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Two days later, at the Soto Great Spirit Arena, the evening office was tense.
"Bang!"
A heavy wooden table was slammed, a teacup was knocked over, and hot tea dripped onto the floor. Manager Ao's face was red, the veins on his forehead throbbing as he suddenly stood up and yelled furiously at the staff member in front of him. "Damn it! In such a huge Great Spirit Arena, can't we find a Rank 40 team to beat this Royal Fight Team?"
The staff member lowered his head, not daring to breathe. He clutched his clipboard so tightly that his hands were soaked with cold sweat, and his legs felt a bit weak.
Manager Ao grew angrier with every word. He pointed a finger close to the other person's face, his voice filled with hatred. "Every time the Royal Fight Team has a spirit battle, the city's nobles place huge bets on them! If this continues, the Great Spirit Arena will be bled dry by them sooner or later!"
The air in the office remained stagnant. The staff member gritted his teeth, hesitated, and then spoke bravely. "Manager, should… should we invite a Rank 50 Spirit King team to fight them? That should ensure a win."
"What nonsense are you talking about?!" Manager Ao spun around abruptly, his eyes wide. "Do you think they're idiots who would accept that?"
The staff member flinched, shrinking his neck. He muttered in a low voice, "But the problem is, no one among the Rank 40 Spirit Ancestor teams can beat this Royal Fight Team…"
Hearing this, Manager Ao's brows furrowed even more. His gaze flickered as he considered something. A moment later, a cold smile appeared on his face. "Rank 40 teams won't work? Then… what about a Rank 30 Spirit Elder team? In that case, they should accept, right?"
"Manager, what do you mean?" The staff member was confused.
Manager Ao sneered, a trace of cunning in his eyes. "Among the members of this Royal Fight Team, only one person's spirit power exceeds Rank 40. I vaguely remember that over the past few months, there's been a three-ring Spirit Elder team at the Great Spirit Arena called the Shrek Seven Devils, haven't there? Haven't they also remained undefeated so far?"
Meanwhile, on another viewing platform at the Soto Great Spirit Arena.
After watching Tang San and the others win another spirit battle, Flender's eyes lit up, and he started clapping, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Zhao Wuji, this is great. Thanks to these little monsters, if it weren't for them, I really wouldn't know how to earn back the money I spent a few days ago."
Zhao Wuji raised his eyelids, his tone flat but with a hint of authority. "Not gambling is winning, Boss. You need to change that bad habit. I strongly suspect that the reason you always claim the academy is short on funds is because you've lost it all yourself."
"How could that be? You're talking nonsense, kid!" Flender was startled and glared as he argued back.
As they spoke, Tang San, Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai, and the others walked over from the passage. They still smelled of sweat from the battle, looking tired and breathing heavily.
Dai Mubai shook his damp golden hair and complained, "Dean, why have you scheduled so many spirit battles for us recently? It's been almost nonstop."
Flender's eyes darted, and a meaningful smile appeared on his face. He pressed his palms together and said, "Dai Mubai, I'm doing this for your own good. A little intensity can force out your potential. It helps improve your strength, you understand?"
"How does this improve our strength? You're treating us like oxen, aren't you?" Ning Rongrong crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow, and retorted impolitely.
Flender's face instantly darkened, and he was about to scold her, but he saw a staff member in a Great Spirit Arena uniform walking quickly toward them. The person approached, bowed slightly, and spoke in a polite but business-like tone. "May I ask who is the leader of the Shrek Seven Devils?"
Flender stepped forward and said immediately, "I am. What is it?"
"Our Manager would like to see you," the staff member said respectfully.
Flender frowned slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. He secretly wondered if it was because of the fight Little San and the others had outside the arena a few days ago. However, he showed no emotion on his face. He simply nodded and said, "Let's go." Then he followed the staff member away from the viewing platform.
A moment later, the staff member led Flender into a spacious room. As he pushed the door open, a well-dressed middle-aged man stood inside, with a shrewd and authoritative air. It was none other than Manager Ao of the Great Spirit Arena.
Seeing the newcomer, Manager Ao quickly came forward with a professional smile. "Dean Flender, hello."
"What do you want with me?" Flender glanced at him and asked casually.
Manager Ao waved his hand. "Don't be nervous. It's not about your academy's students fighting a few days ago."
