Chapter 171: Educating the Little Ones
The little ones continued with their 1v1 and 2v2 soul fights, and it was clear that their combat abilities had significantly improved.
Ning Bei silently nodded and made his way to the nearby training stage.
"Have you guys tried team soul fighting?"
Ning Bei's voice gathered everyone's attention.
"Second Young Master!"
"Ning Bei Brother!"
"Master!"
The little ones politely greeted him, with only Ning Rongrong glaring at her older brother with disdain.
"We, as Soul Kings, can't even match teams with high-level Soul Emperors, okay?"
"Uh..."
Ning Bei froze for a moment at his sister's complaint. He hadn't considered that situation.
"Is that so? Then would you like me to be your opponent?"
"Huh?"
Ah Bao and the others exchanged looks. Although they were eager to practice their team coordination in real combat, directly facing Ning Bei, a Title Douluo, seemed like a futile challenge.
Ning Rongrong, even more upset, pouted and angrily said, "Brother, if you want to beat us, just say it. We, a bunch of small fries, aren't even enough to fit between your teeth!"
Xiao Wu also glared at him, secretly thinking that Ning Bei was really a big bad.
Noticing the expressions of the little ones, Ning Bei wasn't angry. He walked to the center of the stage and unleashed his soul power, forming a circle about two meters in diameter on the ground.
"I won't attack you first. You can use any means you want, as long as you can get me out of this circle, you win. What do you think?"
Upon hearing that Ning Bei had lowered the difficulty so much, the little ones began to get excited.
They were all top-tier among their peers, so they weren't without their pride. If they could make Ning Bei admit defeat, even under the rules, they'd be thrilled.
Before they could agree, Ning Bei threw out another incentive.
"The one who performs the best will get a reward!"
Upon hearing this, the little ones immediately became even more excited, their hesitation vanishing.
"Then we're coming, Second Young Master!"
They all took their positions on the training stage, standing opposite Ning Bei. Before they could prepare, Ning Rongrong spoke up again.
"Hey, hey, hey, Brother, this isn't fair! They can all go up and perform, what about me, a little support?"
Ning Bei thought for a moment, then replied, "Hmm, you're right. How about this? As long as someone, with your support, can make me move a step, you'll have done well. How does that sound?"
Ning Rongrong's face immediately lit up with joy. She thought to herself that her brother was indeed on her side and had given her a special allowance.
"Hehe, I've got this reward in the bag!"
Seeing Ning Rongrong's confident expression, Ning Bei couldn't help but smile wickedly inside, thinking, "Stinky sister, you'll have your crying moment later!"
After resolving all doubts, the little ones quickly dispersed across the training stage, preparing their formation.
Long Nianbing, Ah Bao, and Xiao Wu stood in a line in front of Ning Bei, while Zhu Zhuqing circled behind him, preparing to strike when the opportunity arose.
Since Ning Bei had promised not to move, they weren't worried about Ning Rongrong's safety. Nami and Ye Yin Zhu stood in front of her, preparing to provide control and support for the front line.
"If you're ready, let's begin."
With Ning Bei's command, Ning Rongrong quickly unleashed the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile.
"Seven Treasures Famous—No Rest for the Workers!"
Four-colored halos appeared on each person, and the little ones' momentum instantly increased.
Ning Bei didn't interfere with his sister's actions, watching as she completed the support task.
Zhu Zhuqing, moving incessantly behind him, was full of hesitation. To her, Ning Bei standing casually in the middle of the stage was full of openings.
However, having witnessed Ning Bei in action before, she didn't dare attack rashly.
On the other hand, the energetic Xiao Wu had no such concerns. After receiving her sister's support, she activated her soul skill and rushed toward Ning Bei.
Seeing her movements, Nami quickly used her first and third soul skills.
"Third Soul Skill—Tide Summoning Aid."
Three water balls appeared around Xiao Wu, increasing the power of her next soul skill by thirty percent.
"Fifth Soul Skill—Soft Bone Lock."
Seeing that Ning Bei hadn't made any move, Xiao Wu quickly launched her soul skill, locking him in a very ungraceful posture, waiting for the water bubbles to trap them both.
Xiao Wu's movements reminded her of the King of Destruction from her past life, when He Jin Yin locked Master Brother.
Feeling that Ning Bei was thoroughly locked, Xiao Wu smiled smugly.
"Nami, send the water bubble!"
Nami saw the opportunity and quickly threw a water bubble to where they were standing.
