Chapter 205: A Month Later, the Shrek Team
"How did it go?" Dai Yao asked softly, standing amidst the trees outside the Grand Field.
A Spirit Sage responsible for protecting him stepped forward respectfully, presenting Salas's response. "It's settled. Blazing Academy won't bother you anymore. Elder Huo himself will soon come to apologize. The bishop also asked me to relay that you handled this matter well. And if anything else troubles you, just let him know. As the bishop said, 'No one takes from Spirit Hall.'"
Dai Yao gave a small, pleased nod. "An apology is unnecessary—just see that it doesn't happen again."
This was the benefit of being part of a powerful faction. In Spirit Hall, no one dared encroach on its members. Days ago, Blazing Academy had been boldly trying to recruit Feng Wutong. Today, they were coming to apologize. This was the security of backing.
As Dai Yao read through the letter, his eyes paused midway, and he let out a slight, surprised murmur.
"One of the elders is interested in taking Feng Wutong as a disciple?"
He pondered. Which of the Spirit Hall elders could it be?
There were quite a few of them—Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo, Snake Lance, Demon Bear, Porcupinefish, and Lingyuan. Given Feng Wutong's avian-based Vermilion Bird spirit, it was likely Lingyuan Douluo, another avian-type Spirit Master. Though not one of the elders from the Supreme Pontiff's palace, Lingyuan Douluo's status was near the top.
With a Titled Douluo as her master, Feng Wutong's future was bound to be remarkable.
"Even a Titled Douluo is intrigued by her potential," Dai Yao thought happily as he folded the letter, then looked up and smiled. "Please thank Bishop Salas for informing me of this," he told the Spirit Sage.
The Spirit Sage nodded, his body shimmering with spirit power until he seemed to dissolve into thin air.
Once the Spirit Sage was gone, Dai Yao folded the letter, and a spark of lightning in his palm reduced it to ash. "That takes care of Feng Wutong's situation. Now, back to the arena," he murmured as he left the forest and headed for the bustling Grand Field.
In the stadium, two Spirit Masters were locked in fierce combat. Flames erupted as spirit power surged, turning the air thick with heat and pitting the ground with craters. Explosions echoed, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Then, a gleam of gold appeared at the edge of the field, like the sun itself. The spectators turned in unison, their gazes landing on a tall, athletic young man.
"Here he is," they thought in unison, their breaths catching slightly.
It was Dai Yao.
By the fifth day of the promotion rounds, Dai Yao had yet to enter the field, but the Oakland team's performance had been astounding, securing them a steady first place with five consecutive wins. Dai Yao, the undisputed core of the team, had made an impression even without fighting.
In these five matches, Oakland's victories were effortless. Dai Yiyuan could typically defeat three to four opponents, leaving Feng Qianli to clean up the rest. Even Dou Yu and Luo Feng, who had less-than-optimal spirit rings, could handle at least one opponent each due to the generally weaker squads from the kingdoms and duchies.
For all the smaller teams, it was clear that Dai Yao's presence loomed over the battlefield. No amount of inquiry could reveal more than the awe-filled silence or serious expressions of the Heaven Dou teams who had already faced Oakland. At one point, a kind-hearted team member from Godwind Academy had told an inquisitive fighter:
"Don't bother. If he steps onto the field, your best option is to surrender."
Although unsaid, it was clear that Dai Yao was a fearsome force. His every move was observed closely, as the kingdom and duchy teams speculated on the full extent of his strength.
Ignoring their looks, Dai Yao made his way to Oakland's spectator section. With a light laugh, he joined Feng Qianli and asked, "How's the match going?"
Feng Qianli looked at him. "Nothing too exciting these past few days. The kingdom and duchy teams are weaker than the empire's five, so there's been little suspense. The current fight isn't worth analyzing, but next up, Shrek faces Blazing Academy. Everyone's looking forward to that one."
"Shrek, huh?" Dai Yao's interest was piqued. He would never let his guard down with them. The Shrek Seven were formidable, and losing focus could mean losing his edge.
"Where's Shrek's strength after this month of training?" he wondered aloud.
"Without the benefit of immortal herbs, Shrek's strength is about even with Blazing. This will be their first real challenge, unlike the previous matches," Feng Qianli replied.
The corners of Dai Yao's mouth lifted as he considered Blazing's match-up with Shrek—a perfect chance to gauge Shrek's progress over the last month.
Half an hour later.
Tang San knelt, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, gripping his Clear Sky Hammer against the ground, where it left a noticeable crater. Across from him, Huo Wushuang's arms, blazing with dragon-like flames, were riddled with hairline cracks. A bead of blood trickled down his forehead.
Huo Wushuang's attempt to block with his head had indeed been brutal.
Moments later, he staggered backward, exhausted and in disbelief as he looked at Tang San.
The spectators around them gaped, eyes fixed on Tang San, struggling to believe what they had just seen.
The Clear Sky Hammer. Blue Silver Grass. Twin spirits! And not just any second spirit—it was the Clear Sky Hammer, the most powerful tool spirit in existence. Such terrifying talent!
The grand stadium fell into an eerie silence. Even though the other teams already knew Tang San had twin spirits, they couldn't help but feel shaken all over again. Twin spirits—the heavens' chosen gift, a treasure of the world, a future legend in the spirit master realm.
"Shrek wins!" the referee announced, his clear voice piercing through the silence, snapping everyone out of their daze over Tang San's twin spirits.
A wave of hushed whispers rippled through the crowd. As Tang San and his team walked off the stage, more than a few pairs of eyes stayed fixed on his ordinary-looking figure.