Flender was a little startled. He raised an eyebrow and asked with a puzzled expression, "Then what is it?"
Manager Ao narrowed his eyes, as if confirming his words, then said, "I remember the leader of the Shrek Seven Devils wasn't the Yu Xiaogang, was it?"
"You mean Xiao Gang?" Flender pouted, his tone somewhat casual. "He got a bit injured a few days ago and still can't get out of bed. I'm temporarily taking over as leader."
"Oh!" Manager Ao drew out his words, nodded, and then got straight to the point. "Then I'll be direct. Tomorrow night, I hope the Shrek Seven Devils can represent the Great Spirit Arena and participate in a spirit battle."
Flender's brows immediately furrowed, and a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes. "Represent the Great Spirit Arena in a spirit battle? What do you mean by that?"
Manager Ao sighed. "Then I'll be frank. Two days ago, a spirit master team arrived in the city, called the Royal Fight Team. They seem to be spirit masters hired by several great nobles of Soto City. For two days straight, those nobles have placed huge bets on them, and they've won the spirit battle without any suspense, causing huge losses to the Great Spirit Arena."
"Apart from one member who is a Four-Ring Spirit Ancestor, all the other members of this team are Three-Ring Spirit Elders, yet our Rank 40 teams here still can't beat them. I can't break the rules by inviting a Rank 50 Spirit King team to fight them. But if this continues, the Great Spirit Arena cannot bear the continuous losses. Perhaps because they tasted success, those nobles increased their bets again today. If we lose again, I'm afraid…"
"You mean… you want the Shrek Team to deal with that Royal Fight Team?" Flender narrowed his eyes slightly. "But no one on our team has spirit power that has reached Rank 40? This… I'm afraid it doesn't comply with the rules of the Great Spirit Arena, does it?"
Manager Ao waved his hand, his expression calm and confident. "Dean Flender, rules are dead; people are living. Besides, this is the Soto Great Spirit Arena, and my rules are the rules.
I haven't invited a team of a higher rank than the Royal Fight Team to deal with them, so it doesn't count as breaking the rules at all! Plus, with the Shrek Seven Devils' record over the past few months, I think they can absolutely defeat the Royal Fight Team. As long as the Shrek Team is willing, I can arrange this!"
When he heard this, Flender's brows furrowed even more. He looked like he was having a hard time. He spread his hands and said in a serious tone, "This probably won't work, will it? After all, there's a Four-Ring Spirit Ancestor on the other team. I, Flender, am a man with principles. How can I let my students take such a risk?"
Hearing this, Manager Ao didn't say much. He just smiled slightly and slowly reached into his coat. A moment later, he took out a golden, shimmering card. "There are fifty thousand gold spirit coins in here. If you agree, regardless of whether you win or lose, the gold spirit coins in this card will be yours."
Spirit City, inside the Pope's Palace.
The dim lights made the magnificent palace seem exceptionally solemn. Bibi Dong sat on the high main seat, her gaze as cold as a blade. She gently twirled a purple scepter with inlaid crystals in her hand.
Below, Gui Mei bowed slightly, as if reporting something.
Suddenly, Bibi Dong, who had been half-leaning on her seat, straightened up abruptly. Her long black hair lifted with the movement. A hint of killing intent flashed in her eyes, and her entire aura suddenly became sharp.
"Shrek Academy? Have you investigated thoroughly?"
Gui Mei looked up, his gaze respectful and certain. "Reporting to Your Holiness, it is absolutely true."
When she heard this, Bibi Dong slowly stood up, her scepter gently tapping the ground, making a dull metallic sound. A moment later, a sinister curve appeared on her lips, and she sneered. "Good. Since that's the case, whether this child is Tang Hao's son or not, I will first bring him back to Spirit Hall. I would rather kill a thousand innocents than let one guilty person go."
At this point, her gaze was as sharp as a venomous snake hunting, and her voice suddenly turned cold.
Then, Bibi Dong turned to look at Gui Mei and Yue Guan below the dais, raised her right hand, and waved gently. "Gui Mei, Yue Guan, immediately take people with me to Soto City."
"As you command!" Gui Mei and Chrysanthemum Douluo both clasped their fists, their voices echoing in the empty hall.