Chapter 171 All the people are here
"Yeah, you're right. Make a fortune in silence!"
Ma Hongjun nodded.
Although he didn't earn as much as Ye Chen, by following Ye Chen's lead in betting, he still made a lot, multiplying his net worth several times over.
At the very least, he had more than enough to visit the Misses at the 'Heaven on Earth' club.
"Brother, since you've made a fortune, shouldn't we go shopping?"
Suddenly, Xiao Wu leaned over, looking at Ye Chen with anticipation.
"Exactly, exactly! I've also earned quite a bit, so it's time for some serious shopping."
Ning Rongrong agreed enthusiastically. With money in her pocket, she had to find a way to spend it; otherwise, what was the point of earning it?
Listening to Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing on the side also felt a stir of excitement. After all, shopping was a woman's nature, and young girls were no different.
"Alright, after the competition, I'll treat you all to dinner and take you shopping."
Although Ye Chen wasn't keen on shopping, with his three girls asking, what else could he do? He could only agree.
...
As noon approached, after all the matches for the third group concluded, Flender was called to draw lots.
Having made a huge sum, an 'itty-bitty' fortune, at the Great Spirit Arena today, Ye Chen left and booked a table at the Tiandou Great Hotel, ready to celebrate properly.
In a luxurious private room on the third floor of the Tiandou Great Hotel, before the dishes were even served, Flender, who had gone to draw lots, returned with a smile.
"Headmaster Flender, who is our opponent tomorrow?"
Seeing the smile on Flender's face, Ye Chen immediately asked.
"Haha, it's the Elephant Armor Academy! The match is in the second group."
As he spoke, Flender couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Shrek Academy versus Elephant Armor Academy, one of the Five Element Academies—did he even need to mention the odds? It was destined that Flender would make another fortune tomorrow!
Although Elephant Armor Academy had suffered two consecutive losses at the start of this Soul Master Competition, it didn't mean their strength was poor.
Elephant Armor Academy losing to Blazing Fire Academy was acceptable, as the strengths of Elephant Armor Academy and Blazing Fire Academy were inherently on par.
Their loss to Canghui Academy was because the Canghui Team had the Seven-in-One Soul Skill Fusion Technique as a trump card. Even if Elephant Armor Academy were replaced by another Elemental Academy, the probability of them stumbling would still be very high.
Therefore, despite their two consecutive losses, many people still favored Elephant Armor Academy.
In contrast, Shrek Academy, though it had two Spirit Ancestors, had performed unremarkably on the field. Against Elephant Armor Academy, there was no apparent advantage from the surface.
"Elephant Armor Academy? Not bad, not bad. Looks like we can make another fortune tomorrow."
Ye Chen was very satisfied with Elephant Armor Academy as Shrek Academy's opponent for the third round.
"Elephant Armor Academy is one of the Elemental Academies, after all. If they suffer three consecutive losses at the start of this Soul Master Competition, will their headmaster go mad?"
Ma Hongjun said with a gloating expression.
"I don't know if the headmaster of Elephant Armor Academy will go mad, but Hu Yan Zhen of the Elephant Armored Academy will definitely flip a table when he goes back."
Ye Chen immediately added.
Hu Yan Zhen was seated in the front row of the VIP section. Elephant Armor Academy had already lost face by successively losing to Blazing Fire Academy and Canghui Academy. If they lost to Shrek Academy again tomorrow, achieving three consecutive losses, Hu Yan Zhen probably wouldn't even have the face to watch the competition anymore, right?
"Haha~"
Everyone burst into laughter.
...
The next day.
When Ye Chen arrived at the Great Spirit Arena, the personnel Ning Fengzhi had promised yesterday had all arrived.
There weren't many, but there were twenty people, led by a man named Ning Yu, who looked to be around forty years old. His Spirit was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and he was a direct descendant of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Ning Fengzhi's cousin.
His talent was a bit lacking, with his spirit power level only at Six-Ring Spirit Emperor, not yet reaching the upper limit of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit.
However, coming to the Great Spirit Arena to help with betting wasn't for fighting, so strength wasn't very important.
Aside from Ning Yu, many of the others were Five-Ring Soul Kings and possessed the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit.
Although the personnel Ning Fengzhi sent to assist Ye Chen might not be strong, they represented the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and in Heaven Dou City, no one would dare to harbor any ill intentions.
"Thank you, Uncle Yu, and everyone for coming to help."
Ye Chen thanked Ning Yu and the others.
"Haha, Xiao Chen, you're too polite."
Although he wasn't familiar with Ye Chen before, Ning Yu knew that this was his cousin Ning Rongrong's future husband, so he naturally wouldn't put on airs.
