The Shrek Team's private suite in a star-rated hotel in the center of Heaven Dou City was brightly lit.
Wu Ming stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the crowds surge below as her golden hair stirred gently.
Her brows were tightly furrowed. She tapped her fingers against the window frame, her voice anxious.
"When will Sister Lexuan get here? The opening ceremony starts in an hour and a half. If she doesn't arrive soon, we'll be in trouble!"
As the vice-captain of this year's Shrek Seven Devils and one of only two Soul Emperors on the team, Wu Ming felt the pressure of leading the team in Captain Zhang Lexuan's absence.
Baise walked over with a cup of warm water. A gentle, pale-blue glow shone in her palm as she calmly replied,
"Captain just sent word through the dedicated communication Soul Tool. Her investigation in the Sun Moon Empire just ended, but her Soul Guidance aircraft had a minor malfunction. The earliest she can get back to Heaven Dou City is this afternoon."
Wu Ming turned around. The fiery aura of her Martial Soul leaked out, raising the temperature in the room by a few degrees.
"This afternoon? Shrek is scheduled to go first in the opening match. That's the tournament's rule..."
Wu Ming took a deep breath and made a quick decision.
"Go to the reserve team right now and bring Ma Xiaotao over to fill in. We can't delay the match!"
Wu Ming didn't dare imagine what kind of punishment the academy would give her if they lost the opening match.
"Yes, I'll arrange it at once." Baise nodded and hurried out of the suite.
The central square of Heaven Dou City was already packed with people, shoulder to shoulder.
As the main venue for the Heaven Dou Empire's Advanced Soul Master Elite Competition, it had been decorated in extravagant style.
A hundred-meter-tall Soul Guidance Lamp towered in the center of the square. Seven-colored lights flowed along its body, illuminating the entire square as brightly as day.
The stands all around were filled with spectators from countries across the continent. Cheers and applause rose one after another, deafening.
Dozens of enormous Soul Guidance screens floated in the air, broadcasting high-definition footage of every corner of the venue in real time. Even the slightest expressions on the viewing platform were clearly visible.
Nine ceremonial cannons stood in neat rows on the eastern side of the square. At the emcee's booming announcement, they roared to life.
Boom—boom—
Nine deafening blasts shook the sky. Colorful Soul Guidance sparks drifted down from above like a brilliant shower of light, bringing the opening ceremony to its climax.
The viewing platform stood on a raised terrace at the northern side of the square. It was reserved for the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family and the continent's top powers.
Xue Yuheng sat in the VIP section beside the royal seats, holding Xiao Xiao's hand.
He wore a black brocade robe embroidered with dark-gold dragon patterns. His posture was straight, and though he stood only five feet tall, he carried a steady, imposing air.
Xiao Xiao leaned against his side, holding a translucent sugar sculpture. She kept nibbling at it, her cheeks puffed out like a contented little hamster.
Xue Yuheng swept his gaze across the arena below, amusement in his eyes.
From this angle, he could clearly see the nervousness and anticipation on the faces of the various teams.
The Advanced Soul Master Elite Competition was not only a contest for young Soul Masters, but also a stage on which the major powers tested one another.
Just then, the camera on the Soul Guidance screen suddenly shifted, focusing precisely on Xue Yuheng in the viewing stand.
The young man's handsome, refined face and restrained yet unmistakable presence were projected into every corner of the square.
At the edge of the arena, the Shrek Team was preparing to enter. Wu Ming happened to look up, and her eyes fell on the screen.
The moment she saw Xue Yuheng, her heart gave a sudden leap.
Yuheng... What's he doing here?
Did he come just for me?
The young man who had changed her life at her family estate eight months ago!
A rush of delight swept through her like a warm current, and her earlier anxiety immediately faded.
Wu Ming still remembered that day in her bedroom... The immense Power of Creation had poured into her body, evolving her Golden Crow Martial Soul into a Sun Golden Crow.
It had been a qualitative transformation of her Martial Soul—a stroke of fortune she had once never dared imagine.
A faint smile unconsciously lifted Wu Ming's lips.
So he's here too. Maybe I should give this tournament a little more effort.
