Douluo Dragon King: Embarking on the Path to Godhood from the Start

(The data hasn't been very good. As a new author, there are many things I don't know how to do, like the tags. But I heard that updating 10,000 words a day will get me traffic, so I'll give it a try and see if I can stick with it. 10,000 words today!)

Before we knew it, it was already the afternoon of the next day.

Just like yesterday, Wu Changkong led all the students of Class 5 of the first year to the academy's special Soul Guidance Trial Ground, which is also the venue for the class competition.

On the other side, the homeroom teacher of Class 3, Grade 1—a gentle and elegant female teacher named Ye Yingrong—also made her appearance on time with her students.

The two homeroom teachers exchanged a few words at the edge of the field, explaining the competition rules and precautions (as yesterday), and then the competition was officially announced to begin.

When Wu Changkong announced that the fifth class's lineup for today would still consist of Yu Chen and Tang Wulin, with Gu Yue as the third member, not only did the other fifth class students watching from below the stage whisper among themselves, but even Yu Chen and the other two were somewhat surprised.

Xie Xie pointed directly at himself: "Teacher Wu, I'm all healed! Really! It won't affect my performance! If the opponent has a strong offensive type, my agility-based type is perfect for countering them!"

Although he was beaten yesterday, it was all superficial injuries. With the help of the teachers in the college's medical department and his good physical condition, he is indeed fine now.

Tang Wulin looked at Wu Changkong with some confusion. According to the usual thinking, if the opponent is expected to be troublesome and the lineup needs to be adjusted, it seems that he, the Blue Silver Grass Soul Master who is more defensive and control-oriented, should be replaced by Xie Xie, who has more flexible and varied attack methods.

Why was Xie Xie replaced instead?

Yu Chen and Gu Yue exchanged a glance. Gu Yue also had a hint of doubt in her eyes, but she said nothing and simply waited quietly. Yu Chen, on the other hand, looked at Wu Changkong with a questioning gaze.

Wu Changkong's expression was cold and stern; he simply said:

"It's a tactical necessity. Gu Yue's long-range suppression ability might be even more crucial today, so let's put him on the field."

Yu Chen and the others had almost blind trust in Wu Changkong's vision and arrangements in battle.

Seeing that he said this, although they still had doubts, the three of them did not ask any more questions, nodded, and walked together onto the central arena.

Upon arriving at the arena, the three students from Class 3 opposite them were already in place. The three looked remarkably alike, all tall and thin with a touch of heroism in their eyes and brows. Their names were also quite interesting, namely "Gu Tianri," "Gu Tianyue," and "Gu Tianming," which sounded like triplets.

In fact, they were indeed triplets. The three stood side by side, wearing identical school uniforms and even having similar hairstyles; were it not for the name tags on their chests, they would be almost indistinguishable.

After both sides bowed, the referee gave the order: "The match begins!"

Yu Chen, Tang Wulin, and Gu Yue quickly activated their martial souls and stood in a stable triangular formation.

Yu Chen was positioned slightly in front of the center, Tang Wulin was on the left front side, and Gu Yue was on the right rear side.

The three had a subtle connection between them, having developed a certain tacit understanding through fighting side by side and daily practice.

The three Gu brothers on the opposite side revealed the reason why Wu Changkong made such personnel adjustments the moment they activated their martial souls!

Gu Tianri, Gu Tianyue, and Gu Tianming almost simultaneously let out a low shout, and their soul power surged forth.

The next moment, a flash of light appeared behind them, and each of them unfolded a pair of large, grayish-brown wings that looked like they were made of feathers and some kind of keratin layer!

With a powerful flap of their wings, the three of them were lifted into the air and easily hovered seven or eight meters above the ground!

"Flying Soul Masters! And three of them!" Tang Wulin blurted out, his face showing surprise.

"I see." A look of understanding flashed in Yu Chen's eyes, and he instantly understood Wu Changkong's intention.

Facing an opponent capable of flight, Xie Xie, a melee agility-type Soul Master, would indeed be very passive, and might even become a sitting duck, given that he only has one Soul Ring and lacks effective ranged or anti-air methods.

Replacing it with Gu Yue, a ranged artillery mage with powerful elemental control, can greatly compensate for the lack of anti-air firepower and even create suppression.

