Chapter 221 All that's missing are melon seeds and a bench!
Early in the morning, all participating academies arrived at the competition venue under the guidance of Spirit Hall's dedicated personnel.
Spirit Hall was quite considerate; each academy had its own separate resting area, built around the competition grounds, so there was no need to crowd around the arena. Spectators could watch the matches from their resting areas.
On the side opposite the Supreme Pontiff Palace was the VIP judging panel, where representatives from the Two Great Empires watched the battles, along with Cardinals of Spirit Hall.
Upon arriving at the competition venue, before the Shrek members could even settle down, Flender was called to draw lots.
Unlike the preliminary and promotion rounds, the draw for the finals took place just before the start of the day's matches, leaving participants with little preparation time.
Not long after, Flender returned from the draw.
"I have some good news, do you want to hear it?" Flender said with a smile.
"Dean, isn't it just drawing lots? For us, no matter which team we draw, it can be considered good news, right?" Ma Hongjun pouted and replied.
"Exactly, exactly, Dean Flender, you have to believe in our strength!" Oscar chimed in from the side.
Flender: "..."
Hearing Ma Hongjun and Oscar, Flender came to his senses. They were right; with the Shrek Team's strength, even if they faced the strongest Spirit Hall Team, they wouldn't lose. The outcome was already decided.
Having understood this, Flender no longer played coy: "Alright, our opponent for the first round is Blazing Fire Academy..."
"Dean Flender, are you going to tell us that Blazing Fire Academy automatically forfeited?" Ye Chen directly interrupted Flender.
Apparently, in the original work, Blazing Fire Academy and Shenfeng Academy, seeing that they had no hope of winning the championship, directly merged their academy teams?
It's just that they weren't the protagonists, nor even major supporting characters, so their efforts were naturally in vain.
Upon hearing this, Flender looked surprised: "Uh, how did you know, kid?"
"Hehe~, guess?" Ye Chen smiled and didn't explain further.
Regardless of whether Blazing Fire Academy Team merged with Shen Feng Academy Battle Team, it wouldn't affect the overall situation. The merged Shenfeng Team, let alone winning the championship, wouldn't even get second place.
However, if Tang San hadn't participated in this Soul Master Competition, the New Windgod Team should have been able to secure a top-three ranking. But if Tang San did participate, then it's estimated that even a top-three spot for the Shenfeng Team would be in doubt.
Due to the influence of Ye Chen, although Tang San might not have the Eight Spider Lances external Spirit Bone, nor the transformation brought by the Immortal Herb, his strength compared to the original work's version is hard to say whether it's stronger or weaker.
After all, with Ye Chen's report, Tang Hao took Tang San and fled. Tang Hao should not have chosen to let him grow up on his own. With the guidance of a Titled Douluo master, Tang San's early strength should have improved very quickly.
...
Not long after, a Cardinal from Spirit Hall took the stage to announce the start of the finals, as well as the lineup for the matches and the teams with byes.
The finals did not have the grand opening ceremony one might imagine; everything was very simple, and there weren't many spectators, only a few thousand people. However, these few thousand people were all Spirit Masters; ordinary people were not allowed to watch.
The first match of the first round was between the New Windgod Team and Star Luo Empire's Huiyue Academy.
"What's going on? Isn't that Huo Wu and Fire Wushuang from Blazing Fire Academy? How are they in the Shenfeng Team?" Ma Hongjun couldn't help but exclaim as he watched the Shenfeng Team members take the stage.
"What else could it be? They just exploited a loophole in the competition rules. The organizing committee only stipulated that unregistered students couldn't participate, but it didn't state that participating students couldn't switch academies. This matter only requires Spirit Hall's approval." Ye Chen said indifferently.
"They can do that?" Oscar's eyes widened.
"They probably paid some price for it? Otherwise, Spirit Hall wouldn't be so easy to talk to. But it's a pity, even if Blazing Fire Academy and Shenfeng Academy do this, they have no hope of winning the championship." Ye Chen shook his head as he looked at the Shenfeng Team on the field.
If the New Windgod Team had a chance to win the championship, then he could understand, but given the current situation, even the New Windgod Team, after the merger of the two teams, doesn't seem to have any hope of winning, right?
Or is it that Feng Xiaotian, after successfully wooing Huo Wu, got carried away and thought that by combining with Blazing Fire Academy Team, they could defeat Shrek?
Ignoring the Shenfeng Team's match on the field, Ye Chen looked towards the Spirit Hall Team's resting area.
