"Little Lexuan, Director Du... Huh? Old Yan?"
Just then, a booming voice drew closer from afar.
Zhang Lexuan and Du Weilun turned to look and saw Qian Duoduo, vice dean of the Soul Tool Department, walking slowly toward them with Fan Yu, the department's director.
"Weren't you in seclusion? What brought you out to watch the finals?"
Reaching them, Qian Duoduo looked Yan Shaozhe up and down, his face full of wonder.
Yan Shaozhe turned around, let his gaze drift lightly onto Qian Duoduo, raised an eyebrow, and drawled, "Qian Duoduo, how did you know I already had one foot in the ranks of Super Douluo?"
Qian Duoduo: "..."
He choked, then immediately glared in exasperation.
"You shameless old bastard! Who asked you? Huh? Who asked you?!"
"Ohhh~"
Yan Shaozhe drew out the sound, the amusement in his eyes deepening. "So you didn't ask. I thought you'd heard I was out of seclusion and had come especially to welcome me."
With that, he even let out a rather regretful sigh.
Unfortunately, he couldn't hide the smugness on his face, no matter how he tried.
Qian Duoduo was so angry his mustache bristled. He rolled up his sleeves and was about to go argue with him, but Fan Yu swiftly caught him from the side. "Vice Dean, calm down! Calm down! There are plenty of people here today. Mind your image."
Du Weilun and the others were clearly already used to these two bickering.
The Martial Soul Department and the Soul Tool Department had been rivals since their founding, and these two had fought openly and in secret countless times over outstanding students.
Yan Shaozhe turned away, paying no further attention to the comically scowling Qian Duoduo, and returned his gaze to the assessment area below, continuing to admire his Mystic Bird's dashing bearing with utter satisfaction.
Look at that. Just look at that.
That figure, that bearing, that Heavenly Might. Truly worthy of the Heavenly Mandate Mystic Bird!
Just as Yan Shaozhe was thoroughly enjoying the sight, Qian Duoduo's furious expression suddenly changed as though he were performing a Sichuan opera face change. He stepped forward, sidled up beside him, and said cheerfully:
"Old Yan, which side do you think will win this final?"
"Lin Mo, of course."
Yan Shaozhe blurted it out without a second thought.
He, Yan Shaozhe, was the Mystic Bird's diehard fan!
Mad for the Mystic Bird, wild for the Mystic Bird, banging headfirst into walls for the Mystic Bird!
The Netherworld White Tiger? It was nothing more than a big cat that could hiss. How could it compare with his invincible Mystic Bird?
Hehe, as long as the Mystic Bird acknowledged me a few more times, I'd definitely be able to join the ranks of Super Douluo!
"Hmm? Wait-"
Yan Shaozhe suddenly caught on. Narrowing his eyes, he stared warily at Qian Duoduo. "You white-haired old bastard, suddenly getting all chummy with me. Don't tell me you've set your sights on my Martial Soul Department's Mystic Bird?"
"Then let me tell you, Teacher has already taken a liking to Lin Mo. He's my future junior brother. So there's no point even thinking about it."
At those words, not only Qian Duoduo but even Du Weilun and Fan Yu beside them were startled.
A personal disciple of Mu En, Master of the Sea God Pavilion?
If Lin Mo truly became Mu En's personal disciple, he would stand in the same generation as Yan Shaozhe and Zhang Lexuan. In the future, he would enter not only the inner court but also the Sea God Pavilion.
Even the position of successor to the Master of the Sea God Pavilion wasn't out of the question!
Qian Duoduo's eyes shifted before he smiled and waved a hand. "Don't worry about that. It's not the Mystic Bird I want. It's that little fellow beside him called Huo Yuhao."
"Oh?"
Yan Shaozhe followed his gaze.
Sure enough, he spotted a silent blue-haired boy beside his Mystic Bird.
Du Weilun adjusted his glasses and picked up the conversation.
