The next morning, Jiang Huai successfully absorbed the Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring. The Smoked Fox flew out from the center of his brow and stood before him.
Flender and Liu Erlong looked over in confusion. While absorbing the Soul Ring, Jiang Huai had learned that the Sword God had made the Smoked Fox sign a contract and become his spirit beast.
Jiang Huai stroked the Smoked Fox's head, and it rubbed affectionately against his palm.
Jiang Huai smiled and said, "Let's give you a new name. Now that you've become my spirit beast, you no longer have the traits of a Smoked Fox. From today on, your name will be Spirit Fox. You're my spirit pet."
Then Spirit Fox spun around, and several runes appeared on its body. They were unique markings it had gained after its master named it.
Jiang Huai returned to the academy with Flender and Liu Erlong. On the way, he explained what the little fox could do.
A spirit beast could help its master fight and wield half of its master's strength.
When Flender and Liu Erlong heard that it could wield half of its master's strength, they were both shocked. Jiang Huai alone could fight Flender to a draw, and now this little fox could use half of Jiang Huai's strength. It was easy to imagine that if the little fox fought the Smoked Fox's original body from before, its current body would surely defeat the original.
The three soon returned to Shrek Academy, where the other eight Shrek members and the four substitutes rushed over.
Spirit Fox seemed to like being the center of attention. Standing on Jiang Huai's shoulder, it let out a cheerful cry.
Gu Yue came forward and asked curiously what was going on with the fox. Jiang Huai explained the spirit pet contract.
After hearing about it, everyone wanted a spirit pet of their own. The little fox was truly adorable, with orange fur and light-orange eyes. It was cute no matter how you looked at it.
Spirit Fox was also very close to Jiang Huai. It was friendly toward Gu Yue, too, because Jiang Huai's scent lingered on her.
Yu Xiaogang stepped forward and told Jiang Huai and the others, "All right, we have just two weeks of training left. Xiaohuai, can you and this little Spirit Fox work together in perfect sync? You're our trump card."
Jiang Huai held out his palm, and Spirit Fox ran over and stood on it. He smiled. "Don't worry. Spirit Fox and I are of one mind."
Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang felt reassured. He had studied many tactics they might use in the tournament, including the Seven-in-One Fusion Skill, and had already begun researching it.
Once Jiang Huai and the others stood out in the qualifiers, Yu Xiaogang would reveal the complete strategy.
Flender then began handing out Shrek Academy uniforms. Jiang Huai's expression darkened at the sight of the hideous, shit-green outfits.
Flender scratched his head awkwardly. "Xiaohuai, do you think you could make do with them?"
At his words, veins bulged on Jiang Huai's forehead. He tore the uniform in half, then turned and left with his teammates. Gu Yue and the others dropped their uniforms on the ground and followed him.
Jiang Huai brought out the outfits he had designed himself. The boys wore black suits with ties in colors representing their respective Martial Souls, along with a selection of accessories. The girls wore JK-style outfits, with safety shorts underneath—a modification Gu Yue had made to Jiang Huai's designs.
Soon, everyone was dressed in black suits, black trousers, and black leather shoes. Jiang Huai changed and straightened his black-and-purple tie.
As soon as he stepped outside, Gu Yue, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing all turned to look at him. Gu Yue and Xiao Wu boldly came over and ran their hands over his clothes. Ning Rongrong stood off to one side, too embarrassed to approach, while Zhu Zhuqing stole occasional glances at him.
The outfits soon made their official debut in front of Flender and the others. Gu Yue didn't like the JK-style outfit, so she changed into a more elegant silver-white palace dress.
Gu Yue wore silver crystal shoes and a silver necklace with a gemstone pendant. Inside the gemstone was the Lovesick Heartbreak Red she had sealed within it.
She tied her hair into a ponytail and wore the Silver Dragon Hairpin Jiang Huai had bought for her. Delicate earrings adorned her ears, and a silver-white Silver Dragon Bracelet encircled her wrist. It was a storage-and-defense Soul Tool Jiang Huai had made for her. She also wore the Twin Rings, the token of their love. Jiang Huai had spent a great deal of effort crafting the pair.
The ring on Gu Yue's left ring finger bore a Silver Dragon pattern, while the one on Jiang Huai's left ring finger bore an Ash Ruins Dragon pattern.
Flender arrived with the academy's senior teachers, and everyone wished Jiang Huai and Gu Yue a long and happy life together.
Flender was heartbroken over his box of uniforms, but he didn't dare go against Jiang Huai's wish to wear something else. To save Flender some face, Jiang Huai had a tailor embroider the words "Shrek Academy" and the Shrek emblem on the back of everyone's outfits.
Before long, time flew by. All of Heaven Dou City was festooned with decorations, and the city's blue flowers—the national flower of the Heaven Dou Empire—had been snapped up.
Every road in Heaven Dou City was lined with items themed around the Spirit Master Tournament. The entire Heaven Dou Imperial Palace had been beautifully decorated, and a red carpet had been laid along the route to the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena.
Flender spent a large number of Diamond Coins having posters made of Jiang Huai and the others. There were solo posters, paired posters, and group posters, but none featured the substitutes. Since they weren't well known enough, Flender worried that the money would go to waste.
Soon, the Spirit Master Tournament arrived in the Heaven Dou Empire. Every team taking part in the tournament came to the empire's capital, Heaven Dou City. Their destination was the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena.
Flender, Liu Erlong, Yu Xiaogang, and Zhao Wuji—the academy's four senior staff members—brought Jiang Huai and the others to the outer grounds of the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena for the inspection.
Jiang Huai wasn't wearing a mask, which meant that the contestants from the surrounding teams could see his face. The girls on the all-female Skywater Academy Team were so captivated by his looks that they stared at him in a daze.
Gu Yue was about ready to burst with jealousy. All the competing teams waited for people to take the three seats reserved for the chairperson, vice-chairperson, and third-in-command.
Soon, the host from the Soto Grand Arena made a dazzling entrance. Next came the powerful Emperor Xue Ye of the Heaven Dou Empire, followed by Salas, the red-robed archbishop of Heaven Dou City's Spirit Hall. Then came Ning Fengzhi, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and Sword Douluo, its guardian.
Emperor Xue Ye delivered an impassioned opening address, followed by a few pointless speeches from Salas and Ning Fengzhi.
In short, the opening ceremony for the Heaven Dou Competition Zone came to an end. Everyone entered the Great Soul Arena to await their assigned opponents, while the rest headed to the spectators' seats to watch the matches.
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