Over the next two days, the members of Shrek Academy did not leave the Star Emperor Grand Hotel even once.
The stunning performance in the opening match had already seared them into everyone's memory. No matter where they went, they were bound to attract attention. So rather than dealing with the constant spotlight, it was more efficient—and far more peaceful—to stay in the hotel and focus on training and cultivation.
Although the main team hadn't taken the stage yet, the overwhelming show of force from the reserve team had only served to further highlight the strength of the main team.
As a result, during the first day of the tournament, all eyes were burning with anticipation toward the main team.
After all, if Shrek's reserve team was already that powerful, just how terrifying must the main team be?
From that point onward, Shrek Academy truly stopped paying attention to the tournament matches. But the sheer intensity of the ongoing battles placed immense pressure on all the other academies.
And after two days of this momentum, in the eyes of the other teams, Shrek Academy had become the very symbol of mystery and power.
That sense of awe and mystique surrounding Shrek had grown once more in their hearts.
Still, Shrek wasn't the only academy delivering dazzling performances.
For example, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy also deployed only their reserve team, much like Shrek.
Among them, the sibling duo Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen stood out in particular.
Not only were they five-ring Soul Kings despite being part of the reserve team, but they were also powerful soul masters in their own right.
In the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy's matches, the siblings didn't even rely on their prized soul tools. They used only their Martial Souls, coordinating with their teammates to claim victory.
Their Martial Souls—Three-Legged Golden Toad and Scarlet-Eyed Ice Toad—were among the top-tier beast-type spirits.
One offered absolute control over metals.
The other boasted peerless poison and exceptionally high-level control abilities.
Although their match lasted nearly ten minutes, everyone could tell they were holding back.
Their display might not have been as explosively dominant as Shrek Academy's five-second victory, but it was still extremely impressive—because their opponents had all been Soul Ancestors, led by a Soul King, and even possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Technique.
Purely from a surface-level perspective, Shrek's match was far more shocking.
But in terms of raw soul power, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy's reserve team was more outstanding.
After all, their team had two Soul Kings, and the rest were at least Soul Ancestors.
Meanwhile, Shrek's reserve team had a maximum of only four rings, and even included a three-ring Soul Elder.
Even though that Soul Elder had a rare one yellow, two purple ring configuration, raw soul power made a huge difference—one that couldn't simply be overcome by quality alone.
Only two members of Shrek's reserve team had taken action in that battle. The rest, at most, had four rings.
So when it came to soul power levels, they were clearly a tier below the Sun Moon team.
As a result, the more Shrek Academy was mythologized, the higher the prestige of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy rose.
Even though they viewed their long-standing second place status as a mark of shame, their dominance was undeniable. In the eyes of the other academies, they were still far out of reach.
Shrek had shown off the fusion of soul masters and soul engineers.
The Sun Moon Academy had done the same.
Just when everyone thought the Sun Moon Academy could only rely on soul tools, they showcased prodigious talent in Martial Soul cultivation too.
Everyone understood now—Sun Moon Academy was directly challenging Shrek Academy.
Though such rivalry had always existed to some degree, this time it felt exceptionally intense and deliberate.
It was as if both sides were determined to strike at the other's pride—right in their most prestigious domains.
And so, over these past few days, the voices suggesting that Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy might defeat Shrek and shake off their "eternal second place" title to claim the championship... only grew louder.
In terms of soul power, Shrek Academy's reserve team was clearly a notch below that of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy's reserve members.
As Shrek Academy continued to be mythologized, the prestige of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy rose accordingly.
Though they privately resented their status as the "eternal number two," their standing was unshakable—still seen by all other academies as an untouchable force.
Both academies had now demonstrated the successful integration of soul masters and soul engineers within their teams.
Just when everyone thought the Sun Moon Academy relied solely on soul tools, they revealed geniuses in Martial Soul cultivation as well.
It was obvious to everyone—Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy was officially challenging Shrek Academy.
This had always been the case to some extent, but this time, their challenge was particularly forceful and direct.
Both sides seemed intent on striking at what the other held most sacred—their respective areas of pride.
Over the past few days, the belief that the Sun Moon Academy might finally defeat Shrek and cast off their eternal runner-up status—to seize the championship and become number one—grew louder and louder.
The Star Luo Empire eagerly fanned the flames of this rivalry, launching a promotional campaign full of hype that made countless people watch the two academies with feverish anticipation.
Meanwhile, beyond these two giants, the rest of the competition was downright brutal—to the point where "gruesome" might not be an exaggeration.
The first round was a single-elimination format, meant not only to reduce the number of competing academies but also to raise the intensity and excitement of the event.
The All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament had now become the most significant official event hosted by the nations of the continent.
