Zhang Lexuan Arrives Late

In the star-rated hotel at the center of Tiantou City, the exclusive suite for the Shrek Academy team was brightly lit.

Wu Ming stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the surging crowds below, her golden hair fluttering gently.

Her brows were tightly furrowed, her fingers tapping against the window frame, her tone anxious.

"When exactly will Zhang Lexuan arrive? The opening ceremony is in an hour and a half; if she doesn't get here, there's going to be trouble!"

As the vice-captain of this generation's Shrek Seven Devils and one of only two Soul Emperors on the team, Wu Ming felt immense pressure with the captain, Zhang Lexuan, absent.

Baise walked over carrying a cup of warm water, her palms glowing with a soft, pale blue light, and answered in a calm voice.

"The captain just sent a message through the dedicated communication soul device. Her scouting mission in the Sun Moon Empire just ended, and her soul-guided flying device had a minor malfunction. The earliest she can make it back to Tiantou City is this afternoon."

Wu Ming turned around, the scorching aura of her martial soul leaking out slightly, causing the temperature in the room to rise by several degrees.

"This afternoon? It's the rule of the Advanced Soul Master Elite Competition that we, Shrek, must lead the first match..."

Wu Ming took a deep breath and quickly made a decision.

"Go to the reserve team immediately and call Ma Xiaotao over to fill in. We cannot delay the match!"

Wu Ming didn't even dare to imagine what kind of punishment she would face from the academy if they lost this first match.

"Understood, I will arrange it immediately." Baise nodded, turned, and walked quickly out of the suite.

The central square of Tiantou City was already a sea of people, shoulder to shoulder.

As the main venue for the Heaven Dou Empire to host the Advanced Soul Master Elite Competition, the place was decorated with extreme luxury.

A hundred-meter-tall soul-guided lighthouse stood in the center of the square, its body shimmering with seven-colored light, illuminating the entire square as if it were daytime.

The surrounding stands were packed with spectators from all over the continent, with cheers and applause rising one after another, deafening in volume.

High in the air, dozens of giant soul-guided screens were suspended, broadcasting high-definition, real-time footage of every corner of the scene, making even the subtle expressions on the VIP viewing platform clearly visible.

Nine ceremonial cannons were neatly arranged on the east side of the square, and as the master of ceremonies made a high-pitched announcement, the cannons roared in unison.

Boom—Boom—

Nine massive explosions echoed through the sky, and colorful soul-guided light particles drifted down from the air like a brilliant rain of light, pushing the atmosphere of the opening ceremony to a climax.

The VIP viewing platform was set on a high stage on the north side of the square, reserved exclusively for the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family and the top powers of the continent.

Xue Yuheng held Xiao Xiao's hand, sitting upright in the guest seats next to the royal family.

He wore a black brocade robe embroidered with dark gold dragon patterns, his posture upright; despite his five-foot frame, he carried an inherent aura of composure and majesty.

Xiao Xiao snuggled against his side, holding a crystal-clear sugar painting in her hand, her little mouth moving constantly, her cheeks puffed out like a satisfied little hamster.

Xue Yuheng's gaze swept across the arena below, a hint of playfulness in his eyes.

From this angle, he could clearly see the tension and anticipation on the faces of the various team members.

This Advanced Soul Master Elite Competition was not only an arena for young soul masters but also a stage for the power struggles between major factions.

Just then, the camera on the soul-guided screen suddenly switched, focusing precisely on Xue Yuheng on the viewing platform.

The boy's refined, handsome face and the restrained yet impossible-to-ignore aura around him were instantly projected to every corner of the square.

At the edge of the arena, the Shrek Academy team was preparing to enter, and Wu Ming looked up inadvertently, her gaze falling exactly on the soul-guided screen.

When she saw Xue Yuheng, her heart skipped a beat.

Yuheng... why is he here?

Is it specifically for me?

He was the boy who had changed her entire life in her family's estate eight months ago!

Surprise swept through her mind like a warm current, and her previously agitated mood instantly calmed down.

Wu Ming still remembered that day in her boudoir... the immense Power of Creation had surged into her body, directly evolving her Golden Crow martial soul into a Sun Golden Crow.

It was a qualitative transformation of her martial soul, an opportunity Wu Ming had never even dared to dream of.

A faint smile rose unconsciously on the corners of Wu Ming's lips.

So he is here too; perhaps I should put in more effort for this competition.

