Crazy Xiao Zhen, Crazy Xiao Na, Crazy Xiao Yue, Under the Spotlight

# Chapter 37: Crazy Xiao Zhen, Crazy Xiao Na, Crazy Xiao Yue, The Battle Under Everyone's Gaze (4K)

Tianhai Stadium, main podium.

"Godly Craftsman Senior, we've been bullied!"

Na'er shouted, silver-white beautiful eyes shimmering with tears, followed by Zhao Xuanzhen who was lowering his head and holding back laughter, as well as Gu Yue and Jiu Tian whose mouths were twitching slightly.

Endure once and they'll take a mile; retreat once and they'll climb all over you. Shrek Academy was impressive, but so what? Just fight them!

There was still an hour before the opening ceremony exhibition match. The seven split up. Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and Xu Xiaoyan were responsible for convincing Eastsea Academy's teachers to allow Zero Class to participate.

Zhao Xuanzhen and the other three came to entreat Zhen Hua. Only this Godly Craftsman had the ability to replace the original exhibition match contestants with them!

"Bullying the young... seems they don't take the old seriously anymore..."

Zhen Hua furrowed his brows. Beside him, Mu Chen and the other Saint Craftsmen's faces were equally dark. Zhen, Na, and Tian were juniors brought by the Godly Craftsman, and especially Jiu Tian was the Godly Craftsman's personal disciple. Had the Tianhai Alliance eaten bear heart and leopard gall, daring to stir up trouble with the God of Wealth!

Pairs of wolf-like, icy gazes turned toward the Tianhai Alliance high-level officials sitting nearby as attendants. Those government bigwigs instantly broke out in cold sweat.

The Forging Association was nothing like the humble blacksmiths of twenty thousand years ago. If this matter was not handled properly, Zhen Hua might fly into a rage and have a large number of forgers withdraw from the Tianhai Alliance. Then the quantity of forged metal would plummet, soul masters would struggle to create battle armor and mechas, and the soul master foundation the Tianhai Alliance had accumulated in recent years would go up in flames!

The Tianhai City Governor smiled bitterly: "Godly Craftsman, please calm your anger. The Tianhai Alliance has always advocated fairness and justice. It must be that some student from a participating academy had a hot temper, leading to a conflict.

Little girl, do you know which academy's students it was? The leaders of all the Tianhai Alliance academies are here right now. If you tell us, I'll seek justice for you."

"Shrek Academy!"

Na'er blurted out. Everyone on the main podium sucked in a breath of cold air, the surroundings seeming to become a vacuum zone. The Tianhai Alliance high-level officials looked at each other, clearly seeing the bitterness on their colleagues' faces, sweat densely beading on their foreheads.

"Sh... Shrek Academy, huh..."

The Tianhai City Governor's vision went dark. He felt like the sky was falling.

Shrek coming to the Tianhai Alliance was like a wealthy family visiting a poor relative. The students were young and hot-blooded, each looking down on everyone else. Conflicts with local Tianhai Alliance students were perfectly normal.

If they had just picked on a soft persimmon, the Governor could have given some compensation to the local students and smoothed things over. The problem was that Shrek Academy had, by unfortunate coincidence, kicked the hardest steel plate around—the Godly Craftsman Zhen Hua's juniors!

"Tell me the details." Zhen Hua said with a dark face.

Na'er put on a look like she was about to cry, pitifully saying: "We were chatting in Tianhai Stadium, snacks on the left, drinks on the right, the atmosphere was boundless joy. Who knew those Shrek people would be so unreasonable and overbearing..."

She recounted the entire incident from beginning to end. Na'er didn't embellish anything, because Yu Yuanheng and Ye Xinglan were already abstract enough on their own.

When she got to Yu Yuanheng's line about Shrek's ten thousand years of glory being inviolable, Zhen Hua nearly laughed in anger. Ten thousand years of glory was earned by Shrek's ancestors, yet now it was being used as an excuse to bully others by relying on power.

The Tianhai Alliance high-level officials didn't dare make a sound. Whether it was Shrek Academy or the Godly Craftsman Zhen Hua, they couldn't afford to offend either.

