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Fierce Beast Academy vehemently protested Liu Niandao's ruthless tactics, accusing him of violating the spirit of soul master sparring.
However, the Sun Moon Empire's competition rules were inherently permissive—allowing even lethal outcomes as long as the killing wasn't deliberately cruel and the opponent hadn't surrendered. For mere "serious injury," the organizing committee casually dismissed the protest with a "rules permit it," rendering the objection void.
Seeing their appeal fail, Fierce Beast Academy urgently conferred and shifted strategy—unable to win, they'd instead drain Liu Niandao's soul power. They hoped to exhaust him in individual matches, dragging the contest into the team battle for a sliver of hope.
Alas, dreams were lush, reality was bleak.
Whether Fierce Beast Academy sent agile attackers, defenders, or controllers—all fell before the twelve elusive Nine-Leaf Flying Knives, each strike a death warrant.
Under Liu Niandao's terrifyingly precise control, every knife seemed to possess independent will, always piercing the opponent's weakest point for instant victory.
Bound by the referee's ruling, Liu Niandao couldn't maintain the Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch Knife Array continuously. Instead, he sat cross-legged at the arena's edge, eyes closed in meditation, awaiting challengers.
Once matches began, he didn't even rise—merely manipulating a dozen knives with pinpoint accuracy. Opponents floundered helplessly before inevitably falling.
More despairingly, his soul power was bottomless. His second spiritual martial soul provided dual endurance via spiritual and soul power regeneration. Even after effortlessly defeating Fierce Beast Academy's final member, his face showed no fatigue—his breath steady, unnervingly calm.
The referee announced loudly: "Natural Sect wins! One-through-seven in individual match—seven points! Team battle—five points! Total twelve points!"
The stadium first fell silent, then erupted into roaring commotion.
"The first one-through-seven! Unbelievable—it happened on day one!"
"Poor Fierce Beast Academy. To face such a monster..."
"Natural Sect's too strong. That Liu Niandao... utterly unfathomable!"
Listeners nodded in agreement, their gazes toward Natural Sect filled with wariness.
The morning matches concluded.
After a brief rest, afternoon bouts resumed until dusk. Twenty-six matches were fought; thirteen teams advanced.
That night, outside Natural Sect's hotel room, numerous visitors arrived—curious observers, scouts, and goodwill-seekers. All were turned away without exception.
This naturally branded Natural Sect as cold and aloof. But Gu La cared not for such trivial opinions.
The next day's competition continued. It was the Tang Sect's turn.
Huo Yuhao took the stage first. His "disabled" wheelchair-bound appearance immediately sparked hushed whispers and undisguised contempt in the stands.
Their opponent was Earth Dragon Gate. Huo Yuhao cleverly exploited this disdain. Using his simulating soul skill, he transformed into Snow Maiden's adorable form, "deceiving" and defeating three Earth Dragon disciples in succession.
Then, leveraging Earth Dragon Gate leader's daughter Nan Qiuqiu's carelessness and subconscious pity for "the disabled," he toyed with her before striking a wager—successfully "winning" her into the Tang Sect.
As the Tang Sect quietly celebrated their tactical triumph, a clear, icy voice resonated through half the stadium, emanating from Natural Sect's direction:
"Cowards. Exploiting normal people's compassion for the disabled to win—this cruelly tests and weaponizes human kindness. I hear the Tang Sect sells self-made soul devices? Hmph. Nothing but war profiteers pushing for bloodshed, driven solely by greed."
The speaker was Ming Baixue. Her words, though softly spoken, carried like ice beads on jade—each syllable crisp, laced with condescending condemnation.
Huo Yuhao's expression darkened instantly. He whirled toward Natural Sect, his gaze blade-sharp. "You!" he said coldly. "The Tang Sect has never wronged your sect. Why slander our honor before all? If you cannot give a reasonable explanation, the Tang Sect will personally reclaim what's due."
His tone brooked no retreat, undeterred by facing a likely powerhouse team.
A faint smile touched Ming Baixue's exquisite face, edged with mockery: "You dare use a special spiritual detection soul skill to recklessly probe all teams' strength in the hotel, yet fear me exposing the Tang Sect's hypocrisy?"
Huo Yuhao's heart jolted inwardly. But hardened by Shrek Academy's Extreme Single Soldier training, his face remained impassive. "I don't know what you're babbling! Do not slander the Tang Sect—or me—without cause!"
Ming Baixue smiled radiantly—a beauty that sent chills down the spines of the perceptive few. "Oh? So it wasn't you who leaked our Natural Sect's 'three Spirit Saints' rumor yesterday?"
