After two rounds of eliminations, the number of competing teams had sharply declined. Following Sun Moon's reorganization of seating, Shrek Academy was now stationed right next to the Nine Treasures Team.
"Xiao Tian, Junting,"
Due to their proximity, Chen Junting and Ning Tian were close to Bei Bei. After a brief chat, Bei Bei learned their next opponent was the Sun Moon Team.
"So… will you be competing?" he asked.
Chen Junting shook his head with a faint smile. "No need."
He then turned toward Di Yao, who was glaring at him with unwavering, intense battle intent. "Perhaps only your Shrek team and the Holy Spirit Sect are worth my effort."
"You really haven't changed," Bei Bei sighed, shaking his head in admiration.
Chen Junting, however, keenly noticed a shift in Di Yao's soul power aura. "Seems you're about to break through to Soul Saint?"
"Yes," Di Yao nodded confidently. "Which means only you can be my true rival."
Chen Junting gave a noncommittal hum—but inwardly agreed. It made sense.
But when he asked his next question, Di Yao's confident expression vanished. Her pupils even contracted in shock.
"So… which method will you use to condense your seventh soul ring? The soul spirit technique? Hunting a soul ring? Or…?"
Di Yao: …
The sudden, seemingly random question left most confused—except Bei Bei and Zhang Lexuan, who'd been watching closely. They exchanged knowing glances.
"You know?" Di Yao asked quietly.
"You should've expected it—and I'm not the only one who guessed," Chen Junting replied modestly, then added, "The world isn't short of clever people."
It was true. Ever since the soul spirit system emerged, her efforts to hide it had left too many traces.
After a moment's silence, Di Yao murmured, "…The third option."
Chen Junting nodded in understanding. "Then… would you mind if I observed when you obtain your soul ring?"
Though phrased as a request, his tone held no real deference—as if he already knew Di Yao (or rather, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion) wouldn't refuse.
And indeed, she didn't.
'This is all for the sake of creating self-condensed soul rings—for the future of soul beasts,' she thought.
—
On the main stand, Prince Regent Xu Tianran had already taken his seat. He hadn't missed a single match.
"Today's first bout is Sun Moon Team versus Nine Treasures Team. According to Elder Jing Hongchen, this should be quite interesting," Xu Tianran said smoothly, then turned to Jing Hongchen beside him. "What's your take, Sect Master Jing?"
Jing Hongchen frowned, eyes fixed on the Nine Treasures pavilion. "Your Highness, I won't sugarcoat it—if they show their true strength, Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy stands little chance."
"Oh?" Xu Tianran's smile faltered slightly—but after a subtle glance at Zhongli Wu, he recovered. "Don't tell me you lack faith in your own grandchildren?"
"I won't lie to amuse you, Your Highness," Jing Hongchen said bitterly. "If my guess is correct, their team likely has three 'Soul Saints.' One wields twin martial souls—his own body and Ultimate Ice—with Soul Saint-level combat prowess. The other two are genuine Soul Saints, possibly rivaling Soul Douluos in strength."
"Twin martial souls? Ultimate Ice? Two Soul Saints?!" Xu Tianran gasped.
Even Zhongli Wu turned, eyes wide with disbelief.
Three individuals under twenty with such achievements? That implied a 70% chance of reaching Limit Douluo potential—assuming their cultivation wasn't artificially accelerated by forbidden methods.
But the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect wouldn't resort to such tricks.
Which meant…
Jing Hongchen voiced their shared conclusion: "Your Highness, these three must not be allowed to live. After this tournament, they must vanish forever. Especially that Chen Junting—in my view, sacrificing half a soul engineer legion to eliminate him would be worth it."
Xu Tianran stared. "Shouldn't the twin martial-soul, Ultimate Ice prodigy be the priority?"
Jing Hongchen smiled ruefully. "I thought so too—at first. But later, I realized something was off…"
He laid out his reasoning.
Whether his suspicions were true or not, Xu Tianran's eyes now burned with killing intent.
This boy must die.
