Chapter 68: Faction Selection.
Upon hearing this battle list, Shrek's teachers couldn't help but smile.
"What a narrow path for enemies! Looks like you've been treated as a soft persimmon," Shi Yi chuckled.
"You're regretting this, kid. Opportunities like this to openly beat up aristocratic children don't come around often," Zhao Wuji said, grinning at Shi Yi.
Shi Yi shook his head and smiled, "Let the others beat them up. I won't have to bear the consequences. I don't have the deep connections like Rongrong and Tang San."
A glint flashed in Flender and Yu Xiaogang's eyes upon hearing this. Flender said slowly, "Did you guess we'd be facing those nobles today?"
Shi Yi laughed, "How could I have guessed? But I understand what the person on the podium was thinking. After all, they're the Imperial Academy team, representing the face of the Imperial family to a certain extent. They're definitely going to find a weakling to exploit at the opening ceremony. And since you, Dean, have dressed them in those shit-green uniforms, Shrek is clearly being treated as a weakling. I can see that in the ways of the world. Rongrong and Tang San are both influential, so beating them up is fine. The Imperial Family should still give some respect to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect."
"That kid is more clever than a monkey," Zhao Wuji said to the others.
Even as they were chatting, the competition began.
Tang San, on the field, instantly summoned his martial spirit. Blue Silver Grass stretched out around him, its leaves gleaming with a sharp light in the sunlight. As Tang San's hands began to move, dense blue leaves danced across the field, creating a scene of exquisite beauty.
Against these second-generation rich men who presented little threat, Tang San's tactics were simple and clear. With a shower of leaves, Dai Mubai, Tai Long, and Huang Yuan, using the Blue Silver Grass's cover, broke through directly from the front. Jing Ling and Zhu Zhuqing circled from the side and launched an offensive against the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
"It does have some resemblance to infantry and artillery coordination," Shi Yi chuckled at the scene.
"Infantry and artillery coordination, what does that mean?" Yu Xiaogang asked, curious at the novel term.
Shi Yi pondered and said slowly, "It's like on the battlefield, first using long-range weapons like bows and arrows to strike the enemy, then advancing with infantry or cavalry formations."
"Bows and arrows? You've studied warfare, too? Then why not call it bow and foot coordination?" Yu Xiaogang asked in reply.
Shi Yi rolled his eyes upon hearing this, speechless for a moment. Why not call it bow-and-foot coordination? Because I'm not from ancient times.
"Isn't it because your era didn't have artillery? I was talking about bows and arrows. Although I'm not a science student, I can still make gunpowder. If we could actually make a cannon, wouldn't that be infantry-and-artillery coordination? Spirit Masters are human too, can they withstand a cannon?" Shi Yi thought to himself.
Tang San's Buddha's Wrath Tanglian could even kill a Titled Douluo, demonstrating that Spirit Masters are essentially a profession with high attack and low defense. Their cultivation relies on their martial spirits. Even an army of Spirit Masters is powerless against the power of technology. The more powerful the technology, the lower the labor cost, but the higher the resource cost.
"However, Xiao San's Zhuge Divine Crossbow is very suitable for warfare. It's compact and lightweight, not only powerful but also capable of continuous fire. The movement required for use is minimal, and even ordinary Spirit Masters can't handle it," Yu Xiaogang said softly without further hesitation.
As the two chatted, dense, sharp blades flew across the field. Except for defensive spirit masters, no one escaped unscathed. Tang San's first round of "baptism of fire" left every member of the Tiandou Royal Academy's second team bruised and battered. With the inherent disparity in combat power, the two sides could only wait for the Shrek "foot soldiers" to harvest their losses.
While Tang San lacked the powerful control abilities of his predecessor, his damage far surpassed them. Even against such an opponent, the original version would have required a minute to coordinate control and damage, but now Shrek had less than a minute to finish the fight.
Zhu Zhuqing's elusive speed saw them decimate the enemy with incredible efficiency.
Watching the turd-green-clad Shrek troops instantly dispatch Tiandou Royal Academy's second team, the audience fell silent, their eyes filled with disbelief.
"Stop! We surrender!" Seeing the situation was dire, the leader of Tiandou Royal Academy's second team quickly threw up a white towel and scurried onto the stage. Stop the Shrek Academy players from fighting any further.
