After enjoying some food and drinks in the imperial city, Xuan Zi bid his farewells and departed.
After all, the opening match of Shrek Academy—the one he cared about most—had concluded flawlessly. There was no need for him to stick around for the minor fights that followed.
Though he hadn't brought reinforcements from Shrek, his keen eyes as a Super Douluo immediately discerned that Ma Xiaotao had already reached Level 70. All she lacked was a suitable seventh soul ring to break through to Soul Saint.
An idea struck him.
The round-robin tournament was still a few days away.
During this window, he could push Ma Xiaotao further—take her soul hunting and help her ascend to Soul Saint directly!
With that, the championship would be secured.
A slight delay wouldn't matter. By then, Xixi and Ling Luochen from the inner courtyard would also be combat-ready.
And with Huo Yuhao as their safety net, holding out until reinforcements arrived would be effortless.
'You didn't see this coming, Mu En—'
'This is my rescue plan!'
…
The intelligence-gathering on Shrek Academy proceeded swiftly.
Not long after the order was issued, Emperor Xu Jiawei of the Star Luo Empire received the latest report—primarily compiled from testimonies of Star Luo students studying at Shrek.
Ma Xiaotao was a lost cause for recruitment; she was the direct disciple of Yan Shaozhe, a core figure of Shrek.
As for Huo Yuhao, the report revealed shocking details: A twin martial soul genius enrolled at Shrek for barely a year, yet fast-tracked into the inner courtyard.
Xu Jiawei was stunned.
'No wonder his soul ring configuration was so outrageous.'
'No wonder he could absorb ten-thousand-year soul rings as a fourth-ring Soul Ancestor.'
Moreover, Huo Yuhao's second martial soul was suspected to be Ultimate Ice.
This reminded Xu Jiawei of the 70,000-year Ice Scorpion Left Arm Bone that Shrek had purchased from the Star Luo treasury at an exorbitant price not long ago.
He had a strong hunch—the two were undoubtedly connected.
Combined with Elder Xuan's earlier remarks, Xu Jiawei understood: No matter how friendly Star Luo and Shrek were, poaching these two was impossible.
Still, given Huo Yuhao's monstrous potential, he had to find a way to establish ties with him.
The rest of the report on Shrek's team left Xu Jiawei even more shocked.
Beneath its invincible façade, Shrek was teetering on the brink of disaster.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, only two of their seven main team members were combat-ready.
And this was all tied to Dai Hao.
As a Shrek inner courtyard disciple and a member of the Shrek Supervision Group, Dai Hao had been involved in a mission to exterminate an evil soul master bandit group before the tournament.
Coincidentally, these Death Hand Bandits operated near the Western Legion under Dai Hao's jurisdiction—and Shrek had received the intel from him.
Yet the mission ended in catastrophe.
The inner courtyard team was heavily injured, with only Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao protected by soul tools.
The two most severely wounded were rushed back to Shrek for emergency treatment.
This was why Shrek's registered team only listed five inner courtyard members.
Xu Jiawei sighed deeply, his eyes darkening.
According to his spies, Sun Moon Empire had made major breakthroughs in soul tool research.
Within a decade, the Sun Moon Empire would likely make a grand move—and the Star Luo Empire was far from ready.
Whether in raw strength or soul tool development, they lagged behind.
For now, their only lifeline was Shrek Academy.
Only by clinging to this mighty ally could Star Luo hope to resist the Sun Moon Empire.
Moreover—Shrek had to win this tournament.
First, they needed to suppress all leaks.
'No other academy could be allowed to uncover Shrek's weakness.'
…
Shortly after returning to their hotel, Wang Yan summoned everyone to the conference room.
Once seated, he began with praise: Xiaotao, Yuhao—excellent work. You've upheld Shrek's prestige and showcased our might. This victory carries immense significance!"
Like past tournaments, Shrek's opening match was meant to crush the opponent overwhelmingly, cementing their dominance.
Had they struggled or relied on the reserve team, suspicions about the main team's condition would've spread like wildfire.
After the compliments, Wang Yan turned to business.
Elder Xuan had informed him via soul transmission—he would take Ma Xiaotao to hunt for her seventh soul ring, leaving Wang Yan to strategize the early round-robin matches.
Ma Xiaotao accepted eagerly.
Wang Yan then opened the door: "Any questions?"
Bei Bei, captain of the reserves, spoke first: "Teacher Wang, are there truly no reinforcements from the inner courtyard? Will we have to fight the round-robin matches alone?"
This was the burning question for all seven reserve members, their eyes brimming with hope.
Wang Yan's expression turned grim.
