Who Are the Opponents?

"Meng Meng, go out first. Let me get dressed."

Ye Fan was reluctant, but in the end, he could not argue with Meng Hongchen and could only respond helplessly.

"Xiao Fan, what are you embarrassed about? It's not like I haven't seen you naked when you were little."

Although Meng Hongchen said that, her body was far more honest as she left Ye Fan's bed and walked outside.

Before leaving, she turned back to glance at Ye Fan and added, "Hurry up. Don't keep your sister waiting too long."

"Got it."

Ye Fan quickly got dressed.

When he stepped outside, Meng Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Jing Hongchen were already waiting there.

"Xiao Xiao, Meng Meng, Teacher!"

Ye Fan greeted each of them.

However, both Xiao Hongchen and Jing Hongchen had traces of exhaustion on their faces. Ye Fan knew that had to be Meng Hongchen's doing.

Still, Meng Hongchen had no intention of spoiling their mood.

"Meng Meng, where do you want to go?"

But Meng Hongchen merely looked around with interest. "I don't know Star Luo City either. Let's just wander around."

The moment she said that, Ye Fan, Xiao Hongchen, and Jing Hongchen were left speechless.

They could only accompany Meng Hongchen as she strolled through Star Luo City.

"Xiao Fan, Brother, Grandpa, there are so many people over there."

"Let's go see what's happening!"

At those words, Ye Fan, Xiao Hongchen, and Jing Hongchen's eyes all lit up.

The group hurried forward and quickly squeezed into the crowd.

"Wait for me."

In the end, they discovered that the place everyone was gathered around was the Xingluo Auction House!

Ye Fan thought to himself, Right, I nearly forgot that during the Continental Soul Master Tournament, the Xingluo Empire held a grand auction.

Unfortunately, it hasn't officially begun yet.

But the Xingluo Empire certainly knows how to do business. They've already started building hype for the auction.

At that moment, the Starlight Auction House was continuously displaying one formal auction item after another, clearly intending to make the auction seem grand and prestigious.

"Let's go in and take a look!"

Seeing that Ye Fan and the others were interested, Jing Hongchen waved his hand and spoke to them.

Before Ye Fan and the others could enter—

"Ye Fan, little sister Meng, it's you!"

A familiar voice came from behind Ye Fan.

"Xu Jiujiu?"

Hearing the familiar call, Ye Fan and the others all turned toward the newcomer.

It was none other than Xu Jiujiu of the Xingluo Empire.

Xu Jiujiu wore a casual red outfit, and an elderly woman stood beside her. Surrounded by Xingluo soldiers, she slowly approached Ye Fan.

"Little sister Meng, are you here to visit the auction house too? What a coincidence!"

As she spoke, Xu Jiujiu stepped past the guards and came to Meng Hongchen's side, linking arms with her.

The two were as intimate as sisters, while Xu Jiujiu gently asked Meng Hongchen questions.

The moment she said that, Ye Fan's heart skipped a beat.

Oh no. Why does it feel like Xu Jiujiu came here specifically for us?

What happened afterward proved Ye Fan right. As the host, Xu Jiujiu took the initiative to bring Ye Fan and the others to that day's regular auction.

She also used her special status to obtain the highest-tier VIP cards for them.

Using the cards, Ye Fan and the others bought some precious metals.

Finally, Xu Jiujiu solemnly invited them. "Your Excellency Toad, Ye Fan, Meng Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, five days from now, an annual grand auction will be held here."

"On behalf of the Starlight Auction House, I formally invite you to attend."

At the same time, Xu Jiujiu took out four invitations from her soul tool, all bearing the Starlight Auction House's name.

Ye Fan and the others accepted them solemnly.

Afterward, Xu Jiujiu invited Ye Fan and the others to lunch.

Later, Ye Fan and the others parted ways with Xu Jiujiu.

After Xu Jiujiu left, the elderly woman beside her slowly spoke. "Miss, was Ye Fan really worth you deliberately coming so early in the morning to run into him?"

Xu Jiujiu shook her head. "Grandma Man Yi!"

