The Douling Sea Clan's battle team was the first to enter the arena. Leading the charge was their vice-captain, Hai Bingning—Spirit: Sea Spear, a Power Attack System Battle Spirit Master, Level 65.
She carried herself with an icy aloofness, her whole being emanating a frosty aura—yet no amount of cold could chill the hearts burning with passion at her beauty.
Her opponent was also a Spirit Emperor and, surprisingly, the captain of the opposing family team. He entered the arena politely but oozed self-promotion, like a peacock spreading its tail feathers.
"Miss Bingning, I may act a bit offensively during the match—please forgive me in advance," the opposing captain said with a warm smile.
Although both were Spirit Emperors, he didn't believe he could lose. It was common knowledge that sea-type Spirit Masters were weaker on land. On land, Spirit Masters of the same level could often defeat sea-type ones with a one-rank advantage.
Hai Bingning simply nodded silently. Words were meaningless—victory or defeat would be determined by her Sea Spear.
The referee declared the start of the match.
Before the opponent even finished summoning his spirit, Hai Bingning had already dashed forward—her Sea Spear spirit manifesting in her hand mid-charge.
She closed the distance instantly.
The opposing captain wasn't clueless; he reacted—smiling slightly, thinking she just didn't want to appear weak.
He planned to elegantly defeat her and make a great impression—after all, if he could earn her favor in battle, maybe he could win her heart.
Even though she was a sea-type Spirit Master, her Spirit Emperor-level strength at her age made her a top-tier talent—worth pursuing.
The opposing captain's spirit was a beautiful bird-type beast spirit. When he activated it, he looked flamboyant in brilliant red—very festive.
"That's the Red-bellied Golden Pheasant Spirit—a high-grade bird spirit that resembles a phoenix. There are legends that it carries hidden phoenix blood," said Hua Yao.
Huo Yuhao scoffed at the idea.
Last break, while making a pilgrimage with some believers' families, he came across information about that spirit and specifically visited the opponent's clan—where he killed their ancestor, a titled Douluo, to sample the taste.
In the end, a pheasant was just a pheasant. No phoenix blood.
He wasn't sure if the clan had noticed their ancestor was missing.
Back in the arena, the two fighters finally clashed.
Since Hai Bingning didn't use any techniques, the opposing captain refrained as well.
"Miss Bingning, let us compare our spirits directly! Be careful!" he smiled.
But in the blink of an eye, Hai Bingning thrust her spear like a sea serpent flicking its tongue—suddenly appearing right at his face, carrying a deadly aura.
He didn't even react in time.
He had no idea how her spear got so close—or how it moved so fast.
Luckily, Hai Bingning didn't go for a killing blow. She withdrew her spear and backed off.
The captain felt a chill on his cheek. When he touched it, his hand came back with blood—cold sweat poured down his back.
If this were a life-and-death fight, that blow would've ended him.
Why? How? Aren't sea-type Spirit Masters supposed to be weaker on land?
Conventional wisdom betrayed me!
"I concede… Thank you, Miss Hai Bingning, for your guidance." He surrendered and quickly exited the stage—now speaking far more formally.
A trace of a smile appeared at Hai Bingning's lips. She felt triumphant.
Lately, there had been too much talk about their appearances—but they were no vases. They were not the weakened sea-type Spirit Masters of the past!
Spear in hand, she stood tall in the ring, cast a cold glance at the opponent's resting area, and said:
"Next!"
Spectator Stand
"Was that just now… a battle technique?" Wu Ming asked hesitantly.
"Yes," Hua Yao nodded. "I didn't expect the Douling Sea Clan to have such a refined technique. It's on par with those of the Body Sect."
Many forces on the Douluo Continent passed down battle techniques, but the strongest was the Body Sect. Shrek Academy also taught some, but rarely did their techniques reach such precision.
It was no wonder Wu Ming and Hua Yao were surprised. Shrek defined battle techniques as methods to support spirit power and enhance spirit skill performance.
But Hai Bingning's strike demonstrated true skill—able to overcome stronger opponents. Techniques like that, they assumed, only the Body Sect could offer.
Hai Bingning's technique, naturally, came from Huo Yuhao.
It wasn't anything miraculous—but perfectly tailored for equal-level combat. On the continent, it filled the gap sea-type Spirit Masters faced.
The opponent's arrogance gave Hai Bingning the chance to finish the fight instantly.
Huo Yuhao had invested in the Douling Sea Clan—giving them cultivation methods, battle techniques, and even blood-qi seeds to raise their power.
Unfortunately, the clan still lacked deep foundations. The older generation hadn't produced a Titled Douluo yet, and among the younger ones, few had talent—especially female disciples. So they scraped together this one female team.
