"A level 25 Blue Silver Grass Spirit Grandmaster? I doubt he could even handle my first spirit ability," Dugu Yan scoffed, looking at the information about the Shrek Team. "This Shrek Team is nothing special after all." She couldn't hold back her laughter, her face filled with disdain.
Compared to Dugu Yan, Yu Tianheng was much more composed. As the captain of the Imperial Fighting Team, he was far more level-headed than his teammates. He knew that any team capable of achieving twenty-seven consecutive victories had to have some hidden strength. Unlike the others, his attention was first drawn to the Shrek Team's captain, Huo Feng. However, the intelligence was limited, so he couldn't get a real sense of "Shrek No. 1's" true power. He could only make a rough guess in his head.
But when his eyes landed on the final member, "Shrek No. 8," even Yu Tianheng felt it was strange. A level 25 Blue Silver Grass Spirit Grandmaster was on the same team as a level 39 Spirit Elder. He couldn't help but suspect that "Shrek No. 8" had gotten onto the team through connections, probably just to earn some points in the Grand Spirit Arena. But earning points from his Imperial Fighting Team wouldn't be that easy.
Although Yu Tianheng didn't look down on the Shrek Team as much as his teammates did, deep down, he was still confident that the Imperial Fighting Team would win tonight's battle in the Central Arena.
"Hmph!"
Suddenly, Teacher Qin let out a cold snort. His sharp gaze fell on Dugu Yan, who was still covering her mouth and laughing. The hearts of every Imperial Fighting Team member seemed to tighten at the sound, and the intense pressure made expressions of deep respect appear on their faces.
"Yanzi, it's one thing for Yufeng to be careless, but you're the vice-captain. You shouldn't be underestimating your opponent like this," he said sternly. "If you go into the arena with that kind of attitude, I can guarantee you'll suffer for it."
Dugu Yan stuck out her tongue playfully. In her heart, she disagreed with Teacher Qin's words, but she didn't dare say another word. The members of the Imperial Fighting Team were all proud and wild, but Teacher Qin was the only one they truly respected. This wasn't just because he was their instructor, but also because of his immense strength.
Teacher Qin's full name was Qin Ming. He was thirty-four years old, and at the beginning of the year, he had broken through the level 60 barrier, becoming a Spirit Emperor. It was said that he was the second-youngest Spirit Emperor ever recorded by Spirit Hall, second only to another legendary genius. A thirty-four-year-old Spirit Emperor—this was the goal that every member of the Imperial Fighting Team strived for.
Yu Tianheng waved a hand at Dugu Yan, signaling her to be quiet, before addressing Qin Ming himself. "Teacher Qin, what should we be paying attention to with this Shrek Seven Devils team?" he asked. "Looking at their Spirits, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is definitely something to watch out for. But their levels are so different from ours. Even with that pagoda's support, the most it can do is narrow the spirit power gap between us. That's probably the main reason they managed to get a perfect record in their previous battles."
He continued his analysis. "Among the other six, their captain's Spirit is only listed as an 'Iron Sword,' with no other details. We should also take note of 'Shrek No. 2,' the one with the White Tiger Spirit. As for the control system Spirit Master, 'Shrek No. 8,' I have to agree with Yanzi on that one. His Spirit is just Blue Silver Grass, and his spirit power is only at level 25. How strong can he really be?"
Qin Ming nodded slightly. "Your analysis is calm enough. The information we have is all we know about the Shrek Seven Devils. We'll have to wait until the battle actually begins to find out more. Just remember my words: never underestimate any opponent. The Soto Spirit Arena wouldn't send them out to face you if they weren't confident in them."
He paused, his expression becoming serious. "One more thing, and this is an order. Regardless of how the match turns out, no one is allowed to kill or even severely injure our opponents. Do you understand?" His gaze shifted to his vice-captain. "Yanzi, that goes especially for you. If your opponent gets poisoned, you will give them the antidote immediately after the match ends. No delays."
Dugu Yan looked confused. "Why? Teacher, you always told us that there are no friends or family on the battlefield and that we must always go all out. If we don't injure them, we might be the ones who get hurt. You said we should never show mercy."
A wry smile appeared on Qin Ming's face. "This time is different. You don't need to know the reason just yet. After this match is over, I'll tell you everything. Alright, it's almost time. Follow me."
After speaking, he turned and led the way out of the VIP room. As he walked, Qin Ming sighed to himself. Kids, it's not that I don't want to tell you the reason. I'm just hoping you experience a small setback this time. Growth that comes too easily can make you fragile.
The Central Spirit Arena of the Soto Grand Spirit Arena was not what most commoners, who only ever saw the sub-arenas, would imagine. In fact, if they came here, they would probably think it was just another sub-arena. The entire area was only slightly larger than the others. The most peculiar thing about it was how quiet it was. There were no open-air stands for spectators; instead, the arena was surrounded by enclosed private boxes. Behind the one-way crystal glass, which only allowed those inside to see out, sat the VIP spectators from powerful and wealthy families.
None of these people were willing to reveal their identities, and they certainly wouldn't cheer and shout like the ordinary crowds. What they wanted was to maintain their sense of pride and superiority. Moreover, the bets placed here were far larger than in all the other sub-arenas combined. Hiding one's identity was crucial to avoid conflicts between nobles over gambling losses. At least this way, no one would know who won their money, making it impossible to seek revenge.
Though the crystal windows couldn't be seen through from the outside, they sparkled brightly under the dazzling golden light of the spirit tools that illuminated the Central Spirit Arena. The battle stage itself was exceptionally large. Because there were no stands taking up space, the stage had a diameter of a full seventy meters. It was more than enough space for a team battle, even one with a hundred people on each side.
Just five minutes after Flender had agreed to let the Shrek Team participate, the Soto Grand Spirit Arena released the news about tonight's main event. Within half an hour, the tickets for every VIP box were sold out. It seemed that, just like ordinary people, these wealthy and powerful nobles were also very interested in the Shrek Team—especially in the mysterious "Shrek No. 8."
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