Chapter 250: 269. The Soul Master Tournament Begins
At the Heaven Dou Imperial Hotel, a single dish of stir-fried shredded potatoes cost a thousand gold soul coins. The prices were steep enough to make small nobles hesitate, but that was precisely what made it an ideal haven for the true upper echelon of the empire's elite.
Inside one of the private suites, five men had gathered: Bone Douluo Gu Rong, Ning Fengzhi, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe representing the Heaven Dou Empire, Yu Xiaomen representing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and Huo Qiqiang, master of the Body Sect.
"Welcome, Sect Master Huo, Young Sect Master Yu," Ning Fengzhi greeted warmly.
Turning to Yu Xiaomen, he smiled. "Young Sect Master Yu truly embodies the phrase 'a hero in youth.' Your grace and strength rival the legendary Twin Stars of the Clear Sky Clan. I imagine it won't be long before your clan reclaims its rightful place among the upper three sects."
Yu Xiaomen sat down, his tone confident but measured. "Sect Master Ning, my father once told me that with our current strength alone, we could easily crush the Elephant Armored Sect and reclaim our title. But ever since Bibi Dong elevated them into the upper three sects, the Spirit Hall hasn't held new elections for positions."
Ning Fengzhi chuckled. "Recognition from Spirit Hall is secondary; strength is everything. You're already a Titled Douluo, and with time, a Super Douluo—and perhaps even a Limit Douluo—are within your reach. When that day comes, if Spirit Hall refuses to recognize your clan, its so-called 'standards' will become a joke in themselves."
He lifted his cup and continued, "Besides, my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has never recognized the Elephant Armored Sect as one of the upper three. To us, that position belongs to your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
Yu Xiaomen smiled faintly. "Then I'll be sure to thank the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect for its support."
Huo Qiqiang finally spoke. "Then, Sect Master Ning—might I ask the real purpose of this meeting before the tournament begins?"
Ning Fengzhi smiled knowingly. "I wanted to introduce you both to someone. Qinghe."
From behind Ning Fengzhi stepped a graceful figure who bowed respectfully. "Teacher, I am here."
"This is Xue Qinghe, Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, and my disciple," Ning Fengzhi explained. "I wanted to introduce him to the two of you."
Xue Qinghe nodded politely. "I greet Sect Master Huo and Young Sect Master Yu."
After the courtesies were exchanged, Ning Fengzhi's tone turned serious. "Ever since Spirit Hall's restructuring, their power has grown alarmingly fast. Their ambition… is deeply concerning. I invited you both here today not merely for introductions, but to discuss this looming threat."
He leaned forward, voice laced with foresight. "It's clear that in the near future, Spirit Hall will seek to shatter the balance of the continent. When that happens, chaos will follow. We—the empires and the great sects—must prepare now."
He then laid out his proposal—the "Theory of Shared Vitality." His persuasion was skillful, and though no formal alliance was forged that day, both Yu Xiaomen and Huo Qiqiang left the meeting with newfound consideration for cooperation.
When the two sect representatives departed, Ning Fengzhi sighed quietly. "I have a feeling… the next decade or two will be an age of turbulent storms."
"Teacher," Xue Qinghe asked, "if we unite the upper sects and the two empires, can we truly stand against Spirit Hall?"
"I don't know," Ning Fengzhi admitted. "For now, our chances are higher than ever. The Blue Lightning Clan has a prodigy like Yu Xiaomen, the Body Sect has reemerged, and from Shrek Academy, I see a spark of our future hope. Whether or not we can curb Spirit Hall's ambition will depend on what unfolds in the next twenty years."
As he spoke, his thoughts drifted to the fallen Clear Sky Clan—to the Twin Stars, Tang Hao and Tang Xiao. Both had been born geniuses with innate full spirit power. If not for their tragic conflict and the clan's downfall, how strong might they have stood today? If the Clear Sky Clan's might were once again combined with theirs, no matter how great Spirit Hall's ambitions, it would have hesitated before moving. A sigh of regret escaped Ning Fengzhi's lips.
Meanwhile, Shrek Academy was proving worthy of his expectations. At first, he had only been intrigued by Tang San's twin martial spirits, but as the academy revealed its collective potential, even Ning Fengzhi was astonished. In just two years, Shrek had produced three Soul Kings, with the rest of their main lineup reaching the Soul Ancestor level. It was a composition fit to reshape the future of the continent.
Still, one thing dimmed his satisfaction—Ning Rongrong's performance paled in comparison to the others.
Heaven Dou Grand Spirit Arena—Tournament Opening Ceremony
The arena was packed to capacity. The opening of the Soul Master Elite Tournament had begun.
One by one, academies entered under thunderous cheers. But the true stir came when the announcer called out:
"Now entering—Shrek Academy!"
All eyes turned toward the team, only to widen in disbelief.
The entire group was dressed in shit-green uniforms, each plastered with garish sponsor logos.
"What the hell is that? Those uniforms look terrible!"
"'Shrek Academy'? Even the name sounds ridiculous."
"Are those… advertisements? Did they really sell space on their uniforms? Don't tell me the school's that poor—it's laughable!"
Laughter rippled through the stands, mocking and disdainful.
But Flender simply adjusted his glasses and smirked.
When Liu Erlong had objected to the grotesque color scheme, Flender had said, "Erlong, if we wear normal uniforms, no one will even notice us. With these? We'll become unforgettable. Let their eyes mock us first—once we start winning, they'll never forget the name 'Shrek Academy.' Then this entire tournament will become our stage."
And indeed, his plan was working perfectly. Shrek stood out like sore thumbs among the polished academies. The audience couldn't look away.
Everywhere they looked, Shrek students were being stared at like a herd of misplaced zoo animals.
Ning Rongrong, Yu Tianheng, and Xiao Wu all felt uneasy. Er Ming, however, didn't care in the slightest.
The four reincarnated members of the original Shrek Seven merely shared knowing grins—they had lived this once already.
Dai Mubai grinned wickedly. "Can't wait to see what these snobs will say after we destroy our first opponents."
"Who are we up against again?" Ma Hongjun asked.
Oscar replied, "If I remember correctly—the Emperor Team's secondary squad."
"Ah, yes," Dai Mubai said, baring his teeth in a grin. "Last time, we wiped them out in under a minute. Guess we'll do it again."
Tang San chuckled. "Last time was one minute. Let's make it thirty seconds this time."
"Agreed—thirty seconds," the others echoed.
The announcer's voice boomed again over the arena.
"Next, entering the field—Spark Academy!"
Led by the Snow Maiden, the Spark team marched gracefully into the arena. Unlike Shrek, their members wore neat, matching uniforms—dignified, respectable. Their entrance barely drew a murmur from the crowd, though the watching powers and nobles studied them closely.
For the true titans of the continent, every piece on the board mattered.
(END CHAPTER)
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