But Xiao Wu didn't stop her Soft Bone Lock just because of the water bubble. She thought that if she could be trapped with Ning Bei, it would still count as a trade-off. In that case, they would have won.
Ning Bei, understanding Xiao Wu's intentions, smirked and then slightly moved his right hand in the air.
A cube-shaped ice block appeared in the air and then went directly from Xiao Wu's collar into her back.
"Ah!"
Xiao Wu let out a scream, realizing that the ice block was at absolute zero. She immediately shivered all over, unable to maintain her Soft Bone Lock.
She quickly jumped back to the ground, shaking her neck vigorously.
After a moment, the ice block fell from the hem of her clothes and landed on the ground. Upon contact with the tiles, a thick layer of ice began to form in a ten-meter radius.
While shaking, Xiao Wu glared at Ning Bei with a fierce look.
"Is this something a person does?"
Ning Bei chuckled but didn't pay attention to Xiao Wu's indignation. He waved his hand, using soul power to dispel Nami's water bubble, successfully neutralizing the first wave of attacks from the little ones.
Before Ning Bei could start to taunt, the ground suddenly flashed with a faint light, and Ah Bao, wielding his giant scythe, charged forward.
"Fourth Soul Skill—Split Shadow Strike!"
Ah Bao, with no hesitation, launched his strongest attack, aiming to penetrate Ning Bei's body.
To cover Ah Bao's movements, Long Nianbing even summoned the Ao Tian sword to clear the way.
Ning Bei laughed softly, not showing any signs of panic.
He slightly expanded his domain, and Ah Bao, along with the flying kitchen knife, collided with a thick ice layer, unable to move forward.
Seeing this, Ah Bao quickly changed his strategy. His third soul ring lit up, and he fused into the earth again, disappearing from sight.
At that moment, a sharp sound of a string instrument reached their ears. It was Ye Yin Zhu using his soul skill, with his fourth soul ring activating.
Ning Bei, still curious about his soul skill, did not yet deploy his spiritual defense.
Soon after, Dugu Yan and Qian Renxue suddenly appeared in front of Ning Bei.
Both women looked very displeased, glaring at each other with intense hatred.
(END CHAPTER)
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Chapter 172 End, Reward
The two of them exchanged just a few words before rolling up their sleeves and grabbing at each other's hair.
While they tore at each other, their mouths didn't stop hurling insults.
"Little yellow-haired brat, I only slipped up for a moment and let you take advantage. Once we're home, I'll make Ah Bei dump you!"
"Stupid snake-charmer, that bad guy already said he was just playing around with you. If you think you can make him leave me, dream on!"
"Bullshit! Ah Bei loves researching new glow-in-the-dark spirit bones with me the most!"
"Nonsense! What he likes most is studying dolphin-note singing with me at the Ice God Temple!"
"Ah! I'll rip your mouth right off!"
"Hmph, a mere Soul Emperor thinks she can be a match for this Soul Saint? Let me tell you, that bad guy saved the best immortal herb for me. Don't you understand what that means?"
"You, you…"
Faced with the chaotic bloodbath in front of him, Ning Bei shuddered all over, quickly shaking his head to drive away the terrifying image.
Looking again at Ye Yinzhu in the distance, even her gaze had grown dangerous.
"That's really terrifying…"
At the very instant Ning Bei was distracted by the horrifying illusion, the little cat girl seized the opportunity and lunged from behind.
"Third Spirit Skill—Nether Slash!"
A crescent-shaped purple-black slash shot straight at Ning Bei's back. For some reason, the little cat girl instinctively avoided his vital spots.
But Ning Bei seemed to have eyes on his back. A soul power shield instantly flared, blocking the slash, and he smiled toward the front.
Sure enough, the attack from behind was only a decoy. The real body had already appeared in front of him.
He extended a finger, flicking away the external spirit bone armor on her body. Without losing momentum, his finger continued toward the little cat girl's forehead.
Unable to dodge in time, Zhu Zhuqing could only shut her eyes and wait for defeat to arrive.
Yet the pain never came. Confused, she opened her eyes to find Ning Bei's finger resting against her forehead, unmoving.
Seeing the puzzlement in her gaze, Ning Bei grinned and flicked her.
A crisp "snap" rang out, and the little cat girl clutched her forehead, retreating rapidly.
When she removed her hand, Ning Bei chuckled, very satisfied with his handiwork.
