Chapter 349: Su Ming: As Expected of the Tianshui Girl Group!

Su Ming was surprised by Tianshui Academy's request for a friendly match. This was never mentioned in the original story, likely a butterfly effect from his own presence and the fact that, unlike in the original, Rongrong and others were now representing Tiandou Royal Academy.

Unfortunately, the academy's three commissioners didn't allow him or Xiao Wu to participate, saying they should "keep things mysterious" and hide their strength. They were to be spectators this time, while Dugu Yan would lead the team, which was enough.

Since he wasn't competing, Su Ming decided he'd enjoy the match as a spectator. He was especially curious if the famous Tianshui girl group would perform an opening dance, which he looked forward to seeing.

The next morning, Shui Binger and the other Tianshui team members were led to the reserved match venue by Tiandou Royal Academy staff, where Su Ming and his team had been waiting.

Dugu Bo said calmly, "Little monster, arrange this friendly match however you like. As long as you and Xiao Wu stay out of the ring, I won't interfere."

Su Ming nodded and gathered everyone. "Dugu Yan will lead the team. The lineup will be Shimo, Shimo'er, Zhuqing, Rongrong, Yufeng, and Oslo. Any objections?"

"No!" They had absolute respect for Su Ming, who was now a powerful Soul King. They wouldn't dare to object, especially since Su Ming was also their savior.

Dugu Yan added, "Don't be careless. The Tianshui team is a well-trained, strong team in the Soul Master Tournament, so we can't let our guard down!"

Yufeng responded nonchalantly, "Captain, what's there to worry about? We're all Soul Sects now, and you're a Soul King. No way Tianshui Academy has a Soul King-level opponent!"

The others, like Shimo and Shimo'er, nodded, brimming with confidence. They'd all grown stronger in these past months, with Shimo and Shimo'er at level 43, Yufeng and Oslo at 42. Though their progress wasn't as fast as Su Ming and his core team, it was still impressive.

Seeing their overconfidence, Dugu Yan replied seriously, "Don't assume that just because I'm a Soul King, we're guaranteed to win. This is just a friendly match, so I won't be using my full strength. I'll focus on controlling the field while Shimo and Shimo'er protect Rongrong, and the rest will focus on offense. We'll go with a 3-1-2 formation. If anyone messes up due to arrogance, prepare to sit out the main tournament next month! Understood?"

Startled, Yufeng and the others replied, "Yes!" They had no desire to miss out on the chance for fame in the upcoming tournament.

Soon, the Tianshui team, led by academy staff, arrived at the arena. When Su Ming saw the famed Tianshui girl group, his eyes lit up. As expected, each of them was beautiful. Su Ming especially recognized Shui Binger, Shui Yue'er, and Xue Wu, though the other four were less familiar.

Mainly, he remembered Shui Binger and Xue Wu's powerful Fusion Skill, "Dancing Snow," an attack so formidable that, without Tang San's protagonist plot armor, no one below Soul King could withstand it. Shui Yue'er, meanwhile, was unforgettable due to her well-known reputation as a hopeless romantic and Shui Binger's half-sister.

The announcer's voice echoed through the arena: "Today, we are honored to hold a friendly match between the Tiandou Royal Academy and Tianshui Academy! Will the teams please step forward for introductions?"

As they moved toward the arena, Xiao Wu whispered, "Brother Su Ming, did you see? Tianshui's team is all girls! Feeling tempted?"

Su Ming coughed awkwardly. "Xiao Wu, come on! Do I seem like that kind of guy?"

Without missing a beat, Xiao Wu replied, "Yes!"

Well, Su Ming had to admit to himself that seeing so many beautiful faces was tempting. But that was useless if they didn't feel the same about him, and they were only meeting for the first time.

Once everyone reached the center of the arena, but before Su Ming or Shui Binger could even greet each other, Shui Yue'er spoke up eagerly, "You're Su Ming? Captain of the Tiandou team? You're as handsome as they say!"

Shui Yue'er blushed, her hands on her cheeks, clearly lovestruck. Shui Binger sighed, lightly knocking her sister on the head. "Sorry about that. My sister is a bit of a fangirl."

Su Ming chuckled; he already knew Shui Yue'er was a romantic. Her reaction confirmed his appearance was at least acceptable. "Not a problem! I'm honored to be admired," he said, grinning shamelessly.

After brief introductions, Shui Binger turned to Su Ming and said, "Captain Su Ming, we prepared a special opening dance for this friendly match. Would you and your team be interested in watching?"

Su Ming's eyes lit up in delight. "Absolutely! As the Tianshui girl group, your academy is renowned for such performances. It's an honor to watch."

When everything was ready, Shui Binger and the others positioned themselves on the stage, with colorful lights flashing around the arena. Su Ming activated the recording function on his diary. Such a beautiful performance was worth saving to rewatch whenever he wanted. After all, it wasn't every day one could see the Tianshui girls perform. Su Ming couldn't help but feel a bit like a fanboy at a concert, surrounded by cheering fans.