Watching the group walk away, Dugu Yan glanced at Shui Bing'er and Han Li and asked curiously, "Are we going to fight them?"
She felt that the two had agreed a bit too easily, though she didn't mind a sparring match herself.
"Do as you please. Whether you want to spar with them or face them in an official match, it's up to you," Han Li replied casually. Shui Bing'er nodded in agreement.
She knew more about the situation. During a recent visit home, her mother had mentioned a few things.
As Skywater Academy grew stronger, those two academies, after facing some setbacks, no longer seemed as hostile toward them. They appeared to be subtly trying to get closer, though not overtly.
They were probably using the Soul Master Tournament as an opportunity to make contact.
"So, should we fight or not? Official match or privately?"
Dugu Yan wasn't fond of these intricacies and didn't want to think too deeply about it.
Shui Bing'er pondered for a moment, then looked up and said, "We'll fight, but let's save it for the end. Depending on their performance, we can decide later whether to face them in an official match."
"I'll handle the scheduling. Afterward, you can have a chat with aunt, and we can make the final decision," Han Li said, fully supporting Shui Bing'er's plan.
"Alright."
Shui Bing'er nodded, and with that, the group dropped the topic and headed toward the spectator stands.
Blazing Academy and Godwind Academy were both quite strong, each with a distinct style. The main thing, though, was that it was clear both teams knew each other well.
From Han Li's perspective, their match seemed less like a competition and more like a showcase of skills.
On the stage, wind and fire intertwined, with gusts clashing against waves of heat, creating a spectacle that resembled special effects in a movie.
Feng Xiaotian's performance was commendable. He took the battle seriously, holding nothing back and fighting as he should.
Unfortunately, the opposing team was equally familiar with him, and they had two core members. Although Huo Wushuang was slightly weaker, he was still much stronger than the average team member.
After a fierce battle, Godwind Academy, slightly weaker in the team fight, chose to concede. Both teams had expended a lot of soul power, but no one suffered serious injuries.
The audience was very satisfied with the performance of both teams, applauding enthusiastically.
It was a brilliant and elegant match. Even the defeated Godwind Academy earned respect from the audience. The gap between the two teams was small, and it was possible that if they fought again, the result could change.
In the eyes of the audience, this was a true clash between strong teams, matching their expectations for high-level competition.
"They are indeed stronger than the second team of the Imperial Academy, but not by much. In team battles, neither of them could beat Skywater Academy. As for individual battles, that's a different story."
After the match, the girls gave a relatively fair evaluation.
Han Li smiled but said nothing. Although Huo Wu hadn't shown her fusion ring, and Feng Xiaotian hadn't used his self-created spirit skill, he had also given Skywwater Academy some advantages.
After they swore an oath on their martial souls, he provided them with a simplified version of a martial soul fusion technique manual. Otherwise, their cultivation progress wouldn't have been so fast.
Since they were already here, Han Li planned to watch all the matches, but after seeing the next one, he couldn't resist his drowsiness—it was too boring.
Just as he was about to fall asleep, Xiu'er whispered something in his ear and pulled him up by the arm.
Following Xiu'er's gaze, Han Li saw a voluptuous woman standing hesitantly not far away, occasionally glancing in their direction.
Hmm? Liu Erlong? What is she doing here?
Han Li recognized her. He had paid attention to her before, as she was one of those figures known for being deeply in love.
However, after his earlier interventions, combined with Yu Xiaogang's martial soul origin dissipating, she seemed to have returned to normal. Han Li hadn't bothered with her since.
Of course, it was also because there was no benefit. Her fortune was pitifully small, just a bit higher than that of an ordinary Soul Sage. She was within the normal range, so he didn't find it worth the effort to interact with her.
"Has she approached you before?"
After a brief thought, Han Li guessed what she might be up to and looked at Dugu Yan to ask.
"No, probably just seeing you here today and figured she'd give it a shot."
Dugu Yan had her suspicions and, after glancing at Liu Erlong, turned away.
"Should we call her over?"
"No need."
Han Li chuckled playfully and laid back down.
Thus, they gained a free bodyguard who lingered nearby until the match ended. As they were about to leave, Liu Erlong finally mustered the courage to walk over.
Seeing her approach, the group stopped in their tracks.
Liu Erlong stopped in front of them, her gaze settling on Han Li.
"I am Liu Erlong, the head of the Blue Tyrant Academy. May I borrow a few minutes of your time, Your Highness Holy Son?"
"Dean Liu, is this something regarding Blue Tyrant Academy? If so, I suggest you speak with the Crown Prince. The Soul Master Tournament is co-organized by us, but we don't handle everything."
