Thunk… thunk.
A series of explosive noises rang out across the platform and echoed through the entire Great Spirit Arena. Li Chang'an learned an unexpected lesson that day: the volume and frequency of certain bodily sounds can depend considerably on a person's physique.
Fortunately, Li Chang'an had warned the girls to block their noses and step back before he took action; he alone had tucked himself into a far corner of the stage to avoid being affected.
The students of the Elephant-Armored Academy were not so lucky. First Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing had nearly exhausted them; then Huyan Zhuo's sudden, ferocious assault arrived without warning — their fate was sealed.
Most unfortunate of all was Huyan Li, who, after having his defense shattered by Li Chang'an's sword, lay on the ground and was knocked unconscious by the unbearable stench.
The match ended in a hurried announcement from the referees; Elephant-Armored Academy exited the arena amid haste and shame, and spectators some distance away treated them as if they were a plague—no one wanted to linger near that odor.
On the VIP platform, Huyan Zhen's face flushed with embarrassment as he withdrew. Regret burned in his expression: he should have listened to Bishop Salas.
Salas, meanwhile, calmly swallowed one pill after another.
'Stay calm. Stay calm,' he murmured to himself.
What nobody noticed was that after Crimson Rose Academy left the stage, the players from Blue Sunshine Academy—sitting in pale-moon uniforms—exchanged glances that were dark with worry. They hadn't expected the team they'd dismissed as mere showmanship to be so formidable. If Crimson Rose could defeat Elephant-Armored Academy—despite the odd circumstances—then their apparent strength could not be shrugged off. Particularly incriminating was Zhu Zhuqing's fourth soul ring: black, a ten-thousand-year ring that could not be faked.
It hit them hard: their first-round opponent had been Elephant-Armored Academy — and they had been crushed.
This year Blue Sunshine Academy was led by Spirit Saint Shi Nian, and their objective was clear: advance to the promotion rounds and the finals. Having already lost a match, how could they still expect to meet that goal?
They also recognized the man who went by the name Li Changsheng. He had clashed with them previously in the Star Dou Forest expedition. If he took a dislike to them and—like he had with the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's second team—ruined their squad on the spot, their tournament hopes would be over.
These students were excellent, but every spirit master has only one chance to compete in the Continental Elite Tournament. They would not willingly let the opportunity slip away. Unlike Elephant-Armored Academy, they could not be sure of making the promotion rounds.
Shi Nian folded his hands behind his back, scanning his students with a hard look. "Don't overthink it. First secure victory in the second-round match. Keep accumulating wins—that is your priority. As for that Crimson Rose matter, I will handle it."
Hearing Shi Nian's words, the Blue Sunshine students rallied. They knew their vice principal's character well; his promise gave them fresh confidence, and smiles flickered across their faces.
Even if Li Changsheng is strong, can he take on a Spirit Saint? And an old, seasoned one at that.
Back at the dorms, the girls all went to bathe—several times over. Even though they'd kept a hundred-meter distance when the incident occurred, they were fastidious, and cleanliness mattered. They forced Li Chang'an to shower three times as well; he was not permitted into bed until he complied.
A week passed quickly. The preliminaries of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament had by now completed six rounds.
Four academies had won all six matches, and Crimson Rose Academy was one of them. Aside from the second-round bout against Elephant-Armored Academy, Crimson Rose had won against the next four opponents without difficulty. Most of the action came from Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Meng Yiran taking turns on the field.
The three other teams with six straight wins were Thunder Academy, Divine Wind Academy, and Shrek Academy. Shrek's roster included Tang San, and Ma Hongjun and the others were not weak—advancing would still be within reach for them.
Today marked the eighth day of preliminaries and the start of Round Seven. Crimson Rose's opponent was Othello Academy, which had managed only two wins so far; for that reason they were not scheduled on the central main stage.
The main-stage spotlight would be the clash everyone anticipated: Elephant-Armored Academy versus Thunder Academy.
Li Chang'an lounged comfortably in the rest area. Except for Ye Lingling—who'd gone with Liu Erlong to receive the match schedule—all the girls were present.
Xiao Mao balanced a tray of sliced fruit. Mu Xi fussed over Li Chang'an, feeding him pieces. Li Chang'an had Meng Yiran's waist held with his left arm and Hu Liena with his right.
Though Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong kept up appearances and refused to cuddle openly, they still sat nearby, chatting with Li Chang'an now and then, painting a picture of amiable warmth.
"Hey — I haven't even gotten on stage yet. So pitiful," Hu Liena said sourly. Though she'd played a supporting role in every match, she'd never released her martial soul or soul rings.
"Heh, don't be sad — you'll get your chance," Xiao Wu teased, curious about Hu Liena's true identity. Hu Liena used an alias and had only described herself as an old acquaintance of Li Chang'an; her soul power and martial soul remained hidden.
"Maybe our opponent is afraid of our strength and forfeited?" Li Chang'an said lazily, cradling the beauties like a landlord counting his wealth. He popped a longan into his mouth; after chewing, he flicked the pit away with a tut.
"You're right—your opponent has indeed forfeited," Liu Erlong said, approaching with Ye Lingling and offering a helpless smile.
"Forfeited?" The Crimson Rose members blinked in surprise. Had that really happened?
Liu Erlong smiled slightly. "When a newly formed team displays such strength, it's normal for weaker opponents to concede. No need to be so astonished."
"Fine. Looks like my chance to fight will have to wait," Hu Liena sighed, glaring at Li Chang'an's jinxing mouth before reluctantly leaving his embrace.
"All right, that's actually fortunate. You can take this chance to watch the match between Thunder Academy and Elephant-Armored Academy. Either team could pose a threat if you don't have Li Changsheng on the field. Know your enemy; then you can win. Come with me to the contestants' viewing area." Liu Erlong smoothed things over.
A day without fighting is a day's rest—an advantage in the tightly packed single-round-robin preliminaries. For Crimson Rose Academy, the extra recovery time was welcome.
"I'll pass," Li Chang'an said nonchalantly, stretching his hands. "You lot go learn tactics with Dean Liu. I'm going back to sleep."
Although they had promised not to spend every night in revelry, several of the girls still snuck into his bed on various nights, so his evenings had been far from quiet. Now that he had the rare opportunity, he planned to sleep in.
"You lazy pig," Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue and teased. The others guessed his meaning and didn't insist he join them—allowing him to rest and, as they joked, restore his vitality.
So the girls followed Liu Erlong to the spectator area while Li Chang'an rested his head on his interlaced fingers and sauntered leisurely away from the arena