Facing Qian Duoduo's puzzled gaze, Zhang Lexuan looked up and softly replied,
"Dean Qian, if I'm not mistaken, his Martial Soul should be the same as mine—the Moon."
Upon hearing this, Qian Duoduo's initial excitement was replaced by resignation. He sighed deeply, "A top-tier Martial Soul? Then even at Shrek, I wouldn't stand a chance. Oh well..."
The power of the Moon Martial Soul was evident from Zhang Lexuan herself. For a reserve team captain to reach the Sixth Ring at her age, even with the use of medicine, meant her innate talent was exceptional. Such a genius appearing at Shrek would never be assigned to his Soul Tool Department.
Why had Shrek's Soul Tool Department always struggled to develop?
One core reason was that they could only select Core Disciples from the Martial Soul Department's leftovers after Outer Courtyard students entered their third year.
After two years, any geniuses who showed promise in the Martial Soul path would have already been snapped up by the Martial Soul Department.
Huo Yuhao was an exception among exceptions. Bei Bei transferred him to the Soul Tool Department early, and Fan Yu, delighted by the discovery, immediately made him a Core Disciple, fearing the Martial Soul Department would snatch him back.
Xian Lin'er snorted, seemingly indignant. "That's because you're incompetent and can't compete with Yan Shaozhe. If I had discovered a genius with both Martial Soul and Soul Tool talent, I'd cause a ruckus even at the Sea God Pavilion rather than let that old fossil have them."
Lin Huiqun retracted the surprise from her eyes and smiled kindly at Xian Lin'er. "Lin'er, you're going too far. For one genius, there's no need to make such a fuss."
"Elder Lin, the Martial Soul Department needs talent, but my Soul Tool Department also needs an heir," Xian Lin'er said seriously.
"I'm not joking. When this person attacked, their essence, qi, and spirit were highly integrated, as if nothing could shake their focus. This is an extremely rare combat state, even in the Inner Courtyard. They could be nurtured as an heir for both me and Duoduo."
"What's even rarer is that they're also very skilled with Soul Guided Devices. If they were one of Shrek's own, how could I not fight for them?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Huiqun's eyes flashed. The scene of Xu Tianxi's lightning-fast attack earlier replayed in her mind like a film, frame by frame, and her expression gradually became serious.
"Indeed, this young man is full of vitality. It's truly rare for such a person to emerge from the Sun Moon Empire."
Beside them, Zhang Lexuan seemed to blurt out as if by a trance, "Elder Lin, both Deans, this person hails from the Sun Moon Imperial Family. His surname is Kong, given name Tianxi, and he's known as the Sun Moon Empire's greatest genius in a thousand years."
"A royal genius appearing once in a millennium? No wonder."
Lin Huiqun and the other two nodded slightly. The Sun Moon Imperial Family controlled countless resources, so it wasn't impossible for them to cultivate such a figure with all their might. It seemed the Sun Moon Empire was determined to have this person challenge Shrek's championship title.
Looking at the young, tender faces of Bei Bei and the others, the three couldn't help but feel a wave of worry. This person was already so formidable now. Even if their potential was affected by medicine, they might still reach the Soul Sage level in five years. Could Bei Bei and the others defend Shrek's honor?
At this moment, Shi Yang also snapped back to attention, influenced by the trio's approving and acknowledging voices. Despite the shock in his heart, he still spoke defiantly,
"I think you're overestimating this person from the Sun Moon Empire. He can fight now, but can he keep fighting? A medicine user is still a medicine user in the end. How can their future compare to the top elites cultivated under Shrek's ten-thousand-year heritage?"
Xian Lin'er shook her head and retorted, "Elder Shi, no matter what we say, our Soul Guided Technology is indeed far behind the Sun Moon Empire. We must admit this. Temporarily, no one in my Soul Tool Department can compare to this person."
The most outstanding young talent in the Soul Tool Department was He Caitou. A Four Rings versus a Sixth Ring—anyone who can count knows the difference. And that's with Fan Yu hiding He Caitou's talent as a food-type Soul Master; otherwise, the Martial Soul Department would have also taken him.
Shi Yang's eyes widened, and he pouted. "If you think so highly of him, why not find a way to get him into Shrek? Didn't Elder Mu want us to have academic exchanges with the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineers? Just ask for him and have him stay here."
