The Dragon-Slaying Hero Became the Dragon

Luckily, the crowd was so noisy when Xiao Hongchen said that. Otherwise, that one sentence alone would have made him the target of everyone's ire.

"Xiao Hongchen, watch what you say!" Elder Ma glared fiercely at him.

Xiao Hongchen turned his head away, unconcerned, and quickened his pace. He just wanted to reach Star Luo Square as soon as possible. His mood grew increasingly irritable. Why was this road so long?

"Honestly, my brother..." Meng Hongchen shook her head helplessly.

She then looked at Qin Chuan walking beside her and said softly, "When you go up later, focus on gaining experience. Above all, be careful."

"I know, my sweetie," Qin Chuan said with a smile.

Meng Hongchen's face instantly flushed at his words, while Xiao Hongchen looked utterly expressionless.

Qin Chuan went over to Ma Rulong, who was up ahead, and leaned in to whisper, "Later..."

Ma Rulong glanced at Qin Chuan in surprise, then nodded. "All right, but you'll have to be quick."

"Thanks, Old Ma."

"Old Ma? Do I really look that old?" Ma Rulong shook his head with a laugh.

After everyone reached the section reserved for the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy and took their seats, Meng Hongchen sat beside Qin Chuan and asked, "What were you saying to the captain just now? You were acting so mysterious."

"Nothing much." Qin Chuan deliberately kept her guessing, then looked toward the section where Shrek Academy sat. A hint of smugness showed in his eyes.

"So those are the people from Shrek Academy?" Qian Renxue gave them a discreet glance, studying the group led by Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng.

As the main force behind Spirit Hall's destruction ten thousand years ago, Tang San and the Shrek Six Monsters behind him had all come from Shrek Academy. The most laughable part was that, as Shrek Academy continued to develop over the years, it had unwittingly become a second Spirit Hall.

This was what they meant by the dragon-slaying hero becoming the dragon.

An academy able to sway a nation and even determine the fate of the continent—how similar it was to Spirit Hall ten thousand years ago.

Just as Qin Chuan had said earlier, without the Sun Moon Empire, the three great empires would regard Shrek Academy as a thorn in their side.

A hint of chill entered Qian Renxue's gaze. She turned to look toward the top of the city wall.

By now, the vast Star Luo Square had filled with more than a hundred thousand people, and the crowd was still growing.

Xu Jiawei stood with his hands behind his back, smiling as he surveyed the scene. The empire's finances had grown substantially of late, and the Soul Fighting Tournament for advanced soul master academies across the continent was held every five years, rotating between different countries. It was only right that the Star Luo Empire hosted it this time.

"Silence!"

A deep, resonant voice rang out. In an instant, the entire venue fell quiet, and everyone looked up toward the city wall.

"His Majesty has arrived—"

"Rumble—"

More than a hundred thousand spectators, along with tens of thousands of soldiers keeping order, knelt in unison. The sight was both magnificent and imposing.

The academies from the Star Luo Empire also knelt. The students from the other empires and Shrek Academy bowed, while the students of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, from the Sun Moon Empire, stood at attention.

Xu Jiawei looked down at the surging crowd and the teachers and students from all 133 academies, his heart swelling with ambition.

"You may all rise."

His voice carried across the square through an Amplifying Soul Tool. The people rose, while the soldiers stood with their spears in hand, their eyes full of reverence and respect.

"I have looked forward to this day for twenty years. I am delighted that this year's Soul Fighting Tournament for advanced soul master academies across the continent will be held in my Star Luo Empire. On behalf of the Star Luo Empire, I welcome you all. I hope every participating academy, Shrek Academy included, will give us one outstanding match after another in the competition ahead."

"Our thanks, Your Majesty." The teachers and students representing all 132 competing teams bowed. Their enthusiasm had been roused, and burning fighting spirit filled every eye.

Xu Jiawei raised both hands above his head. His hearty laughter rang out through the Soul Tool. "I now declare the current Soul Fighting Tournament for advanced soul master academies across the continent open!"

Star Luo Square erupted. Everyone shouted, "Long live!" Their cries shook the heavens as 110 cannons boomed. The Star Luo Emperor, Xu Jiawei, and the empress took their seats on either side, followed by the civil and military officials behind them. Their gazes settled on the enormous arena below.

Just then, the referee walked slowly onto the arena.

"This tournament has a total of 133 teams. Following the first-round draw, one academy received a bye. Next, there will be 66 elimination matches, and the losers will be eliminated from this tournament. The first match of this year's Soul Fighting Tournament for advanced soul master academies across the continent is about to begin. The two teams are the Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy representative team from the Dou Ling Empire, facing—"

The referee deliberately dragged out his words, as if afraid the crowd might not know who Shrek Academy was.

"...the Shrek Academy, an academy with countless honors."

Qin Chuan picked at his ear, listening to the lengthy introduction without expression.

