Soul Master Tournament: One Against Seven

Wang Yan pushed up his glasses, sweat pouring down his face:

"Chi Hong, how can you put a price on Shrek's honor? It isn't something you can trade. As a student of the academy, don't you feel any loyalty to it?"

Chi Hong remained perfectly at ease.

"Loyalty? How much is that worth? Think carefully, Teacher Wang. Xuan Zi caused this disaster himself, then handed the team to you. The academy may not blame you if you fail to win the championship.

"But what will outsiders think? What will the students who had such high hopes think? Shrek has won nearly every tournament championship in history. And now it loses one on your watch?

"What do you think outsiders will say about Shrek? Bad luck? An unfortunate setback? No. They'll say Shrek isn't good enough! People only care about results, not how you got there. A loss is a loss!"

Chi Hong's words slowly wore down Wang Yan's resolve.

Wang Yan clutched his hair, deeply troubled.

This was exactly what he had been worrying about.

Xuan Zi might be the one in charge, but Wang Yan was the teacher leading the team!

If he failed to reclaim Shrek's glory, he didn't deserve to be a Shrek teacher.

Besides, Chi Hong wasn't doing anything wrong.

He still vividly remembered how Zhou Yi and Xuan Zi had berated Chi Hong back at the academy.

But he absolutely could not afford to lose Chi Hong's fighting strength.

Wang Yan glanced over the seven members of the reserve team.

Even together, they had been unable to beat Chi Hong. Winning the championship with these unreliable students was impossible.

"Shrek's glory cannot be lost." Wang Yan gritted his teeth and raised his head with resolve. "Tell me what reward you want. A Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone? Or a hundred-thousand-year soul ring? Win the championship, and the academy can give you either."

Chi Hong raised a finger and wagged it.

"My Martial Soul summons Soul Beasts. Those things are useless to me. Soon, I'm going to an auction in the Star Luo Empire to buy three items. Xuan Zi previously gave me a limit of one hundred million Gold Soul Coins. Now, no matter what they cost, the academy has to buy them for me."

Wang Yan froze.

"A hundred million? No upper limit? That's..."

He weighed it in his mind.

At past auctions, even the most expensive items had sold for only tens of millions. Items worth over a hundred million were almost unheard of.

Xuan Zi had already set such a high limit, so he must have known Chi Hong was unlikely to spend anywhere near that much. He might even have known what the auction would offer.

As deputy Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion, he surely knew what he was doing!

After a frantic burst of calculation, Wang Yan said:

"Fine. As long as you preserve Shrek's glory, spend whatever it takes!"

Chi Hong's lips curled.

"It's a deal, then. Teacher, I trust you won't go back on your word."

Wang Yan nodded firmly, a knowing glint flashing across his lenses.

Star Luo City.

The group checked into the Royal Grand Hotel.

Wang Yan gathered the seven reserve team members, Chi Hong, and Huo Yuhao in a meeting room.

He wore a warm smile and looked full of confidence.

"Why the long faces? Aside from Shrek's official team, the other teams are all quite weak. There's no need to worry.

"Besides, Chi Hong will be leading us. You've all experienced his strength firsthand."

The seven exchanged awkward looks.

Xu Sanshi and Dai Huabin both snorted, plainly unhappy with Chi Hong.

After all, their firsthand experience had consisted of getting beaten black and blue. Now they had to join forces with their former opponent. Of course they weren't pleased.

After a moment, Beibei took the initiative and smiled.

"Chi Hong, Yuhao, we'll be fighting side by side from now on. I look forward to working with you."

Huo Yuhao replied politely.

Chi Hong lifted his head and said flatly:

"Xuan Zi said I'm not suited to team battles. With too many people on the field, my Soul Beasts won't be able to coordinate with you. So whenever there's a team match, none of you need to fight. I'm enough on my own."

Chi Hong genuinely didn't want them on the field. He was afraid they would take a share of his experience points.

He wanted all the experience for himself.

Beibei's smile stiffened.

Dai Huabin flew into a rage.

"You're saying you don't need us for team matches? Are you calling us dead weight? Useless?"

Chi Hong glanced at him without answering.

But his look made the answer clear: Exactly.

Xu Sanshi said coldly:

"Fine by me. I'll never work with someone who hurt Nannan!"

Jiang Nannan asked, "Captain, if you handle every seven-person team match in the Knockout Stage, how will we divide up the three-two-two matches in the round-robin stage?"

Xu Sanshi stared at her in disbelief.

"Nannan, how can you talk to him on your own initiative?"

Chi Hong shrugged.

"Draw lots. Whoever wants to fight can fight."

"Ahem." Wang Yan coughed twice, trying to smooth things over. "All right, no more arguing. Chi Hong will fight alone in the team matches. I'll arrange the rest. How does that sound?"

No one objected.

Dai Huabin and Xu Sanshi stopped provoking Chi Hong.

Neither of them could beat him, and Chi Hong could even call on Ma Xiaotao, that terrifyingly violent woman.

If that lunatic who killed people and set fires at the academy came after them, they were finished.

The next day.

"Shrek! Shrek! Shrek..."

Before anyone had even taken the stage, the spectators were already roaring Shrek's name.

Hearing the wild cheers outside, the seven reserve team members waiting backstage felt their blood run hot.

To display their strength and brilliance on a stage before thousands of eyes, to bask in the crowd's cheers—what could be more thrilling?

But now they couldn't compete. All they could do was sit on the sidelines.

Dai Huabin clenched his fists, his eyes full of resentment. As the son of the White Tiger Duke, he wanted more than anyone to step onto that stage and receive the crowd's cheers.

But that man had taken it all from him.

Beside him, Huo Yuhao gave him a quiet glance, the corner of his mouth lifting.

So that was what he valued most.

Amid the spectators' cheers, Chi Hong tugged down the brim of his hat and walked onto the fighting stage alone. He stopped in the center and regarded his opponents calmly.

The cheers gradually gave way to a buzz of discussion.

"Huh? Why did Shrek send out only one person? Did they forget the Knockout Stage uses team battles?"

"No way. Shrek's really going one against seven? They don't take their opponents seriously at all. That's Shrek for you."

"Wait, I don't think he's even on Shrek's official team. He's so young—definitely not over fifteen! Could he be from the reserve team?"

The captain of Tianling Academy was furious.

"You arrogant bastard! Just because you're from Shrek doesn't mean you can look down on us. If you're fighting alone, seven against one gives us the advantage—and a real chance to win!"