Under the night sky, Spirit City blazed with lights.
A graceful, dignified purple figure, who had deliberately concealed all her authority and presence, quietly appeared near the hotel where Skywater Academy was staying.
Bibi Dong, the Pope who ruled Spirit Hall and inspired awe in countless people, wore an exceptionally rare, gentle smile.
She looked just like an eighteen-year-old girl again, utterly captivating.
She had brought no attendants and alerted no one. She had simply sent a brief request for a meeting through a special channel.
Yang Teng felt little surprise at Bibi Dong's unexpected visit.
After what had happened in the canyon, he knew the Pope must be filled with wariness and questions. Accompanied by Gu Yuena, he met her in a secluded sitting room at the hotel.
"Your Holiness the Pope, what brings you here so late at night?"
Yang Teng's tone was calm, revealing neither pleasure nor displeasure. He showed no flattered surprise, but neither did he deliberately keep his distance, as though he were merely receiving an ordinary guest.
Bibi Dong had put aside all thoughts of testing him, and a gentle smile rested on her face.
"Young Master Yang Teng."
Bibi Dong's voice was soft.
"I have come for no other reason than to congratulate Skywater Academy on making it to the finals for the first time in its history and achieving a glory all your own."
She paused to watch Yang Teng's reaction. Seeing that his expression remained unchanged, she took a jade box from her Storage Soul Tool. It gave off a gentle Mental Attribute fluctuation.
Inside the opened box lay a Head Soul Bone! Judging by the energy it gave off, it was certainly no low-year one!
Bibi Dong pushed the jade box toward Yang Teng.
"This Head Soul Bone came from an eighty-thousand-year Soul Beast with a Mental Attribute. It is exceptionally effective at strengthening mental power and stabilizing the soul."
"I believe that with your strength, young friend, absorbing and fusing with it in a single night should pose no problem. Consider it a small gesture from me to make up for the misunderstanding in the canyon and to wish you an early victory tomorrow."
An offer of goodwill—unmistakably so!
And no small one, either!
An eighty-thousand-year Head Soul Bone was no ordinary treasure. Even Spirit Hall, a colossus like this, could not simply give one away at whim.
With this gesture, Bibi Dong had lowered herself considerably, trying to make up for their earlier conflict with a tangible reward.
Yang Teng glanced at the Soul Bone, then at Bibi Dong. She kept her expression composed, but deep in her eyes lay wariness and scrutiny. He understood.
He had little regard for this scheming "madwoman" who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted, but he had to admit that she was a powerful ally.
Yang Teng made no insincere show of refusing. He accepted the jade box without hesitation and nodded. His tone shifted slightly.
"Your Holiness is too kind. Since you've shown such sincerity, let the matter in the canyon be laid to rest."
He did not thank her. He simply said they would "lay it to rest," striking just the right balance: he accepted the gift while maintaining an air of detachment.
Bibi Dong felt herself relax a little. She knew she had made the right move.
Her smile grew a little more natural, and she continued smoothly:
"Young Master Yang is indeed a straightforward man. The doors of Spirit Hall are always open to a peerless talent like you. Whatever you may need in the future, as long as it does not violate Spirit Hall's fundamental principles, I will do everything I can to help."
"Tomorrow's finals should be a fierce battle. I wish you victory, Young Master Yang, and hope you claim the championship!"
Having finished with the pleasantries, Bibi Dong did not linger. She rose and took her leave, her purple figure quietly melting into the night as though she had never appeared.
The hotel where Shrek Academy was staying was heavy with tension.
Flender, a dean usually known for his miserly ways and carefree attitude, wore an unusually grave and worried expression.
He looked at the Shrek Seven Devils before him. They had won, but each was injured and their breathing was unsteady. His voice was hoarse.
"Children... In the past, I always told you that you weren't allowed to graduate unless you won the championship! I pushed you as hard as I could..."
He took a deep breath and looked around at each young, determined face.
