After Bei Bei had donned his Battle Armor from head to toe, Ma Yingjun instantly felt the pressure mount.
With the Battle Armor's enhancement, Bei Bei reached Ma Yingjun's rear in just a few seconds, moving so fast that even the referee on the field could barely keep up.
Before Ma Yingjun could react, Bei Bei drew upon the Battle Armor on his right arm to gather the power of thunder.
After channeling all that power into the gauntlet on his right hand, he curled his hand into a claw and struck at Ma Yingjun's back.
The blow landed squarely on Ma Yingjun, sending him flying off the platform. Fortunately, Bei Bei had held back at the last moment; otherwise, Ma Yingjun would have had at least a few broken ribs.
"The winner of the first one-on-one match is Shrek Academy."
The referee for this match was only a Soul Saint. He arrived belatedly after Ma Yingjun was knocked off the platform and went to catch him.
He gave Bei Bei a wary glance before announcing the result.
After all, his own cultivation was only at the Soul Saint level. Given Bei Bei's strength just now, he might not have been a match for him without activating his Martial Soul Avatar.
Everyone in the viewing stands had already forgotten about the safety of the match. They all looked down at Huo Yuhao with awe.
This kind of Soul Tool had already crossed into a new era. If everything Bei Bei had said was true, then the possession of Battle Armor would redefine the power hierarchy among Soul Masters.
Soul Masters with Battle Armor would hold a far higher status than ordinary Soul Masters.
Inside the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy's lounge, Xiao Hongchen was drinking medicine when his hand slipped. The bowl crashed to the floor, and he turned to stare at his younger sister in shock.
"Meng, how is this possible? That was a humanoid Soul Tool that belongs to a whole new era. How could Shrek Academy have that kind of technology?"
"More importantly, no matter what level a Soul Tool is, it shouldn't be able to provide such a tremendous boost. Even if the technology could achieve it, the materials shouldn't be able to withstand it."
Before Meng Hongchen could answer, Elder Ma, who was sitting nearby, recalled the new rare metals Mingde Hall had purchased earlier. He rubbed his brow, beginning to understand.
"Do you remember the batch of new rare metals we bought earlier? Those were purchased from Shrek Academy."
"Mingde Hall still hasn't figured them out. I'm afraid Shrek Academy really does have technology we don't know about. I have to report this to the hall master as soon as possible."
"Shrek Academy has recently been considering an academic exchange with us, in which we would trade a batch of students. They'd been hesitating lately, but now we have to push this through."
"If we get the chance, we must obtain a set of Battle Armor if at all possible. Whether to verify its effects or analyze how it's made, it would be invaluable to us."
"Xiao Hongchen, I want you to contact the hall master through your family channels right away. This concerns the balance of power across the entire continent."
Xiao Hongchen naturally understood how important this was and immediately agreed. He had Meng Hongchen use the Hongchen Family's contacts to send the information.
Up on the high platform, Star Luo Emperor Xu Jiawei, who had been watching from the start, rose to his feet and spoke:
"I can confirm that the information about Battle Armor is indeed true. Pavilion Master Huo once made a deal with me involving five sets of Two-Word Battle Armor."
"An Eight-Ring Soul Douluo wearing Two-Word Battle Armor can reach the strength of a Titled Douluo. At the Star Luo Auction House in a few days, I will put two sets of Two-Word Battle Armor up for auction."
As soon as Xu Jiawei finished speaking, the representatives from Dio and the Dou Ling Team immediately left the arena and contacted their respective royal families through their own channels.
The impact of raising an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo's strength to that of a Titled Douluo was simply too great. It would directly affect the balance between the various nations.
The Soul Master Tournament no longer mattered. Verifying the capabilities of Battle Armor and obtaining a set had become the highest priority.
The leaders from the Heavenly Soul and Douling Empires now understood why Xu Jiawei had paid so much attention to the next Sea God Pavilion Master.
With such talent and ability behind him, this era already belonged to this young man. If they made an enemy of him, they would have no place in this era.
Xu Jiawei sat back on his throne and gave Huo Yuhao a slight nod.
Huo Yuhao returned his smile. What was unfolding now was exactly the outcome he and Xu Jiawei had discussed the night before.
The next two Yunluo Academy students were no match for Bei Bei either, and were quickly knocked off the platform.
Before the fourth round began, Bei Bei then chose to forfeit, giving Xi Xi the chance to demonstrate the pure enhancement of First-Class Battle Armor.
At level fifty-six, Xi Xi truly displayed the strength of a Soul Saint after equipping a full set of First-Class Battle Armor.
The next Yunluo Academy contestant, a female student named Shang Yue, had barely stepped onto the platform before Xi Xi defeated her in an instant.
At that point, Yunluo Academy's captain, Situ Yu, leaped onto the platform.
"I know I'm definitely no match for you, but I want to know how big the gap is between my Soul Tool combat style and your Battle Armor."
"I have an unreasonable request. Could you suppress your Soul Power to around level forty? After this match, we'll concede."
"Of course, it's fine if you don't agree. I just want to see which direction my Soul Tool path should take in the future. Please."
With that, Situ Yu bowed to Xi Xi and waited for her response.
He had wanted to be the second to compete and face Bei Bei, but in the list prepared before the competition, he'd been placed last.
The original plan had been for him to close out the match and see whether he could take down one of Shrek Academy's contestants. But then they'd encountered the Battle Armor demonstration.
Xi Xi turned to look at Huo Yuhao below the platform. After he nodded, she suppressed her Soul Power to level forty.
With the Battle Armor's enhancement, Xi Xi's Soul Power fluctuations ultimately stabilized at around level sixty.
Xi Xi stood still and waited as Situ Yu deployed various Soul Tools, forming a fortress-style Soul Tool combat formation.
As a wave of Soul Cannon fire swept across the field, Xi Xi relied on the First-Class Battle Armor covering her entire body to withstand the attack head-on.
Then she used a Soul Skill to teleport beside Situ Yu and sliced through his gun emplacement with the blade on her Battle Armor's arm.
Situ Yu immediately understood just how far Battle Armor surpassed the other Soul Tools.
It not only enhanced its wearer's Soul Power, but also had defensive and offensive power equivalent to Soul Tools of the same level.
Aside from special Soul Tools like the Invincible Barrier, Battle Armor could be called a superior replacement for Soul Tools with all-around capabilities.
"Thank you for helping me see the gap between Soul Tools. And thank you, Pavilion Master Huo, for allowing it."
"Referee, Yunluo Academy concedes."
After Situ Yu stepped down, the referee announced Shrek Academy's victory. Huo Yuhao also activated Simulation and led everyone away.
Now that they knew about Battle Armor's enhancement, students from the other academies looked ready to crowd around them. Huo Yuhao seized an opening and led everyone away as quickly as possible.
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