Douluo Continent: Martial Soul - Dragon Abyss Sword, Peerless Prodigy

Chapter 57 Clash of Prodigies! The Undercurrents of the Second Round of Lottery Draw

"Interesting," Lin Han muttered to himself.

Bibi Dong followed his gaze: "That one with the sword? What do you think of him?"

"His swordsmanship is fast, and his movement is good, but his foundation isn't solid enough. He'll be at a disadvantage against defensive opponents," Lin Han commented. "However, for a rogue cultivator to reach this level is already quite remarkable."

"You have a pretty high opinion of him." Bibi Dong was somewhat surprised.

"I'm just stating the facts," Lin Han said calmly.

The first round of matches concluded at noon.

Of the 32 contestants, half were eliminated, leaving 16 to advance to the second round.

The list of those who advanced was quickly posted on the glass screen:

Spirit Hall: Lin Han, Bibi Dong; Clear Sky Sect: Tang Hao, Tang Xiao; Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect: Yu Tianqing

Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School: Ning Rong; Feng Tian Dou Empire: Li Hanyi, Ouyang Tie (Ouyang Tie lost to Yu Tianqing but advanced through the revival competition), Feng Wuhen; Star Luo Empire: Dai Hua (Shadow Leopard Martial Soul), Cheng Yaojin (advanced through the revival competition).

And several other prodigies from small and medium-sized sects and independent cultivators.

"The second round of draws will take place this afternoon. All advancing contestants, please be prepared," the referee announced.

Disciples from various sects returned to their lodgings to rest and recuperate.

The guest quarters of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School are a tranquil place, nestled amidst bamboo groves.

Lin Han sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes to rest, and slowly circulated the Quasi-Demigod Dragon Abyss Meditation Technique to nourish the soul power within his body.

He barely used up any soul power in the battle that morning. But maintaining his condition and being ready to fight at any time is his consistent habit.

"Knock knock knock".

A knock came at the door.

"Come in." Lin Han opened his eyes.

The door was pushed open, and Bibi Dong walked in carrying a plate of spiritual fruits, placing it on the table: "Junior brother, have something to eat. Teacher said the duel this afternoon will be very intense, so we need to be well-rested."

"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Sister." Lin Han stood up, picked up a spiritual fruit, took a bite, and felt the sweet juice spread in her mouth, while a gentle spiritual energy seeped into her body.

Bibi Dong sat opposite him, resting her chin on her hands as she looked at him, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

"What does Senior Sister want to say?" Lin Han asked.

"Junior brother, who do you think our opponent will be this afternoon?" Bibi Dong blinked. "Could it be Tang Hao? Or Yu Tianqing?"

"Anything is possible," Lin Han said. "Drawing lots is all about luck; it's normal to run into anyone."

"Aren't you worried?" Bibi Dong asked curiously. "Tang Hao and Yu Tianqing are not easy opponents. If you draw them and deplete too much of your strength prematurely, the later matches will be..."

"Senior sister," Lin Han interrupted her, his tone calm, "I'm participating in the Heavenly Pride Tournament not to win a ranking."

"Why is that?"

"To see just how many worthy opponents this era has that I can draw my sword against." A sharp glint flashed in Lin Han's eyes. "Tang Hao, Yu Tianqing, Ning Rongfeng—they are all excellent whetstones. Whether I encounter them sooner or later makes no difference to me."

Looking into his clear yet confident eyes, Bibi Dong felt a strange, indescribable feeling welling up inside her.

Her junior brother was never one to care about winning or losing. All he cared about was improving his swordsmanship and the strength of his opponents.

"And what about me?" Bibi Dong suddenly asked, "In your eyes, am I an opponent worthy of your drawing of your sword?"

Lin Han glanced at her, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Senior sister is my senior sister, not my opponent."

"You're just trying to fool me!" Bibi Dong puffed out her cheeks.

"I'm serious," Lin Han said. "Your path is different from mine. Your future lies not in the sword path, but in the limits of your twin martial souls. Once you truly master the essence of the Spider Emperor Domain, even I might not be able to defeat you easily."

A glint of light flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes: "Really?"

"When have I ever lied to you?"

Bibi Dong smiled with satisfaction and picked up a spirit fruit to eat.

The sun was shining brightly in the afternoon.

The Tianjiao Arena was once again bustling with excitement.