Still, that was enough. They weren't aiming for the championship.
The all-female team was formed to promote the image of sea-type Spirit Masters, paving the way for future belief-gathering.
Nowadays, having a charismatic spokesperson was crucial.
Even potential believers were still believers.
For the Sea God's divine seat, no effort could be spared—every small gain mattered.
If successful, the rewards would be immense.
Hai Bingning continued to win match after match. Though her later opponents were more cautious, none were Spirit Emperors.
Finally, after nearly exhausting her spirit power, she defeated seven opponents in a row—an incredible feat.
The crowd erupted—countless men swooned over her.
"Yuhao, what do you think about that one? Should we try to recruit her~?" Wu Ming teased Huo Yuhao, knowing he was a bit of a flirt.
But he met a pair of clear, bright eyes—no hint of embarrassment or panic.
"Ming-jie, I just think her technique was very refined. If there's a chance, I'd like to spar with her and study it. I think it could improve my spear techniques too," Huo Yuhao said frankly.
Wu Ming wasn't convinced. "That's it?"
"What else? I already have girls by my side that I cherish for life. I'm not someone who flirts with every girl I meet," he said.
Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luocheng, sitting nearby, smiled happily.
"I see… Sorry, that joke was a bit much," Wu Ming said, scratching her head awkwardly.
Hua Yao and Wu Ming suddenly felt they were seeing a new side of Huo Yuhao. Though surrounded by women, he seemed to treat each one sincerely.
Huo Yuhao stood and said, "The Douling Sea Clan's matches are over. I have some friends I'm meeting for drinks tonight, so I'll head off—I won't be back tonight."
"Be careful," Wu Ming reminded him.
Huo Yuhao left.
Watching him go, Wu Ming looked apologetically at Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luocheng. "That joke went too far. Let me make it up to you with a shopping trip."
"Haha, then I won't say no!" Ma Xiaotao laughed.
Ling Luocheng smiled helplessly. "It's fine, Wu Ming. Yuhao wouldn't hold a grudge."
"Exactly! He's not petty. Let's go shopping—and gather some intel while we're at it," Hua Yao said, lightening the mood.
The four women pulled Zhang Lexuan along as well.
Zhang Lexuan didn't say much—but she felt that Huo Yuhao's departure wasn't so simple. Still, she didn't press it.
Night.
In the Douling Sea Clan's private suite—
Huo Yuhao was surrounded by the seven beautiful female team members.
Tonight would be another night of in-depth cultivation… and no sleep~
"Nan Qiuqiu of the Earth Dragon Sect defeats her opponent!"
"Earth Dragon Sect team, victory!"
As the referee's shout echoed, it signaled the end of yet another match.
Now grown into a young woman, Nan Qiuqiu stood proudly atop the stage. Behind her shimmered the phantom image of her martial soul.
This round was a solo match. Nan Qiuqiu had taken the field alone. She didn't even use Martial Soul Possession—just summoned her martial soul's phantom—and swept through the entire fight. Her opponent had even included a Soul Emperor.
Through the martial soul's projection, it was clear that Nan Qiuqiu's soul had changed since the days when it was just the Rouge Dragon. Now, her martial soul exuded an intense cold aura. The dragon's form had grown larger and more graceful, its scales glowing with an icy blue luster.
This transformation was the result of a mutation brought on by her cultivation.
Unlike Nan Shuishui, however, Nan Qiuqiu had not relied on jade stones in her cultivation.
Instead, she drew upon ice-elemental power.
Why? Because the Earth Dragon Sect's back courtyard held a long-abandoned Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Cave. Even though Huo Yuhao had long since stripped it of its Profound Ice Marrow, the cave itself remained an excellent location for ice-element cultivation, and it was now accessible to outsiders.
Useless to Huo Yuhao, but a treasure trove to others.
Such a good place and resource, of course Nan Shuishui arranged it for her daughter. She had even acquired a cold-element cultivation method from Huo Yuhao himself.
In the cultivation world, many techniques rely on external materials. Methods involving water, fire, ice, and lightning are particularly common.
By using his Eye of All Laws ability, Huo Yuhao had integrated several ice-based cultivation arts and created the Frost Art, tailored specifically for training within the Profound Ice Cave. He even included a matching combat technique—the Nine Frost Forms.
Nan Qiuqiu, without even using Martial Soul Possession, relied on her superior cultivation and these Nine Frost Forms to easily overpower her opponent.
As for where this cultivation method and combat skill came from, Nan Qiuqiu had once asked.
Nan Shuishui simply replied: "Don't ask. It's a fortunate encounter. You'll understand when you become a woman."
