Chapter 150: The Opening of the Tournament

Chapter 150: The Opening of the Tournament

As the date for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament drew closer, the atmosphere across the entire continent grew increasingly lively.

Within a short time, tens of thousands of Soul Masters from across the empire rushed into the city of Heaven Dou. These included Soul Masters coming to watch the tournament, scouts from various duchies, and representatives from the numerous participating advanced Soul Master academies.

It is well known that Soul Masters are the most prestigious professionals on the Douluo Continent. While the city of Heaven Dou itself had many Soul Masters, the number of Soul Masters gathering here could rival the total number of Soul Masters in the entire imperial capital.

Among them were not only those coming to watch, but also spies from various duchies and representatives from the different participating academies.

These advanced Soul Master academies were spread throughout the empire. On a normal day, they focused on educating and training young talents, building up their strength for moments like this tournament.

Academies with average strength were worried and sighed, fully aware that they would not achieve much in the competition. But it was still an opportunity for their students to witness the true talents of the empire, and for the so-called "geniuses" in their midst to understand what real genius looked like!

On the other hand, academies that recruited top-tier students were full of confidence. Their members walked with purpose, heads held high, eager to make a splash in the tournament.

The older, more experienced academies were calculating their strategies, focusing on the potential threats from their rivals, and quietly preparing for the grand finale.

The Oakland Team was no different. Since Dugu Yan had returned from hunting the soul beasts, he found that the academy was full of ambition and expectations for him, eager to make a significant impact in the tournament.

Before Dugu Yan joined Oakland Academy, the team had only one Soul Sect-level powerhouse. However, with his addition, along with Zhu Zhuqing and Dugu Yan, the team now boasted four Soul Sect members.

The remaining three Soul Kings were all top-tier among their level, though one of them was slightly weaker.

This was why Oakland Academy was so confident.

The seven official members of the Oakland Team were as follows:

Captain: Feng Qianli, Martial Soul: Xuanwu Turtle, Level 41 Power Attack Soul Master, Soul Rings: Two Yellow, Two Purple.Vice-Captain: Dugu Yan, Martial Soul: Holy White Tiger, Level 45 Power Attack Soul Sect, Soul Rings: One Yellow, Two Purple, One Black.Member: Dugu Bo, Martial Soul: Green-scaled Snake, Level 45 Control-type Soul Sect, Soul Rings: Two Yellow, Two Purple.Member: Zhu Zhuqing, Martial Soul: Underworld Sovereign, Level 42 Agility Attack Soul Sect, Soul Rings: Two Yellow, Two Purple.Member: Feng Wutong, Martial Soul: Vermilion Bird, Level 37 Power Attack Soul King, Soul Rings: Two Yellow, One Purple.Member: Dai Yuanyi, Martial Soul: Green Rainbow Sword, Level 39 Power Attack Soul King, Soul Rings: Two Yellow, One Purple.Member: Luo Ling, Martial Soul: Amplification Staff, Level 33 Support Soul King, Soul Rings: Two Yellow, One Purple.

Among these seven official members, the team was well-balanced in Control, Power Attack, and Agility Attack, though the Support Soul Master, Luo Ling, was somewhat weaker.

However, this couldn't be helped. Luo Ling was already the strongest Support Soul Master at Oakland Academy.

Given the limitations of a typical Martial Soul, Luo Ling's amplification effect was far inferior to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, which could amplify a whole team. Her single-target amplification also had much weaker effects.

This was the difference between a regular Martial Soul and a top-tier Martial Soul.

Moreover, Luo Ling could not amplify Dugu Yan because his abilities were so powerful that it would drain her Soul Power at an astonishing rate, emptying her energy reserves within minutes.

However, when paired with Dai Yuanyi and others, Luo Ling's power was sufficient to rival a Soul Sect, which was a stroke of good luck for the team.

There were two substitute team members:

Substitute Member: Luo Feng, Martial Soul: Green Wood Vine, Level 37 Control-type Soul King, Soul Rings: Two Yellow, One Purple.Substitute Member: Dou Yu, Martial Soul: Green Swallow, Level 35 Agility Attack Soul King, Soul Rings: One White, Two Yellow.

