Absorbing it, I learned that the beast element was space. This was the main reason it could hide from my detection, hiding in another plane, and it also explains the other balloons appearing from nowhere.
The ability I obtained was a really strange one. I couldn't say that it was a good or bad one. The skill permits me created copies of my sword and control them in a 50 m area. I could create thousands of swords completely control them to attack all around, it seems great but it has a big downfall. Those swords at defect were useless, completely void of any spirit energy.
They don't consume a lot of spirit, but the swords created are too weak to damage anyone over rank 40, even without defense skill. Attack system, with a powerful body, could simply ignore them. They break easily and disappeared.
The good part is that I can control them and that they are swords. Being swords is relatively easy so influx intent in them. Surrounded by intent their durability and strength grew. But, it's impossible to put intent in a lot due to its tremendous consumption.
I could create better swords, but it required a lot of time and comprehension. Now I could only create a useful one. This one is a completely white copy of mind, being very resilient, but without edge.
Summarizing, I have infinite useless sword and one controllable shield in sword form.
I also learned about the Balloon, it obtained other beasts, parasitizing them, using their bodies as copies of himself, with similar properties with the beast used. It made a lot of them and controlled them. It also could store his copies, invoking them when he wants while it hides away in another created plane, where it doesn't move.
If not for Mayi detection, It would be impossible for me to find it, and I should destroy all the copies to survive. Or simply, considering the losings greater than the wins he would ignore me. If it fought with all his power maybe it could win against us, but it reacted too late.
I sighed (why can the skill be like him and made a powerful sword with beast?!)
Having finished the absorption, Mayi and I returned where the others were. They were all there except Tang San.
"Hi" I saluted, showing our presence.
"Oh, you returned big brother. You had any problem absorbing it?" asked Rongrong.
I showed my sword, now surrounded by 5 rings, 2 yellows, 2 purples and one black "No problem at all. Where's San?"
"He is absorbing a ring, he went to a special place to ease the absorption. He is trying to absorb a 10.000 years beast so it will be difficult, better not distract him" explained Grandmaster, unable to hide his worry.
I nodded in understanding and we all wait for Tang San.
After a lot of time he finally came, having accomplished absorbing 10.000 years old as his 4th ring, something completely abnormal, but talking to abnormalities I am more so I wasn't too surprised.
As I was there, like in my case, he didn't explain his skill. It's always good to try to hide a little for future rivals, even if you have some trust in them.
I said thank you for all their help in searching for beasts. Even if little trash it wasn't their fault, it was only my shitty luck. Then we all returned to Heaven Dou City, separating there going to our own academies. As must start the preselection tournament nearly, while we had much more time until the finals so we were calmer.
Before departing from them, Chenxiang approached me "I will win, over you and Mayi. Shrek will win, when it happens you will do anything that I ask" she said smiling, quickly leaving without waiting for my answer or trying to make some type of bet, only being an affirmation.
I shook my head sighing. Mayi was growling "We won't lose, never!".
Returning to the academy and seeing the other Emperor's member, we have a little celebration. From the next day, we started training our coordination, improving our strength as a team.
We have some months until the finals. Even with this, I will go to the preselection and ranking competition. It will be good seeing other teams fight and knowing the strength of future rivals. I also want to see Rongrong and dad will be there accompanying the emperor as the schoolmaster of one of the most powerful schools of Heaven Dou Empire, so I will be able to meet both of them. I also want to know if something happened to mum.
Continuing our training one month passed, finally marking the start of the preselection tournament.
The Continental Advanced Spirit Master Elite Tournament is divided into different phases. The first is the preselection, this one will take place at the central stadium of Heaven Duo City Arena. In that part, the schools and academies qualified to enter the tournament are divided into groups of 27 teams. These teams will fight each one versus all the others in team battles of 7vs7, from their win-loss ratio, from all the groups will be decided 21 who will pass to the next phase.
The next phase is the ranking one. All the 21 teams will fight with all the other another time, this time it will be 1vs1 fights until one of the team loses all its members. From these fights, it would be decided the 15 teams that pass to the next phase. It also decided the ranking of them, important at the next phase.
Then it will be the finals. The finals will take place in Spirit City, the capital completely governed by Spirit Hall. This part will participate in a total of 33 teams. The 15 teams previously selected by
Heaven Dou Empire and the 15 teams selected by Star Luo Empire, plus the 3 seeded teams, one from each empire and one from Spirit Hall.
In the finals, there will be a total of 5 rounds, in the first round the 3 seeded teams will rest and the others will fight a qualifying match 7vs7, leaving 18 teams. The second round the 2 first ranked will rest, leaving after the round a total of 10 teams. The third round the second-ranked will rest, leaving 6 teams. Then after the fourth round, nobody will rest and there will be the final 3, starting the true Final.
This Final round will be like the ranking competition, the three teams will fight between all the others in 1vs1 matches, the first ranked will directly pass to the final match. The second and third will fight 7vs7 deciding who will fight the first. Then it will be a 7vs7 match, deciding the victor.
