The Tournament Begins, Facing Shrek Again!

Tang Chen withdrew the Destruction Scepter.

Six Soul Rings merged into his body one by one.

"The next match won't be long either."

Dugu Yan looked at Zhu Zhuqing.

"You two certainly seem concerned about him."

Zhu Zhuqing withdrew her hand.

"As teammates, it's only natural to confirm his condition."

Dugu Yan lightly raised her chin.

"That's what I thought too."

Their gazes met for a moment.

Tang Chen looked beyond the arena.

All the Heaven Dou Royal Academy students had already risen to their feet.

They watched Blazing Fire Academy being suppressed on the Soul Arena Platform, their eyes filled with shock.

From beginning to end, the match had taken less than a quarter of an hour.

Blazing Fire Academy's captain, Huo Wushuang, had not even been able to withstand one of Tang Chen's soul skills.

The host teacher stepped into the center of the Soul Arena Platform.

"This match has concluded."

"Heaven Dou Royal Academy is victorious."

"All members of Blazing Fire Academy have been eliminated."

In the stands, Heaven Dou Royal Academy's banners unfurled in the wind.

Yu Tianheng walked to Tang Chen's side.

"We won the first match quickly."

"Our coordination had no issues."

Tang Chen looked at the others.

"Fire-attribute Soul Masters excel at explosive attacks."

"In the matches ahead, if we encounter similar teams, disrupt the support first, then restrain the core."

"Understood."

Everyone answered at once.

Tang Chen led the team down from the Soul Arena Platform.

First match.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy won.

The Heaven Dou Royal Academy Team returned to the rest area.

As soon as Tang Chen stepped down from the Soul Arena Platform, Dugu Yan came over.

She raised her hand and adjusted the uniform over Tang Chen's chest.

"You stood at the very front again."

"The match ended quickly."

"Even if it ended quickly, you still shouldn't let flames strike you head-on."

Dugu Yan checked his sleeves, then looked at his chest.

Only after confirming that he was uninjured did she withdraw her hand.

Zhu Zhuqing approached from the other side.

She said nothing, merely reached out to grasp Tang Chen's sleeve and pulled him to her side.

"She already checked."

Dugu Yan looked at Zhu Zhuqing.

"I'll check again."

Zhu Zhuqing raised her eyes.

"It's normal for teammates to confirm it twice."

Dugu Yan gave a soft snort.

"Of course it is."

Yu Tianheng and the others stood nearby.

Shi Mo lowered his head, pretending not to hear anything.

Shi Mo looked up at the Soul Arena Platform.

"The Blazing Fire Academy people haven't come down yet."

Tang Chen turned around.

Huo Wushuang had already risen to his feet.

His face was still pale, and the uniform over his chest had been torn apart by Destruction Soul Power, exposing large scorch-blackened marks.

Huo Wu supported his arm as they descended from the Soul Arena Platform.

Her red hair fell behind her shoulders.

Her eyes did not look at anyone else; they remained fixed on Tang Chen.

Huo Wushuang came over.

"We lost this match completely."

"You blocked my attack."

Tang Chen said, "Your strength is sufficient. When charging head-on, don't rush to break through."

"Force out the opponent's defensive soul skills first, then look for an opening."

Huo Wushuang nodded.

"I'll remember that."

Huo Wu released Huo Wushuang's arm.

She walked up to Tang Chen.

"You only used two soul skills."

"Mm."

"What is your third soul skill?"

"The match is over."

Tang Chen looked at her.

"There's no reason for you to know."

Huo Wu raised her chin.

"You don't want to tell me?"

"There's no need to say."

"You're quite straightforward."

Huo Wu stared at Tang Chen for a moment.

Her gaze moved from his handsome face to the Destruction Scepter in his hand, then fell upon his four black and two red Soul Rings.

After the match began, she had constantly tried to find Tang Chen's weakness.

Yet even when she conceded defeat, she had not seen him truly unleash his full strength.

Huo Wu raised a hand and pressed it against her chest.

There was still a sluggish obstruction there, left behind by the backlash of Soul Power.

After Tang Chen's black sphere devoured the flames, it had directly interrupted the circulation of her Soul Power.

"I lost to you."

"I know."

Huo Wu's brow twitched slightly.

"Can't you be a little modest?"

"You already conceded defeat."

Tang Chen withdrew the Destruction Scepter.

"That's a fact."

Huo Wu looked at his calm expression, and the expression on her face gradually changed.

None of the words she had prepared came out.

Noticing his sister's movements, Huo Wushuang immediately spoke up.

"Huo Wu, let's go."

Huo Wu did not respond.

She took a step forward, closing the distance between herself and Tang Chen.

Dugu Yan's fingers settled on Tang Chen's sleeve.

Zhu Zhuqing also lifted her eyes to look over.

Tang Chen noticed their movements, but he did not step back.

Huo Wu raised her face.

"Tang Chen."

"What is it?"

"The next time we meet, I'll win it back."

"Talk after you win."

Huo Wu looked into his eyes.

