Blazing Fire City.
The morning mist had yet to disperse completely.
The rising sun resembled a blazing fire, dyeing the sky a brilliant gold and red.
The central square of Blazing Fire Academy was already packed with people, bustling with activity.
Hundreds of Blazing Fire students gathered around the edges of the square, all eyes fixed on its center.
There, the members of the Blazing Fire Team stood in orderly ranks.
Huo Wushuang, Huo Yun, Huo Yu, and the other core members all wore solemn expressions, their eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
At the very front of the team, Chen Jin stood quietly.
His spotless, snow-white robe fluttered gently in the breeze.
His incomparably handsome face betrayed no emotion, and his entire bearing radiated an air of detachment from worldly affairs.
Amid the surrounding red uniforms that embodied blazing heat, that pure white stood out starkly, yet seemed too noble to look upon directly.
Huo Wu stood beside Chen Jin, her beautiful eyes resting on his profile the entire time.
Her short red skirt fluttered in the wind, revealing long, straight, beautiful legs as fair as jade.
Exquisite red lace-up sandals encased her small, jade-like feet, her rounded toes painted with vivid red polish, every step exuding an enticing charm.
Looking at the stern-faced young man beside her, Huo Wu's heart brimmed with pride and admiration.
It was not just Huo Wu. In Huo Wushuang's gaze as he looked at Chen Jin, the former hostility had long since vanished, leaving only profound awe.
Ever since Chen Jin had defeated him with a single move on the training ground, Huo Wushuang had understood just how terrifying the white-robed young man before him was.
That gulf between their Martial Souls was also absolute suppression on the level of their bloodlines.
Before the Ultimate Fire of the Nine-Heaven Divine Phoenix, his Single-Horned Fire Tyrannosaurus Martial Soul had no room even to resist.
On the raised platform.
The dean of Blazing Fire Academy, his red hair like fire, swept his imposing gaze over the team members before him.
When his gaze fell on Chen Jin, undisguised appreciation flashed in his eyes.
A rank thirty-seven Soul Elder.
He could defeat a rank forty-two Power Attack System Soul Ancestor in the Great Soul Arena despite the difference in ranks.
He could even crush his opponent with absolute strength without fully revealing his Soul Rings.
For such a peerless genius to join of his own accord was nothing short of heaven's favor upon Blazing Fire Academy.
"The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament is about to officially begin."
The dean's words echoed across the square, reaching everyone's ears clearly.
"You are the finest elite of Blazing Fire Academy. Today, you officially form the Blazing Fire Team and will represent the academy in battle."
"In the days ahead, you will travel to Heaven Dou City to compete on the same stage as geniuses from across the empire."
"Go, reclaim the glory that belongs to Blazing Fire Academy, and let the entire Heaven Dou Empire witness Blazing Fire's radiance!"
The dean's rallying speech was brief but powerful.
"Set out!"
At the dean's command, Chen Jin nodded and took the first step forward.
The hem of his white robe traced an elegant arc in the wind.
Huo Wu followed at Chen Jin's side with light steps, her red skirt billowing.
Huo Wushuang, Huo Yun, Huo Yu, and the other members followed in turn, their expressions solemn.
Amid cheers and applause from the entire student body that surged like mountains toppling and seas overturning, Chen Jin led the Blazing Fire Team out through the academy gates with great strides.
Every face was filled with anticipation for the future and the conviction of certain victory.
In a remote, desolate corner on the outskirts of Heaven Dou City.
Shrek Academy.
On the dilapidated wooden training ground, a few withered trees shivered in the autumn wind as fallen leaves drifted down.
Compared with Blazing Fire Academy's magnificent volcanic-rock buildings, the surroundings here looked decidedly shabby.
Yet the faces of the Shrek Seven Devils assembled in the center of the training ground were full of a pride that did not match their surroundings.
Flender stood with his hands behind his back, his lenses flashing with a shrewd, smug gleam in the sunlight.
"In this tournament, Shrek Academy will astonish the world with a single cry and make the entire Soul Master World remember your names!"
Flender announced loudly, already seeing countless sponsorship funds beckoning to him.
Dai Mubai folded his arms across his chest, his sinister eyes gleaming with arrogance as he sneered.
"Don't worry, Dean. The championship of this tournament is destined to belong to us at Shrek."
"Any opponent who stands in our way will meet only one end: defeat."
Dai Mubai's tone was full of disdain; the championship was already in the bag.
Beside him, Oscar rubbed his chin and teased with a smile:
"Boss Dai, aren't you setting the goal a little too high? Heaven Dou City hides dragons and crouching tigers, after all, with countless geniuses of every kind."
Dai Mubai shot Oscar a sidelong glance, his manner contemptuous.
"Too high? At the Soto Great Soul Arena, we at Shrek won twenty-eight consecutive matches without a single defeat."
"Little San even earned a Gold Soul Fighting Badge and made quite a name for himself."
"Those so-called Five Elemental Academies merely have impressive reputations. In a real fight, they wouldn't withstand a single blow."
Standing in the middle of the team, Tang San wore a gentle, confident expression and slowly nodded in agreement.
"Mubai is right. With me here, no one can hope to defeat Shrek."
In his palm, Blue Silver Grass vines flickered in and out of sight, giving off a faint, delicate fragrance.
Although it was only ordinary Blue Silver Grass, in Tang San's hands, it displayed power far beyond that of ordinary Martial Souls.
This gave Tang San absolute confidence in his own strength.
Everyone from Shrek laughed, and the atmosphere on the training ground was relaxed and cheerful.
In their eyes, the Shrek Team was already invincible among their peers.
However.
In the shadows at the very edge of the team.
Zhu Zhuqing stood alone, silent, her expression vacant.
Tight black leather clothing enveloped her graceful figure completely, making it all the more breathtaking.
Her chest stood high, its full curves almost bursting through the tight leather and exuding an enticing springiness.
Her slender waist could be encircled with a hand, forming a perfect golden ratio with her full, uplifted hips.
Outlined by black leather trousers, her long, straight, beautiful legs looked rounded and powerful.
There was no smile on her coldly beautiful face. She resembled a black rose blooming silently, aloof and captivating.
Zhu Zhuqing's thoughts were not on the approaching tournament.
Ma Hongjun noticed something amiss with Zhu Zhuqing and shifted his obese body over to her.
"Zhu Zhuqing, everyone's celebrating. What's on your mind?"
Zhu Zhuqing turned her head and replied coolly:
"I was wondering how Chen Jin is doing now."
At the name Chen Jin, Ma Hongjun's face fell, and intense contempt flashed in his eyes.
"Chen Jin? That traitor probably died in some nameless nook or cranny long ago."
"All he needed to do was indulge his desires a little, vent them at a brothel, and he could have suppressed his Evil Fire without trouble and cultivated. Yet he insisted on putting on airs of lofty purity."
"He ruined his own prospects and left the academy. For all we know, he's already become a cripple."
Ma Hongjun's tone was sour.
After all, Chen Jin's departure was tantamount to slapping Ma Hongjun in the face.
Chen Jin would rather sever his own meridians than visit a brothel, while Ma Hongjun spent his days indulging in them. Whenever he faced Chen Jin, this left Ma Hongjun with a sense of shame, as though his dignity had been trampled.
Thus, Ma Hongjun could not bear anyone mentioning Chen Jin.
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