"Seven Treasures Have Names, third: soul."
"Seven Treasures Have Names, sixth: enhancement."
His fingertips stirred slightly, and seven soft rays of light poured from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, landing precisely on the Shrek group, particularly the gravely wounded Tang San.
And precisely because of this, Xiao Wu, who was beside Tang San in a state of extreme anxiety, was unexpectedly knocked sideways by the light, stumbling back.
At that moment.
Flender let out a long breath and was about to step forward to receive the award.
But suddenly, his footsteps stopped.
The Lovesick Heartbreak Red at Xiao Wu's waist, so brilliantly red it seemed about to drip, had slipped from the inner fold of her clothes at some point.
The air seemed to freeze for an instant.
In that brief moment, four pairs of eyes before the Pope's Palace fell on her simultaneously. Astonishment appeared in them at the same time.
Then.
All the Titled Douluo turned their attention her way.
Poison Douluo Dugu Bo narrowed his serpentine eyes, his gaze locked firmly on Xiao Wu. His lips moved slightly, as though he had confirmed something, and his pupils abruptly contracted.
"A soul beast..."
Those words were quiet, yet they were like a pebble dropped into stagnant water.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin frowned as well.
He stood far away, but how keen was his perception of soul power?
When Ning Fengzhi had unleashed his soul skill just now, the fluctuations of soul power had touched Xiao Wu's body, and he had distinctly sensed a trace of soul power that did not belong to a human-extremely faint, yet exceptionally pure.
It was the aura of a soul beast.
Bone Douluo Gu Rong said nothing, but he turned slightly, unobtrusively positioning himself in front of Ning Fengzhi.
At that moment, everyone's eyes fell on that Lovesick Heartbreak Red.
Xiao Wu's face instantly turned white.
She bent to pick it up, but the instant her fingers touched its petals, a voice so calm it was almost gentle came from above her:
"It's already fallen. Picking it up again is meaningless."
Qian Chenming stood on the steps, looking down at her.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile still lingered at the corners of his mouth, like a tolerant elder looking at a mischievous child.
But his gaze was chillingly cold.
Especially at that moment, the expressions of the Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo behind him abruptly changed, and both stepped forward.
Xiao Wu did not answer.
The hand holding the flower trembled slightly.
Seeing this, Tang San moved in front of Xiao Wu. He said nothing, but the vigilance and resolve in his eyes had already said everything.
Qian Chenming did not look at him.
He slowly withdrew his gaze and looked at Ning Fengzhi and Flender, his voice so level that no emotion could be discerned. "This Pontiff hereby announces that Shrek Academy's results are revoked. The championship will pass to the second-place Spirit Hall Academy team."
His words fell.
The entire venue was deathly silent.
Exclamations of surprise rose one after another.
"Wasn't it already over? Why suddenly revoke their results?"
"But Shrek already won the championship."
"Could His Holiness the Pope have discovered that they cheated?"
The Shrek group wore expressions of utter confusion and shock.
Dai Mubai was deeply displeased. "On what grounds are you revoking it? We won the championship through genuine strength."
"Exactly! Is it just because we defeated your Spirit Hall?" Ma Hongjun chimed in.
As their team leader, Yu Xiaogang stepped forward, first silencing the others before saying:
"Your respected Holiness, I believe you would not make such a decision without cause. We of Shrek need a reason."
After saying this.
Yu Xiaogang had already keenly noticed the changes in quite a few people's expressions.
Especially those of the Titled Douluo present.
And besides them.
Tang San's and Xiao Wu's expressions were the ones that most closely matched those of the Titled Douluo.
So what exactly happened...?
Yu Xiaogang was filled with confusion.
"A reason?"
Hearing this, Qian Chenming smiled, his gaze falling on Xiao Wu as he slowly said, "Because this young lady is not human."
The entire venue fell silent again.
"She is a soul beast. Moreover, she is a hundred-thousand-year soul beast!"
His words landed like a pebble striking a tranquil lake, sending ripples spreading outward, layer upon layer.
Everyone was digesting those words, their gazes turning toward Xiao Wu in unison.
Xiao Wu held the Lovesick Heartbreak Red, her lips trembling slightly, but offered no defense.
She knew that at this point, any defense was meaningless.
"A hundred-thousand-year soul beast infiltrated a human Soul Master Tournament?"
"And even won the championship?"
"This..."
Countless gazes fell on Xiao Wu, some shocked, some fearful, some greedy.
The Shrek group was even more dumbfounded.
"How could Xiao Wu possibly be a soul beast?" Ning Rongrong could not believe it.
She immediately looked toward her father, but the expressions of the Sword and Bone Douluo had already explained everything.
"Xiao Wu, tell them this isn't true," Zhu Zhuqing said, deeply agitated.
Seeing this.
Tang San stood in front of Xiao Wu, his voice calm with a steadiness beyond his years. "That's right, everyone. Xiao Wu is indeed a soul beast."
At this point, there was no concealing it even if they wanted to.
He paused, left with no choice but to meet Qian Chenming's gaze and say each word distinctly. "His Holiness the Pope is correct. In that case, our Shrek Academy is willing to withdraw from the tournament and relinquish the championship."
"Tang San!"
Dai Mubai suddenly spoke, but Tang San raised a hand to stop him.
"This is the best choice, Boss Dai," Tang San said.
Flender fell silent for a moment, then finally sighed. "Tang San is the team captain. He's right. We of Shrek broke the rules. We relinquish this championship."
Perhaps only this way could they keep Xiao Wu safe. Thinking it over, everyone in Shrek assumed as much.
Yet Qian Chenming still did not withdraw his gaze. He slowly descended the steps, each footfall seeming to land on the tips of everyone's hearts.
"You may withdraw from the tournament. But the soul beast must stay."
At those words, Tang San's pupils abruptly contracted. He knew he could not take Xiao Wu away safely today.
The Shrek group grew even more vigilant.
And people such as Poison Douluo and the Sword and Bone Douluo also edged closer to Shrek.
At this, Qian Chenming smiled with utter composure.
"Since ancient times, soul masters hunting soul beasts has been as natural and right as heaven and earth. All the more so when it is a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.
"This Pontiff knows that Poison Douluo and the Sword and Bone Douluo are also interested in this hundred-thousand-year soul beast. Since that is the case, let us compete fairly. Whoever has the ability may claim her."
Once those words were spoken.
Poison Douluo and the Sword and Bone Douluo were caught in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat.
They knew.
The meaning beneath Qian Chenming's words was far too clear.
First, Xiao Wu was a soul beast, so revoking Shrek's championship was entirely reasonable, and there was nothing improper about hunting her either.
If they stood in the way, they would be entirely in the wrong.
Second, since that was the case.
Spirit Hall would show no mercy. Whether they lived or died then would depend on heaven's will.
At once.
Ning Fengzhi could only let his expression darken and signal for the Sword and Bone Douluo to step aside. This catastrophe facing Shrek Academy was one their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was destined to be unable to stop.
They had no grounds.
Much less the so-called ability.
P.S. Whether or not I advance, I'll be putting this novel on paid release at midnight tonight. Thank you, brothers, for keeping up with it. I'll adjust the update time from noon to midnight going forward. In other words, I've now posted two chapters, and at midnight tonight I'll post another two chapters of the climactic fight against Hao. Please keep reading, lovelies.
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