Chapter 181 Sarath Finds Trouble
At the betting counter, Ye Chen nodded in satisfaction, looking at Shrek Academy's odds of 1 to 1.42.
The small target he had Ning Yu and the others bet on, after cashing out, amounted to 142 million gold coins. After deducting the Great Spirit Arena's 5% commission, Ye Chen would still earn 34.9 million.
Such efficiency in making money was absolutely unique across the entire Douluo Continent. Even a magnate like his father-in-law, Ning Fengzhi, would surely concede defeat.
After today's match, the Shrek group left the Great Spirit Arena, preparing to return to the academy, but just then, an unexpected incident occurred.
Several Spirit Masters wearing Spirit Hall uniforms blocked their path.
"What can we do for you?"
Flender was a bit puzzled. What did these Spirit Hall people want?
"Lord Salas has commanded that Ye Chen of Shrek Academy assist in an investigation!"
"Investigation? Investigate what?"
Ye Chen raised an eyebrow.
"Why so much nonsense? Just come with us!"
Among the Spirit Hall group, the leader, a six-ring Spirit Emperor named Aofuro, spoke to Ye Chen with a stern expression.
"Hmph, since when has your Spirit Hall become so meddlesome? Our Shrek Academy is not a subordinate of Spirit Hall! We have no obligation to cooperate with you!"
Liu Erlong said, displeased.
"Who are you? This is Lord Salas's order. Do you Shrek Academy intend to defy it?"
In Aofuro's view, how dare a small Shrek Academy defy Lord Salas's order? Were they tired of living? Did they not know that Lord Salas represented the Heaven Dou Spirit Hall?
"A mere six-ring Spirit Emperor, what right do you have to yell? Get out of my way! You're an eyesore!"
Before Liu Erlong could react, Ning Rongrong, seeing Aofuro's arrogance, couldn't stand it anymore.
"You are?"
Hearing Ning Rongrong's imperious tone, Aofuro immediately lost his confidence. Spirit Hall was indeed the strongest Spirit Master organization on the continent, but he couldn't represent Spirit Hall. If he provoked some little ancestor, he would be completely finished.
"Listen well, my father is Ning Fengzhi!"
Ning Rongrong proudly puffed out her chest. When it came to 'father-fighting,' there really weren't many people on the continent who could compete with her.
"Uh, so it's Miss Ning, please forgive me!
However, Ye Chen of Shrek Academy is involved in a murder case during the Soul Master Competition, and we request his cooperation with the organizing committee's investigation."
The organizing committee Aofuro referred to was a temporary organization jointly established by various forces during the Soul Master Competition, responsible for its orderly conduct.
'Murder case? Is it related to Shi Nian?'
Ye Chen, standing nearby, thought to himself.
Actually, the situation was indeed similar to what Ye Chen had thought. Ever since Shi Nian tried to ambush him that day and was instead killed, by evening, seeing that Shi Nian had not returned, the Canghui Academy group realized something was wrong.
After days of inquiring and searching, they finally found out that Shi Nian had followed Ye Chen out of Heaven Dou City, but while Ye Chen returned later, Shi Nian had completely vanished.
It was foreseeable that Shi Nian had definitely been murdered, and the Canghui Academy group naturally couldn't tolerate it, immediately reporting it to the organizing committee.
Salas, seeing Shrek Academy's excellent performance in the competition, and given their close ties with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, naturally wanted to suppress them, which led to the request for Ye Chen to cooperate with the investigation.
"Scram! A mere six-ring Spirit Emperor, you're not qualified enough to demand my cooperation in an investigation!"
Ye Chen naturally wouldn't go with Aofuro and immediately retorted unceremoniously.
If it had been Salas himself, Ye Chen wouldn't have had the guts to do that, as Salas was, after all, the head of Spirit Hall within the Heaven Dou Empire. But a mere six-ring Spirit Emperor, well, that was clearly a different story.
"Exactly, exactly, you're not worthy! Go stand somewhere cool!"
Ning Rongrong echoed from the side.
"Oh? He's not worthy, then what about this Seat?"
Suddenly, a voice came from nearby.
Ye Chen turned his head and saw Salas approaching, surrounded by several lackeys.
"Greetings, Lord Salas!"
As soon as Aofuro saw Salas, he immediately bowed.
"Hm, you are Ye Chen? I, in the name of the competition organizing committee, demand that you must cooperate with the investigation!"
Salas nodded slightly, then spoke to Ye Chen with a sinister expression.
"Salas, is this Spirit Hall's intention, or your own?"
Ye Chen indeed couldn't afford to provoke Spirit Hall, but Salas, he truly didn't put him in his eyes.