Her once fair and smooth forehead now bore a glaring red mark, as if a third eye had grown there.
Flushed with shame and anger, the little cat glared at Ning Bei. She didn't need a mirror to know exactly what that bad guy was laughing at.
Glancing at Ye Yinzhu still playing her zither in the distance, Ning Bei opened his mouth and began to sing.
His broken, raspy voice made everyone frown, scattering the music surrounding them. Ye Yinzhu stared in shock at her zither, its strings snapped under the noise, unable to calm herself for a long while.
At the very back, Ning Rongrong covered her ears, completely exasperated.
"Stinky brother, what the hell are you singing? It's awful!"
"When you were little, you loved hearing it when I sang you to sleep."
"Peh! Who would ever like a sound so bad even dogs would shake their heads? Brother, stop making things up!"
Arms akimbo, Ning Rongrong pouted, glaring at her brother as though accusing him of insulting her taste.
Ning Bei shook his head in mock sorrow.
"Ah, my cute little sister is gone forever. Back then, you always fell asleep to my songs. You slept so soundly, you even drew little maps of Heaven Dou City on your bed!"
"Ahhhhh! Stinky brother, I'll fight you to the death!"
Noticing the strange looks from their companions, Ning Rongrong grew even more frantic.
Buffing herself four layers, she prepared to charge at Ning Bei.
Thankfully, the little rabbit stopped her from rushing to her doom, quickly hugging her back to the rear of the group.
"Calm down, calm down! Big Brother Ning Bei is just provoking you into delivering yourself to him!"
"Hmph!"
Unable to break free from her friend's restraint, Ning Rongrong could only glare venomously at Ning Bei.
The little scuffle passed, and Long Nianbing and Ah Du began their second round of offense.
"Second Spirit Skill—Piercing Blade!"
Ah Du burst out from underground, swinging his giant scythe upward toward Ning Bei.
Long Nianbing wasn't slow either. Across the arena, countless earthen kitchen knives rose into the air, surrounding Ning Bei.
"Earth Edge Calamity!"
The scythe struck, and as the freezing chill spread, Ah Du didn't wait for Ning Bei to trap him in ice but immediately slipped back into the ground.
Faced with knives closing in from all directions, Ning Bei simply nodded.
He was pleased with Ah Du and Long Nianbing's teamwork.
But as the countless knives neared him, they turned to snowflakes, falling harmlessly to the ground. The younger ones furrowed their brows deeply.
A sense of helplessness welled in their hearts. Even though Ning Bei had never attacked or even used a spirit skill, they were still unable to shake him.
Ning Bei shook his head slightly. They had still faced too few setbacks.
"Since you won't attack anymore, then it's my turn. After all, none of you can make me move a single step."
"Whoever breaks free first will receive the reward."
With that, Ning Bei waved his hand lightly.
"Ice Age!"
The Eternal Freeze domain spread, and the entire arena—along with all the youngsters—were instantly frozen into ice statues, terror frozen on their faces.
Of course, Ning Bei had held back. If he truly froze them, the consequences wouldn't be good.
This strike served two purposes: to dampen their arrogance, and to create an excuse to hand out rewards.
He didn't yet have enough suitable spirit bones for everyone. Until he obtained the three from Spirit Hall, he couldn't make it fair. Giving them out as "rewards" was the best way.
Otherwise, if some got them and others didn't, resentment would surely brew.
A few minutes later, Ning Bei had expected the little rabbit, the strongest in cultivation, to break free first.
But to his surprise, the first to shatter the ice coffin was actually Ah Du , who hadn't even reached the Soul King level yet.
Shivering as he stepped out of the ice, Ah Du was met with Ning Bei's smile.
From his soul tool, Ning Bei took out a 50,000-year-old Extreme Shadow Mink's left leg bone and tossed it to him.
Catching it clumsily, Ah Du 's eyes immediately filled with deep gratitude.
"Many thanks, Second Young Master!"
"No need. It's just the promised reward."
Slowly, Xiao Wu and Long Nianbing broke free, followed by Ye Yinzhu and Zhu Zhuqing.
Last were Nami and Ning Rongrong.
"Achoo! Stinky brother, don't you know how to pity girls?"
Hearing her complaint, Ning Bei shot her a helpless look.
"Forget that—why don't you wipe your nose clean first?"
"Ah!"
With a startled cry, Ning Rongrong hurried to wipe her nose, fixing her appearance before once again glaring at him viciously.
