I have added this story to my Patreon. You can support me and read the 40 latest and advanced chapters there. It also fed and motivate me to write more chapters!
Free Members will get 10 Chapters Ahead of the schedule on Patreon!!!
Link: Patreon.com/AVRKingsTL
—------------------—
The five-yearly Soul Master Competition finally kicked off.
The first to start were naturally the selection rounds within the Tiandou Empire and the Xingluo Empire.
Today was the opening ceremony for the Tiandou Empire's division, held with great pomp in Tiandou City. If you were in Tiandou City, you could feel the intense atmosphere of the competition, with shouts and cheers from the audience everywhere.
The renovated Tiandou Great Soul Arena was already packed with people.
The reason the audience arrived so early was not to get into the venue sooner, as every ticket had a specific seat number.
They came to see the participating young Spirit Masters up close on the first day of the opening ceremony.
Among them were quite a few lovesick young women.
It's important to know that the total number of Spirit Masters on the entire Douluo Continent is at most six digits. And the students who can represent high-level Spirit Master academies in the competition are the cream of the crop, with an age limit of twenty-five.
They would undoubtedly become the ideal objects of affection for young women. If they could marry a powerful Spirit Master, they would truly rise to prominence.
"It's so lively! So many spectators. Just from ticket sales, the Tiandou Empire must be earning tens of millions of gold Soul Coins," Ma Hongjun said enviously, secretly glancing at the packed audience outside while waiting in the entry area.
"Fatty, don't forget about the betting houses. A single round of the competition probably brings in more than several years of tax revenue for the Tiandou Empire. Otherwise, why do you think the two great empires are still willing to participate every year, even if they never win the championship?" As a prince, Dai Mubai clearly knew more inside information and explained calmly.
"Tens of millions! How many gold Soul Coins is that?" Ma Hongjun and Oscar's eyes instantly turned into the shape of gold Soul Coins, fantasizing with a bit of drool.
"It's a good thing Little San's aunt invested. Otherwise, if I had to wear the clothes the dean prepared in front of so many people, I'd rather just die," Ma Hongjun shivered, seemingly remembering something at this moment.
Dai Mubai and Oscar exchanged glances, both seeing a look of relief in the other's eyes.
"There are really a lot of experts this year. I feel that Spirit Kings, who were rarely seen in the past, have become very common," Dai Mubai said gravely, his gaze sweeping over the many powerful auras around him.
Due to the competition's rewards, this year's Soul Master Competition saw many hidden young powerhouses from various major forces. Spirit Kings were no longer rare; only Spirit Kings could truly be called powerhouses.
"Don't worry. Our Shrek has Big Brothers Tang Long and Tang Hu, plus Little San's control. A spot in the promotion rounds is no problem, and we can even aim for the championship," Ma Hongjun said confidently, his gaze falling on the several imposing figures in his team's area, his tone proud.
Oscar nodded in agreement beside him, not noticing Dai Mubai's displeased expression.
At this time, the Shrek Team had undergone a major personnel change after the Clear Sky Sect joined.
The main team members were:
Captain Tang San, a Level 41 Control System Battle Spirit King.
Tang Long and Tang Hu, with the Clear Sky Hammer Spirit, Level 53 and Level 51 Power Attack System Battle Spirit Kings.
Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, Level 41 and Level 42, Agility Attack System Battle Spirit Kings.
Niu Jun, with the Plate Armor Rhinoceros Spirit, a Level 45 Defense System Battle Spirit King.
Oscar, Level 38, Support System Soul Elder.
Substitute members: Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Jiang Zhu, Tai Long.
Although Dai Mubai's strength was formidable, having reached Spirit King, he was relegated to a substitute member because his characteristics overlapped with Tang Long and Tang Hu, and he and Zhu Zhuqing did not possess a Martial Soul Fusion Technique.
This was a humiliation for him. What good was it to defeat the Xingluo Empire's team if Xingluo might not even acknowledge the result?
But what could he do? He couldn't defeat Tang Long or Tang Hu, and there was no sign of any Martial Soul Fusion Technique with Zhu Zhuqing.
This left him only with impotent rage.
"Shrek Team, get ready, it's your turn to enter!" As the urgent voice of the staff member sounded, the Shrek Team stood up and walked towards the entrance.
Soon, with Shrek's entry, all participating students had entered the arena.
When Tang San, standing at the front, looked at the VIP stand, he saw a crowd of familiar faces.
Besides Emperor Xue Ye and the three instructors of the Tiandou Empire, there were also School Master Ning, Sword Douluo, Ning Rongrong, Salas, and even his aunt, Tang Yuehua.
Noticing his gaze, Tang Yuehua turned her head and nodded with a smile.
Salas, noticing this scene, couldn't help but sneer inwardly. Let them be high-profile for a few more days; soon there would be only one voice on the Douluo Continent.
As Emperor Xue Ye stood up, the vast square fell silent.
Then, a deep and resonant voice, amplified by a spirit tool, spread throughout the venue, "I declare the Pan-Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Competition now open!"
"Here, I hope that all Spirit Masters participating in this competition can fully display their strength, achieve good results, and be the pride of the Tiandou Empire.
For the glory of the Empire, show your brilliance!"
Immediately, the entire venue erupted in thunderous applause and cheers, rising and falling.
"School Master Ning, which team do you favor to win the championship this time?" After the speech, during the interval before the competition began, Emperor Xue Ye asked School Master Ning.
"On the Empire's side, Fengzhi is quite optimistic about the Imperial Fighting Academy, Tianshui Academy, and Shrek Academy," School Master Ning replied calmly.
Xue Ye smiled and nodded upon hearing this, then casually said, "I just saw the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's team. I didn't expect the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School to also be interested in this championship."
School Master Ning smiled indifferently, "The youngsters in the sect heard that this competition was unprecedentedly lively and insisted on coming to see the world. The elders also had no objections, so Fengzhi can only hope they learn something through this competition."
Xue Ye nodded upon hearing this and said no more, only smiling and saying, "Then I wish the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School good results."
"Then I shall borrow Your Majesty's auspicious words."
Salas, standing nearby, also had a slight smirk on his lips. It wasn't a happy smile, but one of mockery.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was clearly coveting the rewards from the Sun Moon Empire, wanting to send people to try their luck. And the earlier rumors about internal strife in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, with some defecting to the Sun Moon Empire, seemed to him like treating everyone in the world as fools.
If your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School wants to play both sides, don't blame Emperor Xue Ye for distancing himself from you.
At the Soul Arena, the process was steadily advanced by the host, and soon, it reached the first match segment.
The first match was opened by the Tiandou Team, and their opponent, coincidentally, was Shrek Academy.