The University Championship

Suddenly, a rift in space appeared in the middle of the laboratory. Guang Yue stepped out, holding a spatial ring in her hand. She walked straight toward Gu Tian, who was seated, keeping an eye on his three newly contracted beasts. They were devouring everything in front of them with insatiable greed.

Guang Yue smiled slightly before handing the spatial ring to her son. "This afternoon, there's a university championship happening. Are you interested in watching it?"

She then approached the three beasts and gently stroked their heads with affection. They momentarily stopped chewing, hesitated, and then slowly leaned in, rubbing their heads against her hand as if seeking comfort. Their bodies squirmed and snuggled up to her like small children.

Gu Tian took the spatial ring, opened it, and inspected its contents. Inside, there were various valuable materials his mother had gathered for him. He nodded in satisfaction before speaking. "You mean the World University Championship? Is our university participating this year?"

Guang Yue smiled before responding. "Of course. This year, it's being held in White Bamboo City, and both your father and grandfather should be there as well. I'll also be attending."

Gu Tian thought for a moment before nodding. "In that case, I should go and watch."

Guang Yue smiled warmly. "Great. See you there."

She vanished into the void without another word. Gu Tian then stored his three beasts back into his spiritual domain before turning back to finish recording his pending experiment results.

Six Hours Later

In White Bamboo City, a Level 6 city located on the Dark Cloud Continent, a massive coliseum at the heart of the city was filled to the brim with an immense crowd. The stadium was packed, with spectators excitedly awaiting the upcoming battles.

A loud voice echoed through the arena, belonging to Meng Feng, one of the main commentators.

"And here we are, the long-awaited Round of 16! After eliminating over 100,000 universities in the selection process, we are now left with the top competitors in the World Championship of Beast-Tamer Universities! This tournament is exclusively for first-year students, and today, we'll determine which university reigns supreme, securing the most valuable and vast resources as their prize!"

Meng Feng then turned to his co-commentator. "Mr. Wu, who do you think is the strongest contender for this year's championship?"

Wu Wei, the co-commentator, responded confidently. "I still believe that Warstorm University remains the top contender, just like every year. However, this year is truly extraordinary because Celestial Divine University, widely known as the strongest university in the world, has sent their first-year students to compete!"

Meng Feng's eyes widened. "Celestial Divine University? The one that only accepts students with SSS-level talent? I've heard that their admission requirements are completely unknown to the public, but every single person who manages to enroll ends up becoming an extremely powerful Beast-Tamer Emperor!"

Wu Wei nodded. "That's right. This year's first-year competition will undoubtedly be one of the most intense and historic tournaments ever."

Inside a VIP lounge on the top floor of the coliseum, Guang Yue and Gu Mo were watching the opening ceremony of the championship, though their expressions showed a hint of boredom.

From the void, Gu Tian stepped out, glancing around before asking, "Where's father?"

Guang Yue smiled slightly before answering, "Your father is currently coaching Starfall University's team. He should be with Lin Yuntian right now."

Gu Tian raised an eyebrow. "Oh? That's quite interesting."

Gu Mo chuckled lightly. Meanwhile, the opening ceremony was officially beginning down below. First-year students from various universities marched onto the battlefield alongside their team coaches, their postures upright and filled with unwavering determination.

But inside the VIP lounge, Guang Yue, Gu Mo, and Gu Tian suddenly burst into laughter.

"HAHAHAHA!"

The three of them laughed uncontrollably, as if witnessing something utterly hilarious. The reason? The sight of Gu Long fully dressed in a formal black suit, his hair slicked back perfectly, and his face tense with a serious expression.

"HAHAHA! This is… a rare sight indeed!" Gu Tian exclaimed between fits of laughter.

"Look at his face! HAHAHA!" Guang Yue cackled.

Gu Mo wasn't about to let the opportunity pass either he immediately pulled out his phone, snapping a photo while grinning. "This needs to be preserved for history!"

Meanwhile, Starfall University's representatives made their appearance on the battlefield. The team consisted of Meng Lin, Lin Feng, and Lin Yao Lin Yuntian's younger siblings. All three had undergone rigorous training directly under Gu Tian, and their beasts had been evolved using high-quality resources that Gu Tian had personally selected. This made them significantly stronger than the average first-year competitors.

However, this championship wasn't just about winning a title it was a battle for power among the 10 Sacred Clans and the 3 Emperor Clans. Yet, there were three universities that remained independent, refusing to align with any of the 13 great clans. These were Starfall University, Celestial Divine University, and Black Rabbit University. These three institutions had opted out of the current war over the Emperor-Tier Secret Realms, maintaining their neutrality.

The tournament format was simple:

Lose 3 matches, and you're eliminated.Win 3 matches, and you advance to the next round.

As soon as the opening ceremony ended, the competition progressed swiftly. Given the overwhelming strength of Starfall University's team, with all three members at Peak Gold Rank and possessing SSS- and SS-grade talents, they breezed through the first round without breaking a sweat.

In the first round, Starfall University faced off against Black Rabbit University, ranked 15th in the world rankings, and secured a decisive victory with ease.

In the second round, Starfall University went up against Golden University, ranked 10th, and maintained their dominant performance without any difficulties.

For the third round, they battled Ice Bear University, ranked 9th, a much stronger opponent. However, they still fell to the overwhelming power of Meng Lin.

With a flawless 3-0 record, Starfall University advanced to the Top 8 without breaking a sweat.

The Eight Teams Advancing to the Quarterfinals

Storm Thunder University (3-0)

Starfall University (3-0)

Celestial Divine University (3-1)

Black Sea University (3-1)

Beast Emperor University (3-2)

Mist Blade University (3-2)

Azure Sky University (3-2)

Commerce University (3-2)

Since the tournament was not limited to just first-year students, but also included Year 2, 3, and 4 divisions, the quarterfinals for Year 1 were immediately set into motion right after the match pairings were announced.

Quarterfinal Matchups:Match 

Match 1: Storm Thunder University (Ranked 2nd in the World) vs Commerce University (Ranked 5th in the World)

Match 2: Black Sea University (Ranked 4th in the World) vs Beast Emperor University (Ranked 1st in the World)

Match 3: Celestial Divine University (Unranked) vs Mist Blade University (Ranked 3rd in the World)

Match 4: Starfall University (Unranked) vs Azure Sky University (Ranked 6th in the World)

As the matchups were announced, deafening cheers erupted across the stadium. The students from each university stepped onto the stage, releasing their beast auras, causing the arena to tremble under the immense pressure.

Match 1: Storm Thunder University vs Commerce University

Storm Thunder University fielded an extremely powerful lineup consisting of Wu Shuang, Su Meilin, and Liang Yufeng. This university was under the control of the Wu Clan, one of the 10 Sacred Clans and a future 4th-ranked Emperor Clan.

Once the match began, Storm Thunder University quickly demonstrated their superiority, completely dominating Commerce University.

Standing at the center of the battlefield, Wu Shuang's aura soared to the Emerald Rank, an exceptionally high level for a first-year student. Meanwhile, Su Meilin and Liang Yufeng, though slightly weaker, had already reached the Platinum Rank, making them formidable opponents.

The match concluded swiftly and decisively Storm Thunder University claimed victory with overwhelming strength.