After all, Salas was just an eight-ring support system Spirit Douluo. Although his strategic position was very high, comparable to an ordinary Titled Douluo in Spirit Hall, his actual strength was truly no match for the six-ring Ye Chen.
"This Seat naturally represents Spirit Hall!"
Salas said proudly.
"Oh? You want me to cooperate with the investigation? Then ask Uncle Ning if he agrees."
Saying this, Ye Chen pointed behind Salas.
At this moment, Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong were coming, walking towards them.
'Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong?'
Salas frowned. If Ning Fengzhi hadn't been involved today, this matter would definitely have been settled, but with Ning Fengzhi, it was definitely not going to work.
After all, in terms of status and position, even though Salas could sit in the front row of the VIP seats like Ning Fengzhi, there was still a significant difference. Even with the added prestige of being a Platinum Bishop of the Heaven Dou Spirit Hall, it was the same.
Within the Supreme Pontiff Palace faction, the only one whose status and position could be equated with Ning Fengzhi's was Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong herself. The status of a Platinum Bishop truly wasn't enough to compare.
"Bishop Salas, may I ask why you are looking for my junior?"
Ning Fengzhi asked Salas gently.
"Shi Nian, the team leader and Spirit Saint of Canghui Academy, left Heaven Dou City with Ye Chen a few days ago and has since disappeared without a trace.
Coupled with the conflict between Canghui Academy and Shrek Academy, it's clear that Ye Chen is the murderer of Shi Nian. This matter must be accounted for to Canghui Academy."
"Oh?"
Ning Fengzhi was a bit surprised. He hadn't expected Ye Chen to quietly take down a seven-ring Spirit Saint?
That's right, not only Salas believed that Ye Chen had killed Shi Nian, but Ning Fengzhi did as well.
However, Salas thought Ye Chen must have had help, while Ning Fengzhi believed Ye Chen did it by himself.
After all, Ning Fengzhi had some understanding of Ye Chen's strength.
"I know about this. Shi Nian of Canghui Academy tried to ambush my junior. Such a sinister person was naturally killed by Bone Douluo. Bishop Salas, do you have any other questions?"
Ning Fengzhi was very direct, simply stating that Gu Rong had killed Shi Nian.
What business did his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School killing someone have with your Spirit Hall? Anyway, Shi Nian wasn't a member of your Spirit Hall!
Gu Rong, standing nearby, nodded cooperatively, indicating that he had indeed killed Shi Nian.
"In that case, then Shi Nian of Canghui Academy deserved his death. Let this matter be dropped!"
Salas gave Ning Fengzhi a meaningful look, not exposing Ning Fengzhi's lie.
After all, it seemed Ning Fengzhi was determined to protect Ye Chen, so pursuing this matter further would be meaningless.
There was no way his Heaven Dou Spirit Hall would go against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School for such a trivial matter, right?
He and Shi Nian weren't blood brothers, so it wasn't worth it!
Moreover, based solely on the strength of the Heaven Dou Spirit Hall, going against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School would clearly not be enough. To say nothing else, just the two of them, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, the Heaven Dou Spirit Hall simply couldn't withstand them.
Chapter 182 Ye Chen's Little Plan
"You brat, did you really kill Shi Nian?"
After Salas left, Ning Fengzhi quietly asked Ye Chen.
"Yes, that old guy wanted to ambush me, but I counter-killed him."
There was nothing to hide about this, so Ye Chen just said it directly.
"Good heavens! Shi Nian was a Soul Sage (7 Rings) after all. I didn't expect him to fall into your hands, you brat."
Ning Fengzhi said with a sigh of wonder.
Don't take the village chief for a non-official; similarly, don't take a Spirit Saint for a non-expert. Looking at the entire continent, the Titled Douluo on the surface are only so many. Forces with an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo in charge can rank among the best on the continent.
For example, among the Lower Four Sects of the Seven Great Sects, there are only a few Spirit Douluo within the Sects. Before Tuobaxi of the Sacred Dragon Sect broke through, the Lower Four Sects did not have Titled Douluo in charge, and a Soul Sage (7 Rings) was definitely a high-level figure.
"Shi Nian took the path of mental control, and I happen to counter him, which is why I was able to counter-kill him."
The truth, of course, was not like this.
Even if Shi Nian wasn't countered by Ye Chen, with a god-tier Spirit, a super strong spirit ring configuration, and several 100,000-year Spirit Bones, if he still couldn't counter-kill across ranks, then Ye Chen wouldn't need to be in this business.
"You brat, forget it. Remember, if you're targeted by an expert next time, don't ever think about counter-killing. Just come find me."
Ning Fengzhi instructed Ye Chen.
