After the atmosphere became lively, Zhu Ziyang began to ask about serious matters. He asked, "Yu Hao, Wang Dong, have you made enemies with anyone? These six Spirit Masters are clearly assassins from a certain family."
"This..." Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong exchanged glances, their expressions showing some hesitation.
"Yu Hao, what are you worried about?" Bei Bei noticed Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong's hesitation and immediately said, his face grave, "You don't need to have any psychological burden, just say it directly. The Academy will definitely stand up for you!"
"Actually, I can guess who did it," Huo Yuhao sighed, "but it's useless for me to say it because there's no evidence, and the Academy can't directly deal with him. Moreover, this is my private matter, and I don't want to involve the Academy."
"Hehe!" Zhu Ziyang's eyes flashed with a gleam as he heard Huo Yuhao's reply, then he smiled and said, "Since you won't say, then I won't ask. After all, the Academy will handle this matter, and it's not for us students to worry about. However, Yu Hao, you don't need to worry about that person retaliating further. Tonight's incident was very serious; his family can't possibly support him in continuing to challenge the Academy's authority."
"I understand!" Huo Yuhao nodded, then, with a gentle smile, said, "Thank you, Big Brother Ziyang, and also that senior sister in red."
"Alright, it's over, let's go back to the Academy!" Zhu Ziyang smiled.
The group returned to Shrek Academy.
Upon returning to the Academy, Zhu Ziyang bid farewell to Huo Yuhao and the others, heading straight to Sea God Island, where he was then summoned by Mu En.
"What are your thoughts on tonight's events?" Mu En asked with a smile.
"This is a blatant act of probing! The Academy's actions over the years have given these people a misconception!" Zhu Ziyang said indifferently, "They think Shrek Academy is the protector of the Douluo Three Kingdoms, so they revel recklessly under its umbrella without any scruples."
"Hahaha, that's a good point!" Mu En couldn't help but laugh when he heard this, then said, "That child named Huo Yuhao just made an enemy of Duke White Tiger's youngest son, and then he was assassinated. It's hard not to be suspicious!"
"Whether Duke White Tiger himself had this idea, I can't guarantee. But as for others in the Duke's Mansion, it's hard to say." Zhu Ziyang smiled and said, "The Dai family's interests are related to our Shrek Academy, but the Xu family's are not necessarily. For them, the existence of Shrek Academy is always a threat to their throne!"
"Very good, Ziyang, you are truly excellent!" Mu En let out a relieved laugh and said, "Shrek Academy's position is too transcendent, much like the Spirit Hall of the past, and even more terrifying than the Spirit Hall of the past. It's no wonder these royal families and nobles are afraid."
"Hmph, they can only jump around for about another ten years." Zhu Ziyang snorted, "Teacher, how long do you think the Three Great Empires can withstand the Sun Moon Empire without the Academy's help?"
"Half a year at most!" Mu En's gaze suddenly lowered upon hearing this. He said, "The Sun Moon Empire's national strength has grown faster in the last hundred years than in the past five hundred, especially in military technology. Their spirit tool technology far surpasses that of the Douluo Three Kingdoms. Without a sufficient number of high-level Spirit Masters, the Sun Moon Empire could completely flatten the Three Great Empires with its army!"
"Teacher, do you think the royal families and nobles of the Three Great Empires don't see this trend?" Zhu Ziyang asked.
"What if they do?" Mu En scoffed, "A sharp sword piercing is painful, but isn't a dull knife cutting flesh also painful? For most nobles, who the Emperor is doesn't affect their interests at all, but reform does. Even if the Sun Moon Empire truly unifies the continent, they would still need these local people to govern!"
"This is the meaning of my and the Academy's existence!" Zhu Ziyang said in a flat tone.
"Hahaha, exactly!" Mu En burst into hearty laughter.
Everyone was waiting, waiting for a moment to arrive!
—
Another half month passed quickly, and the Shrek main team was summoned by Gluttony Douluo Xuan Zi.
"Elder Xuan, have the members of the reserve team been selected?" Ma Xiaotao frowned and asked. She had been in seclusion for the past half month, and with less than a month until the Elite Competition, she wanted to break through to the Spirit Saint realm before then, so she was very displeased that Xuan Zi had interrupted her cultivation.
"Indeed, I've gathered you all today to arrange for you to get to know each other and familiarize yourselves," Xuan Zi said with a self-satisfied smile, completely ignoring Ma Xiaotao's tone.
"Is that so? Then let's go." Jiang Nannan said upon hearing this, then winked at Zhu Ziyang, a wide smile on her face.
