The Strongest Substitute

Star Luo City.

The capital of the Star Luo Empire, and unquestionably its largest city. Its walls stood nearly a terrifying hundred meters high and thick.

Built entirely from solid stone, they were precisely why the city had never been conquered by the Sun Moon Empire. It was known as the "City Where the Sun Never Set."

Its permanent population was close to eight million. With the occasional influx of travelers, it could reach a staggering ten million at its peak, though it had become somewhat crowded recently.

The grand event held once every five years, the Continental Soul Master Tournament, rotated among the capitals of the major empires. For any one nation to host it once, it had to wait at least twenty years.

The tournament was held in the Star Luo Grand Plaza, which could accommodate over a hundred thousand people. Not far away stood the magnificent Star Emperor Hotel, where the contestants and leading teachers from the advanced Soul Master Academies and Soul Engineer Academies of the four great empires were received.

As the continent's number one Soul Master Academy, Shrek Academy had naturally been assigned luxurious rooms on the highest floor, with a separate bedroom for every person. This treatment... only the Sun Moon Soul Engineer Academy of the Sun Moon Empire, the perennial second-place academy for ten thousand years, could compare to it.

Mu Baobao stretched lazily and rose from his seat in the Star Luo Grand Plaza, drawing countless envious looks.

His seat was right in the front rows, allowing him to see the arena clearly. Twenty or thirty rows farther back, people could only see figures the size of ants, so he could not help complaining, "What the hell can you even see from there?"

Scalping tickets? Gouging people?

He could only hear the crowd's cheers. When he had first arrived, he had even run into ticket scalpers trying to fool him, asking tens of thousands of Gold Soul Coins for seats dozens of rows back.

As expected of a grand event held once every twenty years, the Star Luo Empire had probably earned quite a fortune from ticket sales alone.

Tickets for the first twenty or thirty rows were practically priceless, and even money could not buy them. Without connections or influence, it was impossible to get one. Mu Baobao felt the time had come.

Tomorrow was the registration deadline. Shrek Academy should have arrived today. Mu Baobao had set off after them, and since Xuan Zi had to lead them off to their deaths, he would surely get to see the results today.

He had long since left a letter for Shrek Academy at the Star Emperor Hotel. At that moment, Wang Yan, a teacher from the Outer Court's Spirit Department, led more than ten team members into the prepared conference room after presenting their tournament credentials, where they held a pre-tournament meeting.

It was not only Shrek Academy. At that moment, nearly every participating academy was making preparations, but none of them looked particularly good. They were all short-handed.

Wang Yan sat at the head of the table. On his left sat the pale-faced Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng... and several official team members. On his right sat Huo Yuhao's reserve team.

Registration closed tomorrow. It would be a miracle if the academy's reinforcements arrived in time. Beibei and the others could not help asking anxiously, "Teacher Wang, are we really going to have the reserve team compete this time?"

Wang Yan gave a bitter smile. "Yao Haoxuan died in battle. His body was corroded by an Evil Soul Master's poison until only bones remained. Chen Zifeng lost a leg. Xixi was severely injured when poisonous blood exploded over her. She is a girl... and no one knows whether she will be able to bear such a blow in the future."

"Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng have the highest cultivation, but their internal organs were injured and they need time to recover. Fortunately, Gongyang Mo put on the Battle Armor created by Mu Baobao in advance due to his excellent spiritual power, so he only suffered serious injuries. The three of them, along with Ling Luochen, will need at least half a month to fully recover. For now, only you can represent the academy!"

"Teacher Wang, can we really do it?"

Shrek Academy had monopolized the championship of the Continental Soul Master Tournament for so many years that no one even knew how many consecutive titles it had won. Before the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy of the Sun Moon Empire emerged, even second place changed constantly. After it appeared, the other academies could only fight for the title of eternal runner-up.

Under normal circumstances, it would have been a great pity. But now, because of that gluttonous drunkard's negligence, only a few still had the strength to fight... and even the least injured among them needed at least half a month of recovery. This was no longer about earning honor. They were going there to throw away their lives.

Wang Yan did not know how to answer them either. He let out a sigh.

At that moment, Ma Xiaotao seemingly on impulse took out the envelope the receptionist had handed her at the front desk.

"Xiaotao, what is that?" Beibei, ever attentive, asked upon noticing it. She shook her head and slowly opened it. "I don't know. The receptionist gave it to me. Visits are forbidden during the tournament, and it definitely isn't a love letter."

Under everyone's gaze, her expression gradually brightened. Everyone was confused. Shrek Academy was about to lose the honor of its unbroken championship streak, yet this senior sister was actually smiling.

"Everyone, we may have the strongest substitute. If he takes the field, he can wipe out the other side even in a team battle!" Ma Xiaotao slammed the table and rose excitedly, showing them the information.

A District, 5, 8

Signed: Your popsicle

"That seems to be a seat number. That location should have outrageously expensive tickets, right?" Everyone was stunned at first. Who exactly was this person whom their senior sister praised so highly?