Regarding Ye Chen, his future son-in-law, apart from being a bit of a philanderer, Ning Fengzhi was very satisfied. Not only was his strength impressive, but he was also good at making money.
Therefore, Ning Fengzhi had high hopes for Ye Chen and didn't want him to perish prematurely.
"Understood, understood!"
Ye Chen nodded. Counter-killing Shi Nian was something he was 100% confident about, knowing that Shi Nian was absolutely no match for him.
If Shi Nian's strength had exceeded the range he could handle, then Ye Chen would definitely have sought help.
...
In a flash, the 25th round of the preliminary matches for the Soul Master Competition's Tian Dou Competition Zone arrived.
A few days ago, Shrek Academy achieved another brilliant success, defeating Thunderclap Academy, one of the Elemental Academies, in the 21st round.
Although the Thunderclap Team had good strength, with four Spirit Ancestors among their seven members, they were still no match for Zhu Zhuqing. Even if Yu Tianxin used the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's inherited secret skill: Dragon Transformation, the outcome was the same.
Of course, in order not to expose more of Zhu Zhuqing's trump cards, when facing Thunderclap Academy, Ye Chen had Ning Rongrong, who was very eager to play, replace Oscar.
With Ning Rongrong as a super support, Tai Long and his three Spirit Elders (3 Rings) could even spar with ordinary Spirit Ancestors (4 Rings), let alone Zhu Zhuqing, whose inherent strength was already off the charts.
It was precisely because Zhu Zhuqing's visible spirit power level was only a Spirit Elder (39th level) that Yu Tianxin of the Thunderclap Team was extremely frustrated.
In the past, Yu Tianxin, a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and known as the 'Blue Lightning Twin Stars,' might not have challenged across ranks, but with the dominance of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit and the inherited Dragon Transformation secret skill, he was definitely a peerless genius among those of the same level. But he just happened to stumble when facing Zhu Zhuqing.
If Zhu Zhuqing's spirit power level had been that of a Spirit Ancestor (4 Rings), then it would have been fine. Yu Tianxin could have consoled himself by saying he didn't perform well on the spot.
But unfortunately, Zhu Zhuqing was merely a 'Spirit Elder.'
And it wasn't even a one-on-one duel at the time. Even with the vice-captain Lei Dong, a control system Spirit Ancestor, assisting, Yu Tianxin still couldn't do anything against Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing's speed was simply too fast, and the attack power of her Spirit Ability was incredibly strong. Yu Tianxin, who had no defensive Spirit Abilities, only took one hit from Zhu Zhuqing's third Spirit Ability, Nether Slash, and immediately gave up.
It can be said that in this battle, Yu Tianxin almost disgraced the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, refreshing the audience's perception of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit.
A Spirit Ancestor (4 Rings) fighting a Spirit Elder (3 Rings) and losing — what face did the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit have left to claim to be the number one Beast Spirit in the world?
Of course, Yu Tianxin was frustrated, but Ye Chen was happy.
After all, the name of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was very famous, and Thunderclap Academy, backed by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, was naturally widely favored.
Shrek Academy, although a dark horse, was still not favored by most people.
So Ye Chen, who had placed a small target at the betting counter, raked in over 50 million gold coins.
Coupled with the previous few matches between the Elemental Academies, this brought Ye Chen's total balance in his gold coin card and the System Shop's petty cash to five small targets so far.
And even in today's 25th round of competition, Ye Chen could still make a fortune.
"Today we're up against the Tianshui Team. Be careful of their Spirit Fusion Skill."
Before heading to the Great Spirit Arena, Ye Chen instructed everyone.
Tianshui Academy's overall strength ranked in the middle among the Elemental Academies, a bit stronger than Elephant Armor Academy. Due to water countering fire, Tianshui Academy would have an even greater advantage if they faced Blazing Fire Academy.
"Brother Chen, don't worry! When Tianshui Academy fought Blazing Fire Academy previously, their Spirit Fusion Skill: Ice and Snow Decendance was already exposed. We'll be careful.
Besides, Xiao Wu is playing in this match!"
Ma Hongjun immediately spoke up.
"Exactly, exactly! With Sister Xiao Wu playing, no matter what Spirit Fusion Skill they have, they're all destined to lose!"
Xiao Wu, standing nearby, puffed out her chest and said with full confidence.
As the preliminaries drew to a close, Ye Chen decided to let Xiao Wu play.
Letting Xiao Wu play early was, on one hand, because Ye Chen couldn't resist Xiao Wu's persistent pleas.
On the other hand, Ye Chen also planned to throw a match later to make a big score.