Everyone said that Hu Liena of Spirit Hall was a vixen. Ye Chen wanted to test the depth of this vixen and see if he could handle her.
'The little vixen didn't come?'
It was a bit of a shame. Perhaps because the Spirit Hall Team had a bye in the first round, there were still some team members who came to watch the match, but the three members of the 'Golden Generation' were not present.
Suddenly, in the Xingluo Royal Academy Team's resting area, Ye Chen saw a blue-haired figure.
'!!! Is that Little San Tang?'
With Ye Chen's powerful mental force, it wasn't difficult to see that this blue-haired youth from the Xingluo Royal Academy Team had a spirit power level as high as a Five-Ring Soul King.
In the original work, besides the three members of Spirit Hall's 'Golden Generation', there were no participants at the Five-Ring Soul King level. Coupled with his appearance, which was nine-tenths similar to Little San Tang in the anime, Ye Chen was certain that this was definitely the protagonist, Tang San.
Ye Chen was a bit confused. What kind of feed did Tang San eat to be a whole major rank higher than in the original work? And even his Blue Silver Emperor bloodline awakened? This is outrageous!
'Could it be that he got his mother's Spirit Bone?'
Ye Chen estimated that it was highly probable that Tang Hao had given Tang San the 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone left after Ah Yin's sacrifice. Otherwise, even with Tang Hao's early guidance, Tang San's cultivation speed wouldn't be this fast.
'Wait, with the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, doesn't that mean Tang Hao's injuries can fully heal? He can then use Ring Explosion to his heart's content?'
Instantly, Ye Chen thought of the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone's Soul Bone Skill: 'Wildfire burns endlessly, the spring breeze brings new life.' Although this Soul Bone Skill wasn't combat-oriented, its healing effect was incredibly potent.
In the original work, Tang Hao could regenerate severed limbs after losing his thighs and arms. If it's just healing internal injuries, wouldn't that be a piece of cake?
'Tsk tsk~, all that's missing are melon seeds and a bench! A full-strength Tang Hao, after using Ring Explosion, wouldn't he tear down Bibi Dong's Supreme Pontiff Palace?'
If Tang San came to Spirit City, then his father, Tang Hao, must have also come. Even if Spirit Hall didn't provoke him, given Tang Hao's hatred for Spirit Hall due to 'wife sacrificed to the heavens,' he certainly wouldn't let it go. Having come all the way to Spirit Hall, how could he not leave some'souvenir'?
In the original work, Tang Hao had severe hidden injuries and dared not continue using Ring Explosion, which was why he couldn't smash the Supreme Pontiff Palace. But if it were now, that might not be the case.
Chapter 222: The Expanding Oscar
"Brother, what are you looking at?"
Xiao Wu waved her hand in front of Ye Chen's eyes.
"Uh~, nothing, I just noticed that the Xingluo Royal Academy Team has a Five-Ring Soul King."
Ye Chen pointed to Tang San in the distance.
"Oh? It really is him~! But his aura is so strange!"
With Xiao Wu's strength as a Six-Ring Soul Emperor, she could discern Tang San's spirit power level. However, with her keen perception, Xiao Wu noticed that Tang San's aura was a bit off, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong at the moment.
"Aura?"
Suddenly, Ye Chen remembered that Tang San was not a pure human.
Tang Hao was human, but Tang San's mother was a 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor who had taken human form. Now, with the awakening of his Blue Silver Emperor bloodline, he was a hybrid, and naturally carried some Spirit Beast aura. It wasn't impossible for Xiao Wu to detect something amiss.
"A Soul King from the Xingluo Royal Academy Team?"
Zhu Zhuqing, with her sharp ears, heard the mention of the Star Luo Royal Team and immediately turned her attention to them.
"Zhuqing, isn't that your older sister, Zhu Zhuyun?"
Ye Chen pointed to the girl next to Tang San, who bore some resemblance to Zhu Zhuqing, also wearing a black tight-fitting leather outfit, with skin as fair as snow and a rather deep cleavage.
These sisters of the Old Zhu family, the younger sister had a broad chest, and the older sister was not to be outdone, with quite the mature woman vibe.
"Hmm, Brother Chen, if we face the Star Luo Royal Team later, I'll take on Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun."
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but clench her fists as she spoke to Ye Chen.
Although she and Dai Mubai had long since drawn a clear line, Zhu Zhuqing would not forget the suppression she had endured from Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun.