Confused, Nan Qiuqiu didn't dare press further. Her mother still held considerable authority in her heart.
In the world of Douluo, cultivating specific methods can affect the quality of one's martial soul. Training with elemental techniques may even mutate the martial soul. If special items are involved, the likelihood of mutation increases.
This pattern had been summarized by Huo Yuhao through his experiences in the Hao Alliance.
If Huo Yuhao were willing to publicly share these findings and cultivation methods, people across Douluo would revere him as a "Grandmaster."
A true, grade-999 one.
Hao-ge (Brother Hao) could do it—just not yet. First, Douluo has to bear the surname Huo.
Back to the topic.
By cultivating the Frost Art, Nan Qiuqiu's martial soul—the Rouge Dragon—mutated into the Rouge Frost Dragon, now imbued with both Oblivion and Ice dual attributes.
Though still considered a sub-dragon, its power was extremely high—on par with any so-called King of Sub-Dragons.
Likely due to lingering traces of Extreme Ice in the cave, the Frost attribute of the Rouge Frost Dragon was nearly at the level of Ultimate Ice.
And as she continued training in the Frost Art, her ice power only grew stronger. She might one day achieve Ultimate Ice herself.
As cheers erupted from the audience, Nan Qiuqiu stepped down from the stage. Her teammates were the first to rush over, all visibly excited.
"As expected of our Young Sect Master!"
"She's incredible! With her in the Soul Master Tournament, Earth Dragon Sect will surely become famous across the continent. We might even rival Shrek Academy!"
"Yeah! With the Young Sect Master leading us, we might even win the championship. Just thinking about that 100,000-year soul bone reward—it's too much!"
Just then, a stern voice interrupted:
"Don't get arrogant!"
The team froze. Recognizing the voice, they turned to see Nan Shuishui approaching, draped in regal attire.
Everyone quickly stood straight and bowed.
"Sect Master!" ×6
"Mother," Nan Qiuqiu greeted with a smile, tilting her chin like a proud child flaunting her achievement.
Nan Shuishui shook her head with a helpless smile, gently ruffling her daughter's hair.
"You, ah—you're already wagging your tail from a few compliments."
Her tone had softened compared to the past, reflecting the improved mother-daughter relationship.
After all, their future would inevitably tie them together as comrades-in-arms. Nan Shuishui didn't want to strain things unnecessarily.
She patted Nan Qiuqiu's shoulder, then looked around at the team and said:
"In this tournament, we aren't the only team with Soul Sages. Nine other teams have them as well—some even have more than one. There might even be hidden experts. You mustn't get overconfident. Understood?"
"We were wrong!" the team quickly responded.
"You all must keep training. The Earth Dragon Sect cannot rely solely on Qiuqiu. Each of you is a gifted disciple—she'll need your support in the future. Weaklings won't do."
Her words stirred enthusiasm, and the six team members immediately began pledging their loyalty to Nan Shuishui and Nan Qiuqiu.
Nan Qiuqiu waved them off helplessly. She'd heard this kind of flattery for years—her ears were growing callouses.
For instance, through her partnership with Shrek Academy, Nan Shuishui had earned significant benefits. She had also shared rare techniques with female disciples, among other things...
Within the Earth Dragon Sect, whether disciple, elder, or steward, loyalty was maxed out—and this devotion would naturally pass down to Nan Qiuqiu, the Young Sect Master.
Then Nan Shuishui turned serious again and said:
"Qiuqiu, your Rouge Frost Dragon's ice power makes you stronger, but it also puts you at a greater disadvantage—especially against him."
"Him?" Nan Qiuqiu asked, puzzled.
"Huo Yuhao," Nan Shuishui explained. "I've spent years stationed in Shrek City and had many...deep interactions with him. I've learned that he is one of the rare few with the Ultimate Ice attribute. All other ice-type soul masters are naturally suppressed in his presence. If you ever face him in battle, don't use your ice powers. Understand?"
That said, Nan Shuishui smiled again.
"Actually, even if you don't use your ice powers, you probably won't be able to beat him anyway. He's not someone an average Soul Sage can handle. But if you do fight him, it'll give you valuable experience—and a chance to learn deeper ice techniques."
"Don't worry. I still hold some favor with him. He won't instantly defeat you."
Nan Qiuqiu wasn't worried at all. On the contrary, her fighting spirit ignited.
"Huo Yuhao, huh? I will fight him one day!"
She gazed up at the sky, her thoughts drifting back five years—to the beast tide in the Extreme North. In the midst of danger, a figure clad in icy armor and radiant light descended from the heavens and shielded her.
