Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:
patreon.com/ZeroMoney
I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated.
******
To be honest, Feng Xiaotian was deeply grateful to Dai Weisi. Without his guidance, Feng Xiaotian might still be stubbornly refining his self-created soul technique, never achieving his current strength—let alone winning Huo Wu's heart.
Gazing at Dai Weisi, a flash of fervent battle spirit flickered in Feng Xiaotian's eyes as he thought to himself: I wonder… if Huo Wu and I join forces now, could we stand a chance against His Highness? I'd really love to spar with him again.
Feng Xiaotian was self-aware—he knew he stood no chance against Dai Weisi one-on-one. Only by teaming up with Huo Wu did he believe he had a fighting chance.
Over the past year, the two had even developed a powerful martial soul fusion technique, capable of unleashing their full potential in unison.
"Huo Wu, how about we go greet His Highness after the opening ceremony?" Feng Xiaotian said with a smile. "After all, if it weren't for his guidance, I wouldn't have won your heart."
"Giggle~ Sure!"
Huo Wu tilted her head slightly, her face glowing with happiness as she clung tightly to Feng Xiaotian's arm.
At that moment, Ning Fengzhi concluded his speech, and the master of ceremonies once again took the stage:
"Next, we invite Bishop Salas of the Spirit Hall to conduct the first-round lottery draw for the preliminaries. Once the draw is complete, the team from Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second squad will face the opponent they draw. This will be today's only match."
Salas yawned lazily. To him, these participating academies were all irrelevant since none of them belonged to the Spirit Hall. He drew matchups one by one and handed them off to the emcee for announcement.
"First round, first match: Heaven Dou Royal Academy vs. Shrek Academy!"
"First round, second match: Canghui Academy vs. Purple Star Academy!"
"First round, third match: Auckland Academy vs. Radiant Flame Academy!"
"First round, fourth match: Blazing Academy vs. Boulder Academy!"
"..."
"As expected—Shrek Academy," Dai Weisi chuckled, glancing back in the direction of that little runt and Dai Mubai. He muttered, "Second squad of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, I hope you don't embarrass yourselves. Help me find out that runt's fourth soul skill. Don't let me down."
On the other side, upon hearing that their first-round opponents were the Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team, Ma Hongjun and the others were thrilled.
"This is perfect! Third Brother, you have to let me on the field for this one. Those guys looked down on us—watch how Fatty teaches them a lesson!" Ma Hongjun was already burning with fury, itching to rush onto the Soul Battle Arena right then and there.
"Teacher, what's your opinion?"
Tang San glanced at their useless teacher, Yu Xiaogang, seeking his input.
But Yu Xiaogang was just a Level 29 Grandmaster. Every student competing in the tournament had soul power over thirty—any one of them could easily wipe the floor with him. What kind of advice could someone like him offer?
Yu Xiaogang scowled as if everyone around him owed him millions. After a moment of brooding silence, he finally said slowly,
"Tang San, you make the arrangements. In this first match, show your spirit—but conceal your full strength.
Let Rongrong sit this one out. The rest is up to you. Just remember: throughout the preliminaries, the Shrek Six Devils can have at most three members on the field at once—and Tang San, you are forbidden from using your external soul bone!"
"Understood, Master." Tang San nodded, then immediately began organizing his lineup. Shortly after, they stepped onto the Soul Battle Arena for Shrek Academy's first match.
Watching the Shrek Academy roster enter, Dai Weisi murmured, "Oh? This isn't the same as in the original story. Xiao Wu isn't participating—Ma Hongjun is taking her place instead..."
Xiao Wu had a soul power of 37, a full level above Ma Hongjun. Tang San was clearly trying to hide her combat strength by putting Ma Hongjun in instead.
On the Soul Battle Arena, Tang San stood at the center of his team. He looked at the opposing Heaven Dou Royal Academy second team and smirked.
"Brothers, let's make a name for Shrek Academy today. We're winning this in under a minute!"
"You said it! Brothers—activate martial souls!" Dai Mubai roared, and the projection of a White Tiger appeared behind him. His veins bulged, and his muscles expanded, making him look exceptionally powerful.
"Evil Fire Phoenix, possess me! Watch me burn these bastards to ash!" Ma Hongjun unleashed his martial soul as waves of intense evil fire erupted around him.
In an instant, the stage was engulfed in scorching flames. Standing behind Ma Hongjun, Jiang Zhu frowned and instinctively stepped back.
As a support-type healing soul master, she couldn't endure such intense heat. During their time together, she'd also come to understand what kind of lecherous scum Ma Hongjun really was. Her eyes were full of disdain for him.
Still, they were teammates. So despite her disgust, she had no choice but to cooperate.
Next, Tang San released his Blue Silver Grass martial soul. Two yellow and two purple rings floated beneath him—four soul rings in total.
"What?! Two of them are Soul Ancestors?!"
The captain of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team was dumbfounded. He'd never heard of Shrek Academy and thought it was some backwater school. He never expected it would have two Soul Ancestor-level soul masters. That kind of lineup was second only to the Five Elemental Academies.
As he stood frozen in shock, Tang San had already taken action. Gathering soul power, his fourth soul ring suddenly lit up.
"Fourth Soul Skill—Blue Silver Poisonous Thorns!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, more than ten dark-purple strands of Blue Silver Grass shot out like venomous snakes, so fast that only faint afterimages were visible slicing through the air.
Tang San's fourth soul ring came from a 5,000-year-old Human-Faced Demon Spider.
The quality of the Human-Faced Demon Spider was beyond question. Among soul beasts of the same level, only top-tier ones like the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, the Demonic Evil God Tiger, or the Death Spider Emperor could compare.
After absorbing its soul ring, the poisonous properties of his Blue Silver Grass multiplied. He also gained an incredibly powerful fourth skill: Blue Silver Poisonous Thorns.
For thirty minutes after activation, the Blue Silver Grass would grow sharp toxic barbs, significantly increasing its offensive power while doubling both its durability and toxicity.
"Tch... what a waste. The mighty Blue Silver Emperor has been totally ruined in that runt's hands."
Watching the scene, Dai Weisi sighed in disappointment. The Blue Silver Emperor—its quality even surpassed that of the Clear Sky Hammer. And yet Tang San, that mutt, was misusing it like this.
A martial soul with powerful life-force potential... and he turned it into a poison-spitting vine? Was he just brain-dead?
"Well, whatever. The weaker that runt is, the easier he'll be to deal with later." With that, Dai Weisi stopped mourning the Blue Silver Emperor and continued watching the match.
At that moment, all the second team members from Heaven Dou Royal Academy were tightly bound by the poisonous Blue Silver Grass. No matter how they struggled, they couldn't escape its grip.
And under the corrosive venom's effect, the areas touched by the vines began to rot and fester at a visible rate!
Tang San grinned, a glint of viciousness flashing in his eyes.
"Brothers—go!"
(End of Chapter)