"Uncle Yu, I assume Uncle Ning has already told you what we're going to do next, right?"
"Yes, the Sect Master already gave instructions on that."
Ning Yu nodded.
"That's good. Let's go to the betting booth to check the schedule."
With personnel to assist, Ye Chen naturally wouldn't only bet on his own team.
However, he first needed to check the betting booth to see which matches were sure wins. For uncertain matches, Ye Chen would not place bets.
Betting on sure-win matches was called making money; betting on uncertain matches was gambling.
...
Arriving at the betting booth, Ye Chen began to look at today's matches.
Oakland Academy vs. Flame Radiance Academy.
Purple Star Academy vs. Canghui Academy.
Shrek Academy vs. Elephant Armor Academy.
Blazing Fire Academy vs. Thunderclap Academy.
...
After surveying the matches, Ye Chen had an idea.
The matches between the minor academies were just weaklings pecking at each other, and Ye Chen couldn't confidently determine who would win or lose.
Canghui Academy would certainly defeat Purple Star Academy, but others weren't fools either. The Canghui Team had a Spirit Ability Fusion Technique as a trump card, so their victory was a foregone conclusion, and the odds were too low. If he participated, due to the Great Spirit Arena's five percent commission, there was even a possibility of losing money.
Even if he did win, he wouldn't earn much.
As for Shenfeng Academy and Tianshui Academy, both were up against minor academies. Their wins were certain, but similarly, the odds were too low.
Aside from his own Shrek Academy team's match against Elephant Armor Academy, Ye Chen realized that it seemed only the Blazing Fire Academy versus Thunderclap Academy match offered a chance to make a profit.
Thunderclap Academy had four Spirit Ancestors, while Blazing Fire Academy only had three Four-Ring Spirit Ancestors. Just by looking at the spirit power levels, it was clear that Thunderclap Academy had a higher chance of winning.
Miss Huo Wu of Blazing Fire Academy possessed the spirit ring fusion Spirit Ability and was formidable, but Yu Tianxin of Thunderclap Academy also had the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's inherited 'Dragon Transformation' secret technique. Coupled with the powerful Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit, Yu Tianxin's strength was even above Huo Wu's.
It could be said that as long as Thunderclap Academy didn't throw the match, this battle was a sure win.
Given the arrogant nature of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yu Tianxin would certainly not throw the match, so Ye Chen favored Thunderclap Academy.
Moreover, in the original novel, Thunderclap Academy did defeat Blazing Fire Academy.
Chapter 172 There is a future for wealth!
However, Ye Chen also understood that more people would definitely favor Thunderclap Academy than Blazing Academy.
After all, among the Elemental Academies, Thunderclap Academy, backed by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, had always held the top position, so Thunderclap Academy's odds shouldn't be very high.
But Blazing Academy's reputation was also not weak, so in this match, Ye Chen might not make a huge profit, but he could at least make a small one; he definitely wouldn't lose money.
"Uncle Yu, we're only betting on two matches today: Shrek Academy versus Elephant Armor Academy, and Blazing Academy versus Thunderclap Academy. Bet on Shrek Academy and Thunderclap Academy to win."
Ye Chen said to Ning Yu.
"How much exactly?"
"Thirty-five million gold coins on Shrek Academy, and one hundred million on Thunderclap Academy."
Saying that, Ye Chen took out gold coin cards totaling one hundred thirty-five million gold coins from his spirit tool.
These gold coin cards were all the gold coin cards Ye Chen had in his pocket.
It was foreseeable that Shrek Academy's odds would definitely be higher than Thunderclap Academy's. Ye Chen wasn't unwilling to put all his assets on his own Shrek Academy's match.
It was just a pity that the size of the betting pool was limited, and very few people were optimistic about Shrek Academy winning. Betting thirty-five million versus going all-in didn't actually make a huge difference.
After all, all the funds in the match's betting pool were paid out to the winners according to the betting ratio, and thirty-five million gold coins were enough to account for the majority of Shrek's pool.
"...You kid, playing so big?"
Ning Yu was immediately shocked by Ye Chen's grand gesture. This was one hundred thirty-five million gold coins. Was his future nephew-in-law really that rich?
"It's a sure win match, so there's no harm in betting a bit more."
Ye Chen waved his hand indifferently.
"Xiao Chen, Thunderclap Academy winning against Blazing Academy is understandable, but as for Elephant Armor Academy~"
Clearly, Ning Yu wasn't aware of the Shrek Team's strength. Elephant Armor Academy had quite a reputation, and he was worried Ye Chen would lose his money.
"Don't worry, Uncle Yu! I'll tell you quietly, six members of our Shrek Team have spirit power levels exceeding forty."
