Before the referee's voice had even faded, cheers like crashing waves erupted throughout Star Luo Square, one wave higher than the last.
Shrek had won again—once more through overwhelming dominance.
Even though Zheng Tian Academy had one more Soul King than Shrek Academy, it still couldn't stop Shrek's march of consecutive victories.
In the resting area of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, the main team's captain, Ma Rulong, wore a solemn expression.
"Shrek… truly worthy of being called our greatest rival."
"Shrek Academy's strength is impressive," Xiao Hongchen said lightly, "but in the end, they only have four main team members. Even adding that Yu Tianhuang, that's just five who can threaten us. Honestly, I'd prefer facing a complete Shrek Academy—defeating this incomplete one gives no sense of accomplishment. They still cling to the old ways of traditional soul masters, refusing to acknowledge the power of soul tools. Sooner or later, they'll pay dearly for that arrogance."
Having watched the entire match between Shrek Academy and Zheng Tian Academy, his emotions had instead calmed completely.
A top-tier genius of Yu Tianhuang's caliber was an extremely rare existence even within Shrek Academy. As for Beibei, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, and He Caitou—at best, they would only rank as middle-level students in the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy's reserve team.
At least in Xiao Hongchen's view, those people were nowhere near his or his sister's level.
Ma Rulong's tone turned cold. "Xiao Hongchen, shut your arrogant mouth. You can insult yourself if you like, but until you've truly defeated Shrek Academy, you have no right to say such words."
A powerful aura surged from his body, forcing Xiao Hongchen and the other Sun Moon Royal Academy contestants to stumble backward a step.
Ma Rulong had thought that after his previous reprimand, Xiao Hongchen would learn to restrain himself. Yet, unexpectedly, the latter was still as arrogant and self-satisfied as ever.
Meng Hongchen, who had been staring at the center of the arena, was startled back to awareness by Ma Rulong's outburst. She gave a soft snort, her gentle gaze sharpening in an instant as she was about to clash head-on with him.
But Xiao Hongchen extended a hand to stop her.
A confident smile appeared on his face.
"Captain, my apologies. But in the near future, I'll prove everything through action. For more than three thousand years, our Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy has been suppressed by Shrek Academy. But in this era—it will be I who writes a new chapter for our academy."
——
Meanwhile, amidst the thunderous cheers, Shrek Academy's team slowly exited Star Luo Square through the contestant passage.
In the earlier knockout rounds and the first match of the round-robin, their deliberate restraint had been to maintain an air of mystery and intimidation. But now, it was simply the confidence born of their true strength.
The return of Chen Zifeng and Gongyang Mo, two main team members, had greatly enhanced the team's overall power.
By this stage of the round-robin, the results were already clear.
Within Shrek's group, only Zheng Tian Academy had posed any real threat. As expected, Shrek Academy and Zheng Tian Academy would emerge as the group's first and second seeds.
——
Atop the imperial city walls, Emperor Xu Jiawei of the Star Luo Empire silently watched Shrek's figures fade into the distance, his gaze deep and thoughtful.
"Brother, why did you suddenly decide to put that soul bone up for auction at the Starlight Auction House?"
Hearing that crisp voice behind him, Xu Jiawei turned with a gentle smile.
As the civil and military officials lowered their heads respectfully, a stunning young girl in a flowing red gauze dress approached him.
She appeared seventeen or eighteen years old, her beauty rivaling even Jiang Nannan's. Her long, silky golden hair cascaded down her back, making her fair skin look even more delicate. Being a few years older than Jiang Nannan, her mature figure was already perfectly developed.
She was none other than Emperor Xu Jiawei's younger sister, Princess Xu Jiujium, known affectionately as Princess Jiujium.
Following Xu Jiawei's earlier line of sight, she looked toward the distance—just in time to see Xu Zihuang and the others, dressed in Shrek Academy's dark-green uniforms, entering the Star Emperor Hotel.
"Brother," Xu Jiujium said softly, her bright blue eyes filled with curiosity, "I remember someone in Shrek Academy's reserve team—Beibei, right? His martial soul is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. You're not putting that soul bone up for auction because of him, are you?
Back then, even when the patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan came to negotiate personally and offered generous rewards, you refused. Is he really worth it? If one of our empire's consecrated Douluo could absorb that soul bone, we'd certainly gain a top-level powerhouse."
"Of course he's worth it," Xu Jiawei said with a faint smile, shaking his head, "and this serves two purposes. In recent years, the Sun Moon Empire has become increasingly restless. The rapid progress of Mingde Hall's soul tool technology grows ever more threatening. If war breaks out again, our Star Luo Empire will be the first to bear the brunt.