"I'm afraid so. This is the academy's order."
Originally, he'd only been assigned to assist Xuan Zi. But with constant unexpected twists, the pressure was mounting.
There had been no time to celebrate their opening victory—Xuan Zi had already dropped another bombshell.
Still, if Ma Xiaotao successfully advanced to Soul Saint, their burden would lighten considerably.
But until then, their two strongest soul master would be absent.
Wang Yan turned to Dai Yuheng, Ling Luochen, and Xixi: "How are your injuries?"
Dai Yuheng pondered before answering: "We've recovered well. Full recovery in half a month. If forced, ten days—but it might worsen the injuries."
Internal injuries were the most troublesome for soul masters. Organ displacement could trigger cascading complications.
Thankfully, none had been poisoned—otherwise, recovery would've taken months, like the two sent back to Shrek.
As for Xixi and Ling Luochen, their lighter injuries would heal in time for the third round.
Wang Yan nodded.
"Then for the first two rounds, if Elder Xuan and Xiaotao haven't returned, we'll rely on the reserve team and Yuhao."
The reserve team: "..."
Their faces fell.
Previously, with Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao as their anchors, the reserves had faced little pressure.
The opening match had been a breeze—just following the two powerhouses, barely breaking a sweat.
But now?
Not only was Shrek not sending help, they were being forced to carry the team.
The pressure was crushing.
Huo Yuhao's lips twitched.
'This was so typical of Xuan Zi.'
Wang Yan continued: "The round-robin will demand your all. Here's the plan."
After the first eliminations, 67 teams remained, divided into eight groups.
Five groups of eight teams. Three groups of nine teams.
Points system: For every win: 2 points, draw: 1 point and loss: 0 points
"Only the top two from each group advance."
As last tournament's champions, Shrek would be placed in an eight-team group, facing seven matches.
"We must win at least five."
The round-robin had three formats: Team Battle (7v7), Individual Battle (Last Man Standing) and 2-2-3 Battle (Best of Three).
Wang Yan had tailored their lineup accordingly: Xu Sanshi & He Caitou (Defense + Offense), Bei Bei, Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan (Agile + Control), Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao (3v3 Anchors).
The inner courtyard members nodded in approval—the arrangement was optimal.
Huo Yuhao would dominate individual and team battles, ensuring victory unless they faced a top seed.
But in 2-2-3, where no player could fight twice, Huo Yuhao could only secure one win—hence his placement in the decisive 3v3.
Bei Bei's burst damage paired well with Tang Ya's control or Jiang Nannan's agility.
Xu Sanshi's defense complemented He Caitou's soul tool firepower.
Wang Yan asked, "Any objections?"
Only Xu Sanshi hesitated before grumbling: "Teacher Wang, why not pair me with Jiang Nannan? We have better synergy."
Jiang Nannan's eyes flashed. "Who's 'synergized' with you? Don't flatter yourself!"
Wang Yan shut him down. "This is a tournament, not a dating show. Your skills fit He Caitou better."
Jiang Nannan nodded firmly. "Teacher Wang is wise."
Xu Sanshi could only sulk.
With the stakes this high, he couldn't argue further.
…
Two days later, the brutal elimination rounds concluded.
Despite precautions, nearly 200 participants were injured—dozens fatally.
The Star Luo Empire compensated the fallen generously, while eliminated schools received ample travel funds, saving face.
The bloodshed, however, drove ticket sales through the roof.
Soul masters were typically elites—where else could commoners witness such high-stakes battles?
The round-robin stage, though less lethal, offered diverse formats and fiercer competition, drawing even larger crowds.
Star Luo Square, with its 200,000-seat capacity, was packed daily, forcing the empire to deploy 5,000 elite troops for crowd control.
Merchants and tourists flooded the capital, boosting the economy exponentially.
Today marked the fourth day of the tournament—the round-robin's grand commencement.
At dawn, the coliseum sounded with roars as fans clamored for Shrek's return.
Ma Xiaotao had won them with sheer power.
Huo Yuhao had captivated them with his graceful lethality—killing in ten steps, vanishing without a trace.
Combined with his ethereal beauty, he'd become a legend overnight.
Even Emperor Xu Jiawei, who rarely attended, had taken his seat atop the imperial walls at dawn, honoring Shrek with his presence.
As the dark-green-uniformed Shrek team entered the arena, the crowd erupted.
Chants of "SHREK! SHREK!" shook the stadium.
But what they didn't know?
Shrek's first opponent was pathetically weak.
Huo Yuhao wouldn't even need to fight.
The reserve team alone could secure victory.
…
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