These two had been eliminated from the team after Dugu Yan and Feng Wutong joined Oakland Academy. While they weren't as strong as the core members, they were still the academy's top combatants.

In the Oakland Academy Principal's Office.

A sudden shout nearly shook the entire teaching building.

"What?!"

Principal Jackson stared dumbfounded at Dugu Yan, who was standing before him, the black gleam of his ten-thousand-year Soul Ring flickering with traces of lightning.

"Is this your fourth Soul Ring?"

Jackson rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he was seeing. He swallowed hard and pointed at the ten-thousand-year Soul Ring, his voice rough and dry.

"Yes," Dugu Yan replied.

"How did you manage this? To absorb a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring at the fourth ring!"

Jackson marveled, his voice full of disbelief.

"It was purely luck."

Thinking back to when the Thunder Prison Vine was about to self-destruct, and the destructive energy filling his spiritual world, Dugu Yan's heart skipped a beat. If it hadn't been for the existence of the Chaos Green Lotus, he would have been dead.

Upon hearing this, Jackson sighed deeply. He could only imagine the kind of suffering Dugu Yan had to endure to absorb a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring.

Then, a sly smile crept onto his face. "Heh, those old guys from the other academies who have always looked down on us Oakland Academy, this time, I'll make sure they have their eyes opened!"

Jackson turned and confidently walked to the Oakland Team's training grounds. Finding the teacher in charge of the team, he declared, without room for discussion:

"This time, I will personally lead the team!"

"Personally lead the team?"

Several teachers looked uncertain.

It was very rare for the headmaster to personally lead the team in the competition. If they won, it was fine, but if they lost, it would be a huge embarrassment.

"That's right. This time, I have full faith in our team members!"

A mischievous gleam flashed in Jackson's cloudy eyes. He couldn't wait to see the shocked expressions on the faces of those other academies.

Three Days Later.

In the imperial capital of Heaven Dou, the grand opening ceremony of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament was held at the Soul Arena in Heaven Dou City.

As a participating academy, Oakland Academy had arrived early and was waiting in the rest area.

"Wow, so many people."

Dugu Yan looked out the window, but his view was narrow. The Soul Arena was packed with people, and those closest to the arena could be clearly seen, while those far away were no larger than ants.

The arena could hold 80,000 spectators, and it was completely full. The murmur of 80,000 people filled the air, like the sound of distant thunder, adding pressure on every team.

In order to accommodate such a large number of spectators, the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena had stopped all soul battles a month ago for renovations, transforming it into this colossal competition venue.

Inside the rest area, 28 participating teams stood in line.

Although they were all officially participating teams, there were clear hierarchies among them.

At the front, surrounded by all eyes, was the Heaven Dou Royal Academy team. As one of the seed teams selected by the empire, they represented the empire's face, and their strength was unquestionable.

Dugu Yan, however, was very curious. Thanks to his butterfly effect, Dugu Yan's joining Oakland Academy had led to the inclusion of Dugu Yan, but who was the control-type Soul Master for Heaven Dou Royal Academy?

Looking over, his eyes widened in surprise as he recognized someone familiar: Meng Yiran.

"No wonder, as the granddaughter of the mighty Dragon Snake, Meng Yiran's strength is naturally no small feat. It makes sense that she would be the control-type Soul Master of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy team."

It was almost as if Meng Yiran had sensed Dugu Yan's gaze. She turned her head and locked eyes with him.

Seeing her expression, Dugu Yan sneered slightly. Just then, Yu Tianheng, standing at the front of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy team, turned around sharply, his eyes locking onto Dugu Yan's face. His expression immediately became one of deep resentment.

Yu Tianheng was still deeply in love with Dugu Yan's teammate, Dugu Yan. His departure had caused him great pain.

Dugu Yan also noticed Yu Tianheng's stare. With a light snort, he pulled Dugu Yan close to him, eliciting a soft protest from her.