Seeing his players covered in blood, the Tiandou Royal Academy's team leader angrily shouted at the referee.
"Referee, I want to complain. They weren't competing, they were killing people. They violated the rules. I demand they be declared the loser."
The referee slowly regained his composure and cast his gaze upon the Shrek team.
Tang San said calmly, "Respected referee, I was very measured in my attacks. Not a single leaf struck them as vital. The dynamics of battle are so volatile. Since this is a match, we are evenly matched. I couldn't let them fail unscathed."
"You..." The team leader pointed at Tang San, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.
The referee, feeling somewhat embarrassed, turned to look at the seven fallen members of Tiandou Royal Academy's second team. Although they bore varying degrees of wounds, they were certainly not dead.
Even the referee was unsure how to pronounce the verdict. This seemingly simple decision felt like a thorn in his throat, as it was a matter of empire's reputation. Just as the referee hesitated, two more judges appeared on stage and whispered something in his ear. Finally, the referee announced, "First match, first round of the preliminaries. Shrek Academy wins."
The audience erupted in a clamor of discussion, a moment of questioning, admiration, and shock echoing throughout the venue. While many knew that the Tiandou Imperial Academy's second team consisted of incompetent aristocratic children, in a world where bloodline inheritance was paramount, the martial spirits of aristocrats were inherently superior to those of commoners.
What they hadn't anticipated was that the majority of Shrek's members weren't from commoner ranks.
On the podium, Emperor Xue Ye stood up with a sullen expression. His gaze fell on the dazed Prince Xue Xing, and with a cold snort, he swept away.
Ning Fengzhi smiled as he followed Emperor Xue Ye out of the VIP seats. As a die-hard princeling, he'd naturally revealed Shrek's origins during their conversation.
After the match, everyone's spirits shifted. With the exception of Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Zhu Zhuqing, the remaining four were all excited. Unlike the former, they came from genuinely ordinary families, and this match was a chance to change their fate.
Even Oscar and Ma Hongjun were eager to take the stage. While they were significantly better than the four substitutes, with mentors like Flanders and Shao Xin behind them, they understood that they ultimately had to find a suitable home.
As for Shi Yi, he'd also been considering the issue of his own power. Unlike Tang San, he didn't harbor ambitions to restore the Tang Sect. Rather than building his own, he preferred to join one. This was a dilemma he had to face. The moment Tang San decided to kill him, the decision he'd been hesitating about for so long was finalized.
If Tang San had listened to Shi Yi's words before the attack, Shi Yi wouldn't have necessarily joined the Spirit Hall to oppose Tang San. For him, it would have been nice to stay out of the conflict, to keep to himself, and to be a quiet teacher at the academy. But since Tang San had chosen to attack, Shi Yi now had only the Spirit Hall as his choice. Only the Spirit Hall could save him from the Haotian Sect's clutches.
Thinking of this, Shi Yi felt a deep sense of emotion as he watched Tang San's indifferent expression. Of course, even if he joined the Spirit Hall, he couldn't do so openly. Shi Yi wouldn't give Tang Hao and Jian Gu a reason to attack.
"I won't be able to practice properly during the competition. I guess I should go to the East Palace to bond," Shi Yi thought to himself.
Soon after the competition, Shi Yi and the Shrek group returned to the hotel arranged by the competition organizing committee. After a brief greeting, Shi Yi slowly departed towards the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
Shi Yi had just arrived at the palace gates, before he could even show the token Qian Renxue had given him, when a carriage slowly emerged from the palace and stopped in front of him.
The driver slowly dismounted, bowed respectfully, and said, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince has been waiting for your distinguished guest. Please, come in." Shi Yi was startled for a moment, then recovered and slowly boarded the carriage.
"Is this a flex of muscle? What a combination of kindness and force," Shi Yi thought to himself. Qian Renxue's forewarning of the visitor was, in essence, a way of telling Shi Yi that she was always watching him, and indirectly, that she could kill him at any moment.
Shi Yi ignored any of this, sitting in the carriage quietly admiring the sights within the palace. This world's palace was indeed different from the imperial buildings of his previous life.
Soon, the carriage arrived at the East Palace, where Qian Renxue resided.
"Dear guest, we're here." The driver's voice came from outside the carriage. Shi Yi also slowly got off the carriage and smiled softly at the driver, "Thank you."
