Xuan Zi was extremely smug.
The wrinkles on that old face seemed to bloom like a chrysanthemum at this moment, every line overflowing with unconcealable ecstasy and arrogance.
He deliberately straightened his back and put his hands on his hips, his posture looking exactly like a rooster that had just won a crowing contest.
Next, Xuan Zi turned his head, his gaze piercing directly and unscrupulously toward the preparation area of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
What kind of gaze was that?
It was a gaze full of provocation, contempt, and schadenfreude.
His eyes lingered on Liu Yuan for a long time, the corners of his mouth curling into an extremely ironic arc, as if silently declaring:
'Kid, do you see? This is called destiny!'
'No matter how you plot or how silver-tongued you are, in the face of absolute luck and rules, you're just a flock of lambs waiting to be slaughtered!'
'group six, Individual Elimination Match... I'll make sure you die a very ugly death!'
Not just with his eyes, Xuan Zi even went so far as to make an incredibly childish "throat-slitting" gesture toward Liu Yuan's side. Then, he pointed at the grouping information on the large screen, tilting his head back to let out a few harsh, cackling laughs that, though deliberately muffled, were still ear-piercing.
The leaders and students of other academies around them saw this scene with varying expressions.
Although Xuan Zi, as an Elder of Shrek's Sea Gods Pavilion, was losing face and appearing petty by acting this way,
In their view, Xuan Zi indeed had the capital to be arrogant.
After all, that was Shrek!
In this world that worshipped individual martial prowess, under the rules of an Individual Elimination Match, Shrek was an invincible myth.
And the Sun Moon Team was destined to become the latest stepping stone beneath the feet of this myth.
...
However.
It was completely different from the "mournful" and "panicked" scene the outside world had expected.
In the preparation area of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy,
Facing Xuan Zi's provocation that was practically shoved in their faces, and the sympathetic discussions of the entire audience, the members of the Sun Moon Team did not show even a single trace of fear.
On the contrary.
What emerged on their faces was a kind of indifference.
Even a faint hint of disdain.
"Hmph."
Xiao Hongchen watched the dancing Xuan Zi in the distance, snapped his folding fan shut with a 'clack,' and a mocking sneer curled at the corner of his mouth:
"Is this old guy celebrating a bit too early?"
"Does he really think that just because we drew the individual match, we're bound to lose?"
Meng Hongchen, sitting next to him, also pursed her lips slightly, a flash of disgust in her eyes:
"At such an age, he still can't keep his composure."
If it were in the past, or if it were any other team of Soul Engineers, they might have actually panicked in this situation.
After all, it was common knowledge across the continent that Soul Engineers were not good at individual combat.
But!
At this very moment, the Sun Moon Team had their own source of confidence.
This confidence stemmed not only from their powerful captain, Liu Yuan, but also from the spirit tools they had recently created specifically to counter Shrek!
Ma Rulong crossed his arms, his steady gaze scanning the list of opponents on the large screen, and said in a deep voice:
"Shrek is indeed very strong; we must admit that."
At this point, Ma Rulong's tone shifted, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes:
"However, they have no idea."
"Exactly how much preparation we've made to deal with them!"
Saying this, the team members looked at each other, and their faces all showed that kind of weird, "knowing" smile.
After all, every one of them was thinking about how much of a role those spirit tools, "tailor-made" for them, would play when they eventually faced off against the Shrek Team.
"And..."
Ma Rulong looked up at the prominent "group six" on the large screen, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening:
"The matches for group six are quite far back."
"By the time it's our turn, there should still be several days."
"So, we can also use this time to further complete the production of other spirit tools on hand!"
Thinking of this, the smiles on everyone's faces instantly became even more pronounced.
As for the other strong enemy in the same group—Crimson Flame Academy.
When that name was mentioned, the expressions of the Sun Moon Team members were even more colorful; some almost laughed out loud.
When the time comes, they'll just see if their "Fire Resistance Bracelets" can take care of them!
So now...
When everyone's gaze converged once again on the distant Xuan Zi, who was still acting triumphantly,
There was no anger in their hearts, only a playful sense of watching a show.
'Laugh away, old man.'
'The happier you laugh now, the more it will be when the day of the match comes and you find that the individual strength you're so proud of is countered so hard by our spirit tools that you can't use it at all...'
'When you find out that we, whom you view as soft persimmons, are actually a steel plate that will break all your teeth...'
'That expression will definitely be worth collecting, won't it?'
Consequently, the atmosphere at the Sun Moon Team's preparation area actually became exceptionally relaxed.
They no longer paid attention to the noise from the outside world, but instead began to deduce the upcoming tactical arrangements in their minds, as well as the final debugging plans for those few key spirit tools.
A "sure-kill gift pack" targeting Shrek was quietly brewing in this silence.
...
Time passed minute by minute.
As the spots for the last group were settled, this long and thrilling drawing ceremony finally came to a close.
On the high platform.
The Prime Minister of the Star Luo Empire stepped forward again, holding a list that had just been organized, and announced in a loud voice:
"Everyone! The group drawing for the Round-robin Tournament phase of the All-Continent High-Rank Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament is now officially over!"
"According to the rules, the matches will proceed in order of the groups."
"Tomorrow morning, the matches for Group One will be the first to take place!"
"As for the highly anticipated group six—"
The Prime Minister paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over the direction of the Shrek and Sun Moon Teams, and said loudly:
"It will begin after the matches for the first five groups are finished!"
Boom—!
The entire venue cheered, and applause thundered.
The audience was already impatient to see this Peak showdown.
The teams from various academies also began to leave the field one after another, some happy and some worried, preparing to face the upcoming brutal slaughter.
The members of the Sun Moon Team also stood up.
Liu Yuan still maintained his calm and composed appearance. He straightened his sleeves and was about to lead the team members away from the square to go back and rush the production of spirit tools.
However.
At the very moment he took a step.
The noisy voices and cheers around him seemed to drift away from him in an instant.
The world seemed to stand still for a second.
Immediately after.
That familiar and cold mechanical electronic voice suddenly exploded deep in his mind without warning.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations Host, you have triggered a special mission!]
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