Chapter 69: Soul Ring Configuration.
After a brief conversation, Shi Yi also left the Eastern Palace.
Shortly after Shi Yi left, two figures appeared not far from Qian Renxue. They both bowed to Qian Renxue, "Young Master."
"Hmm... have you found out?" Qian Renxue said softly.
"Young Master, we haven't yet uncovered the reason why the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect is buying out so much high-grade whale glue, but..." She Long bowed.
"Uncle She, speak up. There's no need to be polite between you and me," Qian Renxue said softly, looking at She Long.
"Didn't you ask me to investigate that kid earlier? The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect only started buying out whale glue after that kid visited them," She Long said slowly.
"Oh? It seems there's still a lot about this kid we can't find out." Qian Renxue's eyes flickered with a hint of amusement at this.
"Young Master, how about I go and scare that kid? I have a feeling he's not very honest," She Long said hesitantly.
Qian Renxue shook the Twelve Classics in her hand and said, "That's unnecessary. The child has already surrendered to me, the Crown Prince of Tiandou. I'm afraid this is the secret to his ability to cultivate from the first level of Xiantian to this point. As for dishonesty, dishonest people are the smart ones, while honesty is the synonym of useless people."
Qian Renxue tossed the Twelve Classics in her hand to She Long and continued, "Uncle She, please send this back and try it on some children. If it works, even if he's dishonest, it means he's willing to join us."
Shexue carefully took it and nodded slightly, "Young Master, you are wise."
"Uncle Ci, please protect the child well for the time being. Report anything to me at any time. That old man Xuexing might become desperate, and your ability is just right to restrain Dugu Bo." Qian Renxue whispered to Cixue.
"But... Young Master..." Cixue said hesitantly.
"Don't worry. Old Xue Xing wouldn't dare touch me at this critical juncture of the competition. I'll have the three members of the Education Committee protect me during this period. It's rare to find someone so talented who doesn't look down on my teacher, so naturally I need to protect him well. He's been able to cultivate to this level from the first level of the Innate Realm. I'm curious about how far he can go," Qian Renxue said with a smile. Hearing this, Cixue slowly replied, "Yes, Young Master."
"Alright, you can all go your separate ways," Qian Renxue said softly.
With that, the two figures instantly vanished from Qian Renxue's sight.
Seeing them disappear, Qian Renxue's eyes filled with curiosity as she murmured, "Shi Yi, how many secrets do you still harbor..."
Two days had passed since the competition began, and all the Soul Master Academies had completed the first round of preliminaries.
Today's Shrek was completely different from the Shrek of the previous two days. The audience gathered outside the Grand Fighting Spirit Arena, preparing to enter, barely recognized them in their elegant, moon-white uniforms. They chatted and made way for them. Even Shi Yi thought the uniforms were well-designed and suited his taste.
Shrek's teachers had also changed into their new clothes.
"It feels different entering the arena with you guys. At least I look like a human being now," Shi Yi said softly to Ning Rongrong.
Ning Rongrong rolled her eyes at Shi Yi and said angrily, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? You made us wear shit green all day. Now everyone's looking at us like nouveau riche."
Shi Yi smiled and whispered, "Isn't the dean a nouveau riche? And the way these audiences look at you isn't as pure as it was the other day."
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing blushed at this.
Zhu Zhuqing glared at Shi Yi. It would have been fine if Shi Yi hadn't said anything, but when he did, she felt a lot of people staring at her outrageous figure. At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing thought wearing the shit green color actually looked pretty good.
The two of them walked a little faster. Shi Yi smiled at their backs. What was the point of walking fast? Many of the spectators in the stands were actually there to see the beautiful spirit master. Even Shi Yi had watched a Tianshui match yesterday out of admiration.
Don't ask, the only thing they were asking was collecting data and spirit skills from other teams.
As the audience watched them enter the Grand Spirit Arena, two staff members immediately greeted them and led them to the participating teams' rest area.
Soon, Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong approached, their faces solemn.
Yu Xiaogang said solemnly, "We just drew lots. Your opponent in the second qualifying match is very strong, and their lineup is very strong against us. You now have three choices. The first is to give up this match and conserve your strength. After all, the top five teams in the qualifying round will advance to the promotion round and the finals. The second is to play with the same lineup as the last match, but your chances of winning are probably less than one percent. The third..."
Yu Xiaogang said, his eyes set on Shi Yi.
