The Sun Moon Capital woke before the sun fully rose.
Even in a city that rarely slept, the morning of the tournament felt different.
The streets began filling long before dawn.
Caravans rolled through the outer districts carrying merchants who had traveled from distant provinces just to claim a good position near the stadium. Vendors unfolded portable stalls along the main avenues while banners bearing the emblem of the Continental Elite Soul Master Academy Tournament fluttered above the crowd.
By the time the first light of morning spread across the eastern horizon—
The capital was already alive.
Not quietly.
But with the restless energy of hundreds of thousands of people gathering for a single purpose.
The closer one moved toward the central districts, the thicker the crowd became.
Entire families stood in long lines outside the formation gates that led into the stadium plaza. Traveling cultivators leaned against the stone railings of elevated walkways, discussing rumors about the teams that had arrived over the past several days.
Soul engineers adjusted projection arrays mounted on tall towers surrounding the district.
When activated, those arrays would transmit the tournament to nearly every corner of the city.
Today—
The entire capital would be watching.
At the heart of the city, the stadium rose like a second sun above the surrounding skyline.
It was even more imposing in daylight.
Massive layered walls of alloy and reinforced stone curved upward in smooth arcs, forming a colossal ring that could be seen from nearly anywhere in the capital.
Formation lines spread across its surface like veins of glowing silver.
The structure had been designed not only to contain battles between high-level soul masters—
But to survive them.
Several enormous projection towers stood around the outer ring, their surfaces lined with crystal arrays capable of magnifying every movement inside the arena.
Even the main entrance gates were monumental.
Each one wide enough to allow entire delegations to enter side by side.
And they were already open.
Streams of spectators moved through the gates under the watchful eyes of imperial guards while formation scanners quietly checked every individual who passed inside.
No weapons beyond permitted soul tools.
No unauthorized formation devices.
Security had been tightened to levels rarely seen even during imperial ceremonies.
Because the empire understood something very clearly.
When the continent gathered—
So did danger.
Inside the stadium, the scale of the structure became truly apparent.
Rows upon rows of seating extended upward in every direction, forming a massive bowl capable of holding more people than most cities.
Even hours before the ceremony began, the stands were already filling rapidly.
Colors from dozens of different regions spread across the audience.
Academy uniforms.
Merchant robes.
Noble insignias.
Every major power on the continent had sent observers.
And every one of them wanted the best view possible.
High above the central arena floor, several floating platforms hovered in carefully controlled formation.
These were the broadcast platforms.
From there, the tournament's commentators and observers would oversee the matches while projection arrays transmitted their voices throughout the stadium.
The arena itself rested far below.
A vast circular platform constructed from layered spirit metal and reinforced stone.
Formation lines etched across its surface pulsed faintly with restrained energy.
Those formations would activate the moment combat began.
Defensive barriers.
Impact absorption arrays.
Energy containment seals.
Without them—
A single battle between high-level soul masters could destroy half the stadium.
Behind the main arena walls, the preparation halls reserved for the participating academies had begun filling as well.
Delegations moved through long corridors guided by imperial attendants while instructors confirmed their registration and tournament placements.
Some teams spoke loudly, their members eager and excited.
Others remained silent, conserving energy for the battles ahead.
Inside one of the larger preparation chambers, the group from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy stood near a wide observation window that overlooked part of the arena floor.
From this angle, the scale of the stadium felt even more immense.
Wu Feng rested both arms against the railing while watching the crowds fill the stands.
"…That's a lot of people."
Her voice carried a mix of amusement and anticipation.
Meng Hongchen stood beside her, observing the formation towers that surrounded the arena.
"They expanded the broadcast network."
Xiao Hongchen glanced at the projection device attached to his wrist.
"Three additional amplification arrays."
He looked up briefly.
"The entire capital will be watching."
Xu Tianzhen crossed her arms while leaning casually against the stone wall behind them.
"Of course they will."
"This is the biggest tournament on the continent."
Tang Ya moved closer to the window, her gaze drifting briefly toward the patches of greenery placed along the arena's outer terraces.
Even inside a massive structure like this, the architects had incorporated living elements into the design.
She smiled faintly.
"They built this place to last."
