In the End, the Phoenix Devoured the Dragon

Late at night, at Shrek Academy.

The meeting had just ended. Mu Baobao sat in the fifth seat from the left because there was no one below him.

It was not that he lacked the qualifications to sit at the head of the table. He simply did not care at all about the tournament rules or the exact procedures. Listening to them had nearly put him to sleep, leaving the others quite speechless.

Even if you were absurdly invincible and could turn a team battle into a solo match, there was no need to be this arrogant, right?

Ma Xiaotao looked at him helplessly. From the beginning, he had only said that if there was a battle they were not confident in, they could send him up to instantly defeat the opponent. After that, he had been bored out of his mind.

Yet because he was there, everyone felt completely at ease. After all, he truly had that kind of ability.

His own strength was already formidable, and with that incomparably stunning Battle Armor, he could simply massacre everyone in this Soul Master tournament. Anyone who stood in his way would die.

Mu Baobao glanced at the reserve team. Very far back sat the tiny Xiao Xiao, known in the Outer Court as the petite beauty. He stared at the little girl until her face turned red.

Then there was He Caitou. At fifteen, he was even taller than Mu Baobao, with dark skin all over and a gleaming bald head. Their builds were completely mismatched. Could that little girl even handle him? Mu Baobao could not help silently mourning for several minutes!

No one worried that they would lose. Leaving aside the fact that Shrek, as the continent's number one Soul Master Academy, only accepted elites—if they were not monsters, they would not be admitted—Huo Yuhao's group were all practically cheating.

Beibei could awaken the Radiant Sacred Dragon, Xu Sanshi possessed the divine beast Black Tortoise, and He Caitou was a food-type Soul Master no weaker than Oscar. Born into the Sun Moon Empire's imperial family, he possessed an exceptionally terrifying talent for soul tools.

The Source of Destruction was a humanoid war machine and had even hidden a Sun Martial Soul. Xiao Xiao also had Twin Martial Souls, while there was even less need to mention Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong—three martial souls' worth of cheats between them...

There were also four Martial Soul Fusion Skills. Only Jiang Nannan was somewhat weaker. With such a lineup, it was no wonder they could win the championship. At the very least, Mu Baobao would not need to worry about the early matches. Among higher-level Soul Master students, even among teachers, there were rarely any five-ring Soul Emperors or above.

When the meeting ended, Wang Yan had not even made any tactical arrangements. If they needed a plan against opponents like this, it would be an insult to all of them.

"Um... Junior Mu, may I address you that way?" Wang Yan asked somewhat nervously. Although he was older than Mu Baobao and was an Outer Court teacher, he simply could not put on any airs before him.

Mu Baobao immediately saw what was going on. "Of course, Teacher Wang. You and Senior Han Ruoruo got together, right? Then you can naturally count as our senior too. Just remember to treat us to wedding wine when the time comes. Senior Chu Qingtian and Senior Wu Ming got together too, didn't they?"

"Uh... as expected, I can't hide it from you. Han Ruoruo said that once I return from leading the team and the Soul Master tournament ends, we can announce it officially. But I'm a teacher, so I can't participate in the Sea God Fate Conference. Wu Ming, on the other hand, demanded that Chu Qingtian confess to her at Sea God Fate. Haha!"

Wang Yan spoke awkwardly, and Mu Baobao indicated that he understood. Han Ruoruo and Wang Yan had spent several months together in earnest. Chu Qingtian, meanwhile, had kept his feelings hidden and never revealed them, so naturally he needed to be tested.

"They really got together?" Ma Xiaotao, beside him, stared at him with her eyes widened in disbelief.

"You're from the Soul Guidance Department. How do you know about the Spirit Department?" Mu Baobao laughed. "Didn't I say it? I can tell fortunes!"

Everyone rolled their eyes at him. At least it was good news, so they did not dwell on it. Just as they did not want to watch Huo Yuhao's seven-person team show off this time, they also did not want these senior sisters to be reduced to supporting roles just to give them more scenes.

Shrek students might indeed have had questionable conduct, but they were not cowards... If the other party truly had no one in their heart, how could they not know?

If they had to become supporting characters for them, they probably would have gotten together long ago. Why would they still bother being holy sons and holy maidens?

They ate dinner together, filling two large tables. Without question, they drew the gazes of all the major academies, accompanied by angry voices.

"Shrek Academy is being too damn arrogant! Their official team only has five members..." Many academies cursed. They did not know the situation.

They thought this was a provocation. Even if Shrek had been champions for ten thousand years, they could not humiliate people like this.

Dai Yueheng, Ma Xiaotao, Mu Baobao... They looked around twenty years old, while the other seven were far too young and were obviously the reserve team.

It was precisely because there were five official members that the other academies assumed that, as perennial champions, Shrek would be fine even with two fewer people.

In the original story, when there had been only three, even the students had guessed that they were injured. Yet they still won and showed off: "Our official team only has three people, and we're injured, yet we can still beat you! Piss yourselves off!"

