Round of 16 Decided, and Shrek Actually...

Just as Ma Zhanshan had said, Ye Wuqing of Tianzheng Academy was a formidable opponent.

With only Lin Xi, Mijia, and Chen Fei, taking them down quickly was unrealistic.

In the end, Xiao Hongchen personally stepped in and held Ye Wuqing back while Lin Xi and the other two dealt with the remaining six opponents.

When Ye Wuqing saw that all his teammates had been eliminated while three members of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy had yet to make a move,

he knew Tianzheng Academy had no chance left.

Yet he did not lose heart. Instead, his eyes burned with fighting spirit as he challenged Xiao Hongchen. "Xiao Hongchen, do you dare fight me one-on-one?"

Through his earlier clash with Ye Wuqing, Xiao Hongchen had discovered that he was no ordinary opponent.

He readily agreed and said to Lin Xi and the others, "Lin Xi, Mijia, Chen Fei, fall back."

"Leave the next match to Ye Wuqing and me."

"Mm!"

Hearing that, Lin Xi, Mijia, and Chen Fei turned their gazes toward Ma Rulong and Ye Fan.

After Ye Fan nodded in approval, Xiao Hongchen and Ye Wuqing officially began their one-on-one duel.

In the end, under the watchful eyes of Ye Fan and the others, Xiao Hongchen used up a Class 5 Invincible Barrier and narrowly defeated Ye Wuqing.

Ye Wuqing, meanwhile, took the full force of Xiao Hongchen's soul engineering bombardment.

He collapsed and could not rise again.

The second match of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy's round-robin stage in the Continental Soul Master Tournament had ended.

The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy still had five more rounds of matches to face.

With Ye Wuqing's painful lesson as a warning, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy had a much easier time in the following matches.

Their assigned opponents either surrendered outright or suffered ruthless defeat beneath Xiao Hongchen's artillery fire.

In the second round-robin stage, each team fought seven matches over fourteen days.

In the end, the tournament's top sixteen were decided.

Among them, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, Star Luo Royal Soul Master Academy, Tianhun Royal Soul Master Academy, and Douling Royal Soul Master Academy had all advanced undefeated.

As for Shrek Academy, after securing enough points, they decisively forfeited their final two matches.

They ultimately advanced to the round of sixteen with a record of five wins and two losses.

During this period, Shrek Academy finally sent out an official team member, Ling Luochan.

The moment Ling Luochan took the field, her ice-controlling abilities stunned the entire audience, and she led Shrek Academy to victory.

As for the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, as the competition progressed, Meng Hongchen ultimately had no choice but to join the battles.

With her exquisite coordination with Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen led the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy to advance undefeated.

The second round-robin stage had ended, and the teams would have two days to rest and adjust.

During this time, every victorious academy was urgently holding meetings.

They analyzed information on the other fifteen winning teams.

Naturally, this included the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.

As for Ye Fan's side,

Ma Zhanshan was the first to list Shrek Academy's lineup.

"Shrek Academy, members who have competed so far: Ling Luochan, Bei Bei, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, He Caitou."

"Student profiles:"

"Ling Luochan, Level 55 control-type battle Soul King. Martial Soul: Ice Element."

"Bei Bei, Level 49 assault-type battle soul master. Martial Soul: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon."

"Huo Yuhao, Level 35. Martial Soul: Spirit Eyes. Has mastered the power of space. He can perform the martial soul fusion skill—Radiance Amidst Withering: Golden Road—with Wang Dong. Assessment: formidable."

"Wang Dong, Level 35. Martial Soul: Goddess of Light Butterfly. He can perform the martial soul fusion skill—Radiance Amidst Withering: Golden Road—with Huo Yuhao. Assessment: formidable."

"Xiao Xiao, Level 31. Twin Martial Souls: Nine Phoenix Ceremony Flute and Three-Life Soul-Calming Cauldron."

"Xu Sanshi, Level 48. Martial Soul: Darkunderworld Turtle. Has mastered spatial soul skills."

"Jiang Nannan, Level 46. Martial Soul: Soft-Boned Rabbit."

"He Caitou, Level 47. Martial Soul: Cigar, a food-type support Martial Soul. Soul engineer."

"Official team members such as Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng have yet to appear..."

In a secret chamber somewhere within the Xingluo Empire's imperial palace, a similar scene was unfolding.

Xu Jiujiu was speaking with an elderly woman, who was none other than Nebula Douluo Man Yi.

"Miss, the tournament's top sixteen have all been decided."