Nearby, Long Xiaoyi placed one hand lightly against the stone wall.
Her eyes closed briefly.
"…The ground beneath the arena is reinforced."
Wu Feng looked over.
"You can tell?"
Long Xiaoyi opened her eyes again.
"Several layers of spirit metal beneath the stone."
She nodded slightly.
"This place could withstand a lot."
Jiang Nannan stood slightly apart from the others, her violet eyes scanning the arena floor below.
Even without activating her martial soul, she could already see the faint outlines of hidden formation anchors embedded around the battlefield.
Escape routes.
Barrier nodes.
Observation towers.
Everything had been placed deliberately.
The Sun Moon Empire had prepared this arena carefully.
Very carefully.
A few steps behind the group, Lin Huang stood quietly near the center of the chamber.
His mask remained in place.
The smooth white surface reflected faint light from the arena window, concealing any expression that might have crossed his face.
From the outside, he looked calm.
Almost relaxed.
But his gaze moved slowly across the stadium.
Every section.
Every entrance.
Every possible blind spot.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then his eyes lifted slightly toward the upper stands where several important observation boxes had already begun filling with imperial officials and representatives from major academies.
The stage was ready.
The players were arriving.
And somewhere among the hundreds of thousands of spectators filling the arena—
There were those who had not come to watch the tournament.
But to use it.
Lin Huang's gaze lingered briefly on the arena floor.
Five days had passed since their arrival in the capital.
Five days of quiet preparation.
Five days of waiting.
Now—
The ceremony was about to begin.
Behind him, Wu Feng pushed herself away from the railing.
"So."
She rolled her shoulders once.
"Who do you think we'll crush first?"
Meng Hongchen laughed softly.
"The tournament format hasn't even been announced yet."
Wu Feng grinned.
"Details."
Ji Juechen stood near the opposite wall with his sword resting against his shoulder.
Unlike the others, his attention remained focused on the arena floor.
"…Soon."
That single word carried quiet certainty.
Lin Huang didn't respond immediately.
Instead, he turned slightly toward the chamber entrance where an imperial attendant had just stepped inside.
"The ceremony will begin shortly," the attendant announced.
"Please prepare to enter the arena when your delegation is called."
The room grew a little quieter after that.
Excitement lingered in the air.
So did anticipation.
Outside the preparation hall, the distant roar of the stadium crowd continued growing louder.
Because somewhere above them—
The first announcements were already beginning.
And the greatest tournament on the continent was finally about to start.
The noise of the stadium filtered faintly through the thick walls of the preparation hall.
Even from within the secured delegation chambers, the roar of the crowd could still be heard in distant waves—like thunder rolling across a vast plain.
Each passing minute seemed to amplify that sound.
More spectators filling the stands.
More delegations arriving at the arena entrance.
The ceremony would begin soon.
Inside the Sun Moon Academy chamber, however, the atmosphere remained far calmer than the chaos outside.
Most of the group had gathered near the preparation benches lining the walls while imperial attendants moved quietly through the room delivering final registration tokens.
Ji Juechen stood near the center of the chamber, slowly adjusting the grip of his sword while testing the balance of its sheath.
Across the room, Meng Hongchen leaned against the edge of a stone table while Xiao Hongchen continued adjusting the projection interface attached to his wrist.
"Signal synchronization confirmed," he said quietly.
Wu Feng raised an eyebrow.
"You're analyzing the stadium broadcast system before the ceremony?"
Xiao Hongchen didn't even look up.
"Information advantage."
Xu Tianzhen snorted softly.
"Of course."
Nearby, Tang Ya sat calmly on one of the benches with her hands resting loosely on her knees.
The natural energy flowing through her martial soul responded faintly to the enormous concentration of spirit power surrounding the arena outside.
She could feel it like distant wind through a forest.
Excited.
Restless.
Waiting.
Jiang Nannan stood near the far wall, quietly adjusting the straps of the twin dagger sheaths concealed beneath her cloak.
Her movements were efficient.
Minimal.
Long Xiaoyi stretched her arms once before rolling her shoulders slowly, loosening the muscles of her upper body.
The quiet tension of preparation hung in the air.
Not nervousness.
Just focus.
