Chapter 51 – Ning Fengzhi, Get Ready to Be Slapped in the Face
Gui Mei raised his gaze toward the VIP stands.
He instantly understood who Ning Fengzhi was referring to—Shrek Academy.
Tang San had already reached the level of a Five-Ring Soul King, standing above all other participating students.
But in Gui Mei's eyes, that was still far too weak.
Ning Fengzhi's confident words caused the entire arena to erupt.
The audience buzzed with excitement, whispering among themselves, guessing which team the Sect Master was favoring.
Standing beside Ning Fengzhi, Platinum Bishop Salas from Spirit Hall's Heaven Dou Branch sneered inwardly, a flash of disdain in his eyes.
'Champion? What a joke! No one can snatch the title from Spirit Hall Academy. All of you will merely serve as stepping stones beneath our feet!'
Before long, the results of the first-round draw were announced.
There would only be one match today—featuring the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Second Team against their drawn opponent.
The announcer began reading the match results aloud:
"In the first round of the preliminaries—Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Second Team versus Shrek Academy!"
When the Shrek team heard their opponent's name, they were thrilled.
"We're up today? Perfect!"
Ma Hongjun rubbed his hands together, excitement burning in his eyes.
"Those pompous jerks looked down on us earlier, didn't they? Heh, time to show them exactly who they're underestimating—and smack them right in the face!"
"The moment Brother San reveals his soul rings, that'll be the day Shrek Academy earns its reputation. No one will dare look down on us ever again!"
This was the only match of the day, and everyone from Shrek brimmed with confidence.
They believed Tang San would become the undisputed focus of the entire arena.
But Tang San himself remained unusually quiet.
For some reason, an inexplicable sense of unease stirred in his heart.
Dai Mubai, noticing his silence, gently patted his shoulder.
"Xiao San, what's wrong?"
Tang San frowned slightly.
"Nothing... I just have a strange feeling. That Soul Master with the Body Martial Soul—he's not simple."
Dai Mubai smirked.
"You mean that 'Wuming' guy? His martial soul is indeed odd. Don't overthink it—you'll find out what he's capable of once we're on stage."
After the draw concluded, the other participating academies withdrew from the arena.
However, none of them actually left. Under the staff's guidance, they moved to the spectator stands reserved for the academies, eager to observe the upcoming clash.
Everyone wanted to see how these two teams would perform.
In the center plaza, workers quickly began constructing the battle platform.
Half an hour later, Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's Second Team would face off against Shrek Academy on that very stage.
Gui Mei and his team arrived at their rest area.
"Our first opponents are Shrek Academy? That trash heap? There's only one match today—did they set this up just to give us an easy win?"
"Exactly! Look at their shabby uniforms—they can't even afford proper ones! How can that kind of academy call itself advanced?"
"We'll crush them easily once we're up there!"
Their tones dripped with arrogance and contempt.
But then, Gui Mei finally spoke. His calm, cold voice instantly silenced them.
"Those people from Shrek might look like clowns, but their overall strength isn't weak. The team Ning Fengzhi mentioned earlier—it's them."
"What?! Those toads think they can compete for the championship?!"
Gui Mei's lips curved faintly.
"You'll understand soon enough. I'll be joining this match. As for the other six spots—decide among yourselves."
He didn't bother saying more. There was no point arguing with fools.
Though he didn't yet know what lineup Shrek Academy would use, it didn't matter.
Whoever they sent out—none of them would stand a chance.
As the announcer finished instructing the other teams to leave the field, Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and Liu Erlong hurried over to Shrek Academy's rest area.
"I didn't expect our first-round opponent to be the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's Second Team. This is your chance to show your strength—you must win."
Tang San and the others nodded firmly.
Ma Hongjun couldn't hold back his excitement and immediately spoke up.
"Grandmaster, let me go on stage this time!"
He was eager to seize the opportunity to prove himself.