Now that it was the 25th round, besides Tianshui Academy, the only opponents Shrek Academy hadn't faced in the preliminaries were Zixing Academy and Shenfeng Academy.
Zixing Academy was out of the question; the strength gap between the two sides was too obvious. There was a high probability that Zixing Academy would surrender early, and the betting odds weren't significant, so there was no need to throw the match.
But Shenfeng Academy was different. The betting odds would definitely be very high then. Ye Chen planned to have the Shrek Team expose some of their trump cards during today's match against Tianshui Academy.
When they faced Shenfeng Academy tomorrow or the day after, Shrek Academy's advantage over Shenfeng Academy would be too obvious, and many people would definitely bet on Shrek to win. If they threw the match then, they would definitely make a huge sum of money.
After all, if they played normally and won against Shenfeng Academy, due to Shrek Academy's continuous victories, Ye Chen would at most make a small profit.
As for whether Shrek Academy would face retaliation for throwing a match, Ye Chen was not afraid.
After all, Shrek Academy was a high-level Spirit Master Academy with an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo in charge; it wasn't something just any cat or dog could mess with.
Chapter 183 How Can You Give Up?
Arriving at the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena, Ye Chen noticed that it seemed even livelier than a few days ago.
As the preliminaries drew to a close, the five qualifying spots were already obvious, only the specific rankings had yet to be determined.
The Thunderclap Team had twenty-two wins and two losses in twenty-four matches, losing to Shenfeng Academy and Shrek Academy. Today, and for the subsequent three matches, their opponents were all minor academies, making them sure wins.
In this Soul Master Competition, Thunderclap Academy's final record should be twenty-five wins and two losses.
Blazing Fire Academy had twenty-one wins and three losses in twenty-four matches, losing to Thunderclap Academy, Shrek Academy, and Tianshui Academy. Today, they faced Shenfeng Academy, and their opponents for the next two days were also minor academies.
Ye Chen estimated that Feng Xiaotian, that big simp, would, in all likelihood, have Shenfeng Academy deliberately lose to Blazing Fire Academy.
If no surprises occurred, Blazing Fire Academy would finish with twenty-four wins and three losses.
Tianshui Academy had twenty-two wins and two losses in twenty-four matches, losing to Shenfeng Academy and Thunderclap Academy. Today, they would lose to Shrek Academy, and in the next two days, they would face minor academies. Their final record should also be twenty-four wins and three losses.
Shenfeng Academy had twenty-four wins in twenty-four matches, but today, facing Blazing Fire Academy, Feng Xiaotian, in order to pursue the girl, would likely deliberately lose. In the next two days, their opponents included Shrek Academy and a minor academy.
Because Ye Chen planned to fix the match, Shenfeng Academy's final record in the preliminaries should be twenty-six wins and one loss.
Similarly, Shrek Academy's record in this Soul Master Competition preliminaries would also be twenty-six wins and one loss.
Although Shrek and Shenfeng Academy had the same record in the end, due to losing to Shenfeng Academy, the first place in the preliminaries belonged to Shenfeng Academy.
However, Ye Chen did not value the preliminary results; as long as the final championship belonged to the Shrek Team, that was enough.
As for Elephant Armor Academy, which had been at the bottom of the Elemental Academy for millennia, they were out of contention for the promotion rounds and the finals this year.
And Canghui Academy, having lost to Shrek Academy and only beating Elephant Armor Academy among the Elemental Academy, despite being a dark horse, also failed to qualify.
In fact, if Shrek Academy, this big dark horse, hadn't emerged in this Soul Master Competition, Canghui Academy would have been able to enter the promotion rounds. Unfortunately, their luck was poor.
"Uncle Yu, for these two hundred million gold coins, Shrek will bet one hundred million, and Blazing Fire Academy will bet one hundred million."
Ye Chen handed two gold coin cards, each for a small target, to Ning Yu, telling him to place the bets.
"Bet on Blazing Fire Academy to win? Can Blazing Fire Academy beat Shenfeng Academy?"
Ning Yu was a bit confused. This year's Shenfeng Academy was stronger than Thunderclap Academy; Blazing Fire Academy shouldn't be able to beat them, right?
"That's right, Blazing Fire Academy can't beat Shenfeng Academy, but who told the Shenfeng Team to have a big traitor?"
"Huh? What happened?"
"Feng Xiaotian, the captain of the Shenfeng Team, is Huo Wu, the vice-captain of Blazing Fire Academy's number one simp."
Ning Yu: "..."
"This~, Xiao Chen, what if Shenfeng Academy doesn't deliberately lose to Blazing Fire Academy?"