"Let alone Elephant Armor Academy, even against Thunderclap Academy, the strongest of the Five Element Academies, we are guaranteed to win."
Ye Chen didn't mention that he and Xiao Wu had already become six-ring Spirit Emperors; he only said their spirit power levels were above forty.
"Hiss~, no wonder you kid dares to play so big."
Hearing the details Ye Chen revealed, Ning Yu couldn't help but gasp.
Among a seven-person team, six members having spirit power levels reaching a four-ring Spirit Ancestor, according to the standards of previous Soul Master Competitions, would be considered high-tier even in the finals. A perfect win in the preliminaries would definitely be easy.
And on the surface, only two members of the Shrek Team were registered as four-ring Spirit Ancestors, meaning they had hidden most of their strength, definitely holding back for something big.
The more he looked, the more Ning Yu felt Ye Chen had a promising future!
...
After handing the gold coin cards to Ning Yu, Ye Chen returned to the spectator stands. The betting matters could be left to Ning Yu and the others.
Fortunately, the schedules for these two matches were not in the first group; Shrek Academy was in the second group, and Thunderclap Academy was in the third group, so there was still time.
Otherwise, with such a massive amount, Ning Yu and his twenty people clearly wouldn't have enough time to queue up and place bets.
After all, the single-person, single-bet limit was only one million gold coins. One hundred thirty-five million gold coins, on average, would require each person to bet six or seven times.
Not long after Ye Chen returned to the stands, the first group of matches for the day had officially begun.
The first group of matches was a bit boring. Out of five matches, only two were 'chicken fights' between minor academies, considered evenly matched, while the other three were crushing victories.
As soon as the Canghui Team's seven-in-one Spirit Ability fusion skill was unleashed, it instantly annihilated the Purple Star Team. The Tianshui Team and Shenfeng Team were also not to be outdone, quickly knocking out their opponents under the burst of Shui Binger and Feng Xiaotian.
Time gradually passed, and all the matches of the first group had concluded. It was time for the ten teams of the second group to appear.
Their opponent this time was Elephant Armor Academy. Shrek Academy deployed Tai Long, Jiang Zhu, Jing Ling, Huang Yuan, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and Zhu Zhuqing as a backup.
If it were just the six of them, Ma Hongjun and the others, the Shrek Team might not really be able to defeat the Elephant Armor Team, as the reputation of the Elemental Academies was not just for show.
So, to be on the safe side, Ye Chen sent out Zhu Zhuqing, a Spirit Ancestor with a spirit power level of 48, possessing a divine Spirit and a Domain.
With Zhu Zhuqing's strength, let alone having six teammates, even 1VS7 was not impossible.
After all, Zhu Zhuqing's Netherworld Domain's inherent ability, Dark Shadow Evasion, allowed her to Teleport at will within the Domain's range, which was essentially unsolvable for Spirit Masters of not very high levels.
Ning Rongrong was not sent to the field because there were already two support members, Jiang Zhu and Oscar, in the team. If three supports went up together, facing the thick-skinned Elephant Armor Team, the Shrek Team would lack offensive capability.
Moreover, Zhu Zhuqing's second Spirit Ability, third Spirit Ability, and left leg Soul Bone Skill all came with piercing effects, making it too easy to deal with those big, clumsy members of the Elephant Armor Team.
Of course, for the sake of keeping a low profile, Zhu Zhuqing still disguised herself as a 39th-level Spirit Elder.
"Go for it!"
They were about to go on stage, and Ye Chen made an 'Oli Gei' gesture to his companions.
"Brother Chen, you can rest assured!"
Ma Hongjun patted his chest and said to Ye Chen.
A mere Elephant Armor Academy, was it a match for their Shrek Academy? Elephant Armor Academy's three consecutive losses today were destined!
...
Accompanied by the flickering spirit tool lights, the Elephant Armor Team and the Shrek Team made their grand entrance.
Perhaps because the Elephant Armor Team had stumbled against the Canghui Team yesterday, Hu Yeli was not as arrogant and careless. As soon as he stepped onto the arena, he focused intently on the seven members of the Shrek Team.
"According to the intelligence, Shrek Academy is not simple. In this match, both four-ring Spirit Ancestors are on the field. We absolutely cannot lose this match.
Aba, that red-haired Fatty can fly. After the match starts, you deal with him, just tie him down.
Ashan, you go for the back row and eliminate those two healers and the Food-type Soul Master as quickly as possible.
The remaining four will be left to me, Axi, Aqi, Agai, and Ashi."
As the captain, Hu Yeli said to his six subordinates beside him.