The Spirit Fusion Skill: Hell White Tiger was indeed very strong, allowing Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun to challenge ordinary Five-Ring Soul Kings beyond their own rank, but Zhu Zhuqing was not afraid in the slightest.
Leaving aside other things, the ability Dark Shadow Evasion, which came with the Netherworld Domain, was enough to make her invincible. Even if she was alone, she could defeat the Hell White Tiger.
"Alright, Zhuqing, use your full strength then. Let your sister see it clearly."
Ye Chen was also aware of the conflict between the two sisters and readily agreed.
...
The first round of the finals ended uneventfully, with the Blazing Fire Academy Team forfeiting, the Shrek Team automatically winning, and the three pre-qualified teams having a bye. Other than the merger of the Blazing Fire Academy Team and the Shenfeng Academy Team, which created some news, it was a calm conclusion.
However, in the second round of the competition, a small climax erupted.
The Tianshui Team was not very lucky, encountering the Star Luo Royal Team in the second round.
In this battle, even with Shui Binger and Xue Wu unleashing their Spirit Fusion Skill: Ice and Snow Decendance, they were still no match for the combined efforts of Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun's Hell White Tiger and the Soul King-level Tang San. They were sadly eliminated.
The Thunderclap Academy Team had similar bad luck, going up against the Spirit Hall Team.
Although the 'Golden Generation' trio of Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and Yan did not participate, the Spirit Hall Team was still powerful, with a full lineup of four-ring Spirit Ancestors, directly eliminating the Thunderclap Academy Team, which only had four Spirit Ancestors.
After the second round of matches, the only teams directly affiliated with the Heaven Dou Empire remaining were the Shrek Team, the Shenfeng Team, and the pre-qualified Royal Fight Team.
There was nothing to say about the Blazing Fire Academy Team, but Ye Chen felt it was a bit regrettable for the Tianshui Team and the Thunderclap Team.
The strength of the Tianshui Team and the Thunderclap Team would place them in the middle rank among the teams that qualified for the third round. However, they had bad luck, encountering the Spirit Hall Team and the Star Luo Royal Team, which were ranked among the top three in this Soul Master Competition, ahead of schedule.
After the first two rounds of matches, the top ten teams of the All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament were determined.
In the third round, the Shen Feng Academy Battle Team and the second-ranked academy team from the Star Luo Empire's qualifying rounds had a bye, while Shrek also had their first match in the finals.
"Dean Flender, who is our opponent for the third round?"
Ma Hongjun asked Flender, who had returned from drawing lots.
"Our opponent this time is a team from the Star Luo Empire named the Beast Academy Team.
The Beast Team is not very strong; among the teams that qualified for the third round, they are ranked lower. Their seven main players consist of only three four-ring Spirit Ancestors and four three-ring Spirit Elders.
I won't mention the Spirit Elder-level ones. Among those three Spirit Ancestors, one has the King Kong Tiger Spirit, one has the Earth Rhinoceros, and another has the Gale Bird."
Flender relayed information about their opponent to the Shrek members.
Tai Long: 'Oh, you thick-browed and big-eyed Flender, you won't mention the Spirit Elder-level ones? What does that mean? Are Spirit Elders not people?'
Of course, Tai Long didn't say it out loud.
"Beast Academy? What a strange name!"
Hearing the words 'Beast,' Ye Chen immediately complained.
Why call it 'Beast'? Why not just call it 'Fowl and Beast Academy'? It has both flying and walking creatures, so isn't that fowl and beast?
"Hmph hmph~, this is our Shrek Team's first appearance in the finals. Trust me, Grandpa Oscar will surely crush our opponents!"
Oscar held his head high, full of fighting Spirit. If you didn't know, you wouldn't be able to tell that he was 'powerless to truss a chicken.'
"...Little Ao, you're getting ahead of yourself! 'Crush our opponents,' don't let them crush you instead!"
Ma Hongjun scoffed dismissively, feeling that after Ning Rongrong's comeback, Oscar, this weakling, had also become overconfident.
"That's right, Little Ao~, not every support system is as capable as your Sister Rongrong!"
Ning Rongrong, looking rather old-fashioned, patted Oscar's shoulder.
Everyone: "..."
Oscar: You all bully me!
The Shrek members felt no pressure regarding their opponent in the third round. With their strength, they were just that confident!
...
With half an hour left until the matches began, the top ten teams had already entered the arena for their final preparations and warm-ups before the competition.
The match between the Shrek Team and the Beast Team was placed in the first group, as the opening match of the third round of the finals.
