Douluo Dalu (Soul Land): Shadow Monarch

"Fifteen hundred gold coins?" The staff in charge of the bets was taken aback. "Are you sure?"

Cheng Xiao responded indifferently, "I'm sure."

"Alright." The staff took the gold coin card Cheng Xiao handed over and quickly processed the bet with practiced ease.

The rules of the Grand Soul Arena prohibit participating soul masters from placing bets, but since Cheng Xiao wasn't participating in this team battle, that rule didn't apply to him.

After placing his bet, Cheng Xiao intended to head to the spectator area to watch the team match of the Emperor Battle Team. However, just as he turned around, he noticed a plump middle-aged man dressed in black walking quickly towards the betting area, seemingly with something urgent to attend to.

Upon reaching the Emperor Battle Team's betting point, the chubby man first gave Cheng Xiao a polite smile, then handed a shiny gold coin card to the staff and said, "Place thirty thousand gold soul coins on the Emperor Battle Team."

"Thirty thousand gold soul coins! My goodness, are you serious?" The staff was stunned by the plump man in front of him. Thirty thousand gold soul coins—that's a fortune!

"Do I look like I'm joking?" The man glared at the staff and urged, "Thirty thousand gold soul coins, all on the Emperor Battle Team."

"O-okay," the staff stammered as they nervously took the gold coin card and quickly completed the bet.

With the bet placed, the man visibly relaxed. He then turned to Cheng Xiao, narrowing his eyes slightly, and smiled, "Young man, are you also betting on the Emperor Battle Team?"

Cheng Xiao nodded slightly, smiling back. "Yes, the Emperor Battle Team looks strong. Betting on them might bring a decent reward."

Hearing this, the man's eyes lit up, and he said, "Ah, young man, great minds think alike! I also believe that the Emperor Battle Team is strong. Perhaps tonight will be the end of the Berserk God Team."

"Perhaps." Cheng Xiao smiled again, gave the man a slight nod, and then turned to leave the betting area.

As the man watched Cheng Xiao's departing figure, he had a sense that the boy was not as simple as he seemed. He cast a casual glance at the Berserk God Team's betting area and felt a sense of smugness rise in his chest.

"Bet away, bet away. The more you bet, the greater my return will be," the man thought with a secret laugh. "How could a small soul team from Suotuo City be stronger than a team from Heaven Dou City? It seems like I'll be making quite a bit of gold soul coins tonight!"

With a satisfied grin, the man disappeared into the crowd. He was off to the team battle spectator area to watch the match—tonight was bound to be a sleepless night.

Ten minutes later.

The fully prepared Emperor Battle Team arrived at the first soul master passage of the Team Soul Battle in Division Eleven for their first match of the night.

"Tianheng, when the battle starts, don't hold back. Defeat them as quickly as possible. They're all ruthless, so be cautious," Qin Ming, the Emperor Battle Team's instructor, gave his usual reminder before the match began.

"Got it, Teacher Qin. We understand." Captain Yu Tianheng nodded and then looked back at his teammates, smiling. "Everyone, tonight, let's make the Emperor Battle Team's name known. Let's show them what a true team soul battle looks like!"

As his words fell, the members of the Emperor Battle Team followed the staff's guidance, seven of them heading towards the battle stage. Qin Ming also immediately left the soul master passage, heading to the spectator area to meet up with Cheng Xiao.

"The first match of the Team Soul Battle in Division Eleven is now officially underway!"

As the host's voice rang out, both teams immediately activated their martial spirits. Perhaps because of the fierce reputation of the Berserk God Team, the host quickly flew into the air, avoiding the risk of being caught in the battle.

"A bunch of kids dare to battle against us, the Berserk God Team? I'll beat you so badly your own parents won't recognize you!" Even before the fight began, Berserk God Team's captain, Kuang Wu, had already thrown out some harsh words, oblivious to the destructive consequences this trash talk would bring him and his team.

Hearing the taunts from the Berserk God Team, the members of the Emperor Battle Team were visibly displeased. While both sides hadn't yet started fighting, the intense aura radiating from the Berserk God Team made the atmosphere grow tense and hostile.

Kuang Wu looked about thirty years old, with a fierce scar running across his right eye. His eyes gleamed with cruelty as he locked his gaze on Yu Tianheng, eager to tear these kids to pieces.