"Alright, your teamwork is quite good. Keep it up."
"Che, but we still couldn't make you move even a little!"
The little rabbit drooped her head in frustration, kicking at the ground as she spoke.
Tsk, looks like I went too far. Their arrogance is gone, but now they're doubting themselves.
Knocking her lightly on the head, Ning Bei chuckled.
"Please, your big brother here is a Titled Douluo. Did you really think you could win against me?"
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 173: Half a Year
Half a month later, Ning Rongrong successfully broke through to level 50. Ning Bei took his sister and the other two little ones to Sunset Forest.
They successfully helped them obtain their fifth soul ring, and the Seven Treasure Battle Team gained three more Soul Kings.
Rongrong's fifth soul skill was obtained from a nearly 20,000-year-old Red Flame Sword Tooth Tiger. It enhanced her attack power by 60%, which wasn't unexpected.
After absorbing the soul ring, her soul power level reached level 52.
Ah Bao's fifth soul ring came from a slightly over 20,000-year-old Demon God Tiger. His fifth soul skill, Shadow Demon Transformation, was a type of attribute enhancement skill, similar to Dai Mubai's third soul skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation.
However, Ah Bao's fifth soul skill was much stronger, as it could not only increase all attributes by 100% for a period of time, but also amplify the power of soul skills, which complemented Ning Rongrong's support abilities.
After absorbing the soul ring, his soul power level reached 53. He planned to absorb the 50,000-year soul bone Ning Bei had given him once they returned to the sect.
Ye Yin Zhu's soul ring came from a Demon Sound Ape and added a group attack sound wave skill called Shock Magic Sound. It could cause mental damage to a group while also having a control effect, which was very useful.
Ye Yin Zhu's soul power level also reached 53, the same as Ah Bao's. However, knowing that his teammates had received soul bone rewards, he couldn't help but feel a bit unwilling, though he didn't harbor any jealousy toward Ah Bao or Long Nianbing.
He decided to turn his dissatisfaction into motivation, working hard to help the team win the Soul Master Competition so that they could earn soul bone rewards.
At the sect, after hearing that the three of them had become Soul Kings, the little cat didn't stop her training for a moment.
According to Xiao Wu, this girl hadn't slept for several days.
Ning Bei understood her feelings. Among the teammates, aside from Nami, she was the only one still at the Soul Emperor level.
Nami's situation was special, as she had only been cultivating for two years.
The little cat, who was proud, forced herself to keep training in order to catch up with her teammates.
Ning Bei was worried that the little girl might overtrain and hurt her body. After several failed attempts to persuade her, he decided to talk to her alone in her room.
When Zhu Zhuqing arrived at Ning Bei's residence, she was somewhat nervous, with a hint of an emotion she herself hadn't noticed.
"Ning Bei Brother, did you call for me?"
Ning Bei waved at the little cat, and when she walked over, he gently flicked her smooth forehead.
"Ugh!"
Seeing her retreat with her hand on her forehead, Ning Bei gave her an annoyed look.
"Have you not slept for days? Are you trying to kill yourself?"
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't argue and awkwardly smiled to hide her guilt.
Not wanting to continue the charade, Ning Bei immediately took out two jade bottles and tossed them to her.
"These are the Three-patterned Blue Spirit Pill and the Purple Heart Breaking Pill. They'll probably help you increase your soul power by three levels."
Zhu Zhuqing had heard her sisters talk about the effects of these pills, but since Ning Bei hadn't given them to her, she hadn't thought to ask for them herself, feeling like she owed him enough already.
"Thank you, Ning Bei Brother, but..."
"Cut it out. You owe me so much already. You'd rather risk your health than accept my pills? Are you dumb?"
Before Zhu Zhuqing could refuse, Ning Bei rolled his eyes and interrupted her.
"But..."
"No buts. What's precious to you is just a bit of soul power for me. What's there to feel bad about?"
After hearing Ning Bei's words, Zhu Zhuqing thought for a moment and agreed, no longer refusing.
After taking the jade bottles, she looked at Ning Bei gratefully.
"Thank you, Ning Bei Brother!"
"Mm, come here!"
Ning Bei nodded and then waved at her again.
Zhu Zhuqing walked over with some confusion, and Ning Bei raised his hand to release the soul bone skill, Purification, placing his hand on her forehead.
The dazzling milky-white light caused the little cat to close her eyes, not afraid that Ning Bei would harm her.
