Word Count: 3,091 Words
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"He really came!"
The Tang Sect members instantly grew solemn. In their minds, Ling Bai's spirit power had already reached Rank 80 three months ago. Even if he hadn't obtained his eighth spirit ring in the Star Dou Forest, he had undoubtedly broken through to Spirit Douluo by now. With Ning Tian's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda supporting him, his true combat strength firmly ranked among Titled Douluo.
Beside Ling Bai stood Ling Qiuxi with her Ultimate Strength. Wu Feng and Xie Huanyue were both high-level Spirit Kings who would certainly have represented Shrek in this tournament had they not withdrawn from the academy.
He Caitou and Huo Yuhao had once witnessed Na Na clash with Ling Bai at the Sun Moon Imperial Academy and knew she was at least a Spirit King. Among the seven, only Nanmen Yun Er could be considered a weak link, possessing merely Spirit Ancestor cultivation.
'They won't be easy to handle...'
Xu Sanshi sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth. Before setting out, the Tang Sect had harbored a final shred of hope that perhaps Ling Bai wouldn't participate. Now cruel reality confronted them head-on. Somehow, they would have to find a way to scale this towering mountain.
Ling Bai's group rested beside the Light Spirit Holy Dragon, while the Heavenly Armor Sect carefully shifted their position farther out and continuously soothed their restless Hornscale Horses.
The Heavenly Gate members simply grabbed their belongings and fled. A sect capable of taming an 80,000-year giant dragon as a mount was not one they could afford to provoke. Every second spent nearby felt like torture.
When the noon sun finally passed its peak, Ling Bai's group resumed their journey. The Tang Sect members exchanged glances and likewise rose to their feet, just in time to see the massive Light Spirit Holy Dragon shrink amid dazzling golden radiance, transforming into a fist-sized, chibi-style baby dragon that flopped onto Ling Bai's shoulder with a yawn.
"So cute!"
Xiao Xiao couldn't suppress her exclamation. The little dragon struck straight at her girlish heart. If Tang Sect's relationship with Ling Bai had been even slightly friendlier, she would have rushed over to pet the Light Spirit Holy Dragon on the spot.
"What's cute about it? It's all an act."
Wang Dong Er muttered under her breath. In her eyes, nothing around Ling Bai was any good. Huo Yuhao quickly patted her hand to soothe his girlfriend.
The two teams moved forward separated by a comfortable distance, neither too close nor too far. At one point, the Light Spirit Holy Dragon scampered over and sprawled lazily across Ling Qiuxi's head. This dragon had been tamed by a previous generation's Worship and had lived within the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan for eight thousand years. It possessed a gentle, well-tempered disposition and obeyed the Clan Head of each generation.
Because of the Seraphim's light attribute, the Light Spirit Holy Dragon naturally felt close to Ling Bai. It was equally fond of Ling Qiuxi, whose true form possessed Ultimate Light and had evolved into a top-tier true dragon. Ning Fengya had sent the dragon specifically to carry all seven of them to Mingdu, sparing the others the hardship of flying an entire empire's distance using Spirit Guidance Devices.
"Wow, so this is Mingdu!"
The instant they crossed into Mingdu's territory, Nanmen Yun Er found herself dazzled by the forest of modern-style skyscrapers.
"Even more luxurious than Shrek City!"
Xie Huanyue rubbed the back of his head in awe, the flesh of his chubby cheeks quivering. It was the first time either of them had visited Mingdu, and the Sun Moon Empire capital's advanced Spirit Guidance technology left them thoroughly stunned.
According to tournament regulations, teams entering Mingdu first had to complete registration, after which the Sun Moon Empire organizers would arrange their accommodation and meals.
The registration office was located in the city center, inside an eight-story establishment called the Bright Moon Hotel.
Ling Bai, Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and Na Na were all familiar with Mingdu and headed straight there. The interior décor featured sleek, metallic silver-white surfaces and streamlined designs reminiscent of finely crafted Spirit Guidance Devices, practically begging to be touched.
The several-thousand-square-meter lobby was already crowded. Clearly, these were the participating teams from the four great empires.
This year's tournament had been renamed the Continental Youth Elite Spirit Master Grand Tournament. The introduction of faction-based teams had caused the number of participants to skyrocket, making competition unprecedentedly fierce and forcing fundamental changes to the format.