"Godly Craftsman Senior, we can't just let this slide. We have to get our revenge!" Na'er finished her setup and revealed her true intention. "Help us out, okay?"

"Oh?"

Zhen Hua showed an inquisitive expression. Among the seven being oppressed by Shrek was his own personal disciple Jiu Tian and Zhao Xuanzhen, whom Mu Ye valued.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, he couldn't just not react, otherwise outsiders would surely look down on the Forging Association. But since it involved the Continent's First Academy, Shrek Academy, Zhen Hua couldn't think of a solution for the moment. He spoke:

"How can I help?"

"A soul master's conflict should be resolved by a soul master's methods." Zhao Xuanzhen took over from Na'er. "At the Tianhai Alliance Competition's opening ceremony, Shrek Academy and last year's youth group champion, the Tianhai Academy Team, are having a seven-person group battle.

We are also seven. We hope to replace the Tianhai Academy team and take the field. If reason can't get through, we'll teach them with our fists."

"Good lad, I support you!"

A middle-aged man wearing a chef's hat was the first to applaud loudly. It was the Ben Ti Sect Master, Mu Ye. He looked toward a red-haired man among the academy leaders on the main podium and grinned:

"Dean Long, This Seat will offer five Black-Grade Mechas. Can the Tianhai Academy do us this favor?"

Long Huantian, Dean of Tianhai Academy, a Sixth Ring Soul Emperor.

Five Black-Grade Mechas was a huge sum. Long Huantian's heart was immediately moved. He understood the natural barrier gap between the two sides. The Tianhai students were no match for Shrek at all.

Compared to the Tianhai students going up and getting wiped by Shrek in seconds, five Black-Grade Mechas seemed much more tempting.

Mu Ye crossed his arms, putting on an air of overwhelming wealth. High-level professionals were never short of money. Five Black-Grade Mechas was a drop in the bucket.

The relationship between the Ben Ti Sect and Shrek Academy had never been harmonious. In fact, even the Poseidon Pavilion was established under pressure from the Ben Ti Sect. Only when facing foreign invasion did the two great powers briefly unite.

Although the Ben Ti Sect's strength wasn't what it used to be, Mu Ye still didn't mind making Shrek lose face. At the same time, he desperately wanted the world to witness the Original Martial Soul bloom with golden radiance!

"This... Your Eminence."

Long Huantian cupped his hands in salute. A dean of an academy was no fool. The Godly Craftsman Zhen Hua's bodyguard, who addressed himself as "This Seat"—his identity as a Title Douluo was obvious.

"Five Black-Grade Mechas are extremely precious, but our academy's seven students have always looked forward to a battle with Shrek..."

Long Huantian made a token refusal, putting up a show of face. Many important figures were seated on the main podium, so Tianhai Academy couldn't appear too greedy.

"The next soul spirit for each of the seven Tianhai students will be provided free of charge by the Spirit Pagoda, as a small compensation from me." Zhao Xuanzhen said clearly.

The Tianhai students' cultivation didn't exceed Soul Ancestor. At most, it would cost seven ten-thousand-year soul spirits. As the Personal Disciple of the Spirit Pagoda Deputy Tower Master, Zhao Xuanzhen had that authority.

"Spirit Pagoda!?"

Long Huantian's expression changed dramatically. He immediately realized that Zhao Xuanzhen came from the Spirit Pagoda, and at a very high level at that. Otherwise, how could he so casually promise seven ten-thousand-year soul spirits.

"Tianhai Academy thanks Your Eminence. I also represent the seven students of Tianhai Academy in thanking the Spirit Pagoda for their gift."

Having secured both benefits and face, Long Huantian knew when to stop and yielded the exhibition match slot.

Seeing that both sides had reached an agreement, Zhen Hua smiled and said to the Tianhai City Governor, "I approve your cooperation request. The Forging Association will double its supply of forging metals to the Tianhai Alliance."

"Many thanks, Godly Craftsman!"

The Governor's face was full of excitement.

The Tianhai Alliance lacked Soul Masters. Knowing that the Godly Craftsman Zhen Hua had personally come to Tianhai City, he wanted to deepen cooperation with the Forging Association, using forging metals to attract Soul Masters from all over to join the Tianhai Alliance.