Some people—one look is forever. The seed of love was planted deeply in her heart and could not be forgotten.
Perhaps due to years of longing, that moment had been replayed in her mind countless times—each time more romanticized than the last.
"Have you already become this strong? Then what about me—am I worthy now to stand by your side, to fight alongside you?" she thought to herself.
Nan Shuishui spoke again.
"Qiuqiu, train hard. When you break through to Titled Douluo, I'll give you a big surprise."
"Titled Douluo, huh? At my current pace, I'll reach that level within ten years! I can't wait to see what surprise you have in store!" Nan Qiuqiu said confidently.
Nan Shuishui gave her a strange, unreadable look.
"I didn't expect the Young Mistress of the Earth Dragon Sect to possess such strength. Not only is her martial soul powerful, but she's also armed with formidable battle techniques. As expected of Rouge Douluo's daughter," Wu Ming sighed.
After watching the Earth Dragon Sect's match, Wu Ming felt deeply conflicted.
So this is what it feels like to be surpassed by others.
She had always considered herself a genius — born with a top-tier martial soul, innately full soul power, and raised under the elite guidance of Shrek Academy. Among her peers, she was surely at the top!
She had already surpassed 99% of her generation.
Well, excluding the true monsters.
But this Soul Master Tournament felt like a harsh wake-up call, exposing her to many true prodigies. It made her realize that perhaps she wasn't as much of a genius as she thought.
Not even mentioning the two Soul Sages from the Royal Soul Engineering Academy who seemed to be "pumped full of drugs." The Body Sect fielded three Soul Sages who could be considered invincible among their peers. Even the two Soul Sages from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect made her feel utterly suppressed in terms of martial soul strength.
Previously overlooked clans like the Star Luo Zhu family, Earth Dragon Sect, Heavenly Soul Bai family, and the Douling Hai family — all wielded top-tier martial souls and impressive battle skills.
What stung the most: these Soul Sages were all at least five years younger than her — some even ten!
Back when she was their age, she had only just reached the Soul Emperor level. Even now, her breakthrough to Soul Douluo was only possible because of the soul bones granted to her by the Academy in recognition of her contributions during the beast tide.
Ten years from now, when these prodigies reach her age, they'll likely become Soul Douluos themselves — maybe even Title Douluos!
A Title Douluo under thirty is a rarity for Shrek Academy — yet outside, they seem to appear in droves.
She once believed that freaks like Huo Yuhao were one-in-a-million.
But now she realized — even those not as monstrous as Huo Yuhao were still far beyond her reach.
And the truly terrifying thought: Were these powerful prodigies the only ones their families had? How many geniuses had been hidden in the past due to their inability to enter the tournament? How many are still hidden now?
The so-called championship they fought for in the Soul Master Tournament — in the eyes of these ancient clans and sects — might have looked like monkeys fighting over bananas.
And Wu Ming wasn't alone in her thoughts. Cai Meier, Xian Liner, Hua Yao, and others — even representatives from other academies — had all started to sense something was off as the tournament progressed.
This year's Soul Master Tournament, with sects and clans allowed to participate, seemed to shatter the long-standing belief that academies were the best environments for cultivating soul masters.
Only two academy teams had Soul Sages.
In contrast, eight clan or sect teams had Soul Sages.
That's just what was known publicly.
Those with insight had begun to notice something amiss.
If this wasn't just a special case, then it might suggest that all this time, the potential of sects and clans had been underestimated — and they were actually better at cultivating soul masters than the academies?
What was happening now seemed to prove: only when everyone is compared equally can one truly know their place.
"Ten thousand years ago, weren't there only the Seven Great Sects, with no such thing as academy rankings? Most academies were supported by clans or sects anyway."
"Even Shrek Academy only has a history of ten thousand years. Some of those soul master clans and sects have been around for countless millennia — why would their cultivation methods be inferior?"
"But isn't Shrek the strongest power on the continent?"
"No — the strongest is Sea God's Pavilion, formed by gathering all Title Douluos from the Three Great Nations. That's not just Shrek Academy alone!"
"I also heard Shrek has recently suffered heavy losses…"
Indeed, Shrek Academy had experienced many setbacks in recent years. Now, people dared to whisper behind its back. The title of "Number One Under Heaven" seemed to be fading.
It was clear: if Shrek Academy didn't win this tournament, its reputation would suffer tremendously.
Some even noticed that most of the Soul Sages came from the Three Douluo Nations — but no one seemed to care.
After all, those nations specialize in martial soul cultivation — having powerful soul masters is only natural, right?
…
Wu Ming wasn't the only one feeling down. Hua Yao, too, was in low spirits. The mood infected everyone else as well.