Because the Shrek Team's apparent strength was the greatest, with more Five-Ring Soul Kings than even the Spirit Hall Team, when Ye Chen and the others entered, all the other teams turned their attention to them.
"They are the Shrek Team? Why is there still a three-ring Spirit Elder?"
In the Spirit Hall Team's resting area, Hu Liena looked at Ye Chen and the others, asking with some curiosity.
"Who knows? Probably just making up the numbers! But according to the intelligence, the Shrek Team is very strong. Even that support system Ning Rongrong possesses considerable combat power with her two Spirit Bones.
Also, pay special attention to their captain, Ye Chen. His Spirit Abilities are very strange; it's said that those who are hit by them are completely unable to resist."
Xie Yue replied with a solemn expression.
Chapter 223: Clever Trick
"Hmph~ No matter Shrek's strength, the champion of this Soul Master Competition will definitely belong to our Spirit Hall!"
Hu Liena let out a cold snort. Even before this, her teacher Bibi Dong had told her not to underestimate the Shrek Team. The proud little fox was naturally a bit unconvinced and eager to prove her own strength.
"Exactly, exactly, Nana is right!"
As a humble, ultimate simp, Yan naturally agreed with whatever his goddess said. He accepted no refutation!
"Yan, can you stop being such a yes-man?"
Xie Yue looked at Yan speechlessly. He remembered that his companion wasn't like this when they were young, but ever since they grew up, he had gone astray.
'Women only slow down my blade!'
Watching a once promising young man turn into an ultimate simp, Xie Yue thought to himself.
From Xie Yue's perspective, if Yan eventually became his brother-in-law, it would be a good thing.
After all, Yan's talent and strength were both very strong, and he was quite handsome. Plus, they had grown up together and had an emotional foundation. Most importantly, with this ultimate simp's personality, he wouldn't have to worry about his sister suffering any grievances in the future.
But the key was that in the face of Yan's persistent pursuit, his sister, who had always had her own opinions since childhood, was completely indifferent. This made Xie Yue, as her older brother, feel like an old father worrying.
Listening to her older brother, Hu Liena glanced at Yan beside her.
To be honest, with Yan's conditions, among the younger generation of Spirit Hall, besides her brother Xie Yue, he was the most outstanding.
But for some reason, she just didn't feel anything. All she felt was the camaraderie between companions.
"Yan, you're a good person. I see you as a brother, so don't think about anything else."
After thinking about it, Hu Liena decided it was better to be direct, lest she delay her companion's important life event.
Yan, who received a good person card: "…"
After a long while, Yan sighed deeply. He just wanted a child to maintain their relationship, but why was it so difficult?
...
As the Shrek Team ascended the arena, the third round of the finals officially began.
On the arena, the seven members of Shrek lined up on the left side, while the seven members of the Beast Team also lined up on the right side.
The referee came to the center of the two teams: "The match is about to begin. You may release your Spirits. The rules are the same as before. The loser will be directly eliminated, and the winner will enter the fourth round."
Instantly, all fourteen Spirit Masters from both teams released their Spirits, and yellow, purple, and black spirit rings bloomed on the arena.
Well, to be precise, black spirit rings only appeared on the Shrek side.
Among the seven members of the Beast Team, only three had spirit power levels above fortieth rank.
In contrast, for the Shrek Team, everyone except Tai Long had spirit power levels above fortieth rank. Furthermore, Ye Chen, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong all had spirit power levels above fiftieth rank.
After releasing his Spirit and spirit rings, Ye Chen looked at the Beast Team's lineup and said to the others beside him, "After the start, just leave those three Spirit Ancestors to me."
"Brother Chen, isn't it bad for you to hog all the food like this? Leave one for me!"
Ma Hongjun immediately became unhappy. There were only three Spirit Ancestors on the opponent's side, and you're taking them all. If Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing each took two Spirit Elders, then what am I doing on stage? Watching the show?
If he wasn't given a chance to show off, when would Grandpa Ma be able to win the hearts of the girls?
"Alright then, that flying Gale Bird Spirit Ancestor from the opponent's side is yours!"
Ye Chen agreed to Ma Hongjun's suggestion. Although Ma Hongjun was a bit lewd and usually unreliable, his strength was still very good.
The opponent's Gale Bird Spirit Master was only a 42nd-rank Spirit Ancestor. Not only was Ma Hongjun's spirit power level one rank higher, but as the king of birds, the Fire Phoenix Spirit was also incomparable to a high-grade Gale Bird.
"Brother Chen, don't worry!"