The names of the seven members of the Elephant Armor Team were very interesting. They all shared the surname Hu Yan, with 'Li', 'Ba','Shan', 'Xi', 'Qi', 'Gai', and'Shi' added after the surname respectively.
Hmm, the names were good names, but their strength was a bit lacking.
"Mm."
Hu Yanba and the other six all nodded.
Losing to the unknown Canghui Academy yesterday was already embarrassing enough for their Elephant Armor Academy. If they lost to Shrek Academy again, they would definitely face severe consequences back home.
Chapter 173: The Elephant Armor Team's Three Consecutive Defeats (Part 1)
"The third round, second group, Shrek Academy versus Elephant Armor Academy. The match officially begins in one minute!"
Both teams were in position, and the referee began the announcement.
Instantly, yellow and purple spirit rings bloomed on the Spirit Arena.
One minute passed quickly, and the match officially began.
"Third Spirit Ability, Pink Ecstasy Sausage!" X5
"Fourth Spirit Ability, Flying Mushroom Sausage." X2
At the start, Oscar, as a Food-type Soul Master, immediately took action, continuously creating five Pink Ecstasy Sausages.
It was strange to note that in the original work, Oscar's third Spirit Ability was Flying Mushroom Sausage, and his fourth Spirit Ability was Pink Ecstasy Sausage.
However, due to the influence of Ye Chen, Oscar's third and fourth Spirit Abilities were directly swapped, becoming the third Spirit Ability, Pink Ecstasy Sausage, and the fourth Spirit Ability, Flying Mushroom Sausage.
The spirit ring sources for both Spirit Abilities were still the Pink Lady and the Phoenix-tail Cockscomb Snake, but their cultivation years were different from the original work.
Currently, Oscar's third spirit ring was over 1,400 years old, and his fourth spirit ring was over 4,000 years old.
Due to the different cultivation years of the spirit rings, the effect of the Pink Ecstasy Sausage remained unchanged, still boosting all attributes by 10%. However, the effect of the Flying Mushroom Sausage had undergone a significant change.
From flying for one minute at the speed of a thousand-year Phoenix-tail Cockscomb Snake in the original work, it now allowed for three minutes of flight at the speed of a four-thousand-year-old Phoenix-tail Cockscomb Snake.
Compared to the original work, Oscar's Flying Mushroom Sausage had received a considerable upgrade.
Tai Long, Jing Ling, Huang Yuan, Ma Hongjun, and Zhu Zhuqing immediately consumed Oscar's Pink Ecstasy Sausages, and their aura instantly surged.
The spirit power food created by a Food-type Soul Master could serve as real food and also instantly convert into spirit power for absorption.
Otherwise, Oscar's Big Recovery Sausage was not small in size and could not be swallowed directly. Moreover, the opponent would not give their side time to slowly chew and eat the Sausage.
As for Oscar himself and Jiang Zhu, they did not eat the Pink Ecstasy Sausage. Instead, they ate the Flying Mushroom Sausage, growing a pair of spirit power wings on their backs and flying directly into the air.
None of the seven members of the Elephant Armor Team could fly, nor did they have any long-range attack Spirit Abilities. Flying into the air would completely avoid the Elephant Armor Team's backline-targeting tactics.
"Damn it!"
Seeing that the two healers and Food-type Soul Masters of the Shrek Team had all flown into the sky, Hu Yeli immediately cursed under his breath. Was this not a bit shameless?
Immediately, Hu Yeli adjusted his tactics, ordering Hu Yanshan, who was originally preparing to attack the backline, to turn and deal with the other members of the Shrek Team.
"Second Spirit Ability, Phoenix Bathed in Fire."
"Third Spirit Ability, Phoenix Wings Soaring."
As the two enhancement-type Spirit Abilities were released, Ma Hongjun's body immediately ignited with raging Phoenix Fire.
The second Spirit Ability, Phoenix Bathed in Fire, could increase the power of his flames by 30%, while the third Spirit Ability, Phoenix Wings Soaring, not only granted Ma Hongjun the ability to fly for the duration of the Spirit Ability but also further increased the flame power by 100%, and even boosted the flame attack range by 50%.
"First Spirit Ability, Phoenix Fire Wire."
Ma Hongjun, flying in the air, puffed out his chest, pulled in his stomach, arched his hips, and took a deep breath. Then, he exhaled, and a scorching Phoenix Fire Wire spewed out, covering Hu Yeli, the leader of the Elephant Armor Team.
It seemed that Ma Hongjun was only using a hundred-year Spirit Ability for his attack, but with the enhancement of his second and third Spirit Abilities, the power of his first Spirit Ability, Phoenix Fire Wire, was definitely no less than that of a thousand-year Spirit Ability at this moment.