"What are you doing? There are so many people around!"

Dugu Yan blushed and gently scolded him. Although she always acted like a cool, collected older sister in front of Dugu Yan, she was still just a girl under twenty.

Yu Tianheng, seeing Dugu Yan's intimate gesture, almost exploded with rage. He gritted his teeth, and the other members of the Royal Fighting Team, noticing his unusual behavior, turned to follow his gaze. When they saw Dugu Yan, they too were filled with anger.

However, Dugu Yan paid no mind and continued to observe the other teams.

There were the Seven King-like teams of Shenfeng Academy; the beautiful and talented team from Heavenly Water Academy; the muscle-bound beasts from the Elephant Armor Academy; the lightning-fast Thunder Academy; and the fiery, intense Blaze Fire Academy.

But when Dugu Yan's gaze fell on Blaze Fire Academy, he found a pair of eyes locking onto him intently.

Standing tall and elegant, with long jade-like legs, a perfectly proportioned figure, exquisite features, and an air of grace, along with fiery red short hair, she was undoubtedly an extraordinary beauty. This was none other than Huo Wu, whose eyes were filled with intense fighting spirit.

Dai Yao smiled lightly at Huo Wu, knowing full well that such a proud woman would be deliberately targeted after her defeat. It was inevitable.

At the Shenfeng Academy side, Feng Xiaotian watched his dear little sister, Huo Wu, but his gaze was drawn to a Soul Master from an unknown academy. He immediately frowned.

After a quick glance, he couldn't help but marvel, "This kid, he's just as handsome as I am!"

One of his teammates raised an eyebrow and said, "Boss, this kid is even more handsome than you! You can't just lie about it!"

"Brat! How can you praise someone else and diminish yourself!" Feng Xiaotian snapped.

"Sorry, Boss, but that academy does have a few beauties," another teammate mentioned.

"Really?" Feng Xiaotian's attention shifted to Dai Yao, and he briefly scanned his surroundings, momentarily missing the other people next to him. His gaze, however, lingered for a moment on a few striking women: Dugu Yan, who exuded an otherworldly charm; Zhu Zhuqing, who carried a cool and seductive air; and Feng Wutong, whose aura of heroic grace was enticing.

"I didn't expect such a small academy to have three women who could rival Huo Wu," Feng Xiaotian marveled.

Indeed, Oakland Academy had become quite the center of attention, especially because of these three women. Their presence caused a stir among the surrounding teams.

Feng Xiaotian, staring intently at Huo Wu, then sneered and thought to himself, "Kid, I hope I don't run into you during the competition. Otherwise, I'll make sure to show you who's the real deal!"

Dai Yao's eyes swept across one academy after another—Canghui, Zixing, and finally landed on a rather odd team dressed in a hideously green color. The strangest part was that on their backs were six bold characters: "Seeking Sponsorship!"

The bizarre uniforms led to endless laughter from the spectators. Even Dai Yao couldn't help but chuckle.

The Shrek Seven Monsters had worn masks during the Soul Arena competition, but Tyrone and the others, who joined later, didn't have masks and were immediately "socially dead" in the eyes of the crowd.

"Dai Yao, look at that team! Their clothes are so ugly! And they have 'Seeking Sponsorship' on their backs! Do they really need money that badly?" Dugu Yan giggled, covering her mouth.

The members of Oakland Academy couldn't hold back their laughter either. Even the usually cold Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but laugh, which eased the tense atmosphere among them.

"That team is a real joke. If I had to wear something like that, I'd rather crawl into a hole!" Dai Yuanyi joked mischievously.

"Quiet, Dai Yuanyi," Feng Qianli frowned. "We're about to compete, stay focused."

As the noise in the arena calmed down, a single voice rang out across the entire Soul Arena.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please be silent."

The host took the stage, and with a powerful amplification of his soul power, the hum of voices across the arena vanished. The whole arena became eerily quiet.

"Now, let us welcome the first team to the stage! The seed team of the empire, the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Team!"

