Star Luo City!
"Today is the round of sixteen to eight! Brother, do you have any extra tickets? I'll pay whatever you want!"
"What are you thinking? Not to mention that I don't have any— even if I did, there's no way I'd sell them! This year's tournament is absolutely the most exciting in all its history. A clash between Monster Academy and Shrek Academy! If I could watch it live, I'd be willing to live a few years less. I'm beyond excited."
"Exactly! Who would've thought the sixteen-to-eight round would already be this intense? I heard that out of today's eight matches, two are showdowns between Shrek Academy and our Monster Academy."
Fang'er was walking down the street, wrapped in a large cloak that completely covered her head and face. Discussions about the upcoming individual sixteen-to-eight matches constantly reached her ears.
Without a doubt, this grand event had already become a household name throughout the Star Luo Empire. One could even say it was famous far beyond its borders—people on the Douluo Continent and the Heaven Dou Continent could all watch it via soul guidance device projectors.
The All-Continent Youth Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, individual competition—sixteen to eight.
Early in the morning, the area around the Star Luo Grand Stadium was already packed to the brim. Even those who couldn't enter to watch live could still gather outside to watch the big screens. Even just hearing the cheers from inside was enough to let them feel the atmosphere.
This kind of atmosphere was intoxicating. People always need something to excite them, and for the citizens of the Star Luo Empire, this tournament was exactly that.
Under the protection of troops dispatched by the Star Luo Empire, Gu You, Xie Xie, and Yuanen Yehui entered the venue.
"Yuanen, can I discuss something with you?" Xie Xie whispered to her.
"What is it?" Yuanen turned her head to look at him.
Xie Xie chuckled. "If I win this match, will you be my girlfriend? How about it?"
Yuanen Yehui replied irritably, "Get lost."
Xie Xie put on a pitiful expression. "That's not fair. At least give me a chance. Beating you can wait for the future—right now, look at how intense this tournament is. Give me some motivation, okay?"
Yuanen Yehui glanced at him and said flatly, "No."
Xie Xie snorted. "Then I'll deliberately lose the match!"
Yuanen Yehui said coldly, "I don't agree to what you just said, but if you dare to intentionally lose, I guarantee that you won't have even the slightest chance in the future."
Damn—so that's how it's played?
Xie Xie immediately covered his mouth.
As the matches progressed, the number of people in the waiting area kept shrinking. Now, only sixteen spots remained.
Xie Xie's gaze locked directly onto his opponent.
Lin San was a slender young man with above-average looks and build. He appeared far calmer than Teng Teng, possessing a kind of ethereal, light presence.
Among the Eight Heavenly Kings, he was usually the least noticeable. But if one looked closely, they would discover that his qualities were different from the others.
Sensing Xie Xie's gaze, Lin San lifted his head and looked at him. His eyes were clear like water, with no emotional fluctuation at all.
Xie Xie raised an eyebrow, and a powerful surge of fighting intent burst forth.
Dai Yueyan looked at Lin San and couldn't help but smile. "Looks like your opponent isn't very convinced."
"Strength," Lin San replied calmly.
Dai Yueyan said helplessly, "You're always so concise. Would it kill you to say a few more words?"
"Yes," Lin San replied—just a single word.
Lin San was something of a legend within Monster Academy. His personality was cold and indifferent, and aside from cultivation, he had almost no hobbies. Among the Eight Heavenly Kings, his talent was actually the weakest, as was his martial soul. Yet he still managed to rank fourth among the Eight Heavenly Kings.
Even Su Mu and Dai Yueyan, who were ranked above him, did not believe they could definitely defeat him.
Lin San didn't care much about rankings. The title of one of the Eight Heavenly Kings was assigned by the academy. He accepted it simply because it allowed him access to better cultivation resources and stronger opponents. Other than that, there was no particular reason.
If Dai Yueyan had to describe him in one sentence, it would be simple: this guy was born to fight.
This was Wind King Lin San—unremarkable among the Eight Heavenly Kings, yet extremely highly regarded by Monster Academy.
Though the phrase "diligence makes up for lack of talent" didn't quite fit him, he embodied diligence and perseverance to their fullest.
"Welcome, everyone, to witness the individual sixteen-to-eight matches of the All-Continent Youth Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament. Today, the top eight will be decided. They will be the strongest of the younger generation."
Fang'er's voice rang out across the stadium.
As she spoke, both she and the audience instinctively turned their gaze toward the waiting area.
The sixteen competitors were all seated, waiting for a match that would determine their fate.
In every past tournament, the top eight not only received generous rewards, but also gained a brilliant highlight in their growth. With such a record on their personal profile, they would receive preferential treatment anywhere within the empire.
If they chose to join the military, they would immediately become mid-ranking officers. If they joined a family, a sect, or pursued any profession, they would enjoy significant privileges. Moreover, they would be granted a noble title by the empire.
Yes—noble titles.
As time progressed, noble titles had not disappeared; instead, they had become even more precious. In the present-day Star Luo Empire, there were only two ways to obtain a noble title. One was through national recognition of one's strength—such as in this tournament. The other was to render outstanding service to the nation.
Furthermore, no noble title was hereditary. Even so, the benefits they conferred were still enormous.
In modern times, Star Luo noble titles no longer came with feudal lands as they did in ancient days, but they granted a whole series of state benefits. It could be said that once one possessed a noble title—even the lowest rank—they could live comfortably for the rest of their life without worrying about food or clothing, while also enjoying high social status.
Entering the top eight of the individual competition would earn the title of Baron. That was a clear rule of the tournament. If one could win the championship, they would be directly granted the title of Viscount.
One had to know—within the military, achieving such a title would require truly enormous merit…
(End of Chapter)