After the match against the Blazing Academy, Shrek easily won against all the other teams in the selection part of the tournament, the majority surrounding even before the match.
The only especial matches were the one against the Blue Sunshine Academy and the Skywater Academy. The Blue Sunshine, even with a full team of spirit elders, surprised everyone with a seven fusion technique, caging all Shrek team in an illusion. But Shrek could break it, especially thanks to Tang San who was recuperated after resting some days. The match vs Skywater was also an easy one, Shrek overpowered their rivals. The only special was the spirit fusion of the captain and vice-captain, which was ignored by a flying Chenxiang, who waited until they run out of spirit energy. I must say that flying spirits are a cheat in low-level fights.
For the ranking tournament, it was more of the same. Shrek usually needs one person to take an all team, they also showed Ma Hongjun power in some matches. In this tournament, there were 4 interesting matches.
Shrek against the Thunderclap Academy, a fight between two powerful academies finishing with Shrek victory.
Shrek vs Blazing Academy again. It was one of the shortest fights, Huo Wu who discovered Chenxiang trick and was mad, decided for herself to do a 1vs1 against her, all her team obliged to surrender. The match was Chenxiang easily evading all Huo Wu's attacks. Huo Wu was mad enough to use a technique using all her rings and spirit energy causing a big attack. Chenxiang simply evaded it using her 2nd skill and the only one injured was Huo Wu for the recoil.
Shrek vs Botanic Academy, it wasn't an interesting fight, the interesting part was that when the captain plant spirit touched Xiao Wu, he received a backslash losing the match. Even now, I don't really know what happened.
Finally, Shrek vs Godwind. Chenxiang annihilated all the other team members except their captain, showing better flying control and speed. When it was time to fight their captain, Chenxiang surrendered and let Tang San fight. Tang San used his Clear Sky Hammer in the match, shocking everyone, then with a self-created technique win over the self-created technique of Godwind's captain. Tang San used his Clear Sky Hammer following dad's advise to curry favor of Heaven Dou's emperor to gain his protection.
This time, I trained more. There were some changes now that Paul was free and not helping. I had a strange sensation when I used for the first time my domain and it was a little unstable. But with little time I could stabilize and now is like before, even having improved a little. Paul grumbled about how I used his comprehensions to created my own and bla, bla, bla... I ignored him. I was also very poor using my left hand, clearly right-handed, but after Paul's freedom, I became even worse. I think that Paul had more control over my left hand, where his spirit is, so is making things difficult for me.
Summarizing, there wasn't a lot of changes in my fighting truth be told. The biggest difference was the changing in spirit fusion technique with Mayi. From one defense who only served as a defense against spirit energy attacks, with variable attack power, to an offensive one. In my opinion, an improvement.
After the ranking tournament, the ranking was 1st Shrek Academy, 2nd Godwing Academy, and 3rd Blazing Academy.
Today all Heaven Dou teams were reunited to congratulated the teams of the ranking competition who will participate in the finals and hear some cheers and encouragement and then we will travel to Spirit City were the finals will take place, it was a 20 days travel.
This act was made at the Square in front of Heaven Dou's imperial palace. On a platform, there were the emperor and the crown prince.
"Congratulations to all teams to arrive at this day" congratulated Xue Ye with a lot of dignity "You showed your strength, your the proud of the empire!" he signaled his son.
Qinghe stepped forward "This Tournament is really important. To all of you that will participate in the finals, you will receive the noble rank of viscount! Our imperial family will award you based on your results, in the case one of you win the tournament, it will receive the title of duke with its corresponding land to manage" Qinghe's word made the people cheer loudly "For victory!" "For Heaven Dou empire"
"We prepared a carriage for every team, all of them equipped with spirit tools to maximize the comfort, all being guarded by imperial knight. I will also accompany all of you. I hope that you enjoy the travel" Finished Qinghe.
After some fireworks and lightwork with some music and other speeches, all the team entered their private carriages that headed towards spirit city.
I was in a carriage with the other members of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's first team. While we were traveling Tianheng asked me "What is your opinion of the other teams? You're the only one that saw directly the matches"
"For what I listened there aren't any team that needs our worry. Any of them even have a full team of spirit ancestors, always some spirit elders in. The only that we must be careful it will be the other main team" Yan interjected.
"It's bad manners answering another one's question" Lingling giggled causing Yan to frown "Bai, what is your opinion?"
"Yan is telling the truth, our only possible rivals would be Spirit Hall and Star Luo main team" I explained "Plus another one"
"All come another time to Shrek, eh?" Osler said.
"Yeah, they are really strong, all of them being spirit ancestors. And you already know Xiang strength"
"Why it matters Chenxiang strength?" asked Lingling.
"She is in Shrek," I said shocking everyone "You really didn't know it? Your informants suck, really"
"I listened to some about them but there were only rumors. They said that someone of Shrek had a black ring as his 4th and that one of them had 1 yellow, 2 purple and 1 black as configuration. You can't really trust the rumors. Shrek was strong last time that we fought, but not near that level. We only lost because of the circumstances and tricks" Tianheng explained.