Xian Lin'er paused, then gave a wry smile. "Elder Shi, he's from the Sun Moon Imperial Family. How could he stay at Shrek?"
Shi Yang confidently said, "You underestimate Shrek's appeal. Do you believe that if we were willing to open our doors to the Sun Moon Empire, even their princes and princesses would be eager to study at Shrek?"
"This kid isn't even surnamed Xu; he's from a branch of the imperial family. Can't we attract him?"
Xu Tianxi would say, "Old thief, shut up!" Deeply Shrek-obsessed individuals like Sun Moon Crown Prince Xu Tianran and Princess Xu Tianzhen would say, "You're right, our dream is to study at Shrek!"
Qian Duoduo tapped the glass table with a "tap-tap," a hint of melancholy in his brows. He wasn't as optimistic as Shi Yang; on the contrary, he was more concerned about a practical problem.
"Elder Shi, Elder Lin, this Sun Moon Battle Team is coming on strong this time, definitely aiming for the championship. Our current team probably has little chance of winning. No matter how strong Ma Xiaotao is, two fists are no match for four."
As his words fell, Shrek's resting area fell into an eerie silence. This thought had long been in many people's minds, but no one had voiced it.
Ma Xiaotao bit her lip, her expression still defiant, but she didn't speak to refute Qian Duoduo.
A moment later, Zhang Lexuan's calm voice rang out as she addressed Qian Duoduo:
"Dean Qian, Xiaotao and the others aren't at full strength this time anyway. We never expected to defend the title; just doing our best is enough."
"Elder Mu also said that losing a match isn't necessarily a bad thing. This defeat isn't a fault of our fighting."
In Zhang Lexuan's opinion, even if Kong Tianxi couldn't defeat Ma Xiaotao, he could still inflict serious injuries. Shrek had no chance of winning the team battle. Giving up the team battle and entering the one-on-one and two-on-three match formats would yield the same result.
The Sun Moon Battle Team's main captain, who had never fought, was definitely a Soul Emperor. This meant they could send three Soul Emperors to defend in the one-on-one format, and in the two-on-three format, they could ensure a Soul Emperor was present in every match, giving their opponents no chance of victory.
Three Soul Emperors stationed—Shrek's history had rarely seen such a luxurious lineup.
Wang Yan's face showed helplessness, and he nodded slightly, indicating his agreement with Zhang Lexuan. The Sun Moon Battle Team's lineup this time was too terrifying. Even if there were no problems with their main team, he didn't think their side had much chance of winning.
Bei Bei, Dai Huabin, and the others all looked hesitant, their breathing heavy and distressed. They all considered themselves to possess unique skills, but even the strongest unique skill couldn't bridge the huge gap of two Soul Rings.
Ning Tian, Xie Huanyue, and the other less prominent members looked much more relaxed. After all, they weren't on the main team, so this pressure didn't fall on them.
Ning Tian, from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile School, even wondered if, with so many advanced Soul Guided Devices in the Sun Moon Battle Team, she should have her sect increase imports from the Black Market after returning.
"That's true, but when it comes down to it, I'm still a bit unwilling. It's truly hard to accept the championship falling into the hands of the Sun Moon Battle Team."
Qian Duoduo's eyebrows almost twisted together. His fist, as big as a sandbag, clenched tightly and slammed on the table, knocking over several precious fruits.
And if they lost this time, what would happen next time? Kong Tianxi and the Hongchen siblings could still participate in the next grand competition.
Who would be able to stop them then?
At this moment, all the students from Douling Royal Academy had already left the arena. Their leading teacher spoke a few helpless words to Star Shattering Douluo, who immediately announced that Douling Royal Academy had forfeited the one-on-one individual matches after their team battle defeat, and Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy had advanced to the top eight!
For a time, countless people in the audience roared the name "Sun Moon Battle Team," and many also shouted "Kong Tianxi," their eyes filled with fanaticism and longing, completely awestruck by his overwhelming power.
This, of course, was also thanks to the efforts of Xu Tianxi and Jing Hongchen. Unbeknownst to them, the Sun Moon Battle Team's image in the hearts of Star Luo City's populace had greatly improved.
"Tianxi led the team to a brilliant victory in this battle. Everyone, follow me."
