Chapter 69: The Eve of the Tournament (Part 2)
No one knows the extent of the shock that the dean of Di'ao Academy experienced.
A thirteen-year-old Soul Sage? Is this a joke? This doesn't fit the Douluo world at all!
Even the Sun and Moon Empire's drug-fueled prodigies, who ruin their foundations, at most produce a fifteen-year-old Soul Emperor with a destroyed foundation. More talented individuals might break through to Soul Sage before the age of twenty at great cost.
For instance, Xiao Hongchen did something foolish for a tournament doomed to fail, overdrawing his future potential for five years to break through to Soul Sage. Yet he was still defeated by Huo Yuhao.
Du Qianjue's cultivation level was indeed off the charts. Supported by sacrifices from numerous ten-thousand-year soul beasts, various heavenly treasures, and numerous opportunities, he reached this level.
Even Du Qianjue himself was surprised by his rapid advancement. The natives of Douluo Continent were even more so.
Apart from those with system hacks boosting them to Titled Douluo, which other transmigrator could, like Du Qianjue, solely rely on opportunities to raise their cultivation and potential to such heights?
It seems there aren't any...
Looking back at all his plans and strategies, Du Qianjue realized his strength truly came from his efforts...
Although Du bushi and Snow Empress helped a lot.
The dean of Di'ao Academy stored the dark demon evil god tiger's skin in a storage soul tool and rubbed his face vigorously to relax his stiff facial muscles from the shock.
"Rest assured, Young Sect Leader, I will find the best weavers to handle this tiger skin!" the dean promised with a strained smile.
"This tournament is in your hands. Please bring glory to our Tianhun!"
"...?" Du Qianjue raised an eyebrow, the dean's words reminding him of a famous scene from another novel, which momentarily distracted him. Nonetheless, he nodded.
"Don't worry, the championship of this tournament belongs to Tianhun!"
Following the dean's directions, Du Qianjue arrived at Di'ao Academy's soul battle arena. It had been cleared out, dedicated to the team training for the upcoming tournament.
Of course, the training intensity wasn't too high to avoid injuries right before the tournament.
Entering the arena, Du Qianjue saw Wei Feng leading the main and reserve team members in sparring. Soul masters need to continually battle to improve teamwork, and soul battles are the best way to do that.
Wei Feng used a method similar to Shrek Academy's. Since it's effective, everyone uses it: mixing the main and reserve team members to spar against each other, with each team comprising half main and half reserve members.
Generally, the team with Wei Feng wins. Coming from royalty, he had stronger cultivation and soul ring configurations than others, along with rich combat experience.
If Du Qianjue remembered correctly, without him, Di'ao Academy still made it to the top four, losing to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy in the semifinals.
Dou Ling Royal Academy's weak members were eliminated in the quarterfinals, unable to compete with the teams from Xingluo, Tianhun, and Sun Moon, let alone Shrek.
Wei Feng noticed Du Qianjue's presence. Given the nearly empty arena, a newcomer was noticeable.
"Du Xuedi, you're back!" Wei Feng signaled his teammates to stop and greeted Du Qianjue warmly.
"Yeah, the academy's training methods weren't effective for me, so I returned to the sect for closed-door cultivation." Du Qianjue nodded at Wei Feng.
He had a good impression of this Tianhun prince, who lacked the arrogance and debauchery typical of royalty. They got along well, and Du Qianjue wasn't worried about any hidden agendas.
"If I had known you'd be gone for a year, I'd have made sure to have a good drink with you before you left," Wei Feng said with a wry smile.
He hadn't expected Du Qianjue to leave without a word. If he hadn't asked the dean, Wei Feng would have thought Du Qianjue had dropped out.
With the tournament approaching and no sign of Du Qianjue, Wei Feng had nearly given up hope. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so focused on improving teamwork and adjusting their condition.
"Let me introduce you all. This is one of our main team members, who is stronger than me, named Du Qianjue." Wei Feng turned to the other members.
The reserve team members didn't recognize Du Qianjue, but the main team did! Du Qianjue had attended elite class for a month, and even if he was mostly slacking off, his display on the first day of reporting with an incredible soul ring configuration and the admiration from the senior students left a lasting impression.
"Alright, Captain, no need to introduce him. How could we not recognize Du Xuedi?" a handsome boy named Yang Lian said with a bitter smile. "I thought I'd have no competition for the junior students, but it seems I'll still live in Du Xuedi's shadow."
"Hahaha..."
The other main team members burst into laughter. Yang Lian, with the martial soul Hunter Hawk, was a fifty-fourth-level agility attack system Battle Soul King.
Before Du Qianjue joined, Yang Lian was quite popular in the elite class due to his talent and strength. But after Du Qianjue arrived, all those interested senior and junior students were enamored with him.
"Yes, it's been a while since we last saw you, Du Xuedi. You haven't visited us once during your absence," a gentle senior sister with long purple hair named Lin Weiwei said with a hint of grievance. Her martial soul was Violet, and she was a fifty-second-level support system Battle Soul King.
"Given his need to improve his cultivation, a year ago, he was already a Soul Emperor. He should be even stronger now," said Zhao Jian, a robust and straightforward young man. His martial soul was the Armored Giant Rhinoceros, and he was a fifty-sixth-level defense system Battle Soul King.
"Indeed, with his talent, he might already be a Soul Sage," said Ouyang Qian, a lively and charming girl with the martial soul Frost Thorns, a fifty-fourth-level control system Battle Soul King, as she bounced over to Du Qianjue, playfully winking.
"What are you talking about? He's only so young; being a Soul Emperor is already incredible," Wei Feng retorted, rolling his eyes. His martial soul was Soul Cutting Sword, and he was a sixty-third-level strong attack system Battle Soul Emperor.
"Yes, he's already very strong. If he's any stronger, I'll start doubting my life," Lin Mo, a silent young man with the martial soul Black Demon, a fifty-second-level control system Battle Soul King, quietly added.
The main team comprised Captain Wei Feng, Du Qianjue, Lin Weiwei, Lin Mo, Ouyang Qian, Yang Lian, and Zhao Jian—all above Soul King level!
"Well, actually, I have broken through to Soul Sage," Du Qianjue said, rubbing his nose.
"What?!"
Both the main and reserve teams exclaimed in unison.
(End of Chapter)
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