Ning Yu voiced his concern. Although Feng Xiaotian, as a simp, had a high probability of deliberately losing the match, they still had to be careful. One hundred million gold coins was not a small sum.
"Hmm, Uncle Yu is right. How about this, you continue placing the bet, and I'll go talk to Feng Xiaotian."
Ye Chen felt that Ning Yu's words made sense. Although it seemed that in the original work, Feng Xiaotian did that, he couldn't be sure if he would do it now.
After all, although Feng Xiaotian was the captain of the Shenfeng Team, Shenfeng Academy was not his private property.
"Understood."
Ning Yu nodded, saying nothing more.
Anyway, even if they lost this time, it wouldn't affect the fact that Ye Chen made a lot of money.
It was still early before the matches began. Shrek Academy's match against Tianshui Academy was scheduled for the third group, closer to noon, while Shenfeng Academy's match against Blazing Fire Academy was in the second group.
Leaving the betting area, Ye Chen found Feng Xiaotian in the contestants' lounge.
"Ye Chen? What are you doing here?"
Feng Xiaotian was curious about Ye Chen's intentions.
"Come on, I have something to discuss with you!"
"What is it?"
"There are too many people here, let's discuss it quietly!"
Ye Chen wouldn't go around shouting about fixing a match.
"Alright!"
Afterward, the two found an empty corner.
"Feng Xiaotian, your Shenfeng Academy is facing Blazing Fire Academy today, right?"
Ye Chen didn't prepare to waste words and went straight to the point.
"Yes, the match is in the second group."
Feng Xiaotian nodded.
"So, do you have any plans?"
"Uh, you know, I'm pursuing Huo Wu, and I've already convinced my teammates. When the time comes, our Shenfeng Team will directly forfeit."
Anyway, with Shenfeng Academy's current record, they could already qualify for the promotion rounds, so deliberately losing one match was not a big deal.
"Forfeit? How can you forfeit?"
Ye Chen's eyes widened. Although Shenfeng Academy wasn't planning to win against Blazing Fire Academy, the one hundred million gold coins Ye Chen bet wouldn't be lost.
But if Shenfeng Academy forfeited, the Great Spirit Arena would only refund the principal bet. For a qualified capitalist, not earning is losing, and Ye Chen didn't want to do anything that would result in a loss.
Moreover, due to Shenfeng Academy's significant advantage, the odds for Blazing Fire Academy would definitely not be low. After all, those unaware of the inside story wouldn't imagine that Shenfeng Academy would deliberately lose to Blazing Fire Academy.
"No, our Shenfeng Academy will not win against Blazing Fire Academy."
Feng Xiaotian said with a serious expression.
'It really is you! You truly are a big simp!'
Ye Chen thought to himself.
"I didn't ask you to win against Blazing Fire Academy, just not to forfeit."
"Tsk~, you're asking our Shenfeng Team to fix the match? Could it be that you bet on Blazing Fire Academy?"
Although Feng Xiaotian was a big simp, besides his emotional intelligence, his intelligence was still good, and he immediately thought of this.
"That's right, it doesn't matter if I tell you. I've already placed a heavy bet.
Your Shenfeng Academy cooperates with me to fix a match, and tomorrow or the day after, when Shenfeng Academy faces our Shrek Academy, I will give you a handicap."
"Hmph~, you make it sound like my Shenfeng Team can't beat your Shrek Team."
Feng Xiaotian pouted, a little displeased, feeling underestimated.
"Confidence is a good thing, but don't be too confident. Your Shenfeng Team is really no match for our Shrek Team."
Ye Chen said faintly.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Feng Xiaotian was a little surprised. Where did Ye Chen get this confidence from?
"Why do you think I can be the captain of the Shrek Team?"
"Uh~, you've been hiding your strength?"
Hearing Ye Chen say this, Feng Xiaotian immediately realized that something was off with the Shrek Team.
Chapter 184 Match Fixing
Ever since that day Miss Huo Wu told Feng Xiaotian that as long as he could defeat the Shrek Team, she would give him a chance to pursue her, Feng Xiaotian had been as excited as if he'd been injected with chicken blood, paying extra attention to intelligence on the Shrek Team.
The Shrek Team's main roster, including substitutes, consisted of ten people.
The Soul Master Competition had a rule that students who hadn't registered were not eligible to participate, meaning the Shenfeng Team's opponents would definitely be seven of these ten people.
On the surface, among the Shrek Team, only Ma Hongjun and Oscar were Spirit Ancestors at the four-ring spirit power level; everyone else was still a three-ring Spirit Elder.
Oscar, a food system Spirit Ancestor, was not to be mentioned, but Ma Hongjun was a four-ring attack system Spirit Ancestor, whose strength was definitely among the top in this Soul Master Competition, yet he was not the captain of the Shrek Team.
