Time passed quietly, and the thirty participating teams from both the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire had finally arrived.
Each empire's teams were stationed in different cities: Heaven Dou's in Kol City, and Star Luo's in Kuz City.
The ranking tournament was to be held in a specially constructed arena between the two cities, right beside the legendary battleground of the gods: Giant Sword Mountain.
Before the tournament officially began, the Heaven Dou Empire was conducting its final mobilization.
"Elite soul masters of the Heaven Dou Empire!"
Roxon, commander of the Heaven Dou Imperial Knights, stood at the forefront.
"In the matches to come, you will be competing head-to-head against the teams from the Star Luo Empire."
"They are our empire's long-standing rivals—this concerns our national honor and dignity."
"Thus, His Majesty has decided…"
"To grant 5,000 hectares of land to every team that qualifies through the ranking matches…"
"And bestow the title of Viscount!"
Roxon's announcement sent a wave of excitement through the soul master academies present.
After all, most students from advanced academies were still commoners.
"Land?!"
"A Viscount?!"
"..."
Those who understood the political context knew: this was Emperor Xue Ye's strategy to prevent the empire's talented soul masters from being poached by Spirit Hall—a generous reward to retain top talent.
Later, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe took the stage and declared that any team winning the championship would receive an upgrade in nobility status, two ranks higher, becoming a hereditary Earl, with 10,000 hectares of granted land.
This reward, as Yun Yibai quietly noted, was exactly what he and Wujie Academy had been aiming for.
"What a thrilling moment! The five-yearly Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament has begun again!"
"Dear audience members, welcome back!"
Cheers erupted across the arena. The spectators—drawn from both empires—were eager to see their teams crush the opposition.
As the host introduced the tournament, the event officially kicked off. Each academy's team walked onto the stage in uniform, faces full of confidence and pride.
The audience responded with thunderous applause and cheers.
"According to the draw, the first match of the ranking tournament is…"
"Heaven Dou Empire's Wujie Academy versus Star Luo Empire's Locke Academy!"
"Teams, please take the stage!"
Roxon himself was temporarily serving as the referee.
Locke Academy, a prestigious school from the Star Luo Empire, was known to rival the Five Elemental Academies in strength.
With four Soul Ancestors and three Soul Experts, it was the strongest academy in Star Luo outside of the Royal Academy.
Their captain, Oakley, was a Level 46 Power Attack Soul Ancestor.
First to take the stage from Locke Academy was one of their Soul Ancestors: Kewen, a Level 41 Power Attack Soul Ancestor, wielding the martial spirit Star Sword.
On Wujie Academy's side, Yang Tai was prepared to step forward…
But before he could move, Yun Yibai rose from his seat.
"Huh…?"
"Yibai's going up?"
Though surprised, the rest of Wujie Academy didn't question his decision. Their trust came from his strength.
Yun Yibai walked calmly toward the stage, completely at ease. With his immense power, he could already fully control the force within his body.
A gentle breeze lifted the edges of his snow-white robes, fluttering like feathers.
"He's stepping up again!"
"Yun Yibai…" muttered Yu Tianxin, Huo Wushuang, Dai Mubai, and Shui Bing'er, all frowning slightly.
"He's making a personal move—could it be a warning strike against the Star Luo Empire?"
"This time, he's going to reveal his true strength!"
Among the teams from Heaven Dou's side that qualified in the preliminaries, all eyes turned toward Yun Yibai.
"Both sides are in position. Let the match begin!"
Kewen immediately released his martial spirit: Star Sword. Four spirit rings appeared—two yellow and two purple.
"First Soul Skill—Starlight Slash!" he shouted.
His sword erupted with dazzling brilliance, like a comet flaring in the night sky. As he swung, a sharp, gleaming arc of sword energy shot through the air toward Yun Yibai, fast and fierce.
Even the dust in the air was sliced apart.
Yun Yibai's expression didn't change. He merely shifted his body slightly and effortlessly dodged the attack.
"What?!" Kewen was stunned.
"Not bad… interesting," Yun Yibai said.
"Just… too slow."
What sounded like praise to others was blatant mockery to Kewen, especially since Yun Yibai had dodged without even activating his martial spirit.
Twice the humiliation.
"Damn you! Don't look down on me!"
Kewen was enraged. His face flushed red, eyes burning with fury.
He clenched his Star Sword tighter, spirit rings flashing—he was going all out.
"Second Soul Skill—Stellar Guard!"
A radiant shield of starlight appeared around his body—a buff-type skill.
"Go to hell!"
"Third Soul Skill—Starburst Slash!"
Kewen roared as he slashed downward, his sword blazing with the power of the stars like a meteor falling from the heavens.
"I gave you a chance…"
"You're the one who didn't value it."
Yun Yibai finally activated his martial spirit, but still didn't reveal his spirit rings.
Because against Locke Academy's Kewen, he didn't need them.
The moment his martial spirit appeared, golden lightning crackled violently across his body.
As he drew back his right fist, the golden lightning began converging there, gathering immense energy.
"That technique…" Yu Tianxin's eyes narrowed.
He remembered it well. Back when he was still in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, he had often seen Yun Yibai practicing punches, over and over.
By the time he left, Yun's punches could split the air and tear through thunder.
BOOM!
The starlight and lightning collided in a blinding flash.
It only took a single moment—Kewen was blasted backwards, flying through the air.
Yun Yibai's seemingly simple punch had completely shattered all the power Kewen had built up.
"Hmph."
Yun Yibai raised his hand again. A bolt of golden lightning crashed down on the airborne Kewen.
The combined effect of that punch and the lightning left Kewen unconscious, incapacitated.
The once-arrogant Kewen now looked utterly pathetic.
The audience was stunned.
No one had expected Yun Yibai to win without even using a spirit skill. Just his martial spirit's power alone had defeated his opponent.