Flanders was also surprised when he heard this; not many teams needed Shi Yi to play.
Liu Erlong also spoke slowly, "Your opponents are from the Elephant Armor Academy, founded by the Elephant Armor Sect. The seven contestants are all direct descendants of the Elephant Armor Sect. Three of them have reached Level 40, and the other four are close to that level. Most importantly, they are all defensive-type spirit masters."
"Using defensive-type spirit masters isn't accurate. The Elephant Armor Sect's ancestral spirit is the Diamond Mammoth, a super spirit with exceptionally high defensive power. Its attributes are primarily reflected in its strength and defense, and its strength rivals that of most beast spirit masters. This is currently the lineup that best counters you."
"Whether it's Xiao San, Mu Bai, or Zhu Qing, at the same level, it would be difficult for you to break through their defenses. Furthermore, our number of spirit masters is even smaller. Theoretically, for the sake of ultimate victory, I suggest you forfeit this match. After all, a top-five finish in the preliminaries is enough to qualify. There's nothing wrong with concealing your strength early on," Yu Xiaogang said slowly.
"I'm fine with anything," Shi Yi said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaogang cast his gaze upon Tang San and asked softly, "What do you think, Xiaosan?"
Tang San's expression remained unchanged, a glint of darkness flickering in his eyes. "If Senior Brother were to replace me and stick with yesterday's lineup, it wouldn't be considered a major oversight. After all, we still have special forces like Rongrong and Oscar. And I believe that with Senior Brother's strength, he wouldn't reveal much against them."
Yu Xiaogang pondered this. Indeed, with Shrek's current team composition, the support could still be hidden, but if Shrek wanted to achieve a good ranking, they would ultimately have to use Shi Yi in the field against a strong team.
Shi Yi looked at Tang San with a smile on his face. He knew all too well Tang San's little tricks. Since he had already triggered the Path to Death, it meant that Tang San was using the competition to test his own strength and prepare for his own attack. After all, an assassin's killing necessitates gathering intelligence and choosing the right method to kill their target.
"Xiaoyi, what do you think?" Yu Xiaogang looked at Shi Yi with a questioning look.
Shi Yi smiled and said, "Xiao San is right, let's go ahead."
Yu Xiaogang nodded slightly and said, "That's fine." Soon, the third day of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Competition officially began.
The VIPs watching the game in the VIP stands today were virtually identical to those at the opening ceremony on the first day. Not only were the Empire's top brass present, but the Emperor, Xue Ye, also sat in the center of the front row.
"Qinghe, I didn't expect you to be here today. It seems there's a match you're really excited about," Ning Fengzhi said, greeting Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue bowed slightly to Ning Fengzhi and chuckled, "I naturally pay close attention to the talent my teacher recommends to me."
Ning Fengzhi, surprised by the words, glanced at the schedule before him, and suddenly realized. With such an opponent, it was no wonder Shi Yi was on the field.
"It looks like today's match will be incredibly exciting," Ning Fengzhi said with a smile.
Even as he spoke, Ning Fengzhi felt a certain surprise. His disciple's attention to Shi Yi clearly indicated they had already met before. Furthermore, Xue Qinghe's words hinted at Shi Yi's commitment to his tutelage, which was what surprised Ning Fengzhi the most. Although he had only met Shi Yi a few times, he could sense that he was a thoughtful individual, and it was often difficult to earn their trust. He was curious about how his disciple had managed this.
With this in mind, Ning Fengzhi gradually lowered his gaze to the stage. Shi Yi had already slowly entered the stage, accompanied by several of the players from yesterday's match. Only Shi Yi had been replaced.
Ning Fengzhi observed this with interest, whispering, "He didn't even bring Rongrong with him. It seems this kid is very confident."
Beside him, Gu Rong whispered, "This kid has reached the Soul Sect."
Ning Fengzhi's face flickered with realization. No wonder Shi Yi was so confident. He then transmitted a message, "Uncle Gu, it looks like we're about to witness history today. The Spirit Hall's plans are likely to fail."
Gu Rong, remembering Shi Yi's formidable physical strength, nodded slightly.
Ning Fengzhi glanced at Salas and Huyan Zhen nearby and smiled. The fact that Shrek had met the Elephant Armor Academy in the second round was practically a testament to their manipulation. This tournament was not only a stage for recruiting talent but also a showcase for their strength. Shrek represented the Heavenly Dou faction, while the Elephant Armor Sect represented the Spirit Hall.