"Fourth Spirit Ability, Mammoth Guard."
Sensing the considerable power of the Phoenix Fire Wire spewed by Ma Hongjun, Hu Yeli felt that the defense of his first Spirit Ability, Bronze Wall Iron Rampart, was not secure. He immediately activated his fourth Spirit Ability.
Behind him, a phantom of a Diamond Mammoth roared skyward, and a diamond-colored shield enveloped Hu Yeli's body.
"Boom—"
In an instant, the scorching Phoenix Fire Wire engulfed Hu Yeli.
However, Hu Yeli's fourth Spirit Ability, Mammoth Guard, was not low in cultivation years, so it was impossible for Ma Hongjun to defeat Hu Yeli with a single move.
Of course, Ma Hongjun also knew this was impossible. According to the tactics previously devised by the Shrek Team, he didn't need to defeat Hu Yeli. He only needed to hold back any Spirit Ancestor from the Elephant Armor Team. Once Zhu Zhuqing dealt with the others, she would naturally come to help.
However, Ma Hongjun was also proud. In his opinion, he could definitely win a one-on-one fight against Hu Yeli! He couldn't disgrace the Fire Phoenix Spirit!
"Soul Bone Skill, Netherworld Assault, Soul Bone Skill: Netherworld Piercing."
On the other side, Zhu Zhuqing quietly activated the Soul Bone Skill of her Hell Civet Tail external Spirit Bone: Hell Rush Stab, and the Soul Bone Skill of her Netherworld Swift Cat Left Leg Bone: Netherworld Piercing.
Soul Bone Skill: Netherworld Assault, could increase Zhu Zhuqing's speed by 100%. This made Zhu Zhuqing, who was already focused on speed, even faster.
And Soul Bone Skill: Netherworld Piercing, came with a 30% piercing effect, making it absolutely easier to deal with these thick-skinned, big, clumsy opponents.
Both of these Spirit Abilities were attribute-boosting Spirit Abilities and not overtly obvious. Although there were many experts in the Great Spirit Arena at this time, no one could detect Zhu Zhuqing's abnormality.
At most, they just thought this agility-attack system Spirit Elder was too powerful?
"First Spirit Ability, Hell Rush Stab."
Her first spirit ring flashed slightly, and instantly, Zhu Zhuqing's speed surged by another 150%. With a speed that Hu Yanba couldn't react to, she flashed behind him and landed a fierce claw strike.
"Pfft—"
The first Spirit Ability, Hell Rush Stab, had a 30% piercing bonus from the Soul Bone Skill: Netherworld Piercing, and its own cultivation year reached a thousand years, not the seemingly ordinary hundred-year Spirit Ability it appeared to be. Its attack power was naturally self-evident.
Even with Hu Yanba's first Spirit Ability, Bronze Wall Iron Rampart, protecting him, a single claw strike still caused blood to bloom, leaving a deep claw mark on his back.
"Hiss~"
The stinging pain from his back made Hu Yanba gasp.
With a divine-grade Spirit, a thousand-year Spirit Ability, and a series of buffs, Hu Yanba was almost instantly killed by Zhu Zhuqing's claw.
"Third Spirit Ability, Mammoth Tremor Wave!"
Enduring the pain in his back, Hu Yanba immediately activated his third Spirit Ability.
A surge of spirit power emanated from his body, and three earthy-yellow ripples began to spread rapidly outwards from Hu Yanba as the center.
Unfortunately, Hu Yanba's Spirit Ability missed.
agility-attack system Soul Masters naturally reacted faster than defense system Soul Masters. Coupled with Zhu Zhuqing's true spirit power level being several ranks higher than Hu Yanba's, and her mental force being even stronger, Zhu Zhuqing abandoned her attack and dodged the moment the tremor wave appeared.
However, Hu Yanba was temporarily out of danger, but his good brother, Hu Yanshan, was not as fortunate.
Chapter 174: The Elephant Armor Team's Three Consecutive Defeats (Part 2)
After Zhu Zhuqing gave up on continuing to attack Hu Yanba, she immediately turned her attention to Hu Yanshan, who was not far away.
"Third Spirit Ability, Nether Slash!"
Zhu Zhuqing brought her hands together above her head, and the claw blades on her ten fingers quickly merged, forming a foot-long, dark, claw-shaped blade, which she then fiercely slashed towards Hu Yanshan's chest.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't dare to slash his head; otherwise, if Hu Yanshan couldn't block it, it would be an accidental killing.
Not to mention that the two sides had no prior grudges, the rules of the Soul Master Competition alone wouldn't allow Zhu Zhuqing to do that.
Regardless of whether it was intentional or not, anyone who caused a death in the competition would be disqualified and held accountable.
