Several members of Yunluo Academy simultaneously looked toward the arena. At that moment, the dust on the stage finally settled, revealing the figure of Huo Yuhao once again.
In front of him stood the referee responsible for the match. However, the referee didn't seem to be in good shape. Not only had much of his robe been burned away, but he had also staggered back three steps.
Just moments ago, it was the referee who had rushed forward to pull Situ Yu out of Huo Yuhao's attack range. Had Situ Yu been forced to take the blow head-on, he would have undoubtedly perished.
Although Huo Yuhao's attack wasn't particularly powerful, the icy-white flames it bore contained both scorching heat and biting cold, an eerie and terrifying combination. Huo Yuhao had used up most of his spiritual power to extinguish the flames that had been burning on his body.
From the audience's perspective, the referee, with two yellow, two purple, and four black soul rings displayed around him—clearly indicating his Spirit Possession—was already revealed as a Spirit Douluo-level expert.
Yet, Huo Yuhao had still not used his Spirit. Merely relying on his own spiritual power and a technique resembling a self-created soul skill, he had managed to force a Spirit Douluo back. This left no doubt about his strength as a Soul Saint with hundred-thousand-year soul rings.
"Huo Yuhao! Huo Yuhao!"
The audience erupted into thunderous cheers, roaring like a tidal wave. Every single person was gazing at Huo Yuhao with fervent admiration, as if looking at a divine figure.
"Can we declare the results now?" Huo Yuhao asked the referee, his voice calm.
The referee, still shaken by the icy-white flames Huo Yuhao had unleashed, gave him a deep, lingering look before nodding and announcing, "Shrek Academy, victory!"
Suddenly, the referee's hands felt lighter, and before he realized it, the voice-transmission soul tool he had been holding was now in Huo Yuhao's hand. Huo Yuhao glanced playfully toward a tall pavilion in the distance, then gathered his soul power, amplifying his voice to fill the entire arena.
"Remember this, everyone. My name is Huo Yuhao, and I come from the Body Sect! Any soul masters with Body Spirits are welcome to join our sect. Learn our Body Sect's secret techniques, and power and glory will be yours for the taking!"
The resting area of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy was dead silent, as the brutal reality was laid out before them: Huo Yuhao's strength was undeniable.
"With these kinds of methods, he has extremely strong defenses against long-range attacks, but we still don't know his limits," Ma Rulong sighed. "As for his cultivation level, there's no doubt he's a Soul Saint, with all his spirit rings being at the 100,000-year level."
Xiao Hongchen frowned deeply, clenching his fists as his body trembled uncontrollably.
He had always prided himself as the most talented person of his generation, not just in the Sun Moon Empire, but across the entire Douluo Continent. But now, out of nowhere, a Huo Yuhao appeared, not only stealing all of his spotlight but also possessing strength that far surpassed his, reaching an unimaginable level.
"Do we really have no chance of winning against this Huo Yuhao?" A male student from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy asked helplessly.
"That's not necessarily the case. If we can draw a two-on-two or a team battle, we might still have a chance," Ma Rulong said confidently. "Even the strongest fighter can't take on multiple opponents at once. No matter how powerful he is, if we work together, we might still be able to defeat him."
The team leader, Elder Ma, chuckled coldly, looking over at the Shrek Academy team. He said, "Besides, from the looks of it, Huo Yuhao doesn't seem to get along with Shrek Academy. Perhaps we won't even need to make a move—Shrek Academy might collapse from internal strife."
---
"Huo Yuhao, are you deliberately causing trouble? After the match, you only cared about advertising for your Body Sect, without even mentioning Shrek Academy. Have you forgotten who gave you the spot in this tournament?!"
Just as Huo Yuhao returned to the meeting room at the Star Emperor Hotel, he was greeted by an enraged Xuan Zi. The old man was so furious that he had even forgotten his beloved chicken leg, storming in to confront Huo Yuhao.
However, Huo Yuhao, still as lazy and indifferent as ever, casually responded, "We agreed that I'd only participate in the matches. I'm not obligated to promote the academy—that would cost extra. If you want me to advertise Shrek Academy's glory, that's fine. I'll need three spirit bones over 10,000 years old to start, and every time I promote it afterward, two more."
