The next day, after everyone from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy finished breakfast, they left in groups of two or three.
Huo Yuhao, Meng Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Feng Tingting walked back to their suite.
Huo Yuhao looked at Xiao Hongchen and said with concern:
"Senior Brother Xiao, are the dark circles around your eyes really okay?"
"Last night, the ones on your left eye clearly looked almost healed, but after a night, not only have they not faded, but your right eye has become like this too."
"Alright, alright, Junior Brother, there's no one else here. You can drop your Light Distortion."
Xiao Hongchen glanced at Feng Tingting, who was trembling with laughter beside him, and said helplessly, feigning ignorance:
[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name, Taiwan Novel Network, with its vast sea of books, ₮₩₭₳₦.₵Ø₥, at your disposal.]
"Xiao Meng, how did I provoke you again? You hit me, but why the face?"
Meng Hongchen's pretty face turned red; how could she have the heart to say she was in Huo Yuhao's room at that time?
She could only snort coldly and look at Xiao Hongchen out of the corner of her eye:
"Guess for yourself what you did wrong."
Holding back her laughter, Feng Tingting took out three copies of the newspaper she had prepared from her storage ring and handed them to the three:
"This is the first issue sample I printed out after finishing the layout of the 'tournament genius inventory report' yesterday. Take a look."
"If it feels okay, we'll print and distribute it like this."
Huo Yuhao took one and spread it out to see it was a classic broadsheet newspaper.
After scanning the content, he couldn't help but praise Feng Tingting's professionalism.
Compared to those major newspapers he had seen in Shrek City that had been published for hundreds of years, the level of professionalism was not inferior at all.
To achieve this level in just one day by herself, Sister Tingting's talent might just lie here?
The first issue of the 'tournament genius inventory report' completely revolved around Xiao Hongchen.
For no other reason than he was simply too dazzling.
A Soul Saint with two hundred-thousand-year Spirit Rings!
In over two thousand tournaments over ten thousand years, what kind of geniuses hadn't appeared? Soul Saints were not unheard of.
But a contestant with two hundred-thousand-year Spirit Rings was truly one of a kind.
Xiao Hongchen became completely famous, and along with him, Feng Tingting, who was holding his arm at the time, also became famous.
Huo Yuhao teased:
"Senior Brother Xiao, you have no idea how much psychological pressure you've caused the contestants of this tournament."
"From the grouping situation, Junior Brother Xiao has indeed caused immense psychological pressure to everyone." Feng Yu's voice came from behind, and the four turned to see a solemn-looking Feng Yu.
He handed a list to each person and said in a deep voice:
"The round-robin groupings for this tournament were exceptionally fast; we've been assigned to Group Eight."
"The composition of this group can be described as a carefully selected Group of Death; there are three strong teams that made it to the top eight in the previous tournament."
"Besides us, they are the top two ranked academies in the Heavenly Soul Empire, both of which are teams consisting entirely of Soul Kings."
"The other teams are either those in the Heavenly Soul Empire best at dealing with Soul Engineers or academies with special skills in the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires."
"Oh, and there's also a strong team from the Douling Empire."
"Additionally, besides Ma Rulong, the only two Spirit Emperors on the surface in this tournament."
"Is Jiang Peng, the captain of Di'ao Academy, the top-ranked academy in the Heavenly Soul Empire!"
The four looked at each other; was the intensity of the round-robin tournament really this high?
...
In an elegant bedchamber in the Star Luo Imperial City.
Vina, as the princess of the Heavenly Soul Empire, could not care about her poise at this moment.
She slammed the grouping list onto the table in front of Xu Jiujiu, her full chest heaving violently, and her pleasant voice was now squeezed out of her mouth:
"Sister Jiujiu, what you're doing is too unfair!"
"How can you group them like this? Are you not planning to let my Di'ao Academy enter the top eight?"
Xu Jiujiu blinked and pointed at the 'Four Element Academies' on the list:
"Can your Di'ao Academy not even suppress the Four Element Academies?"
Vina said indignantly, "Their strength this year is also extraordinary; they are aiming for the top four."
Xu Jiujiu said, "It's not like the Sun Moon Empire Royal Soul Engineer Academy doesn't have weaklings."
"Are you talking about that Huo Yuhao who played in their first match?" Vina was silent for a few seconds before remembering this person, then immediately curled her lip and said:
"Which of the three-ring members in their Reserve Teams over the years hasn't had a background of being a defector?"
"Sister Jiujiu, both you and I know what the Sun-Moon Empire means by this."
"It's just a show of 'buying a horse's bones for a thousand gold'. This Huo Yuhao is a pure Clown character; why mention him?"
"Don't try to change the subject either; just tell me what to do about this grouping!"
"What is there to do about such a thing?" Xu Jiujiu said in a faint tone:
"The last tournament was held in your Heavenly Soul Empire, right?"
"That was the first time we met; I was also a Reserve Team member back then."
"As a result, our Star Luo National Academy was also placed in a Group of Death."
"Is the difficulty the same this time?" Vina patted her chest to calm her breath and pouted her red lips:
"If our luck is bad, we might stop at the round-robin stage."
"Alright, I'll stop teasing you." Xu Jiujiu took out a document from her storage ring and placed it on top of the grouping list:
"For the Rare Metal Vein No. 18 that our two countries are jointly mining in the Far North, we will give you an extra five percent of the profits within five years."
Five percent?
Rare Metal Vein No. 18 was a super-giant vein; five percent of five years' profit was also tens of millions of Gold Soul Coins.