Under normal circumstances, the captain of a team is usually held by the strongest member, otherwise, he cannot command respect.
Additionally, one person from the Shrek Team had never participated in a match so far.
With the preliminary rounds almost over, for someone to have never played, that definitely meant he was a hidden trump card.
After all, it's not easy to participate in a Soul Master Competition; even if one's strength is a bit lacking, he would surely get a chance to play, otherwise, there would be no need to come and compete.
From this, it can be seen that the Shrek Team's true strength was definitely hidden quite a bit.
Furthermore, Feng Xiaotian felt that Ye Chen's strength could absolutely not be as simple as it appeared on the surface; his spirit power level was at least four rings.
He just didn't know why Ye Chen could hide his spirit rings and spirit power level.
After all, when Shrek Academy faced Canghui Academy, Ye Chen had also played, and the number of spirit rings on him was only three.
"Tell me, Ye Chen, what is the actual spirit power level of Zhu Zhuqing from your Shrek Team?"
Feng Xiaotian at this moment seriously doubted Zhu Zhuqing's spirit power level was merely a 39th-level Spirit Elder, as there was no way a three-ring Spirit Elder could have such an outrageous combat power, capable of defeating a four-ring Spirit Ancestor in one move.
"You found out? Alright, Zhuqing's spirit power level is indeed not a 39th-level Spirit Elder, but a 48th-level Spirit Ancestor."
Ye Chen was a bit surprised, not expecting Feng Xiaotian to discover Zhu Zhuqing's trick.
But this was no big deal; after all, the competition rules didn't state that contestants couldn't hide their strength, as long as they were not over 25 years old.
And to be honest, at this time, many experts who had watched the matches must have already noticed something was off with Zhu Zhuqing.
"Hiss~, a 48th-level Spirit Ancestor?"
Feng Xiaotian couldn't help but gasp, no wonder Yu Tianxin lost so badly!
This way, it made sense; it wasn't that Yu Tianxin was weak, but that Zhu Zhuqing was too strong.
However, Zhu Zhuqing didn't look very old, did she? How could her spirit power level be so outrageous?
Knowing Zhu Zhuqing's true spirit power level, Feng Xiaotian felt immense pressure.
With just one Zhu Zhuqing, Feng Xiaotian wasn't confident in winning against the Shrek Team, let alone with Ye Chen, whose spirit power level was unknown.
"Zhu Zhuqing's strength isn't enough for her to be captain in your Shrek Team, so what level has your strength reached?"
At this moment, Feng Xiaotian urgently wanted to know Ye Chen's true capabilities.
"I can't tell you that; you'll find out in the finals anyway. I can only tell you that Zhuqing's strength ranks third in our Shrek Team."
"Third?!"
Feng Xiaotian's eyes immediately widened. A 48th-level agility-attack system Battle Spirit Ancestor, whose strength only ranked third in the Shrek Team? Are you sure you're not just spouting nonsense?
Of course, Feng Xiaotian knew that Ye Chen didn't seem to have any reason to deceive him; after all, there was no benefit in lying to him, right?
"Hehe~, Brother Ye, about that, I agree to our Shenfeng Academy throwing the match!"
Having figured things out, Feng Xiaotian immediately patted his chest and said to Ye Chen.
He knew his own team's strength. If what Ye Chen said was true, then the Shenfeng Team definitely couldn't beat the Shrek Team. To win his beloved Miss Huo Wu, Feng Xiaotian felt, wasn't it just throwing one match? He'd do it!
As for whether throwing the match would damage Shenfeng Academy's reputation, he didn't care; he was determined to have Miss Huo Wu!
"Mm."
Hearing this, Ye Chen nodded in satisfaction.
"Oh, and about our two teams throwing the match, don't you dare tell anyone!"
Ye Chen sternly warned him. If Feng Xiaotian went around blabbing, how would he make money?
"You can trust me to handle it!"
Even if Ye Chen didn't say anything, Feng Xiaotian wouldn't actively tell anyone. After all, if news got out that an opponent threw a match and deliberately lost to them, Shenfeng Academy would also lose face.
...
Ye Chen paid close attention to the odds for the Shenfeng Team versus Chi Huo Battle Team match.
Ye Chen's earnings from this match would definitely be more than from his own Shrek Academy versus Tianshui Academy match.
Previously, Shrek Academy had already defeated Thunderclap Academy, and Tianshui Academy was Thunderclap Academy's defeated opponent, so Tianshui Academy was naturally no match for Shrek Academy.
If it weren't for Tianshui Academy being full of delicate girls with a huge fan base, the odds would definitely be very low.
