The Opening

The five strange gazes cast from not far away made Ning Huan subconsciously look up toward the spectator stand.

As it happened, he locked eyes with the middle-aged man standing in the main seat.

Setting aside his appearance and temperament for a moment.

The mere hint of calculated, inexplicable amusement in the eyes of Ning Hao was enough to give Ning Huan the chilling illusion of a shudder.

With just one glance, the latter immediately concluded.

His own little schemes would absolutely never outplay this fox!

The pressure is a bit high; I underestimated the brains of these high-ranking figures after all...

But then again, if Tianluo City weren't so remote and the sect's roster management so strict.

Only a ghost would voluntarily run under the noses of the higher-ups in this manner.

Thinking this, Ning Huan suddenly calmed his thoughts and emptied his mind.

While preventing himself from revealing too many flaws, he also secretly rejoiced in his heart.

It was fortunate that he had spared no effort and had enough luck to unearth the Sword Bone that had been buried for ten thousand years without being completely damaged.

Otherwise, if he excluded the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect, there were truly not many options left for him.

He didn't know much about ordinary academies, the three great empires had too many restrictions, and other sects were too exclusionary.

As for Shrek...

He would definitely have to make a trip there in the future.

It was just that, for now, he didn't have the guts to go alone.

"Since I am here, I shall settle here!"

"I don't believe Ning Hao lacks the courage to turn me away just because of a few suspicions!"

High on the platform, Ning Hao, looking down from above, also noticed the change in Ning Huan's expression from tension to composure.

"Judging by his current performance, Tian'er's guess is likely spot on."

Wind Douluo whispered to Shield Defense Douluo from the side, his tone sounding somewhat strange.

He truly could not fathom what kind of confidence Ning Huan possessed to dare to do something so contrary to common sense.

After all, the sect elders stationed outside were only those few, and none of them could be linked to him.

His deceased parents were merely two minor deacons; no matter how greedy they were, they couldn't have saved up a million.

Moreover, many things simply could not be bought with money.

Where did he get the connections and the insight?

Ning Hao, however, shook his head with a smile after hearing this.

While signaling for the disciples to rise and take their seats to continue the grand competition, he turned his head and said to Wind Douluo:

"Uncle Feng, do not panic; the answer will reveal itself in time."

However, just as everyone was chatting, Sword Douluo remained silent from beginning to end, his gaze toward Ning Huan extremely complex.

Why... does this child give me the aura of a 'senior'?

Is it an illusion...

At the same time, looking at the thirty-plus boys and girls ahead, their momentum soaring as if they had been injected with stimulants, Ning Huan felt a massive headache.

Due to the relaxation of age and various other restrictions, the sect disciples who could make it to the top thirty-two were at least high-level Soul Grand Master.

Such talent might not be highly valued in Shrek.

But for the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect, they were the vital backbone of the future.

Fight with raw strength?

With his total soul power, recovery speed, and more than a dozen powerful soul beast spirits, he would certainly win.

But doing so would fall far short of the effect he wanted.

Yet if he were to summon Sword Douluo directly, Ning Huan feared he would shatter the mental state of these little ones, inviting a lot of unnecessary trouble.

There was no help for it; after all, most of the disciples before him were from the sect itself.

The nepotism was severe!

Even if Ning Hao protected him, the group of elders in the sect would jump out to nag, which was truly troublesome.

Alas, things had reached this point, and with his own interests at stake, Ning Huan had no other choice.

Furthermore, the melee mode was decided by the Sect Master's word alone.

If something went wrong, the primary responsibility lay with Hao, not Huan!

"Sigh, I originally planned to pull off something big in the final match, but it seems you are all willing to give me a chance to shine brightly."

Ning Huan let out a long, wry sigh.

Immediately, soul power surged throughout his body, and he turned his gaze toward the referee, who had yet to take action.

"Referee, I am ready."

The sudden signal left the referee stunned, his words laced with shock and skepticism.

"Are you certain?"

"A level 43 Soul Ancestor fighting against twenty-eight Soul Grand Masters and three Soul Elders—this is the first time in ten thousand years."

"If a move goes awry, I may not be able to save you in time."

Regrettably, this well-intentioned warning failed to stir even a hint of nervousness in Ning Huan, whose voice remained indifferent.

"Since it has never happened before, doesn't that make you one of the most important witnesses to today's soul fight?"

The referee: ...

That was music to his ears!

He was far better than those arrogant brats back at the sect!

"Fine, since you insist on this soul fight, I have nothing more to say."

"Young man, just don't die."

Despite his words, the middle-aged man acting as referee released his soul rings without hesitation.

Two yellow, three purple, and two black soul rings shimmered in succession, the aura of a Soul Saint instantly blanketing the arena.

Judging by his solemn expression and the way he kept glancing at Ning Huan, it was clear he intended to intervene the moment things turned critical.

"Both sides, prepare. The soul fight begins in one minute!"

As the words fell, the thirty-one opponents, excluding Ning Huan, immediately organized themselves into three teams.

The Power Attack System soul masters stepped forward, the Control System soul masters held their ground, and the Agility Attack System soul masters split to the flanks...

The methodical positioning drew gasps of astonishment from the spectators on the sidelines.

Only Ning Huan's face darkened at the sight, left speechless by Ning Hao's ridiculous maneuvers.

"So, I've been 'isolated' since yesterday, have I?"

As he spoke, he suddenly curled the corners of his lips.

He looked up toward the high platform again, his lips parting to speak with crystal clarity.

"If you like to play games, then don't blame me for not holding back."

Seeing this, Ning Hao's heart skipped a beat, a sudden premonition that he had overplayed his hand.

Although the distance and the noisy crowd made it impossible to hear exactly what Ning Huan had said, he was absolutely certain that it boded no good for him!

"Uncle Feng, you are the fastest. If anything goes wrong later, you must act immediately!"

"Uh... very well."

A minute passed in the blink of an eye, and the two sides of the arena presented a stark contrast.

Unlike the numerous opponents who were well-arrayed and imposing, Ning Huan stood isolated at the edge of the arena, simply raising his left hand to his chest, his overflowing soul power surprisingly dense.

Seeing that both sides were ready, the referee finally moved, retreating three steps to the perimeter of the arena before shouting loudly:

"Both sides, prepare. Soul fight..."

"Begin!"

At the command, the thirty-one soul masters instantly completed their Martial Soul Possession.

Immediately after, over sixty soul rings flickered in rapid succession.

Those with buffing soul skills activated their enhancements, while those without poured their full strength into their soul skills and charged forward, showing no intention of backing down.

In the blink of an eye, the fastest Agility Attack System soul masters had already reached the center of the arena.

Give it a few more seconds, and the first wave of attacks would land on Ning Huan.

"Sigh, I hope your dao hearts won't shatter..."

"Otherwise, it will be quite troublesome for me."

With that, Ning Huan stopped suppressing himself, and his soul power, totaling that of a mid-stage Soul King, erupted with a roar.

A surging wave of air, violent as a tide, billowed outward, forcing the fastest Agility Attack System soul masters to halt their advance.

They stood frozen, watching with expressions of terror.

The remaining participants also turned solemn, shielding their chests with their arms, no longer as relaxed and carefree as before.

"Are you kidding me?! Is this really a Soul Ancestor?"

"Where the hell did this guy crawl out from!"

"We can't beat him at all!"

In an instant, the crowd was in an uproar.