Among over a hundred teams, Tianling Academy's strength was already considered quite impressive. However, compared to Shrek Academy's reserve team, they still came up short.
As the seven youthful boys and girls clad in dark green uniforms stepped forward, countless spectators felt a surge of anticipation in their hearts.
If even the reserve team members are this powerful, just how strong must the main team be?
This was Shrek Academy, after all—always reliable, never disappointing the faith nor the investment placed in them.
Upon seeing the soul ring configurations of Shrek Academy's seven reserve members, the indignation in the hearts of the Tianling Academy team lessened slightly. In its place, a wave of excitement arose.
There was indeed a gap—but not an insurmountable one.
If these opponents were just reserves, then perhaps they still had hope.
The captain of Tianling Academy turned to his teammates with words of encouragement. This battle was one they had to win at all costs.
As long as they could win this match, it wouldn't matter whether the opponents were from the reserve or the main team—they would have defeated Shrek Academy.
Just the phrase "defeating Shrek Academy" was something they never dared dream of before. But now, they finally had a sliver of a chance.
With both sides at the Soul Ancestor level, it was still anyone's game!
Amidst the roaring cheers of hundreds of thousands of spectators, the referee officially declared the start of the match.
In an instant, Tianling Academy's seven members erupted with overwhelming momentum.
They would unleash their full strength—for they only had this one shot.
If they won, they would shatter the myth of Shrek and make a name for themselves across the continent!
But just as the seven of them prepared to activate their soul skills—
DONG!
A deep, resonant chime rang out.
"First Soul Skill: The Passage of Time."
"Fourth Soul Skill: Temporal Lock."
From the body of Cao Jinxuan, the lights of his first and fourth soul rings intertwined, blooming with brilliant light. A powerful force suddenly enveloped all seven members of Tianling Academy.
Two halos ascended and fused together, releasing a strange and overwhelming power of time.
"Fusion Soul Skill: Time Freeze!"
Behind Cao Jinxuan, a massive clock pendulum materialized, its merged halos shining with soul power fluctuations. The power of Time Freeze was activated at its fullest extent.
Even though he no longer had the support of Gongyang Mo, a powerful Soul King, his terrifying control alone was enough. His opponents, with no more than four rings, were still vulnerable to being forcibly frozen for a full five seconds.
The seven members of Tianling Academy were instantly immobilized. They couldn't move; they couldn't even circulate their soul power to break free.
Everything about them had been forcefully halted. All they could do was stare helplessly.
Just after Cao Jinxuan released Time Freeze, Bei Bei, Long Xiangyue, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, and Wang Dong all calmly withdrew their martial souls and soul rings. With arms crossed and composed expressions, they lined up behind Cao Jinxuan.
This scene left countless spectators stunned, staring at the arena in disbelief at Shrek Academy's reserve team members and their detached demeanor.
In the past, Shrek's reserve team members were known to be powerful, but never had anyone seen something like this.
Since when had Shrek Academy become this arrogant and unrestrained?
As confusion spread through the audience, the silent figure next to Cao Jinxuan—He Caitou, now transformed into a steel-covered porcupine—finally made his move.
A cigar clenched between his teeth, He Caitou took a deep drag, smoke curling around him. In the next instant, every soul tool on his body fired simultaneously.
Especially the two massive black cannons mounted on his shoulders—they roared to life, launching several fourth-grade soul cannon shells.
The devastating firepower of a fourth-tier soul engineer descended in an instant, initiating a terrifying barrage.
Tianling Academy's seven members could only widen their eyes in shock. They were utterly unable to move or release their soul skills.
All they could do was stand there—frozen—watching those terrifying shells rain down on them.
With no defensive measures in place, how could they possibly withstand He Caitou's soul tool bombardment, which rivaled that of a mobile soul cannon platform?
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A thunderous storm of explosions erupted. The seven from Tianling Academy were either directly blasted off the stage or hastily rescued by soul master referees to prevent them from being blown to bits by He Caitou's artillery.
The destructive power He Caitou unleashed at full force was enough to make even an ordinary five-ring Soul King back off.
Let alone a team that couldn't even put up resistance?
At that moment, they didn't even have time to activate a single soul skill. All they could rely on was raw soul power to resist—and that wasn't nearly enough to withstand the overwhelming barrage from this walking engine of destruction.
Moreover, He Caitou wasn't just an exceptionally talented soul engineer—his martial soul was powerful in its own right.
His Cigar Martial Soul ranked among the top-tier in food-type support spirits.
The cigar he smoked came from his first soul skill, which enhanced his spiritual power, making his soul tool attacks more accurate and efficient.
During earlier training sessions, Zhou Sichen had even given him special one-on-one coaching.
Now, with their opponents frozen in place and unable to dodge, plus the amplification from his own first soul skill, He Caitou made sure every shot counted.
After five full seconds, only the seven members of Shrek Academy still stood tall on the platform. Smoke still drifted from the end of He Caitou's cigar as his face lit up with excitement.