The development of Soul Guidance Devices in the Heavenly Soul Empire was extremely suppressed.
This wasn't a matter of the upper class's preference, but a class issue.
Vina knew things couldn't go on like this; although her status was noble, she was only fourteen years old.
She had the heart but lacked the strength and power; she couldn't do anything.
Looking at this document, she really wanted to agree.
Anyway, the grouping list was already set; she might as well take whatever compensation she could.
But she also knew that the Star Luo Empire had indeed not played the grouping matter beautifully, but it wasn't to the point of giving up so much profit.
"Speak! What are the requirements, as long as they aren't too excessive." Vina's eyelashes trembled slightly as she put on a pitiful appearance.
"Most of Shrek Academy's main team members for this tournament are gone."
"Although the remaining main team members recovered quickly under the treatment of His Eminence the Medical Immortal, they only have three people."
Xu Jiujiu said seriously, "Shrek Academy probably won't make it this tournament, but the championship must remain within our Original Three Douluo Kingdoms!"
"That Xiao Hongchen's bone age is still a bit short of fifteen."
"After many Elders from my Star Luo Enshrinement Hall watched the match recordings, they all found it hard to believe."
"I want you to take the lead, use your influence over other academies in your country, and secretly form an Anti-Xiao Alliance."
"Systematically and plannedly probe Xiao Hongchen's true strength, and when necessary, do everything possible to seriously injure him."
"Make it so he cannot participate in the elimination rounds after the round-robin."
"In that way, we can each use our own means in the subsequent semifinals and finals!"
Vina was somewhat moved. This... didn't seem impossible, but wasn't it a bit underhanded?
Xu Jiujiu persuaded:
"Nana, the situation is already this tense. If the Sun-Moon Empire wins the championship and their domestic desire for aggression rises again..."
Vina rubbed her face and said, "I can't make the decision on this matter alone."
"I'll take the information back and talk to you when there's a result."
Xu Jiujiu nodded, a victorious smile appearing on her face.
Inside the Imperial City, in the Government Hall.
Xu Jiawei signed the last memorial and rubbed his temples with a hint of fatigue.
He turned and picked up the registration list of the participants from the Sun Moon Empire Royal Soul Engineer Academy for this tournament. After a moment of silence, he ordered in the empty hall:
"Activate the top-secret sleeper agents. Investigate and report again on these three: Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and Huo Yuhao!"
"Yes!"
A voice came from nowhere and answered.
Inside Huo Yuhao's room at the Star Emperor Grand Hotel.
Huo Yuhao slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, ending his morning meditation.
He frowned slightly: Why has the growth rate of my Soul Power slowed down to this extent?
Originally, before he had cultivated to Level 30,
with the boost to cultivation speed from the spirit nurturing pill, even a short session of two or three hours
would yield a decent increase in cultivation.
That was how he managed to advance to Spirit Elder at the terrifying speed of nearly one Level per month before the tournament started.
After absorbing the ten-thousand-year Silver Echo Beast, his Soul Power naturally broke through to Level 32.
Since then, he could hardly feel any progress in his cultivation from these short meditation sessions.
After learning about Meng Hongchen's cultivation progress and comparing the two, Huo Yuhao was stunned to find
that at this rate, their Soul Power Level increase speed was almost identical!
But he was twenty Levels lower than Meng Hongchen; this wasn't normal.
After careful sensing, he found that the Soul Power gained from meditation hadn't decreased, but at least half of it was going elsewhere.
One part was being condensed automatically under the influence of the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion Martial Soul, improving the quality of his Soul Power.
The other part was automatically merging into his body to improve his physical fitness.
The Martial Soul Eyes specialized in Mental Power and didn't have much impact on physical fitness.
Huo Yuhao's eyes flickered as he pondered silently.
So, both aspects are effects brought by the Ultimate Martial Soul?
But the impact on cultivation advancement is just too great. At this rate, when will I reach the Spirit Ancestor Realm?
"Ice Empress, why is this happening?" Huo Yuhao asked within his Sea of Consciousness.
The Ice Empress spread her hands and said speechlessly, "This is both normal and abnormal."
"As far as I know, after any Soul Beast with an Ultimate attribute reaches a thousand years of cultivation,"
"their cultivation speed slows down, and they face the same situation as you. That's why I say it's normal."
"But what's abnormal is that compared to a Soul Beast, your cultivation speed is still unimaginably fast. What are you still dissatisfied with?"
"But my lifespan is also short," Huo Yuhao smiled and said softly. "And there's that unknown, terrifying existence that has attacked me several times."
"While the methods weren't exactly violent, it clearly shows the other party doesn't simply want my life."
"I need to quickly gain enough strength to protect myself and those I cherish."
"Ever since you rescued your mother's remnant soul, you seem much more relaxed and cheerful." The Ice Empress mused slightly, "I can think of two paths."
"One is to go to the inner circle of the Far North to Cultivate. In the words of you human Spirit Masters, it's called mimetic cultivation."
"There is no place in this world more suitable for Ultimate Ice cultivation than the inner circle of the Far North."
"That mimetic spirit tool you used at the Sun Moon Empire Royal Soul Engineer Academy,"
"never mind that it was just a prototype; even if the technology were mature, it could never compare to the inner circle of the Far North for you."
Do I really have to go to the inner circle of the Far North to Cultivate? Huo Yuhao rubbed his temples and said with a headache,
"What's the second path?"
