"Damn you, scumbag!" Xiao Hongchen stared at his notebook, his lips trembling.
Have you ever seen the Royal Sun and Moon Soul Engineering Academy at 3 a.m.?
Do you know how it feels to break a brand-new pen while writing continuously?
Do you understand the agony of being so sleep-deprived that your grandfather mistakes you for being on drugs and hangs you up for a beating?
Xiao Hongchen knew all of that too!
To make up for his lost notes, Xiao Hongchen had been working day and night, barely taking any breaks. He drank pot after pot of strong tea, and only then did he manage to finish copying his notebook.
"Fine, I won't argue with you anymore." Huo Yuhao shrugged and tossed the notebook toward Xiao Hongchen.
Although they were quite a distance apart, Huo Yuhao's expert handling made the thick notebook fly like a nimble swallow and land right in Xiao Hongchen's hands.
Huo Yuhao had already memorized all the theories and diagrams of soul devices from Xiao Hongchen's notebook. Having or not having the physical copy didn't make much difference to him anymore.
What Huo Yuhao lacked now was practical experience in crafting soul devices. However, he didn't want to study this craft at Shrek Academy; he planned to wait until he reached the Sun and Moon Empire to undergo a comprehensive study of soul devices.
After all, both Shrek Academy and the other three original Douluo Kingdoms were far behind the Sun and Moon Empire in soul device crafting.
Even in the original work, the supposedly extraordinary eighth-level Soul Engineer Fan Yu would barely reach the standard of a seventh-level-and-a-half in the Sun and Moon Empire, which means he wasn't truly of elite caliber.
Due to the Sun and Moon Empire's technology blockade, many of the crafting techniques for soul devices used by Shrek and the other three kingdoms were self-developed and quite crude.
If Huo Yuhao wished to learn the art of soul devices, he certainly couldn't use these rough methods as his foundation. That would hinder his future growth.
The foundation of a skyscraper must be the sturdiest of all; otherwise, it will eventually collapse.
Xiao Hongchen gently touched the notebook in his hand, momentarily dazed. However, his eyes soon turned red.
Damn it! Now that you've returned it, what good does it do me?
"Huo Yuhao, you just wait! I'll defeat you on the battlefield, fair and square!" Xiao Hongchen practically roared these words.
Huo Yuhao merely nodded nonchalantly and turned back to his room.
As Xiao Hongchen caressed his notebook, he felt an overwhelming sense of betrayal. It was as if the notebook still carried Huo Yuhao's presence.
"Hey, brother, what are you doing here?"
Meng Hongchen's figure appeared behind Xiao Hongchen. When she noticed the familiar soul engineering notebook in his hand, her eyes instantly lit up.
"Brother, is this your original soul engineering notebook?"
Xiao Hongchen nodded mechanically, but suddenly, he felt his hand lighten as the soul engineering notebook he just got back was snatched away by Meng Hongchen.
"Wow, Huo Yuhao actually returned this! He really is a man who honors his promises!" Meng Hongchen exclaimed joyfully and skipped toward her room with the notebook.
"Brother, since your notes are now complete, I'm taking this one for my collection."
Xiao Hongchen turned stiffly and stared at his sister's retreating figure, tears of frustration streaming down his face.
What kind of brotherly rivalry is this?
Huo Yuhao, you've gone too far!
The first round of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Competition had finally concluded, and the audience in Star Luo City was completely hyped up. Some were even willing to sleep on the ground overnight just to get a spot the next day.
Despite the vast size of Star Luo Plaza, its capacity was limited and couldn't accommodate everyone eager to watch the matches.
To manage the crowd and avoid safety issues caused by overcrowding, the Star Luo Empire's officials once again increased the entrance fees, naturally making a huge profit in the process.
Of course, the grand prize for the competition was also funded by the Star Luo Empire. Each tournament offered incredibly precious rewards, with at least a hundred-thousand-year-old soul bone as the base prize, ensuring they weren't ridiculed by other nations.
However, for thousands of years, most of these top-tier prizes ended up in the hands of Shrek Academy, essentially making it feel like the other empires were just paying tribute to them.
But the major empires weren't foolish either. Hosting such a grand event greatly stimulated the national economy, generating substantial income. After deducting costs such as venue, personnel, and the final rewards, it remained a lucrative venture.
The first round used an elimination format, designed to make the competition immediately intense and thrilling, grabbing the audience's attention. At the same time, eliminating half the participating academies significantly reduced costs.
Although the elimination rounds were fiercely exciting, the aftermath showed that nearly 200 participants had sustained injuries of varying degrees, and over a dozen students had died due to severe injuries.
Naturally, the bloody and brutal scenes thrilled the public, further fueling their enthusiasm.
But for those unfortunate enough to die, their fate was sealed. These young, talented soul masters had traveled far, only to lose their lives over a mere competition.
Although the Star Luo Empire provided generous compensation to the families of the deceased, it meant nothing to the dead. After all, what expenses do the dead have?
The greatest tragedy is dying without having spent all your money.
With the elimination round over, the next phase was the round-robin stage.
While not as intense as the elimination round, the round-robin format had its unique excitement, involving three different sets of rules.
The match type was decided through random draws, giving each contest a fresh sense of unpredictability for the audience.
After the initial eliminations, the remaining academies were significantly stronger, making for even more thrilling matches.
Because of this, Star Luo Plaza, capable of seating over 200,000 people, now had a situation akin to a certain pop group's "Ten-Year Agreement." Tickets were almost impossible to come by.
Even if you managed to watch one day, there was no guarantee you could get tickets for the next, even if you were wealthy.
The Star Luo Empire's royal family even started officially selling match reports, and although they only cost a few copper coins, the sheer number of buyers turned it into yet another lucrative income source.
Gambling enthusiasts are everywhere, in every world. Recently, people who went bankrupt betting on specific academies and tried to commit suicide at Star Luo Plaza were not uncommon.
However, since the Star Luo Empire prided itself on martial strength, they wouldn't tolerate such behavior.
All those who caused a scene because they lost their fortunes were arrested and thrown into prison, with some even facing execution.
Huo Yuhao had no sympathy for them.
Gambling addicts deserve death.