The driver bowed to Shi Yi and said respectfully, "I dare not." Shi Yi smiled and didn't care. He followed the waiter and slowly entered the East Palace.
Soon, Shi Yi, led by the waiter, arrived at a courtyard. Looking closely, he saw Qian Renxue sitting at a stone table with many documents piled on it.
Shi Yi smiled slightly and walked over slowly. Seeing Shi Yi coming, Qian Renxue also showed a smile on her face and said, "It's rare. You have disappeared for a few months. What's the matter with you coming to see me this time?"
Shi Yi was not polite either. He sat down opposite Qian Renxue and said with a smile, "The teacher asked me to break through to the Soul Sect before the competition. I went to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for soul rings a few days ago. That's why I haven't visited you for a while. Please forgive me, Brother Xue."
Qian Renxue's eyes flashed with a gleam when he heard it. He nodded and smiled, "The teacher was right about him. He has reached the Soul Sect level at this age. Even the Blue Lightning Twins are no more than that."
"Brother Xue, you are too kind. I came here this time to see that kid." Shi Yi looked at Qian Renxue seriously and said.
Qian Renxue said unhappily, "This isn't a nursery. I've already enrolled the child in the Tiandou Imperial Academy. I'll take you to see the child when I have time."
Shi Yi smiled and nodded. He then slowly pulled out a booklet from his soul guide and handed it to Qian Renxue, saying softly, "I'm not familiar with the Tiandou Imperial Academy, but I guess the child has already obtained her first spirit ring. This is my gift to her."
"Oh?" Qian Renxue's eyes flashed with surprise as she glanced at the booklet in Shi Yi's hand. The words 'Twelve Classics' were inscribed on it.
"Twelve Classics? I didn't expect Xiao Yi to be such a scholar," Qian Renxue said slowly as she took the booklet, politely not flipping through it.
Upon hearing this, Shi Yi shook his head slightly and said, "These Twelve Classics aren't a work of literature, but a new meditation method I created. Not only do they surpass the original basic meditation method in cultivation speed, but they also have a nourishing effect on the body. The earlier you practice, the better the benefits."
Qian Renxue's face lit up with surprise upon hearing this. Recalling the information he had sent people to investigate, she looked at the Twelve Classics in her hands, her astonishment deepened.
"Xiao Yi, you just gave such a valuable item to that child?" Qian Renxue asked, gazing deeply at Shi Yi, as if trying to discern something from him.
"Not only for that child, but also for Brother Xue. With this item, if every child with soul power can successfully cultivate, perhaps the buying and selling of highly gifted girls at the Tiandou Auction will no longer occur," Shi Yi said softly, looking at Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue fell silent upon hearing this. Suddenly, she was curious about Shi Yi. She had read Shi Yi's profile, learned a little about him from Ning Fengzhi, and even seen him lecherously eyeing beautiful women at the auction. Now, she had a new perspective on Shi Yi, and she suddenly wanted to know what kind of person he was.
Qian Renxue looked at Shi Yi and nodded slightly, smiling. "I'll take this. I'll give her a copy, but it's unrealistic for you to spread this item. It will only ever circulate in the hands of a small number of people. For example, if you gave these twelve meridians to that child, when that child grows up and understands their value, they won't give it to anyone else."
Shi Yi certainly understood this. Even after ten thousand years, the Tang Sect's Xuantian Gong remained as powerful as ever. Why, after ten thousand years, had no one created something more powerful? Because it would always be in the hands of a small number of people.
If everyone were to become like a dragon, who would serve the nobles like slaves? Besides, the number of soul beasts on the continent couldn't sustain such a large number of soul masters.
"It is precisely because I understand this that I am giving this to you. Brother Xue, as the Crown Prince of the Empire, you have greater influence. I also understand that this is unlikely to be accomplished, but even if you use this to train some girls to serve you, it would be a good idea." Shi Yi said this with the appearance of an idealist.
Qian Renxue looked at Shi Yi, sighed slightly, and nodded, saying: "Okay, I accept the gift."
Hearing this, Shi Yi smiled and said: "Since the child is not here, and Brother Xue is also very busy, then I will take my leave first?"
"No hurry, since you are here, my palace does not need you to have this meal, and chat with me for a while." Qian Renxue waved to the waiter not far away.
The waiter understood and quickly removed the document from the stone table.
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