In this first battle, Cao Jinxuan had completely locked down the enemy with his control skills, while He Caitou unleashed a devastating barrage. And he wasn't just any soul master—he was a powerful soul engineer.
Shrek Academy had always been known for its soul masters. Yet on this opening match of the tournament, only two out of seven had made a move—
One who could control the power of time itself.
One whose explosive firepower could level the field.
The audience already held high expectations for the reserve team, but after witnessing this display from Cao Jinxuan and He Caitou, their anticipation reached new heights.
Five seconds.
The match ended in just five seconds.
The overwhelming strength demonstrated by Shrek Academy instantly ignited the entire arena.
The host referee paused for two seconds before declaring in an enthusiastic and booming voice:
"In the first elimination match of the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament—Shrek Academy wins!"
The moment those words fell, Star Luo Plaza, packed with hundreds of thousands of spectators, erupted into deafening cheers once again.
At that moment, the Tianling Academy students didn't even have time to activate a single soul skill. They could only rely on their raw soul power to forcibly endure it—but there was simply no way to withstand the devastating bombardment unleashed by He Caitou, the so-called "source of destruction."
What's more, He Caitou wasn't just a prodigiously talented Soul Engineer—his Martial Soul was also exceptionally powerful.
His Cigar Martial Soul was considered top-tier among food-type auxiliary spirits.
The cigar clamped between his teeth was the product of his first soul skill, and its effect was to enhance spiritual power—allowing him to aim and operate his soul tools with far greater accuracy.
During their previous joint training sessions, Zhou Sichen had even provided He Caitou with one-on-one specialized instruction.
Now, with their opponents frozen in place, unable to dodge or resist, and his first soul skill providing a boost, every one of He Caitou's attacks struck with maximum effectiveness.
When the five seconds passed, only Shrek Academy's seven students remained standing on the stage. Smoke curled from He Caitou's cigar, and a look of exhilaration filled his face.
In this first battle, Cao Jinxuan had maxed out his control abilities, while He Caitou had executed a flawless offensive—proving himself to be an overwhelming force of destruction.
Shrek Academy was traditionally known for producing elite soul masters, yet in this opening match of the tournament, only two out of seven had even needed to take action.
One who could wield the power of time.
One whose firepower was nothing short of annihilation.
The audience had already held high expectations for Shrek's reserve team. But now, after witnessing Cao Jinxuan and He Caitou's performance, that anticipation had exploded into sheer awe.
Five seconds.
The battle ended in just five seconds.
The monstrous strength displayed by Shrek Academy sent a shockwave through the entire audience.
The announcer and referee took a brief pause before announcing in the most passionate and enthusiastic tone:
"In the first match of the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament elimination round—Shrek Academy wins!"
As his words echoed out, the Star Luo Plaza—packed with hundreds of thousands—erupted into another wave of thunderous cheers.
Countless voices shouted the same name:
"Shrek!"
This was Shrek. The Shrek that stood at the pinnacle of the continent. The undefeated titan.
Even with only reserve team members on the field, they had still delivered an awe-inspiring opener.
On the city walls, the Emperor of the Star Luo Empire watched the still somewhat youthful reserve members of Shrek Academy and couldn't help but sigh inwardly: So it's true. Shrek is still Shrek.
At the same time, his gaze shifted to someone who hadn't even appeared on stage—Dai Yueheng, a member of the main team.
He was filled with anticipation. What kind of surprises would the son of Dai Hao bring them?
And even more than that, he was eager to see the others on the main team—those whose strength surpassed even Dai Yueheng—what sort of shockwaves would they unleash?
On the other side, the representatives from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy sat in silence.
Even though He Caitou was only a Level 4 Soul Engineer, he was merely a reserve member of Shrek's team.
Shrek Academy had never been known to include Soul Engineers in the past—yet now they were integrating them into their squads?
If even a reserve Soul Engineer had such talent and power, then what about the Soul Engineers on the main team?
Of course, they were well aware that He Caitou had only managed to eliminate all seven Tianling Academy members singlehandedly because of Cao Jinxuan.
Those five seconds… Tianling's team had been frozen as if time itself had stopped.
What kind of Martial Soul was that? The power to control time?!
What kind of monsters does Shrek Academy produce?! Is this what it means to be a legacy that stands unshaken for ten thousand years?
Not only the Sun Moon Academy, but over a hundred elite soul master academies were stunned into admiration.
When it came to Martial Soul research, Shrek Academy clearly stood in a league of its own. And now, they were even cultivating Soul Engineers?
After the referee announced the result, Cao Jinxuan calmly withdrew his Martial Soul. Turning with an air of supreme confidence, he faced the crowded southern portion of the plaza and spoke with a clear, calm voice:
"Remember this well: I come from Shrek Academy's reserve team!
If you wish to challenge our main team, you'll have to get through us first!"
With that, he stepped off the stage, followed in perfect formation by the remaining six members.
The seven of them walked straight toward Zhou Sichen and the rest of Shrek's main team. Standing before them, Cao Jinxuan placed his right hand over his chest and said formally:
"Reporting to the Captain—first match, victory secured!"