"Here is the list of teams that advanced to the top sixteen, along with the information the Empire has recorded on them over these past days."

Hearing this, Xu Jiujiu flipped through the materials the elderly woman handed her.

The first thing she picked up was the file marked Shrek Academy.

Its general contents were similar to the information Ye Fan had received.

Xu Jiujiu continuously tapped the Shrek Academy file with her right hand, seemingly deep in thought.

Soon, Xu Jiujiu took out a second file on the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.

"Academy profiles:"

"Ye Fan, Level 49. Martial Soul: Death Angel. Abilities unknown."

"Ma Rulong, Level 63. Martial Soul: Big-Headed Spirit Ape. Abilities unknown."

"Xiao Hongchen, Level 58. Martial Soul: Three-Legged Golden Toad. Soul engineer."

"Meng Hongchen, Level 57. Martial Soul: Jade-eyed Ice Toad. Abilities unknown."

As Xu Jiujiu looked at the many unknowns surrounding the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, her brows furrowed even more deeply.

"Miss, what is it?"

"Is there something wrong with the information on Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy?"

Hearing that, Xu Jiujiu relaxed her brows. "Nothing, Grandma Man Yi. It is simply that Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy truly deserve to be called the continent's long-established academies."

"Each has an extraordinarily deep foundation."

"Even now, we still do not know the full extent of their strength."

"Yes. Then, Miss, should the plan proceed as before?"

"Proceed!"

In the end, Xu Jiujiu said to Nebula Douluo, "Grandma Man Yi, I'll have to trouble you to come with me."

"Please, Miss. No need to say such things!"

Immediately afterward, Xu Jiujiu left the secret chamber.

Before long, she arrived at the Star Emperor Grand Hotel, where the Xingluo Empire accommodated the various participating teams.

Xu Jiujiu did not visit the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy first.

Instead, she felt that although both sides were concealing their strength, Shrek Academy had hidden far more.

At that moment, Shrek Academy's group had just concluded an internal meeting.

Those present included their leading teacher Wang Yan, as well as Zhang Lexuan, Xuan Zi, and other guardian teachers.

The members included participating students such as Huo Yuhao and Bei Bei.

Xu Jiujiu first sent someone to announce her purpose.

"Congratulations on successfully advancing to the tournament's top sixteen. On behalf of the Xingluo royal family, Jiujiu sincerely invites you to attend the Star Luo Auction, specially prepared by the Xingluo Empire for this Continental Soul Master Tournament."

As she spoke, Xu Jiujiu personally presented Wang Yan, the other teachers, and the students with invitations to the Star Luo Auction, along with a catalog of the auction items.

Wang Yan was easygoing by nature and knew that Huo Yuhao and the others had exhausted a great deal of mental energy preparing for battle these past days.

In the end, Wang Yan thanked Xu Jiujiu. "Then we will accept Your Highness's kind invitation. We will certainly attend."

After the two sides exchanged pleasantries, Xu Jiujiu immediately went to visit the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy's residence.

After Xu Jiujiu left, Wang Yan, Huo Yuhao, and the others casually flipped through the auction catalog and could not help drawing sharp breaths.

"Seven-Myriad-Year Ice Jade Empress Scorpion Left Arm Bone!"

"Tyrant Tiger Soul-Refining Saber!"

"Ye Fan, come let your big sister pinch those little cheeks of yours."

As she spoke, Xu Jiujiu shed the serious demeanor she had worn while visiting Shrek Academy. She darted to Meng Hongchen's side with carefree ease, then sneakily stretched out a jade-like hand and gave Ye Fan's cheek a hard pinch.

"Not nearly satisfying enough."

Xu Jiujiu thought to herself, So tender, handsome, masculine, and cute. It's just a pity he's too young.

At the side, Nebula Douluo saw all of this.

Ye Fan tried to dodge, but he could not withstand Xu Jiujiu's wicked claws.

Meng Hongchen immediately felt a sense of crisis. She hurriedly slipped between Ye Fan and Xu Jiujiu, then questioned Xu Jiujiu, "Xu Jiujiu, what do you want?"

"Hehehe, our princess has come to invite everyone to attend the Star Luo Auction three days from now. She is also here to deliver the catalog of auction items."

"Tyrant Tiger Soul-Refining Saber! An eighth-class close-combat soul tool."

"Seven-Myriad-Year Ice Jade Empress Scorpion Left Arm Bone!"

"The final auction item: temporarily confidential."