Shui Bing'er with her long, water-blue hair walked at the very front of the team.
Two years had passed, and her features were even more striking and refined than before.
After entering the Spirit Arena, Shui Bing'er's gaze constantly searched among the various teams.
Back in the Great Star Dou Forest, Lin Tian had once saved her life.
She had never forgotten that figure who blocked the sky-filling vines ahead.
When Skywater Academy passed the viewing platform, Shui Bing'er withdrew her gaze.
Spirit Hall's team had not yet appeared.
The host raised an arm.
"Entering next is Heaven Dou Royal Academy First Team!"
Cheers in the audience quickly surged.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy represented the imperial family.
The students able to enter the first team were all geniuses among the younger generation of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Yu Tianheng walked at the front of the team.
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling stood behind him.
The Shi Brothers, Yu Feng, and Osler followed closely.
The seven wore gold and white academy uniforms.
On their chests, the swan crest of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family was embroidered.
Yu Tianheng looked up toward the viewing platform.
Xue Ye nodded slightly.
Having gained the emperor's approval, the expressions of everyone from Heaven Dou Royal Academy became more serious.
Participating in this tournament, their goal was likewise the championship.
When Heaven Dou Royal Academy walked past the plaza, another team appeared at the entrance.
The colors of their academy uniforms varied.
A green monster pattern was also embroidered on their chests.
The host glanced down at the roster.
"Entering now is Shrek Academy."
"Shrek Academy is a newly registered Advanced Soul Master Academy."
"This is also their first time participating in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament."
Dai Mubai walked at the very front.
Tang San and Xiao Wu walked side by side.
Ma Hongjun, Oscar, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong followed behind.
Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and Liu Erlong headed to the academy viewing area from another passageway.
A large wave of discussion quickly broke out in the audience.
"Shrek Academy?"
"What kind of academy is this?"
"I've never heard of it before."
"Their academy uniforms are too ugly."
"Daring to participate in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament right after registering, they'll probably be eliminated in the first round."
"A team like this will do well to last a single match."
Ma Hongjun's expression turned ugly.
"What do these people know?"
"Once we win the match, let's see if they still dare to talk like this."
Dai Mubai swept a glance across the audience.
"Matches rely on strength."
"As long as we keep winning all the way, these people will naturally shut up."
Tang San ignored the surrounding discussion.
His Blue Silver Grass had already acquired its fourth soul ring.
Under his control, the Shrek Seven Monsters could unleash combat power far exceeding individual soul power.
What was more, they also mastered the Seven-in-One Fusion Technique.
Tang San had never taken ordinary academies seriously.
Even facing Heaven Dou Royal Academy and the Five Elemental Academies, Shrek still had sufficient odds of winning.
"The first place in this tournament naturally belongs to Shrek."
Tang San looked toward the center of the Spirit Arena.
In his eyes, there was only the final championship.
The Shrek party walked to the designated area.
The host, however, did not announce the end of the entries.
The lights around the Spirit Arena suddenly went out by more than half.
Countless gazes turned simultaneously toward the last passageway.
A pillar of golden light descended from the sky.
The beam of light landed at the exit of the passageway, illuminating the Spirit Hall emblem on the ground.
The host raised his arm once more.
"Entering last is the Spirit Hall Academy representative team!"
"According to the regulations of past tournaments, the Spirit Hall Academy representative team can directly enter the final round."
"But for this tournament, Spirit Hall voluntarily relinquished this privilege."
"Like other academies, they will start participating from the first round."
"Spirit Hall will rely on its own strength to fight its way into the finals, match by match!"
The entire Spirit Arena instantly boiled over.
Spirit Hall Academy had always been the most formidable contender for the Soul Master Tournament championship.
Every batch of competitors sent out by Spirit Hall consisted of top geniuses selected from all over the continent.
Now that Spirit Hall was giving up the direct pass to the finals, it meant other academies might encounter them very early on.
Orderly footsteps came from within the passageway.
Seven figures walked out from the golden radiance.
Lin Tian walked at the very front.
He wore a set of black and gold close-fitting combat attire.
Golden patterns extended along the lapels toward his shoulders, finally converging into a seraphim pattern.
Two years of time had made his figure even more tall and straight.
Black long hair hung down behind his shoulders.
His forty-fifth-rank soul power was completely restrained, making it impossible for outsiders to judge his specific cultivation from him.
Hu Liena walked on Lin Tian's left.
She wore a white and gold close-fitting short skirt, her waist bound by a golden belt.
Black silk stockings wrapped around her two slender and beautiful legs.
Light brown long hair fell across her chest.
Xie Yue and Yan stood on either side.
The remaining three core students followed behind the team.
The seven walked along the golden carpet toward the plaza.
The formation of Spirit Hall Academy was extremely clear-cut.
Lin Tian was the sole core of the entire team.
Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan all voluntarily lagged half a step behind him.
After seeing the face of Spirit Hall's captain clearly, Tang San's steps suddenly stopped.
"Lin Tian?"
The Shrek group turned their heads at the same time.
Flender stood up from the academy viewing area.
Yu Xiaogang stared at Lin Tian walking at the very front of the Spirit Hall team, his face full of astonishment.
"How could it be him?"
Two years ago, Lin Tian was still good-for-nothing who could not attach soul rings.
Even though he later produced a black soul ring, Yu Xiaogang had always believed it was merely an illusion.
Yet now, Lin Tian was actually representing Spirit Hall Academy to participate in the tournament.
And he was even the captain.
Oscar looked toward Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan.
The soul power fluctuations on these three people all far exceeded ordinary participating students.
Yet they willingly walked behind Lin Tian.
"How did he become the captain of Spirit Hall?"
Ma Hongjun was likewise unable to understand.
"Does Spirit Hall have no one left?"
"To actually let a good-for-nothing lead the team."
Zhu Zhuqing did not speak.
She looked at Lin Tian passing by the front of the plaza.
Not seen in two years, the changes in Lin Tian were simply too great.
The person who had originally been expelled by Shrek now stood at the very front of Spirit Hall Academy.
Ning Rongrong frowned slightly.
"Spirit Hall couldn't possibly choose a captain casually."
"Since Lin Tian can stand in that position, his strength definitely isn't weak."
Tang San snorted coldly.
"Being captain doesn't represent strength."
"Spirit Hall perhaps only took a fancy to his healing ability."
"Xiao Wu, we don't need to pay attention to him."
Xiao Wu nodded.
Yu Xiaogang, however, kept staring at Lin Tian.
He could not accept that the person he personally expelled with his own hands had become the captain of Spirit Hall Academy.
If Lin Tian displayed sufficient strength in the tournament, everyone would know what Shrek Academy had missed out on.
By then, his theories and judgments would become a joke once again.
Lin Tian walked to the Spirit Hall Academy area.
From beginning to end, he did not even look at Shrek.
This disregard made Yu Xiaogang's expression even gloomier.
After the various academies finished entering, the opening ceremony continued.
Xue Ye rose to deliver a speech.
Ning Fengzhi represented the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in encouraging all participating students.
Salas publicly announced the rules of this tournament.
When the ceremony ended, the various teams began heading toward different match areas.
Inside the rest area of Shrek Academy.
Yu Xiaogang closed the door.
Tang San and the others stood before him.
"You all saw Lin Tian just now."
Yu Xiaogang carried his hands behind his back.
"I don't care what method he used to become the captain of Spirit Hall."
"As long as Shrek encounters Spirit Hall in the matches, we must never give him a chance to turn things around."
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