There were 167 participating teams in total. The tournament would use a knockout bracket until the top thirty-two were determined. These thirty-two would then be divided into four groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the final eight.
Whether in the preliminaries, group stages, or grand finals, the format remained fixed: individual elimination matches followed by team battles.
Each match allowed a team to field seven members. Once the roster was confirmed, no changes could be made after the match began.
The individual elimination matches came first. Both sides would send one team member onto the stage. The loser would be eliminated and forced to leave, while the winner continued fighting. Winners could also voluntarily forfeit and step down midway. Each victory earned one point.
The team battle would then be fought by the same seven members without any intermission. If injuries from the individual rounds left a team with fewer than seven, they would fight with however many remained. The winning side in the team battle received five points, and the team with the higher combined score across both segments would be declared the overall victor.
Compared to the previous tournament's format, where individual, two-versus-two, three-versus-three, and team matches were decided by drawing lots, this year's rules placed particular emphasis on individual combat strength.
If someone managed a one-versus-seven sweep in the individual segment and claimed all seven points, they could even skip the team battle entirely and still win. For Angelic Sanctuary, this represented an enormous advantage.
A hostess led Ling Bai's group to a row of sofas in the lobby to wait. The Tang Sect followed not long after and ended up queuing right behind Angelic Sanctuary.
"That looks like the Star Luo team."
Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eyes picked out the group emerging from the registration area. At their head stood none other than the Star Luo Princess, Xu Jiujiu.
Ling Bai's gaze followed her. Years had passed since their last meeting, and the imperial princess had grown into a tall, graceful beauty. Her exquisite features radiated noble dignity, and every gesture carried an indescribable air of aristocratic poise.
Star Luo Emperor Xu Jiawei trusted Xu Jiujiu implicitly. This princess possessed both ability and means, making her a renowned power figure throughout the empire and deeply beloved by its people.
He had promised her a cooperation long ago but had never followed through. It seemed about time to meet again.
"Hmm?"
Lost in thought, he suddenly felt a slender, serpent-like hand curl around his waist. Ling Bai turned slightly and met Ling Qiuxi's cold, golden eyes brimming with threat.
Just like her Golden Dragon Martial Spirit, Ling Qiuxi was proud, domineering, and fiercely possessive. On normal days, whenever Ling Bai showed the slightest affection toward Ning Tian, she wanted nothing more than to rush over and take her place. Naturally, she wouldn't tolerate him staring at Xu Jiujiu for too long.
In this life, she lacked many common human concepts. Her mindset aligned more closely with the spirit beast world: if you liked something, you seized it, mated with it, and had offspring.
She was determined to defeat every woman around Ling Bai and secure the primary position for herself.
The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum had forged an indestructible Golden Dragon. Within the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Ling Qiuxi had swept through the younger generation undefeated. Wherever the Golden Dragon Spear pointed, it pierced through all opposition. Wu Feng, Ji Juechen, and Ling Luochen had all fallen before her, establishing the violent reputation of the Golden Dragonwoman.
Xu Jiujiu exchanged a few polite words with the Tang Sect before stepping up to Ling Bai and Ning Tian. A flawless smile lit her face:
"Ling Bai, Ning Tian, it's already been five years since we parted at the last Spirit Master Tournament. If you have time, let's gather and talk."
"Of course."
The two replied with practiced ease. On the surface, they weren't especially familiar with Xu Jiujiu or even the Star Luo Empire itself. Her initiative had only one real reason: Jianmu Douluo.
Jianmu Douluo was the only Limit Douluo remaining from the original three empires. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and Body Sect did not get along, while the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family had chosen to side with the Body Sect.
In recent years, the Sun Moon Empire's constant military maneuvers had placed immense pressure on Star Luo. Once they learned of the conflict between the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family, Star Luo immediately saw an opening.
If they could draw in the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, they would also gain the support of the era's Limit Douluo and, potentially, Ling Bai, the man destined to stand at the pinnacle of the continent. Regardless of success or failure, Xu Jiujiu had to try.
Nothing should be rushed. After planting this initial seed, Xu Jiujiu led the Star Luo team upstairs. Angelic Sanctuary and the Tang Sect continued to wait for roughly half an hour before staff arrived to guide them through registration.
