After returning to their penthouse suites, everyone rested for about an hour.
As dusk settled outside the window, the soft glow of the Soul Guidance Lamp filtered through the glass, casting warm patches of light on the expensive carpet. Everyone had already gathered tacitly in the small meeting room.
Teacher Ren Jun was already waiting at the head of the long table.
A file lay open in front of him, containing detailed information about tomorrow's opponent.
Seeing that all the team members had arrived, he calmly swept his gaze over the young faces before him, which already showed extraordinary demeanor.
"In the first round of the back-to-back race, our opponent is Earth Dragon Sect."
Ren Jun's voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet conference room. "According to intelligence, the Earth Dragon Sect team has three Soul King, and their overall strength is roughly in the middle range among all participating teams."
He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the group again—from the calm-looking Kong Xuan to the eager Kong Ling, and then to the other equally confident and composed team members.
An indescribable sense of pride quietly welled up in his heart. He had personally watched most of these exceptionally talented young men and women grow up.
Although he knew better than anyone that these children's achievements were 90% due to their extraordinary talent and hard work, and that he, as their teacher, only played a guiding and assisting role.
However, being one of the witnesses and guides on their path of growth still stirred a deep sense of accomplishment within him.
Suppressing his emotions, Ren Jun's tone returned to its usual composure. "Of course, such an opponent poses no threat to you whatsoever."
Ren Jun looked at the confidence on his team members' faces, a confidence born from their absolute strength, nodded slightly, and continued, "The format of tomorrow's competition will be determined by the pre-match draw; it will be either an individual match or a team match."
He turned his gaze to Kong Xuan, who remained calm throughout. " Kong Xuan, you're the captain, what are your thoughts on the lineup?"
Kong Xuan's gaze slowly swept over each team member in the conference room. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke in a steady voice, "If it's a team battle, Huo Yuhao, Xu Wei Xu Tianyi Kong Ling, Shui Ling, Xiao Hongchen, and Qiangu Fuliu, the seven of you will take the field."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Hongchen couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, his tone laced with disbelief. "It's just an Earth Dragon Sect, is it really necessary for me, a Soul Saint, to make an appearance? Isn't that giving them too much credit?"
Kong Ling, standing nearby, immediately nodded in agreement. "Yeah, brother, I think three of us are enough for this. Let's finish this quickly."
Faced with their questions, Kong Xuan gently shook his head. "Sending only two people to fight in the first match is a way to establish authority once, but doing it again would be arrogant."
He surveyed the crowd, his tone calm yet carrying undeniable weight. "Even when facing the weak, we should give our opponents basic respect. From now on, all team battles will be played with a full complement of seven players."
He paused briefly, a very faint smile playing on his lips, "As for how many people will be needed once they're on the field... that's for you to decide on the spot."
Seeing that Kong Xuan's attitude was clear, the others said no more.
As the team leader, his strength and prestige are convincing, and his decision is naturally based on his own considerations.
Seeing that no one had any objections, Kong Xuan continued his instructions, "If it's an individual battle..."
Before he could finish speaking, a figure suddenly stood up.
Qiangu Fuliu's eyes burned with intensity, his voice laced with barely suppressed urgency. "If it's an individual battle, please let me go first!"
After six months of adjustment, Qiangu Fuliu has shed his initial sense of alienation, fully integrated into the group, and adapted to life outside.
He had never experienced such a formal and grand competition before, and the fighting spirit and desire ignited in his chest at this moment were almost overflowing.
Kong Xuan met his burning gaze, a slight smile playing on his lips, and readily agreed, "Alright! If it's a one-on-one battle, then you'll fight the first one!"
"It's a one-man battle!"
Kong Xuan, holding the competition format that had just been determined by the draw, walked back to the preparation area to announce the results.
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes turned to the Qiangu Fuliu.
He suddenly sprang up from his seat, his body radiating an aura of battle intent, looking as if he couldn't wait to rush onto the field.
Kong Xuan calmly sat back down, looking at his childhood playmate with a knowing smile in his eyes.
He said leisurely, "What's the rush? It's still a long time before you go on stage. There are still several other matches between us and the Earth Dragon Sect."
Qiangu Fuliu was taken aback upon hearing this, as if his boiling blood had been gently suppressed.
He then suddenly remembered the competition schedule, touched his nose, and sat down again somewhat awkwardly.
But his clenched fists and still-burning gaze betrayed the restless desire within him.
Shrek Academy quickly and decisively defeated their opponents in a crushing team battle, once again proving their undeniable strength to the entire audience.
In this year's rematch tournament, Shrek Academy and Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, the champion and runner-up teams from the previous year, were surprisingly placed in the same group.
Logically, to ensure that strong teams can go further, top teams are usually avoided being grouped together so early in the season.
The current situation is likely the result of a "special arrangement" by Xu Tianran, the new Sun Moon who sits high in the hall.
For this reason, this group, which includes two giants, has long been recognized by everyone as the undisputed "group of death" in this tournament.
For the other teams in the group, there is basically no hope of advancing.
"Next match: Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy versus Earth Dragon Sect!"
When the host's voice echoed through the venue again, clearly announcing the names of the two teams facing off in the next match, the atmosphere in the audience instantly reached a new climax.
Inside the preparation area, everyone's spirits were lifted.
Finally, it was their turn to appear!
Before he even appeared on stage, enthusiastic cheers erupted from the stands surrounding the ring.
Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy is now playing on home turf, and the vast majority of the audience are Sun Moon citizens, who will naturally want to support their own.
Both the audience and the contestants were filled with curiosity about the strength of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. They naturally looked forward to their appearance and to seeing what surprises they could bring and what powerful strength they could demonstrate!
As the referee's announcement echoed through the arena, a burning light flashed in Qiangu Fuliu's eyes. He suddenly stood up and walked steadily and swiftly down from the preparation area, heading alone along the contestant passage towards the highly anticipated arena.
When his figure clearly appeared on the ring, a slight ripple appeared in the audience.
Those unfamiliar with the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy might simply be curiously observing this unfamiliar face.
However, for teams like Shrek Academy, who personally experienced that competition five years ago, the feelings at this moment are completely different.
The atmosphere in Shrek's training area was somewhat somber.
Captain Bei Bei stared at the arena, her brows furrowed, and said in a deep voice, "They're not members of the team that participated last year."
Xu Sanshi, standing to the side, appeared quite relaxed, casually leaning back in his chair. "With the Sun Moon Team's foundation, there's no way they could lose to an opponent of the Earth Dragon Sect's caliber."
"Perhaps they're just sending a newcomer up for some experience; their actual strength might not be that great."
"No."
A clear voice rang out, and Cai Mei'er, the team leader, slowly shook her head, her voice carrying an undeniable certainty. "This person's strength... is very strong."