This was also a manifestation of the Spirit Hall's suppression of the two empires and rival sects. As a cradle of talent, the academy's inherent strength needed to be demonstrated through competition.
As the students from the Elephant Armor Sect slowly took the stage, the audience erupted in astonishment. The Elephant Armor Academy students, each nearly two meters tall, marched in a single file, creating a powerful and oppressive atmosphere. The entire arena trembled with their steps. It wasn't just seven people, but seven mountains.
Huang Yuan and the others swallowed their saliva at the sight. Even Dai Mubai's expression was solemn. Yu Xiaogang was right; this was the lineup that would best counter Shrek.
Shi Yi chuckled at the sight and said, "Excellent punching bags."
"Elephant Armor Academy team, captain, Hu Yanli. Level 43, Defense-type War Soul Sect." The captain's voice was muffled, his flesh trembling slightly as he spoke. His small eyes glared at Shi Yi, a fierce glint flashing.
"Shrek Academy team, acting captain, Shi Yi. Level 43, Offense-type War Soul Sect." Shi Yi said with a smile.
Hu Yanli's expression shifted, as if insulted by the word "acting."
"I'll send you flying," Huyan Li said in a muffled voice.
Shi Yi smiled but said nothing.
"Both teams, salute."
Led by Shi Yi and Huyan Li, the fourteen players on both sides bowed in unison.
"The first match of the second round of the preliminaries officially begins," the referee shouted.
The moment his words fell, Shi Yi didn't summon Xiao Yi. Instead, he entered a state of spirit possession, just like a normal beast spirit master. This was a small achievement Shi Yi had made in recent days. After absorbing the fourth ring, Shi Yi's mental strength had been further strengthened. He found that he could communicate with Xiao Yi more easily, even entering a state of possession.
As the spirit rings of both teams emerged, every spectator in the Grand Soul Fighting Arena turned their attention to Shi Yi.
Shi Yi stood at the front, his four purple-purple-black spirit rings slowly pulsing around him.
Not only in the spectator stands, but also in the VIP booth, exclaimed in amazement. Who could have imagined seeing such a spirit ring configuration in a Soul Master?
"Why did you hit me?"
"I'm not seeing things, purple, purple, black. Even if you've been practicing since the womb, it's impossible."
Xue Xing's eyes were filled with gloom. As the crown prince's sworn enemy, how could he not know Shi Yi? The imperial palace was a place where secrets could not be hidden.
Ning Fengzhi sighed softly at this scene. He now understood what the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had lost, and he even began to regret his original actions.
"Qinghe, congratulations," Ning Fengzhi said softly to Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue was also stunned by Shi Yi's spirit ring. Only after hearing Ning Fengzhi's voice did she come to her senses and say to Ning Fengzhi, "Thank you."
Ning Fengzhi smiled wryly and said, "Don't tease me, Teacher. I'm afraid this child is the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's most unprofitable business since its founding."
Fortunately, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had helped Shi Yi greatly. While joining was out of the question, at least they still had some friendship. It was also in the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's best interest for Shi Yi to join Xue Qinghe's ranks.
Platinum Bishop Salas stared at Shi Yi with narrowed eyes, his hands unconsciously clenched in his lap.
Many people nearby overheard the conversation between Ning Fengzhi and Qian Renxue. Emperor Xue Ye's eyes gleamed, a dazzling light flashing across them. He looked at Qian Renxue and said, "Well, well, Qinghe, you must cultivate this young talent well. Anyone who dares to pursue him would be making an enemy of Tian Dou."
"Yes, Father," Qian Renxue replied with a smile.
Xue Xing's face was uglier than if he had eaten shit. Not only had Xue Beng been exposed by Shi Yi, but Xue Ye's words had directly protected Shi Yi. If even he and Xue Beng had touched Shi Yi, Xue Ye would have sent them to a remote town to live out their lives, even without Xue Qinghe's intervention.
Seeing Shi Yi's possessed state, Yu Xiaogang's face darkened. Thinking about his own spirit skills, he realized they wouldn't be very effective if possessed.
"This kid is quite clever. Compared to the more common state of spirit possession, he chose to hide the state of summoning spirits. But, Xiaogang, if Xiaoyi's spirit can possess, Sanpao should be able to do it too. When can we try it?" Flender chuckled.
Yu Xiaogang's face darkened even more when he heard this, and he said to Flender calmly, "Get lost..."
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(End of this chapter)