A few steps away from the others, Lin Huang stood beside one of the equipment tables.
The mask still covered his face.
But his posture remained relaxed as he reached down and opened a small reinforced case resting on the stone surface.
Inside—
Several thin metallic bands rested neatly within padded slots.
They did not look particularly remarkable.
Each one was made from a dull gray alloy that reflected almost no light.
At first glance, they resembled nothing more than simple bracelets.
Lin Huang lifted the first one.
The metal ring was slightly heavier than it appeared.
He slid it slowly around his wrist.
A faint click sounded as the inner mechanism sealed into place.
Then he reached for the second.
Ji Juechen noticed first.
His eyes shifted briefly from his sword toward Lin Huang's hands.
"…Restraints."
The word was spoken quietly.
Not a question.
A statement.
Lin Huang fastened the second bracelet around his other wrist.
"Yes."
Wu Feng glanced over from across the room.
"You're handicapping yourself before the tournament even starts?"
Lin Huang didn't look up.
"Not handicapping."
He reached into the case again.
Another pair of metal rings.
This time slightly larger.
He bent slightly and secured them around his ankles beneath the folds of his clothing.
"Balancing."
Meng Hongchen tilted her head slightly.
"You expect the fights to be that easy?"
Lin Huang straightened again.
The bracelets disappeared partially beneath the sleeves of his uniform.
From a distance—
They looked like ordinary accessories.
"You've all trained hard for this tournament."
His voice remained calm.
"But if I fight at full output from the beginning…"
He left the sentence unfinished.
Wu Feng stared at him for a moment.
Then she laughed.
"…That arrogant confidence is still there."
Ji Juechen nodded slightly.
"Training restraints."
Lin Huang didn't deny it.
The weights hidden within the bracelets were not ordinary.
Inside each band, compact formation cores suppressed the flow of soul power and limited the circulation of Qi and Blood throughout his body.
Strength.
Speed.
Explosive output.
All of it reduced.
To a manageable level.
Across the room, Ye Guyi had been watching quietly since the moment Lin Huang opened the case.
She could feel something unusual in the air.
Not the full power of his aura.
That remained hidden.
But the way his energy circulation shifted when the bracelets locked into place—
Her martial soul reacted faintly.
A strange sensation passed through her chest.
"…Those are not normal restraints."
Lin Huang glanced toward her.
"No."
Ye Guyi studied him carefully for a moment.
Then she nodded once.
"…I see."
Though in truth—
She did not fully understand what she had sensed.
Far above the arena floor, within the upper observation stands reserved for high-ranking guests, several figures were already watching the preparation chambers through the projection arrays.
Lin Zhenyuan stood with his hands behind his back as the crystal display before him showed a distant image of the Sun Moon Academy chamber.
His gaze lingered briefly on the bracelets Lin Huang had just secured around his wrists.
"…He sealed part of his cultivation."
Beside him, the Emperor of the Sun Moon Empire watched the same projection calmly.
"Deliberately limiting himself before a continental tournament."
A faint hint of amusement crossed his expression.
"Interesting."
Across the same observation hall, several other powerful figures had noticed as well.
Within the section reserved for Shrek Academy, Cai Mei'er narrowed her eyes slightly.
"That boy…"
Xian Lin'er leaned forward just enough to study the projection more closely.
"He's restricting his energy flow."
Cai Mei'er nodded slowly.
"And not by a small amount."
Behind them, several younger members of the Shrek delegation had not yet noticed the detail.
To them, Lin Huang simply appeared calm.
Prepared.
Waiting like the rest of the competitors.
But to those with truly refined perception—
Something else was obvious.
The young man standing in the Sun Moon Academy chamber was not preparing to unleash his strength.
He was preparing to contain it.
Back inside the preparation hall, the imperial attendant returned to the doorway.
"Delegations will begin entering the arena shortly."
The murmur of the crowd outside had grown louder.
Much louder.
Even through the reinforced walls, the stadium now sounded like a living ocean of voices.
Wu Feng cracked her knuckles once.
"Finally."
Xu Tianzhen pushed herself away from the wall.
"Let's see what the continent brought with it."
Lin Huang closed the equipment case.
The restraints rested quietly beneath his sleeves and clothing.
Invisible.