After all, the Soul Master Competition was not a death match; its main purpose was simply to provide a stage for the continent's genius Spirit Masters to showcase themselves.
"Fourth Spirit Ability, Diamond Guard."
Facing Zhu Zhuqing's rapid attack, Hu Yanshan had no time to dodge. In a hurry, he could only release Diamond Guard, preparing to use it to withstand Zhu Zhuqing's Nether Slash.
Unfortunately, Zhu Zhuqing's speed was too fast. When the Nether Slash landed on Hu Yanshan's chest, Hu Yanshan's fourth Spirit Ability, Diamond Guard, had not yet been fully released.
"Bang—"
The sharp blade cut through the not-yet-fully-released Diamond Guard, breaking through Hu Yanshan's iron-clad defense and his protective spirit power.
"Crack—"
The tip of the blade plunged into flesh, a trail of blood bloomed, and finally, it severed one of Hu Yanshan's ribs.
Fortunately, Zhu Zhuqing reined in some of her strength at the last moment; otherwise, this Nether Slash would have directly pierced through Hu Yanshan's chest.
With just one move, Hu Yanshan, a Defense-type Spirit Ancestor at level 41 spirit power, lost his combat capability.
Having dealt with one opponent, Zhu Zhuqing did not stop but turned and continued to attack Hu Yanba.
Meanwhile, Tai Long, Jing Ling, and Huang Yuan faced off against the Elephant Armor Team's four Spirit Elders.
Although it was three against four, with one less combatant, Hu Yanxi's four were all Defense-type Spirit Elders, lacking strong offensive capabilities.
Coupled with the fact that Tai Long and the other two had previously consumed Oscar's Pink Excitement Sausage, boosting all their attributes by 10%, even if they couldn't gain the upper hand, they wouldn't suffer any casualties in the short term.
On the other side, seeing that he couldn't take down Hu Yeli, this 'turtle shell,' in a short amount of time, Ma Hongjun began to unleash his trump card.
With a flap of his Phoenix Fire Wings, Ma Hongjun rapidly dove down and landed on the arena.
Hu Yeli, his opponent, was overjoyed when he saw this flying red-haired Fatty land.
After all, with Ma Hongjun flying in the air, Hu Yeli had no way to deal with him, but if he landed on the ground, well, heh heh...
Just as Hu Yeli was overjoyed, the blazing Phoenix flames on Ma Hongjun's body suddenly dimmed.
He spread his Phoenix Fire Wings behind him and heavily slammed his right fist onto the Spirit Dueling Arena.
In an instant, the air violently twisted, and a distorted light barrier, five meters in diameter, enveloped both Ma Hongjun and Hu Yeli.
"Fourth Spirit Ability, Phoenix Soaring Sky Strike."
Just as Hu Yeli was somewhat surprised, Ma Hongjun's voice rang out.
"Not good~"
Hu Yeli immediately thought, 'Not good,' but it was too late. Ma Hongjun's fourth Spirit Ability, Phoenix Soaring Sky Strike, was not only a powerful burst-damage Spirit Ability but also had a restrictive effect.
Hu Yeli, trapped within the light barrier, instantly stiffened and lost his ability to move.
Then, with a "boom—," the Phoenix flames erupted instantly. The clear cry of the phoenix pierced through clouds and mist, like the clang of metal on stone.
A phoenix-shaped flame, radiating intense heat, surged forth on the arena, carrying Ma Hongjun's body soaring upwards. The phoenix wings spread open in mid-air, truly resembling the descent of a phoenix.
At this moment, Ma Hongjun, riding the phoenix into the sky, seemed exceptionally noble.
As for Hu Yeli? He was already swallowed by the surging flames.
It must be said that Ma Hongjun's fourth Spirit Ability, Phoenix Soaring Sky Strike, was quite impressive.
Although it had the limitation of requiring close proximity to activate, it was still an excellent Spirit Ability; after all, it was only a thousand-year Spirit Ability, so one couldn't ask for too much.
However, why would a phoenix laugh at a field chicken? Are they the same kind of creature?
Of course, Ma Hongjun, riding the phoenix, didn't remain noble for long. The phoenix-shaped flames quickly dissipated, and Ma Hongjun immediately reverted to his original form, still chubby and slightly vulgar.
On the arena, the firelight dispersed, revealing Hu Yeli lying on the ground, lifeless and having lost his combat capability.
Yes, he was lifeless, because at this moment, Hu Yeli had already seen Hu Yanba and Hu Yanshan, also lying on the ground not far away.
The Elephant Armor Team's mainstays were these three Spirit Ancestors. Now that all three had lost their combat capability, the remaining four Spirit Elders were clearly no match for the Shrek Team.