They registered their sects, listed team members, took photographs, and finally underwent bone-age testing to confirm every participant was under twenty years old.
As the empire of Spirit Guidance technology, the Sun Moon Empire naturally possessed specialized equipment. Angelic Sanctuary's seven members headed to the testing area. Just as the Tang Sect's turn approached, Bei Bei suddenly felt his heart lurch violently. An inexplicable tug of fate drew his gaze toward the room's entrance.
A line of black-clad figures had just walked in. At their center stood a woman with long, dark-blue hair. Her face was delicate and beautiful, her figure slender and graceful, yet her eyes seemed vacant, lacking the liveliness of a normal person. Bei Bei's entire body went rigid. His lips trembled:
"Xiao… Xiao Ya!"
Ever since Tang Ya disappeared, Bei Bei hadn't known a moment's peace. Now he could no longer hold back the surging excitement and longing in his chest. Blue-violet lightning exploded beneath his feet as he shot forward, racing toward Tang Ya like a man possessed, as if he could embrace his long-lost beloved in the very next instant.
BOOM—
The other Tang Sect members had no time to react. Who could have imagined that the usually cautious Bei Bei would suddenly act so rashly? Tang Ya's glassy eyes reflected Bei Bei's trembling, excited figure. Her dark-blue pupils narrowed slightly. A long spear materialized in her hand!
Dark Blue Silver Tyrant Spear!
Blood scattered through the air like torn strips of crimson silk. Bei Bei crashed to the ground with a gaping, bloody hole punched through his abdomen. He stared at Tang Ya in utter disbelief. The physical agony couldn't compare to the pain tearing through his heart.
The others were horrified. They rushed forward to shield Bei Bei while Wang Dong Er released blazing holy light to help purge the Dark Blue Silver Grass's evil spirit power from his wound.
"Xiao Ya... Xiao Ya, don't you remember me?!"
"Teacher Xiao Ya!"
"Xiao Ya!"
Bei Bei's anguished howl echoed through the hall. Huo Yuhao, Jiang Nannan, and the rest of Tang Ya's old acquaintances called out to her desperately, hoping to awaken her lost reason.
Several black-clad men stepped up beside Tang Ya. One glance at the man in the lead made Huo Yuhao's entire body tremble. His expression instantly darkened. "Scorpion Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng... the Holy Spirit Cult!"
Zhang Peng sneered. "Anyone who dares raise a hand against the Blue Silver Saintess deserves exactly what he gets!"
"Quite arrogant, aren't you? Who gave you the courage to compete? The Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Leader? Or Dragon Emperor Douluo?"
Ling Bai walked out from the testing area wearing a faint smile, but anyone could see the bone-piercing chill lurking behind those golden eyes. He regarded the group of Evil Spirit Masters the same way he would look at dead men.
"Seraphim!"
Zhang Peng's pupils shrank to needlepoints. The Sun Moon Emperor hovered on the brink of death. Crown Prince Xu Tianran had already promised the Holy Spirit Cult that once he ascended the throne, his first imperial decree would establish the Holy Spirit Cult as the state religion.
They needed this Grand Tournament to build renown. The greatest variable had always been whether the Seraphim would participate.
In the end, Second Elder Nangong Wan had offered his recommendation: if they encountered the Seraphim, they would simply surrender.
According to the Holy Spirit Cult and Xu Tianran's plan, the academy and sect teams of the three great empires would all be buried in Mingdu. The Seraphim's arrival meant he was walking into their trap of his own accord. One way or another, he wouldn't escape death.
"Let's go!"
Terrified that Ling Bai might attack regardless of the consequences, Zhang Peng hastily gathered the Holy Spirit Cult members and rushed out of the room.
In truth, he was worrying too much. Ling Bai had ten thousand ways to ensnare and kill them. There was no need to annihilate a nominally registered team in front of so many witnesses. If the Sun Moon Empire chose to use that as justification to cancel Angelic Sanctuary's eligibility, that would truly be a joke.
Once registration was complete, an attendant led the teams to their rooms. According to the Sun Moon Empire organizing committee's arrangements, sects and academies were divided into tiers. The more famous the team, the better the treatment. Shrek Academy, ranked in the top tier, naturally enjoyed the finest accommodations. Relatively unknown teams like Angelic Sanctuary and the Tang Sect could only occupy the lowest-grade standard double rooms.