The opening ceremony proceeded smoothly. After Emperor Vister of the Heaven Dou Empire delivered a brief speech, the tournament officially began.
According to the rules of the continental tournament, the previous champions, Shrek Academy, had to compete first.
Wu Ming took a deep breath, put her feelings aside, and led the Shrek Team onto the arena.
The seven members moved in unison, Soul Power circulating around them. Their champions' presence swept over the crowd, drawing a burst of cheers from the stands.
After the emcee's announcement, Wu Ming strode over to the draw table.
Dozens of academy plaques lay quietly inside the Soul Tool box.
She reached in, casually pinched one between her fingers, and drew it out.
The plaque turned over. Wu Ming had terrible luck: it was...
Mingdu Soul Master Academy.
It was one of the top Soul Master academies, second only to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy. Every member wore precision-made standard Soul Tool Armor, with various Soul Cannons at their waists. Their eyes were cold, their fighting spirit fierce.
Shrek's lineup was equally formidable: one Soul Emperor, five Soul Kings, and one Soul Ancestor.
The first match was a seven-on-seven team battle.
The teams took their positions. The referee lowered the raised flag, and the fight erupted at once!
The members of Mingdu Soul Master Academy reacted swiftly. Almost the instant the flag came down, they activated their Soul Tools.
Dozens of brilliant blasts shot from their Soul Cannons, raining down on the Shrek Team. The fast-moving projectiles tore through the air with sharp whistles.
"Defend!" Wu Ming called. Hua Yao immediately activated her Lotus Martial Soul. Her black fifth Soul Skill took the form of a massive lotus, sheltering everyone from the barrage.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The projectiles struck the lotus bud one after another. The shock waves from the explosions sent Hua Yao's Soul Power surging wildly.
Mingdu Soul Master Academy's assault was far too relentless. Soul Tools hit harder than Soul Skills of the same rank, and the Shrek Team was immediately forced onto the back foot.
The team members activated their Martial Souls to defend themselves, but they were still driven back step by step.
Seeing her teammates struggle to hold on, Wu Ming's eyes hardened. She abandoned her ambush strategy and stopped holding back.
Sun Golden Crow Domain!
With a sharp cry, golden flames erupted from her body, sweeping across half the arena.
The extreme heat distorted the air around her. Even the stone tiles beneath her feet began to grow hot.
A golden-red Golden Crow with outstretched wings hovered above her head, breathing True Sun Fire from its beak. It was majestic and domineering.
On the other side, a member of Mingdu Soul Master Academy saw this and immediately activated his Sun Martial Soul, trying to resist her.
But the ball of solar fire that had seemed so scorching was like a firefly before the blazing sun when faced with Wu Ming's Sun Golden Crow.
His Sun Martial Soul trembled violently. Its flames dimmed at a visible rate before shrinking to a feeble spark, unable even to form a basic Soul Skill.
"Impossible! How could my Sun Martial Soul be suppressed?" the team member shouted in disbelief.
This was absolute suppression by Martial Soul quality!
As a demigod-level evolution of the Golden Crow Martial Soul, the Sun Golden Crow wielded the purest source of solar power. An ordinary Sun Martial Soul had no right even to look up at it.
Taking advantage of the lull in the enemy's assault, Hua Yao controlled the lotus as it bloomed. Four figures moved in practiced coordination and launched a counterattack, instantly turning the tide of the battle.
Even though Ma Xiaotao had been dragged in at the last minute, she reacted swiftly, taking to the air to assist Wu Ming.
The two women were like twin blazing suns, controlling the pace of the entire team battle.
Despite being forced onto the defensive, Mingdu Soul Master Academy managed to hold out for half an hour with a steady succession of Defensive Soul Tools.
At last, facing Wu Ming's immensely draining sixth Soul Skill, the Sun Golden Crow Domain, the coach of Mingdu Soul Master Academy chose to forfeit the team battle.
There were still the two-on-two and one-on-one matches to come.
With Wu Ming's Soul Power nearly exhausted, she could hardly take part in the later matches. That was why the members of Mingdu Soul Master Academy had kept fighting.
They still had a chance later.