"Boss, let's teach them a lesson," said Yu Feng, floating in midair.

Coldly staring at the cruel-faced Kuang Wu, Yu Tianheng took a deep breath and then shouted, "Let's see who's really stronger, them or us!"

As soon as his words fell, a blue light spread out from his body, followed by blue-purple electric arcs dancing around him. The shadow of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial spirit slowly appeared behind him.

When Yu Tianheng revealed his martial spirit and soul rings, the entire audience erupted in shock.

"The perfect soul ring configuration! And the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, the world's strongest beast martial spirit! He's from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, one of the Upper Three Sects!"

The appearance of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial spirit immediately electrified the crowd. At this point, all of the Emperor Battle Team members also revealed their martial spirits and soul rings. Each one had the optimal two yellow, one purple soul ring configuration, from the support-type soul master Ye Lingling to the defense-type Shi brothers.

The two yellow, one purple soul ring setup took the Berserk God Team completely by surprise. Compared to the Emperor Battle Team's clear strength, the Berserk God Team looked outclassed.

Aside from Kuang Wu, who also had two yellow and one purple rings, the other six team members had either a white, yellow, and purple ring setup or two yellow and one white. In terms of soul ring configuration alone, the Berserk God Team had already lost to the Emperor Battle Team.

But what shocked Kuang Wu the most was that his opponent was wielding the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, known as the most powerful beast martial spirit. He realized the implications—a disciple from one of the Upper Three Sects wouldn't usually appear in a small place like Suotuo City. With a little thought, he could guess why.

"Rich kid here for training?" Kuang Wu clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked. Although the battle hadn't started yet, he was already feeling the pressure.

Faced with such a top-tier martial spirit, Kuang Wu had no idea how he could win. His teammates were equally stunned and speechless.

Seeing the stunned Berserk God Team, Yu Tianheng gave the command, and the Emperor Battle Team launched their attack.

As captain, Yu Tianheng led the charge. With the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial spirit, he feared no opponent. As he unleashed his soul skills, his muscles swelled, and his hands transformed into dragon claws. He, along with Osler and Yu Feng, executed a coordinated frontal and flanking assault.

The Shi brothers quickly released their martial spirits, two green-glowing tortoise shells following closely behind Yu Tianheng, ready to block any incoming attacks.

Deputy captain Dugu Yan, having summoned her martial spirit—the Jade Phosphor Serpent—stood her ground, waiting for the right moment to unleash a deadly attack.

Facing the Emperor Battle Team's advancing members, Berserk God Team captain Kuang Wu snapped out of his stupor and roared to his teammates, "Stop standing around! Hit them hard!"

With that, Kuang Wu swung his hand, summoning a blood-red blade—his martial spirit, the Blood Blade. While it wasn't a top-tier tool spirit, it was still a high-level weapon.

Apart from Kuang Wu and their support-type soul master, the other five Berserk God members had beast martial spirits such as bears, monkeys, goats, dogs, and hippos. Though these spirits were formidable in smaller competitions, they were clearly outclassed by the Emperor Battle Team's top-tier spirits.

Seeing Kuang Wu struggling, the Shi brothers immediately sent their tortoise shells flying toward the rest of the Berserk God Team.

"Brothers, we fight! Even if we die, we'll show them that the Berserk God Team isn't to be trifled with!"

The Berserk God Team's deputy captain shouted, his three soul rings glowing brightly as he charged at the Shi brothers.

However, within moments, the arena echoed with cries of pain. The deputy captain was quickly overwhelmed by the Shi brothers' brute strength, and after being struck in the ribs, he was sent flying out of the ring.

Their support soul masters fared no better. Osler and Yu Feng, moving like executioners, used their speed to seize the opportunity, flanking the Berserk God Team and tossing their support members out of the ring, leaving them unconscious.

The fight lasted just over two minutes. When Yu Tianheng's dragon claws clamped down on Kuang Wu's head, the team battle came to a close.

With the entire Berserk God Team knocked out of the ring, the crowd watched in shock as the match concluded.

Had the spectators known the Emperor Battle Team was this strong, none of them would have bet on the Berserk God Team.

But there was no going back. The money they'd painstakingly saved for betting was now destined to end up in the pockets of Emperor Battle Team's supporters.

Looking up at the scoreboard, Cheng Xiao smiled lightly, confident that his bet would pay off handsomely.