Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:
patreon.com/ZeroMoney
I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated.
******
"Could you give me this Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud?" Gu Yuena asked, sensing the structure within it. She intended to erase the embedded consciousness and inscribe her own mark onto the Sea God's Heart. This would serve as the core for her water element control, and in the future, she could replicate this structure to create eight more gems, crafting an ultra-divine artifact set.
"No problem." Tang Yuehua handed the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud to her without a moment's hesitation. After all, Gu Yuena was a trusted ally, and Tang herself now possessed the Sea God's Domain, making this Sea God's Heart of little personal significance.
"Thanks! I'll have your back from now on." Gu Yuena stored the Sea God's Heart in her treasure pouch with a grin, then asked about something else. "By the way, everyone's off watching the preliminaries. Seems like you have fewer students here than usual. Could some of them have gone to compete too?"
Tang Yuehua smiled. "They did go, actually. This time, as long as they meet the age requirement, they're eligible to participate. They wanted to go, and I didn't have the heart to refuse."
"Good for them; it's all about participation."
"Besides, it's also a way to promote Yuexuan."
Gu Yuena inquired, "Aren't you going to watch?"
Tang Yuehua shrugged. "The Spirit Master Tournament doesn't hold much interest for me anymore. I used to attend to identify promising talents and report them back to the sect. But now, I only live for myself..."
After leaving Yuexuan, Lan Yinzi and Gu Yuena returned to the Soul Martial Estate. On the day of the Continental Elite Tournament, some of the estate's idle servants had gone to watch, making the estate quieter than usual. However, the Twelve Celestial Warriors of Silverblue Estate in Tian Dou City had all gathered here, training hard in the arena, their muscles straining and emanating a fierce blood-red aura.
Led by Shenhou, the twelve had each achieved Spirit Elder rank or higher, with Shenhou himself reaching Spirit Ancestor. His vitality blazed like the sun, and in close combat, he could rival even a Spirit King.
"What brings you all here?" Lan Yinzi asked, surprised. Usually, these twelve would visit in small groups to receive training and conduct research with Tang San. Why were they all here at once today?
Lan Yinzi paused, seemingly realizing something. "Oh, right. Recently, he seems to have developed another secret technique for the *Essence Body Art* and is currently testing it with members of the Spirit Hall. Rumor has it, it's extremely powerful."
Lan Yinzi knew that the rapid research progress was due to the influence of *Heavenly Dao*, which had boosted Tang San's mental acuity since he obtained his eighth and ninth spirit rings.
Thanks to the *Heavenly Dao* blessing, the Spirit Hall's research advancements had been progressing at lightning speed, far outpacing those of the Tian Dou, Star Luo, and Neo-Tian Dou Empires.
And the inspiration from spirit tools captured from the Sun-Moon Empire's forces had also provided invaluable insights for the researchers.
"That's exciting!" Shenhou and the others had expected their training today to be special, but hearing Lan Yinzi's words, it seemed they might be about to learn a powerful secret technique. They were beyond thrilled.
They had all practiced the *Essence Body Art* to some extent, but their progress was still at a beginner level. The Essence Body Art's core skill—the True Spirit Armor Form—remained a distant goal for them, something they could only imagine achieving one day.
But now, they might have the chance to learn a technique they could practice at their current stage!
How could they not be excited?
"Of course, this is just my guess," Lan Yinzi added cautiously. She didn't want them to be disappointed if Tang San ended up not teaching the newly developed secret technique.
Lan Yinzi needn't have worried, however.
"Even if it's not a secret technique, it doesn't matter. We owe everything to Lord Tang, who not only gave us a second chance at life but also allowed us to become respected Spirit Masters," Shenhou said with a cheerful smile, exuding optimism.
Youji, Haizhu, and the remaining Celestial Warriors all shared similar sentiments.
Loyalty.
It was the one quality they felt they could offer Tang San as a truly valuable token of gratitude.
---
Meanwhile...
The designated two-day period had passed, and nearly six hundred teams had arrived on the assigned island, officially qualifying for the preliminary rounds. The remaining teams, unable to advance, had no choice but to withdraw—some returned home, while others stayed behind to watch the matches.
At Spirit City, the audience was finally able to witness the first official match.
Each competing team was selected by lot, drawn by notable figures like Bibi Dong, Xue Qinghe, Dai Lego, Xue Beng, Ning Fengzhi, Yu Yuanzhen, Hu Liena, and representatives from the three Lower Sects.
Why only the "three" Lower Sects?
The Star Crown Sect had been expelled from their ranks.
The first-round matchups featured teams including: Shrek Squad, White Tiger Sect Team, Hurricane Soul-Hunting Team, Frenzy Team, Blue Tyrant Academy Team, Groundhog Team, Sea King Team, Twenty-Nine-Year Team, "Who Says Women Aren't Equal" Team, and Roaring Lion Team.
