Mother and Daughter Reunited

Mother and Daughter Reunited

According to Spirit Hall's notice, the tournament would officially begin in three days. This period of rest was a precious opportunity for the academies that had traveled long distances to adjust their condition.

Spirit Hall had cleverly arranged the participating academies from the Star Luo Empire on the other side of the city, invisibly drawing a dividing line between the teams of the two great empires. This deliberate geographical separation added an edge of drawn swords and drawn bows to the already delicate atmosphere of opposition.

Over those three days, the Imperial Dou Team remained indoors, devoting all their time to deep meditation. Feng Yao's Fuxi Qin hummed softly throughout the day, its melodious zither sound helping his teammates enter meditation more quickly. Everyone focused wholeheartedly, striving to bring their Soul Power to its peak in preparation for the coming battle.

Meanwhile, inside Papal Palace.

Qian Renxue's footsteps echoed through the vast, empty hall, crisp yet lonely. Her gaze crossed the long red carpet and finally settled upon the high seat—Bibi Dong sat upon the papal throne, her scepter resting at her side. Beneath the Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown, her face remained so flawless that it took one's breath away. An invisible pressure enveloped her, as though even the air had frozen before her.

Qian Renxue came to a stop. Looking at that familiar yet unfamiliar figure, she did not know how to begin. Though they stood so close, it was as if an abyss that could never be crossed lay between them.

Silence spread between the two.

At last, Qian Renxue slowly spoke, her voice calm and restrained. "Are you... going to move against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"

Though she used respectful language, her tone was cold and distant, as though she were discussing a complete stranger.

Bibi Dong's eyes flickered, and a trace of surprise flashed through them. Yet it was quickly replaced by a strong sense of conflict, turning into a faint sigh. "You've grown up."

Her fingertips lightly tapped the scepter as she continued, "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has repeatedly ruined my plans, and its sect possesses wealth rivaling that of a nation. I have indeed considered destroying the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to lay the foundation for Spirit Hall's unification of the continent."

Qian Renxue frowned and was just about to refute her when Bibi Dong spoke again, her tone calm and certain. "You want to subdue them, don't you? But you should understand what the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect wants. Bloodlines are their foundation; their sect's power is bound together by blood. If you want them to truly submit, there is only one way—"

She raised her eyes slightly and looked directly at Qian Renxue. "Have that child by your side marry Ning Fengzhi's daughter."

Qian Renxue's pupils suddenly contracted. Almost instinctively, she cut her off in a cold voice. "That's impossible!"

Her voice echoed through the hall, carrying an unquestionable resolve.

Seeing Qian Renxue's decisive reaction, Bibi Dong's expression dazed for an instant. In that moment, she seemed to see herself from thirty years ago in Qian Renxue—equally stubborn, equally unwilling to compromise.

The scepter lightly struck the floor with a crisp sound. Bibi Dong slowly turned around, presenting her back to Qian Renxue, and her voice suddenly became distant. "If that is the case, there is no need to discuss this matter further."

Wrapped in her papal robes, her figure appeared particularly lonely. "Before the war begins, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect must disappear. As for the reason, you know it well."

After a pause, Bibi Dong's voice suddenly carried a trace of barely perceptible weariness. "Unless... before I make my move, you can—"

She did not finish, but her meaning was already clear. At that moment, though mother and daughter stood with their backs to each other, it was as if they were engaged in a silent contest.

Qian Renxue's gaze abruptly turned cold, and a chilling aura radiated from her body. She raised her chin slightly, her voice terrifyingly calm. "I understand."

The brief words weighed as heavily as a thousand pounds.

Before her words had even faded, she turned and left, her back revealing faint traces of determination. The heavy palace doors slowly closed behind her, completely separating mother and daughter into two different worlds.

Only after Qian Renxue's presence had completely vanished did Bibi Dong lightly tap her scepter and slowly turn around. She stared at the place where Qian Renxue had stood moments earlier, a rare complexity appearing on her flawless face. The gemstone on her scepter refracted a hazy glow, reflecting the obscure emotions flickering in her eyes.

"Heh..." A nearly inaudible sigh echoed through the empty hall. Bibi Dong slowly sat down and raised a hand to gently stroke her brow. Beneath her fingertips was the Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown that symbolized supreme authority.

To welcome the Finals of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament, Spirit Hall had meticulously constructed a magnificent arena in the city center. The enormous hundred-meter-diameter platform was built entirely from the hardest granite, its surface embedded with hundreds of reinforcing Soul Tools that shimmered with mysterious rune-light beneath the sun. According to Spirit Hall's official claims, the platform could withstand Soul Skill impacts of any intensity below the Soul Emperor level.