Sure enough, half a minute later, the four of Hu Yanxi, who had been fighting Tai Long and the other two, were defeated one by one under Zhu Zhuqing's powerful offense.
"I announce that in the third round, second group, Shrek Academy versus Elephant Armor Academy, Shrek Academy is victorious!"
The referee, seeing all seven members of the Elephant Armor Team lying down, immediately announced the results of the match.
"Hmph~"
In the VIP section, Hu Yan Zhen, seeing his highly anticipated Elephant Armor Team stumble once again, and facing the mocking gazes of those around him, let out an annoyed snort and turned to leave in a fit of pique.
There was no other way. At the start of this Soul Master Competition, Elephant Armor Academy had suffered three consecutive losses, and the members of the Elephant Armor Team were all direct disciples of the Elephant Armored Academy. As the Sect Master of the Elephant Armored Academy, Hu Yan Zhen naturally had no face to stay any longer.
Moreover, most importantly, Hu Yan Zhen had originally given Hu Yeli a trump card: a precious Spirit Bone, but unfortunately, he never got to use it.
When facing Blazing Academy, he was taken down by Huo Wu's explosive power. When facing Canghui Academy's Spirit Ability fusion skill, he was instantly killed. This time, facing Shrek Academy, he was also taken down in one move, which meant Hu Yeli's hidden trump card never had a chance to be used.
"Tsk tsk~, Fengzhi, I didn't expect Elephant Armor Academy to suffer three consecutive losses right at the start of this Soul Master Competition. That old fellow Hu Yan Zhen must be furious, right?"
After Hu Yan Zhen left, Gu Rong said to Ning Fengzhi in a low voice, a smile on his face.
"Hehe~, Uncle Gu, I didn't expect it either."
To be honest, Ning Fengzhi was also very surprised by the Elephant Armor Team's 'brilliant record.'
According to previous years' standards, although Elephant Armor Academy was consistently at the bottom among the Five Element Academy, it could at least maintain a top-five position and qualify for the promotion rounds.
If these three losses hadn't been consecutive, Elephant Armor Academy wouldn't have been so embarrassing, but it just so happened that they suffered three consecutive losses right at the start.
Chapter 175 Ma Hongjun: Did I get fat by eating your rice?
Up until now, among the twenty-eight teams in the Tian Dou Competition Zone, only the Elephant Armor Team had knelt three times. Even those ordinary, run-of-the-mill academies had at most two consecutive losses.
The Elephant Armor Academy had already lost three matches in a row, and when they faced Tianshui Academy, Shenfeng Academy, and Thunderclap Academy later, they would most likely lose as well.
If nothing unexpected happened, the Elephant Armor Academy this year could say goodbye to the promotion rounds.
Of course, this didn't mean the Elephant Armor Team's strength was weak.
After all, facing the Canghui Academy with its Seven-in-One Soul Skill Fusion Technique, and the Shrek Academy, which was practically a monster, the Elephant Armor Academy kneeling wasn't incomprehensible.
"Good!"
In the stands, Flender, who had been following his academy's matches, immediately clapped his hands in delight when he saw the Shrek Team win.
Shrek Academy winning against Elephant Armor Academy not only allowed Flender, who had placed a bet earlier, to make a fortune, but it also proved that Shrek Academy, under his leadership as Headmaster Flender, was heading towards glory.
In fact, this was even more important to Flender than making money.
Ye Chen, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong, who weren't participating in the match, immediately went to greet their victorious companions after the match ended.
"Well done! Fatty, that move of yours just now was incredibly cool!"
Ye Chen gave his companions a thumbs up.
"Hehe~..."
Ma Hongjun was a bit embarrassed by the praise and was about to be modest, but unexpectedly, Ye Chen hadn't finished speaking and added, "It's just a pity, Fatty, you're too fat. If you weren't so chubby and not so lewd, getting a Miss or something wouldn't be more than a flick of your finger, would it?"
Ma Hongjun: Am I eating your family's rice because I'm fat?
"Brother Chen, can we not talk about this anymore?"
Ma Hongjun said with a dejected expression.
"Haha~, Fatty, don't mind these small details! We need to look forward (to money)!"
Seeing Ma Hongjun a little down, Ye Chen smiled, patting him on the shoulder.
Ma Hongjun: "..."
...
At the betting booth, seeing Shrek's odds reach 1 to 3.1, Ye Chen nodded in satisfaction.
Originally, the odds weren't that low. After all, Shrek Academy itself didn't have any dazzling performances and wasn't much stronger than those run-of-the-mill academies. Logically speaking, the odds should have been very high.
However, after Ye Chen placed 35 million gold coins, the betting odds dropped significantly.
