Among the Five Elemental Academies, the strongest was undoubtedly Tianshui Academy, with an offensive power far exceeding both Kamikaze and Thunderbolt Academy, while the Blazing Fire Academy was just slightly better than Elephant Armor.
"Dean, did you get it wrong?" Chen Xuan was skeptical, thinking this was good news.
Flender was still young, certainly not at an age to start forgetting things.
Blazing Fire Academy wasn't necessarily weak, but it wasn't especially strong either—it was just that.
The Shrek members didn't quite share Chen Xuan's opinion. In the past, they had beaten Blazing Fire twice, mainly thanks to Tang San, whose Blue Silver Grass's fire resistance was a major advantage. Otherwise, they wouldn't have won so easily.
"Brother Chen, without Brother San, we're under a lot of pressure," Ma Hongjun complained, thinking Chen Xuan was making it sound easy.
Chen Xuan responded calmly, "Relying on others will only get you so far. Focusing on your own strength is the way to go further."
His words hinted at a deeper meaning, subtly pointing out that the Shrek team was stuck in their comfort zone, overly dependent on Tang San, whether in competition or making choices.
"Uh…"
Flender was somewhat embarrassed, his face unable to hide his awkwardness. He had nearly forgotten that this young man was already a Spirit King.
Cough, cough!
Flender cleared his throat and continued, "Alright, let me tell you the good news: Blazing Fire Academy has forfeited, so Shrek Academy advances to the next round."
Originally, he wanted to build some suspense, but Chen Xuan's interruption made him abandon the idea.
Thanks to that young man, Shrek now had seven Spirit Elders and a Spirit King, making their lineup quite powerful.
Chen Xuan had reached level fifty-one, Zhu Zhuqing was at forty-seven, while Xiao Wu and Dai Mubai had both reached level forty-three.
In the past, he had only dreamed of the championship, not truly believing they were strong enough. But now, with the current Shrek team, he thought they had a shot.
At this moment, Qin Ming stepped forward, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, saying, "With Blazing Fire Academy's forfeit, according to the competition rules, Shrek team will have three byes."
The Shrek members were initially stunned, but then understood, filled with excitement. Qin Ming's reminder made them realize this advantage.
This way, they could better observe their opponents and have more time to train, which would give Tang San time to recover.
Chen Xuan felt a bit sentimental; everything was back on the original timeline, and the waves he had stirred had settled.
Time passed, and after half an hour, a hundred Golden Armor Knights arrived in a grand formation, lining up around the arena.
The knights wore stern expressions, gazing intently at the elevated platform.
Before long, the Spirit Hall officials arrived, including two black-robed bishops, Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo, and the referee, Su Yuntao.
On the elevated platform, the Empress of the Spirit Hall appeared, holding a scepter, dressed in a long purple robe as she stepped forward.
The sight of Empress Bibi Dong left the audience in awe, with countless gazes fixed on this beautiful woman.
Even after twenty years, her beauty had not faded but only grew more enchanting.
Bibi Dong had fair skin, a beautiful face, and a slender, graceful figure. Her long legs were clad in purple stockings, stepping elegantly in high heels.
Her figure was alluring, with a captivating, narrow waist, and her fair face showed no sign of wrinkles—she looked far too young.
It was hard to believe she was in her forties or fifties; her graceful body and stunning face made her look like a woman in her thirties.
Below, upon seeing such an enchanting rival, Liu Erlong lowered her head. She, too, was aging, but Bibi Dong looked as stunning as ever, adding an air of elegance with time.
Bibi Dong's every move exuded mature charm. The long dress accentuated her slender figure, curvy yet refined, with an undeniable allure.
Chen Xuan was left speechless. This beautiful, mature woman held such a captivating charm; she was almost too much for him to resist.
Suddenly, he gasped, feeling a sharp pain at both sides of his waist as if someone had pinched him hard.
He turned sharply and saw a sweet face, cheeks puffed, glaring at him angrily.
"Was she that beautiful?"
Xiao Wu's sweet features were slightly fierce, her small fangs showing, though her big eyes lacked any real menace.
On the contrary, her look made people want to pinch her cheeks.
Turning again, Chen Xuan met another cold face with beautiful, frosty eyes staring at him.
Zhu Zhuqing stood there, her expression cold, silently giving him a look that spoke volumes.
"I'm done looking; I'm done." Chen Xuan quickly surrendered, finding himself at the mercy of both of them.
Xiao Wu huffed, withdrawing her hand, then raised her chin high and walked towards her good friend, Rongrong.
Chen Xuan was speechless. He could understand if Xiao Wu, his "baby's mom," felt this way, but what was Zhuqing's reason?
After that, the two black-robed bishops gave impassioned speeches, marking the opening ceremony of the competition.
When the formalities ended, Su Yuntao took the stage as the tournament's referee, announcing the start of the first round.
Bibi Dong sat back lazily in her large chair, her legs crossed, watching the competition below with great interest.
Chen Xuan was puzzled. According to the competition rules, the Empress was only supposed to appear at the finals, so why had she come early?
Most importantly, he felt as though she was watching him, glancing his way from time to time, making him feel very uncomfortable.
Bibi Dong's figure was stunning, and her eyes were both beautiful and deep, holding a ruthlessness befitting an empress. Chen Xuan felt that if she set her sights on someone, that person wouldn't escape unscathed.
Feeling uneasy, he became certain that someone was watching him. It was Bibi Dong herself, exuding a faint malice.
Thinking she was looking at Liu Erlong, her rival, he quickly sensed a strong hostility directed at him—from Bibi Dong.
Chen Xuan couldn't bear it any longer and found an excuse to leave the arena.
Flender, deeply engrossed in the competition, didn't notice. The Blazing Fire Academy's forfeit was indeed planned—they had teamed up with Kamikaze Academy to form a new Kamikaze team.
This new Kamikaze team now had seven Spirit Elders, their strength nearly matching that of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
…
Elsewhere,
Chen Xuan had already left the arena and returned to Spirit City, walking along the street.
With nowhere specific to go, he intended to return to the hotel and study his system, having never had the chance to open his upgrade gift pack.
"Hmm?"
He stopped suddenly, furrowing his brow as he glanced into a dark corner.
Pretending not to notice, he kept walking down the street, taking a winding route back to the hotel.
However, as he neared the hotel's manor, a shadowy figure appeared at a corner ahead, blocking his path.
"Chen Xuan, the Empress wishes to see you. Come with me."
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