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According to the Spirit Hall's announcement, the Elite Competition of Advanced Soul Master Academies of the Entire Continent would officially begin in three days. This period of rest was a valuable opportunity for the academies, who had traveled long distances, to adjust their conditions.
Spirit Hall cleverly arranged the Star Luo Empire's participating academies on the other side of the city, subtly drawing a dividing line between the teams of the two great Empires. This deliberate regional segregation added a sense of tension and imminent conflict to the already delicate atmosphere of opposition.
For these three days, the Huang Dou Battle Team members stayed indoors, dedicating all their time to deep meditation. Feng Xiao's Fuxi Zither hummed all day long, its melodious sound helping his teammates enter meditation faster. Everyone focused intently, striving to adjust their spirit power to its peak state, ready for the upcoming battle.
On the other side, within the Supreme Pontiff Palace.
Qian Renxue's footsteps echoed in the empty hall, clear and solitary. Her gaze passed over the long red carpet, finally landing on the high seat—Bibi Dong sat upon the Supreme Pontiff's throne, her scepter leaning beside her, her face beneath the Nine-Turn Purple Gold Crown still breathtakingly perfect. An invisible pressure enveloped her, as if even the air solidified in her presence.
Qian Renxue stood still, looking at that familiar yet strange figure, unsure how to begin speaking. So close, yet it felt as though an unbridgeable chasm separated them.
Silence spread between the two.
Finally, Qian Renxue slowly spoke, her voice calm and restrained: "Are you… going to act against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School?"
Though a respectful address, it was cold and distant, as if discussing a completely unrelated outsider.
Bibi Dong's gaze shifted slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, but this surprise was quickly replaced by a strong sense of contradiction, turning into a faint sigh: "You've grown up."
She lightly tapped her scepter with her fingertip and continued: "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has repeatedly thwarted my plans. Their Sect is incredibly wealthy. I am indeed considering eliminating the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School to lay the foundation for Spirit Hall's unification of the World."
Qian Renxue frowned, about to retort, but Bibi Dong had already spoken again, her tone calm and certain: "You want to subdue them, don't you? But you should understand what the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School truly desires. Bloodline is their foundation, and the Sect's power is built on bloodline ties. If you want them to truly submit, there's only one way—"
She slightly raised her gaze, looking directly at Qian Renxue: "Have that child beside you marry Ning Fengzhi's daughter."
Qian Renxue's pupils suddenly contracted, and almost instinctively, she coldly interrupted: "That's impossible!"
Her voice echoed in the hall, carrying an undeniable resolve.
Seeing Qian Renxue's resolute reaction, Bibi Dong's expression wavered for a moment. In that instant, she seemed to see herself from thirty years ago in Qian Renxue—equally stubborn, equally unwilling to compromise.
The scepter lightly tapped the ground, emitting a clear sound. Bibi Dong slowly turned, her back to Qian Renxue, her voice suddenly becoming ethereal: "Since that's the case… this matter need not be discussed further."
Her figure, enveloped in the Supreme Pontiff's robe, appeared exceptionally lonely. "Before the great battle begins, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School must disappear. As for the reason… you know it well."
After a pause, Bibi Dong's voice suddenly carried a hint of imperceptible weariness: "Unless… you can, before I act—"
The words were unfinished, but the unsaid meaning was clear. At this moment, though standing back-to-back, the mother and daughter seemed to be engaged in a silent contest.
Qian Renxue's gaze suddenly turned cold, and a chilling aura emanated from her. She slightly raised her head, her voice terrifyingly calm: "I understand."
Four short words, yet heavy as a thousand pounds.
Before her words fully faded, she had already turned and left, her back revealing a hint of determination. The heavy hall doors slowly closed behind her, completely separating the mother and daughter into two Worlds.
Only when Qian Renxue's aura completely disappeared did Bibi Dong lightly tap her scepter and slowly turn. She gazed at the spot where Qian Renxue had stood moments before, a rare complex expression appearing on her flawless face. The gemstone on the scepter refracted a hazy glow, reflecting the dim emotions flickering in her eyes.
"Heh." An almost inaudible sigh echoed in the empty hall. Bibi Dong slowly sat down and gently massaged her forehead, her fingertips touching the Nine-Turn Purple Gold Crown, which symbolized supreme authority.
To host the finals of the Elite Competition of Advanced Soul Master Academies of the Entire Continent, Spirit Hall had meticulously constructed a magnificent arena in the city center. The giant hundred-meter-diameter platform was entirely built from the hardest granite, its surface embedded with hundreds of reinforcing spirit tools, shimmering with mysterious runic light under the sun. According to Spirit Hall's official announcement, this platform was strong enough to withstand any Spirit Ability impact below the Spirit Emperor level.