The next moment, she suddenly reached out and grabbed the uniform over Tang Chen's chest.

Her red figure leaned forward.

Soft lips lightly touched Tang Chen's cheek.

The movement was swift.

Before Tang Chen could react, Huo Wu had already backed away.

All conversation around them stopped.

Dugu Yan's fingers froze in midair.

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Huo Wu, the warmth in her eyes turning cold.

A flush spread across Huo Wu's cheeks.

She offered no explanation, merely raised her hand to smooth the wrinkled fabric over Tang Chen's chest.

"This is your reward for defeating me."

Tang Chen looked at her.

"I didn't ask for a reward."

"I wanted to give you one."

Huo Wu withdrew her hand.

"In the next match, I won't lose so quickly."

With that, she turned and walked toward Huo Wushuang.

Huo Wushuang glanced at Tang Chen, then looked at his sister.

"What did you just do?"

"None of your business."

"Huo Wu."

"We'll talk when we get back."

Huo Wu quickened her pace.

Huo Wushuang could only follow.

Only after the Blazing Fire Academy people left did Dugu Yan turn her head.

She looked at the faint red mark left on Tang Chen's cheek.

"That was the reward she mentioned?"

"I don't know."

Tang Chen raised a hand and wiped his face.

Zhu Zhuqing took out a handkerchief from her sleeve.

She walked before Tang Chen and wiped away that faint trace for him.

Her movements were very gentle, but her expression was quieter than usual.

Dugu Yan stood beside them.

"You're wiping it very carefully."

Zhu Zhuqing did not stop.

"It isn't suitable to continue competing with someone else's mark on his face."

Dugu Yan walked to Tang Chen's other side.

She took out a bottle of medicinal liquid from her waist and directly held it out before Tang Chen.

"This is medicinal liquid I brought back from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."

"After drinking it, it can clear away any residual flames."

Tang Chen accepted the jade bottle.

"I wasn't injured just now."

"You can drink it even if you weren't injured."

Dugu Yan glanced at Zhu Zhuqing.

"After all, someone was touched by Huo Wu just now."

Zhu Zhuqing put away her handkerchief.

"The medicine can only regulate Soul Power."

"The mark on your face has already been wiped off."

Dugu Yan lightly raised her chin.

"I never said the mark was still there."

Tang Chen looked at the two beside him.

"What are you arguing about?"

"Nothing."

Dugu Yan and Zhu Zhuqing spoke at the same time.

They looked at each other, then looked away at the same time.

Ye Lingling stood at the back of the group.

She glanced in the direction Huo Wu had left, then looked at Tang Chen.

"Tang Chen, are you really not feeling unwell?"

"No."

Ye Lingling nodded.

"That's good."

Yu Tianheng raised a hand and pressed it to his forehead.

"The next match hasn't even started, and you're already in disarray."

Shi Mo said, "Captain, this isn't something we can interfere with."

Shi Mo nodded along.

"We wouldn't dare interfere either."

Dugu Yan turned to look at the two of them.

"What did you say?"

The Shi brothers immediately fell silent.

Tang Chen did not continue the topic.

He looked toward the Soul Arena Platform.

"Go back and rest."

"There's another match tomorrow."

Everyone left the resting area.

Tang Chen walked in the middle.

Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan stood on either side of him.

Both stood a little closer to him than usual.

Tang Chen did not notice.

Nor did either of them take the initiative to move away.

The next day.

The tournament draw concluded.

Inside the academy resting area, Yu Tianheng returned with the match roster in hand.

His expression was more serious than usual.

"The opponent for the second match has been decided."

Shi Mo asked, "Which team is it?"

Yu Tianheng placed the roster on the table.

"Shrek Academy."

Dugu Yan's movements stopped.

Zhu Zhuqing lifted her eyes.

Tang Chen sat beside the table, flipping through the Soul Master Tournament schedule.

Upon hearing that name, he looked up at Yu Tianheng.

"Have their members changed?"

"A great deal."

Yu Tianheng spread out another set of documents.

"Dai Mubai, Soul Power Level forty-one."

"Tang San, level thirty-seven."

"Xiao Wu, level thirty-six."

"Ma Hongjun, level thirty-five."

"Oscar, level thirty-four."

"Ning Rongrong, level thirty-five."

"And one substitute Soul Master, level thirty-three."

Shi Mo looked at the roster.

"Other than Dai Mubai, they're all Soul Elders."

Yu Tianheng nodded.

"Compared to two years ago, they've improved considerably."

Dugu Yan picked up Tang San's file.

"Tang San's Blue Silver Grass control ability isn't weak."

"During the last individual spar, his Soul Power was only level thirty."

"Now he's already level thirty-seven."

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Dai Mubai's name.

"Dai Mubai is level forty-one."

After she spoke, her fingertips paused on the paper.

Tang Chen noticed her movement.

"You know him."

Zhu Zhuqing withdrew her finger.

"We knew each other before."

"He's from the Star Luo Empire imperial family."

"He's also my fiancé."