As soon as the host finished speaking, the crowd erupted into a roar that could rival a storm. Amid the wild cheers, the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Team walked slowly from the passageway.

Their appearance only amplified the cheers of the 80,000 spectators, and even Emperor Xue Ye, sitting in the royal box, showed no sign of impatience. Instead, he smiled from the bottom of his heart.

These cheers symbolized the people's approval of the Heaven Dou royal family.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty. The Heaven Dou Royal Academy team enjoys great public support," Ning Fengzhi said with his usual cultured demeanor.

"Ha-ha! The prosperity of the empire is also thanks to talents like you, Sect Leader Ning!" Emperor Xue Ye said, his voice full of vigor despite his age.

Beside them, Bishop Salas snorted disdainfully.

"Next, let us welcome..."

As the host continued to introduce the teams, one by one, 28 teams took the stage. Only two remained in the waiting area: Oakland Academy and Shrek Academy.

Because of their awkward uniforms, Shrek Academy was the subject of mocking from Canghui Academy, which was still fuming with anger, determined to show Canghui Academy a lesson.

"Dai Mubai, long time no see," Dai Yao said quietly as both teams lined up side by side.

Hearing the familiar voice, Dai Mubai turned slightly, his expression filled with nostalgia. "Long time no see. Who would have thought we'd meet here, on the stage of the Heaven Dou Empire?"

"Such is the way of fate," Dai Yao replied with a light smile.

The conversation between the two left everyone else in their respective teams confused. They exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what was going on.

Only Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Lu seemed to share an unspoken understanding, their eyes filled with silent tension.

Ning Rongrong seemed to understand something as well, her lips pressed tightly together, her gaze flickering as she looked at Dai Yao.

"Last time, in the Star Dou Great Forest, I lost to you. After six months of training, my strength has undergone a significant improvement. This time, I want to have another go," Dai Mubai said, his eyes gleaming with battle intent.

"Anytime," Dai Yao replied with a light smile.

The two did not look at each other but both understood the determination in the other's eyes.

At that moment, a voice echoed through the entire Soul Arena.

"Now, let us welcome the Oakland Academy team!"

"This is it! Let's get pumped! Don't let Oakland down!" Feng Qianli turned around and said seriously.

Everyone stiffened, focusing on the task at hand. They followed the attendants toward the team passage for the competition.

The team passage was dimly lit, with only the exit ahead brightly illuminated. Once they entered, all sounds from the outside were blocked, except for the faint noise from the cheering crowd ahead.

As the vice-captain, Dai Yao walked behind Feng Qianli, taking a deep breath. He realized that the usually composed Feng Qianli was trembling slightly.

Dai Yao's heart skipped a beat. So, Feng Qianli was nervous too.

The passage was quiet except for the sound of footsteps. With each step, Dai Yao's heart raced, his breath quickening slightly. A subtle but persistent nervousness filled the air.

Though the distance was short, it felt incredibly long. The thought of competing in front of 80,000 spectators was exhilarating.

After what seemed like an eternity, the light grew brighter. Before him was the Soul Arena, a massive circular arena with a diameter of more than 150 meters, its seats extending upward like an ancient coliseum.

The round Soul Arena was packed with people. The figures at the top were barely visible, and only with special equipment could anyone make out the details of the competition.

The cheers for the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Team were deafening, but the cheers for Oakland Academy were much more subdued. There were polite applause, more out of respect for the Soul Masters than anything else.

After all, Oakland Academy was no match for Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

"What kind of low-tier team is this?" someone in the crowd sneered.

"Didn't you hear? Oakland Academy, from the capital!"

"Our capital has such a team?"

"They're probably just here to make up the numbers, like those other unknown academies."

"These small academies can't compare to Five Elements Academy!"

The mocking whispers, laughter, and questioning murmurs filled the air. But for Dai Yao, this only stoked the fire within him. His body grew warm, and with a deep breath, his eyes sharpened.

In his heart, he silently vowed: After today, my name will be known across the entire continent!

(End of Chapter)

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