While releasing the skill, Ning Bei felt her change. Just when he thought the effect wouldn't be significant, Zhu Zhuqing's brows suddenly furrowed, as though she was going through some pain.
Seeing this, Ning Bei's eyes lit up. The scene when Ah Bao's martial soul evolved was still fresh in his memory, and it seemed similar to what was happening with Zhu Zhuqing.
After a while, the Spectral Spirit Cat martial soul automatically appeared behind Zhu Zhuqing.
Ning Bei wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but it seemed like faint black smoke was swirling around the cat's limbs.
After some time, Zhu Zhuqing opened her beautiful eyes, her face filled with excitement.
"Ning Bei Brother, it seems my martial soul has undergone some changes, but I'm not sure what exactly happened."
Ning Bei nodded, affirming her guess.
"It should have evolved, though not significantly. Try releasing a soul skill, let me see."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded, then began looking around.
Understanding what she intended to do, Ning Bei directly created a soul power shield in front of him.
"Release it directly at me."
"Alright, First Soul Skill—Spectral Sting."
Zhu Zhuqing didn't hesitate and released her first soul skill at Ning Bei. She didn't expect it to deal any damage to a Title Douluo.
When the attack hit Ning Bei's soul power shield, it caused slight ripples.
After the aftershock dissipated, the two of them were surprised to find that there was actually a trace of corrosive power remaining on the shield.
"It seems your attacks will now carry this Spectral attribute."
"Mm!"
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes sparkled, excitedly nodding.
"Thank you, Ning Bei Brother!"
This was probably the umpteenth time the little cat had thanked him, but there was nothing she could do. At her current stage, all she could offer was her small gratitude.
Ning Bei waved his hand, signaling it wasn't a big deal.
"Go back to your regular training frequency. Leave a path for those two lazy girls!"
"Ha!"
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but laugh at Ning Bei's teasing, quickly covering her mouth, but the smile in her eyes was unmistakable.
After taking the pills and training for another half a month, Zhu Zhuqing successfully broke through to level 50. Ning Bei helped her find a nearly 20,000-year-old Shadow Beast.
Zhu Zhuqing's fifth soul skill was called Shadow Kill, which allowed her to hide in shadows and strike her enemies unexpectedly. With her already decent attack power, she became a true glass cannon.
In the following days, they continued to progress through training and teamwork.
Before the competition began, Ning Bei's apprentice, Nami, also finally broke through the 40-level barrier.
Ning Bei took her to the sea and hunted a Furious Sea Shark.
The soul skill she obtained was as expected: a group attack skill named Roar of the Tide, which summoned huge waves to attack her opponents.
The current team setup was one quasi-Soul Saint, six Soul Kings, and one Soul Emperor.
The quasi-Soul Saint was Ning Bei's girlfriend, Dugu Yan, who had just broken through and planned to wait until the preliminaries were over to absorb her seventh soul ring.
Ning Bei actually thought it might be better to have her wait until after the competition to absorb the soul ring since a Soul Saint might be a bit overpowered.
But when Qian Renxue found out, she insisted that Dugu Yan absorb the soul ring as soon as possible. She wanted the Wuhun Temple team to feel despair!
(END CHAPTER)
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Chapter 174: The Start of the Tournament
Qian Renxue's fierce tone made Ning Bei think to himself that this girl really holds grudges.
But thinking about it, it was understandable. Little Angel had been humiliated so much since birth, so it was only natural for her to want to vent her anger.
The day of the tournament's opening quietly arrived.
The first round would be the preliminaries. There were 15 participating teams in the Tiandou City region, and a single round-robin system would determine the 5 teams to advance. Of course, the Shrek team was one of them.
When the tournament began, Ning Fengzhi, Emperor Xueye, and Platinum Bishop Salas of the Wuhun Temple took their seats on the high platform one by one.
Ning Bei sat not far from Ning Fengzhi, wanting to watch the competition up close.
"Ning Sect Leader, who do you think will win the championship in this preliminary round?"
Hearing Xueye's question, Ning Fengzhi smiled lightly and replied:
"I think the Royal Second Team will win!"
"Oh? It seems that Ning Sect Leader has a lot of confidence in his disciples!"
Xueye, who had learned the identities of the Second Team members from Qian Renxue, said with interest.
"Haha, Your Majesty can look forward to it. My daughter is also in the Second Team this time!"
"Oh? Then I suppose the talented women taught by Ning Sect Leader won't disappoint me."