The arena's location was even more meaningful—it directly faced Papal Mountain a thousand meters away, where the towering Papal Palace looked down upon the entire venue from above. Spirit Hall had long announced to the world that the final clash among the top three would take place in the plaza before Papal Palace, where the Pope would personally crown the champions. To any Spirit Master, that was the highest honor.

In the early morning, the various academies entered one after another under the guidance of Spirit Hall stewards. The rest areas constructed around the platform were thoughtfully designed, with each academy possessing an independent preparation area. On the side facing Papal Palace were the lavishly decorated VIP judging seats, where representatives from the two great empires and Spirit Hall's upper ranks would watch the matches.

The Imperial Dou Team had barely settled down when their leader, Sun Buyu, was summoned to draw lots. Feng Yao stood at the edge of the rest area, his fingers gently brushing the body of the Fuxi Qin. His gaze wandered between the magnificent arena and the distant Papal Palace, expectation shining in his eyes.

Sun Buyu quickly returned with the draw results, his calm expression carrying a trace of gravity. "Our first-round opponent is Heavenly Water Academy. Divine Wind Academy has a bye in the first round."

"Heavenly Water Academy?" Everyone frowned upon hearing that. Among the thirty-three teams participating in the Finals, they had never expected to face an opponent from the same Heaven Dou Division in their very first match.

Feng Yao's fingertips brushed the strings, understanding flashing through his eyes. A strategy of division.

This draw result was definitely no coincidence. Feng Yao could almost conclude that among the thirty-three teams, aside from the Spirit Hall Academy representative team, the other strong teams would all be arranged to face academies from their own divisions, with only a small number matched against teams from other divisions. Spirit Hall was clearly trying to intensify the contradictions between academies within each empire.

Although Spirit Masters generally had little attachment to the concept of nations, an academy's origin itself represented its position. Academies from the same division were already competitors, and now Spirit Hall had cleverly exploited that fact, planting the seeds of division before the tournament had even begun.

"There really are hidden schemes everywhere." Feng Yao lightly tapped the body of the qin with his fingertips as he pondered inwardly. At that moment, he looked forward even more to meeting that person.

Had he not known the plot of the original work so well, he likely would have found it difficult to notice these carefully arranged subtleties. Every matchup held hidden meaning, and every schedule arrangement had its own purpose. Spirit Hall intended to divide the Spirit Master forces of the two great empires without drawing attention—offering massive rewards, selecting the venue for the finals, deploying the Golden Generation. Every step was linked to the next.

In the waiting area, Feng Yao's gaze casually swept over Shui Bing'er in the distance before shifting to Huo Wu in the rest area on the other side. These gifted young Spirit Masters had all become Chess Pieces on Spirit Hall's board. He suddenly recalled the scene from the original work five years later—if Tang San had not crushed everything with absolute strength, it would likely have been impossible to reintegrate the Four Element Academies into Shrek.

"The gap in strength is ultimately the key that decides everything." Feng Yao gently stroked the strings. In this great Chess Game, Spirit Hall had been laying its plans for many years, while contestants like them were no more than Chess Pieces on the board.

Yu Feng craned his neck toward Heavenly Water Academy's waiting area, his gaze circling Shui Bing'er and the others several times. Then he suddenly turned to Feng Yao and waggled his eyebrows. "Little Feng, we're counting on you for this match!"

"Heh." Oslo folded his arms and sneered, mercilessly tearing him down. "Even if Little Feng wins us the match, the girls from Heavenly Water Academy won't take a fancy to some Wind Chime Bird who never stops squawking."

"You!" Yu Feng immediately flushed red and was about to retort when Dugu Yan stopped him with a sharp look. Her purple eyes narrowed as she looked at the two with a faint smile. "Both of you, settle down. The match is about to begin, and you still have the mood to bicker?"

Sun Buyu clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back. "All right, the match is about to start. You all need to carefully observe the performances of the other teams. No weak team can make it into the Finals. None of the opponents we face from here on can be underestimated."

The opening of the Finals was unexpectedly simple. A Cardinal stepped onto the stage to announce the start of the tournament. After directly revealing the first-round matchups and the teams receiving byes, the matches officially began. There was no grand opening ceremony and no lively performances. Only a few thousand spectators filled the arena.

The first match was between two teams from the Star Luo Empire, neither of which appeared particularly strong. The Imperial Dou Team discussed the match quietly in their rest area.