Someone who could turn a team battle into a solo match, when the age limit for the tournament was twenty. Those qualified to compete for the championship were at least five-ringed Soul Kings.

One person wiping out seven five-ringed opponents? Without a Soul Saint, that would be impossible, right? Wasn't Senior Sister Ma the strongest genius in a century? At nineteen, she was already Rank 67, while everyone else her age was still at five rings. They racked their brains.

She even ran off without greeting them, leaving everyone dumbfounded... Yet Beibei fell into deep thought. When Huo Yuhao and the others saw that, they hurriedly asked, "Senior Brother, did you think of something?"

Your popsicle. It was obvious at a glance that it was not a name, but rather a teasing phrase.

"Perhaps we really don't need to worry anymore." Beibei smiled. "It was easy to guess."

"Popsicles are usually used in summer to cool people down. You all know that Senior Sister Ma's terrifying strength comes from inheriting the Evil Fire Phoenix of Ma Hongjun, the Phoenix God among the First Generation Shrek Seven Devils. It gave her talent, but also that troublesome Evil Fire. Naturally, she needs someone to suppress it when it flares up."

"Who else in the Inner Court can do that? In fact, some of you have already met him!"

When Beibei said that, the few remaining official team members, Dai Yueheng, Gongyang Mo... were utterly confused. As official team members alongside Ma Xiaotao, they naturally had to coordinate with one another often.

But they certainly would not pry into private matters. Suppressing Evil Fire... anyone could tell that this was something only someone extremely close to her could do. Ling Luochen had also guessed who it was and revealed a faint smile.

Xiao Xiao and He Caitou from the reserve team could not figure it out because they had barely met Ma Xiaotao. Jiang Nannan, Xu Sanshi, Huo Yuhao, and Wang Dong... not only thought of who it was, but also recalled the terrifying scene from the night they had been attacked.

They felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted. The honor of ten thousand years resting on their shoulders had truly left them breathless. Those who did not know were simply baffled.

"Who exactly is it?"

At that moment, Ma Xiaotao could barely feel her heavily injured body. Her heart was filled with joy.

After rushing into the Star Luo Grand Plaza, she headed straight for District A. Before she even got close, she saw that infuriating fellow smiling and waving at her. She walked over irritably, then silently sat beside him.

"Let me take a look. The little bird is injured, huh? Luckily, they're only external wounds... nothing serious!"

Mu Baobao smiled like a hooligan as his eyes roamed over Ma Xiaotao's body. He even spread apart her snow-white, slender legs and examined her arms, smooth as lotus roots.

He could practically see the stunning scenery beneath. Ma Xiaotao did not care. It was not the first time he had seen everything, and she was in an exceptionally good mood now. She suddenly wrapped her arms around Mu Baobao's neck.

"It's a good thing I have you!" She cried. She had thought Shrek's ten-thousand-year honor would be ruined by their generation of Shrek Seven Devils, but now it would not be.

"You look so pitiful that I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself and will eat you right now."

Mu Baobao looked at her teasingly. Normally, he would definitely have been beaten for that, but now... he was taking advantage of her weakness without a shred of honor.

"Fine. Tonight, I'll let this dog eat me." After calming down, Ma Xiaotao laughed through her tears and wiped away her crystal-clear tears. "You seemed to have asked me long ago whether you could be added as a substitute. Now I'll tell you... yes."

Before Mu Baobao's stunned gaze, she pressed close to his face... A soft, fragrant sensation reached him, leaving someone who had never received such treatment.

Completely dazed. All he could see were Ma Xiaotao's captivating phoenix eyes, and he did not know how much time passed.

A round of applause broke out. It came from the spectators watching the scene unfold. Ma Xiaotao and Mu Baobao were both strikingly beautiful, and rather speechlessly, there was even a little girl selling flowers nearby.

"Big brother, buy a flower for big sister!"

"Young man, that's a little against the rules. The Continental Soul Master Tournament only comes to Star Luo City once every twenty years, and while plenty of couples propose here..."

"You do not seem to have prepared flowers or a ring. Besides, the competition has not even started yet. What are you in such a hurry for?"

Only then did Ma Xiaotao come to her senses and realize how bold she had just been. Her face immediately turned red.

She punched Mu Baobao hard, but he merely smiled and took out his outrageously expensive ticket. Before the crazed eyes of everyone around them, he traded it for the flower in the little girl's hand, then handed it to the dumbstruck Ma Xiaotao.

"A treasured sword for a hero, flowers for a lovely face."

This scene drove the crowd wild. A ticket worth hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions, of Gold Soul Coins—one that could not be bought even with money—had been exchanged for a single flower.

Many young men preparing to propose to their girlfriends suddenly felt utterly inadequate. It was too humiliating.

