Douluo Dalu (Soul Land 1): Infinite Lottery System

The promotion tournament had no elaborate opening ceremony—just a brief introduction followed by the drawing of lots.

Fifteen teams would compete in one-on-one matches, with one team receiving a bye. The rules couldn't have been simpler.

However, there was a slight disappointment—Xiao Tianyang's first opponent turned out to be Tianshui Academy!

"Not my fault." Xiao Tianyang could only shrug helplessly at his teammates.

Truthfully, he would have preferred facing another team—though the outcome would likely be the same. But at least it would have been a fresh challenge, as he had already fought every other squad from their division.

When the Tianshui team received their match assignment, the members exchanged bitter smiles and shook their heads.

"Even with all seven of us, we can't beat him. Alone…?" Yu Hairou sighed, her frustration mixed with resignation.

"Win or lose, we won't know until we fight." Shui Bing'er took a deep breath. "At least we'll face him head-on—no surrender."

The mischievous Shui Yue'er, her eyes sparkling, tugged at Shui Bing'er's arm and giggled. "Sister, why don't you try bribing him…?"

"You go instead. Didn't you say he's pretty cool? Perfect opportunity—and he doesn't seem the forceful type." Shui Bing'er rolled her eyes before bursting into laughter.

"Sister! You're so mean! How could you repeat what I whispered to you in private?!" Shui Yue'er pouted, shaking her sister's arm in protest.

"Alright, are you trying to pull my arm off?" Shui Bing'er gently swatted her hand away, feigning annoyance. "You started it, and now you're blaming me?"

Shui Yue'er huffed but was promptly ignored as Shui Bing'er turned to the rest of the team.

"Don't be disheartened. We've already come this far."

"Besides, remember—the Whitebeard Team has four members. We might stand no chance against Edward, but the others? That's a different story."

Her words carried a hint of forced optimism.

But there was no other choice. If the team's morale collapsed before the match even began, victory would be impossible.

As for whether her words held any truth… in her heart, she knew the odds were slim.

Shui Bing'er had watched every match of the Whitebeard Team—except Xiao Tianyang's.

While the others didn't dominate as overwhelmingly as he did, their victories were just as decisive. Their diverse combat styles left opponents scrambling to adapt.

Take Bai Xue, for instance. Even knowing her attacks were mental-based, most couldn't defend against them.

Lacking experience, soul power, and adaptability, they had no room to counter.

But as Shui Bing'er had said—losing wasn't the same as giving up.

At the very least, she refused to appear weak in front of Xiao Tianyang.

…

Meanwhile, on the Other Side…

Unlike Tianshui Academy's gloom, Xiao Tianyang quickly shrugged off his initial surprise.

"Same difference. With only fifteen teams, it's not like I drew Blazing Fire Academy right off the bat." Since his match wasn't first, Xiao Tianyang settled in to watch the other battles with interest.

The opening match featured the Balak Academy Team—unfortunately pitted against Shrek Academy.

The result was predictable. Zhu Zhuqing swiftly ended the fight, leaving the audience in awe.

Her icy demeanor and lethal grace were enough to make anyone's blood run hot.

Simply put—she was mesmerizing.

The following matches lacked any dark horses, though a few notable academies made their appearances, offering Xiao Tianyang's group some insights.

"Shadow Academy seems to specialize in stealth and assassination." Saber flipped through their records, pausing on a particular page.

"Shadowless Ladybug, Thousand-Change Monster Lizard, Colorful Chameleon… all Martial Souls with invisibility and extreme speed."

"And their soul ring choices are… intriguing." She deliberately trailed off, teasing Xiao Tianyang.

Predictably, he took the bait. "How so?"

"All dark-attribute, agility-focused." Saber smirked. "And their average soul ring age is 200 years older than normal. That's unprecedented."

Xiao Tianyang's eyes gleamed. "All of them?"

"So it's an academy-wide trait, not just individual talent?"

"Not necessarily. Weak physiques couldn't handle such soul rings either." Saber mused. "But this level of uniformity suggests institutional influence."

"That's true." Xiao Tianyang grinned. "This continent's full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Just when you think you've seen it all—surprise."

Fei Xue snorted. "Aren't you overgeneralizing? Wrathblood Team and Alien Beast Academy had one or two standouts. Why not assume their academies are special too?"*

"Tsk. If you can't see the difference, that brain of yours really is decorative." Xiao Tianyang flicked her forehead playfully.

"Wrathblood's strategy is simple—overwhelm fast, or lose. No need for deep analysis. They won't make the cut."

"Alien Beast Academy is more interesting, but too many weak links. They might advance, but only with luck."

He eyed Fei Xue, who rubbed her head sulkily. "Understand now?"

She nodded—though whether she truly grasped it was another matter.

…

When Xiao Tianyang finally stepped onto the stage, the two sides exchanged no words.

But then—something strange happened.

Instead of attacking him, Tianshui's fighters unleashed soul skills toward the arena itself.

"What kind of barrier formation is this?" Xiao Tianyang froze. Even the referee and audience were baffled.

But when the third member took the stage, everything became clear.

"Ah. They're altering the battlefield—preparing it for Shui Bing'er."

A smirk tugged at his lips.

"Compressing seven people's efforts into one? Fine by me. This harvest will be even richer." Despite the obvious trap, Xiao Tianyang made no move to stop them.

Most spectators scoffed at his arrogance.

After all, underestimating an opponent was a fool's mistake.

Perhaps only the teams from the Heaven Dou Empire watched calmly, knowing better than to judge too soon.

…

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