Dai Yao, standing in the crowd, watched him closely, his face somber. At that moment, as if sensing something, Tang San looked up and locked eyes with him. Dai Yao could feel the intense enmity buried within Tang San's gaze. His breathing grew heavier; Shrek had indeed grown much stronger.
"Shrek Academy hasn't been idle this past month," Feng Qianli said as he moved up beside Dai Yao.
Dai Yao nodded. "Yes, like us, they now have two team members at the Spirit Ancestor level."
In the earlier match, Huo Wu had taken down three Shrek members in a row—Tai Long, Huang Yuan, and Jing Ling. But after consuming too much spirit power, she was defeated by Dai Mubai, Shrek's next fighter. Blazing Academy's two agility-type Spirit Masters, originally level thirty-nine, had both advanced to the Spirit Ancestor level, and they took down Dai Mubai together. But they were promptly defeated by Zhu Zhuqing, another Spirit Ancestor.
Then, Xiao Wu stepped in alongside Zhu Zhuqing. The two of them together eliminated four of Blazing Academy's Spirit Masters, but the exertion left them too drained to face Huo Wushuang, renowned as one of the strongest power-attack Spirit Masters in the qualifiers. Ultimately, it came down to a final showdown between Huo Wushuang and Tang San, and Huo Wushuang fell to Tang San's chaotic Clear Sky Hammer strikes.
Reflecting on the match, Dai Yao felt a hint of tension. With Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu advancing to Spirit Ancestor, Shrek now had four Ancestors in total. Meanwhile, it was unclear if Ma Hongjun, Oscar, or Ning Rongrong had also advanced.
In the original story, all of the Shrek Seven except Xiao Wu had consumed rare herbs, giving them massive boosts. During the qualifiers, Xiao Wu had been the only one still at level thirty-eight, yet by the promotion round, she had reached level forty, even securing her fourth ring under the pretense of a fortuitous encounter.
It was very likely Shrek had even more Spirit Ancestors now.
Dai Yao's sharp gaze shifted from Tang San to examine Ma Hongjun and the others. Ma Hongjun and Oscar seemed noticeably weaker than Dai Mubai, while Ning Rongrong's spirit energy fluctuated unevenly, suggesting she was on the verge of a breakthrough.
"Ning Rongrong is about to advance?" Dai Yao murmured in surprise. "And faster than Ma Hongjun, a power-type Spirit Master?"
He sighed, recalling that Ma Hongjun's Phoenix spirit could have led him to become the Fire God. However, he had been lax in his training and had neglected purging the evil fire from his body, slowing his cultivation. Consequently, in the future, he only managed to inherit the Phoenix God position, forcing Bai Chenxiang to remain behind on the Douluo Continent.
"Oscar's remaining as a Spirit Elder is understandable since food-type Spirit Masters always advance slower than other types," he thought, feeling the pressure grow.
Sensing his unease, Feng Qianli gave Dai Yao a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Dai Yao, no need to feel pressured. Shrek's progress is impressive, but we've come a long way, too. You led us to first place in the qualifiers, and now, with the strength we've gained, we'll do our part to carry the team."
"When we face easier opponents, you won't have to take the field. We'll handle it ourselves to lighten your load," he added.
Dai Yao looked at Feng Qianli's broad, honest face, feeling a warmth in his chest. Feng Qianli's strength might not match his own, but that was a high bar. In an average team, Feng Qianli would only be a touch weaker than Dai Mubai.
Still, the unique talents of the Shrek Seven remained a formidable threat, a fact Dai Yao couldn't openly share.
Shrek's Rest Area
"Third Brother, you're amazing! You defeated Huo Wushuang so easily!" Ma Hongjun's eyes sparkled with admiration.
Dai Mubai shot him a look, his wicked eyes filled with mild disdain. "Look at you—still a Spirit Elder. If you'd reached Spirit Ancestor, today's match would've been much easier. Even Ning Rongrong is about to break through before you."
Ma Hongjun protested, "It's not my fault my spirit is the Evil Fire Phoenix. Because of the evil fire, I have to keep…going to those places. And besides, Little Ao is still a Spirit Elder, too!"
Hearing Ma Hongjun's complaints, Grandmaster came over, his face darkening. Catching Flender's knowing look of frustration, he turned to Ma Hongjun with a stern expression.
"Little Ao is an auxiliary Spirit Master," Grandmaster said sharply. "His cultivation speed is naturally slower than yours. But Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, who were at about the same level as you three years ago, have both become Spirit Ancestors, while you're still a Spirit Elder. Don't blame it on the evil fire; that's just your excuse for a lack of discipline."
Just as Ma Hongjun opened his mouth to argue, Liu Erlong's severe glare made him snap it shut.
"Everyone performed admirably today, fully showcasing the results of this month's training," Grandmaster continued approvingly, glancing over at Tang San. "Xiao San, you did very well today, holding your own in a clash of strength and taking down Huo Wushuang in a head-to-head contest."
Tang San let out a soft sigh, remembering his earlier glance at Dai Yao. The coldness in Dai Yao's indifferent gaze had left a lasting impression, making Tang San's eyes turn icy.
"Teacher, defeating Huo Wushuang is nothing. To place well in the promotion round, I need a way to beat Dai Yao. He's Shrek's true opponent," Tang San replied.
Grandmaster blinked, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. "You're doing well, Xiao San. Even after beating a team like Blazing Academy, you remain humble. Dai Yao is indeed powerful, but I believe you have the potential to make miracles happen."
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