Unnoticed.
To most.
But the faint weight around his limbs reminded him of their purpose.
The arena awaited.
And soon—
The ceremony would begin.
The roar of the stadium reached its peak the moment the ceremonial horns sounded.
A deep, resonant note rolled through the massive arena, amplified by the towering formation arrays that surrounded the stadium walls. The sound spread outward like a tidal wave, washing over the thousands of spectators already filling the stands.
And with it—
The opening ceremony of the Continental Elite Soul Master Academy Tournament officially began.
High above the arena floor, one of the floating broadcast platforms slowly descended toward the center of the stadium.
Several projection crystals ignited along its edge.
A voice—magnified by the formation arrays—echoed across the entire arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the Sun Moon Empire…"
The crowd quieted only slightly.
"Welcome to the Continental Elite Soul Master Academy Tournament!"
The response was immediate.
Thunderous applause rolled through the stadium.
Even the upper observation balconies trembled faintly beneath the sheer volume of sound created by hundreds of thousands of spectators.
The announcer allowed the excitement to build for a few seconds before continuing.
"Today, academies from across the continent gather in this arena."
"From the northern coasts…"
"From the western mountain regions…"
"And from the great empires themselves."
A massive projection array ignited above the arena floor.
Dozens of enormous light screens formed in the air, visible from every corner of the stadium.
"These young soul masters represent the future of the continent."
"Today, they step onto this stage to test their strength."
The projection shifted.
The main entrance gates at the far side of the arena slowly opened.
"And now—"
"Let the procession of academies begin!"
The first delegation stepped onto the arena floor beneath a wave of applause.
Their uniforms carried deep blue patterns lined with silver lightning motifs.
Above them, the projection screen displayed their name.
JUST SKY ADVANCED SOUL MASTER ACADEMY
A group of young cultivators walked onto the field in disciplined formation.
At their front stood a young man with short dark hair whose sharp eyes seemed to carry a faint flicker of electricity.
Yu Tianlong.
Even without activating his martial soul, a subtle tension lingered in the air around him.
Several spectators recognized the lineage immediately.
"The Blue Lightning Dragon clan!"
"Look at that pressure…"
Yu Tianlong ignored the noise from the stands.
His gaze remained focused on the arena ahead.
The next delegation entered shortly after.
Their banner carried a spear-shaped emblem surrounded by spirit rings.
THOUSAND SPIRITS ACADEMY
The team moved with quiet discipline.
No unnecessary gestures.
No dramatic displays.
At their center walked a young boy carrying a long spear across his back.
Shen Ce.
Despite being younger than many of the other captains arriving today, his posture carried the calm composure of someone trained for command.
His eyes scanned the stadium only once before settling calmly ahead.
Several veteran spectators nodded quietly.
"That one will be dangerous."
More academies followed.
Teams from distant regions stepped onto the arena floor beneath waves of applause.
Some wore elaborate uniforms decorated with noble crests.
Others arrived in simpler training attire worn from years of combat practice.
But each carried the same purpose.
Victory.
The stadium atmosphere grew more intense with each arrival.
Every new team represented a potential champion.
Every new name added another layer of anticipation to the growing tension inside the arena.
Then the announcer's voice rose again.
"And now—"
"The delegation of the Star Luo Empire!"
The arena gates opened once more.
A new group stepped onto the arena floor beneath an immediate swell of cheers.
The banner above them displayed their name clearly.
STAR LUO ROYAL SOUL MASTER ACADEMY
At their center walked a young girl whose calm posture drew immediate attention.
Princess Xu Jiujiu.
Despite being only fifteen, her presence carried the quiet confidence of someone accustomed to leadership.
Her long hair flowed behind her as she stepped forward.
The faint aura of her Star Crown martial soul shimmered softly around her presence, like distant starlight.
One of her teammates whispered quietly.
"The crowd seems excited."
Xu Jiujiu nodded faintly.
"They always are."
Her gaze lifted briefly toward the massive stadium stands.
Then toward the arena center.
"This is only the beginning."
Delegation after delegation entered the arena.
The announcer's voice introduced each academy while the massive projection screens displayed their names and origins to the crowd.
Cheers rose and fell like waves across the enormous stadium.