The arena's location was even more significant—directly facing Pope Mountain a kilometer away, where the majestic Supreme Pontiff Palace overlooked the entire competition grounds. Spirit Hall had already announced to the World that the final three-way battle would take place in the square in front of the Supreme Pontiff Palace, and at that time, the Supreme Pontiff would personally attend to crown the champion. For any Spirit Master, this was the highest honor.
In the early morning, academies entered the arena one after another, led by Spirit Hall deacons. The rest areas built around the platform were exquisitely designed, with each academy having its own independent preparation area. On the side directly facing the Supreme Pontiff Palace were luxuriously decorated VIP judge seats, where representatives from the two great Empires and high-ranking Spirit Hall officials would watch the matches.
As soon as the Huang Dou Battle Team settled down, their leader Sun Buyu was summoned for the draw. Feng Xiao stood at the edge of the rest area, his fingers lightly stroking the Fuxi Zither, his gaze shifting between the magnificent arena and the distant Supreme Pontiff Palace, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Sun Buyu soon returned with the draw results, his expression calm but with a hint of gravity: "Our first-round opponent is Tian Shui Academy, and Shenfeng Academy has a bye in the first round."
"Tian Shui Academy?" Everyone frowned upon hearing this. Among the thirty-three teams participating in the finals, they never expected to face an opponent from the Heaven Dou competition zone in their very first match.
Feng Xiao's fingertips lightly stroked the zither strings, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes, and he secretly thought: "A strategy of division."
This draw result was no accident. Feng Xiao could almost confirm that among the thirty-three teams, excluding the Spirit Hall Academy representative team, other strong teams would be arranged to fight academies from their own competition zone, with only a few teams matched against those from other zones. This move by Spirit Hall was clearly an attempt to escalate conflicts between academies within the Empire.
Although Spirit Masters generally had a weak concept of nation, an academy's origin inherently represented a stance. And academies from the same competition zone already had a competitive relationship, which Spirit Hall was now cleverly exploiting, sowing seeds of discord before the competition even began.
"It really is full of hidden schemes everywhere." Feng Xiao lightly tapped the zither body, pondering to himself. At this moment, Feng Xiao was even more eager to see that person.
If he hadn't been familiar with the original plot, he probably would have found it difficult to detect these carefully designed subtle arrangements. Every match-up contained deep meaning, and every schedule arrangement had an ulterior motive. Spirit Hall was subtly dividing the Spirit Master power of the two great Empires, offering high rewards, choosing the location of the finals, and the Golden Generation—each step interlinked.
In the waiting area, Feng Xiao's gaze inadvertently swept over Shui Bing'er in the distance, then looked at Huo Wu in the rest area on the other side. These gifted young Spirit Masters had now become pawns on Spirit Hall's chessboard. He suddenly recalled the situation five years later in the original work—if not for Tang San's absolute strength crushing everything, it would have been difficult to reintegrate the Four Element Academies into Shrek.
"The disparity in strength is, after all, the key to determining everything," Feng Xiao gently stroked the zither strings. This grand game, Spirit Hall had been planning for many years, and these competitors were merely pawns on the board.
Yu Feng stretched his neck, peering at Tian Shui Academy's waiting area, his gaze circling Shui Bing'er and the others a few times. He suddenly turned to Feng Xiao and winked: "Little Feng, this match is all up to you!"
"Heh." Oslo scoffed, crossing his arms, and mercilessly retorted: "Even if Little Feng wins the match, the girls from Tian Shui Academy wouldn't fancy a certain noisy wind chime bird."
"You!" Yu Feng's face instantly turned red, and he was about to retort when Dugu Yan stopped him with a glare. Her purple eyes narrowed, looking at the two with a half-smile: "Both of you quiet down. The match is about to begin, and you still have time to bicker?"
Sun Buyu clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back: "Alright, the match is about to begin. All of you must carefully observe the performance of other teams. There are no weak teams that can make it to the finals, and every opponent you encounter next should not be underestimated."
The opening of the finals was unexpectedly simple. A Cardinal ascended the stage to announce the start of the event, directly announcing the first-round match-ups and bye teams, after which the competition officially began. There was no grand opening ceremony, no lively performances, and the entire arena had only a few thousand spectators.
The first match was a duel between two teams from the Star Luo Empire, whose strength did not seem outstanding. The Huang Dou Battle Team discussed in low voices in the rest area.
