The brief intermission ended, and the third stage of the Continental Advanced Youth Soul Master Elite Competition commenced.
The third stage, also known as the finals stage, consisted of six rounds. The first round was the Top 32, where the 64 qualifying contestants competed in a single-elimination format to determine the Top 32, who would then advance to the second round—the Top 16—followed by the Top 8, Top 4, semifinals, and finals.
The finals stage was tightly scheduled, with all six rounds to be completed within seven days. Due to the tight schedule and numerous matches, the finals were divided into upper and lower brackets. After a single draw, contestants would advance through each round accordingly.
The draw results were announced to all participants the night before the competition. Naturally, some were delighted while others were dismayed.
Among the 64 contestants, there were 13 widely recognized powerhouses no one wanted to face: the six students from Shrek Academy—Jing Shaoyu, Wu Siduo, Gu Yue, Jing Na'er, Mo Hentian, and Ye Xinglan; the six from Monster Academy—Long Yue, Lin San, Su Mu, Hua Lantang, Teng Teng, and Dai Yuner; and Sima Xian from the Star Luo Imperial Academy.
Although Xu Xiaoyan had also advanced to the Top 64, she was not included in this list for well-known reasons.
Additionally, the Fourth Prince, Dai Yueyan, withdrew from the remaining matches due to his injuries. As a result, the ninth-ranked contestant in his group took his place and advanced to the Top 64. Such luck was truly enviable—making it to the Top 64 in the Continental Advanced Youth Soul Master Elite Competition was a credential in itself, earning respect wherever mentioned.
The final bracket assignments were as follows: Jing Shaoyu and his six companions, along with Su Mu, Lin San, Hua Lantang, and Sima Xian, were all placed in the upper bracket, while Long Yue, Dai Yuner, and Teng Teng were in the lower bracket.
If anyone claimed there was no behind-the-scenes manipulation in these assignments, Jing Shaoyu would never believe it. Grouping all seven of them in the upper bracket—were they afraid they would dominate the championship and runner-up positions? How amusing.
However, they appeared indifferent. The upper bracket was a death zone, and the ones who should truly be lamenting were the other contestants in it—poor souls.
In the first round of the finals, Jing Shaoyu and his six companions, along with Su Mu, Lin San, Hua Lantang, and Sima Xian, easily advanced from the upper bracket. In the lower bracket, Long Yue and Dai Yuner also progressed to the Top 32 without any surprises.
In the second round, Xu Xiaoyan and Ye Xinglan, as well as Jing Shaoyu and Gu Yue, ended up facing each other. Xu Xiaoyan and Gu Yue conceded without hesitation. Meanwhile, Na'er once again faced Hua Lantang and secured an easy victory. The upper bracket's Top 16 contestants were finalized: Jing Shaoyu, Na'er, Wu Siduo, Ye Xinglan, Mo Hentian, Su Mu, Lin San, and Sima Xian—exactly eight in total.
The third round of the finals saw even fiercer competition in the upper bracket, with more high-profile eliminations. Jing Shaoyu and his companions clashed once again: Jing Shaoyu faced Na'er, while Wu Siduo went up against Ye Xinglan. Na'er and Ye Xinglan chose to concede, allowing Jing Shaoyu and Wu Siduo to advance. Mo Hentian defeated Sima Xian, and when Lin San faced Su Mu, the latter conceded. Thus, the upper bracket's Top 8 contestants were Jing Shaoyu, Wu Siduo, Mo Hentian, and Lin San.
In the fourth round of the finals, within the upper bracket, Jing Shaoyu faced Mo Hentian, who chose to concede. Meanwhile, Wu Siduo encountered Lin San and, unsurprisingly, emerged victorious. Ultimately, Jing Shaoyu and Wu Siduo advanced to the semifinals together—everything proceeded exactly as the tournament committee had planned.
Simultaneously in the lower bracket, things unfolded peacefully. Long Yue secured a walkover victory against Teng Teng, while Dai Yuner effortlessly defeated an unknown lucky contestant to advance to the semifinals.
By the fifth round of the finals, the script began to deviate from the plans of the Star Luo Empire's royal family and Monster Academy. Wu Siduo conceded to Jing Shaoyu, allowing him to advance to the championship match. In the lower bracket, Long Yue's progression was a foregone conclusion.
Wu Siduo's surrender and Jing Shaoyu's advancement to the finals were outcomes the Star Luo royal family and Monster Academy had considered but deemed highly improbable. Throughout the tournament, while Jing Shaoyu had demonstrated considerable strength, his performances paled in comparison to Wu Siduo's dazzling displays.
Particularly in the finals, aside from his first-round match against an unknown Soul Grandmaster where he had actually fought, the subsequent four rounds saw him facing only allies who conceded to him—essentially being handed a free pass to the finals. The audience deemed him unworthy of the spot, and Monster Academy was left utterly baffled.
