As the first golden rays of dawn crept into Xingluo City, the luminous light danced like a delicate brushstroke, meticulously tracing the ancient city's silhouette and imbuing it with an air of solemn grandeur.
With the tournament officially beginning today, every street surrounding Xingluo Square had been sealed off by soldiers clad in gleaming armor. The avenues leading to the Star Emperor Hotel and the square itself were under full martial lockdown—only registered competitors were permitted passage.
Under Teacher Wang Yan's leadership, the Shrek Academy team, dressed in their unified academy robes, arrived last at the northern edge of Xingluo Square, bearing the proud bearing of defending champions.
As they entered, every eye in the vast crowd turned toward them.
Once the Shrek team had taken their positions, all team captains proceeded to draw lots to determine their opponents in the elimination round.
By the time the draws concluded, the hour of Chen had arrived.
Then, a thunderous voice resonated across the entire arena.
"The Emperor has arrived."
Before them, Emperor Xu Jiawei stepped onto the imperial battlements directly ahead, flanked by the Empress and the entire council of ministers—and instantly—
The masses dropped to their knees, hands clasped in reverence.
The soldiers knelt on one knee, arms pressed to their chests in disciplined salute.
Only the competing academies bowed deeply in respectful greeting.
"Rise, my subjects."
At the Emperor's gentle yet commanding voice, the crowd and soldiers rose as one, and the academy participants straightened their spines.
Then, Emperor Xu spoke again, his tone warm but laced with unshakable authority.
"The Grand Continent-wide Advanced Soul Teacher Academy Dueling Tournament is the most sacred event in our Douluo Continent's soul master history. This year, it falls to the Xingluo Empire to host it—and I am honored. On behalf of my empire, I extend a warm welcome to all representatives here today, led by the illustrious Shrek Academy. May you all display the true spirit of excellence over the coming month of competition."
"Thank Your Majesty!"
The 133 participating academies bowed once more in unison.
After offering a courteous nod toward each academy in turn, Emperor Xu raised his voice to officially open the grand event.
"I hereby declare the Grand Continent-wide Advanced Soul Teacher Academy Dueling Tournament officially open!"
As the crowd erupted in thunderous cheers and the sky split with the booming salvo of ceremonial cannons—
The entire Xingluo Square burst into a frenzy of jubilation!
Once the Emperor and his ministers had taken their seats, the master of ceremonies announced the rules and the first matchup.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the two teams competing in our opening match: the Tianling Advanced Soul Teacher Academy from the Douling Empire, and the undisputed number one academy of the continent—the legendary Shrek Academy, holder of countless honors and the sole victor of every single tournament for nearly a thousand years!"
"Shrek! Shrek! Shrek!"
The already roaring crowd's cheers surged to an even higher pitch as the name "Shrek" echoed across the square.
As the two teams stepped onto the arena, their contrasting demeanors were unmistakable. While the Tianling Academy's members trembled visibly, pale-faced and nervous, the seven Shrek representatives moved with calm, effortless poise.
But when the crowd caught sight of the four young faces at the front of the Shrek lineup, another wave of stunned murmurs swept through the stands!
Four of them were barely more than children—clearly reserve team members, sent out to gain experience in this very match. No wonder Shrek Academy was feared—they possessed such unshakable confidence!
The atmosphere in the arena became even more electric.
Down in the stands, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy contingent fixed their gazes like lasers on the seven Shrek competitors.
As a seasoned, battle-hardened academy, they instantly sensed something was wrong with the positioning of Shrek's core team.
The Power and Speed attackers stood at the rear—yet the frail-looking support user was placed at the very front. Either this was a trap… or the core team had no intention of fighting at all.
Standing with arms crossed, Ma Rulong, captain of the Sun Moon team, frowned deeply. "What trick are they playing? Sending reserves to the front with a support user as their shield?"
"I recognize those two," interjected Xiao Hongchen, his tone laced with arrogant certainty. "My sister and I encountered them at the hotel."
"Did you reveal our identity?!" Ma Rulong snapped, spinning on him.
"Are you questioning me?" Xiao Hongchen smirked, though he granted him a shred of dignity. "Of course not. But since only our academy and Shrek occupy that floor, it's hardly surprising they know where we're from."
"Then did you learn anything about them?"
"No," Xiao Hongchen shrugged, feigning indifference. "Everyone there is too cautious to reveal anything willingly. But my instincts tell me—he's strong."
"And yet," he added with quiet confidence, "I can still defeat him."
Ma Rulong let out a cold scoff at the final remark, but offered no rebuttal.
After all, Xiao Hongchen was a Soul King—his arrogance had substance.
Yet while the Sun Moon team debated, Meng Hongchen sat apart from them entirely. Her blue eyes shimmered with unblinking fascination, fixed solely on the two figures on the field—Chen Junting, and, of course, Wang Dong.
"Which one should I choose? Both are absolutely wonderful…"
Meanwhile, on the dueling arena—
The referee had just declared the rules. As the hundred and eight metal pillars lining the arena flared to life, beams of brilliant white light shot skyward, weaving into elegant arcs before converging above the field, forming a shimmering energy barrier.
The next instant—"Begin!"
The referee's hand fell—and the match erupted into chaos!
"Brothers! Even if we lose, we lose with honor!"
The Tianling Academy captain roared, releasing his Soul Power alongside his teammates. Five Soul Ancestors and two Soul Elders—26 Soul Rings in total—glowed brilliantly across the arena!
Chen Junting raised an eyebrow.
"Senior, you don't need to fight this round."
With a puzzled murmur from the crowd, Gongyang Mo stepped backward without hesitation—his withdrawal drawing every gaze.
Was Shrek really planning to fight seven against two?!
And with reserve members?! How dare they be so arrogant?!
But Chen Junting's next move answered them all.
In one fluid motion, his hand brushed against his storage Soul Device—and six banners appeared, standing precisely at the six points of a hexagram across the battlefield.
"Xiao Tian!"
From before Ning Tian, the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda rose in a blaze of ethereal radiance. Her hands shot forward, and her four Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, black—flared violently before merging into a single, unified pulse.
"Nine Treasures Turn, Fourth: Soul!"
A brilliant emerald light surged into Chen Junting's body.
Instantly, the six banners ignited, and beneath his feet, a vast, intricate array materialized.
Tremendous quantities of celestial and terrestrial energy surged toward him like a tidal wave.
Feeling the transformation within, Chen Junting gazed at the charging Tianling team and thought: 'The day the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect becomes the number one sect begins now.'
The next second, he raised his right hand and brushed the air before him—with that simple motion, an overwhelming aura of sword intent flooded the entire arena.
Then, Chen Junting began to chant, his voice clear and resonant:
"Osmanthus trees spread for a hundred miles,
Partridges cry beneath noon's shade.
Yanping's peaks stand as blades—
The sword departs; the river runs empty!"
As his final word faded, the air around him twisted violently. Beneath the crushing weight of his sword intent, the duel platform itself seemed to melt into a glassy surface—ancient runes rose from its depths, spiraling upward.
Suddenly, the surface rippled.
A blade of pure cerulean light burst forth from the water, soaring into the heavens—the Seven Kill Sword, its body adorned with dazzling, intricate patterns that caught the sunlight like living fire. A terrifying aura of slaughter radiated from it, as if the sword and its wielder had become one.
As the sword's killing intent and its pure sword spirit split the air like opposing tides, a colossal, spectral figure rose behind Chen Junting.
And the face of that towering phantom… was identical to the statue of Chen Xin within the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's ancestral hall.
"Sword Dao—Chen Xin!"
With a whisper that carried like thunder, Chen Junting brought his blade down.
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