The resting area fell silent for a moment.

Dugu Yan glanced at Zhu Zhuqing.

She did not ask anything, merely placing the file back on the table.

Tang Chen looked at Zhu Zhuqing.

"What are you planning to do?"

"Fight according to the competition rules."

Zhu Zhuqing raised her head.

"He has already chosen to stand with Shrek Academy, and I won't hold back either."

Tang Chen nodded.

"Good."

Yu Tianheng reorganized the match materials.

"Shrek Academy has been undergoing targeted training recently."

"Tang San is responsible for control, while Ning Rongrong and Oscar provide support."

"Dai Mubai has the highest Soul Power and will serve as their front-line core."

"Their coordination is more mature than before."

Tang Chen picked up the roster.

He studied each person's Martial Soul and Soul Skill records.

"What is Dai Mubai's fourth Soul Skill?"

"White Tiger Meteor Shower."

Yu Tianheng replied, "It can rain down a large number of white light projectiles from the air. Its attack range is very wide."

"Tang San's fourth Soul Skill has not been recorded yet."

Dugu Yan said, "He absorbed a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring."

"His fourth Soul Skill most likely relates to Blue Silver Grass control."

Tang Chen set down the documents.

"Shi Mo and Shi Mo will hold off Dai Mubai once the match begins."

"Tianheng will keep Ma Hongjun occupied."

"Zhu Qing will handle the flank."

"Dugu Yan will restrain their back line."

"Lingling, keep your distance from the support Soul Masters."

Ye Lingling nodded.

Tang Chen looked at everyone.

"I'll handle Tang San."

Yu Tianheng immediately agreed.

"Understood."

Dugu Yan placed her palm on the table.

"If Tang San's fourth Soul Skill can restrict your movements, I'll use poison mist to interrupt him."

"Don't get close."

Tang Chen looked at her.

"Blue Silver Grass is countered by Destruction Soul Power."

"But now that his Soul Power Level has risen, his control ability won't be stuck at where it was two years ago."

"I know."

Dugu Yan withdrew her hand.

"I was only reminding you."

Zhu Zhuqing stepped to Tang Chen's side.

She reached out and adjusted the collar of his team uniform.

"I'll keep an eye on Dai Mubai during tomorrow's match."

Tang Chen looked at her.

"If he attacks you, don't hold back because of your past relationship."

"I won't."

Zhu Zhuqing smoothed his collar.

"And don't block attacks for me either."

Dugu Yan came to his other side.

"He's right."

Zhu Zhuqing turned to look at her.

"You think so too?"

"Of course."

Dugu Yan looked at Tang Chen.

"If Dai Mubai entangles him, let him deal with it himself."

"We only need to keep their back line in check."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded lightly.

"Fine."

Tang Chen looked at the two of them.

"When did you reach an agreement?"

"After Huo Wu kissed you."

Dugu Yan answered quickly.

Zhu Zhuqing did not refute her.

She merely grabbed Tang Chen's sleeve again.

"Tomorrow, you're not allowed to let anyone else get close to you."

"Not during the match."

"And after the match?"

Dugu Yan looked over.

Tang Chen paused for a moment.

"I'll be careful."

Only then was Dugu Yan satisfied.

Zhu Zhuqing, however, did not let go.

Outside the Heaven Dou Royal Academy resting area.

The members of Shrek Academy walked through the corridor.

Dai Mubai walked at the front.

He wore a white team uniform, his long golden hair draped behind his shoulders. His Soul Power was far stronger than it had been two years ago.

Tang San followed behind him.

His blue robes had been replaced by the standard team uniform.

His gaze crossed the corridor and landed on Tang Chen.

Their eyes met in midair.

Tang San stopped walking.

Dai Mubai stopped as well.

The Shrek group stood on the other side of the corridor.

When Xiao Wu saw Tang Chen, her expression immediately became complicated.

She then looked at Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan beside Tang Chen, her fingers slowly tightening.

Ning Rongrong stood beside Oscar.

She glanced at the golden token at Tang Chen's waist before looking away.

Tang San spoke first.

"Tang Chen."

"Tang San."

Their clash from two years ago still lingered between them.

Tang San glanced at the silver swan emblem on the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Team's uniforms.

"You're already level sixty-three."

"You're already level thirty-seven as well."

Tang Chen said, "You've improved quickly."

"This time won't be like last time."

Tang San raised his eyes.

"We've been preparing for a long time."

"Then we'll meet in the match."

Dai Mubai stepped forward.

He looked at Zhu Zhuqing.

"Zhu Qing."

Zhu Zhuqing did not respond.

Dai Mubai's expression darkened.

"You're unwilling to say even a single word to me?"

"The match is about to begin."

Zhu Zhuqing raised her eyes to look at him.

"Whatever lies between us can wait until after the match."

"You've still decided to stand with Tang Chen?"

"I stand with my own team."

Zhu Zhuqing withdrew her gaze.

"So do you."

Dai Mubai glanced at Tang Chen.

"This time, I'll defeat you with my own hands."