Shrek City, Soul Tool Communications Department.
This was a gray building tucked away in a corner of the academy, usually inconspicuous and rarely visited.
Although Shrek Academy had always upheld the supremacy of traditional martial souls and maintained a reserved—if not outright dismissive—attitude toward soul tools, it was still forced to establish this department to keep real-time contact with the outside world, especially with the various imperial courts and the frontline Supervision Team.
At this moment, Steward Li, the intelligence officer on duty, was listlessly fiddling with the communication core formation in his hand.
"Judging by the time, the competition over there should have ended long ago, right?"
Steward Li yawned and glanced at the wall clock.
"I wonder what the results actually are…"
Just then—
Buzz—buzz—
The latest-generation long-distance voice-transmission soul tool in front of him suddenly vibrated violently without warning. The ruby indicator light flashed urgently, releasing a piercing red glow.
This is… the highest level of emergency intelligence?!
Steward Li's heart lurched. He instantly straightened up, abandoning his lazy posture. Grabbing the transmitter, he spoke in a deep, solemn voice:
"This is the Shrek Academy Intelligence Center. I am Steward Li. Report!"
On the other end came a burst of static, followed by the trembling, fragmented voice of a frontline scout—hoarse and shaken, as if he had seen a ghost:
"Re… reporting… something… something terrible has happened…"
Steward Li frowned, a trace of irritation rising in his heart. Since when had Shrek's scouts become so easily rattled?
"What are you panicking for?! Speak clearly! Is the Sun Moon Empire making some move again? Or did something go wrong in the match?"
"The match is over…" The scout's voice quivered, sounding as if he were shouting with all his remaining strength. "Lost! We lost! The Shrek Team… in the Round of Sixteen elimination match… was eliminated… by the Sun Moon Team!!!"
Clatter.
It felt as if a thunderclap exploded inside Steward Li's mind.
His entire body froze on the spot.
The transmitter slipped from his hand and smashed heavily onto the desk.
His eyes went blank, his thoughts completely empty.
Top sixteen…
Eliminated…
The impact of these two words together was no less absurd to him than hearing that Sea God Lake had dried up.
That was Shrek!
The number one academy on the continent, the symbol of ten thousand years of glory!
How could they fail to even reach the top eight, getting sent home in the round of sixteen?!
With trembling hands, Steward Li ended the transmission.
He did not rush out to report immediately.
Instead, he slowly sank back into his chair, gasping for breath as cold sweat poured down his forehead.
He didn't dare go.
He truly didn't dare.
He knew all too well what kind of storm this news would unleash once it reached Sea God's Pavilion.
It was an event powerful enough to shake the heavens.
"Huff… huff…"
Steward Li forced himself to calm down, repeatedly organizing his words in his mind, trying to find the most tactful way possible to report this nightmare—lest those elderly elders be so enraged that they collapse on the spot.
But no matter how much he tried to soften it, the truth was the truth.
Shrek had lost.
…
At the same time.
Sea God Island, Sea God's Pavilion.
Inside the simple yet solemn wooden pavilion, a faint fragrance of tea filled the air.
Several elders of unfathomable cultivation sat around a long table. The atmosphere was serious, yet not oppressive.
"Judging by the time, the results should be in by now, right?" Yan Shaozhe, Dean of the Martial Soul Department, spoke first.
He lifted his teacup and took a sip, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes.
"Mhm, it should be soon." Beside him, Xian Lin'er, Dean of the Soul Tool Department, nodded. Though she usually didn't get along with Yan Shaozhe, they were in agreement on such a major matter concerning the academy's honor.
"The Sun Moon Team came with tremendous momentum this time," Elder Song sighed. "Losing Liu Yuan has had too great an impact on Shrek. Xiaotao was countered by him and couldn't win. The situation isn't favorable."
"Indeed." Yan Shaozhe set down his teacup, frowning slightly. "Liu Yuan's individual combat strength is simply too overwhelming. In a one-on-one fight, Xiaotao isn't his match."
"But don't forget—Shrek's true advantage lies in team coordination and overall quality."
"As long as Xiaotao can stall Liu Yuan, the others have the edge. Taking out the rest of the Sun Moon Team first isn't impossible."
"So I'd say the odds are about four to six—three for us, seven for them."
"Three-seven? You're being far too pessimistic."
At that moment, Elder Lin, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke with a mysterious smile.
"Oh?" Yan Shaozhe looked at her in surprise. "Does Elder Lin have some inside information?"
Elder Lin stroked her beard and chuckled. "I heard some news. Last night, that old fellow Xuan Zi finally came around and equipped the students with a batch of soul tools."
"What?! Xuan Zi gave them soul tools?"
As soon as those words left her mouth, all the elders present showed expressions of shock.
Everyone knew that Xuan Zi was a notorious hardliner who firmly believed that a Spirit Master's own strength was fundamental, and he deeply detested soul tools.
To think that, for the sake of victory, he would actually make such a concession?
"Not only that," Elder Lin continued, "I heard he even secured an eighth-rank melee soul tool for Ma Xiaotao."
"An eighth-rank soul tool…" A glimmer flashed in Xian Lin'er's eyes. "If that's true, then this changes everything. Elder Xuan must truly be desperate this time—but that's a good thing. It shows he's finally starting to acknowledge the value of soul tools."
"Haha! If that's the case, then I'd say the odds are at least fifty-fifty!" The worry on Yan Shaozhe's face eased, replaced by anticipation. "Maybe even sixty-forty—six in our favor!"
"As long as Xiaotao uses the soul tool to catch Liu Yuan off guard and seriously injure him, the rest of the Sun Moon Team will fall apart like loose sand!"
The atmosphere inside the pavilion instantly relaxed.
The elders began envisioning the aftermath of victory, and someone even suggested praising Xuan Zi's "flexibility" when he returned.
Mu En, who had been resting with his eyes closed in the main seat, slowly opened them. A trace of relief flickered through his cloudy gaze.
"If Xuan Zi can truly set aside his prejudices, then that is indeed Shrek's good fortune…"
Just then—
Thump, thump, thump.
A series of heavy, hurried footsteps shattered the calm of Sea God's Pavilion.
Immediately afterward, the main doors were pushed open.
Steward Li walked in.
His face was deathly pale, his forehead drenched in cold sweat, his steps unsteady.
The elders' laughter and conversation abruptly stopped.
Everyone instinctively sensed that something was terribly wrong.
Why did Steward Li look as though his own father had just died?
"Steward Li?" Yan Shaozhe's heart sank as he spoke gravely. "Why do you look like this? Is there news from Star Luo Imperial City? What was the result?"
Standing at the end of the long table, Steward Li felt a dozen terrifying gazes press down on him like mountains, making it hard to breathe.
He took a deep breath, forcing his trembling voice under control. Keeping his head lowered, he didn't dare look anyone in the eye.
"Reporting to the Pavilion Master and the elders…"
"Star Luo Imperial City… has just sent urgent intelligence…"
"This—" Yan Shaozhe snapped impatiently. "Stop hesitating! Speak! Did we win? Even if the process was tragic, as long as we won, that's enough!"
Steward Li squeezed his eyes shut, gritted his teeth, and used what felt like the last strength of his life to force out the cruel truth:
"The Shrek Team… in the Round of Sixteen Individual Elimination Match…"
"Has been… completely eliminated!!!"
-------------Author---------------
Read 50 advanced chapter
👉 patreon.com/Master_fic