Hearing Yu Tianheng concede defeat caused an uproar among the audience. No one expected Tianlin, with only 22 levels of soul power, to defeat Yu Tianheng, who was at level 26. It was truly shocking.
He's not even eight years old! Is this kid a genius, or a monster?
This battle made many people start to acknowledge Tianlin. The fear they once felt toward him because of the Aldo family incident gradually turned into admiration.
It wasn't just his strength that won them over, but also his restraint during the match. He held back repeatedly, stopping his attacks just short of causing real harm. It was clear he wasn't a bloodthirsty person—just a kind-hearted child.
And with a face that everyone adored, it was hard not to like him.
"Wow, I didn't notice before, but this junior is both strong and adorable. He's got a great personality too. I'm in love!" someone in the crowd gushed.
"Everyone used to avoid him like the plague. No one noticed how great he was. Ugh, I should have snatched him up while everyone was ignoring him. Then this future Titled Douluo would be mine alone!" said another, joking about taking Tianlin in as a child spouse.
Some people even joked about kidnapping Tianlin to raise him as a future husband.
Although Tianlin caused many spectators to lose their bets of gold soul coins, no one held a grudge. All of them were from noble families, and hundreds or thousands of gold soul coins meant little to them.
But one person was falling apart—Oslo. He rushed to the edge of the arena and wailed in despair.
"Tianheng, how could you concede?! My livelihood depends on you!"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Yu Tianheng was confused. "I can't beat Xiao Tian. Do you expect me to just stand there and keep getting beaten up?"
Yu Tianheng knew Tianlin had already held back during their fight. Tianlin's sword aura had deliberately avoided hitting his body directly. Other than a few cuts on his clothes, Yu Tianheng only suffered minor injuries—nothing serious. With his physique, he would heal quickly without even bleeding. Being a reasonable person, Yu Tianheng knew when to quit. There was no point in dragging things out unnecessarily, especially in a fair and just soul battle. He could afford to lose this match.
At worst, he'd double his training efforts later and win back his pride.
"Why don't you try again, Tianheng? Maybe Tianlin's soul power is almost depleted after using so many soul skills. You might still have a chance!" Oslo clung to a glimmer of hope, desperate to turn things around.
"You've got to be joking. Tianlin's soul power might be low, but my soul ring is sealed, and my strength has dropped to Soul Master level. There's no way I can win!" Yu Tianheng ruthlessly crushed Oslo's last shred of hope.
At that moment, a jade-like hand appeared behind Oslo and tapped him on the shoulder.
When Oslo turned around, he saw the beautiful yet expressionless Ye Lingling.
"Oslo, I won. Tianlin's betting odds were 2-to-1. Aside from the 130,000 gold soul coins I originally wagered, you owe me an additional 260,000, for a total of 390,000 gold soul coins. Since we're future teammates, I'll round it down for you—just make it 400,000!" Her calm tone delivered the most chilling words.
"Round it down? That's rounding up! Yu Feng, say something! Don't forget, you had a hand in running the betting pool!" Oslo tried to drag Yu Feng into the mess.
But Yu Feng immediately summoned his martial soul and flew off without hesitation. "I was just helping you manage the bets. I'm not the actual bookmaker. Don't involve me."
With that, he disappeared, proving to be the textbook definition of an unreliable teammate.
"Oslo, pay up. Otherwise, during our next training session, even if you're injured, I won't use my Nine Heart Begonia to heal you!" Ye Lingling continued pressing him.
According to her prior agreement with Tianlin and Gu Ran, the winnings would be split evenly after repaying the 130,000 gold soul coins they had provided for the bet. This meant Ye Lingling could pocket at least 130,000 gold soul coins. As a support-type Soul Master, her cultivation required far more resources than attack-types. This money would last her a long time.
"Big sister, could I, um, write an IOU and pay in installments?" Oslo pleaded pitifully. Although his family was noble, they weren't as wealthy as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Four hundred thousand gold soul coins were enough to cover his family's expenses for several years.
Ye Lingling nodded. "Sure."
She didn't intend to make things too difficult for Oslo. After all, they were teammates—it's not like she would refuse to heal him in the future.
"So that's why you didn't want me to concede," Yu Tianheng finally understood. Oslo had gambled on his match against Tianlin and lost a fortune, mostly due to Ye Lingling's large bet on Tianlin.
"Teacher Qin Ming always warned us about the dangers of gambling, but you never listened. Good luck with that!" Yu Tianheng chuckled, clearly enjoying Oslo's misfortune. He then grabbed Dugu Yan's hand and left.
Although Yu Tianheng wasn't injured, he had drained a lot of his soul power and mental energy during the fight. Some rest, especially with his girlfriend by his side, would help him recover faster.
"Senior Sister Lingling, you can take your share of the winnings from what Oslo pays back. As a support-type Soul Master, your cultivation resources are more demanding than ours. If there's anything left, Guran and I will take it," Tianlin added as he stepped forward, delivering another figurative blow to Oslo.
"You... So Lingling's bet was funded by you and Guran? You teamed up to scam me!" Oslo felt utterly betrayed by the world.
"I didn't plan to scam you. I just have confidence in my strength," Tianlin said innocently, his childlike face making his words all the more deceptive.
But to Oslo, Tianlin now seemed like the most cunning person alive.
"I was just confident in my boss's strength!" Guran added with a grin, immediately following after Tianlin. He was simple-minded—just sticking close to his boss was a sure way to reap rewards.
Soon, Ye Lingling brought out a piece of paper. "Oslo, I've written the IOU. Sign it."
Oslo extended his hand in utter despair, letting Ye Lingling manipulate it to leave his fingerprint. He felt like the world had completely turned against him.
After the battle, Tianlin's reputation skyrocketed. Despite losing, Yu Tianheng's impressive performance during the fight meant no one mocked him.
Qin Ming saw the benefits of showcasing strength through battles. He planned for all nine members of his team to make a name for themselves, ensuring they'd gain the academy's attention and access to more cultivation resources. Over the next few days, he arranged for the remaining seven members to duel each other.
Day 1: The Shi brothers (defense duo) faced Oslo and Yu Feng (agility duo).
Day 2: Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling (the goddess duo) fought against Tianlin and Guran (Seven Treasure Glazed Tile duo).
Day 3: The Shi brothers and Ye Lingling (ultimate defense and healing team) teamed up to face Tianlin and Yu Tianheng (double offense duo). Even with their overwhelming attack power, it took them half a day to break through the defense and claim victory.
Before they knew it, the nine-person team had become widely recognized within the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. The three deans realized that Qin Ming was likely preparing this team for the upcoming Continental Advanced Soul Master Tournament.
The nine members chosen were indeed exceptional. Within three years, they would undoubtedly become the top talents of Heaven Dou. After a brief discussion, Meng Shenji issued an order to heavily invest resources into the nine.
Finally, the team's official name was confirmed. Just like in the original story, they were known as the Emperor Battle Team!
Tianlin swore that with his presence this time, the Emperor Battle Team would never lose to Shrek Academy or the Spirit Hall Academy.