"The second path is Heavenly Treasuress! For example, a certain fat silkworm who single-handedly wiped out an entire ice cave's worth of ten thousand year cold marrow."
The Ice Empress shot a cold glare at the Skydream Iceworm, who was quietly creeping toward her, before continuing,
"For beings with the Ultimate Ice attribute like us, ten thousand year cold marrow is the most suitable Heavenly Treasures."
"If you could get some for cultivation, your progress would naturally increase by leaps and bounds."
"Unfortunately, I searched the entire Far North and never found a second cave with a large amount of ten thousand year cold marrow."
Thinking of this, the Ice Empress could no longer hold back. With cold eyes, she flicked the emerald hook behind her, sending the Skydream Iceworm flying far away with a miserable scream.
Heavenly Treasuress again.
Huo Yuhao felt a bit at a loss; his mother's remnant soul also needed Heavenly Treasuress for nourishment.
Seeing that the Ice Empress still had thoughts of whipping the Skydream Iceworm, Huo Yuhao quickly diverted her attention,
"Ice Empress, are there any other Heavenly Treasuress?"
"I don't know much about that," the Ice Empress's expression softened slightly, a hint of memory flashing in her eyes as she suddenly said,
"Didn't you buy a lot of your human history books from the Library and flea market stalls outside the academy and imprint them into your mental space because you were afraid Heavenly Dream and I would be bored?"
"I saw in some unofficial history book that the first Sect Master of the Tang Sect, who made the world change color and became a god in an instant ten thousand years ago,"
"advanced so quickly in his youth because he consumed certain Immortal Herbs."
"The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well? I'm afraid it hasn't been passed down." Huo Yuhao didn't know much about it either, and he shook his head, saying,
"If the later Sect Masters of the Tang Sect knew where that place was, the current Tang Sect wouldn't have fallen to the point of having a three-ring Spirit Elder as Sect Master."
Just as the discussion was about to continue, there was a knock on Huo Yuhao's door.
Knock knock!
When the door opened, Meng Hongchen was standing there prettily with her hands behind her back. Huo Yuhao wasn't surprised at all.
This was the time they had agreed upon to discuss whether the Spectator Sequence helped in digesting the potion.
Meng Hongchen had just found a chair and sat down, and Huo Yuhao had only just closed the door for a few seconds when it was knocked on again.
That's not right!
Huo Yuhao felt that the frequency of the knocking was very unfamiliar, so he simply activated Mental Detection to take a look.
Blue-pink eyes and hair, wearing the dark green Shrek uniform—it was that person cross-dressing as a boy!
Wang Dong!
Huo Yuhao's body stiffened, his Mental Power surged, and Mental Detection instantly swept across the entire floor.
In the hallway, besides Ma Rulong who was leading Wang Dong over, Tang Yin was nowhere to be seen.
She came by herself?
Huo Yuhao immediately thought of the agreement between Wang Dong and Meng Hongchen, and then linked it to the detail that Ma Rulong brought Wang Dong over right after Meng Hongchen arrived.
She's here to commission a Soul Guidance Device.
Huo Yuhao activated Mental Sharing and established a mental communication channel with Meng Hongchen.
Huo Yuhao: Senior Sister, Wang Dong is here. It's likely about the Soul Guidance Device. Let me handle the communication with her.
Meng Hongchen: Alright, you might as well just transform into my appearance so it won't arouse her suspicion.
Meng Hongchen: I'll transform into your appearance and head out to give you two some space to talk.
She had two considerations for doing this.
First, she was being considerate; perhaps Huo Yuhao had things he wasn't comfortable telling her, and she didn't want to disrupt his plans because of her presence.
Second, although Wang Dong was very good-looking, he was a boy after all.
If Wang Dong were a girl, she certainly wouldn't be this calm and generous; she would definitely be keeping a close watch next to Huo Yuhao.
After activating Simulation, Meng Hongchen, now in the guise of Huo Yuhao, took the initiative to open the door.
She then nodded to Wang Dong in a feigned manner.
After learning the purpose of the visit, she used the excuse of leaving space for them to talk, considerately closed the door, and left with Ma Rulong.
Wang Dong quietly sized up the "Meng Hongchen" before her.
Long eyelashes, a fair and flawless face, and a graceful figure—every feature highlighted how outstanding she was.
"Meng Hongchen" just sat there coldly with her legs crossed, her expression distant, carrying an aura that warned people not to approach.
Wang Dong had to admit that Meng Hongchen's beauty was not at all inferior to her own when she dressed as a girl.
Looking at the Sun Moon Empire Royal Soul Engineer Academy uniform on the other girl, it was both exquisite and elegant.
She subconsciously looked down at what she was wearing, feeling a slight sting in her heart. She felt a bit of inferiority and a faint feeling that this trip might not go smoothly.
"Miss Meng, I've come to see you to commission some Soul Guidance Devices."
"Meng Hongchen" pointed to a stool and said coldly, "Sit. First, tell me what kind of Soul Guidance Devices you need."
Wang Dong followed the instruction and sat on the chair, saying hurriedly, "I want both offensive and defensive types!"
"For the offensive type, it's best to have a Level 3 long-range Soul Guidance Device ray, the more powerful the better."
"For the defensive type, I want a trigger-based Level 3 Martial Soul barrier. I can't use melee defensive shields."
"I'll pay whatever price you name. I'm not short on money!"
"Meng Hongchen" curled her lip and said, "But I'm not short on money either."
