"Brother Feng, it's been two months since we last met, and your strength has improved even further!"
Qian Renxue greeted him warmly.
"The Spirit Hall Team has three Soul Kings. The pressure is immense, so I had no choice but to train with all my might during this time!"
Dugu Feng sighed helplessly as he walked through the city gates.
"Brother Feng, you're being too modest. I believe even the Spirit Hall's Golden Generation is no match for you. My father is eagerly waiting for you to bring back the championship!"
Qian Renxue patted Dugu Feng on the shoulder.
To this day, Qian Renxue still believed that Gem Academy's trump card was Dugu Feng.
Even Salas shared the same opinion.
Unable to uncover Dugu Feng's Soul Power Level or his Fourth Soul Skill, Salas had no choice but to apologize to Bibi Dong.
"Brother Xue, rest assured, I will give it my all!"
After exchanging pleasantries with Qian Renxue, Dugu Feng made his way to the carriage where Gem Academy was stationed—the second-to-last one.
"Greetings, Young Master!"
Inside the carriage were Old Snake, Shi Nian, and the other students of Gem Academy, except for Ning Rongrong.
Dugu Feng nodded and took a seat beside Old Snake.
"Young Master, the latest news from Heaven Dou City has exploded recently—Tang San possesses Twin Soul Spirits, with his other Martial Soul being the Clear Sky Hammer. This revelation has caused a massive stir, once again placing the Clear Sky Sect at the center of the Spirit Master World. Since then, Tang San hasn't left Blue Tyrant Academy and has been training inside the entire time!"
Old Snake spoke with great enthusiasm.
Dugu Feng was slightly surprised. "Who exposed the news about Tang San's Twin Soul Spirits?"
"It was probably Yu Yuanzhen. Shortly after he left Spirit City, the news spread like wildfire across Heaven Dou City. Now, Tang San is regarded as a genius comparable to you, Young Master. But in my opinion, with a ten-level gap in Soul Power, how could he possibly compare to you?"
Old Snake's tone was dismissive.
Dugu Feng had nearly forgotten about Yu Yuanzhen during his training. Exposing Tang San's Twin Soul Spirits was likely Yu Yuanzhen's way of pledging loyalty—to Spirit Hall.
"Young Master, you wouldn't believe how lively Heaven Dou City has been lately. Shrek Academy announced their withdrawal from the finals in Spirit City, sparking all sorts of speculation. Rumors say the Clear Sky Sect fears their genius might be killed in Spirit City! Salas vehemently refuted such claims, declaring that the Spirit Hall's Golden Generation fears no one and that the Shrek Academy Team must have withdrawn because they stood no chance of winning!"
Old Snake chuckled darkly.
Dugu Feng smirked inwardly. It seemed Tang Hao was truly afraid.
Given the current relationship between the Clear Sky Sect and Spirit Hall, if Tang San were to enter Spirit City, he would never leave alive.
Tang Hao and Yu Yuanzhen had fought twice, likely worsening Tang Hao's injuries.
Tang Xiao must also be in Heaven Dou City by now!
After leaving Sunset Forest, Dugu Feng immediately sensed the Core Pearl within Zhu Zhuqing.
The Shrek Six Devils, including Tang San, were all training at Blue Tyrant Academy.
Now that he was just outside Heaven Dou City, so close, he could clearly perceive everything happening at Blue Tyrant Academy.
Flender attributed their inability to participate in the finals at Spirit City entirely to Spirit Hall's tyranny.
This, in turn, spurred Tang San, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar to train with even greater fervor.
At the same time, Dugu Feng also overheard Flender and Yu Xiaogang's plan.
They demanded that all members of the Shrek Six Devils cultivate until they reached the Soul Ancestor level before temporarily graduating from Shrek Academy.
At that point, they would go their separate ways and train independently across the continent.
Five years later, they would reunite to participate in the Soul Master Competition, determined to sweep all opposing teams.
Flender then delivered an impassioned speech.
Drawing on the bonds and reputation forged by their Golden Iron Triangle during their own travels across the continent, he filled the six with longing for the future.
"Flender is quite the talent!" Dugu Feng mused.
He suspected this arrangement was primarily for Tang San's benefit.
Once Tang San reached the Soul Ancestor level, Tang Hao would take him to train with the Clear Sky Hammer.
After all, the Clear Sky Sect's secret technique—sealing all Soul Power to practice hammer techniques under a waterfall—was faster than conventional cultivation. Tang San had gone from level 42 to level 50 in just one year.
Part of this remarkable progress was due to the accumulated medicinal effects of the Immortal Herbs in his body being fully utilized.
But there was no denying the Clear Sky Sect's secret technique had its merits.
A father like Tang Hao, who longed for his son to become a dragon, wouldn't waste such an opportunity.
However, with Dugu Feng around, he wouldn't let Tang San's path be smooth.
A cold glint flashed in Dugu Feng's eyes. "Tang San, just you wait."
He needed to devise a way to strike at the critical moment.
He also wondered what promises Yu Yuanzhen had secured from Bibi Dong during their meeting.
Much would depend on the Spirit Hall's next moves.
After some contemplation, Dugu Feng quietly resumed his cultivation inside the carriage.
The carriage was silent, with everyone preparing for the impending battles.
Along the way, the Divine Wind Academy, Heavenly Water Academy, Blazing Fire Academy, and Gem Academy grew much closer.
With their main competitors and substitutes combined, the four academies had over forty members.
Whether resting or setting up camp, they moved as one, fostering a harmonious atmosphere throughout the journey.
In contrast to the original plot, Huo Wu didn't even mention merging the Blazing Fire and Divine Wind Academies into a single team.
After all, the four academies had already agreed to stand together, and Dugu Feng's overwhelming strength made it unnecessary to clash fiercely with the Gem Academy.
Instead, the four academies united with a shared goal: to go all out against the Star Luo Royal Team and the Spirit Hall Team, exhausting their opponents' strength.
Just before reaching Spirit City, Ning Rongrong broke through to level 43, further boosting her power.
This uplifted the entire team's morale.
Amid this atmosphere, they arrived at Spirit City.
Spirit City was a hexagonal metropolis with six walls, entirely controlled by the Spirit Hall and independent of the two empires.
Even the patrolling soldiers at the city gates were Soul Masters.
Within the city lived only Spirit Hall-affiliated Soul Masters and their families, a testament to the Spirit Hall's immense power.
It was clear the two empires paled in comparison.
The sheer number of Soul Masters was staggering!
The competing teams were lodged in a hotel adjacent to the Great Soul Arena.
From there, they had a direct view of Pope Mountain, the Pope Palace upon it, and the Douluo Hall at its summit.
In truth, the Douluo Hall was the true reason for the Spirit Hall's formidable cohesion—and its supremacy over the two empires.
It was both a hall of honor for Soul Masters and a burial ground.
Only deceased Titled Douluo can be buried here, receiving generations of worship from the Spirit Hall.
For all Soul Masters across the land, their greatest aspiration is to cultivate to become Titled Douluo and be buried in the Douluo Hall after death.
After this hall of honor was established, it became a sacred land in the eyes of Soul Masters.
The Spirit Hall, as a Soul Master organization, was originally founded for the purpose of worshiping and guarding the Douluo Hall.
Yet through this hall of honor, it developed into the most powerful Soul Master force on the continent.
(End of Chapter)