To maintain its popularity every five years, the tournament had to be thrilling, and nothing fueled spectacle more than intense eliminations.
Despite efforts by the officials to minimize injuries, the first round alone saw nearly two hundred participants injured to varying degrees.
Even worse, over a dozen students lost their lives due to severe injuries—gruesome scenes that, tragically, only increased the event's viewership.
Of course, every student who died in the line of competition received a hefty compensation from the Star Luo Empire's government.
Before the tournament began, all participants were required to sign a life-and-death waiver, preventing any disputes or fallout if a promising talent was lost.
This waiver ensured no post-match riots or retaliation.
It also meant the battles were unrestrained and fiercely competitive.
At that moment, in the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy's quarters, the atmosphere was tense.
Across from Xiao Hongchen, the main team captain Ma Rulong looked visibly displeased.
"Xiao Hongchen," he said sharply, "I know I don't have your level of talent. But right now, I'm still the main team captain. This tournament is led by the main team, and if you want to shine, you can do that five years from now. No one will stand in your way then."
"We are, first and foremost, a soul engineering academy. Even if your Martial Soul is strong, that doesn't give you a reason to ignore soul tools and rely on pure soul power!"
Xiao Hongchen remained unfazed. His eyes brimmed with confidence—and a burning desire to face Shrek. "We only have one goal, and that's Shrek. And now that Shrek has begun training soul engineers, we don't even know how many more powerful soul engineers might be hiding among their main team."
"What we must do now is not lose to them in momentum—in fact, we must suppress them."
"My sister and I defeated our opponents using only our Martial Souls—and those opponents even had a Martial Soul Fusion Technique. Now the world knows that our academy also has powerful soul masters! Right now, we're standing toe-to-toe with Shrek in terms of prestige."
Off to the side, Meng Hongchen couldn't help chiming in. "And we didn't even use our Martial Soul Fusion Technique. When we finally show it, won't that mean our reserve team is far stronger than Shrek's? By more than one level!"
Ma Rulong glared at her. "Did I say you could talk? Acting clever and overconfident… Do you two realize how close your recklessness came to getting us eliminated in the first round?"
"If they had fully activated that fusion skill, do you think you would've had time to respond with your mindset at the time?"
Meng Hongchen pouted. "But they didn't activate it, right? I trust my poison. If I say they'll fall at a certain time, then that's exactly when they'll fall."
Ma Rulong was furious. "You two—!"
The other main and reserve team members quietly lowered their heads, pretending not to hear the argument.
After all, whether it was Ma Rulong or the Hongchen siblings, they were the top-tier geniuses of the team. No one else dared to speak up.
But Xiao Hongchen didn't back down. While filing his nails, he replied calmly, "Captain Ma, I understand your concern, and I respect it. But I'm not like the others. I'm Xiao Hongchen."
"Whether now or five years from now, I'll only grow stronger. I don't want to beat Shrek someday—I want to beat them right now!"
"No matter how strong Shrek is, does that make our Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy any weaker?"
Ma Rulong opened his mouth to argue but hesitated, worried that saying more would hurt team morale.
Just then, an old man sitting nearby—tall and broad-shouldered, with a face full of bristly beard, short white hair like steel needles, and sideburns merging into that beard—finally spoke in a low voice:
"Rulong, what Xiao said isn't wrong. Their approach might've been reckless, but it achieved a good result."
"Shrek wants to display their soul tools? Well, we've got Martial Soul prodigies of our own. In that regard, Xiao did well."
Ma Rulong's expression shifted. Xiao and Meng Hongchen exchanged surprised glances. They hadn't expected Old Ma not to scold them this time.
But then, Old Ma's tone changed.
"Still, you two also made mistakes. I know you're both talented and proud, but at critical moments, you must remain calm—and consult your elders. Arrogance will one day bring disaster."
This time, Xiao and Meng Hongchen didn't argue. Their expressions grew more serious.
Old Ma added with finality, "Let this be the last time. If you pull this again, don't expect me to show leniency just because the Dean favors you."
The siblings nodded. "Understood."
Seeing the two notorious firebrands finally give in, Old Ma was somewhat surprised.
They'd never backed down this easily before…
Could it be… Shrek's performance has rattled them?
If so, Old Ma actually felt a bit grateful toward Shrek.
If those two youngsters could truly grasp the lesson that "there's always someone stronger"—their futures would shine even brighter.
Old Ma gently tapped his pipe and coughed.
"Alright. We've made it through the elimination round. Now we need to prepare not just for how to deal with Shrek, but also to ensure nothing goes wrong along the way. This time, we came here for the championship."
Instantly, all the students straightened up, eyes sharp and voices firm.
"Understood!"
****
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