"Uh..." Wang Dong was dumbfounded. She didn't know how to do anything except throw money at a problem.
Could it be...
Wang Dong seemed to have thought of something, her expression shifting unpredictably.
Does she want me to use my looks?
Sigh, I know I'm uniquely handsome when dressed as a boy; there isn't a girl in the outer courtyard who doesn't like me.
But I'm a girl. Won't everything be exposed the moment I take off my clothes?
"I... I don't really have any abs or chest muscles. There's nothing much to see if I take my clothes off."
Having spent over a year attracting attention in the Shrek Outer Courtyard, Wang Dong already knew what other girls focused on besides faces.
Wang Dong steeled her heart. Since they were both girls, if Meng Hongchen saw her, so be it; it wasn't like she was losing anything.
She could clear up the misunderstanding about her being a girl while she was at it, and then explain her difficulties and act pitiful.
No matter what, she had to get a set of her own Soul Guidance Devices today!
Huo Yuhao, who had deciphered Wang Dong's thoughts, saw her hand already on her collar, looking ready to strip.
Now it was his turn to be dumbfounded.
You silly goose, what would I want to see your abs and chest muscles for?
Never mind that you don't have any; even if you did, if I really wanted to see them, wouldn't I have scanned them countless times with Mental Detection already?
"Stop! I'm not interested in your 'collection'."
To be safe, Huo Yuhao also applied a psychological suggestion.
Hearing "Meng Hongchen's" slightly urgent call to stop,
Wang Dong froze and looked at "Meng Hongchen." Under the influence of the mental suggestion, she believed "Meng Hongchen's" words.
Realizing she had been overconfident, Wang Dong's ears turned red, and she cursed herself inwardly.
So embarrassing!
Huo Yuhao, who had quickly adjusted his emotions, coughed twice and said directly,
"I still have quite a few of my early practice works in my storage ring."
"For Level 3 high-burst long-range Soul Guidance Devices, I have two High-Energy Gathering Spirit Cannons."
"As for Level 3 trigger-based Martial Soul barriers, I can give you five."
"The price will be at market rate. But I have one requirement: let me examine your special condition."
Before saying this, Huo Yuhao had already asked Electrolux in his Sea of Consciousness where to start testing why Wang Dong would serve as a medium for the mastermind's black hand.
Electrolux's answer was that starting from the source of power for humans in this world—the Martial Soul—was most appropriate.
With him watching from the side, nothing would go wrong all at once.
My specialness? Wang Dong clearly misunderstood.
She thought "Meng Hongchen" was curious about why she couldn't use Soul Guidance Devices made by others.
"What should I do?"
"Release your Martial Soul."
As soon as Huo Yuhao finished speaking, a pair of blue butterfly wings instantly spread out from behind Wang Dong. The colors on the tips of the forewings shifted constantly between deep blue, azure, and light blue.
Its shape and color were of an incomparable, impeccable beauty.
"This is my Martial Soul, the Goddess of Light Butterfly."
Huo Yuhao's heart shook violently. He discovered that once this Goddess of Light Butterfly was displayed at close range, both of his Martial Souls felt a certain throb!
This throb was very similar to the knowledge of Martial Soul Fusion Skills taught in Spirit Master classes.
No, it wasn't just similar; it was practically a textbook example.
Huo Yuhao calmed down, realizing that the Martial Soul Fusion rate between him and Wang Dong would definitely not be low.
Is this the mastermind's black hand—a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with an extremely high degree of resonance?
They actually want to use this method to bind me to Wang Dong.
A rule-level dog chain? And how did they do it?
So, the fact that Wang Dong can only use Soul Guidance Devices I've made is just a small trick to bind her to me?
Huo Yuhao was both shocked by the mastermind's handiwork and felt relieved to have seen through the method.
The information gap between him and the mastermind had narrowed significantly.
The reason a black hand is hard to guard against is that one doesn't understand how it works or what harm it will cause.
Figuring this out today was not bad. Huo Yuhao lowered his eyes, took out the promised Soul Guidance Devices from his storage ring, placed them on the table, and said flatly,
"I've gotten what I wanted. These Soul Guidance Devices are priced at twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins. Take them."
The throb of the Martial Soul was naturally mutual.
Feeling such a violent Martial Soul throb, Wang Dong also quickly realized that there was a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with a very high degree of resonance between her and "Meng Hongchen."
This was a Martial Soul Fusion Skill—a one-in-a-million divine skill that could boost the combat power of two Spirit Masters across Levels!
Back in the finals of the freshman assessment, if she had a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with someone, she might have been able to defeat Dai Huabin fair and square.
Instead of relying on Tang Yin's low-handed tactics of finding loopholes to take the championship.
Wang Dong looked at "Meng Hongchen" with surprise and murmured, "Did you feel the Martial Soul resonance too?"
But she saw "Meng Hongchen" taking out the Soul Guidance Devices with an unchanged expression, as if she were completely unmoved.
"Meng Hongchen" saw through Wang Dong's thoughts and said calmly,
"Martial Soul resonance doesn't mean there should be anything between us. It's best if our connection ends with the trade of Soul Guidance Devices."
"Take the Soul Guidance Devices, leave the money, and then leave."
Knowing there was a trap, Huo Yuhao would be a fool to jump in.
The decision not to have too deep a connection with Wang Dong would not change just because of her aggrieved look.
But considering she likely didn't know the truth and was also a victim, Huo Yuhao's tone softened slightly as he said,
"I don't want to have too much entanglement with you; it's not your fault."