Forging metals had always been in short supply, and the Tianhai Alliance actually had no capital to cooperate with the Forging Association. The Governor knew full well in his heart what the real reason Zhen Hua agreed to cooperate was, and he quickly ordered his subordinates to act and make the corresponding arrangements.

Having completed their mission flawlessly, the Four Little Ones exchanged smiles. Zhao Xuanzhen took out his Soul Guide Communicator and sent Tang Wulin the words "All smooth," receiving an instant reply of "Done."

Tianhai Stadium, Box One.

The room's dome hung high overhead, like the reflection of a starry sky. The crystal chandelier refracted multicolored light, casting dappled, shifting shadows.

A ten-meter-long Flame Lion King Fur Sofa stretched across the hall, its leather glowing a fiery crimson. The Shrek Team sat on the sofa in various poses, looking down through the one-way glass at the ant-like crowd in the stadium below.

"Heng-ge, a drink?"

The lean Yao Yue handed Yu Yuanheng a glass of amber ice wine. Yu Yuanheng took it and downed it in one gulp, slamming the glass heavily onto the Mo Yu coffee table, sending shards flying with a loud crash.

"Heng-ge is a bit irritable today. Someone's going to be in for a rough time during the exhibition match!"

Yao Yue laughed with schadenfreude, shooting a dark purple vine from his fingertip to curl around a sheet of paper on the table.

The Tianhai Alliance had notified them last minute that, due to two students suddenly entering deep meditation, Tianhai Academy was forfeiting the exhibition match. Shrek Academy's opponent would now be Eastsea Academy.

Below were seven portraits of youths with distinct features, along with their ages and names. They were unmistakably the seven who had just confronted the Shrek Team. The handsome face at the top was none other than Zhao Xuanzhen!

"Bold indeed..."

Ning Xian, from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, picked up the paper with two jade-like fingers, scanned the seven portraits, and said flatly, "Someone among them is quite resourceful, getting Tianhai Academy to withdraw in such a short time.

Looks like they're not convinced and are coming to settle a score with us."

Chu Yan, whose Martial Soul was the Flame Lord and whose aura was exceptionally fiery, said in a deep voice, "Not beating them up earlier was to protect the academy's image. This is a blatant provocation!"

"Once we're on the field, we can properly beat them down." Chen Feng, his body rippling with muscle, had golden light flickering in his eyes. "My Golden Wolf Emperor's claws are itching for action..."

"Don't fight me for that girl."

Ye Xinglan stared at Na'er, who was smiling sweetly, locked onto her target, and sword aura began to permeate the air around her.

"Sister Xinglan, everyone..."

Xu Lizhi said weakly, "Eastsea Academy doesn't seem like bad people. We shouldn't target them..."

"Little Fatty."

Yu Yuanheng snorted coldly. "Remember one thing: Shrek Academy is the law!

The first dean, Flender, left us a school motto: 'Those who dare not cause trouble are mediocrities!'

We can cause trouble, and we can handle it. That's what makes us prodigies of our generation, worthy of the academy's ten thousand years of glory!"

"That's right! Those who dare not cause trouble are mediocrities!"

The Shrek team was fired up, all rubbing their fists and palms, ready to teach Eastsea Academy a bloody lesson!

At that very moment, Wu Changkong stood shoulder to shoulder with a woman in a corner of Tianhai Stadium.

The woman looked twenty-six or twenty-seven, with long white hair cascading down her back. Her dark green pupils held a rich aura of life, and she said with a smile, "I don't know how many years it's been since a Soul Master Academy dared to challenge Shrek. Senior Brother, the disciples you've taught are truly something special."

Shen Yi, the lead teacher of Shrek Academy and a disciple of Red Dragon Douluo Turbid World, was Wu Changkong's junior sister from the same sect.

"Wulin and the others aren't impulsive children. This time, the academy's disciples were a bit overbearing, so I agreed to let them fight Shrek," Wu Changkong said coldly.

"Do you think they can beat Shrek?"

"...It's difficult."

After a moment of thought, Wu Changkong sighed. "The seven of them are only ten years old. The overall gap in age and soul power with Shrek Academy is too great.

