With the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy securing victory in their semifinal match, the two finalists for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament were set.
From the moment the semifinals ended, crowds began lining up outside Star Luo Plaza, with some even waiting two full days and nights. All to witness the grand spectacle of the finals—an event they would likely recount for the rest of their lives.
The two teams destined to face each other in this climactic battle were making their way to the arena. Soldiers lined the path, holding back the throngs of people shouting the competitors' names. Those unable to enter the plaza had gathered along the route to catch a glimpse of the two teams as they passed by.
The Sun-Moon Royal Battle Team walked with determination, their spirits undeterred despite knowing the immense strength of Qian Ran and the Shrek Team.
Having accepted the near impossibility of defeating Shrek Academy, the pressure on them had lessened. Their academy held no unreasonable expectations, and even a loss wouldn't bring significant blame. Their focus was to give their best performance.
Among them, Xiao Hongchen, the prideful captain, walked with a clenched jaw. After learning about Qian Ran's terrifying martial soul, Xiao had given up any thoughts of direct comparison. His only desire was to eliminate Qian Ran.
In contrast, Meng Hongchen couldn't take her eyes off Qian Ran.
As she gazed at him, her thoughts raced: Twin martial souls, Six-Winged Angel, Spirit Hall ties, Ultimate Ice, soul engineering genius… The accumulation of these accolades made her heart race.
From the moment she first spoke to Qian Ran, his image had been etched into her mind.
Any one of these traits could make a person a legend.
But Qian Ran carried them all, exuding an indescribable charisma that even titled Douluo admired. How could someone like Meng Hongchen, a young woman of his generation, not be drawn to him?
"Hmph." Xiao Hongchen's face darkened as he noticed his sister's longing gaze. The thought of her being infatuated with someone from Spirit Hall, an enemy of the Sun-Moon Empire, was intolerable.
Atop the city walls, Star Luo Empire's Emperor Xu Jiawei, accompanied by his court, observed the two teams with great respect. Among them were Duke Dai Hao, Duchess Zhu Ying, and Dai Yueheng.
Though Dai Yueheng's body had largely recovered, his martial soul was still fragile, preventing him from competing in the finals. While disappointed, he was content with his progress, knowing that opportunities for glory would come again once his strength fully returned.
Meanwhile, both Xu Jiujiu and the Empress exchanged peculiar glances with the Duke's family, hiding their amusement at Zhu Ying's slightly awkward demeanor.
The finals would consist of three rounds:
Team BattleIndividual Knockout Matches2-2-3 Formation Battles
The winner would be determined by a best-of-three format.
For the team battle, each side would field seven competitors. Following the match, both teams could make a single substitution. However, the seven chosen members would then remain fixed for the rest of the competition, regardless of injuries or other issues.
As the referee announced the rules, the seven members of the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy stepped forward. Leading them was captain Ma Rulong, followed by Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, with four other core team members.
On Shrek Academy's side, Qian Ran and Ling Luochen led the lineup, joined by Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, Jiang Nannan, Ning Tian, and Zhu Lu.
A Surprise Lineup
The Sun-Moon Royal Team initially felt hopeless, but seeing Shrek Academy's lineup gave them a glimmer of hope.
Though Qian Ran and Ling Luochen were undeniably powerful, the other five members were only reserve team members, averaging at the Soul Elder (three-ring) level!
"Shrek Academy is underestimating us!" Xiao Hongchen's face turned grim. He had always been the one to look down on others. Being dismissed like this stung his pride deeply.
"This might be an opportunity. As strong as Qian Ran is, he can't possibly take all of us on alone. Plus, we're soul engineers—our firepower far surpasses the Heavenly Battle Team they faced before," Ma Rulong muttered, his clenched fists betraying his simmering anger.
The Shrek lineup puzzled many spectators. In previous rounds, reserve team members like Wang Dong'er had participated, but as the tournament progressed to the quarterfinals and beyond, Shrek Academy's inner court disciples typically took over.
But this was the finals!
And their opponents were the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy—a team far stronger than most of the quarterfinalists.
The Sun-Moon team members were fuming.
The Power of Soul Tools
When the referee signaled the start of the match, the Sun-Moon team sprang into action.
Standing in a line, they activated their soul tools in unison. Bright orbs of light, formed from concentrated soul power, emerged from their weapons and dispersed in a dazzling display. The glowing projectiles then honed in on the Shrek team with piercing screeches.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The Sun-Moon team's strategy revolved around overwhelming firepower. In the pre-Soul Sage levels, soul engineers held a distinct advantage over soul masters in terms of firepower.
Equipped with high-grade fifth-level and even sixth-level soul tools, the Sun-Moon team unleashed a barrage far exceeding their performances in earlier matches. This was their trump card—an all-out assault meant to crush the opposition.
The sheer intensity of their attack left the audience at Star Luo Plaza awestruck. On the city walls, members of the royal family and court looked on with trepidation.
A Foreboding Display
If this level of firepower was unleashed on the battlefield, could the Star Luo Empire even stand a chance?
The Emperor, Xu Jiawei, felt a shiver run down his spine. It became even clearer to him how fortunate they were to have allied with Spirit Sect.
(Chapter End)