"Your Majesty flatters me, Fengzhi is not worthy of such praise!"
Looking at the two old foxes exchanging pleasantries, Salas snorted coldly. He didn't think any of the participating teams would be a match for their Wuhun Temple team.
The Golden Generation is just playing around with you? It's just a formality, and yet there's all this fuss.
Ning Fengzhi observed Salas's expression, and a trace of a smile flickered in his eyes.
Time passed slowly, and all 15 participating teams had arrived, with the entire venue surrounded by the residents of Tiandou City.
One team, wearing poop-colored uniforms, attracted all the attention from the crowd.
"Wow, how can these people wear such clothes and still go out?"
"Haha, what's the difference between this and defecating in the street?"
"Shrek? Are they advertising for fertilizer?"
"...."
Shrek's group covered their faces, hunching over and slowly making their way to the venue, afraid of being recognized.
They were filled with endless resentment toward Flanders.
"Fatty, I feel like this might be the last time I ever show my face in public."
"Yeah, who said no? I was planning on using my good looks to attract some girls, but now it's completely ruined."
The ugly uniforms were just a small episode before the tournament began.
Ning Bei couldn't help but smirk inwardly, wondering how King Salas would react when he saw Xiao Wu and the others, now that they had all become Soul Kings.
With Xueye and Ning Fengzhi giving speeches to open the tournament, Salas also drew the lots for the matchups.
As expected, the first round of the preliminaries would be the Royal Second Team against Shrek Academy, just like in the original story.
After seeing the matchups, Ning Rongrong clenched her fists excitedly and then looked toward Xiao Wu.
"Xiao Wu, make sure to kick their butts hard, don't let all that humiliation go to waste!"
"Don't worry, Xiao Wu will show them the power of the Eight-Stage Throw!"
Xiao Wu patted her chest confidently, reassuring her, with excitement in her eyes. She had been waiting for this day for a long time.
Entering the competition hall, Ning Bei walked with the three major leaders to the prepared seating area. Unexpectedly, Qian Renxue, disguised as Xue Qinghe, was already there waiting for them.
Seeing them arrive, she quickly stood up and bowed.
"Greetings, Father, Teacher, and Bishop Salas!"
After they returned the greetings, Qian Renxue gestured for them to take their seats. Ning Bei couldn't help but glance at her, thinking, "Did she intentionally leave me out of the greeting?"
With that thought, as he passed behind Little Angel, Ning Bei discreetly gave her rear a quick slap.
Little Angel, who was greeting Xueye and the others, froze for a moment. When she realized what happened, she quickly shot Ning Bei an angry glare, as if blaming him for not being more discreet.
Ning Bei acted as though he didn't see her furious look and, whistling, walked over to sit beside Ning Fengzhi, watching the contestants preparing for the battle.
Her killing gaze made Qian Renxue grit her teeth, but she didn't dare to lash out. She could only glare at him, vowing that she would make Ning Bei taste her self-created soul skill, "Giant Crab Claw Kill," once the competition was over.
Ning Bei, feeling the deathly glare, decided not to look in that direction. He noticed Ning Fengzhi continually glancing at him, clearly puzzled about the two of them.
Fortunately, after a passionate speech by the host, the tournament officially began, drawing everyone's attention to the center of the arena.
Shrek's match against their own team was the third match of the first round, with a round-robin points system, and the top five would advance.
The first two matches didn't stir up much excitement, as the Elephant Armor Academy, supported by the Elephant Armor Sect, and the Thunder Academy, supported by the Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus Sect, easily defeated their weak opponents and gained points.
After some investigation, Master looked confidently at the students behind him.
"The opponent will most likely have six Soul Emperors and one Soul Master, an advantage on our side."
"Mu Bai and Xiao San have both become Soul Masters, and I believe you can suppress them!"
Tang San and Dai Mubai nodded slightly, their eyes showing a hint of excitement. Master had already investigated, and Zhu Zhuqing and the others were in the Royal Second Team, so now was their chance to avenge their past grievances.
"Don't worry, Teacher. I'll make them understand how wrong their choice was."
Master nodded and instructed everyone to follow Tang San's orders when they went on stage. Then, he told the students to prepare.
Since Shrek Academy was missing three girls, they had recruited four Soul Emperors to join their team.
The Mighty Gorilla Tailong, Skeleton King Ling, Bloodthirsty Lone Wolf Huang Yuan, and Healing Scepter Jiangzhu.