So, they decided not to go shopping today.
Instead, they all returned to the hotel to adjust their mindset.
Naturally, Huo Yuhao was among them.
Back at the hotel, all the Shrek members — except for Xuan Zi — gathered in the conference room.
Both of Shrek Academy's teams were confused. Why had they all been summoned when spirits were so low?
But once Wu Ming voiced her concerns, everyone fell into self-doubt.
Except for the seven members of the reserve team and Wei Na, no one else felt confident they could reach the Soul Sage level before age twenty.
But now wasn't the time to flaunt achievements.
And frankly, they needed Huo Yuhao's guidance if they were to improve.
As captain, Huo Yuhao had a duty to lift their morale.
He spoke up:
"It's okay. It's not too late to realize the problem now. What's scary is being forever kept in the dark! I believe in our reserve team, and in everyone at the Academy. As long as we face the issue and work to change, we'll eventually catch up to those clans and sects!"
"As for this tournament — if those so-called geniuses from clans and sects are only this strong… I won't lose!"
Wang Dong asked instinctively, "Can we really win?"
"We absolutely will!" Huo Yuhao replied with utmost seriousness.
Only then did the others relax a bit. At the very least, the glory of Shrek Academy must not fall in their generation.
As for their personal futures?
Well, they figured this was already the best they could do. If their families could have helped more, they would have already.
If they couldn't compare to others, it wasn't really their fault.
Zhang Lexuan glanced at Huo Yuhao and frowned slightly — she sensed something off in his words.
"Yuhao seems to be questioning the Academy's cultivation methods… But the truth is, the Academy does seem to be falling behind. With even the White Lotus Sect producing powerful experts so quickly, perhaps it's time for Shrek to consider some changes."
So Zhang Lexuan stayed silent. She hoped Shrek Academy would become even better.
She felt Huo Yuhao might be right.
Besides, Cai Meier and Xian Liner didn't say anything either.
That was because… they were thinking of something else entirely.
Cai Meier smiled as she looked at Huo Yuhao.
"That's right. We still have Yuhao!"
With Huo Yuhao — this walking cheat — on their side, Shrek Academy would produce more and more geniuses. The inner court still had so many talented female students — why let outsiders have them? Better to keep things in the family.
After all, what's wrong with a powerful man having a few more partners?
Of course, if Yan Shaozhe dared to cheat, that wouldn't be okay.
A classic case of double standards.
Xian Liner also had the same thought but didn't voice it. Instead, she changed the topic:
"Rouge Douluo from Earth Dragon Sect has good relations with Shrek Academy. Perhaps we can pay her a visit. Even if it costs us something, it may be worth it."
After all, despite all its years of development, Shrek Academy was still lagging behind certain sects and clans. This left Xian Liner baffled — so maybe the only solution was to ask directly.
Given Rouge Douluo's relationship with Shrek, she probably wouldn't hide anything. And if some price needed to be paid — well, Shrek wasn't short on resources. If a problem can be solved with money or treasure, it's not really a problem.
Huo Yuhao smiled to himself.
"So you want to ask Nan Shuishui? Looks like I'll have to prepare a surprise gift for Shrek Academy~"
At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared in the conference room.
It was none other than Xuan Zi, whom they hadn't seen in a long time.
"You're all here," Xuan Zi said sternly, before dropping a bombshell:
"Perfect timing — I have an important announcement. I just received word: the Academy has been attacked by evil soul masters. I must return immediately to defend it!"
"WHAT?!"
Everyone was shocked.
Xuan Zi swept his solemn gaze across everyone present and slowly revealed the message he had received:
"The academy has sent word. A few days ago, The Strongest Soul King in history Death God Envoy now a Title Duoluo led a horde of zombies to attack the academy, targeting three Beast Kings. Although the Death God Envoy was successfully repelled and failed in their attempt, the academy suffered significant losses among its mid-level forces. Qian Duoduo is in a coma, and Yan Shaozhe is gravely injured."
"Duoduo!"
"Shaozhe!"
Xian Lin'er and Cai Meier instantly stood up, worry written all over their faces.
However, while Cai Meier was genuinely concerned, Xian Lin'er was struck by a strange and conflicting emotion.
A part of her seemed to hope that Qian Duoduo had truly been harmed—so that she could be with Huo Yuhao without any guilt. Yet another part of her felt deep remorse, for not only was Qian Duoduo seriously injured, but she had also already betrayed him.
These contradictory feelings brought a moment of hesitation to her eyes. She suddenly felt as though she had become the kind of woman she once despised—disloyal, dishonorable, and impure.