Thanks to Bibi Dong's intelligence network, and to Qin Chuan's recent battle against Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and the others, he recognized the seven people as they made their way onto the arena.

"Ling Luochеn, Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong, Huo Yuhao."

"They're really bringing in the rookies... Could that old woman be Zhou Yi?"

"Shrek Academy actually sent Zhou Yi as their team leader."

The seven students from Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy stepped onto the arena with helpless expressions. Their very first match was against Shrek Academy. The outcome was obvious.

From his seat atop the city wall, Star Luo Emperor Xu Jiawei watched as the seven led by Ling Luochеn took the arena. Yet Dai Yueheng, Dai Hao's eldest legitimate son and a Soul Emperor, was sitting in the rest area with no intention of competing.

"Just what is Shrek Academy planning?"

The fourteen students stood on the arena. The referee said no more than necessary. "First elimination match of the Soul Fighting Tournament for advanced soul master academies across the continent: Shrek Academy versus Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy. Both sides have one minute to summon their Martial Souls. Let the Soul Fighting begin!"

As soon as he finished speaking, all seven students from Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy revealed Soul Ancestor cultivation, though the quality of their Soul Rings varied.

By contrast, when the two yellow, two purple, and one black Soul Rings beneath Ling Luochеn—Shrek Academy's main combatant—lit up, everyone thought, As expected of Shrek Academy. A Soul King right out of the gate.

But the moment the two century-old Soul Rings beneath Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao appeared, along with Wang Dong's one yellow and two purple Soul Rings—

The entire venue suddenly fell silent.

"Pfft—"

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. Shrek Academy actually sent a baby team to compete."

Someone couldn't hold back a laugh.

In an instant, the comment stirred up a storm.

"Does Shrek Academy not want to win?"

"Have they gone crazy? Are they really going to be eliminated in the first round?"

"..."

All kinds of comments rang out. As the champions of the previous tournament—and indeed, the reigning champions for a thousand years—Shrek Academy's every move captured the attention of countless people.

In everyone's eyes, Shrek Academy was flawless. Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong, and Huo Yuhao were clearly three ill-timed blemishes, completely unqualified to set foot on this arena.

Huo Yuhao heard the spectators' muttering, and a defiant resolve rose within him. The first and second Soul Rings beneath his feet lit up.

He used Spiritual Detection and Spiritual Lock to lock onto all seven opponents from Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy. Large beads of sweat appeared on his forehead as he pushed his already limited spiritual power to imprint every detail in Ling Luochеn's mind.

A clear, vivid image of the seven opponents' movements immediately appeared before Ling Luochеn's eyes.

The students of Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy had already given up hope. But when they saw that Shrek Academy's team included two Soul Grandmasters and a Soul Elder, they thought they had a chance after all. They launched an attack, planning to catch Shrek Academy off guard.

After all, Soul Grandmasters and Soul Elders were extremely rare in the tournament—almost nonexistent. Shrek Academy had certainly made history.

Who could have expected Ling Luochеn's Fifth Soul Ring to light up in an instant?

"Fifth Soul Skill: Ice Shining Ring."

A deep-blue ring of ice appeared in midair. The instant it swept past the seven students from Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy rushing toward them, they felt a bitter chill. Their movements slowed at once. When they looked down, their expressions turned to shock: without realizing it, a thick layer of ice had formed beneath their feet.

Seeing this, Bei Bei lit up his third Soul Ring. Thunder roared across the arena, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon unleashed its overwhelming power, scattering all seven opponents and bringing an end to a match that had seemed absurd but left the other side utterly helpless.

Even the referee couldn't help but admire Shrek Academy's nerves. They had sent two Soul Grandmasters and a Soul Elder into the first elimination match. Were they trying to get eliminated in the first round?

If Shrek Academy suffered a crushing defeat, it would trigger a major chain reaction and damage its reputation.

"Winner of the first elimination match: Shrek Academy."

Even after the victory, the spectators kept right on chattering.

Ma Xiaotao had a fiery temper. She glared at them, fury filling her eyes, and said in a low voice, "Those bastards always assume they know everything. Who we send out has nothing to do with them."

Dai Yueheng looked at Ma Xiaotao helplessly, then turned to Zhou Yi, whose expression was stern. "Do we really have to stay here the whole time?"

"If you can't even handle a few idle comments, how do you expect to win the championship?" Zhou Yi shot Dai Yueheng a cold glance. She understood what he meant.

Those people were saying some truly nasty things. Even Dai Yueheng couldn't stand it, let alone Ma Xiaotao, whose temper was already fiery.

Zhou Yi looked toward the seven approaching students led by Ling Luochеn and Bei Bei and said calmly, "The rest of you will keep sitting here and watch until this morning's matches are over."

Zhou Yi's words had two meanings. First, she wanted to temper their patience. The spectators' idle chatter was undoubtedly the best catalyst.

Second, they couldn't afford to miss the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy's match.