But even so, he figured it wouldn't be very high; after all, die-hard fans were always a minority. Ye Chen estimated that if Shrek got odds of 1 to 1.2, that would be pretty good.
The second group's match was about to begin: Shenfeng Academy versus Blazing Fire Academy, with the odds closing at 1 to 1.8 for Blazing Fire Academy.
There was no other way; the Shenfeng Academy had performed exceptionally well in this Soul Master Competition, directly taking down Thunderclap Academy on the field and claiming the top spot among the Five Element Academy.
Betting one hundred million, with odds of 1 to 1.8, after deducting the Great Spirit Arena's commission, Ye Chen could rake in seventy-one million gold coins—how delightful!
After the match began, Feng Xiaotian, that big simp, also kept his word.
Blazing Fire Academy fielded all its main players, while Shenfeng Academy fielded only three-ring Spirit Elders, not even one Spirit Ancestor. Needless to say, anyone with a normal brain knew that Blazing Fire Academy was guaranteed to win this match.
Miss Huo Wu, however, was somewhat displeased with Feng Xiaotian.
Huo Wu had a very strong personality; wouldn't Feng Xiaotian's arrangement be looking down on her?
Of course, although Huo Wu appeared somewhat angry on the surface, deep down, she was still a little touched.
After all, others didn't get this kind of treatment, and the other members of the Chi Huo Battle Team also benefited from her.
On the arena, the seven Spirit Elders of the Shenfeng Team put on a show for a bit, then directly surrendered, allowing Blazing Fire Academy to easily win a match.
Inevitably, shouts of curses against Shenfeng Academy erupted in the stands, causing Shenfeng Academy's reputation to suffer a tiny bit of damage.
However, Feng Xiaotian was not thin-skinned at all; he acted as if nothing had happened and simply ignored the shouts and curses.
Moreover, he had already informed the academy and the other members of the Shenfeng Team about this, so he naturally wouldn't be blamed for anything.
Chapter 185 Tactical Arrangements
"The 25th round of the preliminaries, Group 3, center arena, Shrek Academy versus Tianshui Academy."
"Shrek Academy has successively defeated Elephant Armor Academy, Blazing Academy, and Thunderclap Academy. Today, they face Tianshui Academy. Can Shrek Academy create another glorious achievement? Let's wait and see!"
In the VIP box, the host, holding a Spirit-guided microphone, spoke with passionate enthusiasm.
As the host spoke, the audience in the stands naturally looked on with anticipation.
However, the members of Elephant Armor Academy, Blazing Academy, and Thunderclap Academy looked somewhat displeased. After all, Shrek Academy's great reputation was built by stepping on them.
"Everyone, be careful. While Elephant Armor Academy is one thing, Shrek Academy's ability to defeat Blazing Academy and Thunderclap Academy is absolutely extraordinary. We must go all out!"
Shui Binger said to everyone with a solemn expression.
From Shui Binger's words, it can be seen that Elephant Armor Academy, backed by the Elephant Armored Academy, has always been an object of exclusion and disparagement by the other four Elemental Academies.
However, these words are not without reason. After all, the students of Elephant Armor Academy are basically members of the Elephant Armored Academy, and their Spirits are all Diamond Mammoth. Although the Elephant Armor Team's spirit power levels seem not low, due to their very singular methods, their shortcomings are very obvious, and they are completely unable to defeat the other four Elemental Teams.
"Yes!"
The members of Tianshui Team all nodded seriously.
Shrek Team is indeed very strong. Even Thunderclap Academy, which had consistently held the top position in previous years, was defeated by Shrek Academy, showing their strength.
Don't look at Thunderclap Academy's previous loss to Shenfeng Academy. This wasn't because Thunderclap Team's strength was poor, but because Feng Xiaotian of Shenfeng Team had very strong individual strength, which allowed Shenfeng Academy to turn over and become the leader of the Elemental Academies this year.
The Tianshui Team in the original work did not choose to expose their Spirit Fusion Skill: Ice and Snow Decendance as a trump card.
However, things have changed. After Tianshui Academy successively lost to Shenfeng Academy and Thunderclap Academy, to avoid finishing last among the five qualifying spots in the preliminaries, when facing Blazing Fire Academy, Shui Binger and Xue Wu immediately used their Spirit Fusion Skill at the start of the match.
After the Spirit Fusion Skill was exposed, Shrek Team would certainly be prepared. The members of Tianshui Team were not 100% confident about this battle.
After all, Shrek Team's strength was simply too bizarre.
That's right, it was bizarre. Zhu Zhuqing's speed was too fast, and her attacks were too strong.
