NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 147: Chapter 147
Three days later, in the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, Heaven Dou City.
The opening ceremony of the Heaven Dou Empire competition area of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Competition was held in Heaven Dou City with great fanfare.
As the most prestigious competition in the soul master world, it attracted not only soul masters but also the general public. From the royal family and nobles to commoners, everyone regarded this event as the grandest festival. The opening ceremony took place at the Heaven Dou Grand Soul Arena, where tickets had been sold out a month in advance. The price of these tickets matched that of the main soul fighting center, proving just how enthusiastic people were.
As the main venue for the Heaven Dou Division, the Heaven Dou Grand Soul Arena had ceased all soul-fighting competitions a month prior and undergone renovations. The sub-arenas were merged with the main fighting center to create an enormous battleground where all the Heaven Dou Division qualifiers would take place.
In the early morning, before the sun rose from the east, the newly renovated Heaven Dou Grand Soul Arena was already teeming with people. They hadn't arrived early to secure better seats—every ticket had an assigned seat number—but rather to catch a glimpse of the young soul masters participating in the tournament.
Among them were many lovestruck young girls.
The total number of soul masters on the continent barely reached six figures, and those selected to represent their academies in this competition were the cream of the crop. Given the age limit of 25 years, these competitors were undoubtedly the most desirable prospects for marriage. For many girls, marrying a powerful soul master meant elevating their status and securing a brighter future.
As the opening ceremony commenced, academy teams made their grand entrances. Leading the parade were, of course, the pride of the Heaven Dou Empire—the first and second teams of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.
Team One was privileged to skip the preliminaries and promotion matches, advancing directly to the finals. Normally, this advantage would have been given to the Emperor Team, but Qin Ming declined the offer. Instead, he chose to lead the second team through the entire competition, not just to win the championship but also to gain experience and grow through battle.
Following the Emperor Team were the renowned Five Elements Academies and other veteran powerhouses, each greeted with enthusiastic cheers.
However, the atmosphere shifted dramatically when Shrek Academy made its entrance. At first, there was a stunned silence, followed by an eruption of laughter. The reason? Their uniforms. The garish green jackets were emblazoned with the words "Sincerely Seeking Sponsorship Advertisement" Some people laughed so hard they nearly collapsed on the spot.
Every year, a few academies were eliminated in the first round. To the audience, Shrek Academy was undoubtedly this year's cannon fodder.
"Sister Rongrong, have you seen the boss?" Ma Hongjun bounced excitedly, scanning the crowd for Jun Tianlin
"Ugh, you fat guy, stop embarrassing us! If Brother Jian sees me like this, I won't be able to face him!" Ning Rongrong groaned and lowering her head in regret. If only she had listened to Brother Jian earlier and left! In front of this horrendous uniform, all sense of responsibility paled in comparison—she should have run far, far away.
Meng Yiran didn't even bother trying to maintain composure. She abandoned the group entirely and burying her face in her grandfather's robes. It was the first time she truly regretted transferring to another academy.
Noticing the commotion behind him, Jun Tianlin turned his gaze toward the Shrek Seven Devils. Ning Rongrong avoided his eyes, afraid her image in his heart had been utterly ruined.
'Thank goodness I didn't join that team back then. Just based on that uniform alone, Emperor Team is clearly superior' Jun Tianlin thought to himself with relief.
Shrek Academy hadn't been idle in the past year, and everyone had improved significantly. However, most of them lacked the support of the magical herbs, making it impossible for them to form a full team of Spirit Ancestors.
Their levels were clear to Jun Tianlin. The strongest was Ning Rongrong, who had consumed the Bu Tian Dan and reached level 45. Next were Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, both level 41 after absorbing the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower. The rest remained Spirit Masters—Xiao Wu at level 38, Zhu Zhuqing at level 36, and Oscar and Meng Yiran at level 39, thanks to the elixirs Jun Tianlin had given them.
While these levels weren't low, they paled in comparison to Jun Tianlin's own power. Even Tang San, the so-called protagonist of destiny, was still only level 39. It seemed Jun Tianlin's Xuanyuan Pill had indeed hindered his breakthrough to level 40.
As for Shrek's substitutes, they ranged from levels 35 to 37. To be honest, Jun Tianlin no longer held high expectations for them. Forget winning the championship—whether they could even reach the final round depended entirely on luck.
The opening ceremony required all teams to register their official members. Once the Emperor Team completed its registration then they remained nearby instead of leaving immediately.
Moments later, Shrek Academy emerged from the registration area, prompting Qin Ming to step forward eagerly "Dean, Teacher Zhao!"
He had been waiting specifically for his mentors
"Xiao Qin, not bad! Your soul power has improved again. You must be close to level 70 by now, right?" Zhao Wuji praised, patting Qin Ming's shoulder
"I've been fortunate, Teacher. I should be able to achieve my martial soul's true body within a year" Qin Ming responded modestly yet confident.
Flender grinned with satisfaction "Alright, Qin Ming, no need to be so formal. You've already graduated, and this time, we're even rivals. Let's see how well you've trained your team."
While Qin Ming and Flender chatted, Jun Tianlin approached Ning Rongrong and teased "My dear Rongrong, why are you hiding your face? Don't you want to see Brother Jian?"
"Ugh, Brother Jian, you're so annoying! You already know why!" Ning Rongrong whined, burying her face in his chest "Please help me! I'm the next leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and I've embarrassed the entire clan!"
Jun Tianlin spread his hands "There's nothing I can do. Every academy has its own rules, and as an outsider, it's not my place to interfere. But don't worry, Rongrong—I'll restore our clan's reputation."
Just then, an arrogant voice interrupted them "Where did these fools come from? They're humiliating themselves by showing up to an elite competition."
The remark came from students wearing the familiar uniforms of Canghui Academy
"Who are you calling a toad?!" Tai Long known for his explosive temper, immediately charged forward
"Anyone wearing that ridiculous green outfit is a toad! It's a shame you don't have matching hats—it would complete the look! Hahaha!" The Canghui students sneered
"Damn it! I'll show you who the real toad is!" Tai Long roared, preparing to attack
Seeing the confrontation escalate, the Canghui students also got ready for battle. However, a deep yet chilling voice suddenly rang out "What do you think you're doing?"
At the sound of this voice, the Canghui students immediately backed away. An elderly man in his sixties, clad in white soul master robes, approached with a stern expression.
Flender and Zhao Wuji's faces tensed as they quickly stepped in front of their students. This was not someone to be taken lightly
He was one of the most troublesome Soul Saints to deal with— Shi Nian.