But Yu Xiaogang shook his head.
"According to Qin Ming, the Second Team's strength is rather average. Most of them are just three-ring Soul Elders. Hongjun, your martial soul and soul skills are… special. It's better to keep them hidden for now. Let the others handle this one."
Yu Xiaogang's strategy was clear—if there was still a chance to advance into the top five of the preliminaries, he intended to conceal as much of Shrek's true power as possible.
The Martial Soul Fusion Technique between Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing was one of their trump cards and wouldn't be easily revealed.
Similarly, Ning Rongrong and Oscar's powerful support abilities, and Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire Phoenix, were all to be kept under wraps unless necessary.
Yu Xiaogang's tone grew firm.
"For this battle, the lineup will be: Xiao San, Mubai, Zhuqing, Tai Long, Huang Yuan, Jing Ling, and Jiang Zhu. I won't dictate your tactics—Xiao San, Mubai, the two of you coordinate on your own."
"Understood!"
Tang San nodded, then asked,
"Teacher, what exactly is a Body Martial Soul?"
Yu Xiaogang frowned slightly.
"I'm not entirely sure myself. My best guess is that it's related to his own body. That boy named 'Wuming' will likely take the stage today. Keep a close eye on him—don't underestimate your opponent."
"Got it."
Tang San exchanged a glance with Dai Mubai.
This was their first match, and victory was non-negotiable.
Time passed quickly.
Half an hour later, the arena had been fully prepared—a massive circular platform, ten meters high and thirty meters across, stood proudly in the center of the field.
"Now, will the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Second Team and Shrek Academy take the stage!"
The moment the announcer's voice echoed through the stadium, the audience erupted into thunderous applause.
"Look! The Body Martial Soul user is here!"
Amidst the roaring cheers, Gui Mei and the six members of the Imperial Academy's Second Team made their entrance once again, ascending the stage in unison.
Not only the audience, even Emperor Xue Ye, Ning Fengzhi, Bishop Salas, and Qian Renxue in disguise all focused their gazes on the black-clad youth.
There was something unfathomable about him, as if endless mysteries lay hidden beneath that dark attire.
Soon after, the Shrek Team, led by Dai Mubai, stepped onto the stage as well.
On the platform, the seven members of the Imperial Academy's Second Team stood neatly in a line.
Gui Mei took his place quietly on the far right—the most inconspicuous position. Yet that very contrast, his stark black against the team's ornate uniforms, made him the most striking presence of all.
The seven Shrek members stood opposite them.
Except for Gui Mei, every member of the Imperial Academy's Second Team was dressed in finely tailored uniforms, their faces filled with arrogance and pride.
In comparison, the Shrek members—wearing their infamous "dung-green" uniforms—looked like a band of clowns.
One of the Imperial Academy members, a delicate-looking youth with an effeminate voice, sneered.
"What kind of opponent did we draw? Did you just crawl out of a sewer?"
Tai Long's temper instantly flared.
"And what's this? A pretty-boy half-man barking like a dog?"
"What did you just say?!"
"Whoever fits the description, I'm talking about you! What are you gonna do about it?"
"You'll find out soon enough when I beat that mouth of yours shut!"
Before the battle even began, sparks were already flying between the two teams—the air on the platform thick with tension.
Suddenly, the announcer's voice rang out again.
"You may now release your Martial Souls and soul rings! The battle will officially begin in one minute!"
The instant the command was given, both sides swiftly took up their formations.
On Shrek's side, Dai Mubai and Tang San stood at the front.
Behind them, Zhu Zhuqing, Tai Long, Huang Yuan, and Jing Ling spread out in a straight line.
At the very rear, Jiang Zhu stood alone—the healer and final line of defense.
The atmosphere grew heavier with every passing second.
This wasn't just a battle of strength.
It was the first clash between two worlds—pride and potential, arrogance and defiance—and it was about to begin.
—
End of Chapter