And in Shrek Academy's previous match against Thunderclap Academy, the sharp-eyed Shui Binger also noticed that Ning Rongrong, this support system Spirit Master, had an amplification effect that was not ordinary, far exceeding that of an ordinary Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit Master.
On Shrek Team's side, Ye Chen also arranged tactics for the players on the field.
This time against Tianshui Academy, Ye Chen wanted to achieve a crushing victory to demonstrate Shrek Team's power, so that when they faced Shenfeng Academy later, the odds for Shenfeng Academy's betting market would become higher.
Therefore, for this match, Ye Chen sent Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, Tai Long, and Jiang Zhu, seven people, to participate.
Of course, Ye Chen also instructed that Xiao Wu and the other two could not go all out.
Besides not being able to use their Domain, Xiao Wu could only expose a spirit power level of five rings at most, while Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong could expose their four-ring spirit power levels.
"Xiao Wu, Tianshui Team's Spirit Fusion Skill: Ice and Snow Decendance, I'll leave it to you to handle."
Ye Chen instructed Xiao Wu.
Among the seven people from Shrek who were playing, only Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing could deal with the Spirit Fusion Skill: Ice and Snow Decendance.
Xiao Wu has her fourth Spirit Ability, Taiyin Guardian, an invincible Spirit Ability, which allows her to endure the damage directly. As for Zhu Zhuqing, after releasing her Netherworld Domain, she can evade using the Dark Shadow Evasion ability that comes with the Netherworld Domain.
However, Zhu Zhuqing's Netherworld Domain is one of her trump cards and should ideally not be exposed, so Ye Chen arranged for Xiao Wu to deal with Tianshui Team's Spirit Fusion Skill.
"Brother, don't worry! Although Spirit Fusion Skill is powerful, if it's only released by two four-ring Spirit Ancestors, it's still not a problem!"
Generally speaking, a dual Spirit Fusion Skill can only increase combat power by one major rank.
That is to say, Shui Binger and Xue Wu's Spirit Fusion Skill: Ice and Snow Decendance, its combat power is only equivalent to a high-level Spirit King, which is still a step below a six-ring Spirit Emperor.
But for Xiao Wu, facing a six-ring Spirit Emperor, she is still fully confident.
"Mm."
Ye Chen nodded. Indeed, with his team's configuration, there was no reason to lose.
Subsequently, accompanied by flashing lights, both teams ascended the center arena of the Great Spirit Arena.
"Let's turn our attention to Center Arena Number One. Tianshui Team is fielding their main players, Captain Shui Binger and Vice-Captain Xue Wu, who can even activate the Spirit Fusion Skill: Ice and Snow Decendance. Facing this year's dark horse, Shrek Team, can Tianshui Team win?"
"On Shrek Team's side… Oh my! Shrek Team has adjusted their roster, fielding a player who has never appeared in this competition before. This makes us look forward to what kind of spectacular performance this first-time player can deliver!"
The host had excellent eyesight and immediately noticed Xiao Wu, who was making her debut among Shrek Team's lineup this time.
'Shrek Team changed players?'
As soon as she entered the arena, Shui Binger's gaze fell on Xiao Wu, and her expression became even more solemn.
The preliminaries had already entered the twenty-fifth round, and this was Xiao Wu's first appearance, so she certainly wouldn't be weak.
After all, it doesn't make sense to hide strong players when facing weak teams, and then switch in weak players when facing strong teams.
Shui Binger was naturally aware of Shrek Team's publicly available information. Xiao Wu was only a Level 39 Spirit Elder, but Shui Binger absolutely did not believe it.
Just looking at Zhu Zhuqing, her publicly stated level was also Level 39 Spirit Elder, but her strength was incredibly absurd. It's likely that Xiao Wu's situation is similar to Zhu Zhuqing's, and she has definitely hidden her level and strength.
"Tianshui Academy Team Captain, Shui Binger, Level 43 control system Spirit Ancestor."
Shui Binger announced her name and level to the Shrek members, showing her respect.
Ning Rongrong was stunned, not expecting Shui Binger to introduce herself, but she immediately regained her composure: "Shrek Academy Team Vice-Captain, Ning Rongrong, Level 46 support system Spirit Ancestor."
Since Captain Ye Chen was not on the field, Shrek's side could only be represented by Vice-Captain Ning Rongrong.
Moreover, the preliminaries were almost over, and Ye Chen had no intention of having Ning Rongrong continue to hide her strength.
"Level 46 Spirit Ancestor? Weren't you a Level 39 Spirit Elder?"
Before Shui Binger could speak, Shui Yueer of Tianshui Team exclaimed.
Ning Rongrong smiled and said nothing.