"Third preliminary round, second match. Shrek Academy wins against Elephant Armor Academy."
In the Great Spirit Arena of Polaris City, the referee's announcement drew many eyes to Shrek Academy's impressive victory.
Elephant Armor Academy, one of the current four elemental academies of the Polaris Empire, ranked near the top among the many academies in the Polaris competition region. Behind it stood the Elephant Armor Sect, one of the seven great sects. For such a competitive team to lose to the previously obscure Shrek Academy naturally attracted a great deal of attention.
Bang!
Just as the referee announced the result, a sharp crack sounded from the VIP seats. Goran Tremor, the Elephant Armor Sect Master who had come to watch the match, had crushed the armrest of his chair. His wide, furious eyes seemed ready to spit flame.
He had placed great hopes on this year's Elephant Armor team. The captain was his grandson, Ryker Ivory. Not only had Ryker reached the Spirit Leader rank, which in previous tournaments had almost only appeared on Spirit Hall's side, Goran had even bestowed a hereditary Spirit Bone on him to ensure victory. He had never expected Ryker to suffer defeat so early, especially not at Shrek Academy's hands.
He knew that academy had people who displeased His Highness Son. Now his own grandson had lost to them. How could he accept it?
Most importantly, as a Titled Sage who had watched the whole fight, he had no idea what method Tang San used to defeat his team.
That had been the Elephant Armor Sect's defensive formation. Worse, it was led by his grandson Ryker, a Spirit Leader, and supported by six Elephant Armor disciples above level forty. Let alone a Spirit Leader, even an ordinary Spirit Daoist should not have been able to break that formation. In Goran's expectations, aside from the main Spirit Hall team, they should have been able to win any match.
Yet in this supposedly impossible match, the Elephant Armor Sect still lost. Even Goran Tremor, a Titled Sage, could not understand why. The many experts and great nobles on the VIP platform understood even less.
"It was not only a tactic of breaking a surface through a single point. There was poison too. The poison inside Tang San's Blue Silver Grass has evolved."
On the VIP platform, Wu Ling had watched the whole battle. In the fight between Elephant Armor and Shrek, Elephant Armor was naturally stronger in teamwork. Shrek Academy was nothing more than a pile of mud patched together from scraps. Unfortunately, Shrek had Tang San, a transmigrator.
According to Spirit Hall's intelligence, because of Wu Ling's butterfly effect, Tang San had lost many of his opportunities. Most importantly, he had lost the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, so he had no way to temper his body there. Naturally, the fourth Spirit Ring of his Blue Silver Grass could not pursue some ten-thousand-year ring. However, by relying on his second Martial Soul, he had instead become a Spirit Leader directly.
Perhaps because of what Wu Ling had said back then, Tang San did not continue choosing snake-type Soul Beasts for his fourth and fifth Spirit Rings. Instead, he chose plant-type Soul Beasts for both.
From Wu Ling's observation, Tang San had not continued strengthening the sharpness and toughness of Blue Silver Grass. Instead, he had strengthened its poison. His fourth thousand-year ring and fifth ten-thousand-year ring both enhanced poison.
In the battle just now, Tang San coated the Dragon Beard Needles with his poison and broke through the formation one person at a time. The poison released by the needles after piercing flesh was the key reason the fight ended.
"So lifting the Soulcraft-device restrictions actually strengthened Tang San's overall combat ability."
Over the past few fights, Wu Ling had discovered that although restrictions on Soulcraft devices had been lifted, the limits of the era still affected people's thinking. Many young Spirit Masters were not interested in Soulcraft devices. Compared with weapons, they trusted their own fists more. This was especially common among geniuses. At present, the ones who truly made regular use of Soulcraft devices were mostly auxiliary-system Spirit Masters.
Tang San was different. If anyone asked, he could fully claim that his hidden weapons were a special type of Soulcraft device he had developed himself. Unless Wu Ling exposed him, others would have little to say.
But Wu Ling would not do that. After all, he was still waiting for Tang San to come play in Spirit City.
"Sect Master Tremor, victory and defeat are common in war. There is no need to be trapped by one temporary loss. From what I saw, that man poisoned those needle-like weapons. That was the reason for your defeat."
Wu Ling spoke to comfort Goran slightly. No matter what, Goran had submitted to Spirit Hall. A suitable amount of concern was appropriate.
"Thank you for your concern, Saint. I understand."
Goran gave Wu Ling full face. Once he learned that poison was the reason for the defeat, he thought it through and did not keep dwelling on the matter. Since the referee had already announced the result, there was no way for him to change it. He could only decide to go back and teach his grandson properly, letting Ryker understand the loving iron fist of his grandfather and making sure he would not lose again in the later matches.
After that battle, Shrek celebrated its great victory. The Elephant Armor team was mostly dejected. But aside from them, another academy's expressions were very ugly.
Pale Radiance Academy.
Before the match, they had already clashed with Shrek Academy. Sooner or later, Shrek would face them too. Against such a powerful enemy with an existing grudge, they naturally felt panic.
At that moment, Dorian Morrow, the vice dean of Pale Radiance Academy, was also observing Shrek Academy's team. After noticing that many of the opposing teachers were old acquaintances, a trace of dread passed through his eyes.
At the same time, he noticed the fearful emotions among his students. Displeased, he said, "You do not need to think too much. Win the third round first. As for Shrek Academy's problem, I will resolve it."
As soon as Dorian said that, the Pale Radiance students' spirits lifted. Extremely strange smiles appeared on their faces.
They all knew the personality of this vice dean very well. Since he spoke with such certainty, someone from Shrek Academy was definitely going to suffer.
"Saint, Dorian Morrow seems to have set his sights on Shrek Academy."
Just as Pale Radiance Academy's group was imagining how they would advance after solving Shrek Academy, a shadow arrived beside Wu Ling on the VIP platform and whispered into his ear.
"I know. Judging by Dorian's behavior, this is not the first time he has done something like this. Those students know about it too. A nest of snakes and rats. Looks like not one of them is clean. Pale Radiance Academy has no reason to continue existing after this."
After listening to his subordinate's report, Wu Ling indicated that he could leave. The shadow immediately vanished.
Wu Ling's gaze fell on Pale Radiance Academy's position.
Right now, Spirit Hall happened to lack a pretext to further intervene in the Spirit Master world. That was also why Divine Wind and the other academies had not made any public statement after joining Spirit Hall. Using Dorian Morrow to begin with the Spirit Master academy world would be quite suitable. When the time came, Divine Wind and the other academies could openly speak on Spirit Hall's behalf.
In addition, Dorian Morrow carried a Spirit Bone, and its age and quality were not low. Wu Ling only needed to find a proper chance to kill him. Not only would Spirit Hall gain a reason to act, Wu Ling would also gain a Spirit Bone. Two birds with one stone.
"Your Highness Son, should I arrange for people to take Dorian Morrow down?"
Bishop Salas had been by Wu Ling's side the entire time. Now, he took the initiative to volunteer to deal with this trouble near Polaris City.
"No need. Since Dorian has set his sights on Shrek, let them bite each other once. Remember, we happened to discover it by chance."
As he spoke, Wu Ling looked toward the positions of Pale Radiance and Shrek. If nothing unexpected happened, Dorian's chosen target would still be that ever-so-pure little Tang San whom Wu Ling had been scheming against all along. Letting that fellow suffer a little was fine. After all, he did not have many days left.