Ma Hongjun immediately patted his chest and guaranteed.
"Match start." With the referee's command, this highly anticipated competition finally began.
Although the outcome of this battle was already decided, it still attracted the attention of all the remaining teams.
After all, as long as their own team wasn't eliminated, they would definitely face Shrek in the future, so this match was a good opportunity to observe the Shrek Team's strength.
"First Spirit Ability, Imprisonment!"
"Second Spirit Ability, Fixed Awareness!"
As Ye Chen's first and second spirit rings flashed slightly, two Bamboo Staff phantoms flew out rapidly, instantly descending on the heads of the Beast Team's Vajra Tiger Spirit Ancestor and Earth Rhinoceros Spirit Ancestor, then fiercely striking down.
"Dong—" "Dong—"
The Bamboo Staff phantoms collided with their foreheads, emitting two dull thuds.
As Ye Chen's strength increased, not only did the duration of his Spirit Ability effects lengthen, but the power of the strike to the opponent's forehead also became stronger.
Moreover, this time Ye Chen held nothing back. Visibly, large bumps swelled on both their foreheads, and the Spirit Ability effects immediately took hold. One was Imprisoned in place, while the other's thoughts were sealed, both falling into an immobile state.
After two moves, Ye Chen stopped attacking. The rest would be handled by Xiao Wu and the others.
Thus, Ye Chen on the arena, under the gaze of the audience, directly put away his Qingjing Bamboo Staff, with his hands clasped behind his back, exuding an air of coolness.
"Damn it~!"
Looking at Ye Chen showing off on the arena, Yan, who considered himself Spirit Hall's number one handsome man, immediately cursed under his breath.
He had seen people showing off, but never to this extent.
"Brother, are all of Ye Chen's Spirit Abilities from the Shrek Team about hitting people on the head?"
Looking at the large bumps on the foreheads of the two Spirit Ancestors from the Beast Team, Hu Liena couldn't help but shiver. She certainly didn't want to be hit on the head!
The intelligence collected by Spirit Hall before said that Ye Chen's Spirit Abilities had strong control effects, but Hu Liena hadn't expected that they weren't control-type Spirit Abilities like Binding or Imprisonment, but rather using a staff to specifically hit people on the head?
Whether the specific control effect was good or not, that was beside the point, but the humiliating aspect was indeed very strong.
"This~…"
Xie Yue's expression was also a bit grim. Previously, when he only looked at Shrek's written intelligence, he hadn't noticed this detail.
Their Spirit Hall Team would definitely face Shrek later, so wouldn't that mean they couldn't avoid being hit on the head?
"Nana, how about when we face Shrek, we wear headbands into the arena?"
Suddenly, the 'great clever' Yan beside them thought of a brilliant way to defend against Ye Chen's head-hitting.
Xie Yue, Hu Liena: "…"
After a moment of speechlessness, the two nodded slightly, agreeing with Yan's suggestion.
Although armor and protective gear were not allowed in the Soul Master Competition, headbands were only considered accessories, not helmets, so they did not violate the competition rules.
Chapter 224 Zhu Zhuqing's Disgust
On the arena.
At the start, while Ye Chen was tapping people's foreheads, the other Shrek members weren't idle either.
After Ning Rongrong buffed him, Ma Hongjun directly confronted the Gale Bird Spirit Master and was in an absolute position of advantage.
The Beast Team's three Spirit Ancestors, two were restrained, one was suppressed by Ma Hongjun, and the remaining four Spirit Elders were naturally no match for Xiao Wu and the others.
Xiao Wu didn't even use Spirit Abilities, directly crushing them with her powerful physical fitness.
Don't let Xiao Wu's usual soft and cute demeanor fool you; in terms of hand-to-hand combat, even Ye Chen couldn't compare to her. If it weren't for his three 100,000-year Spirit Bones, Ye Chen's physical fitness would still be inferior to Xiao Wu's!
Less than half a minute into the match, the two Spirit Ancestors of the Beast Team, whose foreheads Ye Chen had tapped and were utterly defenseless, along with two Spirit Elders, were successively knocked off the arena by Xiao Wu.
Zhu Zhuqing was not to be outdone, activating her First Spirit Ability and Second Spirit Ability, taking out two opponents with one move each.
Zhu Zhuqing's first and second spirit rings, on the surface, only appeared to be century in age, but this was merely a disguise. The true age of her spirit rings was actually ten thousand years, black.