Thankfully, everyone was focused on Xuan Zi's words, and Xuan Zi himself didn't pay special attention to Xian Lin'er, so no one noticed the change in her expression.
"I'm returning to the academy!" Cai Meier declared firmly.
"I will too—" Xian Lin'er started, but Xuan Zi cut her off.
"No, you're staying here," he said, then laid out his thoughts. "I will personally return to guard the academy. As long as I'm there, nothing will happen to it. But the children still need you to protect them."
"Perhaps enemies are already watching them. You must remain vigilant. Don't flee—Shrek Academy's millennia-old honor must not be tarnished."
"Lin'er, Meier, Lexuan, Yuhao… everyone's safety is in your hands now. I expect the same number of people to return as went out."
"As for the Holy Spirit Church and Beibei…"
Xuan Zi paused, sighed, and continued, "Do your best. But if things are impossible, don't force it. Prioritize your own safety. Don't underestimate the Holy Spirit Church's high-end combat power. Shrek Academy in its current state cannot afford a head-on confrontation. In the future, I'll personally challenge them."
"If you encounter anything you can't handle, use the secret lines to send word back to the academy. The academy and I will always be your strongest backing."
Xuan Zi's words were deeply heartfelt and sincere.
Many were moved to tears.
Hua Yao, Wu Ming, Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, and others who had grown up in the inner court were overwhelmed with complex emotions.
When had Shrek Academy ever suffered such humiliation in its long history?
Cai Meier and Xian Lin'er had no choice but to stay behind.
The academy had already been attacked; the hope for its future could no longer be put at risk.
Zhang Lexuan also nodded gently, her usually cold face now filled with resolve.
Huo Yuhao stepped forward and solemnly declared, "Elder Xuan, please rest assured. As long as I live, no one will harm Shrek Academy without stepping over my dead body first!"
Wu Ming couldn't help but smile through her tears. She pulled Huo Yuhao's head into her arms and said in a mock-heroic tone, "Why would you need to? If real enemies show up, us senior sisters will be the first to stand in their way!"
Hua Yao nodded gently at that.
"Hmph! Anyone daring to mess with Shrek Academy will have to answer to my Phoenix Flames!" Ma Xiaotao chimed in.
Ling Luochen didn't say much, but her gaze was just as resolute.
"That's right! Yuhao and the senior sisters are right! Shrek's honor rests on our shoulders—we must not let it fall!" Wang Dong stood up passionately.
If Huo Yuhao weren't there, everyone might have thought Wang Dong was the real heir to the Sea God's Pavilion.
Still, Wang Dong's leadership inspired a round of support.
Xu Sanshi: "The academy gave me justice. I will guard its honor with my life!"
Jiang Nannan: "I owe the academy my life—I'll repay it with the same!"
Cao Jinxuan: "Same here!"
Xiao Xiao: "I—I listen to Wang Dong!"
Wei Na: "Ah yes yes yes~"
The seven members of the reserve team all nodded as well. Their leader, Bai Shanshan, stepped up and declared:
"Every member of the Hao Alliance will follow Captain Huo Yuhao and defend our home together!"
Still struggling in Wu Ming's arms, Huo Yuhao whimpered, "I… can't… breathe…"
The heavy atmosphere from earlier was quickly replaced by a heated surge of morale and unity.
Seeing the unity of Shrek Academy's people, Xuan Zi's eyes shimmered with emotion. He smiled warmly and said:
"With you all here, Shrek Academy's future is sure to be brighter than ever!"
"Then, I shall take my leave!"
"Farewell, Elder Xuan!" Wang Dong called out.
The rest of the team echoed, "Farewell, Elder Xuan!"
Just as Xuan Zi turned to leave, he stumbled, turned back around, and gave Wang Dong a knock on the head.
"I'm not dead yet, you know!"
Wang Dong: "Heh—oops~"
Everyone burst out laughing.
Xuan Zi also chuckled and seemed much more at ease. "Alright then, I'm off!"
With those words, he vanished without a trace. Only a breeze lingered, carrying his final message:
"Wu girl, let Yuhao go already. He's about to suffocate!"
Wu Ming finally realized and let out a surprised cry before quickly releasing Huo Yuhao.
He staggered back and gasped for air like he'd survived a major ordeal.
Wu Ming wasn't having it. She scolded, "You little rascal, you feel wronged?"
She reached to touch herself and noticed a wet patch on her clothes. Her cheeks turned crimson, and she quickly remembered everyone else was still around. She stomped her foot, grabbed Hua Yao, and rushed off to their room.
As she left, she shot Huo Yuhao one last glare.
Huo Yuhao just looked pitiful.
Then, like a gentle mother, Wei Na hugged Huo Yuhao with maternal affection and comforted him with her generous chest.