"Ignore them. If I really can't stand it, I'll instantly kill them all. As the saying goes, if you take out your opponents, you won't even need to compete. I'll be number one!" Mu Baobao said vaguely yet domineeringly, twirling a lump of noodles around his fork and shoving it into his mouth. Everyone was speechless.

"Will you die if you don't show off?" Ma Xiaotao rolled her eyes at him. "This is the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament. Aren't you afraid they'll strip you of your qualifications if you attack in public? Though I also think it's a good idea, do you want Shrek to bear an ugly reputation?"

Mu Baobao suddenly recalled the image of a certain shameless bastard participating in a certain competition... He was not weak to begin with, but for safety's sake—

Every night, he would call his teammates to ambush and bury several enemies. The method was indeed somewhat shameless, but it was truly effective, and they made it into the finals.

Mu Baobao also mocked himself. Did Shrek Academy even have such a thing as a reputation? The First Generation Shrek Seven Devils had questionable conduct to begin with. The only reason no one dared say so was that they feared their strength.

After dinner, Dai Yueheng, Gongyang Mo, Ling Luochen, and the others returned to their rooms early to rest because their injuries were severe.

With Mu Baobao's appearance, the heavy responsibility on the reserve team's shoulders had been lifted. Naturally, they went out for a relaxed stroll. After all, this was their first time in such a gigantic city, and everything felt fresh to them.

Huo Yuhao's mood, however, was somewhat low. Although he had grown up in the duke's estate, he had never entered Star Luo City. Nearly every one of this generation's Shrek Seven Devils had their own secrets, so no one obnoxiously tried to ask about it.

Inside Mu Baobao's room at the Star Emperor Hotel, he lay on the balcony and looked down at the incomparably prosperous giant city, like a prehistoric beast.

In the era of Douluo Continent, the original story had not even featured the Star Luo Empire. It had been the Heaven Dou Empire fighting Spirit Hall alone. No one knew how many tiers stronger the Star Luo Empire was militarily than the Heaven Dou Empire. Moreover, the continent's Upper Three Sects were not only all located within the Heaven Dou Empire, but were even not far from Heaven Dou City. It was obvious how much the place liked to boast.

Xue Ye was merely a Soul Saint, while Star Luo's land held Title Douluos. That showed just how fierce the Star Luo Empire's martial culture was. Dai Mubai had fled to the Heaven Dou Empire to slack off only because he could not compete with Dai Weisi. If he kept fighting, he might have lost his life.

That position was won through killing. If Spirit Hall had not stood in the way, the one to unify the continent would have been the Star Luo Empire. That was why, when the Sun Moon Continent collided with Douluo Continent, the Heaven Dou Empire was crushed.

The Heaven Soul Empire and Dou Ling Empire had received help from the Star Crown Sect, but that merely showed that they were no weaker than the Heaven Dou Empire's Upper Three Sects. Now, before the Star Luo Empire, they were nothing but trash. If not for concerns about the Sun Moon Empire, Star Luo would have long since destroyed them.

Mu Baobao was contemplating these matters.

Suddenly, there was a sound at the door. When it opened, Ma Xiaotao stood there in a fresh change of clothes!

"Mm... Did your Evil Fire erupt again?"

Mu Baobao looked her over for a long while. A faint fragrance wafted from her body; she had obviously washed and groomed herself.

Yet his first sentence angered Ma Xiaotao badly. This guy's mouth is really infuriating. She was so angry that she blurted it out.

"Damn it!"

Flames blazed in Ma Xiaotao's eyes. Was she supposed to blush and repeat what she had said in the daytime? She had even changed into fresh clothes before coming over!

"Did you forget what you said during the day?"

She demanded furiously. Mu Baobao was utterly helpless. "We're only nineteen. I was completely joking. Besides, I'm not some huge scumbag like Dean Yan. Do you want to hate me for the rest of your life, like Xian Lin'er hates him?"

Yan Shaozhe's Bright Phoenix truly inherited Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire Phoenix tendencies—always stirring up trouble for no reason.

And they were both the sort to forget everything after fooling around. Zhongli Wu, the leader of the Holy Spirit Cult, had a relationship with Feng Ling, the wife of a rank ninety-eight assault-type Title Death God Super Douluo and herself a rank ninety-six Evil Phoenix.

Mu Baobao was impressed too. Sleeping with an enemy was truly impressive. As expected of the Phoenix bloodline.

"I'm willing!" Ma Xiaotao roared.

That was precisely why she trusted Mu Baobao. Since childhood, through who knew how many—

Episodes of her Evil Fire erupting, he had still been able to remain unmoved even with a beauty in his lap. So many senior sisters in the Inner Court had wanted to throw themselves at him, yet he had never fallen for it. That showed just how well he could restrain himself.

What did nineteen matter?

Phoenix God Ma Hongjun's father had already had him at fourteen. Ma Xiaotao herself had often gone to those places to vent her fire at twelve. At nineteen, she was already an adult. This was simply disgracing the Phoenix family.