Above the arena, the floating broadcast platforms rotated slowly to capture every moment.
Inside the preparation corridors beneath the stadium—
The next delegation waited.
Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy.
Wu Feng cracked her knuckles once.
"Looks like it's almost our turn."
Xu Tianzhen stretched her arms lazily.
"About time."
Ji Juechen remained silent, his sword resting calmly against his shoulder.
Zhang Lexuan stood quietly beside him, her silver hair catching the faint light from the corridor ceiling.
Qiu'er's golden eyes remained focused ahead.
Tang Ya exhaled slowly.
Jiang Nannan adjusted the position of the daggers concealed beneath her cloak.
Behind them, Ye Guyi stood quietly observing the corridor entrance.
She could hear the announcer's voice echoing faintly through the stone walls.
"Next delegation approaching…"
Lin Huang stood at the center of the group.
Mask in place.
Bracelets hidden beneath his sleeves.
The faint weight around his limbs reminded him of the restraints now suppressing his power.
Beyond the corridor—
The stadium waited.
And soon—
It would be their turn to step onto the stage.
The roar of the stadium swelled again as another delegation finished their entrance.
From the preparation corridor, the noise felt almost physical—like a living pressure pressing through the reinforced walls.
The Sun Moon Academy team stood waiting at the final gate.
Beyond the heavy alloy doors lay the arena floor.
Wu Feng flexed her fingers once.
"Alright."
She glanced sideways toward Lin Huang.
"Try not to end the tournament in five minutes."
Meng Hongchen laughed quietly.
"That would be inconvenient."
Xu Tianzhen smirked.
"And embarrassing for the organizers."
Ji Juechen said nothing.
His gaze remained fixed on the gate ahead.
The moment the announcer's voice echoed through the corridor, the massive doors began to move.
"And now—"
"The delegation representing the host empire!"
The crowd noise surged immediately.
"Please welcome…"
"THE SUN MOON IMPERIAL SOUL ENGINEERING ACADEMY!"
The gates opened.
Light from the arena spilled into the corridor.
Lin Huang stepped forward.
The moment the Sun Moon team entered the arena—
The stadium erupted.
The host academy always received attention.
But this time the reaction carried a sharper edge.
Expectation.
Curiosity.
Even suspicion.
Because rumors about this year's Sun Moon team had already spread through the capital over the past several days.
And now—
The crowd finally saw them.
At the front of the formation walked Zhang Lexuan.
Her silver hair reflected the sunlight pouring into the arena while her calm expression carried the composed authority of a high-level cultivator.
Even without releasing her martial soul, a faint lunar aura seemed to follow her movements.
Behind her walked Qiu'er.
Golden hair.
Golden eyes.
The pressure of her draconic bloodline lingered subtly in the air, creating a sensation many experienced cultivators immediately recognized.
Ma Xiaotao followed beside her.
Scarlet hair moved slightly in the wind as faint traces of phoenix flame flickered quietly beneath the surface of her aura.
Further back—
Long Xiaoyi stepped forward with steady composure, her brown hair falling across her shoulders while the quiet weight of her earth-aligned martial soul gave her presence a grounded, immovable feeling.
Tang Ya walked calmly near the center of the group.
A soft ripple of natural energy seemed to follow her movements like a quiet forest breeze.
Jiang Nannan moved beside her.
Silent.
Graceful.
Almost invisible within the formation.
Her violet eyes scanned the stadium with calm focus.
Ning Tian's posture remained elegant and composed.
Wu Feng walked beside her with far less restraint, the faint pressure of her Red Dragon martial soul leaking subtly into the air around her.
Xu Tianzhen carried herself with unmistakable imperial confidence.
Meng Hongchen's pale aura felt like cold air before a winter storm.
Xiao Hongchen walked calmly with one hand resting near the compact soul tool device attached to his arm.
And near the back of the group—
Ye Guyi stepped forward quietly.
The gentle glow of her sacred light element radiated faintly from her presence.
The crowd reacted immediately.
"That team…"
"They're young!"
"Look at their aura!"
Even without martial souls released, experienced spectators could feel the density of their cultivation.
But then—
The final figure stepped into the arena.
And the stadium's attention shifted.