Zhu Ziyang immediately understood Jiang Nannan's meaning and couldn't help but smile as well. The Shrek reserve team, ah, had quite a few familiar faces.
The seven followed Xuan Zi to the Outer Courtyard assessment area. After waiting a few minutes, the members of the reserve team arrived in twos and threes.
The first to arrive were none other than Bei Bei, Tang Ya, and Xu Sanshi. These three, plus Xue Weiwei, were currently the four strongest individuals in the Outer Courtyard, all four-ring Spirit Ancestors. That's right, after Xu Sanshi, Bei Bei and Tang Ya had also successively reached the Spirit Ancestor realm. As for why Xue Weiwei didn't become a reserve team member, Zhu Ziyang was not aware of the inside story.
As soon as Tang Ya appeared, she immediately embraced Jiang Nannan. The two of them acted as if they hadn't seen each other for years, but the truth was, they had only met three days ago. Otherwise, Jiang Nannan wouldn't have known that Tang Ya and the other two had become reserve team members. It was truly hard to understand the way girls interacted.
Next to arrive was a tall, burly, dark-skinned young man with a shiny bald head that was quite eye-catching. His face always wore a simple and honest smile, forming a strong contrast with his physique.
Last to arrive, of course, was the Huo Yuhao trio. As children of destiny, how could they be absent from such an important major event?
After Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao arrived, all the members of the main team and the reserve team were present.
Xuan Zi nodded, a satisfied expression on his face, and said, "Very good, everyone is here. The new All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Soul Fighting Competition will be held in ten days. As the main and substitute participants for this competition, I've gathered you today, firstly, to get to know each other, and secondly, to familiarize yourselves with each other's abilities."
He spoke, his gaze sweeping over the reserve team members, led by Bei Bei, and said, "Don't think that you are just spectators in this competition. On the contrary, unless there are special circumstances, almost all of you have the possibility of appearing on stage. When our opponents are not too strong, you will primarily be the ones participating. This way, we can better conceal the abilities of the main team members."
Upon hearing Xuan Zi's words, Bei Bei and the others couldn't help but show excited expressions, though there was also some nervousness mixed in.
Xuan Zi snorted and said, "Don't get too happy too soon. It's inevitable that you'll be sent out, but you are only allowed to win, not lose. If anyone accidentally loses a match, hmph, as long as this old man is alive for one day, they will never be able to enter the Inner Courtyard again. Moreover, you must adjust your mindset. In this competition, you can only be substitutes for the main team members. Obey all orders, do you all understand?"
"Understood!" Huo Yuhao and the other seven answered loudly.
Xuan Zi was very satisfied, then said, "Alright, introduce yourselves, starting with the reserve team!"
As his voice fell, the reserve team members stepped forward one by one according to age to introduce themselves. The first, without a doubt, was Bei Bei. He said, "My name is Bei Bei, fifth year in the Outer Courtyard, a forty-third-level attack system Battle Spirit Ancestor, with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit."
All the main team members, except for Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan, showed surprised looks, because Bei Bei's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit truly held extraordinary significance in Shrek Academy.
The second was actually that honest young man. He said, "My name is He Caitou, fourth year in the Outer Courtyard, a level four Soul Engineer."
This He Caitou was actually a Soul Engineer, which surprised Zhu Ziyang and the others, but that was all.
Xu Sanshi was the third. With a playful grin on his face, he said, "Xu Sanshi, fifth year in the Outer Courtyard, a forty-fourth-level defense system Battle Spirit Ancestor, with the Black Tortoise Shield Spirit."
After that was Tang Ya. She said, "My name is Tang Ya, fifth year in the Outer Courtyard, a forty-first-level support system Spirit Ancestor, with the blue gold spirit grass Spirit."
Tang Ya ultimately decided to specialize in the support system, because with her Spirit, taking the support system route was undoubtedly more advantageous.
Then, it was the Huo Yuhao trio. These three truly broadened the horizons of the Inner Courtyard Disciples. The young girl Xiao Xiao said, "Hello, senior brothers and sisters, my name is Xiao Xiao, second year in the Outer Courtyard, a twenty-ninth-level control system Battle Spirit Master."
Huo Yuhao said, "Hello, senior brothers, my name is Huo Yuhao, second year in the Outer Courtyard, a twenty-sixth-level control system Battle Spirit Master."
Wang Dong said, "My name is Wang Dong, second year in the Outer Courtyard, a thirty-first-level attack system Battle Spirit Elder."
The Inner Courtyard Disciples truly didn't know how to react. They could only look at the Huo Yuhao trio with strange gazes. Three second-year students — if it wasn't for Xuan Zi's favoritism, then they must truly possess real skill.