Star Luo Stadium

A month later, early morning.

A thin mist drifted through the dense forest leaves, leaving behind a blurred wash of ink.

En Zuo stood before a full-length mirror, adjusting his attire for the day. He wore a retro dark-red fitted robe specially tailored by the academy, its half-lowered hood concealing most of his face.

Today was an important day.

The Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament was about to begin. As Star Luo's highest-level competition, it was held once every three years.

This time, whether Monster Academy, the empire's shining jewel, could win the tournament with an utterly crushing advantage—

Would affect whether the imperial family would invite Shrek Academy's Seven Monsters seeds to participate in the next tournament.

As the representative of this year's first-year students, En Zuo would temporarily join Monster Academy's Eight Heavenly Kings. As the eighth Heavenly King candidate, he would experience in advance the passion of a Star Luo Empire competition.

"This tournament should be Monster Academy's moment to rise to the top in every event with absolute dominance, sweeping up all the top spots in the competition."

Demon Ding landed on En Zuo's right shoulder and proudly puffed out its chest. Although En Zuo was only a Heavenly Kings reserve this time and had not been required to compete—

This was an event watched by the entire Star Luo Continent. If it followed that brat Long Yue around and showed its face a little on camera—

Maybe everyone in the empire would go crazy for it.

Demon Ding's tail swayed lightly as its round body squirmed about, its wide eyes brimming with excitement.

"Demon Ding, behave yourself. Don't cause me any trouble, or I'll cut your meals in half from now on."

Demon Ding lowered its head in dismay.

How could there be such a stingy Soul Master?

Steadying Demon Ding as it nearly slipped from his shoulder, En Zuo gently pushed open the dormitory door. Someone was already waiting outside for him.

It was Long Yue.

As the competing Heavenly Kings Team captain, he still wore the familiar red fitted uniform of Monster Academy.

Seeing En Zuo dressed like a "Little Red Riding Hood" who did not want to show his face, Long Yue rubbed his bald head and laughed.

"Junior Brother, this is an opportunity others would kill for—your best chance to pave the way for entering Star Luo's Soul Master system in the future. Yet you don't even want people to see you clearly."

En Zuo's voice was as gentle as jade. "Why care about the eyes of others? If everyone possessed the talent that you and I do, Senior Brother, they would naturally have their own individuality."

"In a world belonging to Soul Masters, talent far beyond ordinary people is precisely what gives us the confidence to act as we please."

Long Yue had no way to deal with En Zuo. As En Ci's disciple, En Zuo was not only his junior brother, but also their teacher's adopted son.

He had always regarded En Zuo as his own younger brother.

"Let's go, Junior Brother. Everyone's already waiting. Those guys are still somewhat resentful about you stepping down from your position among the Heavenly Kings."

"I don't care if they're resentful, but if anyone dares to challenge you in private—"

A flash of dark red crossed Long Yue's skin. Raising his heavily muscled arm, he grinned viciously. "Tell your Senior Brother. I'll let them know how I earned the title Dragon Madman."

En Zuo rubbed his forehead and smiled helplessly. "Senior Brother, how could anyone be foolish enough to go that far? Hasn't Dai Yueyan always been winning over the hearts of several Heavenly Kings at Monster Academy to help secure his throne?"

"He alone wouldn't allow that to happen."

At the mention of Dai Yueyan, even Long Yue had to admire him. Back when Long Yue often could not control his martial soul—

He had often lived beneath the fearful gazes of others.

To befriend him, Dai Yueyan had stubbornly faced Long Yue even when he could go mad at any moment, fighting him all-out several times and providing Demon Ding with quite a few blood bags back then.

Among the Heavenly Kings Team, Dai Yueyan was one of the few people Long Yue could call a friend.

He was a tough man.

"He is him, and I am me." Long Yue shook his head and said solemnly, "He only knows how to lecture people. I know how to throw a punch. I don't care about any damn Fox King or Shadow King."

"I'll worry about it after I've had my fun beating them."

The waiting group stood at Monster Academy's main gate. The remaining five Heavenly Kings were surrounded layer upon layer by students from all grades.

Deafening cheers nearly drowned out the entire open area. En Zuo even spotted the first-year Zero Class formation, with Bibi Dong and the other two standing at the front.

He nodded to the three of them.

They responded with a gesture of encouragement.

When Long Yue arrived with En Zuo, Dai Yueyan, standing among the Heavenly Kings, broke into a smile and warmly embraced them both.

With a joking grin, he said, "Brother Long, Brother En Zuo, you kept us waiting for quite a while. The tournament is about to open, and Father has prepared an excellent viewing spot for Brother En Zuo."

"Oh? The ruler is showing me such favor?"

This time, En Zuo was somewhat surprised.

He had not expected the Star Luo ruler to value him so highly. Knowing that he would not be competing, he had even personally arranged a seat for him.

Laughing and chatting, the group strode into a specially prepared soul guide car.

The competition was being held at Star Luo Grand Stadium in Star Luo City. Star Luo Grand Stadium could accommodate three hundred thousand people at once.

It was the largest stadium in the entire Star Luo Empire, even across the whole Star Luo Continent, and also the most advanced in terms of facilities.

The area around Star Luo Grand Stadium was packed with people, and many streets had already been closed off. If not for the competitors' exclusive passageway and staff clearing the route, they likely would not have been able to enter.

They might have been forcibly stopped on the road.

Only after entering the stadium did En Zuo understand why Soul Masters on Douluo Continent were always so enthusiastic about Soul Master combat events.

The roar of three hundred thousand people was like a rising tsunami, swallowing the entire stadium. For a moment, En Zuo could not even make out Dai Yueyan's words of instruction beside his ear.

The passion for this event stirred the nerves of every Soul Master in the stadium.

Further ahead stood fifty competition platforms, each protected by a dedicated soul guide barrier.

En Zuo did not head to the viewing area first according to Dai Tianling's arrangements. Instead, he followed Long Yue and the others to wait in the combat preparation area.

The lively area abruptly fell silent when the Monster Academy competitors entered.

"Monster Academy's people are here." Someone in the crowd whispered, followed by a wave of sharp inhalations.

Everyone's gazes converged, without exception, on the more than two-meter-tall figure from Monster Academy, like a moving mountain of flesh.

—Dragon Madman, Dragon King Long Yue.

As they approached, the previously crowded preparation area immediately parted, opening a path for Monster Academy's Heavenly Kings to stride through.

Surrounded at the very center by the Heavenly Kings, En Zuo finally experienced Monster Academy's formidable reputation on the Star Luo Continent.

Long Yue eagerly explained to En Zuo, "Junior Brother, look at how strong our academy is. Even standing among the crowd, everyone fears us like venomous snakes and wild beasts. Teams from other academies aren't even worthy of facing us."

"Including that damn Shrek. If you ask me, they're nothing but a bunch of useless fools."