Spirit City.
During the finals of the Douluo Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Soul Fighting Competition, Spirit City was exceptionally lively.
The vast Spirit Hall Plaza was packed with people, every seat taken, and countless spectators eagerly awaited the upcoming matches.
Heads and high-ranking officials from numerous factions also gathered, intending to gauge the future potential of various forces through the quinquennial Soul Master Competition.
They would then use the juniors' competition to assess the current strength of each force.
Would Spirit Hall continue to dominate, claiming yet another championship in the Soul Master Competition?
Or would the veteran powerhouse Star Luo Empire pull off an upset against Spirit Hall, or perhaps the Sun Moon Empire, the continent's strongest nation, would rise like a powerful dragon crossing a river, forcefully claiming the top spot?
Regardless of the scenario, it filled countless people with anticipation.
Heaven Dou Empire: What about us?
Everyone: Go somewhere cool and stay there!
..."Teacher!" In the Supreme Pontiff Palace, Hu Liena walked to Bibi Dong's side and called out softly.
"How is it? What's the quality of the Sun Moon Royal Academy's personnel?" Bibi Dong, who had been meditating with her eyes closed, opened them, her calm gaze falling upon her disciple. A subtle hint of tenderness flickered in her eyes.
"Sun Moon Royal Academy brought twenty people this time. Only ten are participating students, most of whom are Spirit Kings. However, they give this disciple a feeling of..." Hu Liena softly reported the intelligence she held, her voice trailing off with some hesitation at the end.
A hint of doubt flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes as she looked at the troubled Hu Liena, then turned to Chrysanthemum Douluo and said, "Elder Ju, you speak."
"Reporting to Your Holiness, the Sun Moon Royal Academy Team's members are disorganized. There's no desire for victory in their eyes. They don't seem like they're here to compete; rather, they seem to be here for leisure," Chrysanthemum Douluo respectfully stated. As a Titled Douluo, he was very confident in his observations.
He was confident he wouldn't misjudge a few youngsters. Besides the stunning woman leading them, the others didn't have much fighting spirit in their eyes.
Could the Sun Moon Empire intend to win with just one person?
Is that even possible?
"Arrogant fellows." Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong let out an displeased snort. The Sun Moon Empire's perfunctory attitude showed they didn't take Spirit Hall seriously.
Did they think that by relying on the power of spirit tools to defeat the Star Luo Empire, they could then look down on the Douluo Continent?
"Your Holiness, this subordinate detected a Titled Douluo's aura among the Sun Moon Royal Academy Team," Ghost Douluo's figure, hidden in the shadows, said in a hoarse voice.
"A Titled Douluo!"
Everyone's expressions grew serious upon hearing this. A Titled Douluo as a team leader? Did the Sun Moon Empire value this competition so much?
Then why did they send a bunch of slackers to compete?
Or was someone in this team so important that they warranted protection from a Titled Douluo?
"Have you found out the identities of the Sun Moon Team's participants?"
"The Sun Moon Empire has extremely strong control over its internal affairs. The time we've had inside is too short, and we haven't obtained crucial intelligence. We only know one person's identity."
"She is the Crown Princess of the Sun Moon Empire, Xu Nianshuang. She once appeared in Heaven Dou City with the Sun Moon Emperor."
"It seems it's for her then." Bibi Dong nodded. A Crown Princess of a nation—this identity certainly warranted protection from a Titled Douluo.
However, the Sun Moon Empire's strength needed to be re-evaluated. The fact that they could send a Titled Douluo to lead a team indicated that their foundation was deeper than they had estimated.
"Monitor their every move closely. Tell our participants that victory is mandatory, defeat is not an option."
..."How is the Soul Master Competition progressing?"
In the Sun Moon Empire's Crown Prince Residence, Xu Tianyang put down his copy of "Detailed Explanation of a Level Seven Soul Engineer" and asked Huang Xiuwen, who had just entered.
"Your Highness, Princess Shuang'er has already led her team into the top three of the finals, competing with the Spirit Hall Team and the Star Luo Royal Academy Team for the ultimate championship," Huang Xiuwen reported respectfully in a low voice.
"Xiuwen, it's just the two of us here. How many times have I told you, there's no need for so much formality between us?" Xu Tianyang said with a helpless expression, looking at the serious Huang Xiuwen.
"Your Highness's kindness to this subordinate is like a second chance at life. This subordinate knows Your Highness is benevolent, but please, Your Highness, do not make it difficult for this subordinate," Huang Xiuwen replied in a low voice, still standing meticulously by Xu Tianyang's side.
"Alright, alright!" Xu Tianyang shook his head. As they aged, they were no longer as carefree as they were in their youth.
The Huang family had its way of survival, and he, as the Crown Prince of the Sun Moon Empire and future Emperor, held the power of life and death.
No one would truly speak of friendship with a monarch.
A lonely man, it was nothing more than that!
"Has any Spirit King appeared in this session?" Xu Tianyang's eyes flickered, and he casually picked up the book in his hand again, asking.
"Except for one Spirit King in the Spirit Hall Team, no other Spirit Kings have appeared in the other teams."
"Understood." Xu Tianyang nodded. This year's championship was already a foregone conclusion. With Qian Renxue, the super-talented contestant, not participating, no one could withstand Xu Nianshuang's sword.
"When Shuang'er returns, tell her that I'll be going into seclusion for a while and won't be able to host a welcoming banquet for her."
"Understood!"
...In a secret chamber, Xu Tianyang sat quietly cross-legged, not rushing to cultivate, but carefully pondering his recent gains.
He had acquired too many abilities recently and hadn't properly organized them. Taking advantage of the relatively calm period during the ongoing Soul Master Competition,
He intended to organize his abilities.
As the sun set and the moon rose, starlight scattered across the sky. This period of contemplation lasted a full eight hours, until late at night when he emerged for some food before beginning his meditation and cultivation.
His spiritual power realm had already broken through to the intangible yet substantial level, allowing him to cultivate by enveloping his spirit power, which possessed ultimate attributes, with spiritual power.
Therefore, even though his attributes had broken through to ultimate attributes, he hadn't experienced the restrictions of ultimate attributes.
Currently, he was cultivating at the normal speed of a top-tier genius.
At a certain moment, Xu Tianyang suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes had transformed into eerie red and blue pupils, and four Soul Rings—three black and one gold—rose from beneath him.
A solid, heavy, domineering aura, filled with a sense of being supreme above all heavens and earth, looking down on all living beings, suddenly erupted from his body.
Soon, this aura subtly vanished, as if everything that had just happened never existed.
Xu Tianyang lowered his head, thought for a moment, then closed his eyes again and resumed his cultivation.
"Elder Ilie, what was that just now?" In the spiritual sea of consciousness, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's small eyes widened, looking at Electrolux in shock. It had witnessed everything that just happened with its own eyes.
"Hehe, little Tianyang has finally taken that step. The door to becoming a supreme powerhouse has opened for him." Electrolux looked at Xu Tianyang with satisfaction and pride in his eyes.
"A supreme powerhouse, huh..." Tianmeng Ice Silkworm gazed at Xu Tianyang with burning eyes.