At that moment, Xiao Wu suddenly spoke up, "Grandmaster, I don't want to participate in this match."
"What?"
Everyone looked at her in surprise.
Tang San gasped. "Xiao Wu, why?"
"Yeah, Xiao Wu," Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang added, frowning. "You're a Rank 45 Spirit Ancestor—an indispensable part of the Shrek team. Why do you suddenly not want to compete?"
Xiao Wu glanced at Lin Jie, her large eyes flashing briefly. "I… I haven't been feeling well lately. So, I'd rather sit this one out. But I believe in everyone—you'll definitely win."
"Not feeling well?" Tang San's concern was immediate. "Xiao Wu, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, San-ge," she said with a soft smile. "Just a little unwell. I'll be fine after some rest."
Yu Xiaogang studied her for a moment, his gaze sharp. After a short pause, he nodded. "Alright. If Xiao Wu's not participating, I still believe you have what it takes to win."
"So, for tomorrow's first round, the lineup will be: Tang San, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Zhu Zhuqing, Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and Lin Jie."
Tang San hesitated. "But Teacher… both Lin Jie and I are control-type Spirit Masters. Will that work?"
"There's nothing wrong with that," Ning Rongrong replied without hesitation. "Besides, Lin Jie will be calling the shots. We'll be fine."
Yu Xiaogang's eyes flickered with something unreadable.
In truth, he would've preferred Tang San to lead the match. These finals were a rare chance for him to grow through experience. However, Lin Jie had been commanding their matches all along. Suddenly swapping him out now might cause issues.
Still, thinking of Tang San's development, Yu Xiaogang made his decision.
"I hereby announce," he said, "that Tang San will act as team commander for the first match. That way, you can secure victory while also concealing some of your tactics and preserving strength. For the remaining matches, Lin Jie will resume command."
Dai Mubai instinctively frowned. "Grandmaster, is that really a good idea? Lin Jie's been leading us this whole time. Wouldn't switching now throw things off? I don't mean Tang San won't do a good job—just that…"
"Yeah, that's right," Ma Hongjun chimed in. "Feels kind of sudden."
Tang San also spoke up after a pause. "Teacher, I feel the same. Maybe this isn't the best move."
Lin Jie, thoughtful, suddenly said, "Actually, I think Grandmaster has a point. This lets us hide our full strength while still winning. And besides—don't you all trust Tang San?"
He turned to look at Tang San with a smile.
"Lin Jie's right," Zhu Zhuqing said quietly.
Yu Xiaogang nodded. "That's settled then. Rest well tonight and be ready for tomorrow's match. Tang San, come with me for a moment."
Tang San hesitated, then followed Yu Xiaogang out.
The others returned to their rooms to rest, leaving only Xiao Wu and Lin Jie in the lounge.
Lin Jie glanced at her and asked, "Not playing with everyone—do you feel disappointed?"
Xiao Wu sat on the couch, her expression a little tense, and slowly shook her head. "I'm a little regretful… but being with you all, watching you fight—it's enough."
Lin Jie sighed softly. "I hope you won't regret this. Remember, Xiao Wu—stay close to your godmother."
With that, he turned and left for his room.
Truthfully, Lin Jie didn't support Xiao Wu coming to Spirit Hall at all. But it wasn't something he could stop.
Xiao Wu watched him leave, a wave of emotion stirring in her chest. Very few people truly treated her well—Tang San was one of them, and so was Lin Jie. Of course, the rest of the Shrek team cared about her too, but not quite in the same way.
At times, she wasn't even sure what she felt for Lin Jie—was it friendship, or… something more?
—
To prepare for the finals of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament, Spirit Hall had specially constructed a massive new arena within Spirit City.
The stage alone was over a hundred meters wide and entirely built from solid granite. Dozens of spirit tools had been embedded throughout to reinforce the arena, preventing it from breaking apart. Rumor had it that even a Spirit Emperor wouldn't be able to destroy it. Only an organization as wealthy and powerful as Spirit Hall could afford such extravagance.