Her words dropped like boulders into still water. Nearby teams' members tensed sharply.
Indeed, such whispers had circulated privately the day before, dismissed by most as absurd—Spirit Saints under twenty were once-in-a-century prodigies; three from one sect? Pure fantasy!
But now, uttered by a Natural Sect member, its credibility surged.
Simultaneously, many realized the wheelchair-bound Huo Yuhao on stage was far from a simple cripple—he was a soul master of profound spiritual mastery.
His ability to bypass Titled Douluos' perception and scout teams' strengths revealed terrifying spiritual power.
Instantly, wary, defensive gazes turned toward Huo Yuhao and the Tang Sect.
The match continued amid tension. Huo Yuhao ultimately secured victory with another one-through-seven sweep, proving his strength.
But little joy showed on his face.
Back in the rest area, Wang Dong'er approached, whispering excitedly: "Yuhao, several groups approached us about Zhuge Crossbow Cannons and other Tang Sect soul devices. It seems we'll get a flood of new orders!"
Huo Yuhao's expression grew graver. "This is no good news, Dong'er. That Natural Sect woman called us war profiteers—that's branding us!"
"It contradicts our Tang Sect's mission of maintaining peace and fighting evil soul masters. She aims to destroy our hard-earned reputation at its roots!"
Wang Dong'er wasn't naive. Understanding dawned, flushing her cheeks with fury: "That vile woman! If I face her in competition, I'll make her pay for today's words!"
Huo Yuhao shook his head, brow furrowed. "More pressing: how did she detect my spiritual scanning? That's impossible..." He had absolute faith in his million-year soul skill.
Wang Dong'er speculated: "Perhaps their captain? An extremely skilled spiritual Super Douluo?"
Huo Yuhao knew it wasn't that simple. His million-year soul skill was exceptionally covert—only specialized spiritual Super Douluos could possibly detect it. And known spiritual Super Douluos on the Douluo Continent were near-mythical.
This incident elevated his caution toward Natural Sect to its peak.
Meanwhile, he dismissed Ming Baixue's rebuke about exploiting human compassion. In his ruthless soul master world, using every advantage to win was survival; mercy was a death sentence.
Gu La observed clearly: inheriting the Flower of the Netherworld's healing power and netherworld traits had amplified and twisted the "compassion" within his nature into her unique disposition.
Yet... her "compassion" likely deemed ending suffering—or sending souls to the netherworld or eternal ice—the greatest mercy for the tormented.
Such "mercy" was a burden few could bear.
Next, Earth Dragon Gate's leader Nan Shuishui arrived with her daughter, intending to force the wager's nullification through sheer power.
But Nan Shuishui possessed a unique physiognomy-reading technique. After carefully observing Huo Yuhao and the Tang Sect members, she changed her mind—leaving Nan Qiuqiu with the Tang Sect instead, as if glimpsing some hidden truth.
The tournament swiftly progressed to Holy Ghost Church (Holy Spirit Cult) versus Heavenly Capital Academy.
Holy Spirit Sect sent only one member. His bizarre insect martial soul devoured Heavenly Capital's captain's soul before everyone's eyes—the tournament's first fatality, clearly intentional murder!
Heavenly Capital's team protested furiously, but rules "permitted" it. Their protest failed. Bitterly, Heavenly Capital's leader conceded defeat and withdrew from the tournament entirely.
Holy Spirit Sect's cruelty and power chilled every team to the bone.
After two days, the first round concluded—84 teams advanced.
The second round began. Shrek Academy opened again, facing Heavenly Armor Sect.
Gu La's clone addressed his reserve team: "Follow the plan. Focus on training. Adapt to tournament rhythm quickly. Xie Huanyue, Cao Jinxuan, Lan Luoluo, Lan Susu—you four rotate onto the stage."
Xie Huanyue debuted first. Using the Rubber Elephant's defense and strangeness, he defeated two opponents before voluntarily surrendering to conserve strength.
Wu Feng followed. Her Red Dragon martial soul flared fiercely, taking two more victories before also surrendering strategically.
Seeing Shrek's focus on training—and their members' formidable strength—heavenly Armor Sect conferred. They abandoned remaining individual matches, demanding immediate team battle, hoping teamwork could snatch victory.
After confirmation, both teams took the stage.
Shrek Academy formed a classic triangular offensive formation.
Gu La's true body now stood at the forefront, replacing his clone.
Behind and flanking him were Xie Huanyue and Wu Feng. The center-back was support-type Ning Tian while the midfield held controller-types Lan Susu, Lan Luoluo, and Cao Jinxuan.
Zhou Sichen's summoning style was less effective in team battles; he typically only fought individually.
