Douluo : People are writing diaries in Douluo

Seeing that no one raised further objections, Bibi Dong continued, "This morning, each of your teams will field seven participants in a knockout match. The winning team will advance directly to the championship match tomorrow, while the remaining two teams will battle it out in the afternoon for the final qualifying spot. Now, you may select your first contestant."

As Bibi Dong announced the rules, Tang San discreetly transmitted a message to Su Ming, "Su Ming, how about we discuss an alliance?"

Su Ming raised an eyebrow and replied, "Well, well, isn't this Tang San himself? If I had to guess, you're worried about Qian Renxue's strength as a Soul Douluo and want to team up in the individual rounds to eliminate the Spirit Hall team, right?"

Tang San admitted, "That's right. We won't stand a chance against Qian Renxue in the knockout rounds unless we join forces!"

Su Ming looked at Tang San with a half-smile and responded, "Tang San, what made you think I'd lose to Qian Renxue, a Soul Douluo?"

Tang San argued, "Fine, I admit you're strong. You managed to beat the three-way Spirit Fusion from Tianshui Academy, but you must have used some secret technique to boost your strength temporarily. There's no way you can sustain that power for long."

Su Ming: …

So Tang San thinks my Sage Mode is limited? How amusing.

Su Ming could understand Tang San's reasoning; after all, he had only used this ability in front of them once. Tang San's conclusion was simply an assumption. Su Ming looked at Tang San playfully, "What's this? Weren't you swearing to defeat me just recently? Now you want to team up against Spirit Hall?"

"Alright, even if I agreed, there's a problem—who gets the first qualifying spot? I doubt you'd give it to me."

"If you handed it to me, you'd have to face Spirit Hall in the afternoon. But you're reaching out now because you're not confident, right? We eliminate Spirit Hall, and all the rewards fall to you. You must think I'm easy to fool."

Tang San's expression hardened—Su Ming had pinpointed the flaw in his plan. This was something Tang San had anticipated; he knew Su Ming wouldn't agree easily. Refusing to give up, he continued, "We could work it out. Since we're teaming up against Spirit Hall, a few 'accidents' during the knockout matches could weaken their main players. That way, Spirit Hall won't be at full strength in the afternoon."

Su Ming looked at Tang San as if he were an idiot. "Tang San, have you trained yourself into stupidity? You almost died from Blazing Academy's attack, yet you were bouncing back the next day."

"Spirit Hall controls over seventy percent of the continent's spirit masters. Even if we heavily injure their main players, Spirit Hall can restore them to seventy or eighty percent strength by afternoon. Thunder Academy alone couldn't handle that. Haha!"

Tang San, now speechless, could only mutter, "So, you're not going to cooperate? We'd have a chance at the championship if we teamed up. Don't you want those three spirit bones?"

Su Ming chuckled, "Tang San, are you playing dumb on purpose? Don't you get it? The team we most want to face is Thunder Academy!"

Su Ming remembered a saying from his past life and quoted it, "For us at Heaven Dou Academy, losing the match is fine—but Thunder Academy must be crushed!"

Tang San understood Su Ming's point—Su Ming intended to hold back and make Thunder Academy suffer. With Su Ming's motives clear, he was no longer inclined to even look at Tang San. His little scheme was transparent. Lacking the confidence to face Spirit Hall, he'd tried to rope Su Ming into an alliance, intending to drag Heaven Dou Academy down with him. How naive.

This rare chance to confront Thunder Academy was something Su Ming wouldn't pass up. Besides, he had just developed a "new" spirit ability involving the forces of life and destruction. He was looking forward to testing it on Tang San, Dai Mubai, and especially Yu Tianheng!

Yu Tianheng, who no longer had anyone left to protect him, wouldn't escape this time. The tournament rules might prohibit killing, but crippling Yu Tianheng would do just fine. A good dose of both physical and mental suffering, Su Ming thought with a wicked grin.

Unaware of Su Ming's thoughts, Yu Tianheng, now on Thunder Academy's main team, shivered suddenly. Looking around, he saw nothing unusual and dismissed it as his imagination.

As Bibi Dong called for the three teams to select their first contestants, Yu Xiaogang spoke up, "Your Holiness, Thunder Academy volunteers to forfeit the individual round and participate in the afternoon's team match."

Yu Xiaogang had little choice. Tang San had just informed him that Su Ming had no interest in an alliance. With Heaven Dou Academy so eager to face them, they had no way to avoid a confrontation. Resigned, he accepted the inevitable.

Su Ming also announced, "Your Holiness, Heaven Dou Academy likewise volunteers to forfeit the individual rounds and move directly to the team match in the afternoon."

Bibi Dong raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise, but it made sense. Heaven Dou had long wanted to face Thunder, and this was their chance. With Su Ming, Dugu Yan, and the others, they wouldn't miss it.

"Very well, Spirit Hall automatically advances, and the individual rounds are canceled. Thunder Academy and Heaven Dou Academy will face off this afternoon, with the winner advancing."

"Look at that! Thunder forfeited, then Heaven Dou did the same. Something fishy is definitely going on here!"

Notes-Read advanced chapters in patreon.com/Shadow_D_X, i have finished uploading the whole series in patreon, thanks for supporting me and special thanks to all the patrons for joining