Of course, what the other students in the class didn't know was...
Because of the System, Liu Yuan's goal had never been the so-called "top three."
What he truly wanted was to win the championship!
To crush the competition and take the sole championship of this Sun Moon Royal Academy Internal Tournament!
Even more, he wanted to use this as a stepping stone to become the captain of the soon-to-be-formed Sun Moon Team!
So, hearing the students' somewhat conservative guesses at this moment, Liu Yuan couldn't help but smile silently to himself.
"Everyone is really quite conservative..."
"If I really win the academy tournament later and even become the captain of the Sun Moon Team..."
"I wonder what kind of expressions my classmates will have then."
"It will definitely... be very interesting."
The curve of his lips widened a bit more unconsciously.
Beside him, Xiao Hongchen, who was as meticulous as a hair, quickly noticed Liu Yuan's odd behavior.
He lowered his voice and leaned in, asking with a hint of curiosity and teasing:
"Brother Liu Yuan, why are you smiling so happily? It even feels a bit... malicious. What bad ideas are you cooking up now?"
Liu Yuan snapped out of his thoughts, shook his head with a smile, and didn't explain clearly, only replying casually:
"It's nothing, I just think this competition should be very interesting."
He certainly wouldn't reveal his true goal.
Generally, he never told anyone beforehand until things were completely finished.
After all, celebrating prematurely like that was simply too dangerous.
"Really?"
Xiao Hongchen looked him up and down suspiciously, clearly not believing him.
He felt more and more that Liu Yuan was strange, but seeing that he didn't want to talk, he didn't press further, merely muttering to himself: This guy must be holding back some big move again.
On the podium, after Mr. Xuan finished instructing them on details like the competition venue, spirit power limits, and the prohibition of large-scale destructive spirit tools, he waved his hand and ended the class meeting.
"Alright, that's all for now!"
"Everyone stand up! Target: Second-Year Exclusive Arena Number One!"
"What's about to begin is the internal class selection!"
"First, we need to select the five most outstanding students to represent our class in the Grade-Level Competition!"
With Mr. Xuan's command, the atmosphere of the entire class was instantly ignited.
All the students immediately set off, following the teacher's footsteps in a grand procession toward the competition venue.
...
The matches began quickly.
The class Selection Matches used the simplest format of drawing lots for duels.
But for Liu Yuan, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen, a competition of this level had almost no challenge.
It was a complete one-sided slaughter.
Finally, after a series of uneventful duels, the five candidates to represent the class were successfully chosen.
They were Liu Yuan, Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and two other students in the class whose strength was second only to theirs and who were lucky enough not to encounter the three of them.
By the time this selection process was completed, it was already late.
Mr. Xuan announced the dismissal, and the students returned to their respective dormitories with mixed emotions.
...
Meanwhile, on the other side.
In the distant Shrek City, Shrek Academy.
At this moment, on the core training ground of the Inner Court, the atmosphere was incredibly intense.
Sea Gods Pavilion Elder Xuan Zi and Dean of the Martial Soul Department Yan Shaozhe stood side by side, personally supervising the battle.
On the vast field before them, Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, Chen Zifeng, Gongyang Mo, and other core students of the Shrek Inner Academy were undergoing high-intensity group combat training.
"Boom—!"
Ma Xiaotao let out a soft cry as the Phoenix wings behind her suddenly unfurled, and she transformed into a streak of crimson-gold light, soaring into the sky!
Endless Phoenix flames swept across the field like a volcanic eruption; the scorching waves of fire dyed half the sky red, and the air was filled with a terrifying, parched scent.
"Roar!"
On the other side, Dai Yueheng's roar was deafening.
With his Martial Soul Possession, he transformed into a massive White Tiger Demon God, his muscles bulging and his Evil Qi soaring to the heavens.
Every strike of his massive tiger paws carried the weight of ten thousand catties, causing the ground to crack repeatedly. He coordinated seamlessly with his teammate Chen Zifeng, integrating offense and defense.
High in the sky, Gongyang Mo's Spirit shone with a brilliant light, rays of light descending to provide Dai Yueheng and Chen Zifeng with precise, all-around enhancements in strength, speed, and defense.
Their performance was quite good.
Compared to some time ago, they had made significant progress in both individual strength and team coordination.
As another high-intensity confrontation ended, everyone was panting, their spirit power heavily depleted, but their eyes grew brighter, filled with Battle Intent.
Satisfied expressions appeared on the faces of both Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe.
Xuan Zi's booming voice rang out:
"Alright, today's training will end here."
"You all performed very well. Go back and meditate to recover; we'll continue tomorrow."
"Yes, Elder Xuan! Dean Yan!"
Ma Xiaotao and the others bowed respectfully before dispersing to go back and rest.
Soon, only Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe were left on the vast training ground.
Xuan Zi stroked his messy beard, watching the retreating backs of his Disciples with a face full of happy and gratified smiles.
He turned to Yan Shaozhe and said:
"Shaozhe, did you see that? This is what true foundation looks like!"
"Recently, the academy's massive resources have been tilted toward them without reservation!"
"The core area of the Sea God Lake has been opened for them to temper their spirit power;"
"The Heaven And Earth Treasures in the storehouse, enough to make even a Titled Douluo envious, are being supplied to them regardless of the cost!"
"With us two old fellows personally guiding and sparring with them, these kids' strength is improving very rapidly!"
"Compared to a while ago, they've become more than just a little bit stronger!"
He specifically cast his gaze in the direction where Ma Xiaotao had left, the smile on his face deepening, his tone carrying a hint of pride.
"Especially that girl Xiaotao; her problem has finally been somewhat resolved."
"During this time, I specifically had that boy Huo Yuhao set aside a few hours every day to use his Extreme Ice Spirit to help Xiaotao regulate the Evil Fire in her body."
"The results were immediate! She is now almost no longer troubled by the backlash of the Evil Fire, and the time she can spend cultivating in peace every day is twice as long as before!"
"Look at that, it's only been a short while, and this girl's spirit power is already about to touch the threshold of level sixty-nine!"
Hearing this, Yan Shaozhe also wore a face full of proud smiles; his usually serious face was now written with confidence.
A sharp light flashed in his eyes, and he continued in an impassioned tone:
"Indeed, Elder Xuan! This is Shrek's true trump card!"
"If Xiaotao can successfully break through to level seventy and become a Spirit Saint before the All-Continent High-Rank Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament begins, and then we personally step in to hunt a powerful seventh spirit ring for her!"
"Then, the overall combat strength of our Shrek Academy will once again rise by a massive level!"
At this point, Yan Shaozhe's tone carried a powerful arrogance and confidence stemming from Shrek's ten-thousand-year foundation, as well as an imperceptible hint of disdain for their competitors.
"At that time, even if the Sun Moon Royal Academy has a so-called peerless Genius..."
"So what?"
"The championship of this tournament will definitely still belong to Shrek!"
Xuan Zi nodded heavily in deep agreement, just about to say something more to add further certainty to this prophecy of victory.
And right at that moment.
A blurry black shadow appeared behind the two of them without any warning, silent as a ghost.
The person knelt on one knee, their voice hoarse and urgent.
Shrek Academy's highest-ranking spy planted in the Sun Moon Empire had arrived.
-------------------------
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