Beibei took several deep breaths, struggling to calm the emotions raging within him. Finally, he said, "I understand, Elder Xuan. I'm sorry… I lost control earlier."
Xuanzi looked at Beibei's distraught expression and could only sigh softly, placing a consoling hand on his shoulder. Then, he turned back to the arena. His eyes settled on Tang Ya, his gaze growing solemn.
Previously, Shrek Academy had only learned that Tang Ya had gone to the Sun Moon Empire to rebuild the Tang Sect and begin recruiting disciples. Neither he nor Elder Mu had expected that Tang Ya would actually represent the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy in the Soul Master Tournament!
She was the Sect Master of the Tang Sect!
Such an action—was this not a betrayal of the original three nations of the Douluo Continent?
How could she do this?!
Xuanzi knew that this development needed to be reported to Mu En immediately. The Academy would need to reassess its entire stance toward the Tang Sect!
Beibei returned to the crowd in a daze. Xiao Xiao came over with a gentle smile and asked softly, "Senior Beibei, is your lover up there?"
That innocent question hit Beibei like another stab to the heart. He looked up at Xiao Xiao. There was no malice on her face—only pure curiosity. After a long pause, he finally lowered his head and replied, "Yes…"
"I didn't expect Miss Xiao Ya to actually be competing as part of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy!" Before Beibei could even finish the word "yes," Jiang Qingtong's voice rang out with a sigh.
Another dagger straight to Beibei's heart.
He turned to look at Jiang Qingtong, who was staring at the stage, not even glancing in his direction. Whether her words were intentional or not, he couldn't tell.
Beibei muttered, "Let's… go back."
But Jiang Nannan immediately objected, "No way. We still need to study how the other academies fight. If we just leave like this, we'll fall way behind in intelligence gathering!"
Beibei pressed his lips together, forcing himself to take deep breaths.
—
On the stage, once the two teams had reported their academy names, they released their soul rings.
Ma Rulong displayed the optimal configuration: two yellow, two purple, and two black soul rings. Xiao Hongchen, Nana, and Tang Ya each had the best configuration for Soul Kings. Meng Hongchen was a four-ring Soul Ancestor.
Once the five of them revealed their soul rings, only Ma Rulong, being a Soul Emperor, drew gasps from the audience. The other four didn't cause much of a stir.
Until—Huo Yuhao revealed his own rings: one white and one purple.
The arena erupted in shocked discussion.
This was likely the first time in the Soul Master Tournament's history that such an odd combination had appeared!
"White? A ten-year soul ring? How could the Sun Moon Empire send someone with a ten-year soul ring into the competition?" Xuanzi frowned deeply upon seeing Huo Yuhao's white ring, clearly puzzled by the decision.
Before the crowd could recover from their confusion, Jiang Shengyu, standing at the back, activated his martial soul.
A crescent moon rose behind him as four soul rings emerged at his feet: one purple, and three black. The shocking configuration instantly set the arena ablaze with excitement.
Gasps of disbelief filled the stands.
"Did I see that right? A four-ring Soul Ancestor with three black ten-thousand-year soul rings? Is that even possible?"
"My god—he can't be older than fourteen, can he?"
"His first ring is purple, and the second is already a ten-thousand-year soul ring? This is insane…"
The buzz in the arena intensified. Even Xuanzi couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath when he saw Jiang Shengyu's soul ring configuration. Based on ring quality alone, he had surpassed even Jiang Qingtong!
Jiang Qingtong had two purple and one black ring—whereas Jiang Shengyu had one purple and three black.
It was a clear sign of his terrifying talent.
A pair of siblings this gifted—how could they have ended up in the Sun Moon Empire?
Xuanzi's eyes grew darker with thought. Still, he consoled himself: at least Shrek Academy had already secured one of them. If the upcoming exchange student program went smoothly, they might have a shot at recruiting the other as well.
Even the team from the Heavenly Soul Imperial Soul Master Academy was stunned by Jiang Shengyu's soul ring reveal.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Huo Yuhao swiftly activated Spiritual Detection Sharing, taking control of the battlefield. The rest of the team moved instantly, and before the opponents could regroup, they had already crossed more than half the arena.
Under the boost of Yuhao's Spiritual Detection Sharing, the fight quickly became one-sided. The Heavenly Soul team was surrounded at the center of the platform, with every escape route blocked.
Huo Yuhao stood behind Ma Rulong. To reach him, they would have to get past this Soul Emperor.
Jiang Shengyu spread his arms. His fourth, ten-thousand-year soul ring lit up. A ring of light appeared in the sky above the arena—and from it, a majestic golden hand emerged.
The Hand of Heaven slowly descended. Overwhelming pressure radiated from it, warping even the light in the surrounding air.
Under its crushing weight, the seven members of the Heavenly Soul team couldn't even move!
Tang Ya stepped forward. She stood in the middle of the encirclement, her eyes fixed on the opposing team. She raised one hand and shouted:
"Fifth Soul Skill: Blue Silver Tyrant Spear!"
A long spear adorned with Blue Silver Grass patterns appeared in her hand. But she didn't stop there. Immediately after, she activated her fourth soul skill, Blue Silver Prison, and first soul skill, Entangle, tightening their restraint.
As the Blue Silver Grass martial soul surged into full view, a wave of gasps swept across the audience—even Emperor Xu Jiawei and Duke Dai Hao turned their heads in surprise.
"Blue Silver Grass?! That's the Blue Silver Grass martial soul? A member of the Sun Moon team actually cultivated a trash martial soul to this level?" Xu Jiawei exclaimed, shocked.
But Duke Dai Hao said nothing.
It had been he himself who had permitted Tang Ya to travel to the Sun Moon Empire back then. Seeing her now fight on behalf of the Sun Moon Empire stirred conflicting emotions deep within him.
On the arena platform, suppressed by both the Hand of Heaven and the Blue Silver Grass's restraints, the Heavenly Soul team couldn't move at all. They could only watch as Tang Ya walked toward them with the Blue Silver Tyrant Spear in hand.
She came to a stop before them, her voice low but firm:
"Remember—
the one who eliminated you…
is named Tang Ya.
Sect Master of the Tang Sect!"
With those words, she swept her spear across—all seven opponents were knocked out of the arena in one blow!
And her proclamation echoed through the entire stadium.
The Tang Sect!
A once-glorious name, long faded into obscurity, had suddenly reemerged on the battlefield.
The ambassadors from the Heavenly Soul Empire and Dou Ling Empire stared in disbelief at Tang Ya, still standing tall in the arena.
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