Lin Huang walked calmly at the center of the formation.
Mask in place.
White surface reflecting faint sunlight.
The mask itself was simple.
Elegant.
But unmistakable.
A ripple moved through several sections of the audience.
"Is that…?"
"The masked one…"
"I've heard about him."
From the upper observation balconies, several powerful figures watched closely.
Lin Zhenyuan folded his arms quietly.
The Emperor's gaze lingered on the masked figure for several seconds.
Inside the Shrek Academy observation section—
Wu Ming leaned forward slightly.
"…Seriously?"
Ling Luochen didn't look surprised.
"It's him."
Xixi pointed casually toward the arena floor.
"Who else would it be?"
Chen Zifeng nodded slowly.
"That formation is the same."
Yao Haoxuan scratched his head.
"So he's still doing the mysterious mask thing?"
Dai Yaoheng remained silent for a moment.
His eyes followed the Sun Moon team as they walked toward their designated position on the arena floor.
"…That's Lin Huang."
There was no doubt in his voice.
Back on the arena floor, the Sun Moon team reached their assigned formation point.
Lin Huang stopped at the center of the group.
From the outside—
He appeared completely calm.
But hidden beneath the sleeves of his uniform, the suppression bracelets rested quietly against his wrists.
Their formation cores continued restricting the flow of both Soul Power and Qi and Blood throughout his body.
The weights concealed around his limbs made each step slightly heavier than it should have been.
To the crowd—
He looked normal.
To most observers—
Nothing seemed unusual.
But a handful of powerful cultivators watching from the upper stands could see the truth.
Cai Mei'er narrowed her eyes slightly.
"…He's still suppressing himself."
Xian Lin'er nodded slowly.
"And quite heavily."
Han Ruoruo watched the arena floor with quiet concentration.
"That masked one…"
She paused briefly.
"…He feels strange."
Wu Ming crossed her arms.
"Strange?"
Han Ruoruo didn't look away from the arena.
"It's like…"
She frowned slightly.
"His presence doesn't match his cultivation."
Ling Luochen nodded once.
"That's because he's holding it back."
Wu Ming sighed.
"…Of course he is."
Down below—
The Sun Moon team stood calmly beneath the massive stadium lights.
Above them, the projection arrays shifted once again.
The next stage of the ceremony was about to begin.
The moment that would reveal the strength of every competitor standing in the arena.
Age.
Cultivation rank.
Everything.
And when that happened—
The true reaction of the continent would begin.
A low hum spread across the arena floor.
At first it was subtle.
Barely noticeable beneath the restless murmur of hundreds of thousands of spectators filling the stadium.
But the moment the formation arrays embedded beneath the arena platform began activating—
The sound grew deeper.
More resonant.
Thin lines of light appeared across the arena floor, forming a vast circular formation that expanded outward beneath the feet of every delegation standing inside the stadium.
The projection arrays above the arena shifted once again.
This time, the massive floating screens displayed something different.
Columns of empty space.
Rows waiting to be filled.
The announcer's voice echoed through the stadium once more.
"Before the tournament begins—"
"All participating competitors will undergo standard registration verification."
Another wave of murmurs spread through the crowd.
Most experienced spectators already knew what this meant.
Age verification.
Cultivation level confirmation.
No disguises.
No hidden substitutions.
Every competitor would be revealed.
"Please remain within your designated formation area."
The lines of light beneath the arena pulsed once.
Then the formation activated.
Above the arena, the projection screens began filling with information.
One by one—
The names of the competitors appeared.
Their age.
Their cultivation rank.
The crowd leaned forward.
For many spectators, this moment was almost as exciting as the battles themselves.
Because numbers revealed something very important.
Potential.
The first results began appearing for the delegations closest to the outer formation rings.
A name flashed across the projection.
YU TIANLONGAge: 17Rank: 52 — Soul King
A ripple of approval moved through the crowd.
"Seventeen?"
"That's impressive."
"Just Sky Academy isn't playing around this year."
Yu Tianlong remained calm.
His eyes stayed forward.
The numbers meant nothing until the battles began.
Another name appeared moments later.
SHEN CEAge: 16Rank: 47 — Soul Ancestor
The crowd reacted again.