Roughly a thousand meters in front of the stage stood Spirit Hall's central landmark—the majestic Hall of the Supreme Pontiff. Ahead of the tournament, a public notice had been posted: the top three teams of the finals would compete in front of the Supreme Pontiff's Hall, and the champion would be personally crowned by the Pontiff herself.
For any Spirit Master, such an honor was unparalleled.
—
Early the next morning, the Shrek team, full of confidence, made their way to the arena. The first match was crucial to setting the tone.
Under official escort, each academy was guided to their designated rest area, which encircled the stage. Directly facing the Hall of the Supreme Pontiff was the VIP spectator box, where representatives from both empires and Spirit Hall were seated.
Shortly after arriving, Flender was summoned to draw lots for the first match.
Drawing a weak opponent early would give them time to conserve energy for later rounds. Lin Jie, watching from their rest zone, took the opportunity to observe the other academy teams from both empires.
Soon, Flender returned. His expression was… odd—his face flickered between stern and amused, leaving the team puzzled.
"I've got good news and bad news," Flender said seriously. "Which one do you want first?"
The team looked at each other, momentarily stunned.
"Let's hear the bad news first," Ma Hongjun offered. "I like the sweet stuff after the bitter."
Flender's expression darkened. "The bad news is… your first opponents are Blazing Academy."
"…Blazing Academy? Again?" someone muttered.
Now armed with four Spirit Ancestors, Blazing Academy was nearly as strong as Godwind Academy. They'd given Shrek plenty of trouble in previous rounds—what were the odds of facing them again?
"What's the good news?" Yu Xiaogang asked.
Flender chuckled. "The good news is… Blazing Academy has withdrawn from the finals. We win by default."
"…Huh?" Everyone's jaws dropped.
They had fought so hard to make it to the finals—and now they just gave up?
Liu Erlong furrowed her brow. "They worked so hard to get here. Why would they just drop out?"
Flender shrugged. "No idea. That's what the organizing committee told me. But either way, we've advanced without a fight. Can't say I'm complaining!"
He grinned proudly.
"Heh, we're already in the top ten and we haven't even lifted a finger," Ning Rongrong laughed.
"Yeah, hard to believe," Ma Hongjun added in disbelief.
Flender nodded. "Since the matches are about to begin, I want you all to watch the battles closely. This is a knockout stage—no one's going to hold back. Observe your opponents well and learn what you can."
—
Because the finals weren't open to the public, the audience was small. Only participating teams and their teachers were present. The opening ceremony was brief: a red-cloaked bishop from Spirit Hall appeared onstage, announced the rules and matchups, and declared the finals officially underway.
The first match was between a team from the Heaven Dou Empire and one from the Star Luo Empire. The two sides glared at each other—this was more than an academy rivalry. It was a contest between empires.
As the referee—at least a Spirit Emperor—gave the signal, both teams immediately released their Martial Souls and Spirit Rings and charged into battle.
But their strength levels weren't high, so the match ended quickly.
The winners were a team from the Star Luo Empire.
Watching from the stands, Oscar whispered, "That was fast. And look how few people are in the audience. Way less than the qualifiers—barely a thousand, maybe?"
Lin Jie responded, "True, but don't forget—every person here is a Spirit Master. And most of them are from Spirit Hall. They don't let commoners or nobles in to watch for a reason. Spirit Hall is an organization by Spirit Masters, for Spirit Masters. This is their way of respecting our kind."
Tang San and the others nodded. Lin Jie's words made sense.
Soon, the second match began—Godwind Academy of the Heaven Dou Empire versus Dragon Sunflower Academy of the Star Luo Empire.
"What?!"
When Shrek saw Godwind Academy's roster, their shock was plain on their faces.
Even Lin Jie was surprised. So they really had formed an alliance...
When Blazing Academy had forfeited, Lin Jie had guessed this might be the case. He hadn't expected to be right.