A ten-thousand-year Spirit Ability unleashed by a Five-Ring Soul King was naturally not something a Three-Ring Spirit Elder could withstand, even if one of them was a defense-type Spirit Elder.
Especially for Zhu Zhuqing, whose attacks came with high penetration attributes, whether an opponent was a defense-type Spirit Master or not made little difference.
Tai Long, who was just there to make up the numbers, hadn't even found an opponent yet! The only member of the Beast Team still on the arena was the Gale Bird Spirit Master, who was being suppressed by Ma Hongjun in mid-air.
Watching the Shrek Team eliminate six of his teammates with a 'tornado destroying a parking lot' momentum, the Gale Bird Spirit Master said bitterly, "I surrender!"
The situation was too overwhelming. He couldn't even defeat Ma Hongjun, let alone the four Spirit Kings of the Shrek Team. Rather than getting injured and being forced off the stage, it was better to suffer less and surrender directly.
After all, the strength gap was too large, and there was no hope of winning, so no one would blame him.
"Finals Round Three, Shrek Academy versus Beast Academy, Shrek Academy wins!"
After the Beast Team conceded, the referee immediately announced the match results.
The many teams watching the match were all shocked by Shrek's strength, seeing them decisively defeat their opponents in just half a minute.
Even Tang San, Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and Yan, whose spirit power levels had reached above fifty, turned their heads in surprise.
Although they had already guessed the outcome, they didn't expect it to be so fast.
Moreover, anyone with a discerning eye could tell that in this battle, Shrek had not utilized their full combat strength.
The first match of the third round of the finals was the Shrek Team, while the second group was an internal conflict within the Star Luo Empire: the Xingluo Royal Academy Team against the Qingtian Academy Team.
As the Shrek members stepped off the arena, the Xingluo Royal Academy Team approached them.
Zhu Zhuqing saw her older sister Zhu Zhuyun and Dai Weisi walking towards them, but given that their relationship was not friendly, Zhu Zhuqing chose to ignore them.
"Zhuqing, long time no see. Sister hasn't congratulated you on becoming a Spirit King yet!"
Zhu Zhuqing chose to ignore her, but Zhu Zhuyun did not. Instead, she greeted her with a warm expression.
After all, Zhu Zhuqing had broken up with Dai Mubai, which meant she was no longer an enemy of her and Dai Weisi. Naturally, there was no need for them to be at odds in the future.
"Hmph~, I don't have a sister like you!"
Facing her sister Zhu Zhuyun's warm reception, Zhu Zhuqing snorted coldly, showing no respect.
When she left the Star Luo Empire for Shrek Academy, her 'good sister' had even sent assassins. If she hadn't been lucky, she might have died long ago. Zhu Zhuqing naturally wouldn't forget this.
Of course, the two were still inseparable sisters, so Zhu Zhuqing had never thought of eliminating Zhu Zhuyun in the future.
"Zhuqing, I was wrong before, and I apologize to you here! Can you forgive your sister?"
If possible, Zhu Zhuyun also did not want to stand on the opposite side of her own sister.
In the past, there was no other way. Due to the competitive relationship within the Star Luo Royal Family, the two were enemies; it was either you die or I perish.
But now there was no need for such animosity. The fundamental, irreconcilable conflict no longer existed, and with Zhu Zhuqing's now demonstrated powerful talent, Zhu Zhuyun naturally wanted to win over her sister.
Zhu Zhuqing gave Zhu Zhuyun a cold glance, saying nothing.
"Zhuqing, you are sisters after all, you should reconcile with your sister!"
Dai Weisi spoke up. With his sister-in-law's powerful talent now displayed, becoming a Titled Douluo in the future was absolutely certain. As someone who considered himself the future Star Luo Emperor, Dai Weisi naturally wanted to win her over.
"Hmph~, you should mind your own business!"
From the bottom of her heart, Zhu Zhuqing detested the Dai Family. The so-called imperial succession mechanism established by the Dai Family of the Royal Family had, throughout history, led to countless direct female descendants of the Zhu Family being sacrificed.
Zhu Zhuqing even wondered if the Dai Family of the Royal Family felt the Zhu Family was too threatening and used this to weaken the Zhu Family's power?
The Hell Civet Spirit itself is more compatible with women, and most of the talented direct descendants of the Zhu Family are women.
And among the direct female descendants of the Zhu Family, those with poor talent were looked down upon by the Dai Family, while those with good talent either perished due to the cruel competition or married into the Dai Family, becoming members of the Dai Family.