Soon, the host began introducing the two competing teams, and backstage personnel notified both sides to come on stage.
"Next, we will have the first round of the preliminary competition, the third match, with the Royal Second Team facing Shrek Academy. Please welcome both teams to the stage!"
Xiao Wu walked out of the passage, excitedly observing the audience around her, while glancing back at her teammates.
"Ah Bao, be sharp and don't mess up. We can't lose this one!"
"Don't worry, Xiao Wu, we won't lose a single match."
Ah Bao patted his chest confidently. After watching the first two battles, he felt stronger than ever.
At this moment, the crowd erupted into cheers and jeers.
"Royal Fight! Royal Fight! Royal Fight!"
"Wow, so that poop-colored uniform team is Shrek Academy?"
"Haha, are they trying to make their opponents laugh themselves to death and win without fighting? Look at their chest; there's an ad for MAh Yinglong hemorrhoid ointment!"
Shrek's group, originally walking proudly onto the stage, now had their momentum deflated, covering their faces to avoid being recognized.
At that moment, the Royal Second Team also arrived at the center of the arena, standing opposite Shrek Academy.
Dai Mubai glared at the elegant figure in front of him.
"Zhu Zhuqing, is this the teammate you picked? I'll show you just how wrong you were!"
Zhu Zhuqing, uninterested, casually played with her nails, not even looking at the grimacing man. She seemed to think speaking to him was disrespectful.
(END CHAPTER)
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Chapter 175: Little Cat's Powerful Display
Seeing that his fiancée wouldn't even give him the contemptuous look she used to when looking at trash, Dai Mubai was furious to the point of boiling with rage.
"What is this attitude of yours? Do you really think these rotten sweet potatoes and bad eggs can defeat Dai Weisi and the others?"
"Wake up, stop dreaming!"
Looking at Dai Mubai hopping in anger, Zhu Zhuqing felt her thoughts became clearer. After a cold laugh, she spoke:
"Are you saying that being with you will allow us to defeat Dai Weisi? Or are you planning to take your twin brothers and kneel in front of them and beg for mercy?"
"You..."
Dai Mubai angrily pointed at the disdainful Zhu Zhuqing, unable to find words for a long time. His trembling hand, however, showed just how furious he was.
In the end, it was Tang San, standing nearby, who saw that things were getting out of hand and stepped in to mediate.
"Big Brother Dai, it's pointless to waste words now. Let's settle it in the arena. She will regret it."
"Hmph!"
Dai Mubai lowered his arm and, with a cold grunt, acknowledged Tang San's words, although his gaze toward the opposite side was still as cold as ever.
Zhu Zhuqing turned her head to look at her teammates, a hint of pleading in her eyes.
"Everyone, can I deal with them alone later?"
"Huh? But Xiao Wu also wants to kick their butts. How about..."
Little Rabbit was about to argue but was stopped by Ning Rongrong, who shook her head.
"It's fine, Zhuqing. I'll assist you. Let them see your strength."
Zhu Zhuqing gave Ning Rongrong a grateful look, and her eyes shone with excitement.
Seeing this, Xiao Wu didn't say anything more. Both she and Zhu Zhuqing knew that Zhu Zhuqing had come a long way, and it was only natural for her to want to vent.
As the host's voice signaled the start of the match, Shrek's group all released their martial spirits, and the arena was lit up by the shimmering light from the various soul rings.
"Pfft!"
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong covered their mouths, lowering their heads. Even though nearly two years had passed, they still couldn't hold back their laughter when they saw Tang San's soul rings.
As expected, Tang San's soul ring configuration once again sparked mockery from the audience.
"Wow, there's even a hundred-year-old fourth soul ring from a Soul Master?"
"Hahaha, he must be too poor, so he got a big soul master team to help him hunt souls!"
On the stands, Meng Yiran and Chao Tianxiang almost popped their eyes out when they saw Tang San's soul rings.
"Grandmother, it's that bad kid. How did he get a hundred-year-old third and fourth soul rings?"
Chao Tianxiang shook her head, unable to understand. But at that moment, she felt a sense of relief.
After that soul hunt, she had planned to send her granddaughter to Shrek Academy to make good connections with Oscar, but after handling some trivial matters and taking her granddaughter to Soto City, she found that Shrek Academy had moved. She had to give up.
Thinking back now, she felt a chill in her heart. If her granddaughter had been given a hundred-year-old fourth soul ring, she would have dragged her old man to Shrek Academy for a face-off.