But let me remind you, Eastsea Academy has a ninety-nine percent chance of losing, but there's still that one percent variable: Zhao Xuanzhen.

Zhao Xuanzhen and that silver-haired girl named Na'er are from the Spirit Pagoda. I've seen him fight in the Spirit Ascension Platform. He's the most formidable monster I've ever witnessed—his close combat, ranged attacks, and mental fortitude are nearly flawless."

"Senior Brother needn't worry about the academy losing." Shen Yi said mysteriously. "Before we set out, I taught them a combination skill."

"Oh?" Wu Changkong was slightly startled.

Shen Yi chuckled lightly. "Twenty thousand years ago, the first generation Shrek Seven Devils participated in the Soul Master Competition for the first time. Seven Monsters as One, united in heart and effort.

As luck would have it, our current team has a Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and a Food System Soul Master, making them a perfect fit for the Seven-in-One."

"Is that so..." Wu Changkong's expression showed sudden understanding. "Then we have no chance of winning at all.

Forget it. The academy's undefeated record still needs to be maintained. Even if they lose, facing the number one Soul Master Academy on the continent, Wulin and the others will have lost with honor."

In the contestant waiting area, the seven had finished their respective tasks and gathered together again.

Na'er swept her gaze over everyone and said firmly, "Zhao Xuanzhen, Gu Yue, Jiu Tian, Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, Xu Xiaoyan! Everyone, attention: this is not a drill. Repeat, this is not a drill. Our mission this time is very tough!"

"Giving a pep talk before the fight, huh, brave Commander Na'er?" Zhao Xuanzhen said with a chuckle.

"Idiot Zhao Xuanzhen, don't ruin the vibe!"

Na'er flushed with embarrassment and jabbed an elbow into Zhao Xuanzhen's kidneys, then looked at the avatars of the opposing sides and the massive Eastsea Academy emblem hanging over her own head. She pulled a bitter face and said, "We're disciples of the Spirit Pagoda, playing for Eastsea Academy...

We're screwed, Zhao Xuanzhen. We've got no roots here!"

Zhao Xuanzhen scoffed dismissively. Bullshit. Even the GOAT couldn't pull off one person, one city!

Fighting under Eastsea Academy's name was the only request from Eastsea Academy Dean Long Hengxu, and it also suited the wishes of Tianhai's high-level. After all, this was the Tianhai Alliance Competition. The opening ceremony naturally had to feature a Tianhai Alliance academy versus Shrek Academy, and the three of them were loaned to Eastsea Academy for just one day!

"Number One Under Heaven... Will we win?" Facing the prospect of going up against Shrek Academy, Tang Wulin couldn't help but feel nervous.

"We'll win." Zhao Xuanzhen's tone was firm. "The strength of Shrek's students? It's nothing special."

Na'er nodded vigorously. "Exactly, exactly. We could march right in, and the gate guards wouldn't dare stop us!"

"Sister Gu Yue..." Xu Xiaoyan cast a pleading look for comfort.

Perhaps because they were both girls, Gu Yue was gentler with Xu Xiaoyan, who had only been enrolled for a month, than with Tang Wulin or Xie Xie. She said seriously, "Don't worry. We're the champions!"

Crazy Xiao Zhen, Crazy Xiao Na, Crazy Xiao Yue!

Aside from Jiu Tian, who remained silent, the Eastsea Trio all tilted their heads at once. No wonder Gu Yue could hang with the Spirit Pagoda—turns out they shared the same brain!

Inside Tianhai Stadium, the sea of people was immense, with endless noise and screams filling the air, showing just how much they anticipated this match.

Amid the crowd's expectations, Godly Craftsman Zhen Hua's steady voice rang out from afar: "The Tianhai Alliance Competition is a grand event for the Tianhai Alliance. I am honored to open this year's tournament.

On behalf of the Tianhai Alliance, I welcome the academy teams from afar, and I wish for you all to display the true bearing of Soul Masters!

Next, the special invited team from Shrek Academy will engage in an exchange spar with the Elite Soul Masters of Eastsea Academy from the Tianhai Alliance!

Please, both sides, enter the arena!"