On the viewing platform, Emperor Vister stroked his beard as he watched Wu Ming shine in the arena, his eyes full of praise.
"That female student from Shrek has an exceptional Martial Soul. There can't be many across the entire continent with a Sun Golden Crow of that quality."
Xue Yuheng ate a piece of the court cake on the table, the corners of his mouth lifting with a faint smile. His voice was calm.
"Your Majesty is too kind. The evolution of her Golden Crow Martial Soul was indeed partly my doing."
Emperor Vister gave Xue Yuheng a long look.
He had already sent people to investigate the Martial Soul Evolution of Wu Ming, the Golden Crow Family's direct descendant from the Dou Ling Empire. Now it seemed the source was indeed this Crown Prince of Douling.
"Prince Gan is truly a man of remarkable means. The Golden Crow Family is fortunate to have received such a blessing." Emperor Vister paused, then changed the subject. "My daughter Weina has a fair bit of talent. I hope Your Highness will look after her in the future."
It was the emperor's subtle reminder to Xue Yuheng, as well as part of their earlier agreement.
Xue Yuheng understood. He nodded and replied, "Rest assured, Your Majesty. I'll make Weina's Martial Soul Evolution a priority as soon as possible. I won't let you down."
Emperor Vister nodded with satisfaction and turned his attention back to the arena. The atmosphere on the viewing platform remained cordial.
By dusk, the first day of the tournament had come to an end.
Mingdu Soul Master Academy had ultimately lost.
The streets of Heaven Dou City glowed with brilliant lights. The aromas from the food stalls filled the air, whetting everyone's appetite.
Xue Yuheng strolled down the street holding Xiao Xiao's hand. She held a skewer of candied hawthorn berries and ate with relish.
As they rounded a street corner, a figure hurried toward them from the opposite direction, moving so fast that she stirred up a gust of wind.
"Sorry!"
The woman's cool voice was tinged with panic. Xiao Xiao didn't have time to react and stumbled back two steps when she was struck.
Xue Yuheng reacted quickly, reaching out to steady Xiao Xiao before turning to look at the person who had run into them.
She was a woman in a Shrek Academy uniform, her long hair tied in a high ponytail. Her features were cool and her bearing capable, but at that moment her face was full of apology.
"I'm so sorry. I'm in a hurry and didn't see where I was going. Did I hurt you?" the woman asked, hurrying over, guilt in her voice.
She was Zhang Lexuan, captain of the Shrek Team. She had just returned from outside the city and was so focused on rejoining her team that she had accidentally bumped into someone.
Xiao Xiao rubbed her arm and shook her head. "I'm fine, miss."
Xue Yuheng's gaze fell on Zhang Lexuan, and a new page appeared in his Wordless Heavenly Book.
[Name: Zhang Lexuan Talent: C-Grade Talent Bone Age: 20 Level: 68 Cultivation: Six Rings Martial Soul: Moon (Deduction complete) Best Martial Soul Evolution path: Quasi-God-Level Martial Soul—Star Moon (wielder of Ultimate Light)]
Zhang Lexuan noticed Xue Yuheng's gaze and gave him a slight nod. A hint of surprise appeared in her eyes, but she didn't think much of it, assuming he was just an ordinary passerby.
"Sorry to bother you. I have to go." With that, she hurried off toward the hotel where Shrek was staying.
Xiao Xiao tugged at Xue Yuheng's sleeve and looked up at him. "Xiao Xue, who was that sister? She seemed really worried."
Xue Yuheng ruffled her hair and looked in the direction Zhang Lexuan had gone, a meaningful glint in his eyes.
"She's probably Zhang Lexuan, the captain of Shrek Academy. Her talent is pretty good too. Maybe she'll break through to Soul Douluo before she turns thirty."
That was still only in comparison with ordinary people. For instance, Zhang Lexuan would never have imagined the kind of talent possessed by the girl she had bumped into.
After absorbing some of the remaining power in the Dragon Pearl, seven-year-old Xiao Xiao had already reached level twenty-four in Soul Power.
"Soul Douluo? Wouldn't Limit Douluo be better? Xiao Xue, are you thinking of helping that big sister?"
"Cough, cough... Hiss... No, absolutely not."
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