As for leaving Tang Wulin behind...

You'll know once you see it on site.

Tang Wulin had already taken out the Heavy Silver Hammer, controlled the Blue Silver Grass to bind it, then his body sank slightly, his right arm muscles bulged, his waist twisted, and he poured all his strength into his arm. Then he swung one of the Heavy Silver Hammers at his closest opponent in the air—Gu Tianri!

The blue silver grass, like an extended rope, connected the hammer handle to his wrist.

The heavy silver hammer sliced ​​through the air with a muffled whistling sound, shooting straight into the sky like a cannonball!

"What the hell! Is this guy really that strong?!"

The ancient bird in the air was startled and hurriedly flapped its wings to dodge to the side.

The heavy silver hammer flew past the edge of his wing, and the strong wind it generated made his heart tremble.

He clearly heard the terrifying whooshing sound, and judging from the size and material of the hammer, he immediately realized that the weight of this thing was absolutely beyond imagination!

To be able to throw something so heavy at that speed and height, the Blue Silver Grass Soul Master below must have superhuman strength!

Missing his first strike, Tang Wulin flicked his wrist, causing the Blue Silver Grass to contract nimbly. The Heavy Silver Hammer drew an arc in the air before being steadily pulled back into his hand.

Without pausing, he spun around and threw another hammer at Gu Tianming on the other side, while simultaneously preparing to throw the hammer he had retrieved again...

He actually wanted to use this method to treat the heavy silver hammer like a meteor hammer, attempting to interfere with or even hit his opponent who was flying nimbly in the air.

"Wu Lin, stop!"

Yu Chen's voice rang out promptly, calm and clear.

Tang Wulin paused, put away the hammer, and looked at Yu Chen: "Brother Chen?"

Yu Chen looked up and observed the three Gu brothers, who were nimbly changing positions in the air, not rushing to attack, and seemingly also observing their weaknesses. He quickly analyzed:

"The heavy silver hammer is too cumbersome. Its trajectory when thrown and retrieved is relatively easy to predict, but it also consumes a lot of soul power and physical strength."

"They are flying at a high altitude now, and there are three of them who can support each other to dodge. Your throw is too inaccurate and will only be a waste of your energy."

"Brother Chen, what should we do?"

Tang Wulin asked, as this was his first time encountering such a flying enemy. Apart from using brute force to throw heavy objects, he didn't really have many good options and was actually a little unsure of himself.

"The simplest and safest method—" Yu Chen's gaze was calm.

"wait."

"They are just first-ring Soul Masters. Their flying Martial Soul gives them air superiority, but their attack methods are inevitably relatively monotonous, and they may even lack effective long-range attack Soul Skills."

We maintain our formation, remain steadfast in the face of any change, defend ourselves well, and wait for them to lower their altitude to attack or for their soul power to run out before seizing an opening to counterattack.

Gu Yue can use elemental attacks to disrupt and suppress them from a distance once they enter her firing range.

"Huh? Doesn't that mean we're just passively taking hits the whole time, only able to defend?"

Tang Wulin was clearly unwilling to accept this rather conservative tactic; young people always crave the initiative to attack.

"No, no, Brother Chen, is there a simpler, more direct, and forceful way? Something that can take them down as quickly as possible?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Chen's lips suddenly curled into a meaningful smile.

He glanced sideways at Gu Yue, who had been standing quietly beside him, but whose body was beginning to gather faintly various colored elemental light points.

Gu Yue seemed to sense his gaze and tilted her head slightly. Their eyes met for a moment in the air, calm and natural, yet there was a tacit understanding that needed no words—a trust formed after they had studied tactics together many times and understood each other's abilities.

Then, Yu Chen turned back to Tang Wulin and said slowly in a tone that was both joking and seemingly serious:

"Yes, Wu Lin, of course."

He stretched out his hands, fingers spread wide, and then, under the astonished gazes of Tang Wulin and Xie Xie and the others in the audience who were listening intently, slowly bent his fingers one by one, as if counting:

"A simple, direct, and powerful method that can quickly eliminate air units...?"

He paused, a sly glint in his eyes, and seeing Tang Wulin's eyes light up instantly, clearly uttered the second half of the sentence:

"Nine! I have nine such methods here."

"Any one of them will make them obediently come down from the sky."