Li Luo, you had better take care of my sister, or else.... hmph," Bai Doudou said loftily, spear in hand.

"Well, just leave her alone, then," Li Luo said.

Bai Doudou shook her head with a smile. "Not a chance. This is a battle. No sisterly affection here."

Bai Mengmeng stuck her tongue out at her sister.

"So cute!" Yu Lang groaned.

Bai Doudou shot him a withering look, her spear twitching in his direction. He was scared back into soberness.

The two mentors declared the start of the battle.

Boom!

All six called forth their respective powers.

Li Luo stepped forth, swords in hand. Bai Mengmeng took a mirrored step backwards, her palms glowing with an astral power. Xin Fu simply vanished.

The three had already built some basic synergy through their training. Just as their mentor, Chi Chan, had suggested, Li Luo was the main offense and anchor. Xin Fu would lurk and pounce on opportunities, while Bai Mengmeng hung behind in support, also providing a second pair of eyes on the battle from a distance.

None of this divide-and-conquer tactic was to be seen on the other side. From the starting gun, all three streaked forward like identical arrows, charging over at full speed.

"Attack Li Luo, finish him off!" Bai Doudou ordered. They had no fancy battle plan. Li Luo was the core of the opposing team, so they would focus on taking him out first.

With Li Luo gone, the other two were destined to fail.

And their setup was suited for lightning-quick battles, keeping up wave after wave of relentless offense until their opponent crumbled.

Whoo!

Wind howled as three different attacks screamed their way towards Li Luo.

An answering blast of astral light from behind Li Luo filled their view with phosphorescent light.

"Careful! That's Mengmeng's resonance art, it can cause hallucinations!" Bai Doudou shouted. Yu Lang and Qiu Luo saw that Li Luo's figure blurred and then two more identical Li Luos appeared to his left and right.

All three Li Luos attacked as one.

Bai Doudou's eyes narrowed. Her green resonant power flashed out on her spear, sending three green-tipped prongs of power lashing out at them.

All three passed through the figures.

"They're all fake!" Qiu Luo exclaimed.

Bai Doudou had realized it at the same time. Her spear whirled around to face Yu Lang in one sure movement, and she stabbed behind him.

DING!

It was blocked by a pair of shortswords just as it was about to hit Yu Lang.

Li Luo, cloaked in his waterlight, shimmered into view.

His sneak attack had been intercepted. She had read that he would seek an opening with their weakest teammate, Yu Lang.

Yu Lang broke out in cold sweat. "Damn you, Li Luo!" he yelled. "Still picking on the soft persimmons. I'll fight it out with you!"

He raised his knife and bellowed.

In the next moment, he was running away as fast as he could. "Get him!" he hollered.

Li Luo snorted. The guy was slippery, and he wanted to get him out of battle first. But Yu Lang knew him too well and ran away immediately.

He couldn't afford to chase. Bai Doudou and Qiu Luo were flanking him fast, spears at the ready, glinting coldly.

They had guessed that he would prioritize Yu Lang too and had purposely left him out as bait. When he showed himself, they were ready to strike.

Li Luo was still getting used to this high-paced fighting, which he had never experienced before.

Team battles were a different kettle of fish.

Bai Doudou and Qiu Luo were closing fast.

He lifted a hand, his already-prepared resonance art bursting forth.

"Tiger-general resonance art...

"Dendrical Intervention."

Green light poured from his palm, snaking out in coils towards the attackers.

His power coalesced into wispy vines that wrapped everywhere, sprouting flowers and leaves as they grew, bringing new life onto the battlefield.

When exposed to sunlight, they grew rapidly. The tender stems roughened into bark, and soon, large trees were standing all around them.

The snaking, green power was disruptive, shifting the terrain all around them. Bai Doudou and Qiu Luo cut down the vines as quickly as they could.

But from the first cut, their expressions turned guarded.

There was something odd about the plants.