Yu Feng pouted: "How is this final even more shabby than the preliminaries? There's not even a proper opening ceremony, and the stands are empty, at most a few thousand people."
Dugu Yan brushed her purple long hair, saying meaningfully: "Don't just look at a few thousand people; these are all Spirit Masters, and the vast majority should be members of Spirit Hall." Her gaze swept around. "Spirit Hall forbidding commoners from watching has its own purpose. The real highlight will be when the final three-way battle takes place in front of the Supreme Pontiff Palace. The current low profile is probably to build momentum for that moment."
Feng Xiao nodded thoughtfully. Indeed, Spirit Hall was deliberately controlling the viewing scale, saving the true spectacle for the final battle in front of the Supreme Pontiff. This arrangement, rather than being frugal, was a meticulously designed display of power.
Soon, the first match concluded, and the Red-robed Referee loudly announced: "Next up, Heaven Dou Royal Academy versus Tian Shui Academy!"
This was the Huang Dou Battle Team's first appearance in the finals. As they uniformly ascended the competition platform, the gazes of the other Heaven Dou Empire qualifying teams were involuntarily drawn to them, their eyes filled with scrutiny and anticipation.
At the other end of the competition platform, seven graceful figures slowly ascended. Their sky-blue team uniforms shimmered under the sunlight, and the leader, Shui Bing'er, had a cool temperament, her ice-blue long hair gently swaying in the wind. Behind her, the Tian Shui Academy members were all valiant, a faint chill emanating from their bodies.
As both teams saluted each other and quickly formed their battle formations, the entire arena instantly erupted. Amidst the dazzling light of Spirit release, the four spirit rings rising beneath Feng Xiao's feet were particularly eye-catching—especially that pitch-black fourth spirit ring, whose oppressive aura silenced the entire audience.
"A ten-thousand-year fourth ring?!"
"Wait… he seems to be a level 50 quasi-Spirit King already?!"
"Then if he had a fifth spirit ring…"
Gasps of surprise rose and fell in the stands. Even Ning Fengzhi in the VIP area slightly straightened his body, a hint of astonishment flashing in his eyes.
Qian Renxue, in the guise of Xue Qinghe, sat upright in the VIP section, an unusual light flowing in her golden pupils. His slender fingers lightly tapped the armrest, his gaze fixed on Feng Xiao's dazzling black spirit ring on the field, a feeling of indescribable joy welling up in his heart.
He took a sip of clear tea, masking the faint smile on his lips.
In a flash, Qian Renxue couldn't help but feel annoyed: "This little rascal, he hides things well, even from me." But then he thought, Feng Xiao indeed rarely displayed his strength in front of others, so it was understandable that he was unaware.
He slightly tilted his head, his peripheral vision catching Ning Fengzhi's thoughtful expression, and he instantly understood. At this moment, Qian Renxue suddenly felt that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School didn't seem so important anymore; she even already saw the moment Feng Xiao would defeat the Spirit Hall Academy team.
In Shrek Academy's rest area, Yu Xiaogang suddenly stood up, his eyes wide. He stared intently at the white-clad figure on the field, a storm raging in his heart: "This is impossible… Even if Little San has Spirit Bone enhancements, his third and fourth rings barely exceed the optimal age limit by a little. How could Feng Xiao possibly absorb a ten-thousand-year spirit ring across an entire major stage?"
On the arena, Shui Bing'er's ice-blue eyes also flashed with shock. She had originally planned to suppress the opposing captain, Feng Xiao, but now she had to re-evaluate the situation. The oppressive feeling emanating from that pitch-black spirit ring made her instinctively tremble.
Feng Xiao's slender fingers lightly stroked the zither strings, a faint smile playing on his lips. Under the illumination of the black spirit ring, the newly formed golden patterns on the Fuxi Zither's body flowed with a mysterious glow. His gaze swept over the shocked crowd, finally landing on Shui Bing'er at the front of Tian Shui Academy: "Please enlighten me."
As the Red-robed Referee's right hand sharply swung down, a loud voice echoed throughout the arena:
"Match—start!"
This command was like a clap of thunder, instantly igniting the atmosphere of the entire arena. The referee quickly retreated, clearing enough combat space for both sides. His movements were clean and decisive, showing the professional demeanor characteristic of Spirit Hall referees.
Almost simultaneously, a chill erupted from Tian Shui Academy's side, Shui Bing'er's ice-blue long hair swaying without wind; on the Huang Dou Battle Team's side, Feng Xiao's fingertips had already landed on the Fuxi Zither strings. The murmurs in the stands ceased abruptly, and everyone held their breath, awaiting the first clash of this strong versus strong duel.