Meanwhile

Having advanced to the quarterfinals, the current situation is not optimistic. In the next round, the probability of encountering the Empire team is about three out of seven, or even close to half.

In the semifinals and finals, considering the possibility of some behind-the-scenes manipulation, we will inevitably face Team Empire.

In other words, the opponents for the seven main players are not limited to the Di'ao Team, but all the Empire teams.

With their full strength now exposed, ensuring that their two Soul Emperors are not targeted has become the top priority.

At this moment, Wang Yan's hidden trump card was finally able to be revealed.

If other opponents are naive enough to think they can win the match by targeting two Soul Emperors, then the combination of Instant Movement and Invincible Golden Body will surely shatter such illusions.

With the semi-finals approaching, Jiang Nannan has started to participate in training more frequently and is rarely seen in her room. The other reserve team members, on the other hand, have been free recently.

This is normal. Compared to other academies, Shrek's reserve team, apart from Jiang Nannan, has an average Soul Power of less than level 35, and there are even several Soul Grandmaster. Even if the reserve team members need to fight, their cultivation level is still useless.

Their goal is to observe, and for some trainees, even to gain prestige.

Insufficient individual skills and inadequate teamwork mean that once reserve players are needed to play, the starting players are essentially out of options.

If the starting lineup is already like this, what's the point of sending reserve players onto the field?

Therefore, the outcome of the competition depends on the seven main players and has nothing to do with anything else. Apart from Jiang Nannan, the remaining students' actions, such as flirting with girls or going shopping, will not affect the outcome of the competition.

Dai Huabin is the second son of the Duke's Mansion, essentially a local of the capital, and has already taken Zhu Lu to visit her family.

Ning Tian, of equally noble status, did not care about the competition process. Therefore, he took Wu Feng out and frequented various auction houses, spending lavishly.

Wang Dong's side was no exception. After all, this was the capital of the Star Luo Imperial Capital, which was not only prosperous but also a treasure trove. The auction house often featured exquisite Soul Bone, including Torso Soul Bone, Head Soul Bone, and arm Soul Bone, as well as rare cultivation resources such as precious plant medicines, mithril gold essence, earth fire essence, and mystic water essence.

Since he hadn't made any large purchases, Wang Dong still had three to four million Gold Soul Coin, enough to buy some high-quality Soul Bone. At least, he could buy a leg Soul Bone that was around ten thousand years old for three to four million.

If one cannot Return or express one's feelings in return, wouldn't that be asking for even more goodwill in return?

Since they started sharing a dormitory, she has changed a lot. Her cultivation habits, combat skills, and personal preferences have all been influenced by Bai Cai.

No longer Truant, no longer reckless, no longer arrogant; except in special circumstances, he is usually gentle and considerate.

With close friends, intimate companions, and admirers, the short year felt like a beautiful dream, captivating her completely.

Therefore, she also hoped to reciprocate with a gift, to repay kindness with gentleness and Return with Present, rather than taking everything from the past for granted.

As the competition neared its climax, the Belun Manor was also in a state of tension. Outside the manor, the Soul Master was increasing every day, and the Belun City had been under martial law for a long time. The wine industry had ceased operations, and the streets and shops were deserted.

With a shortage of workers and the Harvest season underway, the barrels sold out quickly. Currently, the Belun Family's stock of empty barrels is insufficient to support the production of new wine, and they will be unable to deliver the new wine on time. The Belun Family will inevitably suffer huge losses.

The costs of wasting brewing materials, storing brewing materials, and defaulting on new wine orders are already enough to cripple the business. At least some assets need to be sold to maintain cash flow.

During this crisis, Belun Manor quickly gained many guests, including key figures from other families, retired seniors of the city lord's guard, major shareholders of the industry association, and foreign affairs elders of the Life Spirit Academy.

Dianya was too busy with the discussion to bother with her disguise, and naturally revealed her identity as the current patriarch of the Belun Family.

Although she had vaguely guessed that Dianya was not simple, Bai Cai was still very surprised.

The current patriarch of the Belun Family, a renowned beauty, an amateur maid staying at the mansion, and a mysterious girl who stayed with them for a few days—these four images are completely different, almost impossible to recognize as one person.

Even after her identity was revealed, she seemed unchanged towards Bai Cai, maintaining an equal relationship, occasionally sharing breakfast together, and asking about her needs.

It's strange, yet normal; it feels like family, or perhaps friends, overflowing with concern and open to discussing everything.

On a sunny afternoon, as usual, Bai Cai drew back the curtains, revealing a graceful figure in a dress sitting on a cedar bench, scattering grains to feed the birds. The autumn sunlight shone exceptionally brightly, seemingly gilded or dusted with gold powder, and her profile was bathed in it, appearing noble and pure.

Every day at noon, if you draw back the curtains, you can always see Dianya, alone, feeding the birds.

Just as Bai Cai was about to reach out and close the curtains, Dianya seemed to sense it, turned her head to look up, smiled, and their eyes met.

Perhaps it was a moment, perhaps a instant, Bai Cai finally reached out and closed the curtains. She turned to look at the bedroom doorway. The girl in yellow, her face veiled by a thin gauze, had been there for a long time but had not made any move, like a clay or wooden sculpture.

Several days have passed since the girl was taken away, and the clues seem to have run dry. Apart from the disaster itself, Bai Cai still knows nothing.

The Lord of Gui Yue City may know the specifics, and the Lord's mansion may hold more of the truth. However, the Lord of Gui Yue City has disappeared, and the mansion has been sealed off, making investigation impossible.

If the investigation continues to stall, at most a few dozen or a hundred people can be saved by an individual alone, but most of the hundreds of thousands of civilians in Belun will suffer.

Withdraw in time?

Do your best to investigate?

Being stuck in a quagmire makes even saving yourself a luxury, but how can you feel at ease watching the quagmire swallow others up?

The girl in yellow, her face veiled by a thin gauze, seemed to know more of the truth, yet she remained unwilling to speak, as if the matter were a taboo.

If you're unwilling to say more, why offer this warning?

The two approaches contradict each other, the truth of the disaster remains elusive, and with only fragments of information, it is impossible to sort out the situation. The Bai Cai is already exhausted.

At first, I thought I would have to fight head-on, but upon arriving in Belun, it turned into a festival tour, and the encounter with the girl turned into a puzzle-solving exploration. It was full of twists and turns and incredibly trivial.

There are few options left: either withdraw and stop caring about these things, or continue the investigation and hope for a change in circumstances.

After two hours of normal cultivation, it was almost dinnertime.

Outside the room, slender, pale fingers tapped slowly, producing a rhythmic, clear, and melodious sound.

After ending her Calm Mind and opening her eyes, Bai Cai immediately went to open the door.

Belun Manor has many servants, as it requires frequent maintenance.

However, most of the time there are only two people in the manor: the owner of the manor, Dianya, and a guest of the manor, himself.

There's no need to say who it is.

It must be said that the flower of Belun is truly worthy of the name. Unlike commoners, she is not vulgar, but elegant, reserved, and respectful of etiquette. Unlike nobles, she is not snobbish, but gentle and approachable.

Compared to Xiao Xiao, Dianya possesses a greater degree of elegance.

Compared to Wang Dong, Dianya was much more polite.

Compared to Ning Tian, Dianya was much more composed.