It was precisely because of this that, ever since this competition began, the Zhu Family had never produced a Titled Douluo master.
Zhu Zhuqing could think of this point, and her father, the current Duke of Hell, was naturally aware of it.
But there was no other way. The Dai Family of the Royal Family was powerful, and their control over the Star Luo Empire was much stronger than the Xue Family of the Royal Family's control over the Heaven Dou Empire. The Zhu Family had no room to resist.
"You must be Ye Chen. Why don't you talk some sense into Zhuqing? After all, Zhuyun and Zhuqing are family. I'll handle the pressure from the Empire for you!"
Seeing that Zhu Zhuqing was not interested in him, Dai Weisi turned to Ye Chen and said.
Although Ye Chen had 'intercepted' Zhu Zhuqing, which was equivalent to slapping the Star Luo Royal Family in the face, in Dai Weisi's eyes, Ye Chen was not his enemy; instead, he was an ally.
As for the enemy? That would be Dai Mubai.
It was precisely because of Ye Chen that Dai Mubai's threat to him was directly eliminated. In fact, Dai Weisi even wanted to thank Ye Chen!
Since the Soul Master Competition began, when Ye Chen and Zhu Zhuqing's relationship was exposed, the Star Luo Empire, upon learning that Zhu Zhuqing, the future imperial consort, had fallen for someone else, the imperial court was in an uproar.
If it weren't for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School standing behind Ye Chen, and the fact that he was in the Heaven Dou Empire, making it inconvenient for Star Luo to interfere, trouble would have come knocking much earlier.
Dai Weisi felt that he needed to side with his sister-in-law to completely eliminate Dai Mubai's threat to him. Compared to the throne of the Star Luo Empire, what was face worth?
Chapter 225: Foxtail Lady, come to the bowl quickly!
"Star Luo Empire? Heh~…"
Listening to Dai Weisi, Ye Chen's face was full of playfulness.
He wasn't afraid of the Star Luo Empire. Although he had slapped the royal family's face, even if trouble came knocking, it wouldn't be a Titled Douluo.
As one of the continent's strongest, a Titled Douluo wouldn't easily make a move.
After all, Zhu Zhuqing wasn't yet a Star Luo Crown Princess! Unless Ye Chen had snatched Emperor Dai Yutian's wife, it wouldn't be as serious.
Moreover, Heaven Dou and Star Luo both had regulations: if any Titled Douluo masters entered Heaven Dou City or Star Luo City without prior registration and were discovered, they would be treated as assassins and eliminated.
Hmm, needless to say, this regulation was to prevent Spirit Hall from secretly carrying out assassinations.
If only an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo came, Ye Chen naturally wouldn't be afraid. Even if he couldn't win, he could still escape.
Once he advanced to Soul Sage (7 Rings), a mere Eight-Ring Soul Douluo wouldn't be a one-shot kill with his staff?
If he advanced to Eight-Ring or Nine-Ring, Ye Chen would dare to storm Star Luo City and make the Star Luo Empire change emperors! Perhaps even make the Star Luo Empire a thing of the past?
"You…"
Seeing Ye Chen's playful expression, Dai Weisi couldn't help but get annoyed.
"Alright, no more 'you' or 'me.' I hope when we face each other in the fourth or fifth round, you don't lose too badly!"
With that, Ye Chen ignored Dai Weisi, glanced at Tang San beside Dai Weisi, and left with the Shrek Everyone.
"Damn it! Giving face but not accepting it!"
Watching Ye Chen's receding figure, Dai Weisi cursed under his breath.
…
After returning to the lounge area, Ye Chen didn't go back to the hotel but watched the competition with great interest.
The Xingluo Royal Academy Team's opponent, the Qingtian Academy Team, despite having a domineering-sounding name, their strength was only so-so.
The seven members of the Qingtian Team who took the stage were on the same level as the previous Beast Team: three Spirit Ancestors and four Spirit Elders.
In contrast, the Star Luo Royal Team, besides Tang San, who was a Five-Ring Soul King, the other six were all Four-Ring Spirit Ancestors. No matter how you looked at it, they were in an absolutely dominant position.
It could be said that the Star Luo Royal Team, unless they faced Shrek or Spirit Hall Team prematurely, would definitely reach the final round of the grand finals.
The outcome of this suspense-free match was predetermined. Less than three minutes into the opening, without Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun even activating the Hell White Tiger, the Star Luo Royal Team defeated the Qingtian Team and advanced to the fourth round of the grand finals.
The next third group of matches reached its climax.
