The Grand Competition Ends, Mu En's Expectations

The smile on Huyan Yu's face froze completely.

The last glimmer of light in his eyes extinguished abruptly, replaced by boundless astonishment and the despair of having his hopes utterly crushed.

"Wh... why... Pfft--!"

Overcome by sudden rage and frustration, his blood surged in reverse!

Huyan Yu could no longer hold on, and a mouthful of blood he had suppressed for so long sprayed wildly outward.

The failure of his final strike and the sight of victory slipping away in such a dramatic fashion became the final straw that broke his already crumbling mental defenses.

The luster in his eyes faded entirely, and his burly frame, which had been held up by sheer force of will, finally lost all strength, crashing forward onto the ground and falling into a dead faint.

The arena fell into a dead silence.

Immediately after, the referee's high-pitched voice rang out through the Soul Tool amplifier, echoing across the entire stadium:

"Shrek Academy, victory!"

As the voice faded, a brief silence was followed by a deafening roar of astonishment that swept through the audience like a volcanic eruption.

The outcome of this duel had exceeded everyone's expectations.

When Xia Ming conceded and walked off the stage to return to the Shrek Academy waiting area, he was met with several complex gazes.

In particular, the expressions of the members of the main team shifted subtly as they looked at him.

The previous appreciation they held for a talented but still green junior had quietly faded away.

In its place was a sense of gravity that treated him as an equal, even carrying a trace of imperceptible wariness.

"Tsk..." a burly member of the main team couldn't help but click his tongue, shaking his head with a mix of emotion and self-deprecation:

"I'm afraid I'm no match for you now, Junior Brother Xia."

He was also a Power Attack System Soul Master, but he was a notch below Huyan Yu in both strength and defense.

At the very least, Xia Ming, who had demonstrated such control over his power, could certainly break through his defenses.

Since Huyan Yu, who was superior in every aspect, had lost, he figured he would only be defeated even more miserably if the two of them were to face off.

"Enough." Mu En nodded, putting an end to the others' continued scrutiny of Xia Ming.

He felt not the slightest surprise at this result.

He was the person present who understood Xia Ming's strength best, knowing he could secure the win steadily; otherwise, he would not have entrusted him with this task.

"There is no need to dwell on what has already passed."

Mu En lightly turned the page, shifting his gaze to the woman beside him, whose temperament was gentle and calm, yet whom no one dared to underestimate.

"Lexuan, it is your turn. Make it clean and swift."

"Understood." Zhang Lexuan nodded slightly, her voice crisp.

She made no unnecessary movements, simply rising calmly and walking toward the arena with composed steps.

In less than five minutes, she had successively defeated the remaining two Soul Kings, bringing the match to an end.

Shrek Academy, advancing to the top eight!

Following the round of sixteen, the subsequent matches were equally devoid of suspense.

Even for teams that also possessed Soul Emperors, there was a world of difference between them and the strength of Zhang Lexuan.

Coupled with the amplification of a Soul King-level Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, she alone was enough to defeat an entire team.

Moreover, the other members of the main team were no weaklings; their overall strength was far ahead in this tournament.

Only the final Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy had caused them a hint of trouble.

But that was all it amounted to; the strength of this year's team was actually far inferior to the next generation mentioned in the original records.

A captain who was a Level 6 Soul Engineer, having barely reached the Soul Emperor realm through the use of drugs.

The remaining five main team members were only Level 5 Soul Engineers, and their strength was uneven.

It was certainly enough to defeat other teams, but they were far from qualified to face the main team led by Zhang Lexuan.

As everyone expected, Shrek Academy took the championship of this tournament and received the three Soul Bones awarded to the winners.

These were three high-quality Soul Bones, all over ten thousand years in age, suitable for Power Attack, Agility Attack, and Control System Soul Masters respectively.

The Heavenly Soul Emperor personally handed these three Soul Bones to them, making countless watching Soul Masters green with envy.

For the vast majority of Soul Masters in the world, obtaining even one such Soul Bone in their lifetime would be a stroke of immense fortune, enough to alter the trajectory of their fate.

For most Soul Masters of the current era, being able to absorb a Soul Bone of this level was already a tremendous stroke of luck.

Even for the well-traveled members of the Shrek main team, these were undoubtedly thrilling spoils of war.

The team quickly made a reasonable distribution based on the attributes of the Soul Bones and each person's development path, and every face was filled with the joy of harvest.

As the clamor faded, the crowd gradually dispersed.

Mu En, however, kept Xia Ming behind.

The two stood on the high ground of the slightly empty rest area, overlooking the gradually quietening arena below.

"Envious? This is a ten-thousand-year spirit bone."

"Although its value is far inferior to that five-hundred-thousand-year skull, it can already be considered a rare treasure."

Hearing this, Xia Ming shook his head without the slightest hesitation.

He was not feigning high-mindedness; he truly looked down upon spirit bones of this level.

Seeing the indifference in Xia Ming's eyes, which was clearly not a pretense, the wrinkles on Mu En's face seemed to smooth out slightly, revealing a satisfied smile.

"Very good." He nodded, his tone becoming solemn, "Remember your state of mind at this moment. Your vision must be set on higher ground."

"Regarding your sixth spirit ring," Mu En's voice lowered, "My expectation is the hundred-thousand-year level. And a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast will always drop a spirit bone."

He raised his eyes slightly, sketching out a magnificent blueprint for Xia Ming:

"This means that, just by hunting spirit rings, your future self will possess at least four hundred-thousand-year-level spirit bones!

Add that five-hundred-thousand-year head spirit bone to the mix.

By then, there will only be one vacancy left in your entire set of spirit bones."

Mu En turned around, gazing directly at Xia Ming:

"Therefore, promise me.

For this final spirit bone slot, you must never settle!

Either choose one with a high enough age to match your other spirit bones.

Or, choose one that possesses a unique, irreplaceable strategic skill.

Better to have nothing than to accept something inferior."

"Yes." Xia Ming nodded solemnly.

"Good." The seriousness on Mu En's face melted away, replaced once again by his habitual, gentle smile.

He patted Xia Ming on the shoulder lightly, "As long as you understand, I can rest easy."

"The tournament has concluded, and we shall return tomorrow. We will stay in Heaven Dou City for one last night..."

A flash of understanding and faint teasing crossed his eyes:

"Go and properly bid farewell to your little maid. Once we depart, years may pass; perhaps by the time we meet again, the world will be a different scene."

Before his words had even faded, Mu En chuckled and turned away, his figure merging into the breeze as he quietly vanished from the spot.

He still needed to find Du Busi and the Heavenly Soul Emperor to discuss a few matters.