The preselection will last over a month, having to fight one time almost every day. The ranking also will last one month, while the finals will take one week.
As the seeded team of Heaven Dou Empire, we don't have to participate in the preselection or ranking competition. Nevertheless, we will need to at least be present at the opening ceremony. All the team members prepared to go to the stadium, this time we were dressed in the academy's uniform.
The opening ceremony is an act of presentation of all Heaven Duo Empire's teams, an opening match between two randomly selected teams and the draw of the first matches for the next day.
Once we were ready, a carriage took us towards the stadium. Passing through the streets we could see how it transformed, becoming some sort of festival, full of people.
Arriving at the entrance of the stadium and exiting the carriage we were welcomed by a lot of cheering by the crowd. As the seeded team of Heaven Dou Empire, we are one of the favorites to win the tournament and the principal representative of the empire. Without a doubt, the empire will win more prestige if we win the tournament rather than any other team, even if they are part of the empire.
It must be known that some schools even when they are considered part of Heaven Dou Empire, they have some kind of relation with Spirit Hall being even affiliated with them. So you can't really trust them in cases of war.
We were guided to a waiting room. When we arrived and the attendants left us alone, Osler said "I hate these useless acts. Why did we need to come? Is not that there will need to fight"
"We are the representatives of the empire. As the best of it, we need to at least show our greatness" Yan answered.
"It's only for today. In the next days, we don't need to come until the start of the finals. Don't be too prim, hold it for today. We shouldn't embarrass ourselves" Tianheng said.
"I would like to fight" said Mayi sadly.
I turned to Mayi "The majority of the are very weak, consisted of only spirit elders. For the powerful one, we will meet them at the finals so don't worry about"
"I am worried, with 5 more than 45 rank spirit ancestors and 2 spirits king. I don't think that there will much fight. I really would be a little useless" Lingling said.
"What's wrong in being useful only in important situations!" Osler said "Cheer up, Lingling!"
"I think that I would offer to one of the healers of the tournament, at least until the finals. It would be some training and it will improve my reputation" Lingling said.
"With your power, it's impossible that they will refuse your help. Undoubtedly, you're the best healer under douluo rank" flatter Osler.
Lingling smiled "Thanks, Osler"
The truth is in those months, with Lingling change her emotionless state, smiling more and simple-seeming more alive, she really became more approachable. It's very easy to see that she gained a lot of fans in the academy, now that she actively helps others. Also, it's obvious that Osler fell for her charms, now following her like a puppy with the excuse of protecting her. Puppy? He is a panther so maybe it will be better to say kitty.
For the other hand, I don't think that Lingling liked him anything more than friends, Even with her development, I don't think that she is really ready for something like love. We will need to wait for the future.
I turned to Tianheng "In your opinion, what are the teams that we must be careful about?" I asked him. Tianheng as the team leader is the one that investigates this kind of information. I already studied the teams, but there's no damage in listening to others' opinions.
"There's not a lot of teams that can be considered a threat. For the strong one, even if there's not a lot of information about them because they are usually kind of closed to the outside. The strongest will be the 5 elemental schools.
The Elephant Armored School is focused on defense.
The Skywater Academy, its members all have water attribute spirit. If my information is correct, their strong point is their good cooperation, they also are rumored to be capable of a spirit fusion between its captain and her sister.
The Blazing Academy, with their fire attribute spirits. Even if all their member has a fire spirit, they have a balanced team with attack, control, and support. Their main strength is their power, especially its captain.
The Godwing Academy, with air attribute spirits. They focused on speed, but they also have good power. It must highlight their captain, considered a rare genius born with full innate spirit power, he has an almost perfect control, having even created one self-created technique. I don't have information about what the technique is exactly.
Finally, the Thunderclap Academy, with lighting attributes. As it's backed by my clan, I won't explain their secrets. But, I can tell you that we don't need to worry, their captain is my cousin and even if his spirit rank is greater than mine, I can say the same of his strength. With my resistance, I could easily win over them.
Lastly, the other team to worry it will be Shrek Academy. Even if you, Bai and Mayi, weren't there, it is a fact that we lost before. Their best feature their cooperation and control. I don't know how much they improved, but I don't think they will be much of a threat, their principal weakness being their age. They have the youngest members of the tournament, limit their strength.
For Star Luo, the only team you need to watch is their seeded team, the Star Luo Imperial Academy. It is composed of the main clans of the empire, their main strength the spirit fusion of their royal family, the Hell Tiger.
And the last and considered the favorites to win, the team of Spirit Hall. There's little information about them, I only know that they have 3 members that arrived a spirit king. They are considered the Golden Generation, and they are stronger than any other year. It is considered that the winning prize of 3 spirit bones are and excuse to give this spirit bones to them. Each of the spirit bone being compatible with each of the three, an excuse to show Spirit hall power, and let them gain prestige" Finished Tianheng,
Mayi smiled and shouted "I'm looking forward to fighting them!".
At that moment someone knocked on the door, an attendant informing us that the opening ceremony will start now, guiding us there.