Both Sides Take the Field, Home-Field Advantage

Clearly, they were all confident. While they could not say they were one hundred percent certain of winning the upcoming battle, they were at least seventy to eighty percent sure. There was a saying often passed around at the academy: at the same age, students from Shrek Academy would absolutely surpass those from other academies. They all firmly believed it.

When they left the waiting area and fully entered the stadium, they were all startled by the spectacle. There were simply too many people. The stands fell briefly silent as the audience's eyes converged on the five students from Shrek Academy. The Soul Guidance Cameras focused on them, and the livestream switched to Wu Lin's group of five. At the same time, their images appeared on the four enormous Soul Guidance Screens in the center of the stadium. With so many people watching them, Wu Lin and the others felt an invisible pressure descend upon them, making their entire bodies uncomfortable. The more fragile, delicate Xu Xiaoyan and the chubby Xu Lizhi both turned somewhat pale. Just as Wu Lin took a deep breath and prepared to step forward to help his companions dispel that pressure, a layer of transparent white barrier slowly rose around them. The white shield was almost tangible. After rising, it continued upward until it condensed a hundred meters in the air, resembling an upside-down bowl. Once the barrier rose, the pressure on Wu Lin and the others greatly diminished. They could no longer hear the outside world, and that invisible pressure completely vanished. With so many people watching, Sun Moon Royal Academy did not want to give others something to criticize. If people later claimed they had used their home-field advantage to pressure their opponents and prevented them from displaying their true strength, it would not look good. They intended to win this match openly and honorably. It was not that Sun Moon Royal Academy was particularly upright, but rather that they were certain of victory. There was no need to overdo things and use petty tricks to raise their chances of winning.

Though the rising white barrier did not entirely erase their home-field advantage, it minimized its impact enough to leave no room for criticism. Wu Lin's group of five stepped onto the circular battle platform, while Sun Moon Royal Academy's five had yet to take the field. "What do you mean by this?" Wu Lin raised his head and frowned at the middle-aged man floating in the air. The man did not take offense at Wu Lin's questioning tone. He merely smiled faintly. "There is an order to entering the arena. You are the guests, so naturally you should go first."

"How shameless. All you know is how to play these little tricks," Xu Xiaoyan muttered angrily. Xu Lizhi, Ye Xinglan, and Xie Xie also looked displeased, their expressions somewhat cold. By entering later, was Sun Moon Royal Academy not trying to imply that it stood above Shrek Academy? "Boss, let's hit them harder later," Xie Xie suggested loudly, making no effort to lower his voice. "Agreed." Ye Xinglan, Xu Lizhi, and Xu Xiaoyan all nodded. "Fine." Wu Lin nodded heavily, his gaze icy. The middle-aged man standing in the air merely gave a cold smile and said nothing. Arguing with a group of children would only lower his status. Sun Moon Royal Academy's five also walked out of the waiting area, receiving treatment that stood in stark contrast to Shrek Academy's.

When the former took the field, the cheers had been rather quiet. But when Sun Moon Royal Academy's students appeared, deafening cheers and encouragement erupted throughout the stadium. Their home-field advantage was displayed to the fullest at that moment.

Gu Yue Na walked at the very front. Her face was breathtakingly beautiful, and her silver hair cascaded down her back like a silver waterfall. Even her loose school uniform could not conceal her tall, well-proportioned figure. Anyone seeing Gu Yue Na for the first time was struck by her beauty, especially the men; quite a few stared at her blankly. Behind Gu Yue Na was Yun Ze. Though he was over six years old and the shortest of the five, he was exceptionally eye-catching. He was extraordinarily beautiful, his features even more delicate than a girl's, yet no one would mistake him for one. His skin was fair, the Phoenix pattern between his brows lending him an even nobler air, while his red hair seemed to be condensed from flames, making him especially striking. Yun Ze's appeal to women was comparable to Gu Yue Na's appeal to men, perhaps even greater. Of course, the affection women felt for him was not romantic attraction, but a purer appreciation for something beautiful.

The three behind them seemed somewhat ordinary by comparison, with considerable gaps in both appearance and temperament. "Is that the six-year-old student? He really does seem rather extraordinary."

"He's already so handsome as a child. Once he grows up, he'll definitely be a stunningly handsome man..."

"He is handsome, but I wonder how strong he is. I'm looking forward to seeing him beat up Shrek Academy's people."

"Me too, me too..."

Dense waves of comments flashed through the major livestreams as Yun Ze became the subject of heated discussion. Nearly everyone was focused on him. There was no need to say it aloud: he was the child mentioned in the title who would supposedly beat up Shrek Academy's students, so naturally he drew extra attention. Gu Yue Na's group of five walked straight ahead. When they approached the white barrier, an opening automatically appeared, then closed again after they entered. Seeing that the beautiful woman he had noticed earlier was walking at the front, Wu Lin's eyes immediately lit up, but his feelings soon became complicated.

Wu Lin felt both happy and somewhat resistant upon seeing her. For some reason, he did not want to become enemies with this beautiful woman. I'll go easier on her later, Wu Lin thought to himself as the blood within his body began to stir once more. Gu Yue Na's blood was also stirring. She looked at Wu Lin as though she were looking at prey. "The one standing in the middle is the person with the Golden Dragon King Bloodline," Gu Yue Na said to Yun Ze beside her. The five had already spread out in a line, with Yun Ze standing beside Gu Yue Na. "I noticed," Yun Ze replied softly, studying Wu Lin with interest. Compared with the others, this person was far more interesting. In truth, even without Gu Yue Na telling him, he already knew who possessed the Golden Dragon King Bloodline. Among the five opposite them, only the one in the center was special. He carried the aura of a god from this world within him, and two souls resided inside his body. With just a little thought, it was obvious who possessed the Golden Dragon King Bloodline. It was far too conspicuous. Though Yun Ze had lost his strength and his divine sense was extremely weak, incomparable to what it had once been, his perception was still sharp. It was precisely because of that sharp perception that he could sense the abnormalities within Wu Lin's body. Of course, only he could detect Wu Lin's condition. No one else, not even Gu Yue Na, who had a special connection with the Golden Dragon King, had noticed it. "He is not the Golden Dragon King's incarnation. The Golden Dragon King is hidden within him," Yun Ze whispered to Gu Yue Na beside him. Gu Yue Na's eyes widened in astonishment. She glanced at Wu Lin, then whispered to Yun Ze, "Are you sure?"

This was a possibility she had never considered before. Hearing Yun Ze say it left her deeply shocked and filled her with countless doubts. "There can be no mistake. We'll discuss the details later," Yun Ze said. He had always trusted his own perception completely. "All right." Gu Yue Na took a deep breath and did her best to calm herself, temporarily suppressing all the questions flooding her mind. Please vote with monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and add this to your collection! This is very important to the author, so I hope everyone will support us more. Your support is the author's greatest motivation. Thank you, everyone!