Gu Yuena didn't even lift her eyelids.
Instead, Ning Rongrong, standing beside her, smiled sweetly at Ma Hongjun.
"Brother Hongjun, Brother Hongjun, is it my turn now?"
She clung to his arm in a playful and innocent manner.
"This is Ning Rongrong," Ma Hongjun introduced. "Her martial soul is the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, and she's a level 40 auxiliary-type Soul Master."
"Her soul skills are strength enhancement, agility enhancement, soul power enhancement, and defense enhancement. These boosts ignore the opponent's level. Even if she supports a Soul King, her enhancements remain at 30%."
The four newcomers hadn't expected that someone from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect would be among Shrek's members.
Everyone knew that the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect rarely joined other academies or teams.
They almost never appeared in such competitions.
Ning Rongrong looked at the four with a cheerful smile.
She originally disliked the idea of outsiders joining their group.
But the dean had been right—if an accident occurred, the loss would be too great. A substitute team member was necessary.
"This is Zhu Zhuqing," Ma Hongjun continued, pointing to the quiet girl beside them. "Her martial soul is the Hell Spirit Cat. She's a level 40 agility-attack Spirit Ancestor. Her soul skills are Nether Stab, Nether Hundred Claws, Nether Slash, and Nether Shadow Clone."
The introductions continued one by one.
At last, Liu Erlong spoke up.
"You always believed you were the most talented in this academy. But compared to these little monsters, how do you really measure up?"
Her gaze swept across Li Pingchuan and the other three.
Their faces turned so dark and ugly it was difficult to describe.
Until now, they had wondered why the academy delayed their graduation for so long.
Now, they realized—it was because they didn't deserve it.
All four looked like they had been dealt a crushing blow.
"Don't be discouraged," Liu Erlong said softly, patting their shoulders. "Among your peers, you are still outstanding."
They had been the top talents of Blue Tyrant Academy, after all.
She didn't want them to lose heart because of a few prodigies.
"And this red-haired boy," she went on, "his martial soul is the Phoenix, one of the top beast spirits. His strength is at level 43."
"As for the rest, you'll come to understand each other better through training."
Since Ma Hongjun hadn't introduced himself, Liu Erlong added the details.
She left the others unexplained, encouraging them to get familiar by sparring.
When the introductions ended, the four students realized with shock that every single one of these so-called "little monsters" was already a level 40 Soul Master.
Liu Erlong then turned to the Shrek team.
"And you, don't get too arrogant. You may be stronger in level, but that doesn't mean you can defeat them in real combat."
"These four are elite students I personally kept behind to represent us in the Advanced Soul Master Competition."
"If it weren't for you, they would have been Blue Tyrant Academy's main force."
After her words, Xiao Wu's expression grew uneasy.
She still remembered how Tai Long had been beaten before.
Tai Long had been one of Blue Tyrant's most talented students.
Li Pingchuan noticed Xiao Wu's look of doubt and immediately guessed her thoughts.
Recalling that match, he gave a slight nod.
"Alright, enough," Flander interrupted, waving his hand. "From now on, we're one team. Our opponents are the other academies in the Advanced Soul Master Competition."
He looked at them all seriously.
"The reason I gathered you here today isn't only to introduce you to your new teammates, but also to explain the rules of the competition."
"It's simple: all participants must be under 25 years old. Each team must field seven players at a time—no more, no less. And remember, killing your opponents is strictly forbidden."
Flander spoke briefly, then gestured to Liu Erlong.
"As for the details, Erlong will explain."
Liu Erlong stepped forward, her eyes sharp yet elegant.
"What Flander mentioned were only the official rules. Now let me tell you how the Advanced Soul Master Competition is structured."
"The tournament is divided into several regions. The Heaven Dou Empire is one division, and the Star Luo Empire is another. The preliminaries are conducted separately within each nation."
"Spirit Hall also has its own division."
"Only after passing through the preliminaries will you face the true geniuses."
"You may all be over level 40 now, and that makes you geniuses in the eyes of others. But compared to the strongest of your generation, there is still a considerable gap."
Her gaze swept across the Shrek team, her eyes filled with memory and caution.
There were countless geniuses hidden within Spirit Hall.
Even she had felt the terrifying strength some of them possessed.
The others didn't react much, but Ma Hongjun suddenly thought of a figure.
Xue Qinghe.
Still hiding quietly within the Heaven Dou Empire.
The last time they met, Ma Hongjun had exposed Xue Beng's mask. No one knew how Xue Qinghe would deal with that useless prince, lurking in the shadows of the royal court.
Meanwhile, inside the Imperial Palace of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Xue Qinghe lowered the documents in his hand, a shadow flashing across his eyes.
It vanished quickly, replaced by his usual polite smile.
"My brother has indeed been reckless," he said softly.
"If not for the three masters' diligent management of the Royal Academy, many problems would have arisen."
His tone was gentle and refined as he looked at the three elders before him.
Meng Shenji smiled faintly in response.
"Your Highness, with the Advanced Soul Master Competition approaching, the academy must select a team to represent us."
"With those talented students originally joining our academy, our chances of winning would have increased by thirty percent."
He shook his head with regret.
Ever since he learned that the Shrek students had joined other academies, he had given up on recruiting them.
Those kids likely resented the Royal Academy after what had happened.
Xue Qinghe nodded calmly.
"Master, there's no need to worry. I've met them before. They hold no grudge against me after that farce."
"Although it is a pity, the Royal Academy is still strong. We can form another powerful team."
"Pass on my order—any student who successfully joins the academy's competition team will receive my personal support and cultivation resources."
The three elders immediately stood up, bowing in gratitude.
With the Crown Prince's personal promise, it meant far greater resources for the chosen students.
After they left, Xue Qinghe's smile vanished, replaced by a cold, sharp expression.
"I didn't expect my uncle to value that fool Xue Beng so highly."
A cold gleam flickered in his eyes.
These old men had always acted loyal on the surface.
But the fact that they still kept that useless Xue Beng around made it clear—they were restless.
Lowering his gaze, Xue Qinghe tapped his fingers lightly on the table, already contemplating how to deal with that foolish prince.