"Don't tell anyone about this, especially Tang Yin!"
Tang Yin? Although Wang Dong was confused, she still nodded.
Seeing that "Meng Hongchen" had no intention of seeing her out, she gritted her teeth, left a card, and departed.
Walking back to the Shrek Academy team's suite, Wang Dong recalled "Meng Hongchen's" cold manner from beginning to end and pursed her lips.
Is she really that icy and elegant?
How hateful. Can even this young master's heaven-defying looks not move you?
Wang Dong thought about it and then chuckled. Forget it, let her be icy.
An ice beauty is better than some thick-set, unknown male stranger.
...
In the meeting room of the prime minister's suite assigned to the Shrek Academy representative team.
Tang Yin, who had just returned to the team, felt a wave of mental exhaustion as everyone surrounded him, asking questions all at once.
Wang Yan asked, "Tang Yin, did the Martial Soul hunt go smoothly?"
Xu Sanshi asked curiously, "Is your fourth Spirit Ring really a ten-thousand-year Crypt Demon Spider?"
Zhou Yi frowned and said, "Xu Sanshi, what kind of question is that? With Elder Xuan taking action, would it not be secure? Even if it isn't that, it will definitely be something better."
Beibei, who was in much better condition, asked in confusion, "Why didn't Elder Xuan come back with you?"
Tang Ya checked carefully and asked, "You're not injured, are you?"
Hearing this, Tang Yin's expression softened slightly. It seemed that only Tang Ya had the highest emotional intelligence and cared for him the most.
Wang Yan said, "Tang Yin, you just got back, so you don't know the group situation yet."
"The first group we've been assigned to isn't weak overall."
"With your successful return from the soul hunt, my heart is much more at ease."
Looking at everyone's expectant eyes, Tang Yin nodded somewhat reluctantly, subtly tugging at the black robe that concealed his figure.
The thought of this ten-year Solitary Bamboo fourth Spirit Ring made him incredibly depressed.
He could use the Ring Explosion technique to destroy it.
However, the Ring Explosion secret method wouldn't actually destroy a Spirit Ring in one go; it required multiple attempts.
But currently, he hadn't tempered his Physique with the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well nor consumed Supreme Grade Immortal Herbs, and he hadn't achieved the Awakening of his Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul, so his body's recovery speed was low.
If he really used the Ring Explosion secret method to get rid of this Spirit Ring, he wouldn't be able to participate in this tournament at all.
To make matters worse, that ten-year torso bone had forced his Soul Power to Level 39.
This made him an unprecedented Level 39 four-ring Spirit Master.
The most disgusting part was that the Spirit Ability carried by this 'treasure' Soul Bone was called 'Massive Amplification,' but it could only amplify his total Soul Power by two percent.
Not only was it a Spirit Ability that required active activation, but the Soul Power consumed to activate it was actually more than the Soul Power it amplified.
It was simply ridiculous.
This soul-hunting trip had cast a shadow over his heart; he was utterly baffled as to how he could be so unlucky.
A meteorite fell from the sky, and his slots were forcibly occupied by a set of white-grade ten-year Spirit Ring and Soul Bone.
It just so happened that as soon as Xuanzi returned to Star Luo City, his injuries became almost uncontrollable, and he hurriedly went to the Hall of Enshrinement to find the Medical Immortal Douluo.
Now there was no one to take him to 'auto-loot' and recycle corpses.
Seeing that Tang Yin was unwilling to mention it, the members of the Shrek representative team assumed he wanted to keep a low profile in person but act boldly in deeds, intending to use it only at a critical moment in the tournament.
To turn the tide and make a stunning impression.
Tang Yin, who knew his own bitter reality, did not respond to the expectant gazes of Wang Yan and the others, only smiling and saying:
"Don't worry, we will win."
Hopefully Elder Xuan's injuries recover soon, otherwise, how long would it take to Cultivate to Level 40 and beyond on his own?
At that moment, Tang Yin inadvertently saw Wang Dong, who had just returned, passing the meeting room door while fondly playing with some Soul Guidance Devices.
The meeting room door wasn't closed, and based on the Soul Power fluctuations emitted by those Soul Guidance Devices, Tang Yin could tell at a glance that they were at least Class 3 Soul Guidance Devices.
Wang Dong must have gone to find Meng Hongchen to buy Soul Guidance Devices.
Tang Yin called out to Wang Dong, staring into her eyes and suddenly asking:
"Did you feel a Martial Soul resonance between you and Meng Hongchen this time?"
Ha!
Wang Dong's heart skipped a beat, and she tried her best to maintain a normal expression, saying:
"No! Martial Soul resonance is so rare, why would you ask such a weird question out of the blue?"
Tang Yin definitely has a hidden agenda!
Wang Dong had long felt that this person was off.
Last time when she went to the Sun-Moon Empire to find Meng Hongchen, he had shamelessly followed along.
The time before that, when searching for the origin of that Class 1 Soul Guidance Device in Shrek City, Tang Yin also happened to be on the scene.
And now he suddenly asks this question.
Most importantly, she had never mentioned to anyone before that she couldn't use Soul Guidance Devices, so how could Tang Yin know that?
The trip to Mingdu could be explained as a coincidence, but how did he know there was a Martial Soul resonance between her and Miss Meng?
Wang Dong's eyes flickered; she wouldn't believe it for a second if Tang Yin didn't have some plan or conspiracy targeting her behind the scenes.
Tang Yin, you truly have a 'way to seek death.'
