Chapter 96: A Clash of Titans! Star Luo Battle Team vs. Heavenly Soul Team!
Elder Xuan sank into the plush velvet of his armchair in the VIP rest area. The corners of his mouth twitched upward, stretching into a manic, obsessive grin. For once, his trembling hands were entirely still, gripping his greasy wine gourd with a white-knuckled intensity.
To a traditionalist like him, a man whose entire worldview was forged in the conservative fires of Shrek Academy, soul power rank was the absolute, unyielding metric of a Soul Master's worth.
His bloodshot eyes darted toward the massive soul-screen displaying the Group F tournament bracket. He mentally weighed the combat data of both factions, his grin widening into a grotesque display of morbid satisfaction.
"Heavenly Soul Imperial Academy," Elder Xuan muttered, a raspy chuckle escaping his throat. "You are finished."
In his eyes, the Heavenly Soul Imperial Academy's roster this year was nothing short of pathetic. Their core vanguard relied entirely on Long Aotian, a newly advanced Soul King, and Liu Yuan, the Soul Ancestor who had violently carved his name into the continent's awareness over the past few months.
Beyond those two, the lineup was a joke. Vina, Mu Xue, and Gu Tong hovered barely above Rank 30. The weakest two or three reserves hadn't even secured their third soul rings yet, stagnating at a pitiful Rank 27 or 28.
Contrast this with the Star Luo Imperial Academy. As the host nation's seeded team, they boasted a lineup dripping with luxury and elite resources. Their captain and vice-captain were genuine Soul Kings. The remaining five active members were all high-level Soul Ancestors, past Rank 40, armed to the teeth with top-tier Soul Bones and Class-5 Soul Tools.
"With a cultivation gap this massive, what exactly does Heavenly Soul plan to win with?" The more Elder Xuan calculated the odds, the more intoxicating the taste of guaranteed victory became.
His mind swam with vivid fantasies. He could already picture it: the arrogant Du Busi, Master of the Body Sect, forced to his knees in the center of the plaza, pressing his forehead against the cold stone in utter humiliation. The wager had been struck in front of the entire continent. The loser's faction would be eliminated. If the Heavenly Soul Team was crushed by Star Luo in the round-robin, Du Busi would have no choice but to bow his massive, arrogant head to him.
A few seats away, Wang Yan observed the Taotie Douluo's near-deranged expression. The Shrek Academy teacher adjusted his glasses, suppressing a heavy sigh. Shrek is hanging by a thread, Wang Yan thought bitterly. But if the Body Sect is eliminated here, it might just distract the masses. More, it might save Elder Xuan from being stripped of his authority by Elder Mu the moment we return.
Out in the sprawling stadium, the three hundred thousand spectators shared Elder Xuan's exact sentiment.
The citizens of the Star Luo Empire were already passing around flagons of ale, celebrating their victory before the first blow was even struck. To them, Liu Yuan and Long Aotian were undeniably monstrous, but in a chaotic team-based round-robin, the brilliance of two individuals could never bridge the suffocating cultivation gap of an entire roster.
"Heavenly Soul's luck is just rotten to the core. If they had drawn any other block, that Long Aotian kid might have actually dragged them out of the mud. Too bad they ran straight into a brick wall—our strongest generation in Star Luo history."
Whispers and mocking laughter rippled through the stands, directed squarely at the Heavenly Soul dugout.
Down in that dimly lit preparation area, Du Busi sat with his arms crossed over his massive chest. He scoffed, a sound like grinding boulders. He could hear the jeers bleeding through the ceiling. He could feel the pathetic, gloating gaze of Elder Xuan burning into his back from the VIP stands.
"Sect Master," Long Aotian growled, his knuckles popping like firecrackers in the cramped room. "That old dog from Shrek thinks we're already dead."
Du Busi didn't even bother to open his eyes. "What does a dying mutt know of dragons?" he rumbled, his voice dripping with venomous contempt. "His cloudy eyes can only measure the color and rank of a soul ring. He lacks the vision to comprehend the true Origin of a Body Martial Soul."
Du Busi's gaze finally snapped open, locking onto his two strongest disciples. "Vina, Mu Xue, and Gu Tong are merely Soul Elders right now. But in a bloodbath of this caliber, as long as you and Liu Yuan anchor the vanguard, they only need to provide mental stabilization and tactical interference. That is more than enough."