Heavenly Armor Sect arranged a rare concave linear formation.
At the match start, all seven released martial souls. Their energies intertwined instantly.
"Seven-in-One Martial Soul Combination Skill!" knowledgeable spectators gasped.
Identical Heavenly Armor Shields, same soul skills—through special formations and soul power resonance—their power multiplied geometrically!
A colossal Heavenly Armor Shield over ten meters tall materialized at the arena's center—solid, majestic, radiating mountain-like heaviness. Its front sharpened like a siege hammer, aimed at Shrek's formation, radiating overwhelming might as if ready to crush all before it.
Gu La stood at the front, curious as he examined this rare combination skill. He even briefly considered whether his avatars might learn such techniques—then silently dismissed the thought.
Before absolute power, such artistry was mere ornamentation.
"No wonder such combination secrets gradually vanished in the Legend of the Dragon King era," he mused internally. "Three-Word Battle Armor's individual amplification surpassed everything. The soul master's personal role began utterly eclipsing team coordination."
He sighed lightly, turning to his teammates with apparent regret: "Seems this match won't offer you practice."
Before his words faded, he stepped forward. Dazzling, holy light erupted from behind him.
Even more suffocating were the seven soul rings rising beneath his feet—four black, three blood-red!
Boom!
The entire audience stand—and every competing team—froze, minds blank before this reality-shattering soul ring configuration!
Yet Gu La's movements didn't cease. With a wave of his hand, a solid, radiant Holy Solar Angel spirit materialized, wielding a longsword burning with sacred flames.
Simultaneously, Gu La's gaze pierced past the arena—landing precisely on Holy Spirit Sect's rest area. Toward that shadowed zone, he offered a smile brimming with provocation and "gratitude"—as if saying, "Thanks for the soul rings you provided."
Holy Spirit Sect's direction immediately erupted in suppressed commotion and thick killing intent.
On the arena, the seemingly invincible Heavenly Armor Shield—forged from seven people's combined strength—crumbled like paper before the Holy Solar Angel spirit's raised flame sword. A single holy light slash cut through!
Shhk—BOOM!!
The giant shield shattered, dissolving into starlight. Heavenly Armor Sect's seven members spewed blood, bodies flying backward as their formation collapsed instantly.
The referee stood stunned for seconds before hoarsely announcing: "Sh... Shrek Academy... wins!"
A Soul Douluo himself, he felt certain he'd lose to Gu La if he stepped onto that stage.
Deathly silence gripped the stands. Only after long moments did thunderous discussion erupt.
Soul Saint. Three hundred-thousand-year soul rings. Holy Angel martial soul... These elements combined to shatter their understanding of the soul master system.
Many teams now believed the championship belonged to Shrek Academy!
Even Natural Sect—with its three Spirit Saints and mysterious aura—seemed unable to withstand Gu La's terrifying might.
Of course, powerhouse teams like Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, Holy Spirit Cult, Body Sect (Snow Demon Sect), and Tang Sect—though shocked—burned with fighting spirit.
This resilience was essential for elite soul masters. None would surrender easily. However formidable Gu La was, he remained but one man. They believed opportunities remained.
Gu La led his team off the arena. Countless eyes tracked them—many filled with awe and reverence.
He keenly sensed wisps of prototypal "faith" gathering around him. Unseen, he tested capturing and guiding this energy, attempting to refine it into purer faith power for deeper research.
On the high platform, Regent Prince Xu Tianran's expression turned uncharacteristically grave. He turned to Ju Zi beside him: "That's Gu La? The madman who threatened me at Mingde Hall? Those soul rings... how?"
Ju Zi's heart tightened, but she maintained obedient confusion: "Your Majesty, though we studied under Teacher Xuan Ziwen together, this man's reclusive and eccentric nature meant little interaction. His secrets... this consort knows nothing of them."
Xu Tianran nodded, unreadable. His gaze shifted to the black-robed figure beside him—Zhongli Wu. "Sect Leader, your thoughts?"
From beneath his mask, Zhongli Wu's voice slithered out: "Your Majesty, this likely relates to his mutated detached Angel martial soul—and his slaughter of our Holy Ghost Church disciples. He must have used some evil method, absorbing our powerhouse's strength to boost his cultivation and soul ring years!"
He naturally recalled his three murdered Titled Douluo subordinates. His heart bled. This explanation served both logic and interest.
Xu Tianran's eyes flickered with relief.
If true, this colossal threat—Gu La—would naturally trouble the Holy Spirit Cult, the "wronged party." He could sit back and watch tigers fight, avoiding immediate use of imperial forces against this unpredictable madman.
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