Tang San, listening to the foul-mouthed jeers around him, clenched his fists tightly, his heart cold.
Just wait. Once I cultivate both my martial spirits to the level of a Title Douluo, you will have tears in your eyes.
For this match, Oscar was kept as a reserve by Master and hidden away, while Jiangzhu, as a starting team member, took the stage.
"Hmph, are you scared? Still not releasing your martial spirits?"
Dai Mubai sneered as he looked at the Royal Second Team across from them, his gaze filled with pride as he looked at Zhu Zhuqing, thinking: Look, this is the team you picked. They don't even have the courage to release their martial spirits in front of the Prince.
Ye Yin Zhu and the others exchanged glances before stepping back several dozen steps, leaving space for Zhu Zhuqing to unleash her power.
Ning Rongrong then summoned the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
"Seven Treasures Famous: Unceasing Labor!"
Five halos immediately entered Zhu Zhuqing's body, boosting her power.
However, the Shrek members were too stunned to pay attention to Little Cat, their eyes glued to Ning Rongrong's soul ring configuration.
Two yellow, one purple, and two black soul rings blinded their eyes.
"You... you..."
After staring at Tang San, who hadn't said anything for a long time, Ning Rongrong sneered and began to taunt.
"What's wrong? Don't you know? I have twin martial spirits!"
"And it's not just that, we all have twin martial spirits. That's what Master said!"
At this point, Master's face was full of shock. His hands were tightly gripping the railing, leaving deep imprints in it.
"This... this is impossible!"
Beside him, Liu Erlong worriedly grabbed his shoulder.
"Little Master, what's wrong?"
As Tang San struggled to compose himself, Zhu Zhuqing had already released her martial spirit.
A wild, cat-like screech echoed throughout the arena, and just like Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing's soul rings appeared—two yellow, one purple, and two black.
The Shrek members, who had been brimming with confidence before, were now stunned, looking at Little Cat in shock.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Phantom Shadow Split!"
Zhu Zhuqing's slender figure split into four, each heading for a different target, so fast that they left behind only afterimages.
"Not good, everyone, get ready to defend!"
The first to snap out of the daze, Tang San shouted to his teammates as he quickly activated his third soul skill.
"Third Soul Skill: Blue Silver Turtle Shield!"
But his warning came too late, and Zhu Zhuqing's cold voice rang out in their ears.
"First Soul Skill: Phantom Stab!"
The sounds of "swish" echoed as Zhu Zhuqing's attack hit its mark.
Soon, Jiangzhu let out a muffled grunt, her Turtle Shield shattered, and the relentless assault knocked her out of the ring.
"Alright, Zhuqing, that's how you do it! Beat them up!"
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong cheered for their teammate, having quickly taken up the role of cheerleaders as soon as they saw Zhu Zhuqing knock out one of the opponents.
Seeing this, the rest of the team quickly used their defensive soul skills to counter.
"Stone Protection!"
"Bone Demon Boost!"
"Frenzy!"
Only Dai Mubai remained frozen in place, muttering to himself.
Tang San, seeing this, quickly used his Blue Silver Grass to bind the stunned Dai Mubai, dragging him to his side.
"Dai Mubai, wake up! This is not the time to be spaced out!"
Before Dai Mubai could gather his wits, Zhu Zhuqing's figure appeared before the two of them like a ghost.
"Third Soul Skill: Phantom Slash."
Tang San, having already activated his Purple Extreme Demon Eye, narrowed his pupils, but he didn't have time to worry about the embarrassed Dai Mubai. A Blue Silver Turtle Shield burst forth to protect him.
By the time Dai Mubai reacted, he felt a sharp pain in his chest as Zhu Zhuqing's third soul skill slashed a deep wound across his chest.
Before he could cry out in pain, Zhu Zhuqing's foot made intimate contact with his face, sending him flying out of the ring.
Watching as the two Soul Masters from their team were knocked unconscious and eliminated from the ring, the morale of the Shrek team plummeted, and they couldn't even muster a decent counterattack.
Each of Zhu Zhuqing's soul skills could send a team member flying out of the ring.
Soon, only Zhu Zhuqing and Tang San, who was hiding behind the Blue Silver Turtle Shield, remained in the center of the arena.
On the stands, Master was consumed with rage and spat out a mouthful of blood, while Liu Erlong quickly supported him.
"Is this how I taught them?"