A cruel, predatory anticipation twisted Du Busi's scarred features. "Liu Yuan. Aotian. Let that old fool dream a little longer. Once you step onto that stage, you will hold nothing back. Shatter everything those two Star Luo Soul Kings take pride in. I want to see if Elder Xuan can still dance when the dust settles, or if he'll be choking on his own despair!"
In the corner of the room, Liu Yuan rested against the cold stone wall. His eyelids were shut, concealing the terrifying depths of his Double Pupils. His aura was entirely retracted, making him seem like a mortal devoid of soul power—a stillness that bordered on the unnatural.
"Understood," Liu Yuan replied, his voice a calm, flat line that promised absolute violence. "I will teach him that rank is a poor shield against reality."
Hours bled away, and the first day of the round-robin tournament concluded. By the dawn of the second day, the arena floor was already stained with the sweat and blood of fierce competition.
Just as the analysts predicted, Shrek Academy was struggling to keep their heads above water. Placed in Group C—a block devoid of true powerhouse academies—they managed to maintain a fragile winning streak solely through the desperate, bone-breaking efforts of Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi. Their chances of advancing remained intact, but the cracks in their armor were glaring.
Across the other groups, the seeded teams systematically crushed their opposition.
Yet, the collective gaze of the entire continent remained fixed on Group F.
After several brutal rounds, the hierarchy of Group F had crystallized. The Star Luo Imperial Academy, riding the momentum of their home-field advantage, and the Heavenly Soul Imperial Academy, derisively dubbed the "ragtag squad," had both maintained flawless, undefeated records.
This meant the upcoming clash was a true battle of life and death.
The victor would seize sole leadership of Group F and march directly into the Round of 16. The loser, regardless of their accumulated points, would be violently expelled from the tournament, their journey ending in the dirt.
"The sixth round of the round-robin! The final showdown of Group F!" The referee's voice boomed through the amplification soul tools, rolling over Star Luo Plaza like a thunderclap. "Star Luo Imperial Advanced Soul Master Academy versus Heavenly Soul Imperial Advanced Soul Master Academy!"
The chaotic roar of three hundred thousand spectators abruptly died out, replaced by a suffocating, pin-drop silence. A heartbeat later, a tidal wave of cheers erupted, shaking the very foundations of the arena.
Elder Xuan leaned so far over the railing of the viewing platform he nearly tipped over. His eyes were wide, unblinking, fixed on the competitor's tunnel. His lips moved in a silent, frantic mantra, praying for Star Luo's absolute victory.
Under the burning gaze of the masses, the combatants emerged from the shadows.
The seven members of the Star Luo Imperial Academy Team marched into the sunlight. They were clad in dazzling, bright gold combat uniforms that caught the midday sun. Xu Jiujiu and Huang Heyun led the formation, their chins held high, their strides exuding imperial majesty. The moment their boots touched the arena tiles, the crowd went rabid. Without a shred of hesitation, the two Soul Kings unleashed their soul power. An oppressive, suffocating pressure swept across the stage like a hurricane.
From the opposite tunnel, Liu Yuan led his team into the blinding light.
Compared to the radiant flamboyance of their opponents, the Heavenly Soul team wore understated, dark gold combat suits. Because Vina and the other two reserve members were hovering around Rank 30, the collective soul power fluctuation of their formation felt incredibly fragile against the Star Luo hurricane.
Up in the stands, Elder Xuan slammed his fist against the railing, his eyes manic. "Look at them!" he spat, grabbing Wang Yan's shoulder. "I told you! Their soul power synchronization is a fractured mess! In a clash of auras this intense, the Heavenly Soul Team is already buckling before a single blow has been struck! Du Busi is a dead man walking!"
Down on the arena floor, the referee gestured for the teams to approach the center line.
Xu Jiujiu met Liu Yuan's gaze, her expression a mask of regal confidence. "Liu Yuan. Vina," she said, her voice carrying over the roaring crowd. "We may be acquaintances off the field, but I will show no mercy here. Defend yourselves properly."
Liu Yuan's expression remained entirely impassive. He gave a faint, almost imperceptible nod. "Naturally."
The referee stepped back, raising his right arm high into the air. "The rules are absolute! No restrictions on methods or tactics! Leaving the boundaries of the arena or losing the capacity to fight results in elimination!"
His arm slashed downward like an executioner's blade.
"The match begins!"
The collective breath of the stadium hitched.
Up in the VIP stands, Elder Xuan's bloodshot eyes bulged from their sockets, his breath catching in his throat as he waited for his imagined, one-sided slaughter to finally begin.
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