"You brat! You think 10,000-year spirit bones grow on trees? Why don't you just go rob someone?!" Xuan Zi roared.
"Robbing doesn't pay as well as advertising. Since you're unwilling to pay, there's nothing I can do." Huo Yuhao didn't care and turned to leave.
Unable to win the argument, Xuan Zi turned to Wang Yan and asked, "Little Wang, how's Ling Luochen's recovery coming along?"
Wang Yan's eyes flashed with panic as he hurriedly asked, "Elder Xuan, what are you planning?"
"What am I planning? Hmph! If we let this kid keep up his antics, Shrek Academy will become a laughingstock!" Elder Xuan fumed. "I see that Ling Luochen's injuries have mostly healed. In the next match, let her replace Huo Yuhao and boost our academy's morale!"
"But… Elder Xuan, this might not be—" Wang Yan hesitated, rubbing his hands nervously. Huo Yuhao was at the peak of his momentum right now, and changing key players at the last minute was a huge taboo in battle strategies!
Moreover, while Shrek Academy's members seemed to be in good condition, they didn't have any significant advantages compared to their opponents in the round-robin stage.
This year's Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Competition was different from previous years—there were Soul Kings everywhere, and Soul Elders were considered weaklings! Expecting Ling Luochen, a Soul King, to lead a team of Soul Elders, Soul Grandmasters, and even Spirit Scholars into battle… wasn't that asking too much?
If they lost…
"What's the matter, Little Wang? You've won a few matches, and now you won't even listen to me? What kind of spell has Huo Yuhao cast on you all? Don't forget—you're part of Shrek Academy!" Elder Xuan barked.
Wang Yan could only smile bitterly and nod, complying reluctantly. But in his heart, there was a cold, bitter sadness.
---
That night, Huo Yuhao and Ning Tian walked along the broad streets of Star Luo City. This was the busiest part of the city, and as soon as they stepped out, they were swept into the bustling crowd.
"Yuhao, Teacher Wang told us that Senior Sister Ling Luochen will be leading us in the next match and that you won't need to participate. Did you know about this?" Ning Tian asked.
"I just found out, but that's fine. It gives me a few days to rest," Huo Yuhao laughed. "There's no reward for competing anyway, so I might as well use this time to train."
Seeing Huo Yuhao so carefree, Ning Tian sighed in relief. She had been worried that Huo Yuhao would become depressed or unable to cope with being benched.
"In the evening, someone from the Star Luo royal family sent me an invitation to an auction," Huo Yuhao said, holding up a gilded red invitation. "There are two items on the auction list that I could use."
Using his Spiritual Detection soul skill, he had already mapped out the surrounding area. After leading Ning Tian out of the crowd, the space around them finally became less congested.
After passing through several streets, they stopped in front of a pointed building.
This building wasn't particularly conspicuous compared to the larger ones around it. Although it wasn't small, it didn't stand out much either.
However, upon entering, Huo Yuhao realized the place was more than it seemed—the auction was held underground, and the building itself was just the entrance.
They entered the auction hall, where a five-meter-wide red carpeted staircase led downward, but there were no staff members to guide them.
After descending about twenty meters, they reached the registration area. But the invitation in Huo Yuhao's hand seemed to carry weight, as they bypassed the registration process and were immediately handed number plates for him and Ning Tian.
With the plates in hand, two young women in red dresses guided them inside.
Passing through an ancient wooden door, the scene dramatically changed. Before their eyes, everything was a dazzling gold.
A wide corridor glittered with gold, and its luxurious decoration far surpassed even the Star Emperor Hotel where Huo Yuhao and the others were staying.
"It seems this is your first time here. Despite how unimpressive the outside looks, this is actually the largest auction house in Star Luo City. Acquiring a bidding slot isn't easy. You need proof of assets and an evaluation, which can take more than half a month to process through normal channels."
"But before you two arrived, we were informed from above that there's no need for registration, and you can participate directly in the auction."
"From above?" A gleam flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes. "Who exactly is your superior?"
"Huo Yuhao, Ning Tian, welcome."
Under the soft yellow lighting and the shimmering golden walls, creating a three-dimensional golden world, a woman with a charming smile appeared, looking straight at them.
"Hello, I am Xu Jiujiu, a princess of the Star Luo Empire."