Xu Sanshi: Bro, seriously?!
He was green with envy.
That was, until Jiang Nannan's icy scoff pierced the air.
Xu Sanshi instantly shuddered and looked toward her.
Only to see her walking away without looking back.
"Nannan, wait—I can explain—!"
Bang!
She shut the door in his face without mercy.
Xu Sanshi looked utterly devastated.
Wang Dong sneered at Huo Yuhao, "Shameless! Pervert! Xiao Xiao, we're going back to our room!"
He stomped off, slamming the door hard behind him—clearly taking his frustration out on it.
Moments later, he opened the door again and threw Xiao Xiao out.
"Xiao Xiao, go back to your own room!"
Xiao Xiao offered an embarrassed smile to everyone before scurrying back.
She was both shocked and envious of Wei Na's boldness. She wanted to be closer to Wang Dong too, but until now, all they'd done was hold hands. She resolved to ask Wei Na for advice later.
Cao Jinxuan ran off as well—but headed outside. None of the girls in the hotel were an option for him, so he figured he'd "hunt" outside to soothe his lonely heart.
Zhang Lexuan also went out to gather intelligence.
Huo Yuhao, now embarrassed, headed back to his room with Wei Na. But Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, and the seven reserve girls all followed them in.
In the end, only Xian Lin'er and Cai Meier remained in the conference room—staring at each other in silence.
Xuanzhi had departed in secret, but such stealth could not fool the truly powerful.
Long Xiaoyao also sensed the departure, and he relayed the news to Tang Ya and Bei Bei.
Only then did Tang Ya finally breathe a sigh of relief.
After their first public appearance, Tang Ya and Bei Bei had been avoiding showing themselves again, fearing that without any remaining scruples, Xuanzhi might act and capture them outright.
After all, they currently had no one capable of stopping Xuanzhi!
Even though Long Xiaoyao was around, whether he would intervene was uncertain. It was also possible that he intended to send Bei Bei back to Shrek Academy.
After all, once back at Shrek Academy, even if Bei Bei lost his cultivation and martial soul, his status would still grant him a safe and pleasant life.
Currently, even though Tang Ya and the others had made it to Mingdu, they still had to contend with constant surveillance from the Sun-Moon Empire, as well as being targets of the Holy Spirit Sect's headquarters.
If they had a choice, who would willingly remain in such a perilous environment?
Tang Ya, however, was not under Long Xiaoyao's protection.
If she truly fell into the hands of Shrek Academy, Bei Bei might be spared, but Tang Ya would undoubtedly be torn to shreds.
Although Tang Ya was now a Soul Sage, in the face of true experts, she was still just an insignificant ant.
Her ability to act so brazenly within the Holy Spirit Sect came partly from her title as a Holy Maiden and the backing of the elders, and partly from leveraging Bei Bei's relationship with Long Xiaoyao to bluff her way around.
Otherwise, as a mere Soul Sage, she wouldn't have had the power to command the loyalty and submission of so many evil soul masters.
Once the elders suffered heavy casualties, Zhongli Wu immediately reassigned Tang Ya to Mingdu, effectively casting her out of the core of the Holy Spirit Sect.
As expected, Long Xiaoyao didn't show any reaction.
Previously, Tang Ya had brought Bei Bei into the Mingde Hall. Because of various mishaps, they narrowly escaped with their lives, which had greatly displeased Long Xiaoyao.
If not for the emotional bond between Tang Ya and Bei Bei, and the fact that Tang Ya was still needed as a figurehead to draw the attention and fire of various factions, Long Xiaoyao would have slapped this troublemaker to death long ago.
Mu En was already gone. If Bei Bei, Mu En's descendant, were to die under his watch, Long Xiaoyao wouldn't know how to face Mu En in the afterlife.
He already owed Mu En a great debt, and in such a case, he would be even more ashamed.
So, it was impossible for Long Xiaoyao to speak up for Tang Ya again—even regarding the Soul Master Tournament. After all, Long Xiaoyao's injuries hadn't fully healed, and he couldn't guarantee a victory against Xuanzhi if a fight broke out.
Tang Ya didn't want to court death either. For now, she could still barely use Long Xiaoyao's reputation to intimidate others. If Long Xiaoyao publicly withdrew his support, she'd have no choice but to prepare to run.
With Xuanzhi gone, Tang Ya felt a mountain had been lifted from her heart.
Although Shrek Academy still had two deans present, they were only ordinary Title Douluo, and Tang Ya still had some surviving elders protecting her. There was no need to fear too much.
Without the imminent threat of death, Tang Ya's mind began to stir again—she suddenly had a new idea.