The Douluo Continent is divided into three nations, and suspicion between us is inevitable. When the time comes, the only power that can truly aid us will be Shrek Academy.
That soul bone can create a top-tier powerhouse—but only if someone can successfully absorb it.
Among our Star Luo consecrated Douluo, a few do possess lightning-attribute martial souls, but unfortunately, their quality is insufficient to withstand the violent lightning energy contained within that bone."
He paused, then added with a knowing smile, "And I never said the soul bone was meant for that Beibei boy."
Xu Jiujium's eyes widened, staring at him in surprise.
Xu Jiawei explained quietly, "Among Shrek Academy's current contestants, he's not the only descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
"Brother—you mean Yu Tianhuang?" Xu Jiujium immediately caught his meaning.
"But isn't his martial soul a mutated main-body martial soul?"
Xu Jiawei turned back toward the horizon and sighed softly.
"No, not a mutation—a twin martial soul."
The Xu family's history could be traced back ten thousand years. When the Spirit Hall once issued the Elder Orders, six symbols had been engraved upon them—each representing one of the six most powerful soul master clans. Three were based in the Heaven Dou Empire, and three in the Star Luo Empire.
Among Star Luo's three great martial souls, the most powerful was not the royal Dai family's White Tiger, but rather the Star Crown Martial Soul passed down through generations of the Xu family.
Now a Titled Douluo, Xu Jiawei's cultivation was unfathomable. Through the special abilities of his Star Crown Martial Soul, he could faintly sense that Yu Tianhuang's aura differed fundamentally from ordinary soul masters.
Especially today, when Xu Zihuang's soul power had just broken through and his aura was unsteady—it confirmed Xu Jiawei's suspicion. That was why he had made his earlier decision.
"Twin martial souls?!" Princess Jiujium gasped, her red lips parting slightly.
Though she hadn't watched from the imperial city walls during Yu Tianhuang's matches, she had observed from another vantage point.
Twelve years old, already a Soul Ancestor above level forty, with a rare three purple and one black soul ring configuration, formidable skills, and rich combat experience—every trait screamed genius.
Add a twin martial soul to that, and there was no doubt—he would become a transcendent powerhouse of the era.
Now she finally understood why her brother was willing to bring out such a priceless, near-unobtainable soul bone.
In her heart, the same thought as Xu Jiawei's quietly emerged—
If only Yu Tianhuang were a citizen of our Star Luo Empire.
To secure such a peerless genius for their nation, they would pay any price.
——
The round-robin matches continued.
In the next three rounds, every opponent Shrek Academy faced was utterly crushed, even more one-sidedly than Zheng Tian Academy.
After two two-two-three matches and one individual elimination, Shrek advanced smoothly to the final knockout stage.
The only other team to advance from their group was, naturally, Zheng Tian Academy—defeated by them earlier.
From all groups combined, sixteen academies advanced to the knockout stage—the top sixteen of this year's Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament.
Four more rounds would decide the final champion.
Because some groups had nine teams, after Shrek's advancement, the round-robin stage continued for another two or three days to finish the final matches.
By this time, both Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng had fully recovered from their injuries.
However, according to Wang Yan's tactical plan, neither participated in the following matches—nor even appeared at the venue.
Their ultimate goal was the championship, and their greatest rival, without question, was the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. Keeping their true strength hidden for now was the wisest choice.
With Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng anchoring the team, the reserve members naturally felt much more at ease.
Xu Sanshi, ever persistent, resumed pestering Jiang Nannan, though every attempt ended in rejection.
Yet his unyielding spirit even earned the quiet respect of Dai Yueheng and Chen Zifeng—the inner court's senior male disciples.
Tomorrow, the final sixteen-to-eight elimination round—cruel yet exhilarating—would begin.
The setting sun painted the grand Star Luo City in hues of golden crimson.
At the end of a corridor within the Star Emperor Hotel, the members of Shrek Academy were dining together in the spacious restaurant.
The restaurant itself deserved praise.
Covering over five hundred square meters, it was built with three walls and the floor made of special transparent crystal, giving the illusion of floating in the sky.
Through the transparent walls and crystal floor, the scenery below was clearly visible. The golden-red sunlight refracted through the crystal, soft and radiant, creating a mesmerizing glow.
A luxurious crystal dining table was laden with sumptuous dishes. The group chatted and laughed in high spirits.
Everyone was present except Wang Yan and Ma Xiaotao.
Ma Xiaotao was in closed-door cultivation at a critical moment, while Wang Yan had gone to the imperial palace for the draw.
With Xu Sanshi and Beibei, the atmosphere was naturally lively. Even Jiang Nannan and Wang Dong couldn't help but relax.
