Soul Land II: Transmigrated as Huo Yuhao, Apprenticed to Yao Chen

"That's fantastic!"

A female student seated just below Ma Rulong excitedly pumped her fist in the air. The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy had been overshadowed by Shrek Academy for nearly three thousand years. Since they first joined the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament, they had never managed to defeat Shrek.

Ma Rulong sighed softly and said, "Honestly, I would rather face the strongest Shrek, even though I know our chances would be slim. But I truly wish to have a fierce battle with the strongest opponent."

Xiao Hongchen nodded, a cold sneer on his face. "Shrek Academy as they are now is just a pathetic shadow of their former selves. I will personally defeat Huo Yuhao in the arena and show him what a true genius is!"

Upon hearing this, Ma Rulong's expression darkened, and he snapped, "Xiao Hongchen, shut your filthy mouth! For now, I'm still the captain of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy's representative team. You can insult yourself, but until you actually defeat the Shrek team, you have no right to insult our opponents!"

An overwhelming aura suddenly erupted from Ma Rulong, and Xiao Hongchen staggered slightly under the pressure.

"Exactly, brother! Huo Yuhao is a good person, and he's so handsome. You just don't understand him!" protested his sister, Meng Hongchen, clearly displeased.

Xiao Hongchen forced an awkward smile that looked more like a grimace. Sure, it was easy for them to act gracious, but did they even understand the humiliation he had endured at Huo Yuhao's hands? They had no idea! Inwardly, Xiao Hongchen seethed, "Huo Yuhao, you bastard, you've pushed me way too far!"

At Star Luo Plaza, the atmosphere was as lively as ever. After all, Shrek Academy was set to appear again today, and everyone was eager to see what surprises they would bring this time.

In Shrek Academy's previous three matches, each one had impressed the audience in a unique way. Whether it was Huo Yuhao's formidable strength or Ling Luocheng's "Crimson Ice and Snow Spectacle," every team member had left a lasting impression on the crowd.

The audience found it odd that Shrek Academy's lineup included so many soul masters with only two or three rings, but since Shrek kept winning, they didn't dwell on it, assuming Shrek Academy was simply honing their skills.

Today, Shrek Academy would be the first to compete, facing off against the formidable Zhengtian Academy team.

In their previous match, Shrek had narrowly defeated Qianling Academy. Yet, against Zhengtian Academy, Qianling hadn't stood a chance.

Given both teams' performances so far, everyone believed this was going to be a true clash of titans, with an intensely thrilling match ahead.

Under the guidance of Elder Ma, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy's team entered the arena once again. They were clearly there to assess Shrek Academy's overall strength.

Seeing Huo Yuhao at the forefront of Shrek Academy's lineup, the Sun Moon team members were taken aback.

Wait, why was there a new, unfamiliar chubby guy leading the Shrek team? It seemed their fighting capacity was definitely worth careful observation.

Time passed second by second, and the sun had risen high from the eastern horizon.

Accompanied by his ministers, Emperor Xu Jiawei of the Star Luo Empire appeared on the city wall, choosing to stand and watch the arena instead of taking a seat.

When he saw Huo Yuhao, he hesitated slightly, muttering to himself in surprise, "It appears Shrek Academy has appointed a new member to lead the team. This could make today's match quite interesting!"

"By the way, have you discovered where Elder Cheng Gang has gone recently?"

The Star Luo Empire's Prime Minister leaned over and whispered something into Xu Jiawei's ear. A flicker of anger crossed Xu Jiawei's face, and as he glanced back at the Shrek team below, his expression grew more complex.

The referee ascended the platform, his voice amplified by the sound-soul tool, resonating throughout the arena.

"Round three of the round-robin tournament, match one: Shrek Academy vs. Zhengtian Academy. Both teams, please proceed to the holding area. Captains, come forward to determine the match format."

Zhengtian Academy, like Shrek, was from the Heavenly Soul Empire. Unlike Shrek Academy, which was unaffiliated with any empire, Zhengtian Academy was an established institution under the Heavenly Soul Empire, dedicated to nurturing talent for their country.

Of the four major empires on the continent, the Heavenly Soul Empire was the most traditional, staunchly upholding the soul master heritage and rejecting soul engineering.

As a result, Zhengtian Academy held onto a purist approach to soul masters, with no soul engineering program at all, focusing solely on cultivating powerful soul masters. Whether this approach would eventually lead to their obsolescence was uncertain, but for now, Zhengtian Academy remained one of the most respected academies on the continent.

This idealistic vision of "making soul masters great again" was admirable, but it ultimately contributed to the Heavenly Soul Empire's downfall in a swift assault by the Sun Moon Empire.

This only served to show the folly of clinging to outdated principles. Yet, Shrek Academy, in the future, might follow a similar path under Elder Xuan's "wise decisions."

Zhengtian Academy's captain, Ye Wuqing, was a young man around twenty years old. His striking looks even rivaled Wang Dong's current male appearance.

As an example, Meng Hongchen's gaze constantly shifted back and forth between Wang Dong and Ye Wuqing's faces. Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao's current appearance was so different that even those who knew him well might not recognize him, so Meng Hongchen paid him little attention.

Ye Wuqing, nineteen years old, was the captain of the Zhengtian Academy team, possessing the Golden Leaf Martial Soul and ranked as a Level 58 Assault-type Battle Soul Master.

His strength was formidable. He had participated as a core member in the previous tournament on behalf of Zhengtian Academy, and in this one, he was now a pillar of the academy.

If he turned twenty this year, he might well reach Level 60, making him the first Soul Emperor in Zhengtian Academy's history to participate in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament.

If that happened, Zhengtian Academy would be officially recognized as a top-tier academy.

Ye Wuqing's expression was icy, while Huo Yuhao, who climbed the platform slowly due to his weight, appeared almost adorable—like a giant panda in a zoo.

The referee's voice deepened, "Let the drawing begin. Both sides, please bear witness!"

Huo Yuhao and Ye Wuqing extended their hands simultaneously to draw lots, and everyone held their breath, waiting for the result. Soon, it was announced.

"Shrek Academy vs. Zhengtian Academy will proceed with a two-two-three format. This means two rounds of two-versus-two matches, followed by a three-versus-three final. Best of three. If one side wins the first two rounds, the final three-versus-three match will be canceled. Captains may now leave the platform and prepare."