Tang Yin carefully observed Wang Dong's less-than-perfect performance and got the answer he wanted.
As for whether Wang Dong developed ill will toward him or noticed something, he didn't care.
The Gold Soul Coins on Wang Dong were all provided by the Clear Sky Sect, which was under his control; what could she possibly do?
As long as his daughter Xiao Qi's—no, perhaps she should be called his son Xiao Qi's—soul recovered.
Then with a 'recognizing the ancestors' maneuver, wouldn't everyone be happy in the future?
...
Two days later, the first match of the group round-robin tournament began.
The representative teams of each academy sat in the waiting area, making final tactical preparations for their respective first round-robin matches.
Once in the round-robin tournament, the format changed slightly.
The match format, determined by drawing lots before the game, included three types: team battles, two-two-three, and individual elimination matches.
While Huo Yuhao was listening to Elder Ma and Feng Yu emphasize various tactical points, he took a moment to use Mental Detection to sweep over the Shrek representative team.
He saw that Tang Yin was actually wearing a specially made cloak today, covering his torso which somewhat resembled a baboon's.
His Soul Power aura was quite a bit weaker compared to last time.
The Spectators below the stage today were also a sea of people, not a bit fewer than in the first elimination round.
The difference was that many people held a large newspaper and were discussing it enthusiastically.
It was the 'tournament genius inventory report' personally written by Feng Tingting, with a huge portrait of Xiao Hongchen on the front-page headline.
At this time, besides discussing the invincible Xiao Hongchen, the Spectators mentioned Tang Yin the most.
According to the inventory and analysis of the 'tournament genius inventory report'...
This young Genius, who led the incomplete Shrek representative team to their first victory, had only just achieved a breakthrough to Level 40 Soul Power at that time.
Tang Yin was already this powerful without a fourth Spirit Ring; with a fourth Spirit Ring, wouldn't he just soar to the heavens?
Atop the imperial city, Xu Jiawei set up a Star Power barrier and said with a slight regret:
"According to tradition, Shrek Academy competes in the first match of every round."
"Unfortunately, we can't be too harsh on Shrek Academy, so the opponent arranged for them in the first match is only of medium level within the group."
"Under the full treatment of His Eminence the Medical Immortal, those injured in the last match should be mostly recovered."
"However, I still hope this match can force out Tang Yin's fourth Spirit Ability; I want to see if his fourth Spirit Ring is actually a ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring."
Xu Jiujiu asked in confusion, "If it really is a ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring, what would that prove?"
"It would prove that this person has the ambition to become a god," Xu Jiawei sighed.
Xu Jiujiu said, "There's no rush then; we'll turn up the intensity for them in the next match."
As the two were talking, they saw a tall man who had just stepped onto the city wall walking toward them.
The man looked to be only in his thirties, with regular features and deep-set eyes, each of his azure eyes flashing with double pupils.
His somewhat thin face did not look very good at the moment.
Xu Jiawei removed the Star Power barrier and said with concern, "Has my worthy brother found out who secretly damaged the Dai Family Mausoleum?"
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty," Dai Hao's tone sank as he continued:
"I haven't. The dozens of Class 4 and 5 detection Soul Guidance Devices placed around the tombs by the guard team were all destroyed one by one by this person."
"Without the strength of a Titled Douluo level, it would be very difficult to achieve this."
After all, it was a family matter, so Dai Hao had blocked the news at the time, and even Xu Jiawei wasn't very clear on the details.
Xu Jiawei pondered for a moment and said:
"It doesn't feel like the work of the Sun-Moon Empire."
"The Titled Douluos loyal to our Original Three Douluo Kingdoms all have political stances; it's unlikely they would do such a thing."
Xu Jiawei gave Dai Hao a look before saying:
"It was most likely done by someone from a Sect. It just so happens that the chamber of commerce under my imperial family's jurisdiction found an interesting little toy in the Sun-Moon Empire."
"It's a gradeless recording spirit tool that relies on the weak energy inherent in metal to function and doesn't require Soul Power to run."
"Although it only has image recording and alarm functions, it doesn't produce Soul Power fluctuations when running."
"Without the special detection Soul Guidance Devices banned for sale by the Sun-Moon Empire, it's almost impossible to detect."
Dai Hao's eyes lit up and he said, "That's excellent!"
Evil Soul Masters are mostly arrogant and sinister; they might return for a second strike. If that Evil Soul Master goes to damage the tombs again, we'll catch them red-handed!
Most of Dai Hao's worries were gone, and his mood for watching the match lightened considerably
On the high platform, the Shrek Academy representative team had already begun their battle with their opponents.
Beibei, who had mostly recovered, took over Xiao Xiao's position from the previous match.
Since the Netherworld White Tiger Martial Soul Fusion Skill had entered cooldown, Zhu Lu's position was taken over by Wang Dong, who was equipped with Soul Guidance Devices.
Tang Yin, who had consistently refrained from releasing his Spirit Rings and going all out, found that his Eight Spider Lances were no longer as unstoppable as in the previous match now that his opponents were on guard.
The opponent's only fifty-first rank Agility-Attack System Soul King, relying on his specialty in speed, became locked in a struggle with Tang Yin.
During the heat of the battle, Tang Yin revealed his trump card.
Relying on the Domain-type Spirit Ability, the Domain of the Slaughter God, he used a startling Killing Intent to catch the opponent's only Soul King off guard and intimidate him.
Under the ebb and flow within the Domain, Tang Yin successfully struck him.