"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."

"Next, we should go run into the people from Shrek Academy."

This elderly woman was Nebula Douluo Man Yi, a rank ninety-three Titled Douluo whose martial soul was the Nebula Fan. She was the Xingluo Empire's guardian Douluo and had always stayed by Xu Jiujiu's side to protect her.

Hearing what Xu Jiujiu said next, Nebula Douluo's previously clouded eyes immediately brightened.

"Mm. It's good that you understand, Miss."

Then Nebula Douluo followed Xu Jiujiu's footsteps toward where the people from Shrek Academy were staying.

On Ye Fan's side, after parting with Xu Jiujiu—

Jing Hongchen unusually took the initiative to speak. "Xiao Fan, Xiao Xiao, Meng Meng, what do you think of Her Highness the Princess?"

Meng Hongchen answered first. "Sister Jiujiu is beautiful and kind-hearted."

Xiao Hongchen was noncommittal. "I feel that this Xingluo princess is quite calculating. She isn't as friendly as she appears."

Jing Hongchen's eyes lit up when he heard Xiao Hongchen's answer.

Finally, Jing Hongchen turned his gaze toward Ye Fan. "Xiao Fan, what about you?"

Ye Fan thought for a moment, unsure how to explain it to everyone. I can't exactly tell them that Xu Jiujiu has been hiding her strength all along.

There's also a mysterious sect behind her.

In the end, Ye Fan chose a tactful way to warn them. "Teacher, I agree with Xiao Xiao. Xu Jiujiu is deeply calculating. She may be our most troublesome opponent in the Continental Soul Master Tournament."

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen's expressions both changed sharply at those words.

"Right, I nearly forgot Xu Jiujiu will also be participating in the Continental Soul Master Tournament."

"Damn it, could she be here to probe our strength?"

"And I even treated her like a good sister."

"What a scheming bitch."

Meng Hongchen cursed inwardly.

Jing Hongchen was somewhat surprised by Ye Fan's assessment.

He had not expected Ye Fan to regard Xu Jiujiu so highly.

In the end, Jing Hongchen reassured them. "You needn't belittle yourselves either. This time, Shrek Academy is no longer a concern in the Continental Soul Master Tournament. What you truly need to pay close attention to are the royal academies of the other three great empires."

"Among them, Xingluo Academy, as the host, holds the advantage of home ground."

"Just as Ye Fan said, they are the opponents you truly need to take seriously in this Continental Soul Master Tournament."

"Yes!" ×3.

Ye Fan, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen answered in unison.

Afterward, Ye Fan followed Jing Hongchen and the others back to their hotel.

By then, the team leader, Ma Zhanshan, had already prepared information on the various academies' students.

At Jing Hongchen's instruction, he gathered Ye Fan, Ma Rulong, and the others and began introducing their opponents one by one.

The ones they needed to pay special attention to were precisely as Jing Hongchen had said.

Aside from the members of Shrek Academy, the main team members were Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, Yao Haoxuan, Gongyang Mo, Xixi, and Ling Luochan;

While Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, Xiao Xiao, He Caitou, and Jiang Nannan competed as substitutes.

At this point, Ma Zhanshan emphasized, "Among them, Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng are both six-ring Soul Emperors."

"The rest of the main team members are all five-ring Soul Kings."

The moment he said that, Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, Ma Rulong, and the others all looked grave.

"Shrek Academy, with two Soul Emperors, truly deserves to be called the strongest academy on the continent."

Xiao Hongchen clenched his fist as he thought to himself.

Ye Fan, however, did not think much of it, because he knew that aside from Shrek Academy's main team members, the others were currently lying in hospital beds and could not compete at all.

The ones they truly needed to focus on were Huo Yuhao and the others.

Thus, Ye Fan asked, "Teacher Ma, do you have any information on substitute members like Huo Yuhao?"

"Uh, not at the moment!"

Ma Zhanshan was slightly stunned upon hearing that. Why isn't this brat following the usual script?

Shouldn't he be asking about powerhouses like Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng?