The Tournament Opens
Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena, voices rang out from early morning until noon.
The teams from each college entered the venue in the order drawn by lot. Shrek was in eleventh place, and as soon as they entered the passage, they were followed by whispers from all around.
"It's them. A twelve-year-old Soul Emperor appeared during the registration."
"The one at level 65?"
"White-Clad, carrying a knife."
Yuan Yu walked in the middle of the group, carrying Wine Gourd in his left hand and his right hand resting on his sword sheath. When he heard someone call his name, he turned around and looked back.
Immediately, someone in the stands started waving.
Ma Hongjun leaned closer to him. "You only showed your Spirit Ring once, and more people know you than the Dean does."
"That's normal," Yuan Yu said. "They have good judgment."
Flender, who was walking ahead, stopped upon hearing this. "With so many people recognizing you, it would be perfect to add a few merchant guild names to your clothes."
Liu Erlong kicked him from behind. "Move forward."
Flender had no choice but to abandon the idea of negotiating a business deal on the spot.
A main arena had been erected in the center of the Great Soul Arena, with stands around it large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of spectators. As Shrek entered the academy's viewing area, the VIP seats were gradually filled with people.
The Five Elements Academy's locations are all near the main arena.
The Blazing Fire Academy were the first to recognize Yuan Yu. Huo Wu, sitting at the front of the group, saw the White-Clad emerge from the passage and raised her hand in a gesture of drawing her sword. Huo Wushuang followed her gaze and whispered a reminder, "Today it's the Royal Second Team; it's not our turn."
"I know." Huo Wu lowered her hand. "Let's see how he uses the Flame Pattern first."
Godwind Academy was right next door. Feng Xiaotian, who had been studying the competition schedule, immediately moved between the two teams when he heard Huo Wu speak, "If you want to see the Wind Pattern, I can go with you."
Huo Wu turned her head. "Who said I wanted to see the Wind Pattern?"
"Six elements, it won't take much of a look."
Huo Wushuang raised his hand and pushed him back to Divine Wind's seat. "The competition hasn't started yet, so sit down first."
The area around the Skywater Academy was much quieter. Shui Bing'er only instructed her team members to remember Shrek's entry order and the number of substitutes. Shui Yue'er, kept staring at the Wine Gourd at Yuan Yu's waist and whispered to her sister, "Are we allowed to bring wine onto the field in the competition?"
"I'll hand it over to my teammates before I go on the field."
How did you know?
He submitted it once on the day he registered.
Shui Yue'er nodded, then asked, "What's the point of carrying it around all the time?"
Shui Bing'er did not answer. This question was probably only known to Yuan Yu himself.
Seated in the center was an elderly man with white hair and beard, wearing Golden Diamond Sky-Cloaking Crown; he was none other than Xue Ye, the emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire. Ning Fengzhi sat to his right, his light-colored robe spotless. On the other side was an elderly man in a red robe, his five-pointed platinum crown particularly conspicuous under the lamplight.
Salas, Platinum Bishop of the Spirit Hall.
Xue Qinghe sat half a step behind Xue Ye, reviewing today's schedule. After the Shrek team appeared, he looked up and scanned the stands, his gaze lingering briefly on Yuan Yu before quickly returning to the documents in his hands.
Yuan Yu saw it, but only lifted the Wine Gourd.
Both of them moved very quietly, Ning Fengzhi, who was sitting nearby, didn't notice. Salas's attention was entirely on the registration book, and he had no mind to observe the gaze of a Crown Prince.
He has already read Shrek's information three times.
At twelve years old, level sixty-five, with six God-given Spirit Rings. The Spirit Hall's internal records only state that Yuan Yu was born in Spirit City and is under the care of the Worship Hall. He has been granted permission to go out for training. The Ten Thousand Manifestations Nine Trials, the origin of the Nine Patterns, and the Gods' Descent Trials are all top-secret, and even with his permission authority, he cannot access them.
Salas closed the register and tapped his fingers twice on the cover.
The child raised by the Worship Hall was competing on behalf of a newly renamed academy. The Papal Hall did not issue a recall order, and no one from Spirit City came to stop it. The quieter the matter remained, the less he dared to interfere.
The emcee's voice was Amplifying Soul Tool throughout the venue.
Xue Ye stood up and announced the official start of the Heaven Dou Division competition. Applause erupted from the audience, and hundreds of academy flags hanging from the roof were simultaneously blown open by wind-type Soul Tool.
After the opening remarks, the emcee handed the topic to Ning Fengzhi.
"Sect Master Ning, among the twenty-eight teams participating today, which one do you think has the best chance?"
The room quickly quieted down.
Ning Fengzhi smiled and said, "I do have high hopes for a team. They are young, have great potential, and one of their juniors has some connection with the Upper Three Sects. As for their name, you will all see it after the competition begins."
Tang San sat in the spectator area and knew that the junior Ning Fengzhi was talking about was himself.
Many people around them simultaneously looked at Yuan Yu.
A level 65 Soul Emperor is too conspicuous; no one would first think of a level 41 Blue Silver Grass Soul Master.
Yuan Yu turned his head to the side. "Little San, Sect Master Ning praised you, why are they all looking at me?"
"Because you were just waving at the stands."
"Is this related?"
"Very relevant."
Ning Rongrong was laughing so hard her shoulders were shaking.
The emcee couldn't get the team's name, so he continued with the opening ceremony. Taking advantage of the opportunity to draw qualification certificates, Salas took out a Tournament Badge from the box and glanced at it.
Shrek Academy.
A hint of coldness appeared in his eyes, but he only called out the names according to the rules. The only publicly announced match in the first round was Shrek versus the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Second Team.
The audience immediately became lively.
The Royal Academy had the home advantage, and its second team's reputation far surpassed that of the newly renamed Shrek. News of what happened at the Registration Office spread quickly, and many people came today just to see how capable that twelve-year-old Soul Emperor really was.
Inside the rest area, Tang San laid out the starting lineup.
"Boss Dai, me, Xiao Wu, Tai Long, Jing Ling, Jiang Zhu, and Yuan Yu."
Huang Yuan at the list. "I'm not going?"
"Heaven Dou Second Team has three Power Attack System; they'll definitely charge at Yuan Yu at the start. Tai Long will block from the front, Jing Ling will cut through the backline, and Jiang Zhu will handle the healing. We'll switch you in next round."
Huang Yuan nodded without arguing.
Oscar asked, "If Rongrong doesn't participate either, what will happen to the growth rate?"
"This round isn't necessary." Tang San closed the list. "Since they've given us one minute, we'll finish within that minute."
Yuan Yu handed the Wine Gourd to Ning Rongrong: "Hold this for me."
Ning Rongrong shook the gourd. "What if it's missing?"
"Find Fatty."
Ma Hongjun immediately protested, "Why me again?"
"You can tell from its eyes that it's the most mischievous."
Staff pushed open the door leading to the main arena. Lights shone into the rest area from the front, and shouts from the audience followed.
The seven Shrek members got up and walked towards the arena.
On the other side, the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Second Team had also taken the stage. The young man who had challenged them during registration stood at the front of the team. When he saw Yuan Yu starting, his expression stiffened, but he still managed a forced smile.
"They actually dared to go up there."
Yuan Yu took his place, his Sun Wheel Blade held horizontally at his waist.
"I brought the minute you borrowed yesterday."
Above the arena, the Soul Tool slowly reset to zero.
The Referee raised his right hand.
"Both sides prepare to unleash their Martial Soul!"