Seven people meant four rooms. Ling Bai and Xie Huanyue, the only two males, were assigned together. Xie Huanyue quietly declared that he was basically blind; no matter where Ling Bai actually went at night, he would swear up and down that they had shared the same room.
Ning Tian and Wu Feng had roomed together for years, and this time was no different. Na Na and Nanmen Yun Er became roommates, while Ling Qiuxi received special treatment, enjoying a double room all to herself.
…
In the Tang Sect's adjacent room, tears silently rolled from the corners of Bei Bei's eyes. Tang Ya's Dark Blue Silver Tyrant Spear hadn't just pierced his body; it had shattered the defenses around his heart. The strong façade he had maintained for so long finally collapsed.
His injuries were severe. He would likely miss the entire preliminary and group stages, returning only for the final two or three matches at best.
Leaving Xu Sanshi behind to care for Bei Bei, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong Er headed to the hotel's upper floors in search of Xu Jiujiu. Their reasons were twofold: first, to inform her that the Holy Spirit Cult's Evil Spirit Masters were participating; second, to promote the Tang Sect's Godly Zhuge Crossbow Cannon.
Compared to the Tang Sect, the Star Luo Imperial Academy's treatment was countless times better. Xu Jiujiu's single room was larger than all four of their rooms combined.
She invited the pair into the living room. Huo Yuhao's gaze swept the surroundings. He noticed that the inner chamber door stood slightly ajar and that an old woman in red stood silently beside the sofa, presumably Xu Jiujiu's guardian.
Huo Yuhao cut straight to the point. "Princess Jiujiu, the Evil Spirit Master organization Holy Spirit Cult is brazenly participating in this year's tournament. They're led by Scorpion Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng. One of their team members even gravely injured our Tang Sect's Big Senior Brother out of nowhere."
"Mm."
Xu Jiujiu's soft response contained no discernible emotion.
Wang Dong Er's brows knit together. How could Xu Jiujiu remain so calm? She should have been treating this like a looming catastrophe. She added:
"Princess Jiujiu, the Holy Spirit Cult's strength runs impossibly deep. As far as we know, they have Dragon Emperor Douluo Long Xiaoyao, one of the Black and White Holy Dragons, holding the fort, as well as that monster bearing Ultimate Death, Death Abyss Douluo. Compared to those two, someone like Scorpion Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng barely even counts."
A faint ripple finally surfaced in Xu Jiujiu's eyes. Her tone grew heavier. "The Holy Spirit Cult colluding with the Sun Moon Empire spells disaster for the three great empires of Douluo. I'll report this to my imperial brother and ask him to make preparations."
"That would be best."
Huo Yuhao nodded and drew a large, pitch-black cannon from his Storage Spirit Guidance Device. His expression turned serious. "Your Highness, our Tang Sect also hopes to discuss a cooperation with the Star Luo Empire. This device is called the Godly Zhuge Crossbow Cannon. Although it's a Class 4 Stationary Spirit Cannon, it possesses the range of a Class 6..."
The entire Tang Sect agreed that the Godly Zhuge Crossbow Cannon was key to the sect's rise. Their main sales targets were the Star Luo and Heavenly Soul Empires. Huo Yuhao did his utmost to promote the Spirit Guidance Device to Xu Jiujiu.
Yet she didn't show the eagerness he had expected. Instead, she maintained her calm demeanor throughout. He couldn't help but realize he had underestimated the composure of a princess of a great empire.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong Er saw this Star Luo Princess maintain her lukewarm attitude throughout and could only leave with regret.
Bang—
The door closed. The inner chamber door swung open in the next instant. A red-clothed figure shot out, her appearance identical to that of the silent old woman standing beside the sofa.
The red-robed old woman immediately stepped in front of Xu Jiujiu, shielding her. Her eyes locked onto the newcomer with a flash of deep-seated fear hidden in their depths.
Xu Jiujiu, however, remained entirely at leisure and composed. She turned to face the figure and parted her cherry lips:
"You heard everything. May I ask what you think, our Lord Death Abyss?"