Before the Tournament Begins

"We'll head back to the Northwest Legion's camp shortly. After a brief rest, we'll immediately proceed to Star Luo City."

After Xuan Zi took away four Main Team, Wang Yan called the seven Reserve Team members, along with Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and Ling Luochеn, to set off.

Just like in the original story, the three of them were not seriously injured, and they were not contaminated with poisonous blood; their injuries were all caused by the explosion.

"Bei Bei, you really have a jinx! Last time you said we wouldn't have many chances to play, and now look what happened, we're the ones who get to play all the way up."

Who could have predicted this?

Bei Bei felt helpless in the face of Xu Sanshi's teasing. A few hours ago in the military camp, he and Chen Yuan had talked about how they wouldn't have many chances to play in this competition.

Then this whole thing happened.

"Teacher Wang Yan, are we really going to be the only ones going to perform this time?"

Ning Tian's voice rang out, and she asked the question that the seven Reserve Team members were most concerned about.

As the Young Sect Master of the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect, she understood better than anyone what kind of opportunity this was, but she also knew that if they failed to seize it, they would face an abyss.

At this moment, even though Wang Yan was extremely nervous, even though his original mission to gain experience had turned into one that could ruin his reputation at any moment.

Even though he understood that if he lost the competition, he would probably be hacked to pieces by the Shrek staff and Shrek's radical fans.

Wang Yan couldn't show the slightest nervousness in front of the seven Reserve Team players.

"I'm afraid this is the only way for now. The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament will last for a month."

"Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and Ling Luochеn will need at least half a month to recover from their injuries and return to the field. For now, we can only let you play in the game."

"Don't worry, the academy will send new students to support you in a timely manner."

The next day, at the Shrek Academy, at the Sea God Pavilion.

"Xuan Zi, tell me! What trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?"

Sitting at the head of the table Mu En already knew what Xuan Zi had done, and the atmosphere around him was now terrifyingly tense.

If Shrek Academy didn't need Xuan Zi right now, he would have really wanted to slap Xuan Zi to death.

"Yes, Uncle-Master."

Xuan Zi stood up dejectedly.

"Because of my negligence, four members of this year's Shrek Main Team have suffered such injuries."

"If I had stayed behind them, this wouldn't have happened. It's all my fault."

"Now that I've caused such a huge problem, the honor of Shrek Continent's number one academy may be shattered, and I should bear the consequences."

"I am resigning from my position as Vice Head of the Shrek Inspectorate."

Upon hearing this, all the elders present immediately began to try to persuade Xuan Zi to stay, hoping that he would change his mind.

It would be a huge waste to leave a Level 98 Super Douluo unused; we absolutely cannot let Xuan Zi be idle like this.

Mu En watched the performance below in silence, feeling utterly exhausted.

He's so old, why can't we let him enjoy a few more years of peaceful retirement?

Why does this Xuan Zi always manage to cause such huge trouble? How can Mu En feel at ease entrusting the Sea God Pavilion and Shrek Academy to Xuan Zi after his death?

"Shut up!"

Mu En's voice wasn't loud, but it was transmitted to everyone's ears by his powerful Soul Power.

Upon hearing that it was Mu En who spoke, the people immediately fell silent. Judging from Mu En's tone just now, everyone knew that this time, Mu En was truly angry.

Mu En, who had been reclining in the chair, slowly sat up, his dignified eyes sweeping over everyone present.

Everyone present felt as if they had been seen through, and that no secrets could be kept from them.

Finally, Mu En's gaze was fixed firmly on Xuan Zi, Xuan Zi obediently lowered his head, waiting for Mu En to speak.

"What? You think you can just walk away like this?! Or do you think you can just put on an act for a bit? Wipe away your tears! Now you regret it?! Where were you before?!"

"The side effects of your Godly Taotie Bull Martial Soul aren't insurmountable; the problem lies in whether you can't control it or you're unwilling to restrain it. You know the answer in your heart!"

"With your martial spirit, you should have become Limit Douluo long ago, but look at yourself now! How many years have you been stuck at Level 98?!"