"You listened well, Tang San has a black ring as his 4th and Xiang is one of the strange configuration. I don't know why you are so shocked, you already see Mayi's configuration" I said to them.
"Mayi is a monster of her own! There's also the fact that her spirit can't have spirit skills, she always could absorb overage rings" Yan shouted causing Mayi to only light smile at her.
"So Chenxiang joined Shrek, good for her" Lingling happily said.
"Guys, you should put more effort into gathering information. I war is not only won by pure strength" I reprimanded them.
Chatting and cultivating we traveled towards spirit city. On the 4th day, I decided to do a little walk to stretch my legs, I explained to my teammates who ignored me to focus on their own cultivation.
When I was alone I listened to a familiar voice in my head [You should be more aware in this travel] Paul said.
(Why would I need it? We have the 15 most powerful academies of the empire, accompanied by their best students and teachers. What is the risk?) I said smiling.
[An attack for example]
(Who would be crazy enough to attack us?)
[Spirit Hall, even using titled douluos to do the job]
At this moment I realized (They would attack Tang San now that they discovered that he is Tang Hao's son?)
[Ding, ding, ding! Bingo. I will make sure to have some of your elders near, you will need their help if we are attacked by two titled douluo]
(You already said that your knowledge is not to be trusted 100%. Even if they start attacking, I could always call for uncle Bone. So don't worry)
[As always, we will do as you want] grumbled Paul stopping talking.
It's true that Paul has some interesting future ideas, but he usually kept them for himself. Following him, we shouldn't exist and mum should be dead. But even so, I couldn't forget what he told me about Qinghe. Paul called him a girl, a power-hungry one. There's have been a lot of times that I didn't talk to him. I decided to go to look for him.
Qinghe's carriage was the first one, guiding us. It was to gain the sympathy for the fact that he was in the considered more dangerous position, even if the danger was close to 0.
Arriving at his carriage, the guards let me in when I showed them Qinghe's coin. Entering the carriage I could Qinghe who smiled at me and gave me his hand. After a handshake, we both sat down.
"Long time not talking with you, Bai. It was since the selection matches?" I nodded "I was really busy preparing the trip and all the international policies" Explained Qinghe.
"Don't worry, is to be expected from a crown prince" I said. Truth be told I could take from my mind Paul's word and I was a little nervous. I always liked Qinghe, but I always had a strange feeling of him, not that it was a bad one.
"What do you want to tell me, Bai?" asked Qinghe "Don't take it wrong, I always appreciate your visits. But seeing your face I know that there's something that worries you. You can tell me, what are friends for?"
I sighed "So I'm that easy to read"
"Yep" Qinghe said laughing.
I looked at Qinghe's eyes and turned serious. Seeing me so serious Qinghe also became. "Qinghe, do you have some secrets? Are you hiding me something?"
Qinghe shrugged the question "What are you saying? As an imperial member, of course, I have secrets, I can't tell you everything, Bai. You surely are same"
I continued serious "I know. We all have our secrets. But what I was asking is about one that could affect our relationship. Some deep secret, that you hide from everyone" Qinghe was becoming a little nervous but was trying to keep calm.
"I only want to say that I am your friend. Even if you had an obscure secret, if not goes against my family, damaging it, I will take your side, whatever it is. I will trust you, you can trust me." I continued seriously.
Qinghe was becoming more nervous. Just as he seemed to want to say something "Bai, the truth is..." he stopped a moment, returning to her usual smiling face "Nothing, Bai. Like anyone I have my secrets, like anyone but nothing to worry"
"I'm glad that my thoughts were wrong" I laughed "It would be strange for you to be a girl" I slipped without want it.
"Wh-wha-what are you saying!?" Qinghe stuttered, becoming red.
"Sorry, delusions of mine. But you really are girly sometimes" I laughed at him.
"Don't laugh at me, Bai. You don't want to make me angry" Qinghe said grinning.
"Sorry, sorry. Thanks for talking with me, I was always worried. I'm better after this talk" I said.
"For next time find another subject to talk, I don't really like interrogations," said Qinghe smiling.
"Sure, sure. I would take it into account" I said.
We then talked a little about unimportant things, when it was becoming night I said goodbye and went to my carriage.
[It's too obvious that she was lying]
(Is a he! And I will trust him)
[You decided to remain ignorant and keep your friendly act rather than accept the reality. It's normal to be afraid of the unknown. But, what will you do when you can't keep your ignorance? It's impossible to always escape, I'm the proof of it]
We stayed quiet arriving at our carriage to sleep.
In Qinghe's carriage, Qinghe was in nightwear. He lay on the bed and hugged his pillow. He made a worried face and said with a sad voice "Maybe, I should have told him" while having his cheeks lightly tinted red.