"State Preceptor," Xu Tianran turned to Zhongli Wu, "can your sect handle this?"
Clearly, he was asking if the Holy Spirit Cult could eliminate Chen Junting during the matches.
Sacrifice half a legion?
Sorry—he wasn't that generous.
Zhongli Wu pondered briefly. "Leave it to us, Your Highness."
His gaze shifted to the Holy Spirit Church team.
Currently, they stood little chance. Reinforcements would be needed.
"But we'll require Your Highness's assistance."
"Done!" Xu Tianran agreed readily, pleased.
—
Meanwhile, the referee entered the arena.
"Round Three, Elimination Match One: Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy vs. Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect! Competitors, proceed to the ready zone. First individual match—take the stage!"
Both teams rose simultaneously—except captains, vice-captains, Gu Tianchen, and Huo Yuhao. Eyes clashed, sparks flying.
As Meng Hongchen and Dugu Xin stepped onto the platform under their captains' nods, a soul-engineered barrier flared to life, sealing them off from the outside world.
"Do we have intel on this guy?" Xiao Hongchen frantically searched his memory—but found nothing on Dugu Xin.
"Meng… it's up to you," he muttered, glancing again at the darkening sky. Come on, heavens—give us a break!
As if hearing his plea—BOOM!—thunder cracked. Rain began to fall.
With the downpour, the match began!
Meng Hongchen didn't activate her soul tools immediately. Instead, she advanced with light steps toward Dugu Xin.
Her wine-red hair turned snow-white; her ice-blue eyes blazed blood-red, as if dripping with gore.
Palms raised, faint cyan light flickered in her hands.
As raindrops slid down Dugu Xin's cheek, a barely visible smirk curled his lips—now fully in martial soul manifestation.
He suppressed the lower-body transformation, letting emerald light flare from thirteen points on his body—concealing his true martial soul from casual observers.
Under Meng Hongchen's astonished gaze, the thirteen green orbs coalesced into full-body armor, and a twelve-foot spear materialized in his grip.
Dugu Xin's expertise lay entirely in poison—he lacked defense, buffs, and close-combat skills.
Shortly after joining the sect, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had commissioned soul engineers to craft a spear modeled after the Soul-Breaking Spear. While studying poisons under Yang Zihan, he also trained in the Breaking Clan's spear techniques.
The spear had since been upgraded to a Grade 6 soul tool with two functions:
1. Piercing Sharpness (to suit Breaking Clan techniques)
2. Attribute Absorption (to draw on the user's soul power)
The armor? Personally forged by Xuan Ziwen—optimized for protection and amplification.
In an instant, Dugu Xin thrust forward. Terrifying sharpness concentrated at the spear's tip. Body and weapon moved as one—no wasted motion—as he drove straight for Meng Hongchen's chest.
Then—FLASH!
Blinding white light erupted from Dugu Xin!
Meng Hongchen's eyes snapped shut, dazzled.
Even spectators outside the barrier were momentarily blinded.
"THIS IS DISGRACEFUL! NO HONOR WHATSOEVER!" Xiao Hongchen leapt up, roaring. "HOW DARE YOU BLIND YOUR OPPONENT LIKE THAT?!"
Sun Moon citizens echoed his outrage.
Girls like Xiao Xiao and the Lan sisters covered their faces in secondhand embarrassment.
We don't know him. We're not with him…
Even the thick-skinned Qin Lan scratched his nose awkwardly. They knew Dugu Xin's poison tactics were underhanded—but blinding someone? That was peak sneaky old fox behavior!
Kinda ashamed to be on his team…
Yet Chen Junting, Xu Tianran, and others remained utterly composed—some even nodding in approval.
This match was no longer a fair duel—it was warfare by other means.
In war, victory justifies any tactic.
Was blinding an opponent moral?
Of course not. It was downright dirty.
But did the tournament rules forbid it?
No.
And if it wasn't forbidden—then it was valid.
So let the critics rage. Their complaints wouldn't stop them from winning.
—--------------------------------------
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