Zhou Sichen wore a warm smile. "Well done. Go rest."
He then turned and walked away. The main team members followed in silence, falling into formation behind him.
The reserve team members fell in line behind the main team. The fourteen of them, under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands, left Star Luo Plaza with effortless grace.
They didn't say a single unnecessary word. The moment the match was over, they left—without even staying to watch the other teams.
As if… the other academies weren't even worth paying attention to.
Just behind the Shrek group sat the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, and their expressions were dark and heavy.
Even the usually arrogant Xiao Hongchen now wore a grim expression. His fists clenched tightly as one thought echoed over and over in his mind.
Their original target had always been Shrek—but that referred to the main team.
And now? Even those young reserve members dared to ignore them?
Shrek… what an arrogant Shrek!
Zhou Sichen led the group straight back to the Starlight Grand Hotel.
Inside the meeting room, both Cao Jinxuan and He Caitou sat nursing Level 4 energy bottles, soul power recovery soul tools, while the others took their seats.
Zhou Sichen smiled. "In this first battle, your reserve team has carried the pride of Shrek Academy magnificently. More precisely—you've ensured that the glory of Shrek still shines as brightly as ever."
Xu Sanshi was grinning ear to ear. "Big Brother Zhou, that was amazing! Captain and He Caitou were just too damn awesome! I swear, I could barely keep a straight face on stage!"
Even Wang Dong couldn't help but chime in, "This might've been our first battle, but that feeling of standing above the world, just watching from the stage while still winning—it was incredible!"
Bei Bei and Jiang Nannan were a bit more composed, but their faces still couldn't hide their joy.
That pretense... felt so satisfying!
Yes, the enemy had no knowledge of Cao Jinxuan's terrifying control ability—but even if they had known, could they have crossed dozens of meters in a heartbeat to interrupt his skill?
Cao Jinxuan's control was practically unbreakable. Unless your soul power far surpassed his, or you could interrupt his skillcast, or you had some way to completely block the effect of his soul skills, you had no way to resist his overwhelming temporal lockdown.
And these three conditions? Almost impossible to meet for soul masters at the same level.
Even if some special Martial Souls could manage it… this battle had only showcased two people—Cao Jinxuan and He Caitou.
In a real team fight, fighters like Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi were among the strongest within their tier.
If both of them went all-out, they might even be able to contend directly with Soul Kings.
Bei Bei spoke up, "Brother Zhou, thanks to this first match, the reserve team has earned its reputation. But next time, our opponents will definitely be watching out for the captain's abilities. The pressure will only increase from here."
Zhou Sichen chuckled. "Pressure is a good thing. Besides, only He Caitou and Cao Jinxuan revealed anything. The rest of your strength remains hidden—I'm confident you'll be more than capable of handling future challenges."
Ye Guyi added with a smile, "You should believe you're the protagonists of this tournament. If you can achieve impressive results as reserve members, wouldn't that bring glory to your own names as well?"
The others nodded in agreement. This first battle was exhilarating—and they wanted to feel that thrill again and again.
Zhou Sichen clapped lightly. "I had you skip the other matches for a reason. I want you to keep this sense of urgency alive. Not knowing your opponents will force you to think harder, reflect more—this kind of pressure can't be taught."
"When the elimination round ends and the round-robin begins, you'll be allowed to lose a few times. But the moment you start losing, the main team will take over, and you'll lose your chance to shine."
"So whether you can make a name for yourselves as reserve members depends entirely on whether you can grasp this opportunity."
With Zhou Sichen's words, the pressure instantly returned. The earlier joy and excitement gave way to determination.
Just as he said—not watching other matches meant they had no idea about their future opponents' soul abilities. All they had was a basic data sheet.
That uncertainty meant anything could happen on the battlefield.
But in turn, the mental strain and uncertainty would strengthen their willpower, teamwork, trust, and adaptability on all fronts.
After all, this was the kind of unknown they would face in real battle—and in the world of soul masters.
Zhou Sichen's arrangement was a form of preemptive training.
And aside from that, there was another reason: the main team was strong enough to handle any unexpected situation.
If not, Zhou Sichen wouldn't have gone to all this trouble—he'd just have sent in the main team and put on a "soul ring performance" instead.
Two Soul Sages, one Soul Emperor, and four Soul Kings—this lineup was enough to crush the hopes of nearly any opponent.
There was another reason too—Zhou Sichen didn't want to expose the soul power levels of Ye Guyi and Ma Xiaotao just yet. If possible, he wanted them to avoid taking the stage at all.
Let them enjoy the competition atmosphere and do a little grandstanding.
Because once they revealed their strength—what if someone decided to go off-script?
After all, this wasn't the original storyline anymore. And Zhou Sichen had already changed so much of it. Even if he could protect himself, he had to remain cautious.
One day, when his strength reached the pinnacle of the world—then he could walk with confidence.
But for now… caution was always wise.
After all, while Elder Xuan may be a Level 98 Title Douluo, one of the continent's peak powerhouses, he wasn't always someone you could rely on when it mattered most…
****
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