The proceedings of the opening ceremony continued in an orderly fashion, and after Emperor Vister of the Heaven Dou Empire delivered a brief address, the competition officially kicked off.

According to the rules of the continental competition, the previous champion, Shrek Academy, had to be the first to take the stage.

Wu Ming took a deep breath, suppressing the ripples in her heart, and led the members of the Shrek team into the arena.

The seven of them walked in unison, their soul power flowing around them; the aura of the previous champions hit the crowd like a wave, drawing bursts of cheers from the stands.

After the master of ceremonies made the announcement, Wu Ming walked quickly to the draw station.

Inside the soul-guided box, dozens of academy jade plaques lay quietly.

She reached into the box, pinched one at random, and pulled it out.

As she flipped the plaque over, Wu Ming realized her luck was quite poor; it was, Mingdu Soul Master Academy.

This team was a leader among soul master academies, second only to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy. The members were all clad in precise standard-issue soul-guided armor, carrying various soul-guided cannons at their waists, their eyes cold and filled with fighting spirit.

Shrek Academy's lineup was also incredibly luxurious: one Soul Emperor, five Soul Kings, and one Soul Ancestor.

The first match was a seven-on-seven team battle.

Both sides took their positions, the referee's raised flag fell, and the battle erupted in an instant!

The members of Mingdu Soul Master Academy reacted with lightning speed, activating their soul tools almost the moment the flag dropped.

Dozens of brilliant light projectiles sprayed out from their soul cannons, slamming toward the Shrek team like a torrential rain; the air was torn apart by the high-speed projectiles, emitting sharp, piercing whistles.

"Defend!" Wu Ming shouted, and Hua Yao immediately activated her Lotus martial soul. With her fifth soul skill, a massive lotus flower sheltered everyone from the barrage.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The light projectiles struck the lotus bud in rapid succession, the shockwaves from the explosions causing the soul power within Hua Yao to fluctuate violently.

The offensive from Mingdu Soul Master Academy was too dense, and the power of their soul tools far exceeded that of soul skills at the same level, causing the Shrek team to fall into a disadvantageous position instantly.

The team members activated their martial souls one after another to resist, yet they were still forced to retreat step by step.

Watching her teammates struggle to hold on, Wu Ming's eyes sharpened; she abandoned her plan to ambush and stopped holding back her strength.

Sun Golden Crow Domain!

With a clear cry, golden flames erupted from her body, sweeping across half the arena.

The extreme heat caused the surrounding air to distort instantly, and the stone tiles on the ground began to grow slightly hot.

A golden-red phantom of a Golden Crow, with its wings fully spread, hovered above her head, its beak spitting out True Sun Fire—majestic and overbearing.

Opposite her, a member of Mingdu Soul Master Academy saw this and immediately activated his own Sun martial soul, attempting to resist.

However, that seemingly scorching sun flame was like a firefly meeting the blazing sun in the face of Wu Ming's Sun Golden Crow.

The Sun martial soul trembled violently, its flames dimming at a speed visible to the naked eye, eventually shrinking into a weak flicker of light, unable to even condense basic soul skills.

"Impossible! How could my Sun martial soul be suppressed?" That member roared in disbelief, his face full of shock.

This was the absolute suppression of martial soul quality!

As a semi-god-level evolutionary form of the Golden Crow martial soul, the Sun Golden Crow controlled the purest power of the sun's origin; ordinary Sun martial souls didn't even have the qualifications to look up in its presence.

Taking advantage of the lull in the opponent's offense, Hua Yao controlled the lotus to bloom, and four figures working in perfect coordination launched a counterattack, instantly reversing the situation on the field.

Even though Ma Xiaotao had been brought in at the last minute, she reacted quickly, flying into the air to support Wu Ming.

The two women were like two scorching suns, controlling the rhythm of the entire team battle.

Even though Mingdu Soul Master Academy had fallen into a passive state, they managed to hold on for half an hour thanks to their endless supply of defensive soul tools.

Finally, faced with Wu Ming's energy-draining sixth soul skill, the Sun Golden Crow Domain, the lead teacher of Mingdu Soul Master Academy chose to forfeit the team battle.

Next, there would be two-on-two and one-on-one matches.

With Wu Ming almost completely exhausted, it was nearly impossible for her to participate in the subsequent events, which was the reason the students of Mingdu Soul Master Academy had persisted for so long.