At most, they had prepared a bouquet of flowers or perhaps a ring, and neither was particularly expensive... Yet Mu Baobao had traded millions of Gold Soul Coins for one flower. Even Ma Xiaotao was stunned.

Mu Baobao smiled at her. "Miss, I've handed over my outrageously expensive ticket, so I have nowhere to go tonight!"

"I know!" Ma Xiaotao's face was burning as she took Mu Baobao's hand. At that moment, she only wanted to escape.

The Sea God Fate Conference might have been the grand event of Shrek's Inner Court, but Ma Xiaotao felt that it could not compare to this moment. There was no grand or extravagant setting.

Yet a single flower was worth a million.

Star Emperor Hotel, conference room.

Those from Shrek who did not know the situation could only wait for Ma Xiaotao to return and announce it.

The people who knew were deliberately keeping them in suspense, merely telling them that even if they lacked enough people, this tournament was secure.

In the Soul Master Tournament, Shrek Academy could only field two Soul Emperors and five Soul Kings, while other academies could at most produce one Soul Emperor. Yet that person had frozen a Soul Emperor and three Soul Kings with a single soul skill. Though they had been injured, that had been a thousand-year soul skill.

Very quickly, since the Star Luo Grand Plaza was not far from the Star Emperor Hotel, half an hour later—

When the conference room doors opened, they saw the two people entering, and their eyes were full of excitement.

"Senior Mu!" Huo Yuhao and the others called.

"Brother!" Mu Beibei called.

"Mu Baobao?"

Gongyang Mo, Dai Yueheng... did know him, but they had rarely interacted with him. That was because this guy only occasionally attended classes in the Spirit Department and never participated in activities or training.

However, after the Battle Armor System was announced, it appeared that Qian Duoduo, vice dean of the Soul Guidance Department, was responsible for engraving miniature soul tool formations, while Tie Wuji, head of the Soul Guidance Department, was responsible for forging the metal. Yet some rumors had leaked out.

Its creator was the great-grandson of Mu En, the Sea God Pavilion Master and Dragon God Douluo... While those two were core personnel, their teacher was this nineteen-year-old youth.

"You came." Ling Luochen nodded as expected. Mu Baobao smiled at everyone. "Senior Dai, Senior Gongyang... long time no see. This must be Teacher Fan Yu's direct disciple, Junior Brother Caitou, right? I've often heard Teacher mention you. He says you're an outstanding Soul Engineer."

"Ah... ah..."

He Caitou was completely stunned. Even his voice trembled as he grasped Mu Baobao's extended right hand.

"Senior Mu, it is truly an honor to meet you. You created the Battle Armor System, something capable of influencing the entire Douluo Continent." He Caitou stammered. Few people knew that this bald man.

Also possessed Twin Martial Souls. His second martial soul was the Sun of the Sun Moon Empire's imperial family, which was why his talent as a Soul Engineer was so exceptional. After all, that nation had used soul tool technology to beat the Heaven Dou Empire into splitting into the Dou Ling Empire and the Heaven Dou Empire.

Even the Star Luo Empire was in imminent danger. Mu Baobao was not surprised by their current condition, since Huo Yuhao had not yet created the Soul Spirit System.

Only Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng could wear One-Word Battle Armor. Gongyang Mo was somewhat unexpected...

But his martial soul was the Rainbow Dragon, an extraordinarily powerful support-type beast martial soul comparable to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Naturally, he was proficient in Heart Separation Control, and his spiritual power would not be weak.

Xuan Zi truly had not learned his lesson at all. Yet even so, Mu En had not punished him. He did not even care about the students' safety, only Shrek's ten-thousand-year winning streak. It was truly disgusting.

"It's all thanks to you. Without the help of the Battle Armor, I'm afraid more than one person would have died."

Wang Yan said happily. At first, they had thought Mu Baobao had neglected his Soul Power cultivation. But not long ago, Dai Huabin had hired assassins to ambush Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.

The shocking scene of an entire forest being frozen, along with five Soul Rings and one Soul Emperor, had spread throughout the academy. Mu Baobao had caused a tremendous uproar in both Shrek's Outer Court and Inner Court.

If they put him on the field, he could face the opposing seven-man team alone without fear and turn it into a solo match.

Thinking of that, Wang Yan inadvertently glanced at Dai Yueheng, then immediately felt uneasy and panicked. If Dai Huabin had truly left behind evidence—

Not only would Shrek Academy become hostile to the Star Luo Empire, but Dai Huabin would definitely be expelled. It might even affect Dai Yueheng's position among the Shrek Seven Devils. Before coming here, he had actually wanted Mu Baobao to settle the matter, but perhaps Mu Baobao had simply slapped Dai Huabin and refused to let it go without starting a war.

Even those who did not know what had happened were reassured by the others who had witnessed it. Mu Baobao's image instantly shone with brilliance, like that of a savior.

With him, even if the official team could only gather five members, Mu Baobao alone was enough to hold off five people.

Everyone felt that this tournament was secure!