At this moment, after seeing Xu Jiujiu arrive, the stern expression on Xu Jiawei's face eased, replaced by a gentle smile.
He took the roster Xu Jiujiu handed over and began flipping through it.
"Imperial Brother, this is the final confirmed list of all academies participating in this tournament," Xu Jiujiu said softly, her tone respectful.
Xu Jiawei nodded, his fingers lightly turning the pages.
As the ruler of a nation, what he cared about was never merely the outcome of a single competition, but the future direction of the entire continent.
In a world where strength reigned supreme, the talent and power of the younger generation often foretold a nation's rise or decline over the next several decades.
Soon, his gaze stopped on the most eye-catching page of the roster.
[Shrek Academy]
When he saw the astonishing names and spirit power ranks listed there, even Xu Jiawei—who had weathered countless storms—couldn't help but have his pupils contract slightly.
"A Spirit Saint… a quasi–Spirit Saint… all Spirit Kings…"
Xu Jiawei took a deep breath, his fingers tapping lightly against the tabletop, producing a dull sound.
"This generation of Shrek is even more formidable than those before it."
"A nineteen-year-old Spirit Saint… that's practically unheard of. Such a foundation is truly terrifying."
He shook his head, his voice carrying both helplessness and awe.
"It seems Shrek is destined to claim the championship once again."
"Against such overwhelming strength, the other academies will likely have little chance to turn the tables."
However, just as he was about to close the roster, his eyes unintentionally swept over the next page.
[Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy]
Xu Jiawei's fingers paused.
This academy, ranked second on the continent, had always been Shrek's greatest rival and a key focus of the Star Luo Empire.
But when he looked more closely, he found the information on this page unusually sparse.
Aside from names and ages, crucial details such as spirit power rank and martial soul type were completely blank.
Especially the name at the very top—
[Captain: Liu Yuan]
No remarks. No titles. Clean and empty, like a blank sheet of paper.
"Hm?"
Xu Jiawei raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
"This Sun Moon team actually knows restraint this time—revealing not a single trump card?"
In the past, although the Sun Moon team was never as flamboyant as Shrek, they would still fill in some basic information on the registration form. It was both a display of confidence and a deterrent to others.
But this time, they had taken secrecy to such an extreme?
Seeing her imperial brother's confusion, Xu Jiujiu smiled faintly, a playful glint flickering in her beautiful eyes.
"Imperial Brother, I've heard about this as well. It's rather interesting."
"Oh?" Xu Jiawei's interest was piqued. "Tell me."
Xu Jiujiu then vividly recounted what had happened the previous day at the Star Luo Imperial Hotel.
From Shrek's high-profile show of strength and Xuan Zi using sheer power to suppress the others, to the Sun Moon team's low-key arrival, their polite demeanor, and that "blank registration" which had left everyone stunned.
She spoke in great detail, especially emphasizing Liu Yuan's calm composure and aloofness that seemed completely out of place amid the surrounding tension.
After listening, Xu Jiawei fell silent for a moment.
In his majestic eyes, a trace of deep contemplation gradually surfaced.
"Interesting…"
He gently stroked his chin, the corners of his lips curling slightly.
"If that's the case, then this captain of the Sun Moon team is no ordinary individual."
"Faced with Shrek's provocation and pressure, not only did he refrain from acting impulsively, he even used the opponent's arrogance to conceal himself."
"That kind of mental fortitude is not something an ordinary young man could possess."
Xu Jiawei looked once more at the name on the page—Liu Yuan.
"And judging by his age, he's even younger than Xiao Hongchen."
As an emperor, his sensitivity to intelligence was exceptionally sharp.
A young man who had suddenly emerged, suppressed the many geniuses of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy to become captain, and possessed such depth of scheming was definitely someone to be wary of.
"Jiujiu."
Xu Jiawei looked up, his tone turning solemn.
"Send people to investigate Liu Yuan's background."
"I want to know where he came from—and what kind of ability he possesses that made that old fox Jing Hongchen so confident and bold as to place him in charge of the team."