"Sixteen already close to Soul King…"
"That spear user might be dangerous."
Shen Ce simply adjusted the grip of the weapon across his back.
Then another result.
The projection shifted.
XU JIUJIUAge: 15Rank: 47 — Soul Ancestor
A louder reaction followed this time.
"The Star Luo princess!"
"She's already a Soul Ancestor?"
"She's only fifteen!"
Xu Jiujiu remained composed.
Her gaze briefly lifted toward the massive stadium stands.
Then returned to the arena floor.
More names followed.
More reactions rippled through the stadium.
Every academy revealed their strongest members.
Some numbers impressed the audience.
Others disappointed them.
But then—
The projection arrays shifted again.
And the information for the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy began appearing.
The first name flashed across the sky.
ZHANG LEXUANAge: 17Rank: 72 — Soul Sage
For a moment—
The stadium fell completely silent.
Then the noise exploded.
"A Soul Sage?!"
"Seventeen?!"
"That's impossible!"
Even many experienced cultivators in the audience leaned forward in disbelief.
A Soul Sage at seventeen years old.
That level of cultivation placed her far beyond most competitors present in the tournament.
Inside the Shrek observation section, Wu Ming whistled quietly.
"…That's ridiculous."
Ling Luochen nodded once.
"Her aura already hinted at it."
Han Ruoruo watched the arena carefully.
"That's not the only problem."
The next name appeared.
JI JUECHENAge: 19Rank: 66 — Soul Emperor
Several spectators nodded.
That one seemed more reasonable.
Still strong.
But not abnormal.
Then the projection shifted again.
And the stadium reacted once more.
MA XIAOTAOAge: 14Rank: 66 — Soul Emperor
"What?!"
"Fourteen?!"
Another surge of noise erupted across the arena.
The results continued.
QIU'ERAge: 14Rank: 67 — Soul Emperor
The crowd gasped again.
"Another one?!"
LONG XIAOYIAge: 14Rank: 65 — Soul Emperor
XU TIANZHENAge: 14Rank: 64 — Soul Emperor
XIAO HONGCHENAge: 14Rank: 64 — Soul Emperor
MENG HONGCHENAge: 14Rank: 64 — Soul Emperor
Each new result only intensified the growing shock across the stadium.
The Sun Moon team's average age was absurdly low.
And yet their cultivation levels rivaled the strongest academies present.
The projection screens continued.
TANG YAAge: 13Rank: 63 — Soul Emperor
The reaction from the crowd became almost chaotic.
"Thirteen?!"
"That's insane!"
NING TIANAge: 14Rank: 62 — Soul Emperor
WU FENGAge: 14Rank: 62 — Soul Emperor
JIANG NANNANAge: 13Rank: 57 — Soul King
Even the Soul King result sounded impressive when paired with such a young age.
Then another name appeared.
YE GUYIAge: 14Rank: 47 — Soul Ancestor
Compared to the others, her cultivation seemed modest.
But the crowd barely had time to react.
Because one final name remained.
The projection arrays shifted.
The last line appeared slowly across the floating screens above the arena.
LIN HUANGAge: 14Rank: 67 — Soul Emperor
For a moment—
The entire stadium seemed to stop breathing.
Then the noise returned.
Louder than before.
"Fourteen and Rank 67?!"
"That's ridiculous!"
"That team is insane!"
Inside the Shrek observation section, Wu Ming groaned softly.
"…He got worse."
Ling Luochen shook her head.
"Stronger."
Xixi leaned forward.
"And he's still wearing the mask."
Chen Zifeng folded his arms.
"That's definitely Lin Huang."
Yao Haoxuan stared at the projection screens.
"…That team is terrifying."
Dai Yaoheng watched the arena silently for several seconds.
Then he spoke quietly.
"…Trouble."
Down on the arena floor, Lin Huang stood calmly at the center of the Sun Moon formation.
The noise of the stadium washed over him like distant thunder.
But beneath his sleeves—
The suppression bracelets remained locked in place.
The hidden weights pressed lightly against his limbs.
His true strength remained restrained.
Hidden.
Waiting.
For now—
The continent had only seen numbers.
The battles had not even begun.
And the tournament—
Was finally ready to start.