"My days are numbered, Xuan Zi. If you continue like this, how can I entrust Shrek to you when the time comes!"

Hearing Mu En's reprimand, Xuan Zi, a man over two hundred years old, lowered his head in shame.

Seeing this, the others dared not provoke Mu En at this moment, for fear of getting burned and getting themselves involved.

"Because of the level-three Defensive Soul Tool on Yao Haoxuan's body, Yao Haoxuan survived his severe injuries. Otherwise, there would probably have been another Corpse Explosion, and how many people would have survived then?!"

"A mere level-three Defensive Soul Tool can save a life? What? Can your prejudice against Soul Tool outweigh the value of a student's life?"

"I hereby announce that, starting today, all members of the Shrek Inspectorate are to go to the Soul Tool Department and order one Flying Soul Tool and Defensive Soul Tool."

"If you don't have these two items, don't go on missions! Anyone who opposes my decision can get out of Shrek right now!"

"Yes, Mu En!"

Xian Lin'er's face was beaming with joy as she gave Yan Shaozhe, who was sitting opposite her, a victorious smile.

However, Yan Shaozhe didn't argue with Xian Lin'er about these things at this moment; he had more important things on his mind.

"Mu En, what should we do about this year's Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament?"

"Currently, only a dozen or so disciples remain in the Inner Court and haven't gone out on missions. Among them, only two meet the age requirements for the competition, but their abilities are far inferior."

"How about we call over the original Soul Tool Department disciple and send them over together with these two? That way, we should be able to hold out until Xiaotao and the others recover."

"Two Soul Emperor and one Soul King, plus these three, should be enough to defeat the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy."

Yan Shaozhe brought up the most pressing issue at hand.

In his view—no, in the view of the vast majority of the Shrek elders present—the honor of Shrek cannot be lost and must be defended.

Therefore, Shrek must retain its title as champion of this Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament; it absolutely cannot be taken by Sun Moon Academy or any of the other Three Great Empires.

"If I fly them there, we should still have enough time."

Xuan Zi spoke up, saying that even if he had to be punished, he would try his best to postpone the punishment for as long as possible.

"No need to send reinforcements. Let the kids have their fun."

"But this concerns Shrek's honor!"

"Hmph! Shrek's honor?! Shrek's honor isn't the championship! It's the honor of the outstanding graduates! Anyone who sticks to the old ways, don't blame me for being impolite."

"The Soul Tool of the Sun Moon Empire have undergone earth-shattering changes, yet some people in the academy still believe that having Martial Soul Department makes them invincible. But what has been the result?"

"The life of the Martial Soul Department Inner Court disciple was saved by a small level-three Defensive Soul Tool!"

"The Sun Moon Empire was able to rout our Douluo Continent four thousand years ago. If it weren't for our Shrek ancestors, the name Douluo Continent would have been changed long ago."

"But do you really think Shrek won? That battle was a Pyrrhic victory achieved only by Shrek and the Three Great Empires combined!"

"We Shrek the Soul Tool Department Soul Tool Department years ago, but what progress has it made in all these years?! It's still far behind the Sun Moon Empire!"

The thought of the Soul Tool Mu En sensed during his last infiltration of the Sun Moon Empire, which could have threatened his life, sent shivers down his spine.

"Besides, this Reserve Team is the strongest in a hundred years, or even a thousand years. Even if you send people over, can you guarantee they'll do better than those kids?"

"It's too early to declare defeat."

Thinking of Chen Yuan, and then looking at Yan Shaozhe in front of him, Mu En forcibly calmed his surging blood.

I wonder if we'll get to see Reign Over the World in this competition.

It should be possible, right? After all, that kid already has several Self-Created Soul Skill; his talent is quite impressive.

Having witnessed Xuan Zi's irresponsibility firsthand, that child probably has a lot of resentment towards Shrek now.

It's impossible to get that kid to willingly dedicate himself to Shrek in a short time; it seems we'll have to rely on Bei Bei to win him over.

"Xuan Zi, you must go to Star Luo City immediately and protect those children!"

"As for your punishment, I'll settle that after the competition!"