The Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament was divided into different divisions.
As the empire's most important division, Heaven Dou City held a grand opening ceremony.
For this major event held once every five years, the Heaven Dou Grand Soul Fighting Arena had been renovated, combining the main Soul Fighting Arena with the auxiliary arenas.
After the renovation, the Soul Fighting Arena could accommodate a full eighty thousand spectators at once.
On the first day of the opening ceremony, the Great Soul Arena welcomed an enormous crowd. They all wanted to see the young participating Soul Masters up close.
Under countless gazes, Xiao Han and his group entered as well.
They wore matching ice-blue team uniforms, immediately drawing everyone's attention as soon as they entered.
"Every one of these beauties is gorgeous. They must be from the girls' academy in Skywater City."
"Of course! Skywater Academy has never changed the color of its uniforms—they've always been ice blue."
"Huh? How did the Skywater Team get a male member mixed in? Isn't it a girls' academy?"
"Yeah. This year's Skywater Team is taking an unusual path. Maybe they'll be another major highlight."
"Still, that kid is pretty handsome. Skywater Academy really does have looks requirements—even male students are no exception."
At sixteen, Xiao Han had already grown to six feet tall. His features were refined and well-defined, his build proportionate, and his blue-silver hair draped over his shoulders, giving him a somewhat unruly air.
He stood a head taller than the girls, making him especially conspicuous among the team.
However, he had long since grown accustomed to the strange looks and handled them with ease.
"Wow! There are so many people! It feels like everyone in Heaven Dou City came."
Shui Yue'er looked around and could not help marveling.
Shui Bing'er lightly nudged Xiao Han beside her and asked,
"Xiao Han, what are you thinking about?"
"I'm calculating how much prize money we'll get if we take first place in the Heaven Dou Division."
Shui Bing'er smiled faintly.
"With your strength, you're sure to shine in the Soul Master Tournament. You might even gain a noble title early on and be valued by the empire. By then, you won't care so much about money."
Xiao Han shook his head.
"Nobility, titles—I don't care about any of that. What I want is freedom. Even that old man Xue Ye shouldn't dream of controlling me."
"Hehe~ Ambitious indeed. Just as expected of our unconventional little junior brother. So, have you worked it out? How much can we win?"
"The Preliminary Round rewards five hundred Gold Soul Coins for every victory. Entering the Advancement Round gives an additional three thousand, and each team in the top five of the Advancement Round gets ten thousand. If we can win the final Overall Champion, the reward will be even greater. All told, it should be several tens of thousands."
That amount was nothing to Xiao Han and Shui Bing'er, but there were girls from ordinary families on the team, and money was still very important to them.
As the two spoke, a group of oddly dressed people passed by them.
They wore shit-green school uniforms. Each person had a monster design on their chest that nearly covered their entire front, while six striking red embroidered characters on their backs read: "Sincerely Seeking Title Sponsorship."
The moment these people appeared, they immediately drew even more attention, even stealing the spotlight from the Skywater Beauties.
Mockery rose without end.
"What academy is this? Did they just crawl out of a latrine? Why are they wearing shit-green uniforms?"
"And that design on their chests—what the hell is that?"
"Are they really Soul Masters? This is Heaven Dou City, the empire's most luxurious city. How could there be such a trashy competing team?"
"Look at that fat guy. Being ugly is one thing, but he's also so lecherous."
"So they know they're embarrassing themselves. Every one of them is wearing a mask, hahaha~~"
Shui Bing'er said quietly,
"That team just now was dressed so strangely."
"They really are bizarre. Ugly people always make a spectacle of themselves."
Xiao Han knew that they were the Shrek Seven Devils.
Judging from the colors of their hair and clothes, it was not difficult to identify them.
The yellow-haired Dai Mubai, the red-haired Ma Hongjun, the silver-haired Oscar, the short, ugly Little Bum, the black-haired Zhu Zhuqing, the brown-haired Ning Rongrong, and Xiao Wu.
Xiao Han and his group arrived at the rest area inside the main arena, specially provided for the participating academies.
The spacious rest area had over a thousand seats, divided into separate sections for the various Soul Master Academies to rest and wait.
The arrival of the Skywater Beauties quickly drew the attention of the other Soul Masters.
"Brother Xiao Han, over here."
Feng Xiaotian spotted them and waved them over.
The members of Godwind Academy wore matching cyan uniforms and stood together with a group dressed in red uniforms.
Clearly, those in red were the Blazing Fire Team.
"Bing'er, let's go over there."
"Okay."
Seeing Xiao Han again after two years, Feng Xiaotian was very happy.
"Brother Xiao Han, you finally made it. What level is your Soul Power now?"
"Over Level 50. What about you?"
Feng Xiaotian looked astonished, finding it hard to believe.
"Damn, you tricked me before. I knew you were the strongest one on the Skywater Team. Sigh, two years have passed, and I still haven't caught up to you."
Xiao Han grinned.
"From the sound of it, you've improved quite a bit over the past two years?"
"Not as much as you. I'm only Level 46."
"Very good. I've finally knocked some sense into you. With talent like yours, it would be such a waste to spend all your energy on women."
Feng Xiaotian chuckled.
"Brother, I have to thank you. After I left your academy last time, Huo Wu told me to raise my Soul Power above Level 45 within two years, or she'd ignore me. I finally did it—and even exceeded it by one level."
"That's more like it. Women all admire strength, especially a strong-willed woman like Huo Wu. Are you still developing your Gale Demonic Wolf Consecutive Slashes?"
"Of course. That's my trump card. It has now reached thirty-six consecutive slashes. When the time comes, I'll let you see its power, hehe."
"Alright, I'll be waiting."
Xiao Han sighed inwardly. If Feng Xiaotian had gained this realization earlier, his level would definitely have surpassed Xiao Han's by now.
Feng Xiaotian leaned close to Xiao Han's ear and said softly,
"A few of my teammates are single, and they're pretty decent. Ever since they visited your academy last time, they've all been completely distracted after coming back. You know so many girls—could you introduce some to my brothers?"
"You're doing a fine job as their captain. I treat you like a brother, yet you're setting your sights on the girls at my academy. Fine, there are plenty of beauties at our academy anyway."
"Then I'll thank you on behalf of my brothers first. Once it works out, there'll definitely be benefits for you."
Xiao Han smiled disdainfully.
"Shallow! What benefits do I need? I'm seeking happiness for my fellow students. Those who can be your teammates shouldn't be ordinary people. Marrying them is better than marrying those rich, pot-bellied men."
"You really see the bigger picture. You're right—my teammates all have great potential, and their character is guaranteed."
Huo Wushuang's head popped up from who knew where.
"Good brother, can you introduce one to me too?"
Feng Xiaotian patted Huo Wushuang's shoulder and laughed.
"Wushuang has even more potential. He's the future successor to the headmaster of Blazing Fire Academy. Introduce a girl to him, and she can become the headmaster's wife in the future, hehe~"
"You bastards. Fine! Fine! Fine! To show your sincerity, if you run into our Skywater Team in the Preliminary Round, you'll surrender voluntarily."
On the other side, the Shrek Team entered as well.
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