Since fleeing the Divine Realm, Gu Yuena had spent most of her time in slumber. Yet, every time someone ascended to godhood, she could sense it. For soul beasts, every such breakthrough was nothing less than a catastrophe.
Thankfully, these gods could only remain on the Douluo Continent for a century before being expelled by the planar consciousness, forcing them to leave for the Divine Realm.
Xiao Wu: "???"
What are they talking about? Gods? Divinity?
And that so-called Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire... turns out she's a woman? And a descendant of the Angelic God?
Xiao Wu's mind was a whirlwind of confusion, struggling to process this new reality. However, one thing became clear—Gu Yuena was definitely extraordinary!
And how on earth did Li Si and Gu Yuena know all this?
Meanwhile, in the Douluo Continent (Anime) world, the finals of the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament had begun.
The first four rounds would take place in the grand Soul Arena of Spirit City. Only the championship battle would be held before the Pope's Palace.
For ordinary soul masters, battling before the Pope's Palace was an immense honor. Spirit Hall was the holy land in the hearts of most soul masters and commoners, and the Pope's Palace was where the Supreme Pontiff resided!
Flender, his face glowing with excitement, stood before Dai Mubai and the others. Radiating with the energy of someone riding the high of success, Flender could barely contain his joy. For him, the pinnacle of success was seeing Shrek Academy win the championship of the tournament he had dreamed of for so long.
"Good news!" Flender announced, his voice bursting with glee.
"Our first-round opponent is the Balak Kingdom Academy. When the draw was announced, their team leader nearly passed out from rage! Hahaha…"
"And here's an even better piece of news: Balak Kingdom Academy has directly forfeited!"
"That means you've already advanced past the first round. You'll skip the second round and go straight to the third!"
In the finals, three seeded teams received byes in the first round, and the top teams from the two empires received byes in the second round.
With their first opponent conceding outright, Shrek Academy had earned a few more days of rest. Of course, this wasn't too surprising—Balak Kingdom Academy didn't pose any real threat. Injuring the Shrek team was out of the question.
Dai Mubai was stunned. If he remembered correctly, Shrek Academy's first-round opponent should have been Blazing Academy, who conceded and later merged with the Godwind Academy to form a new Godwind team.
But due to Dai Mubai's overwhelming strength, Blazing Academy had become far less aggressive than in the original timeline. They harbored no thoughts of revenge. Even with the merger, what chance did they stand against Shrek Academy, which had four Soul Kings?
Although some details had changed, the general direction remained the same: Shrek Academy advanced without a fight.
"They're truly unlucky, coming all the way to Spirit City for a two-day tour, only to concede and head back. I wonder if they'll get punished when they return," Zhao Wuji quipped, arms crossed, clearly enjoying their misfortune.
Balak Kingdom had long oppressed Shrek Academy, doing things so despicable that even Zhao Wuji, a self-proclaimed rogue, couldn't stomach them.
"What's the point of bullying ordinary people? If you've got guts, go bully soul masters!" Zhao Wuji muttered. Though he had a rough reputation, he never stooped to targeting civilians. Every true powerhouse had their own moral compass.
"With the temperament of Balak Kingdom's Soul Masters, they'll probably avoid execution but end up spending years in a military camp," Zhao Wuji added.
Balak Kingdom might have acted shamefully, but their royal family was one of the Heaven Dou Empire's staunchest supporters, known for their steadfast loyalty. It was their refusal to surrender to the Spirit Empire that led to their brutal execution as an example.
Hearing about Balak Kingdom Academy's forfeit, Tang San's face darkened. He had come to Spirit City to showcase his strength, yet his opponent had surrendered without a fight. How was he supposed to make a name for himself now?
If he couldn't prove his worth, what was the point of attaching spirit rings to his second martial spirit?
Tang San clenched his fists in frustration, a seething sense of helplessness welling up inside.
"Damn it! That Balak Kingdom Academy really seeks death!"
He mentally roared, echoing a phrase he had picked up from Dai Mubai. As a person from the past, Tang San rarely resorted to such modern curses, preferring loftier expressions.
Dai Mubai shot Tang San a glance, immediately deciphering most of his thoughts. It was obvious Tang San was stewing over someone else's "seeking death." If he didn't let Tang San take to the stage soon, the latter might actually lose his mind.
"Do you all want to go to the Soul Arena and watch the matches? Maybe scout out the competition?" Flender suggested.
While Flender outwardly framed it as research, he was internally on cloud nine. What competition was there to scout? All three seeded teams were skipping the day's matches, and no truly formidable opponents were stepping into the ring.
Going to the Soul Arena would simply be a chance to enjoy the spectacle and increase their own visibility.
Advertising partnerships weren't necessary anymore—Flender had struck a deal with Ning Fengzhi. By offering a set number of admissions to Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan members each year, Shrek Academy would secure funding.
In return, graduates from Shrek Academy were free to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan if they so desired.
For Flender, this arrangement was ideal. Unlike previous potential investors who imposed unreasonable demands, Ning Fengzhi's terms were far more respectful. After all, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was one of the continent's top three sects. Who wouldn't dream of joining such an illustrious group?
At present, Shrek Academy was composed mostly of civilian students, far from the elitist stronghold it would become millennia later. In those days, admission required the recommendation of a city lord—an impossibility for most commoners.
Returning to the present, after hearing Dai Mubai's suggestions, Flender finally understood how Shrek Academy could evolve. It must never become the kind of institution people despised.
"Headmaster, let's skip today and head over tomorrow instead…"
(End of Chapter)