Yu Feng curled his lip. "Why does this Finals look even shabbier than the Preliminary Tournament? There isn't even a proper opening ceremony, and the stands are practically empty. There can't be more than a few thousand people."

Dugu Yan swept aside her long purple hair and said meaningfully, "Don't be fooled by the fact that there are only a few thousand people. They're all Spirit Masters, and the vast majority are probably members of Spirit Hall." Her gaze swept across the surroundings. "Spirit Hall has its reasons for forbidding commoners from watching. The real main event will come when the final battle among the top three is held before Papal Palace. This current low profile is likely all to build momentum for that moment."

Feng Yao nodded thoughtfully. Indeed, Spirit Hall was deliberately controlling the scale of the audience, saving the true spectacle for the final battle before the Pope. Rather than frugality, this arrangement was a carefully designed display of power.

Soon, the first match came to an end, and the Red-robed Chief Referee announced loudly, "Next match, Heaven Dou Royal Academy versus Heavenly Water Academy!"

This was the Imperial Dou Team's first appearance in the Finals. When they stepped onto the stage in perfect formation, the other qualifying teams from the Heaven Dou Empire could not help but turn their attention toward them, their eyes full of curiosity and expectation.

At the other end of the platform, seven graceful figures slowly stepped onto the stage. Their aqua-blue uniforms shimmered beneath the sunlight like rippling water. Shui Bing'er, at the front, carried a cool and aloof temperament, her ice-blue hair fluttering in the breeze. Behind her, every member of Heavenly Water Academy looked heroic and valiant, faint cold air lingering around them.

After the two teams exchanged greetings and quickly took up their battle formations, the entire arena instantly erupted. Amid the dazzling light of released Martial Souls, the four Spirit Rings rising beneath Feng Yao's feet were especially eye-catching—particularly the fourth ring, black as ink, whose pressure silenced the entire venue.

"A fourth Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?!"

"Wait. Doesn't he look like he's already a level-fifty quasi-Soul King?"

"Then if he gets his fifth Spirit Ring..."

Cries of shock rose one after another from the stands. Even Ning Fengzhi in the VIP Seats sat up slightly, surprise flashing through his eyes.

Qian Renxue, wearing Xue Qinghe's appearance, sat in the VIP Seats. An unusual light flowed through his golden pupils. His long fingers lightly tapped the armrest as his gaze landed on Feng Yao's dazzling black Spirit Ring, and an indescribable delight rose in his heart.

He took a sip of tea, concealing the barely visible smile at the corner of his lips.

Then Qian Renxue could not help but feel secretly annoyed. That little bastard really hid himself well. He even kept it from me. But on second thought, Feng Yao rarely displayed his strength before others, so it was understandable that he had not known.

He tilted his head slightly, catching Ning Fengzhi's contemplative expression from the corner of his eye, and immediately understood. At that moment, Qian Renxue suddenly felt that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect did not seem all that important anymore. He could practically already see the moment Feng Yao defeated the Spirit Hall Academy team.

In Shrek Academy's rest area, Yu Xiaogang abruptly rose to his feet, his eyes widening into circles. He stared fixedly at the white-clothed figure on the stage, a storm raging in his heart. Impossible. Even with Spirit Bone enhancement, Xiao San's third and fourth rings only barely exceeded the optimal age limit. How could Feng Yao cross an entire major rank to absorb a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?

On the stage, shock also flashed through Shui Bing'er's ice-blue eyes. She had originally planned to suppress Feng Yao, the opposing captain, first, but now she had no choice but to reassess the situation. The oppressive feeling radiating from that black Spirit Ring made even her shudder instinctively.

Feng Yao's long fingers gently brushed the strings, a faint smile hanging on his lips. Illuminated by the black Spirit Ring, new golden patterns flowed across the Fuxi Qin's body with a mysterious glow. His gaze swept across the stunned crowd before finally settling on Shui Bing'er at the front of Heavenly Water Academy. "Please enlighten me."

As the Red-robed Chief Referee sharply brought down his right hand, his thunderous voice resounded throughout the arena:

"Match—begin!"

The command exploded like thunder, instantly igniting the atmosphere across the entire arena. The referee swiftly retreated, giving both sides sufficient room to fight. His movements were clean and decisive, without the slightest hesitation, displaying the professional standards unique to Spirit Hall referees.

Almost at the same moment, a surge of cold erupted from Heavenly Water Academy's side, Shui Bing'er's ice-blue hair moving without wind. On the Imperial Dou Team's side, Feng Yao's fingertips had already fallen upon the Fuxi Qin Strings. The discussions in the stands abruptly ceased. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the first collision of this clash between powerful teams.

(End of Chapter)