Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy Waiting Area.
As Jiang Jue's words fell, Xiao Hongchen was momentarily stunned. He gave Jiang Jue a thumbs-up—the highest form of respect between men.
"Alright! Just for that sentence, Jiang Jue, I, Xiao Hongchen, admit—you're a little more handsome than me right now."
Everyone turned their eyes to Jiang Jue in silence. This boy, younger than most of them by a few years, spoke with such confidence and courage… and them?
"Big bro, what are you talking about? Jiang Jue's always been more handsome than you," Meng Hongchen added at that moment.
Xiao Hongchen's face darkened. She wasn't even married yet and was already siding with an outsider. In the future, would she be helping Jiang Jue deal with her own elder brother?
"Hahaha—"
The others burst out laughing at Xiao Hongchen's expression, the previously heavy mood instantly washed away.
Jiang Jue just smiled without speaking, though his eyes grew deeper.
---
On the palace wall, Emperor Xu Jiawei beckoned over an old man in red official robes and spoke quietly.
"Within one day, I want all the information on that Shrek student."
Unlike Jiang Jue, Huo Yuhao was already part of Shrek Academy, which meant he would never become an enemy of the Star Luo Empire. A seedling of such potential—before he grew too strong—the Emperor intended to win him over.
The red-robed elder bowed slightly in acknowledgement, then hurried away.
"By the way, Brother Dai, why haven't I seen your son compete?" Xu Jiawei asked Dai Hao beside him.
"Your Majesty, I just returned from the frontline camp and am not sure myself. Perhaps it's Shrek Academy's arrangement."
"You—should pay more attention to your family. Go home more often," Xu Jiawei said with a smile, patting Dai Hao's shoulder.
"That won't do. The nation comes before the family. I believe my children understand that. And with the Sun Moon Empire so unstable these years, a general like me can't get away."
Dai Hao shook his head, speaking calmly. His household was well managed by his principal wife—he was at ease.
Xu Jiawei let the matter drop, turning his burning gaze back to Huo Yuhao below.
"Why can't he be my man?"
He kept yearning, kept wondering.
---
On the stage, the outcome was decided.
After using his fifth soul skill to throw the Thousand-Strike Spear, Shen Ce's soul power was exhausted—he had no strength left to fight.
At Thousand Spirit Academy's rear, their formation collapsed like a breached dam. Aside from Shen Ce the Soul King, the few Soul Ancestors in the back couldn't withstand Beibei's group and were swiftly knocked off the stage.
"Referee! We surrender," Shen Ce said with a bitter smile, seeing the situation hopeless.
Though unwilling, they had indeed lost—meaning their farewell to this Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament.
"Shrek Academy—victory!"
As the referee announced it, Shrek's seven stood in a line, bowed slightly to their opponents, and filed off the stage.
This time Huo Yuhao didn't say much more. Blocking that near-Soul King-level Frost Dragon Tornado earlier had drained him completely.
After all, the Ice Jade Scorpion was not the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion. The first soul ring of Huo Yuhao's second martial soul was only from a ten-thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion.
Even so, catching a ten-thousand-year specimen had been no easy feat—Tianmeng Iceworm and Huo Yuhao had gone to great lengths for it. Without Tianmeng's help, he couldn't have absorbed such a ring at all.
For some reason, at that time, the Ice Jade Scorpion clan had gone almost mad, roaming from the deepest Extreme North as if searching for something. That was the only reason they'd been able to find a lone one to capture.
---
In the audience, Lang Ya's heart stirred as he looked at Huo Yuhao.
"An eye martial soul… ultimate attribute. This should belong to my Body Sect."
Though eyes were not as high-quality as certain other bodily parts, they were still important—within the Body Sect, the more vital the body part, the higher the quality and potential of the martial soul.
Every Continental Tournament, the Body Sect sent people to watch, but most lacked a body-type martial soul. Who would've thought his first time attending, he'd find two such soul masters?
"It seems Heaven means for me to advance," he thought, excitement rising.
"I hope Yu Tao hurries here with the sect elders. These two kids have no small backgrounds—one from Shrek Academy, one from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy."
---
On the rooftop of the Star Emperor Grand Hotel, an oily old man clutched a wine gourd in one hand, taking a long swig, smacked his lips, and bit into a chicken leg in the other.
It was Xuanzi, freshly arrived in Star Luo City from the Yao family.
"That Yao family really doesn't know what's good for them. I personally went to apologize, and they still treat me like that. Really…"
But then he remembered Yao Haoxuan's miserable state and changed his words.
"Really… rude."
"Sigh, this time, all of Shrek Academy's glory rests on those little fellows."
From the hotel rooftop, with Xuanzi's strength, he could clearly see the tournament stage.
"I hear the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy has an ultimate-ice youngster. Seems fated with my Shrek Academy," he muttered.
In Star Luo City now, the only topics were Huo Yuhao and Jiang Jue—the latter being that ultimate-ice soul master from the Sun Moon Empire.
"Huo Yuhao's cultivation is still too low. But if we can get this Jiang Jue to join Shrek, we could fix Xiao Tao's evil fire problem."
They'd tried before—when they first learned Huo Yuhao had the Ice Jade Scorpion martial soul, Yan Shaozhe had him attempt to suppress Ma Xiaotao's evil fire—but it failed miserably.
Without the Ice Emperor's 400,000-year origin power, and with Huo Yuhao only just a Soul Grandmaster at the time, the vast gap in cultivation meant he couldn't suppress it. He even triggered a backlash from the evil fire, nearly causing Ma Xiaotao to lose control.
Since then, Yan Shaozhe hadn't dared let Huo Yuhao try again, intending to wait until his cultivation was higher. After all, she'd endured for years—what's a few more for safety?
But Jiang Jue was different. Xuanzi had observed him—already rank 48, on the verge of Soul King—and with a dense, high-level light attribute he'd only ever sensed from Elder Mu himself.
Light attribute, ultimate attribute—weren't those perfectly aligned with Shrek Academy's ideals of justice?
If Jiang Jue joined Shrek and helped Ma Xiaotao, her evil fire might even evolve into ultimate fire. Then Shrek would have three ultimate attributes.
One academy, three ultimates—the thought was beautiful.
"Sigh, it's all for the Academy," Xuanzi said, happily tearing another bite of chicken.
As for recruiting Jiang Jue? Xuanzi wasn't worried. With the fame of the continent's number-one academy, who wouldn't kneel and pledge themselves?
In his mind, Jiang Jue would be no different.
Of course, if Jiang Jue refused… Xuanzi had other ideas—just not quite as friendly.
(End of Chapter)