"Ah? What the hell?" Mu Baobao froze. Was this girl really planning to make it real?

The next moment, Ma Xiaotao repeated the incomparably stunning scene from Star Luo Grand Plaza during the day.

Her pretty face rapidly drew close. In his stunned gaze, she kissed him again. Their bodies fell toward the large bed in the room, and she skillfully shut the door behind them.

"Mm... In the end, the phoenix devoured the dragon!"

Early morning.

The first ray of sunlight entered Star Luo City, bringing a solemn air to this city that never slept.

All the streets around Star Luo Grand Plaza had nearly been sealed off by Star Luo Empire soldiers. In particular, only participating members of the various academies could safely pass through the road connecting the Star Emperor Hotel to Star Luo Grand Plaza.

Star Luo Grand Plaza stood directly before the main gate of the imperial city. There was an extremely conspicuous high platform, built so the Star Luo Emperor and his ministers could watch from atop the city walls. The view was also exceptionally good.

The imperial city had been completed back when the Duke of White Tiger's line was still the imperial family. Over ten thousand years, it had undergone countless renovations, growing larger and more extravagant with each one.

The competition stage measured one hundred meters in both length and width. No one knew how much money had been spent to build it. Around its perimeter stood one hundred and eight Soul Masters, each before a metal pillar. As long as they poured in Soul Power—

They could erect a soul-tool barrier capable of withstanding attacks from Title Douluos. After all, these were the gifted sons and daughters of heaven from academies across the continent.

There were also luxurious resting areas specially provided for each academy's contestants. However, there were only a little over seventy of them, clearly not enough for every academy. Academies eliminated in the first round naturally would not receive such treatment.

It also further stirred the fighting spirit of the participating students. Otherwise, preparing them for everyone would be somewhat wasteful. Today was the drawing of lots.

The officials of the Star Luo Empire would tally the drawing results. Once the match order was released, the final preparations before the tournament's beginning would be complete.

"Damn it, Shrek Academy is way too arrogant. Not a single official team member came today. It's just a group of little kids."

All the participating academies cursed angrily. Wang Yan had brought the reserve team to draw lots. Clearly, the reserve team would be competing today, so there was no need for the official team.

Not to mention that they were all recovering from their injuries, so none of them had come. This had provoked public outrage. In everyone else's eyes, it was naked mockery. They truly wanted to hit someone.

Although Shrek had been champion for ten thousand years, at least in previous tournaments, everyone had shown up and given others enough respect.

This time, not a single official team member came. It was simply a vicious slap across their faces!

Dai Yueheng, Gongyang Mo, Ling Luochen, and the others had already said that with Mu Baobao around, there was no need to worry at all, and they could recover more thoroughly. They had already informed everyone in advance. When they went looking for Ma Xiaotao, she was not in her room either. Mu Baobao was not someone they should disturb, so they simply let him do as he pleased.

"Hehe, I told you Senior Mu wouldn't be able to get up today. Last night, I saw Senior Ma enter his room and never come out!" Xu Sanshi laughed as he flamboyantly waved his fan. "Shrek's ten-thousand-year honor was practically certain to be ruined in our hands."

"Then Senior Mu descended like a divine soldier... They've known each other since childhood and have spent who knows how much time together. Senior Ma even took the initiative to go to Senior Mu's room. What they did there goes without saying..."

Xu Sanshi wore an expression that said none of them understood, but Jiang Nannan shot him a disgusted glance.

"Disgusting. Is Senior Mu someone you can casually slander?" Jiang Nannan still vividly remembered what Mu Baobao had said to her on that cold New Year's night. She also understood why so many senior sisters liked him.

She then recalled that unforgettable night between herself and Xu Sanshi, and her eyes filled with hatred.

Because of it, she could not even return home. Her attitude toward him worsened further, and Xu Sanshi could only put away his lewd smile, or she would hate him even more.

"Caitou, what are they talking about?"

Xiao Xiao asked with an innocent, adorable expression. Being so young, she naturally did not understand. Huo Yuhao was also confused, only knowing that it was probably something good.

"Yeah, Second Senior Brother, do you know?"

"Uh..." He Caitou fell silent. As the former crown prince of the Sun Moon Empire, such matters were perfectly ordinary in the imperial family, so he naturally understood.

But could he say such things in front of his junior brothers and sisters? It would affect their worldview.

"Stop asking about everything!" Wang Dong angrily punched the clueless Huo Yuhao. He was still scratching his head in confusion. "Don't you know there are things you shouldn't ask? Aren't you supposed to be eager to learn? That's how you understand more."

Even Wang Yan could not stand it anymore. If they kept talking, it would become forbidden knowledge, so he could only threaten them.

"You should first think about how to make it through the elimination round. Don't let Shrek Academy become a one-round failure. Then you'll disgrace ten thousand years of honor."

The seven reserve team members did not dare slack off any longer and quickly became serious, terrified that they would become sinners for all eternity.

They would probably understand these things once they grew up, right?