Xuanzhi's departure did not dampen the morale of the Shrek Academy battle team. On the contrary, their fighting spirit soared.
Their subsequent matches were won more decisively than ever.
This gradually made all the factions realize—it wasn't that the other academies were weak, it was that Shrek Academy remained strong.
Of course, the team tactics and lineup were still arranged by Huo Yuhao. As vice-captain, Xu Sanshi temporarily led the team, and Wang Dong volunteered to assist him. The other team members also cooperated well.
Xian Lin'er, Cai Mei'er, and Zhang Lexuan became more cautious in protecting Huo Yuhao and the others. Without Xuanzhi to back them up, they dared not be careless. Besides, unlike Xuanzhi, they were reliable mentors.
Hua Yao and Wu Ming focused entirely on gathering intelligence on the other teams. Having seen so many more outstanding talents, their desire for strength only grew. After collecting intel each day, they no longer relaxed—they focused solely on cultivation.
Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen were busy gathering intelligence on the Sun-Moon Empire and monitoring the situation in Mingdu, ensuring Shrek Academy didn't accidentally get dragged into any dangerous incidents. They also searched for ways to strengthen the academy's battle prowess and win the tournament.
Without a doubt, the only method to rapidly increase a team's combat power in a short time was through soul tools.
Other teams had come to this conclusion as well.
After witnessing Sun-Moon Empire soul engineers use soul tools to defeat clearly stronger opponents, many team leaders from the Douluo Continent's three nations flooded into soul tool shops and auction houses in Mingdu, trying to buy soul tools suitable for their own soul masters.
Soul tools of level 7 and above, and especially stationary soul tools, were hard to come by. But for anything below level 7, the selection was wide and comprehensive.
Once trained in how to use them, nearly any soul master could quickly and effectively utilize the soul tools suited to their level.
After equipping soul tools, the power of many teams saw obvious improvements. Even sects and clans that had previously rejected soul tools began trying them out.
Of course, there were still some stubborn teams.
The most representative was the Body Sect.
From beginning to end, not one Body Sect member used a soul tool in battle.
But that didn't mean they fought barehanded.
If soul tools were allowed, so were cold weapons and hidden weapons.
In one group battle round, the Body Sect faced an opponent team fully equipped with flight-type soul tools. Although the match had flight altitude limits, the rules had loosened, giving airborne combatants a big advantage.
The enemy team clearly aimed to leverage flight to drag things out and exhaust the Body Sect team into defeat.
The Body Sect sent out a single Soul Sage for that round—Luo Feng, the third Soul Sage. His martial soul: his stomach.
Originally, Luo Feng's talent was average, and he didn't even appear in the original canon's tournament team.
However, after training with a cultivation method gifted to the Body Sect by Huo Yuhao, Luo Feng leveraged his martial soul's immense digestive power to quickly absorb nutrients and strengthen his body. This made him especially suited to cultivation methods that involved consuming resources to grow stronger. He made rapid progress and caught up quickly, reaching the seven-ring level and being selected to represent the team.
Facing airborne enemies, Luo Feng merely gave a cold smirk, then drew a longbow and seven arrows from his soul tool storage. Nocking the arrows, he calmly loosed one per target.
Each arrow sent an opponent plummeting—simple and brutal.
His seemingly ordinary bow and arrows actually had greater power than many martial souls or soul tool weapons.
Luo Feng simply said:
"This is cultivation tech, rookie!"
That's right—both the bow and arrows were magical artifacts. Though not top-quality, their power was significant thanks to the materials used.
Beyond cultivation methods, Huo Yuhao had also passed on the six arts of cultivation to the Body Sect—including artifact forging.
The Body Sect wasn't the only one using cold weapons in the arena.
Another team caught people's attention: the royal Xu clan of the Sun-Moon Empire.
Aside from their captain, Xu Tianzhen, the other members had never revealed their identities or even activated their martial souls. They were always cloaked in black robes and masks.
But everyone knew one thing: they were strong.
Even without using martial souls, they could easily crush opponents. They used common cold weapons and unusual martial techniques.
In one match, they faced a team built entirely for defense—even using linked defensive soul tools in a "turtle shell" formation.
Against defenses that couldn't be broken by conventional means…
Several of the black-robed Xu clan members suddenly pulled out level-7 Zhuge Divine Crossbows, blowing open the enemy's shell with a few shots.
Then, one of them suddenly unleashed a wave of hidden weapons, blanketing the seven opponents—and eliminating them with precision.
This, without a doubt, was a hidden weapon technique called—
"Tang Sect's Hundred Solutions of Hidden Weapons: Rain of Blossoms Across the Sky!"