The sixteen finalists stood in the center of the ring, awaiting the draw for the second round.

Ning Fengzhi personally walked to the glass box, stirred the jade tablet inside, and said with a smile, "The second round consists of eight matches. The winners will advance to the quarterfinals, and the losers will be eliminated. The draw results will be announced now."

He took out the jade tablets one by one and read out the list of opponents.

"The first match is between Lin Han of the Spirit Hall and Cheng Yaojin of the Star Luo Empire."

Lin Han's expression remained unchanged.

Cheng Yaojin stood opposite him, his face twitching slightly, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes.

Although he barely made it through the revival round, he had no confidence whatsoever when facing an opponent like Lin Han.

"The second match is between Tang Hao of the Haotian Sect and Li Hanyi of the Tiandou Empire."

Li Hanyi's face paled slightly.

She was a ranged attack-type Soul Master, and what she feared most was a domineering Battle Soul Master like Tang Hao who could overcome any skill with sheer brute force. She was suppressed by Bibi Dong's Spider Emperor Domain in the morning, and then encountered Tang Hao in the afternoon—her luck was simply unbelievable.

"The third match is between Bibi Dong of the Spirit Hall and Feng Wuhen, a rogue cultivator."

Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at Feng Wuhen, who was standing not far away.

Feng Wuhen remained calm, the Gale Sword in his hand humming softly, and there was no fear in his eyes.

"In the fourth match, Yu Tianqing of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect will face Ning Rongfeng of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

The announcement of this matchup caused an uproar in the stadium.

"Yu Tianqing versus Ning Rongfeng? This is a clash of titans!"

"With the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex Clan's offensive power clashing with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's support capabilities, it's really hard to say who will emerge victorious!"

"Ning Rongfeng's Seven Treasures Body Protection is powerful, but Yu Tianqing's Thunder Claws could even shatter Ouyang Tie's Iron Dragon Wall with a single punch. Can Ning Rongfeng withstand it?"

Ning Rongfeng smiled, looked at Yu Tianqing, and slightly clasped his hands in greeting: "Brother Yu, please give me your guidance."

Yu Tianqing remained silent with a cold expression, only nodding.

"The fifth match is between Tang Xiao of the Haotian Sect and Ouyang Tie of the Tiandou Empire."

"Sixth match: Dai Hua of the Star Luo Empire versus XXX of the Heaven Dou Empire."

"Seventh Scene —"

All eight matchups have been announced.

Lin Han looked at Tang Hao, and Tang Hao was also looking at him.

Their eyes met in mid-air, but there was no spark, only a tacit understanding.

They all knew that the real showdown wouldn't happen in the second round.

Tang Hao withdrew his gaze, glanced at his opponent Li Hanyi, and a slight disdainful smile appeared on his lips.

Li Hanyi felt a chill run down her spine from his gaze and instinctively gripped the Frost Moon Bow tighter in her hand.

"It's all over, it's really all over now—"

She wailed inwardly, but maintained a cold and aloof expression on her face, refusing to lose to her opponent in terms of momentum.

Bibi Dong walked to Lin Han's side and whispered, "Junior Brother, Feng Wuhen's sword is very fast. Do you think I can win?"

"As long as you perform normally, you should have no problem beating him," Lin Han said. "Although his sword is fast, his foundation is not solid enough, and he lacks strength. Your Spider Emperor Domain is exactly what counters his domain, so his speed advantage will be greatly weakened, while your poison mist and mental threads can slowly wear him down."

"Then I won't stand on ceremony!" A hint of excitement flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes.

Although she won in the morning, it wasn't an easy victory. This afternoon, she wanted to win even more spectacularly, to let everyone know that the Spirit Hall not only had sword geniuses like Lin Han, but also a twin-spirit saintess like herself.

The referee stepped onto the stage and announced loudly: "Second round, first match: Lin Han of the Spirit Hall versus Cheng Yaojin of the Star Luo Empire! Both fighters, please come to the stage!"

Lin Han stepped onto the arena.

Clad in white, she wore the Dragon Abyss Sword slung across her waist, and four soul rings pulsed slowly around her.

Cheng Yaojin, carrying a giant axe the size of a door, strode onto the arena, his face full of fierce features, exuding an imposing aura.

But those who know him well can see that General Cheng's pace is much slower than usual.