"Huo Yuhao possesses Spirit Eyes, a rare spiritual-type Body Martial Soul. His talent is middling, but his character is good. Unfortunately, he started too late. His first Soul Ring is only ten years old, and powerful spiritual-type soul beasts are exceedingly rare..."
"So I didn't include him on the core disciple list."
Hearing this, Qian Duoduo's eyes lit up, and he hurried to strike while the iron was hot. "Hey, see! Your Martial Soul Department said yourselves that you didn't want him. Then there's no problem with my Soul Tool Department taking him, right?"
Indeed, Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao had already earned places on the Martial Soul Department's core disciple list through their outstanding performance and fearless resolve when facing that three-ring Soul Elder.
Lin Mo's place had been decided even earlier.
Only Huo Yuhao had failed to make the list. His Body Martial Soul might be rare, but its limitations were there for all to see.
Yan Shaozhe frowned and considered it for a while.
"In that case, then..."
He was just about to agree when Du Weilun spoke again, casually adding, "However, he and Lin Mo possess a Martial Soul Fusion Skill."
"!!!"
Yan Shaozhe's words stopped abruptly.
He swallowed, forcibly swallowing back the "fine" that had reached his lips.
Thank goodness. Thank goodness.
Thank goodness I hadn't been too quick to agree!
Anyone connected to his Mystic Bird, especially someone who shared a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with him, had to be bundled up and brought into the Martial Soul Department!
So what if Huo Yuhao was a little weak right now?
Nourished by the Mystic Bird's auspicious Qi, he would surely amount to great things in the future!
Beside him, Qian Duoduo nearly ground his teeth to pieces and shot Du Weilun a vicious glare. If this fellow hadn't run his mouth, he would already have lured this promising seedling, practically within his grasp, back to the Soul Tool Department!
Du Weilun silently moved over beside Zhang Lexuan.
He kept his eyes straight ahead, pretending not to have noticed.
While everyone on the raised platform chatted, the two teams participating in the finals had already stepped onto the competition stage.
To give both sides ample room to perform, all the partitions had been removed at noon, creating an immense combined stage.
The referee leaped into the center of the stage and said gravely, "To let you display your full strength, the rules for this match will be adjusted somewhat. You may go all out. I'll keep the situation under control."
"Understood?"
"Understood!" all six answered in unison.
The referee stepped off the stage and raised his right hand high. "Now, both sides, state your names."
"Lin Mo."
"Xiao Xiao."
"Huo Yuhao."
Then came the blond boy's side.
"Dai Huabin."
"Zhu Lu."
"Cui Yajie."
The teachers watching from the raised platform had now fallen completely silent. Even Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo stopped bickering and focused their attention on the arena.
Both sides retreated to the edges of the stage.
The complete stage was enormous. At this point, each side looked tiny in the other's eyes.
"Begin!"
The referee's right hand swung sharply down.
Almost the instant the word "begin" fell, Dai Huabin and his two teammates moved, charging swiftly toward Lin Mo's trio.
Yet not only did Lin Mo's trio remain still, Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao each took another step back. Then, just as before, each raised a hand and rested it on Lin Mo's shoulder.
The power of Mo Yu and the power of Xiao Mo circulated simultaneously.
Boom!
Lin Mo's presence surged. His robes stirred without wind, snapping loudly.
He slowly raised his hand.
Blazing flames seemed to dance within his blue-gold, diamond-shaped pupils, and a majesty originating from the ancient heavens thundered awake within him.
"Heavenly-Might!"
The instant those two words fell, a Mystic Bird phantom abruptly coalesced behind him.
Its blue-gold wings unfurled, blotting out the sky and sun!
A solemn Heavenly Might as vast as an ocean swept forth with overwhelming momentum. Like an invisible mountain towering ten thousand zhang high, it crashed down upon the charging Dai Huabin and his two teammates!
Bam!!
Dai Huabin, who was charging at the front, abruptly stalled. As though a mountain had pressed down upon his shoulders, his knees suddenly buckled.
Zhu Lu's and Cui Yajie's expressions both changed.
Their speed plummeted, as though they had stepped into a mire. Every step became agonizingly difficult.