"But now, I want you to know that tomorrow's finals... The championship doesn't matter! It really doesn't! What I want most is for every one of you to walk off that field safe and sound, without a scratch!"
"Dean!"
Yu Xiaogang stood nearby. He walked up to Tang San, gave him a firm pat on the shoulder, and said in a low voice:
"Xiao San, your body... You've pushed yourself too far. Will you be able to recover to your peak before tomorrow's match? If not... I don't want any of you getting hurt again for the sake of victory."
He was speaking to Tang San, but he meant it for all of them.
Not far away, Liu Erlong, who had only just recovered, sat in a chair. Her face was still pale, and her breathing remained unsteady.
She held Xiao Wu tightly in her arms, like any ordinary mother worried about her daughter's safety, and comforted her in a low voice. Her eyes were full of tenderness.
Feeling the care of his teachers, Tang San was warmed by it, but felt an even greater sense of responsibility and resolve.
He shook his head, his voice firm. "Teacher, Dean, Teacher Erlong, don't worry. I have precious herbs from Senior Dugu Bo that can strengthen my foundation and restore my vitality."
"Getting back to my peak will be no problem!"
Tang San's words rekindled the fire in the eyes of Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and the others.
That was right. They had come this far. How could they give up now?
In the quiet room where Yang Teng was staying.
Three hours later, the door opened.
Yang Teng stepped out at an unhurried pace. His aura had not grown noticeably stronger, but his eyes had become deeper and brighter.
After absorbing the eighty-thousand-year Head Soul Bone, his mental power was now strong enough to rival that of an ordinary Soul Saint!
This was an enormous boost to his already mysterious and unpredictable command of space.
Yang Teng stretched, a smile of mingled excitement and amusement appearing on his face. He murmured to himself:
"Though... beating them will be no trouble at all."
"But to stand on a stage like this, before a crowd of thousands, and personally trample that so-called 'child of destiny' and his team beneath my feet..."
"I can't help it... The thought makes me tremble with excitement!"
At last, the day of the finals arrived.
The Skywater Academy team made its way slowly down the broad main road toward the arena, watched by countless eyes.
Shui Bing'er, Xue Wu, and the others looked solemn, filled with more nervousness and anticipation than ever before.
Spectators from the various academies and factions lined both sides of the road.
Their gazes were complicated, their thoughts varied.
Among them were former opponents they had defeated, such as Feng Xiaotian of Godwind Academy and Huo Wu of Chihuo Academy.
There were also members of the Elephant Armor Sect and others, all looking grim. They clearly did not want to see Skywater Academy succeed.
Dugu Bo and Ning Fengzhi were there, too.
Almost everyone had turned their eyes toward the Shrek Academy team approaching from the other direction.
Yang Teng felt the countless gazes around him, some open and some concealed, most of them unfriendly.
As he watched the roar of cheers for Shrek wash over the crowd, the curve of his lips grew more pronounced.
"This scene... It's so familiar!"
"I never thought I'd become the final stage's big villain!"
As these thoughts turned in his mind, his gaze inadvertently fell on the Spirit Hall Team: Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan.
When they saw the Skywater Academy team, Hu Liena and the others actually raised their hands in Yang Teng's direction and made a clear gesture.
It was a gesture of victory and good wishes! Xie Yue and Yan looked unhappy, but they nodded slightly as well.
Yang Teng was taken aback for a moment, then understood.
This was probably part of the Pope's goodwill, too.
He looked away and turned his gaze toward the enormous arena at the center of the field.
An unprecedented sense of pride and fighting spirit surged through his chest.
He took a deep breath.
"I never thought the ones supporting us in the end would be Spirit Hall."
"But so what?"
Yang Teng looked past the Shrek Seven Devils, as though he could see a future higher and farther away. His lips curved into a bold, confident smile.
"Starting today..."
"The title of the greatest academy on the continent will be rewritten here!"
"And its new name will be..."
"Skywater Academy!"
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