Dai Yueheng and Chen Zifeng mainly conversed with Xu Zihuang. Previously, they had merely regarded him as an exceptionally gifted junior, but after witnessing his overwhelming performance, they now saw him as an equal—fully recognizing his individual strength.
Xu Sanshi, grinning, produced a bottle of amber-colored aged white grape wine.
"Didn't Teacher Wang tell us to relax a bit? How about it, everyone?"
"Let's have a little, then—just a sip," Dai Yueheng and Chen Zifeng agreed, nodding.
With no objections, Xu Sanshi cast a quick glance toward Jiang Nannan, then eagerly poured everyone a glass.
The wine was crystal-clear, with no sediment—top-grade white grape wine that needed no decanting. Slightly chilled, its aroma bloomed gently at the rim without spreading outward.
As soul masters, none feared drunkenness—soul power could easily expel alcohol. Xu Sanshi knew this well; he simply wanted to see what Jiang Nannan looked like slightly tipsy.
Beibei slung an arm around He Caitou, pointing at Xu Sanshi.
"Caitou, don't you think this guy looks kind of dumb right now?"
"A little," He Caitou chuckled.
Xu Sanshi's smile stiffened, and he mouthed something unkind in Beibei's direction—but he held back, comforted by the thought of soon seeing a flushed Jiang Nannan.
When he reached Wang Dong, the latter hesitated.
"Senior Xu, maybe I shouldn't—"
Before Wang Dong could finish, Xu Sanshi interrupted, "No way! You're a man, aren't you? What kind of man doesn't drink? Don't tell me you're turning into a sissy."
Wang Dong's eyes widened—but then, as if recalling something, his anger subsided. He gave a soft hum and said no more.
Everyone instinctively turned toward Gongyang Mo, but he merely smiled faintly, unfazed.
Xu Sanshi finally achieved his goal.
Beside him, Xu Zihuang turned to Ning Tian and asked quietly, "Can you drink?"
"Mm, I'm fine," Ning Tian replied, biting her lip lightly, a warmth rising in her heart.
In Ma Xiaotao's absence, Dai Yueheng, as vice-captain, led the toast.
Xu Zihuang took a sip. The wine's slightly tart flavor carried rich fruity notes and a faint preserved-plum aftertaste that lingered pleasantly.
For most, it was just fine wine—but for Jiang Nannan, who came from a commoner's background, it was overwhelming. The exquisite flavor brought not only delight but also a subtle pang of inferiority.
Among them all, she felt out of place—much like Huo Yuhao once had. Yet compared to him, her situation was better; at least her innate talent was decent. She firmly believed she could change her fate through effort.
"This is excellent," Dai Yueheng praised after a sip. "Familiar taste—it must be royal tribute wine from the Star Luo Palace."
He set his glass down and continued his earlier discussion with Xu Zihuang.
"Tianhuang, considering our team's overall strength, we must focus on three main opponents. First, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, of course. The other two are Dio Academy, the royal academy of the Heaven Spirit Empire, and lastly, the Royal Academy of the Star Luo Empire. All three teams have full Soul King-level lineups."
"I believe, as long as Senior Sister Xiaotao and Senior Dai return to the field, Shrek's victory in this tournament is almost certain," Xu Zihuang said with a light smile.
Dai Yueheng smiled but said nothing, clearly agreeing.
Chen Zifeng nodded as well. "Honestly, Tianhuang, with you taking Ling Luochen's position as our main control-type soul master, we're more than well-prepared. Shrek Academy's undefeated legend spanning thousands of years will continue in this tournament."
Throughout their conversation, Ning Tian gazed at Xu Zihuang with a serene smile, her eyes filled only with his reflection.
Just then, Gongyang Mo, who had gone to deliver food to Ma Xiaotao's room, returned—his expression faintly amused.
"Tianhuang," he said with a knowing look, "Sister Xiaotao asked you to come over."
At those words, the atmosphere instantly shifted. Even Dai Yueheng and Chen Zifeng exchanged strange looks with Xu Zihuang.
After all, every so often, Ma Xiaotao would summon Yu Tianhuang to her room—and given what everyone knew of her fiery temperament, it was hard not to imagine things.
Even Ning Tian's smile faded slightly. Though she trusted Xu Zihuang, she couldn't help feeling a twinge of jealousy.
Still, she remained composed; she knew showing it would only trouble him.
Under everyone's gaze, Xu Zihuang stood up calmly.
"Everyone, continue eating. I'll be back shortly."
After he left, the others exchanged glances—but none dared to joke aloud.
After all, it was the Flame Demon, Ma Xiaotao they were talking about. Who would dare risk their life making fun of her?
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