"You flatter me, Your Grace," Ning Fengzhi smiled gracefully. "I was merely chatting casually with His Majesty about the tournament."
"Hehe..." Salas chuckled, then walked over and sat on the left-hand side of Emperor Xue Ye.
Deep inside, Xue Ye was displeased.
"Salas is getting increasingly arrogant!"
However, years of imperial discipline had taught him to keep his emotions hidden; no one could see any change in his demeanor.
The Platinum Red-Robed Bishop of Spirit Hall, Salas, continued exchanging polite verbal jabs with Ning Fengzhi and Emperor Xue Ye.
The conflict between Spirit Hall and the two great empires of the Douluo Continent was long-standing and deeply rooted.
Spirit Hall had grown too powerful—over the years, using the empire's wealth to fund its training programs. It frustrated Xue Ye to no end that Heaven Dou's talents were being poached before he could even make use of them. As Spirit Hall's influence continued to rise, so too did their unruly behavior.
With Ning Fengzhi and Xue Ye no longer discussing Shrek Academy, Salas barely cast a glance at their garish uniforms. They were simply too much of an eyesore to look at.
—
After Wujie Academy completed their entry into the stadium, the event host's voice echoed again:
"We now begin the draw for the tournament's Opening Match! May I invite our most esteemed guest, His Majesty, Emperor Xue Ye, to give the opening speech and draw the first match!"
Emperor Xue Ye stood tall and delivered his speech.
"My outstanding citizens of the Heaven Dou Empire! I, your emperor Xue Ye, on behalf of the Empire and as a host of this grand tournament, hereby declare this Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament—officially open!"
His steady, sonorous voice—full of imperial might—resounded like thunder across the stadium through advanced soul amplifier devices, reaching even the outer squares beyond the main stage. Everyone present could hear it loud and clear.
Thunderous applause erupted throughout the arena.
As the cheers gradually subsided, Emperor Xue Ye continued:
"Here, I hope every soul master participating in this tournament fully demonstrates their strength and earns excellent results. You are the pride of the Heaven Dou Empire."
"You are our Empire's treasure, its future, and hope. I urge you to cherish this opportunity. Fight not only for personal glory, but for the honor of our Empire. Let the entire continent witness the brilliance of Heaven Dou's soul masters!"
"Long live the Emperor!"
"Long live His Majesty!"
The citizens' chants roared like waves, filled with fervor.
Raising his hand slightly, Xue Ye signaled for silence once more.
"If we are speaking of who is truly the most distinguished here today, it is not I. The most revered institution across the entire continent is none other than—Spirit Hall!"
"Therefore, I will now invite Platinum Bishop Salas of Spirit Hall to perform the draw for the first match!"
"Hahaha! Your Majesty, how could I compare with you in honor?" Salas spoke humbly—but his actions told a different story. Without hesitation, he walked right past Xue Ye to the drawing box.
While the emperor remained composed, Prince Xue Xing's face grew dark.
Ning Fengzhi frowned deeply.
But Xue Ye simply looked on with his usual calm, his thoughts unreadable.
Salas, a Spirit Douluo, was the Platinum Bishop of Spirit Hall stationed in Heaven Dou City. As he reached into the drawing box, his gaze swept briefly over Xue Ye, Ning Fengzhi, and others behind him.
Where no one could see, the corners of his mouth curled into a sinister grin.
He quickly drew a slip of paper.
On it were two characters: "Elephant Armor."
"Oh dear, it seems my luck isn't too great today," Salas said, voice oozing smug provocation.
Whether it was Prince Xue Xing, Ning Fengzhi, or the Heaven Dou Royal Academy board members in the rear, they could all hear the taunt behind Salas's words.
He didn't care what they thought. Behind him stood Spirit Hall. As a Platinum Bishop and Soul Douluo, Salas was one of Spirit Hall's key figures.
He knew very well that Spirit Hall had already decided on a long-term strategy to suppress the Heaven Dou Empire. His goal now was to undermine their authority and pave the way for Spirit Hall's future dominance.
Soon, the announcement rang out:
"Opening Match: Heaven Dou Royal Academy Reserve Team versus Elephant Armor Academy!"
The reserve team entered first. Despite their overly elaborate and flashy uniforms, each of the seven students was at least a high-level Soul Elder (Soul Exalt).
But then came Elephant Armor Academy.
All seven of its contestants were tall, burly, and resembled walking mountains. Dressed in uniform earth-toned robes embroidered with stylized diamond mammoth sigils, they exuded a mix of mystery and dominance.
Each of them possessed the Diamond Mammoth martial spirit—renowned for its exceptional defensive power.
Their captain, Hu Yanli, was a Level 43 Defense-type Battle Soul Master, built like a fortress.
As the two teams squared off, the Heaven Dou reserve team's expressions turned grim.
If they had drawn a weaker team, they might have laughed and mocked. But their opponent was Elephant Armor Academy—a behemoth of power. No one felt like joking now.
"Let the match begin!" the referee's voice rang out.
Instantly, both teams sprang into action.
While the royal reserve team looked delicate on the outside… they were also fragile on the inside.
Their attacks slammed against the towering wall of Elephant Armor's defenses—to no effect.
The Elephant Armor students stood firm, barely even flinching. Calm and composed, they absorbed every attack effortlessly.
It wasn't particularly painful, but it was certainly humiliating.
After all, Elephant Armor School had already pledged allegiance to Spirit Hall.
With such a powerful backer, they no longer cared about the reputation or pride of the Heaven Dou Empire—or its royal family.
"Hmph! Is that all you've got?" one of Elephant Armor's students sneered, his voice booming across the arena like thunder.
"Since you're not going to move us… It's our turn!"
Though known for their defense, the Diamond Mammoth's martial spirit also granted overwhelming brute strength. Against these pampered greenhouse flowers from the Royal Academy, winning was nothing short of effortless.