The Heaven Dou Opening Ceremony of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Elite Tournament

Soon, all the teams had entered their respective waiting areas, and everyone began discussing what kind of opponents they would face next.

Jiang Huai and the others were no different. That coward Yu Xiaogang had labeled the Four Elements Academy the most dangerous team. He had even drawn a circle around its name.

Jiang Huai stepped forward and wrote down the names of the academies. He drew lines from all the teams in the qualifiers, then pointed to where they all converged.

A short distance away, Jiang Huai wrote the word Shrek and drew a line from it to the converging point. He told them, "Our goal isn't victory. It's about proving ourselves. A lion uses all its strength even against a rabbit. No matter who you face, if you choose to give up, then why did you come here? No opponent is truly unbeatable. Even the strongest have weaknesses, just as a tornado's weakness is its eye."

Dai Mubai nodded. "Jiang Huai is right. No matter how strong the opponent is, how can you know unless you try?"

With just a few brief words, Jiang Huai had roused the entire team.

Soon, inside the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena, the host from the Soto Grand Arena, Dou Dou, began announcing the matchups for the first round.

Shrek was matched against the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Second Team. Not one of its members was a Soul Ancestor, yet the team was still putting on airs.

Jiang Huai immediately laid out the strategy. "Dai Mubai, Tang San, Xiao Wu, Oscar, Tai Long, Jing Ling, and Jiang Zhu, the seven of you will compete. Jiang Zhu, don't use your Soul Skill to heal our teammates—heal the opponents instead. The rest of you just need to settle the match within a minute."

Everyone was astonished, but Flender, Qin Ming, Liu Erlong, Yu Xiaogang, and Zhao Wuji weren't surprised at all.

Tang San asked, "Brother Huai, even though none of them have the Soul Power of a Soul Ancestor, shouldn't we still discuss a strategy?"

Jiang Huai shook his head. "In the face of overwhelming strength, any strategy is meaningless!"

Dai Mubai and the others went onto the field. The Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Second Team's uniforms were already quite elaborate, but Shrek Team's outfits had a striking style unlike anything ever seen on the continent. The spectators watching from the arena burst into cheers—not for the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Second Team, but for Shrek's handsome uniforms.

An instructor from Heaven Dou Royal Academy gave a cold snort. "Hmph! What ridiculous outfits. Clothes don't determine strength. Just wait until you're eliminated."

Dou Dou quickly finished introducing both teams' strengths. Dai Mubai then took his starting stance. "Brothers! Unleash your Martial Souls!"

Everyone promptly summoned their Martial Souls. The Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Second Team's captain sneered. "You freaks in ridiculous outfits are trash."

As soon as he finished speaking, Dai Mubai's fist slammed into his face, knocking him off the platform and out of the match.

Tang San began charging up his fourth Soul Skill. Dai Mubai and Xiao Wu took the lead, while the others waited for Tang San's instructions.

From the viewing seats, Jiang Huai stood before the observation window and looked down over the match, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

This was what Jiang Huai had meant when he said Tang San didn't need to fully absorb a control-type Soul Beast's Soul Ring. Blue Silver Grass already had control abilities of its own.

Tang San was beginning to understand the true meaning of those words. Suddenly, he summoned his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul. His fourth Soul Ring lit up, and masses of Blue Silver Vines appeared in his hands.

"Fourth Soul Skill: Blue Silver Cage!"

Tang San finally grasped the true meaning of Jiang Huai's words and unleashed a Soul Skill in a form never seen before.

The Blue Silver Cage, which had originally been designed to control a single target, became a group-control skill. Even those trapped inside were attacked by Blue Silver Thorns.

As the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Second Team members dodged the thorns, they suddenly felt as though they had forgotten something.

The Blue Silver Cage suddenly vanished, and Dai Mubai finished charging his attack.

A Thousand-Year Soul Ring lit up around Dai Mubai. He grinned. "Fourth Soul Skill: White Tiger Meteor Shower!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Terrifying tiger-claw meteors rained down from behind Dai Mubai and smashed into the group. Dai Mubai increased his Soul Power output, while Xiao Wu used her fourth Soul Skill, Invincible Golden Body, and charged into the meteor shower.

Xiao Wu kicked the members who had lost the ability to fight off the platform one by one. Before a minute had passed, only the seven members of Shrek remained on the field.

When the match ended, all the spectators were still stunned. They were shocked by the strength of Shrek Academy's seven members, and just as shocked by how weak the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Second Team had been.

Suddenly, an instructor from Heaven Dou Royal Academy rose to his feet. Grabbing the railing and pointing at the seven people on the field, he shouted furiously, "Referee, I want to report Shrek! They broke the rules! This wasn't a match—it was outright murder! I demand that they be disqualified!"

At a loss, Dou Dou turned to look at Emperor Xue Ye and the others. Xue Ye silently avoided her gaze. Ning Fengzhi stood up and said, "Instructor, you can take your students for an examination right now. If even one of them has died, the tournament committee will disqualify Shrek. But if no one has died, you'll be held responsible for disrupting the match."

Salas also stood up. "Yes, I agree with Sect Master Ning's proposal. Take them for an examination. If anyone has died, Shrek won't be allowed to compete in the remaining matches."

The instructor didn't know what to do. Jiang Huai walked over to the railing and said, "Tournament committee, host, chief referee, I have a question. Have they died? One of our Shrek contestants has a Healing Scepter Martial Soul. She's been healing the opposing team since the beginning of the match. Are you saying they don't need our treatment?"

As he spoke, Jiang Huai gave Jiang Zhu a look to withdraw her Martial Soul. She immediately stopped channeling her Soul Power and put it away.

The instructor felt deeply humiliated. Furious, he strode over and grabbed Jiang Huai by the collar.

Liu Erlong, Flender, Zhao Wuji, and Qin Ming unleashed the pressure of their Martial Souls. The combined pressure of three Soul Douluos and a Soul Saint frightened the instructor into letting go at once.

Salas pointed at the instructor and shouted angrily, "What do you think you're doing? This is a match! Do you want to turn everyone against you?"

Emperor Xue Ye was also displeased with the instructor. He was shocked, too, to discover that Shrek Academy had so many powerful experts. Its faculty even surpassed that of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Jiang Huai patted his collar and straightened it. Then, by accident, he released his Soul Rings.

The appearance of five Soul Rings—two yellow, one purple, and two black—shocked the entire arena. Some spectators even cried out in disbelief, "A ten-thousand-year fourth Soul Ring!"

The instructor had only four Soul Rings, making him a Soul Ancestor. Seeing Jiang Huai's Soul Ring Configuration, he immediately dropped to his knees in fear and begged for forgiveness.

The little incident soon passed, and Shrek claimed victory in its first qualifier match. Everyone happily returned to the academy.

But then the Crown Prince appeared...