Han Li's tone was purely businesslike. Several key figures from the original story had shown up today, but he wasn't a public service desk for them.
Moreover, compared to the neutral Elemental Academy, Blue Tyrant Academy was clearly on the opposing side.
Even though Liu Erlong was still somewhat on the fringes, she hadn't yet fully involved herself with Tang San and the others. The mark of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan on her couldn't be erased, so Han Li figured it was already generous of him not to cause her any trouble.
Liu Erlong wasn't upset by his response. While it was true that she had a fiery temper, she knew how to gauge the situation. Moreover, she had mentally prepared herself before coming to see him, so this was already going better than she had expected.
Taking a deep breath, she met Han Li's gaze and said, "I didn't come here today on behalf of Blue Tyrant Academy. I'm here because of Flender—he's my sworn brother. I implore Your Highness to show mercy and not pursue his offenses against the Spirit Hall any further."
"Of course, I will personally find those former Shrek Academy students or their families and offer compensation to make up for Flender's mistakes."
Liu Erlong finished her plea in one breath, carefully watching Han Li's reaction.
"This matter should be taken up with Archbishop Salas. I've already handed full responsibility for it over to him."
Han Li deflected with ease. To be honest, he didn't feel the need to go out of his way to stand up for those people. There were many tragic situations on this continent—was it his job to solve them all? Besides, was this really how you ask someone for a favor?
A simple statement like that, and she expected him to let Flender off the hook? That was a joke. Offering compensation to those people was something she should do—not a condition to negotiate with. And why should he agree to her request?
Liu Erlong felt momentarily choked by Han Li's reply. It wasn't as if she hadn't already tried to approach Salas.
But Salas had been even more direct—he refused to meet her at all and simply sent someone to tell her to leave. He warned that if she continued to bother him, he'd not only disqualify Blue Tyrant Academy from the tournament but also publicize her relationship with Flender, cautioning future students to think twice about enrolling in Blue Tyrant Academy. Who knew? Maybe they'd die while acquiring their soul rings, too.
That threat had truly hit Liu Erlong where it hurt. She cared deeply about Blue Tyrant Academy now. Even though she was essentially working for the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, at least she could genuinely help some commoner students and find some spiritual fulfillment.
If Salas followed through on his threat, it would destroy that last bit of happiness for her.
And honestly, since founding the academy, her resentment toward Spirit Hall had diminished. Most of her students were commoners, and nearly all had benefited from Spirit Hall's support. Sometimes, she even wondered why she had harbored so much animosity toward Spirit Hall in her youth.
In the end, she had shifted her blame to Bibi Dong. Now, even she found that a bit amusing.
Moreover, she genuinely hadn't known about Flender's actions. She had been focused on building Blue Tyrant Academy for the past few years, and when word of Flender's deeds spread, she confronted him about it.
Yes, she had given Flender a good beating, but in the end, she still felt a sense of loyalty to her old friendships and decided to help him one last time. That's what had brought her here today.
"Your Highness, let's be straightforward. I'm already working on the compensation. Flender was indeed wrong in what he did. I just want to know what it would take for you to let him off. If there's anything you need me or him to do, please let me know."
Liu Erlong finally understood what Han Li was implying and lowered her stance further.
Han Li glanced at the now-humbled Liu Erlong and asked, "Dean Liu, will you be attending the finals of the Soul Master Tournament in Spirit City?"
Liu Erlong was taken aback by the question, not quite sure what he was getting at. Still, she answered honestly, "Blue Tyrant Academy doesn't have a chance of making it to the finals, so I doubt I'll go."
She had never expected to make it that far. Even when Tai Long was still at the academy, her goal had merely been to aim for the top fifteen in the Heaven Dou division, and that would still require some luck. As for reaching the finals? That was out of the question.
"Well, you should go to the finals this time. I'll arrange a guest seat for you. How about that?"
Han Li smiled brightly, leaving Liu Erlong somewhat puzzled.
"Is that all?" she asked, confused.
"Yes, that's all," Han Li nodded with a smile.
Liu Erlong thought about it for a moment, staring at Han Li, trying to figure out the significance of his offer. Unable to come up with anything, she simply agreed.
"Alright, I'll go. Just have someone notify me when the time comes."
"Good, then it's settled."
With the agreement reached, Han Li added, "As for Flender, he can stay in Heaven Dou City for now. After the Soul Master Tournament is over and the compensation to the students is complete, he'll be free."
"That's acceptable."
Liu Erlong breathed a sigh of relief. Without further pleasantries, she chose to take her leave.