"Yes, Imperial Brother."
Xu Jiujiu bowed slightly in acknowledgment.
Curiosity flickered in her eyes as well. For a youth who could draw such attention from her imperial brother, she found herself increasingly interested in uncovering his secrets.
…
Naturally, Liu Yuan was completely unaware of what was happening in the imperial palace at this moment.
Even if he knew, he would only laugh it off.
Because everything was proceeding exactly as he had anticipated.
Since he had chosen this path of "restraint," it was only natural that it would draw the attention of those with ulterior motives.
And that was precisely what he wanted—to let others speculate and investigate, yet never truly grasp his depth.
To prepare for the tournament beginning the next day, the members of the Sun Moon team returned to their rooms early after dinner.
Even Meng Hongchen, who usually stayed up late researching soul tools, was forced into bed by Liu Yuan.
That night, Star Luo City was brilliantly illuminated, and countless Spirit Masters carrying dreams gazed into the night, eagerly awaiting tomorrow.
And Liu Yuan slept exceptionally soundly.
…
The next morning.
When the first ray of sunlight shone upon Star Luo City, the entire city seemed to awaken in an instant.
A massive wave of noise surged from all directions, eventually converging on Star Luo Plaza—a vast space capable of accommodating hundreds of thousands.
The All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament was about to officially begin!
The members of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy changed into their team uniforms. The colors were deep and restrained, yet they radiated an aura of iron-blooded lethality.
Under Liu Yuan's leadership, they passed through the dense crowds and entered the competition venue via the passage reserved for contestants.
The opening ceremony was grand and solemn.
The Emperor of Star Luo, Xu Jiawei, personally delivered the opening address, his impassioned speech igniting the enthusiasm of the entire audience.
Countless ceremonial cannons fired in unison, while dazzling spirit abilities blossomed in the sky, pushing the atmosphere to its peak.
After that came the long and somewhat tedious entrance procession of the participating academies.
Shrek Academy, as the defending champion, naturally entered first.
When the figures clad in dark green uniforms appeared at the center of the plaza, the entire venue erupted with thunderous cheers, like a landslide or a raging tide.
"Shrek! Shrek!"
The deafening roars shot straight into the heavens.
Ma Xiaotao and the others held their heads high, basking in this moment of glory under countless gazes.
Although they had behaved somewhat like upstarts at the hotel earlier, on this stage, the domineering presence befitting the continent's number one academy was fully on display.
The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, which entered immediately after, also received considerable applause—but compared to the near-fanatical cheers for Shrek, it was clearly more subdued.
Liu Yuan, however, did not care in the slightest.
From beginning to end, he maintained that faint, calm smile, walking steadily at the very front of the team—neither deliberately seeking the spotlight nor appearing timid.
That composed demeanor caused many sharp-eyed nobles and powerful figures in the stands to nod in quiet approval.
Once the opening ceremony concluded, staff guided each team to their respective preparation areas to await the drawing of lots and the start of the matches.
The preparation zone was located to one side of Star Luo Plaza, a massive semi-open area. Although simple partitions separated the academies, visibility was hardly obstructed.
Shrek Academy, as the top seed, naturally occupied the most central and advantageous position.
The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, as the second seed, was stationed not far away.
Just as Liu Yuan and his teammates had taken their seats—
In Shrek's rest area not far off.
Xuan Zi, who was gnawing on a chicken leg with his mouth full of grease, seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up.
His somewhat cloudy old eyes pierced through the bustling crowd, locking precisely onto the direction of the Sun Moon team.
In the next instant—
Xuan Zi's gaze froze.
The chicken leg in his hand stopped midair.
From afar, he caught sight of the young man seated at the very front of the Sun Moon team.
That side profile…
Xuan Zi's pupils shrank violently.
Is it him?!
-------------Author---------------
Read 50 advanced chapter
👉 patreon.com/Master_fic
U can read 10 chapters ahead just for 5$