The smoke of the preliminaries had barely cleared when even harsher challenges arrived one after another. The advancement tournament of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament would be held at the Heaven Dou Empire's Imperial Hunting Grounds. Far from the clamor of the city, this place was quiet yet concealed killing intent. The format had also shifted from team battles to individual arena matches, placing greater demands on a soul master's personal strength, endurance, and tactical reserves.
Led by Master and Dean Flender, the Shrek Academy group arrived at this vast hunting ground reserved exclusively for the royal family. Mountains rose and fell in the distance, the forests were lush, and the air carried the fresh scent of vegetation along with a faint, barely perceptible air of solemn menace. Temporary camps were scattered throughout the grounds, representing the elite academies that had emerged from the various divisions.
Their camp was not in the best location, but it was quiet enough. Once everyone had settled in, Master immediately called a meeting.
"You all know the rules of the advancement tournament," Master said, his voice particularly cold and hard within the crude tent. "A seven-man arena battle. The winner remains on the field until all seven members of one side have been defeated. This is no longer a contest of teamwork, but a head-on clash of individual strength—a contest of will and foundation."
His sharp gaze swept across the eight of them. "Our advantage is that all eight of you are capable of standing on your own. Your Soul Power Levels are solid, and your martial souls each have their own distinct traits. But our weaknesses are equally obvious—our tournament experience, especially in this kind of arena battle, is practically nonexistent. Furthermore, our tactics, particularly the coordination between Tang San