Jing Hongchen clapped his hands, satisfied, and stood up, motioning for the Sun Moon Battle Team to leave. Xu Tianxi and the others waved to the audience and departed amidst cheers.
This scene made the already troubled Lin Huiqun and Shi Yang feel even worse. They secretly cursed these people for only caring about the spectacle and having no loyalty.
Soon after, they noticed many covert, greedy glances falling on Jing Hongchen, as if ready to pounce.
Shi Yang's mood instantly brightened. He grinned and said, "As expected, the Soul Bones from my Shrek aren't easy to get. Jing Hongchen got three Soul Bones and now he's being targeted by so many wolves. He's in for a rough time."
"Heh heh, if those greedy people clash with Jing Hongchen, and a few of the core geniuses from the Sun Moon Battle Team get caught in the aftermath, that would be a huge stroke of luck! Let's see how they can compete with our Shrek for the championship then!"
Du Weilun's eyes darted around twice, and he eagerly spoke up:
"Elder Shi, the Sun Moon Battle Team being targeted isn't entirely because of our Soul Bones. Last night, at the Starlight Auction House, Jing Hongchen spent over 100 million Gold Soul Coins on a rare treasure."
"An auction item worth over 100 million Gold Soul Coins?" The four powerhouses were momentarily shocked by the number. Lin Huiqun, who managed the Treasure Pavilion, wide-eyed, couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"What kind of treasure is that valuable? Is it a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone from a top-tier Soul Beast?"
Du Weilun shook his head, lowering his voice. "It's a Ninth Level Soul Guided Device that sealed a Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast Embryo. The Ninth Level Soul Guided Device itself isn't very useful, but the Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast Embryo it sealed is priceless."
"The Starlight Auction House claimed that absorbing it would not only grant a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring and Soul Bone but also bestow a Second Martial Soul upon a genius, creating an unprecedented Twin Martial Souls genius."
"Such an unparalleled treasure exists?"
Hearing this news, the expressions of the four powerhouses changed again, revealing various calculations and considerations. The expression on Shi Yang's rugged face began to turn fanatical, and a deep greed welled up in the eyes of the kind-faced Lin Huiqun.
Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo exchanged glances, a mix of shock and fervor in their eyes.
If they could acquire such a treasure, what would Shrek have to worry about in the future? Shi Yang merely licked his lips and began transmitting his thoughts to the other three. Lin Huiqun nodded repeatedly shortly after. Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo showed hesitation, but soon, that hesitation vanished, replaced by an inner resolve.
Shi Yang: "This treasure hunt is of immense importance. Not only do we have to seize the treasure from Jing Hongchen, but we also have to get it back while surrounded by wolves. With just us, our chances aren't great. We need to request reinforcements from the academy again. At least send more Titled Douluo and Soul Douluo."
Lin Huiqun: "You're absolutely right. Such a treasure must not be left to the Sun Moon Empire. Kong Tianxi is already incredibly formidable. If he gains a Second Martial Soul, there will truly be no one among Shrek's younger generation who can contend with him."
Xian Lin'er: "To protect Shrek's three-hundred-year foundation, we can only be the villains this once."
Qian Duoduo: "What villainy is this? Whether we snatch it, steal it, or even trick them, as long as we get the benefits, that's skill. In my opinion, this is a golden opportunity! We should mobilize a large number of masters from the academy to besiege Jing Hongchen, eliminate him, the Mingde Hall Master, and then, in the chaos, abduct Kong Tianxi. Everyone will benefit then!"
Shi Yang said with fervor, "Duoduo is right. A Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast Embryo falling into the Sun Moon Imperial Family's hands is like a pearl being covered in dust. Only our Shrek can make the most of it!"
The four reached a consensus: seek reinforcements from Shrek, kill for treasure, and seize the genius.
Zhang Lexuan roughly understood what they were thinking from their expressions and quietly reminded them, "Dean, Elders, this is Star Luo City. Acting here will cause massive casualties, and furthermore—"
Shi Yang looked up and interrupted Zhang Lexuan, "Lexuan, remember, to achieve great things, one must not be bound by minor details. We will act when the opportunity arises. For Shrek's glory and legacy, we will spare no effort!"
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Translation by: randomtranslator.com
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