Their research on Jing Shaoyu was sparse. They could only confirm his ability to manipulate multiple elements, but his Martial Soul, its capabilities, and his exact combat tier remained complete mysteries.
On the rare rest day before the championship match, the Star Luo royal family and Monster Academy intensified their efforts to gather and analyze information on Jing Shaoyu. Through various means—including bribing a member of the Douluo delegation—they finally obtained a piece of intelligence that left them feeling utterly mocked.
Jing Shaoyu was a healing-type Soul Master!
"Is this information reliable?" Dai Tianling's emotions were a tangled mess. Were it not for the fact that the report came from one of his most trusted ministers, he would have suspected deceit.
"Absolutely certain, Your Majesty," the minister affirmed solemnly. "This intelligence was reported by Chang Gong Yan, president of the Empire's Blacksmith Association. He personally witnessed Jing Shaoyu healing Zhen Hua, president of the Douluo Federation's Blacksmith Association. President Chang Gong stated that Jing Shaoyu's healing abilities are extraordinarily potent—capable of mending injuries inflicted by a Super Douluo!"
"This…" Dai Tianling remained incredulous and even more perplexed. What exactly was Shrek Academy plotting? Could Jing Shaoyu truly be just a healing-type Soul Master?
"Deliver this information to the Imperial Tutor and let him make his own judgment," Dai Tianling conceded, passing the dilemma to his mentor.
Soon, the day of the individual tournament finals arrived.
The Star Luo Grand Coliseum was the very picture of a packed house. Every entrance to the stadium and every road beyond was jammed with fervent spectators. Some had even pitched tents days in advance to secure prime viewing spots.
Despite the tournament's many unexpected twists, public enthusiasm remained undiminished—especially for this championship match, touted as the ultimate showdown between the two continents' most prestigious academies. No Star Luo citizen wanted to miss witnessing Monster Academy defeat Shrek Academy and claim the title of the world's greatest.
Indeed, in the eyes of the Star Luo Empire's citizens, Dragon King Long Yue was already the champion. After all, he had won the previous tournament. As for Jing Shaoyu, to be honest, the audience only remembered one thing about him—his strikingly handsome appearance. As for his strength? Sorry, no one really recalled.
At this moment, the VIP seating area was fully occupied. Emperor Dai Tianling of the Star Luo Empire, Vice Speaker Tang Bingyao of the Douluo Federation, and the Dean of Shrek Academy's Outer Academy had all arrived. Meanwhile, sharp-eyed spectators noticed an unfamiliar elderly man seated to Dai Tianling's left.
This old man wore a white retro-style robe, his face weathered yet dignified, his frame lean, and his white hair cascading down to his shoulders. His eyes were clear, and an extraordinary aura radiated from him—impossible to ignore yet difficult to meet directly. He sat beside Dai Tianling without any hint of deference; if anything, it was the emperor who seemed to deliberately position himself at equal height.
His identity was unmistakable: the Star Luo Empire's Imperial Preceptor, Dean of Monster Academy, Mentor to the Emperor, a peerless powerhouse, and the empire's undisputed strongest—Holy Dragon Douluo En Ci!
The appearance of such a top-tier expert undoubtedly elevated the significance of this final to unprecedented heights.
"Silence!" A deep, resonant voice boomed, instantly enveloping the entire venue and pressing down on the 100,000 spectators until not a sound remained.
"Respectfully welcome His Majesty!"
"Long live His Majesty!" The crowd of 100,000 shouted in unison, their voices thunderous, stirring the blood of all who heard.
Dai Tianling stood, a soul amplifier rising before him as his voice spread across the arena.
"Every time I witness the Continental Advanced Youth Soul Master Elite Competition, I feel as though I've returned to my youth. Once, I too stood upon this stage, and even now, the memory fills me with excitement.
"Young people should embody vitality, fearlessness in the face of failure, and the courage to charge forward—for the future of the empire will one day rest upon your shoulders. You must bear the banners that belong to you!
"This year's tournament is especially honored to host a team from the distant Douluo Continent's premier institution—Shrek Academy. Shrek Academy is indisputably the foremost academy of Douluo, having nurtured countless heroes across its 20,000-year history. You may have heard that the greatest ancestor of our imperial family was among its earliest students.
"To witness today's final between Monster Academy's Long Yue and Shrek Academy's Jing Shaoyu brings me immense joy!
"Regardless of victory or defeat, this match will undoubtedly strengthen the friendship between our empire and the Douluo Federation! Thus, in addition to the Soul Bone awarded to today's winner, the imperial family will grant an extra reward.
"If Long Yue emerges victorious, I shall personally confer upon him the title of Viscount of the Empire. Should Jing Shaoyu win, he will receive an equivalent reward. Of course, should he choose to join our Star Luo Empire, he too may be granted the title of Viscount."
By the end, a smile had crept onto Dai Tianling's face.
"The empire welcomes all talents! Now, I declare the Continental Advanced Youth Soul Master Elite Competition's individual finals—begin!"