Three days passed quietly amidst the anticipation of the masses.
When the first ray of dawn pierced through the clouds of Dou Ling City and spilled onto the magnificent Tianling Grand Plaza.
This Grand Finals of the All-Continent High-Level Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, which had gripped the entire continent, finally reached the moment to unveil its curtain.
Ever since the officials announced the date for the Grand Finals, the overwhelming buildup had never ceased.
Posters were plastered on every street in Heaven Dou City, from the bustling main roads of the central district to the ordinary alleys on the city outskirts, all bearing the dashing silhouettes of the two teams.
Almost everyone's gaze was focused on the Shrek Academy Team, which had been unstoppable and undefeated since the start of the tournament.
Shrek—the name itself meant legend.
They had forged their own myth of invincibility with one satisfying victory after another.
They represented the peak combat power of the younger generation in the Spirit Master's world, the spirit of unyielding struggle, and were the faith in the hearts of countless young people.
Almost everyone was waiting for Shrek Academy to continue their undefeated myth.
But there were also a small number of people who wanted to see Shrek Academy pushed off their pedestal.
Many even secretly placed bets on the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, because the Sun Moon team of this generation was truly strong—strong enough to rival Shrek Academy.
At eight in the morning, the two teams entered the venue on time.
By this time, the Tianling Grand Plaza was already packed with people, bustling with noise, with nearly ninety percent of the crowd chanting the three words: "Shrek."
Of course, most of them might have secretly bought the opening odds for a Sun Moon victory, just treating it as a gamble, but the bulk of the bets were still on Shrek.
At this moment, the Tianling Grand Plaza was already a sea of people, shoulder to shoulder.
Looking out, the dense crowd was like a surging tide, spreading from the plaza entrance all the way to the edge of the Soul Dueling Platform.
Even the rooftops of the tall buildings surrounding the plaza were filled with expectant spectators.
The noise was deafening, the clamor shook the sky, and the shouts, cheers, and discussions of countless people intertwined.
It formed a wave of sound capable of shaking heaven and earth, as if it would ignite the very air of the entire plaza.
In the midst of this tsunami-like atmosphere, the host's passionate voice rang out through the spirit tool loudspeakers spread across the plaza, clearly reaching everyone's ears:
"Respected guests, dear audience, good morning to you all!"
The simple greeting triggered another round of even more intense cheers, forcing the host to pause for a moment before continuing once the sound waves had slightly subsided:
"After a month of fierce competition, the All-Continent High-Level Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament has finally reached its most eye-catching and thrilling Grand Finals!"
"Today, the two teams standing here are super-strong teams that have stood out from hundreds of competing squads."
"From the beginning of the tournament, they have overcome every obstacle and remained undefeated, writing their own legend with their strength!"
"On one side is Shrek Academy, with a history spanning ten thousand years, producing generation after generation of powerhouses, and known as the cradle of the Spirit Master's world!"
"In the name of 'Monsters,' they have created miracle after miracle, and now, carrying the glory of being undefeated, they are once again charging toward the championship throne!"
"On the other side is the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy from the Sun Moon Empire, famous across the world for its spirit tools!"
"With their unique spirit tool technology, tacit team coordination, and astonishing combat strength, they have hacked through thorns and thistles to become the only team in this tournament capable of challenging Shrek's undefeated myth!"
"Now, let us use our most enthusiastic cheers and loudest applause to send our sincerest blessings to these two great teams!"
As the host's voice trailed off, the cheers in the plaza instantly climbed to a peak, surging out like a volcanic eruption, making people's eardrums buzz.
Countless people waved the flags and ribbons in their hands, pushing the atmosphere of the scene to its first climax.
When the cheers gradually subsided, the host's voice sounded again, carrying a hint of deliberately created suspense:
"So, will Shrek Academy be able to continue the legend, successfully defend their title, and keep the championship glory at Shrek?"
"Or will the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy be able to rise against the trend, break the myth, and carve the glory belonging to Soul Engineers into the annals of the tournament?"
"Next, let us wait and see, and witness this historic moment together!"
"Next, according to the tournament rules, we will proceed to the drawing of lots to determine the order of the three duels in this Grand Finals!"
"Now, let us use warm applause to invite the captains of the Shrek Academy Team and the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy Team to the stage to draw lots!"
Following the host's call, the entire audience's gaze instantly focused on the direction of the two teams.
The tournament format for the Grand Finals uses a best-of-three system, with the three duels being a one-on-one individual battle, a two-two-three mode team battle, and an all-member team battle.
Among them, winning the one-on-one individual battle earns one point.
In the two-two-three mode team battle, the winning side will receive points corresponding to the number of participants, meaning a win for a two-person group earns two points, and a win for a three-person group earns three points.
And for the most critical all-member team battle, the winning side will directly receive five points.
After all three duels are concluded, the team with the higher total score will ultimately take the crown.
This tournament format design not only greatly enhances the watchability and competitiveness of the match but also fills the finals with infinite suspense.
It is no longer a simple contest of strength; it further tests the tactical deployment, the adjustment of team members' status, and the on-the-spot adaptability of the two teams.
And the drawing of lots to determine the order of the three duels pushes this suspense to the extreme.
It is possible that the all-member team battle, which determines the overall direction, starts first, or it could be the one-on-one battle testing individual strength that unveils the curtain first.
The significance of this rule lies in breaking the predetermined deployment of the two teams in advance, increasing the uncertainty of the match.
It makes every duel full of variables, thereby maximizing the expectations of the audience.
Under the gaze of the masses, Zhang Lexuan and Xu Tianran walked out from their respective teams together, stepping toward the Soul Dueling Platform in the center of the plaza.
Zhang Lexuan was dressed in the Shrek team uniform, her posture erect, her face beautiful and refined, and her long, jet-black hair tied into a high ponytail that swayed slightly with her steps, giving her an aura of composure and elegance.
As the leading figure of this generation at Shrek Academy, she was not only gifted but also possessed extremely strong leadership abilities, making her the well-deserved core of the team.
Xu Tianran was also tall and slender, with a handsome face, a faint smile always lingering at the corners of his mouth, and deep eyes that seemed to be able to see through people's hearts.
As the most talented Crown Prince in the Sun Moon Empire in the last thousand years, he possessed both the elegance of a scholar and the sharpness of a warrior.
The two temperaments merged perfectly, radiating a unique charm.
A handsome man and a beautiful woman, each representing the top academies on the continent, were walking side by side on the path to the Soul Dueling Platform, forming a highly eye-catching scene.
The spectators in the plaza could not help but brighten up, and many young female audience members let out soft exclamations.
Some busybodies even began to discuss privately, feeling that these two standing together were inexplicably well-matched, making people unable to help but want to "ship" them.
Of course, such discussions were soon drowned out by the anticipation for the match.
After all, compared to matters of the heart, everyone was more concerned about the upcoming peak showdown.