In this match, two of the three teams guaranteed a spot in the finals faced each other: the Royal Fight Team against the Spirit Hall Team.
Of course, while both the Royal Fight Team and the Spirit Hall Team were guaranteed teams, the gap in their strength was very obvious.
The strongest member of the Royal Fight Team, Yu Tianheng, was only a Level 43 Spirit Ancestor, while the lowest-ranked member of the Spirit Hall Team was still higher than him.
"Hmm~, I wonder how the little fox's tail feels to the touch?"
Looking at Hu Liena on the stage, Ye Chen thought to himself.
Hu Liena's beauty was already striking, her figure nearly perfect. Coupled with the fox tail that grew behind her after her Spirit possessed her, it made Ye Chen feel a bit restless.
Ye Chen declared, "Fox-tailed girls, come into my bowl!"
Perhaps to intimidate other teams and showcase Spirit Hall's strength, the other five members remained still. At the start, Hu Liena and Xie Yue immediately activated their Spirit Fusion Skill: Demonic Charm.
For a moment, red light filled most of the stage.
As the red light spread, Xie Yue and Hu Liena transformed into a single being with long flowing hair, clad in full battle armor, appearing gender-neutral.
"This is Demonic Charm?"
Looking at the figure that appeared on the stage, Ye Chen raised his eyebrows.
Under his powerful mental force, the Demonic Charm's power had already reached that of a top-tier Spirit Emperor.
Ye Chen still had some impression of the Spirit Fusion Skill: Demonic Charm's effects. Within the red light generated by Demonic Charm, everyone's senses would be reduced by fifty percent, spirit power suppressed by fifty percent, and all actions delayed by fifty percent.
It could be said that unless a Spirit Master was above Level 70, with the exception of a few exceptionally powerful Six-Ring Spirit Emperors, basically no one was a match for Demonic Charm.
Soon, the red light on the stage intensified, and a massive energy fluctuation instantly bloomed.
With the naked eye, it was now impossible to see what was happening inside from the outside; only with powerful mental force could one perceive the situation within.
Ye Chen clearly sensed that due to the red light obstructing their vision, coupled with their suppressed senses and mobility, the seven members of the Royal Fight Team were completely unable to coordinate as a team. With such a vast difference in strength, they were quickly defeated one by one by Demonic Charm.
In less than a minute, all seven members of the Royal Fight Team, including Yu Tianheng, were lying on the ground, and it seemed their injuries were not light.
The red light on the stage receded, and the Spirit Fusion Skill was dispelled, with Demonic Charm transforming back into Xie Yue and Hu Liena.
"Royal Fight Team? Heh~, is this all the strength you have?"
Xie Yue looked at Yu Tianheng, who was lying on the ground, with a playful expression.
"You… Damn it~!"
If he could, Yu Tianheng would very much like to smash Xie Yue's dog head, but reality was helpless. With his Level 43 Spirit Ancestor strength, he was far from being an opponent.
Let alone Xie Yue in his Spirit Fusion Skill state, even without the Spirit Fusion Skill, Yu Tianheng was still no match for Xie Yue.
Although the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit was known as the number one Beast Spirit in the world and was extremely powerful, Xie Yue's Moon Blade was of comparable quality, both being top-tier attack system Spirits.
Even if Yu Tianheng possessed the 'Dragon Transformation' secret technique passed down by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, he still couldn't bridge the gap of nine spirit power levels, plus a ten-thousand-year fifth spirit ring, between them.
"For the sake of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, I'll spare you this once!"
Facing Yu Tianheng's impotent rage, Xie Yue paid no mind, merely stating indifferently.
Meanwhile, Hu Liena's attention was not on the members of the Royal Fight Team. Instead, her gaze turned towards Ye Chen, who was watching the match in the Shrek Academy lounge area.
"???"
Seeing the little fox's gaze on him, Ye Chen was a bit confused about what she meant.
However, despite his bewilderment, he wouldn't back down. He directly met the little fox's gaze and extended his right hand, hooking his finger, full of provocation.
'Interesting!'
Watching Ye Chen's provocation, Hu Liena smiled.
Having been provoked, Hu Liena naturally couldn't remain indifferent and immediately launched a counterattack, a faint red light subtly appearing in her eyes.
Although it couldn't be considered a Spirit Ability, she was capable of simple mental Charm, which was the prototype of a self-created Spirit Ability.
Actually, what Hu Liena didn't know was that her mental Charm's effect on Ye Chen was not as strong as her own natural Charm!