But even so, Ye Chen was very satisfied.
Betting 35 million with odds of 1 to 3.1, even after deducting the Great Spirit Arena's commission, he could still cash out over a small target, earning more than 68 million gold coins.
With the help of Ning Yu and others, Ye Chen didn't need to collect these funds himself; he could just leave it to them.
Incidentally, Ye Chen also checked the odds for Blazing Fire Academy and Thunderclap Academy.
Many people favored Thunderclap Academy. As the betting was about to close, and the match would start soon, Thunderclap Academy's odds were only 1 to 1.4. It was likely that these odds wouldn't change much.
If based on the 1 to 1.4 odds, the 100 million Ye Chen had previously bet could earn him 33 million. Adding the 68 million he had won earlier, it meant Ye Chen could net a small target at the Great Spirit Arena today.
Although the profit was slightly less than yesterday, it was still enough for Ye Chen to make a huge profit.
Of course, opportunities like today's good fortune would not be plentiful in the future.
As Ye Chen earned more, others lost more, and the funds in various betting markets would definitely be less than they were now.
Moreover, as the competition progressed, the true strengths of each academy team would be increasingly exposed, making it easier to predict who would win or lose between the two sides. At that point, unless there was an upset, the profit wouldn't be as substantial.
Additionally, Ye Chen couldn't rule out situations where some academies, despite being able to win, chose to lose or directly forfeit the match due to various reasons.
For example, if Shenfeng Academy faced Blazing Fire Academy, because the two academies were friendly in daily life, and Feng Xiaotian was a big 'dog licker,' there was a high possibility he would intentionally lose to Blazing Fire Academy. In the original work, it seemed to have been exactly like that.
As for forfeited matches, since the match hadn't officially started and was somewhat special, to prevent anyone from intentionally forfeiting to gain profit, the Great Spirit Arena would fully refund the bet amount to the bettors for matches where one side forfeited.
Due to another bet being placed earlier, Thunderclap Academy's odds dropped again slightly. When the betting closed, Thunderclap Academy's odds were fixed at 1 to 1.39.
Although the odds had decreased, thankfully it wasn't by much, and Ye Chen could still earn a small target today.
The match between Blazing Fire Academy and Thunderclap Academy went as Ye Chen expected.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit, truly worthy of being called the strongest Beast Spirit, proved its might. Although Miss Huo Wu possessed the 'spirit ring fusion' ability, she still lost to Yu Tianxin, who had the inherited 'Dragon Transformation' secret technique, and she seemed to have been quite seriously injured.
This caused Feng Xiaotian, Miss Huo Wu's number one 'dog licker,' to be very displeased, vowing that the Shenfeng Team would teach the Thunderclap Team a good lesson in the subsequent matches.
From this, it could be seen that Feng Xiaotian was quite proficient in the 'art of dog-licking.'
Ye Chen felt that with the bonus of 'licking power,' Feng Xiaotian had a high possibility of bursting forth with a small cosmos.
Excluding the two captains, Feng Xiaotian and Yu Tianxin, the overall strength of the Thunderclap Team was still a notch above the Shenfeng Team. However, Feng Xiaotian's personal strength was superior to Yu Tianxin's.
So, overall, the Shenfeng Team's strength was slightly better than the Thunderclap Team's.
Although Feng Xiaotian's obsession with his self-created Spirit Ability led to a relatively slower increase in his spirit power level compared to other geniuses with innate full spirit power, it couldn't be denied that Feng Xiaotian's strength was weak.
Of course, if Feng Xiaotian hadn't single-mindedly focused on his self-created Spirit Ability, with his innate full spirit power talent, he would definitely be a Five-Ring Soul King or higher by now.
Compared to Hu Liena of Spirit Hall, her spirit power level reached 50 at the age of 20. In contrast, Feng Xiaotian, with innate full spirit power, is now 24 years old, and his spirit power level is still at Spirit Ancestor 44.
From this, it can be seen how skewed Feng Xiaotian's path was.
After the match between Blazing Fire Academy and Thunderclap Academy ended, Ning Yu immediately arranged for people to cash out the tickets.
When Ye Chen left the Great Spirit Arena, the gold coin card in his spirit tool already held over 235 million, which was delightful~!
Although the System Shop didn't recognize gold coin cards, Ye Chen wasn't worried.
gold coin cards had a very large circulation and were accepted at the Tiandou Great Spirit Arena, the Tian Dou Great Auction House, and various major merchant associations within Heaven Dou City. Cashing out gold coins also didn't require any handling fees.
Besides, wasn't there still the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School? Even with many gold coin cards, Ye Chen could convert them into gold coins through the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's channels.