With the looser entry requirements this year, a flood of rogue Soul-Hunting teams and independent spirit masters formed groups, often choosing team names on a whim.
For instance, the "Twenty-Nine-Year" Team had members all exactly twenty-nine years old. The "Who Says Women Aren't Equal" Team was composed entirely of women, each boasting muscles that rivaled or surpassed those of men—truly an imposing sight.
"Hmph, our Haotian Sect wasn't given the honor of appearing in the first round—there has to be some trickery at play," the Seventh Elder grumbled. "And the Spirit Hall didn't even invite us to the drawing, treating us as if we don't matter at all."
Tang Xiao shared his frustration.
Even when the Haotian Sect had been in seclusion, outsiders still regarded it as one of the Upper Sects. Now that they had re-emerged, why should Ning Fengzhi, Yu Yuanzhen, and representatives of the three Lower Sects get to participate in the selection while the Haotian Sect was excluded?
The Spirit Hall was clearly overstepping.
In reality, those who joined the drawing had strong ties to the Spirit Hall, forming a mutual alliance of interests.
But the Haotian Sect? Putting aside past grievances between the former Spirit Hall Pope and Tang Hao, what commercial or political alliances did the Haotian Sect currently have with the Spirit Hall? None.
So why should the Spirit Hall show them any favor?
Moreover, even if one disregarded that factor, Ning Fengzhi and others held honorary titles within the Spirit Hall, serving as figureheads in some respects. Did anyone from the Haotian Sect hold such a position?
Without even a symbolic relationship, there was naturally no need to extend an invitation.
"Let it go," Tang Xiao said, holding back the indignant Seventh Elder. "Once Grandfather inherits the God of Shura's powers, the Spirit Hall will pay dearly."
Making a scene now would only harm the Haotian Sect. If it led to the disqualification of the Haotian Sect team, they'd become a laughingstock. It would be a pointless sacrifice.
Once the tournament officially began, Shrek Team's captain, Oscar, approached White Tiger Sect's captain, Dai Mubai, proposing an alliance.
Dai Mubai had ultimately returned to the Star Luo Empire, joining the White Tiger Sect and representing them in the tournament.
"Boss Dai, who would've thought we'd meet again as rivals?" Oscar said, hugging Dai Mubai. "How about we work together to take out the other teams first, then settle things between us?"
"That's exactly what I was thinking." Dai Mubai was more than willing to agree; despite his loyalty to the White Tiger Sect, he trusted Shrek comrades like Oscar and Ma Hongjun more. "Xiao Ao, Fatty, what rank have you reached over these five years?"
Oscar grinned proudly. "I've been training non-stop these past five years. I'm a Spirit King now, though my spirit power is only at rank fifty-one." His cultivation had been accelerated by the devouring abilities of his Eight Spider Lances—by hunting down spirit beasts and bandits, he could absorb their life force and power.
His Eight Spider Lances had even evolved to the ten-thousand-year level.
Moreover, Oscar noticed that his physical strength had also grown, and with his newly acquired long-range abilities, he was now practically a versatile assault-type spirit master!
Ma Hongjun, however, sighed, "I'm a bit behind, only at rank forty-six. As my spirit power grows, my Evil Fire gets harder to control... I've reached a point where I need several women every day to relieve it."
"No wonder—" Dai Mubai noted that the new Shrek Team had no female members, all male, likely to avoid any "mishaps" with Ma Hongjun.
"I've spent these years wandering from city to city, looking into legends about phoenixes, hoping to find a way to subdue my Evil Fire," Ma Hongjun said, looking despondent. "But luck just hasn't been on my side… I swear, if I ever meet the goddess of luck, I'll make sure she remembers me!"
The Evil Fire had become even more of a curse, sapping his strength and causing endless restlessness.
Initially, he thought he was lucky, able to indulge himself among women. But over time, he realized that even finding women no longer solved the problem; his body was growing increasingly heated.
For this reason, Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang had suggested a solution: having someone with an ice-type spirit help suppress his fire, like Shui Bing'er from Tianshui Academy.
But—
It ended there.
Shui Bing'er's spirit was the Ice Phoenix!
An immensely powerful beast spirit!
If Ma Hongjun's spirit had already evolved into the Fire Phoenix, her family might have considered it, but with his spirit still at the "Evil Fire Chicken" stage, betting on Shui Bing'er's future with him was simply absurd! Even Shrek Academy had too much self-respect to approach Tianshui Academy with such a request.
"All right, Fatty, enough griping. It's just women, right?" Dai Mubai chuckled, throwing out an olive branch. "Stick with me, and if ten women aren't enough, I'll get you a hundred. The only question is whether you can handle it!" Dai Mubai's ambition had shifted—he was starting to think about the throne. At least now, he'd come to terms with his motivations: a man has to live with pride.
There was also the matter of his broken engagement to Zhu Zhuqing…
He couldn't just let that go.
What did Zhu Zhuqing and those in the royal family take him for?
He would reclaim his pride!
(End of Chapter)