The next few matches were against rather average academies. Bei Bei and the rest of the pre-selection team handled them with ease, securing victory after victory and ensuring that Shrek Academy entered the third stage of the tournament with an undefeated record.
Due to a tie in one of the other groups, Shrek—being the first team to qualify—was granted a three-day rest before the third stage began: the top 16 knockout round.
That evening, Zhu Ziyang, Jiang Nannan, and Ma Xiaotao—three of the core team members—were called away by Teacher Wang Yan. He led them to a hotel near the Star Emperor Grand Hotel, and just as the three began to wonder what this was about, a familiar figure appeared, making all of them light up in surprise.
"Senior Gongyang!" Zhu Ziyang called out excitedly.
"Mm-hmm," Gongyang Mo smiled. "Let's go. Elder Lin is waiting for you."
Gongyang Mo brought the trio to the top floor of the hotel. On the way up, Zhu Ziyang asked, "Senior, when did you get here? Why didn't you come find us sooner?"
"Yeah! How are Ling Luochen and Chen Zifeng doing?" Ma Xiaotao added with a bright smile.
"Ling Luochen's here. Chen Zifeng isn't," Gongyang replied. "We left the academy over ten days ago, but we had to deal with the issue regarding Dai Yueheng, so we only arrived in Star Luo City yesterday."
"Dai Yueheng?!" All three showed visible confusion.
"You don't know?" Gongyang Mo was clearly surprised.
"Know what?" Ma Xiaotao asked with a frown. She didn't appreciate being kept in the dark.
"…I was worried it might affect your morale," Wang Yan explained with a wry smile. "So I didn't say anything."
"What exactly happened to Senior Dai?" Jiang Nannan asked curiously.
Wang Yan sighed. "After leaving the team to return to the military camp, he got into a heated argument with Xu Yi, and in a fit of rage—he killed him."
"WHAT?!" the three exclaimed in unison. They hadn't expected Dai Yueheng to be so bold—or reckless—as to kill a noble marquis.
"What happened afterward?" Ma Xiaotao asked.
"The result," came a new voice from within the suite, "was that Dai Hao, in the name of justice, arrested his own son and submitted a formal apology to the emperor."
The speaker was a white-haired elder woman.
"Elder Song!" the three called out in surprise.
Indeed, it was the Divine Eagle Douluo, Song Lao—Jiang Nannan's personal teacher.
"Hehe, I'm not the only one who came," Song Lao said with a warm smile, stroking Jiang Nannan's hair as the latter hugged her arm. "Let's go inside."
Inside the suite, they found not just Elder Lin, but also two more familiar figures.
"Senior Sister! Junior Sister! What are you two doing here?" Zhu Ziyang asked in surprise.
"Obviously, we came to support you!" laughed Cai Meier.
"Teacher asked us to deliver a message," added Xian Lin'er, smiling gently. "He wants you to go all out. No need to hold back—just show them your brilliance."
"All right, enough with the greetings," Elder Lin said from the head seat with a smile. "Wang Yan, you've worked hard. You've done a great job."
"I don't dare claim credit. I only did my duty," Wang Yan replied, still a bit reserved. But the presence of Elder Lin finally eased his long-standing anxiety. Now that the inner court elders were here, he could finally stop worrying.
"Haha! Don't be so modest. The Academy will recognize your efforts. When we return, you'll be rewarded properly," Lin said warmly. Then he turned his gaze to the trio. "Ziyang, Xiaotao, Nannan—you've worked hard too."
"Not really," Ziyang scratched his head, grinning. "Most of the heavy lifting was done by Xiaotao-jie, Nannan, and the pre-selection team!"
"True, they've done well," Lin nodded. "But in the coming matches, it'll be your turn to step up!"
His gaze turned serious. "Ziyang, you don't need to hide your strength anymore. Fight however you like. Show the world who we are. Some people seem to have forgotten the power and pride of Shrek Academy!"
"I understand, Elder Lin," Ziyang replied, nodding thoughtfully. The academy had dispatched four Title Douluo-level elders. The message was clear: they weren't going to tolerate any more slights. It seemed even the teachers had run out of patience.
He asked, "What exactly happened with Senior Dai?"
"Too reckless!" Lin's face darkened. "He killed an imperial marquis without thinking. Worse, Xu Yi was a royal family member. That kind of impulsiveness is unforgivable."
"But don't worry," Xian Lin'er added. "We've already taken him back. No one has the right to judge Shrek Academy's students. However, to maintain courtesy toward the empire, Dai Yueheng won't participate in the rest of the tournament. So only Gongyang Mo and Ling Luochen will be rejoining the team."
"Humph!" Elder Song snorted. "And that Dai Hao… what a spineless coward! When we went to retrieve Dai Yueheng, he was spouting nonsense about 'loyalty to the throne' and 'serving the empire'. What a joke! If the White Tiger Duke's ancestors heard him, they'd claw their way out of their graves to slap him!"
Everyone laughed at Elder Song's bluntness, but they now understood the full picture of what had happened.
"So that Xu Yi guy… he was just a pawn meant to take the fall?" Zhu Ziyang asked.
"Most likely," Elder Lin nodded. "The internal politics of the Star Luo Empire are a mess. Emperor Xu Jiawei is one of the most talented rulers in centuries, and he's friendly to Shrek. But in the end, our interests still clash."
"Where's Dai Yueheng now?" Ma Xiaotao asked.
"He's returned to the Academy," Cai Meier answered. "After this, he's cut all ties with the White Tiger Duke's faction—and the Empire. He says he wants to stay at the Academy forever."
"Honestly, that might be for the best," Zhu Ziyang said. "Both for him and the Academy."
"Exactly," Lin agreed. "All right, now that everything's settled, go get some rest. Gongyang Mo and Ling Luochen will stay here with us for now."
"Yes!" the trio replied, bowing before heading back toward the Star Emperor Grand Hotel.
On the way back:
"Ahhh, this is amazing!" Jiang Nannan stretched her arms, her mood completely relaxed. "With Elder Lin and Teacher here, I feel like my confidence just multiplied tenfold!"
"Same here," Ziyang nodded. "Now I can finally join the main lineup."
"Indeed," Wang Yan smiled. "This makes planning our strategy a lot easier. In the next match, we'll remind everyone what it really means to face Shrek Academy."
Three days passed in a flash.
On the evening before the third stage began, Wang Yan called everyone to a tactical meeting.
"The bracket for the knockout round is out," Wang Yan said, his expression as stern as ever. Even with Ziyang, Gongyang Mo, and Ling Luochen now active, he remained vigilant.
"In the Round of 16, we'll face an old rival—Dou Ling Royal Academy, the top school from the Dou Ling Empire."
"Dou Ling Academy!" Ma Xiaotao's expression darkened for a second, but quickly turned to eager anticipation. "Didn't think we'd face such a strong team so soon. Perfect!"
"Xiaotao-jie, are they really that strong?" Huo Yuhao asked curiously.
"They were in the Top 4 last tournament," she replied coolly.
"Exactly," Wang Yan confirmed. "Their main team has five Soul Kings and two Soul Ancestors. But what's more troublesome is that, despite being a soul master academy, they're very skilled with soul tools."
"We've observed their matches carefully. Almost every member uses soul tools in battle, and two are full-fledged soul engineers. That kind of combined firepower, especially at the Soul King level, is no joke."
"But…" Wang Yan paused and smiled faintly. "We have a trump card of our own now—Zhu Ziyang."
The whole pre-selection team turned toward him.
Zhu Ziyang met their eyes, and said calmly:
"Doesn't matter.
I'll fight."
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