For a moment, both on and off the competition stage, there was absolute silence.
Once the opponent's main force fell, no one could stop Tang Yin anymore, and he immediately went on a rampage on the field.
"What kind of Spirit Ability was that startling Killing Intent Tang Yin just unleashed?"
Xiao Hongchen asked with a frown as he watched the situation on the field turn one-sided.
Huo Yuhao could roughly tell it was a Domain-type Spirit Ability, but he wasn't sure if it came from a Spirit Ring or a Soul Bone.
He activated Mental Detection to cover the entire rest area, but even the Shrek teachers didn't seem to know.
The Ice Empress within his Sea of Consciousness was well-informed after all, and she said:
"That is a special Domain-type Spirit Ability that doesn't require a carrier."
"A Domain with such heavy Killing Intent is either accumulated through countless slaughters or obtained by killing many people with extremely heavy Killing Intent."
"Finally... if I'm not mistaken, this Domain-type Spirit Ability is called the Domain of the Slaughter God, which Tang San, who became a god ten thousand years ago, also possessed!"
Huo Yuhao said in surprise, "Ice Empress, was this also in the unofficial history books I picked up at the flea market?"
Although he had bought the books, they were only for the two in his Sea of Consciousness to pass the time.
He was usually too busy with his studies and naturally didn't have time to read them carefully.
The Ice Empress nodded and said, "Indeed."
Was a small flea market really such a place of hidden talents? To even have records of such ancient history.
Although the materials in the general history class at the Sun Moon Empire Royal Soul Engineer Academy were fairly complete, they weren't this detailed.
Furthermore, the fact that the Shrek teachers couldn't recognize it meant they either had no relevant records or the records were vague.
Huo Yuhao made a mental note of this, planning to explore that flea market near the academy specifically after the tournament ended.
However, the focus now was... Huo Yuhao looked deeply at Tang Yin, who was dominating the field.
Blue Silver Grass, the Tang Sect, Shrek Academy, the Eight Spider Lances, and now this Domain of the Slaughter God.
He wouldn't pull out a Clear Sky Hammer next time and shout something like 'the mighty Clear Sky Sect,' would he?
And then at the six-ring stage, would a hundred-thousand-year Soft-boned Rabbit jump out and sacrifice itself to him?
Complaints aside, connecting it to the Divine Sense Elder Yi felt on Tang Yin last time, as well as the several coincidental encounters with him...
A suspicion surfaced in Huo Yuhao's heart.
Tang San, you've already achieved a double God Position and ascended to the God Realm for ten thousand years; do you still have such a profound influence on the Douluo Continent?
A plan gradually took shape in Huo Yuhao's mind. What would happen if Tang Yin suffered too much of a setback in this tournament?
Would he go to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to eat Immortal Herbs?
Wouldn't that mean those Heavenly Treasuress would be within reach?
The plan has changed; aim the spear at Tang Yin!
Huo Yuhao was already calculating how many spirit-infused cast iron bullets he should reward Tang Yin with if they faced Shrek Academy.
"Why on earth does that Tang Yin refuse to release his Spirit Rings?" Xiao Hongchen noticed the key point.
Huo Yuhao said in a low tone, "Perhaps it's because his fourth Spirit Ring is too shocking, and he's afraid of scaring us Mortals."
In just that short time, the seven members of Shrek Academy had already secured their victory.
After the match, Xu Jiawei shook his head:
"Tang Yin is still hiding; he won't even release his Spirit Rings."
"I'm looking forward to his fourth Spirit Ring more and more."
In the referee tunnel, Huang Jinxu withdrew his gaze and glanced at the young man beside him:
"Li Jie, what did you see from this match? Are you confident in facing him?"
"Master Huang, that looks like a Domain-type Spirit Ability." Li Jie looked at Tang Yin and said dismissively:
"Tang Yin relies solely on those Eight Spider Lances for output. Sister Jiujiu has plenty of ways to deal with him."
"It's just a Domain-type Spirit Ability; I have one of those too."
"Besides, I'm the sharp blade meant for dealing with Soul Guidance Devices. Isn't it a bit of a waste of talent to pit me against Tang Yin?"
"By the way, Master Huang, I just got back from obtaining my fifth Spirit Ring last night, so I haven't seen Xiao Hongchen in action with my own eyes."
"After watching the recordings of Xiao Hongchen's moves a few times, I still can't tell if there were Soul Guidance Devices involved in that strike. What was your physical sensation at the time?"
Huang Jinxu said calmly, "It's somewhat similar to the linked Soul Tool Rays of the Soul Engineer legions I've fought in the Mingdou Mountain Range."
"Di'ao Academy from Group Eight has already secretly taken the lead in forming some 'Anti-Xiao Alliance' to test his depth."
The competition stage had been repaired.
A flash of light flickered, and in the next moment, a figure appeared in the center of the stage.
It was the Heavenly Fiend Douluo, Huang Jinxu.
Matches for other academies could have a Soul Saint as a referee, but he wasn't at ease with the team Xiao Hongchen was on.
"Captains from both sides, come to the stage for the draw!"
Only one person could go up for the draw. If Huo Yuhao wasn't by Xiao Hongchen's side to help conceal him, his true state would be easily seen through.
Ma Rulong and Xiao Hongchen nodded to each other, then stood up and left the rest area.
The captain of Shashui Academy was a rare female Spirit Master, whose curvaceous figure looked like a ripe peach in her daringly styled school uniform.