There were still opportunities ahead.

On the viewing platform, Emperor Vister watched the brilliant Wu Ming on the field, stroking his beard with eyes full of admiration.

"The martial soul of this Shrek student is truly top-tier; I doubt there are many in the entire continent with the quality of a Sun Golden Crow."

Xue Yuheng ate a piece of palace cake from the table, a faint smile curling his lips as he spoke in a calm tone.

"Your Majesty is too kind; the evolution of this Golden Crow martial soul was indeed a little something I helped with."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Vister gave Xue Yuheng a deep look.

He had long ago sent people to secretly investigate the evolution of the martial soul of the eldest daughter of the Golden Crow Family of the Douling Empire, and now it seemed the source was indeed this Crown Prince of Douling.

"Prince Gan truly has extraordinary methods. It is a great fortune for the Golden Crow Family to have such an opportunity." Emperor Vister paused, his tone shifting slightly, "My daughter, Weina, has decent talent; I hope you will look after her in the future, Your Highness."

This was the Emperor's subtle hint to Xue Yuheng, as well as the agreement between the two.

Xue Yuheng naturally understood, nodding as he replied, "Rest assured, Your Majesty. I will put the evolution of Princess Weina's martial soul on the agenda as soon as possible; I will certainly not disappoint you."

Emperor Vister nodded in satisfaction, his gaze returning to the arena, and the atmosphere on the viewing platform remained harmonious.

By evening, the first day of the tournament had come to an end.

Mingdu Soul Master Academy had lost in the end.

The streets of Tiantou City were bright with lights, and the aroma of snack stalls filled the air, whetting everyone's appetite.

Xue Yuheng held Xiao Xiao's hand as they strolled through the streets, Xiao Xiao happily eating a candied hawthorn skewer she held in her hand.

Just as the two turned a street corner, a figure rushed toward them from the opposite direction, moving so fast that it stirred up a gust of wind.

"Sorry!"

The cold, clear female voice sounded slightly flustered, and before Xiao Xiao could react, she was bumped and stumbled back two steps.

Xue Yuheng was quick-witted, immediately reaching out to steady Xiao Xiao before turning to look at the person who had collided with them.

It was a young woman wearing a Shrek Academy uniform, her long hair tied in a high ponytail; her features were cold and clear, her demeanor capable, but at this moment, her face was full of apology.

"I am so sorry, I was in a hurry and didn't see where I was going. I didn't hurt you, did I?" The woman quickly stepped forward, her tone filled with guilt.

She was none other than the captain of the Shrek team, Zhang Lexuan, who had just rushed back from outside the city and, focused entirely on returning to her team, had inadvertently bumped into them.

Xiao Xiao rubbed her arm, shook her head, and whispered, "It's alright, big sister."

Xue Yuheng's gaze landed on Zhang Lexuan, and a new page appeared in the Wordless Heavenly Book within his sea of consciousness.

[Name: Zhang Lexuan

Talent: Grade C

Bone Age: 20

Level: 68

Cultivation: Six Rings

Martial Soul: Moon (Deduction Complete)

Optimal Martial Soul evolution path: Quasi-God level Martial Soul—Star Moon (Wielder of Ultimate Light)]

Zhang Lexuan noticed Xue Yuheng's gaze and gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. There was a hint of surprise in her eyes, but she didn't think much of it, assuming he was just an ordinary passerby.

"Sorry to bother you, I'll be going now." After saying this, she turned around in a hurry and walked quickly toward the hotel where Shrek Academy was staying.

Xiao Xiao tugged on Xue Yuheng's sleeve, looked up with her small face, and asked, "Little Xue, who was that big sister? She looked like she was in such a rush."

Xue Yuheng ruffled her hair, his gaze fixed on the direction Zhang Lexuan had left, a flicker of deep meaning in his eyes.

"She should be the captain of Shrek Academy, Zhang Lexuan. Hmm, her talent is quite good; she might even break through to Spirit Douluo before the age of thirty."

This talent was only relative to ordinary people, for Zhang Lexuan could never have imagined what kind of talent the young girl she had bumped into possessed.

Seven-year-old Xiao Xiao, after absorbing a portion of the power left behind by the Dragon Pearl, had already reached level 24 in spirit power.

"Spirit Douluo? Isn't Limit Douluo better? Little Xue, are you thinking of giving that big sister a hand?"

"Cough, cough... hiss... no, absolutely not."