It was the twenty-third round of the preliminary matches.
With the aid of some unknown force, the Qianyu Academy ultimately couldn't avoid encountering the other five elemental academies.
And today's opponent was—Skywater Academy.
In terms of raw data and strength, Skywater Academy wasn't actually that powerful. They had three Spirit Elders, and the one with the highest spirit power, Shui Bing'er, was only at level 43.
However...
Shui Bing'er possessed the Ice Phoenix spirit, which was extraordinary, and she could perform a spirit fusion technique with Shui Yue'er.
They were difficult to deal with!
At present, the points standings had also changed.
The Shrek team led by Tang San, the Qianyu Academy team, and the Godwind Academy team all remained undefeated!
Which meant—these three teams hadn't faced each other yet.
Trailing closely behind were the other four elemental academies: Blazing, Skywater, Thunderclap, and Elephant Armored.
Only five teams could advance.
Unlike the Qianyu Academy team, both the Shrek and Godwind teams had already faced the other elemental academies.
This meant—
The only remaining teams that could pose a threat to them were Qianyu Academy and each other.
At worst, they would finish with 25 or 26 points, respectively.
Of course, judging from the current lineup of Qianyu Academy, it was very likely they would lose.
In other words, it was highly probable that Shrek would remain undefeated in first place, Godwind would lose to Shrek and take second place.
As for the other elemental academies, the Qianyu team most likely couldn't defeat them either.
Why such certainty?
Because Wang Changzhi had suffered a spirit backlash. Unable to endure, he had been taken away by some elder who showed up out of nowhere!
In other words—
The Qianyu Academy team now only had six members left...
They couldn't even form a full team.
Thus, Li Yu was forced to take the field.
Of course, considering the situation, if he didn't step in, Qianyu probably wouldn't even make it into the top five...
"Sigh~"
Li Yu sighed helplessly, feeling as if he'd just been slapped in the face by reality.
In fact, after witnessing the battle against Elephant Armored Academy, he had already sensed that his intervention would be necessary.
"Wow!"
"So this is the Crown Princess! She's so beautiful!"
"Pfft, you simp! She's wearing a veil—how can you tell she's beautiful?"
"You don't understand! Some people's beauty shines through their aura..."
"..."
The spectator stands were packed to the brim today.
The news that Crown Princess Li Yu would be replacing the main player Wang Changzhi to represent Qianyu Academy against Skywater Academy had already spread.
This wasn't something Li Yu had done deliberately.
It was simply that personnel changes had to be submitted beforehand, not on the spot.
So it wasn't strange that the information had leaked.
What was odd, however, was the strange expression on Qian Renxue face as she watched from the audience.
Given her status and position, leaking such information shouldn't have been possible.
But the truth was before her.
"Could it have been Grandpa?"
Qian Renxue was speechless. So old, and still so mischievous?
Still, she understood that her grandfather, Qian Daoliu, probably wanted to gauge Li Yu capabilities.
Qian Daoliu had naturally asked her about Li Yu current strength.
But Qian Renxue had only said that she felt a lot of pressure from him and didn't reveal Li Yu true abilities or soul power level.
So even though Qian Daoliu was a top-tier expert, under the pressure from his pampered granddaughter, he remained in the dark about Li Yu true strength.
Although he knew this match couldn't force Li Yu to reveal all his power
It was still a good opportunity to test the waters.
So the news spread.
And upon hearing that Li Yu would be on stage, the audience today was almost as packed as during the opening ceremony.
Of course.
The Emperor Xue Ye did not attend.
But people like Ning Fengzhi were also secretly observing, even if they didn't appear publicly.
"Both teams, line up and salute."
The referee stepped into the center of the field.
Li Yu, wearing a veil, stood in a line with Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, and the others, facing off against Shui Bing'er and her teammates.
"Crown Princess, you finally deigned to appear. I've long heard of your name!"
Shui Bing'er kept her eyes on Li Yu, as if trying to glimpse the face beneath the veil.
"My teammates were tired, so I came to have a little fun. Sorry to keep you waiting."
Li Yu chuckled.
Skywater Academy truly lived up to its reputation.
The seven girls in front of him—all of them had extraordinary beauty and elegance.
But...
Their hostility seemed especially strong.
Hearing his words, Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu both blushed slightly.
They hadn't even made it to the finals, and yet Li Yu was already taking the field. For them, this was rather embarrassing.
"Let's hope Captain Li Yu doesn't disappoint us!"
Shui Bing'er smiled.
Li Yu three purple and one black spirit ring combo was no secret. Thus, despite appearing relaxed, they were in fact very cautious of him.
However—
They had also heard that Li Yu current state—including his soul power level—was all due to pure luck, and that even his Soul Elder rank had been achieved through overdosing on elixirs, sacrificing future potential, leaving him stagnant ever since.
Thus, they were filled with fighting spirit.
"Qianyu Academy vs. Skywater Academy—match, begin!"
Seeing that both sides had finished exchanging words, the referee declared the start of the match.
"Let's see what you've got, Captain Li Yu!"
Shui Bing'er said coldly. Her four spirit rings—two yellow, two purple—appeared in sequence.
At the same time, her teammates Shui Yue'er and Tian Ling'er also revealed the same ring configuration. The remaining four all had two yellow, one purple.
In contrast—
The Qianyu Academy team remained relatively passive. Except for Li Yu, they all stepped back simultaneously.
Although Li Yu didn't move, he was now standing ahead of everyone.
"What's the meaning of this, Captain Li Yu?"
Shui Bing'er gaze turned icy, and behind her, faint traces of her Ice Phoenix wings flickered into view.
"Heh."
"Your team's strength is indeed formidable, but your academy's name is rather unfortunate..."
"Skywater (Sky-Water)."
Li Yu smiled faintly. "And when it comes to water—I happen to know a thing or two."
"Hmm!?"
Shui Bing'er frowned. She still couldn't figure out what Li Yu was getting at.
It was already known that Li Yu martial spirit was Elemental Control, able to manipulate water, fire, and wood.
What was the point in emphasizing it now?
Did she really think that just because it was water, she could take on all seven of them alone?
Li Yu didn't offer any explanation.
Instead, he merely focused his mind—and the surrounding water element suddenly intensified.
Then—
A ripple spread outward from his feet...
At first, this ripple was barely noticeable, even weak.
But moments later—
It transformed into a massive wave, and in the blink of an eye, an entire expanse of water covered the entire arena.
Shui Bing'er and the others were shocked and immediately tried to form an "ice platform" to stand on.
But in the next moment, they were stunned to find—
Despite the vast water domain, it still gave them the sensation of standing on solid ground.
"What the hell is this?!"
The Skywater Academy members cursed inwardly.
"Woo—woo—"
Just then—
A low, rhythmic hum echoed out, audible to everyone present!
And in the next moment—
They all saw it.
Beneath the calm water's surface, a massive black shadow seemed to be swimming ominously...