She winked at Ma Rulong: "Hey handsome, my name is Shui Shasha..."
Unexpectedly, Ma Rulong only gave her a cold look, turned around, and walked directly toward the stage.
Shui Shasha's expression stiffened slightly, her smile slowly fading as she followed him.
Seeing that it wasn't Xiao Hongchen coming up for the draw, many Spectators began to boo.
Soon, Huang Jinxu announced: "Sun Moon Empire Royal Soul Engineer Academy vs. Heavenly Soul Empire Shanshui Advanced Spirit Master Academy, team battle!"
Huo Yuhao and the others left the rest area with very calm minds. To them, the format of the match didn't make much of a difference.
The cheers from the audience were no less than those for Shrek Academy earlier, mainly due to the popularity Xiao Hongchen brought.
In this world, strength was king, not to mention Xiao Hongchen's very good looks.
Xiao Hongchen led Huo Yuhao, Meng Hongchen, Lin Xi, Mi Jia, and two other Fifth-Rank Soul Tool Masters from the main team onto the stage.
While walking, he waved to the audience with a look of enjoyment.
In the rest area, Feng Tingting's recording Soul Guidance Device was already set up.
"If it weren't for the fact that I'm not on the field, would it be your turn, Xiao Hongchen, to show off like this?" Li Jie sneered in his heart while watching from the referee tunnel.
In the distance, Xu Jiawei's gaze also landed squarely on Xiao Hongchen.
The two teams occupied their respective sides, looking at each other from afar.
On the Sun Moon Empire Royal Soul Engineer Academy side, Xiao Hongchen stood at the very front with his arms crossed over his chest.
Behind him were Huo Yuhao and Meng Hongchen.
The four at the very back spread out in a V-shape, a standard Soul Engineer fire-coverage formation.
Standing at the very front of Shashui Academy was their captain, Shui Shasha.
Beside her stood two young men who looked similar, though one was obese and the other was as thin as a bamboo pole.
Behind them stood three young men, all with brownish-yellow hair, slender builds, and arms that almost reached their knees—very distinctive.
At the very back stood a girl with fiery red hair.
All seven appeared to be around twenty years old.
After the first day of the elimination rounds, Di'ao Academy had gathered the leaders of the other academies in Group Eight, excluding the Sun Moon Empire Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
They held a meeting together.
Almost every leader believed that the Soul Saint-level cultivation Xiao Hongchen displayed was fake.
Today, winning or losing wasn't important for them.
Their only mission was to attack Xiao Hongchen with everything they had to test his depth!
Although Huo Yuhao didn't activate mind reading, he could see some clues in the eyes of the opponents, so he warned:
"Senior Brother Xiao, be careful in a moment."
"The three standing in the front on the opposite side are all Soul Kings; their strength is not weak."
Time flies; it feels like just yesterday when I decided to publish this book.
At that time, I felt that a Visionary Huo Yuhao would definitely be interesting.
Sure enough, Naipeng picked it up, and it's had the best stats since I started writing.
Loyalty to Naipeng!
First, I'd like to thank the readers who have been following along. Thank you.
Thanks to the readers active in the comments; seeing your feedback makes me feel like I'm not playing a single-player game, giving me the motivation to type.
[Remember this site's domain: Taiwan Novel Net is great for killing time, super smooth.]
I know that among the readers, most prefer to read and support silently.
Although you rarely speak, seeing your likes on comments makes the cold follow-up data in the author's backend feel more real.
I check the comment section frequently, and I can see most of them (except for second-level replies).
I've also noticed many of your suggestions and feedback.
What I could change immediately, I have already changed.
As for others involving more chapters and sections, I'll find time to revise them.
Regarding the number of female leads, I saw the statistics a reader posted in the review section a couple of days ago.
The ratio of "many" to "few" is currently 2:1, so this book will have multiple female leads.
My apologies to readers who want pure romance, but I'm confident I can write Xiao Meng well.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been the first female lead; Xiao Meng is truly worth it.
I'll do my best to make every female lead shine.
Also, some readers feedbacked that I'm suppressing Huo Yuhao too much.
I've reflected on it: first, my skills are still lacking, and I indeed overdid it; second, there were too few updates during the new book period.
If I wrote four or five chapters a day and the plot moved along, it wouldn't feel so frustrating.
The drop in follow-up readers after the 008 and Ten-Year Lone Bamboo plot was due to emotional inconsistency from the plot arrangement, as well as the slow updates.
So, the volume of updates is very important!
The data for this book is decent, with about 8,000 collections so far.
There will be at least five chapters for today's VIP release.
As for how many daily updates there will be later, let me make a wish!
800 first-day subscriptions: 6,000 words daily.
1,000 first-day subscriptions: 8,000 words daily.
For every 50 subscriptions over 1,000, I'll add one extra chapter.
Uh, if there are tips, one extra chapter for every 10,000 points.
Finally, let me share some of my hardships.
For the Class of '26 postgraduate entrance exam, I stubbornly applied to a C9 university again, but missed it by just a few points.
It looks like I won't have a school to go to.
My family can't help much, and I want to pay off my student loan of over 40,000 yuan myself.
I'm basically penniless now. I originally planned to work as a tutor to earn some money if I didn't pass.
But in reality, there's a lot of uncertainty. I inquired over the last two days, and they don't seem to be that short-staffed.
Fortunately, this book I released before the New Year is going VIP now.
The royalties might just solve my urgent financial crisis.
So, Qiutu implores everyone who finds this