In a blink, two days later, it was early morning.
Despite the early hour, Heaven Dou Arena was bustling with people; the opening ceremony for the All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament was being held there.
The massive circular plaza's stands were packed, with citizens from Tianhun Empire and tourists from other Empires waving various flags, the sound waves like a tsunami, rising higher and higher, and the air was filled with fanaticism and anticipation.
When the Heaven Soul Emperor, dressed in magnificent robes, ascended the highest-ranking VIP platform with members of the Royal Family, the atmosphere reached its first climax.
Immediately after, academy teams from all over the Continent began to enter in sequence.
The appearance of each team drew corresponding cheers, but when the familiar, legendary Shrek Academy team entered, the entire plaza instantly erupted in a fervent roar that almost seemed to overturn the sky!
"Shrek! Shrek!"
"Shrek is number one!"
"We're just waiting for you all to win the championship!!!"
The atmosphere in the plaza reached its peak at this moment!
Ma Xiaotao and other young members of the reserve team walked in the procession, feeling the gazes of adoration, awe, and fanaticism projected from all directions, and a sense of unease instinctively arose in their hearts.
But as time passed, listening to the mountain-shaking, tsunami-like shouts of their Academy's name, an indescribable excitement began to surge within them.
At this moment, they truly experienced what "the glory of Shrek" meant, and a sense of pride naturally emerged, increasing their sense of belonging to Shrek.
The reserve members were somewhat excited, and even the Shrek main team members, who had participated once before, were inevitably affected. Only Zhang Lexuan, walking at the very front of the team, showed little excitement on her face.
Her gaze subconsciously swept towards the entrance direction of Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, seemingly searching for a particular figure.
But she did not find that target, who should have been very conspicuous, among the uniform team outfits, and her eyes were dark and unclear.
The previous night, the young man named Kong Ming'an had given her a family tree, the Kong Family's family tree, and it corresponded to the family tree left by her ancestors that she had found.
She had grown up in Tianhun Empire and studied and grown at Shrek, yet in reality, she was actually considered a person of Sun Moon Empire, and even more, she carried Royal Bloodline... She had already roughly guessed the young man's intentions, which were nothing more than for her to acknowledge her ancestors and return to her clan, but she naturally could not agree.
Although Shrek had its problems, it was undeniable that Shrek was her home, and she would absolutely never betray it... absolutely.
Therefore, the most urgent task was to find that young man, explain everything clearly, refuse him face-to-face, and state her position.
Her plan was very clear, but now there was only one problem, and that was... where was he?
He said he would wait for her, but then he disappeared?
Zhang Lexuan subtly looked around again, but in the end, still did not find Kong Ming'an's figure. She felt a little depressed but could only suppress her emotions and prepare for the upcoming competition.
At the same time, on the main seat of the VIP section specially set up for the Sun Moon Empire delegation, Kong Ming'an, whom Zhang Lexuan was thinking of, sat casually.
The lengthy and formulaic Emperor's speech, while perhaps stirring for the audience, was rather boring for him; he'd rather spend the time organizing his insights.
With slightly lowered eyes, Kong Ming'an focused on the numerous material of the "Body Cultivator" system that he needed to organize, while Ye Yulin, acting as his personal guard, stood silently behind him, his aura as profound as the sea, making people dare not look directly at him.
Such a combination made this already attention-grabbing VIP area even more captivating.
In the distance, on the Tianhun Empire Royal Family's exclusive seating area, a gentle-natured, golden-haired, blue-eyed young lady unconsciously cast her gaze there.
She tilted her head curiously, then looked at her good friend, who had grown up with her, and said teasingly, "Sister Muxue, look, look, that young man over there is so handsome!"
Muxue couldn't help but sigh at her Princess Your Highness's occasional silliness and began to explain:
"According to the information provided below, he is the Sun Moon Empire's National Pillar, Kong Deming's biological grandson, Kong Ming'an."
"Hm? The legendary only heir of the Kong Family? Such an important figure, why would he think of coming to our Heaven Dou City? Isn't he afraid of not being able to return?"
"The one standing behind him is Sun Moon Empire's Starry Sky Douluo Ye Yulin. He is said to be a Super Douluo, so he must be his guard."
"A Super Douluo as a guard?" Vina couldn't help but click her tongue and took a few more glances.
That young man was indeed extremely handsome, and what was even more peculiar was that, perhaps due to the special perception brought by her Spirit, in her eyes, the space around that young man seemed different from other places.
His body, on an Energy level, presented an abnormally "clear" and "heavy" state, as if not composed of flesh and blood, but of highly condensed, pure Energy, out of place with the surrounding environment, yet strangely harmonious.
How magical... She unconsciously took a few more glances.
And just then, as if sensing her continuous gaze, the young man who was looking at documents suddenly lifted his eyes, precisely meeting her gaze.
Their eyes briefly met in the air. The young man paused slightly, then a polite, faint smile appeared on his face. He nodded slightly at her, acknowledging her, then lowered his head as if nothing had happened, continuing to read the documents in his hand.
"..."
Vina paused for a moment, then turned to look at her good friend beside her.
"Muxue..."
"What's wrong?"
"I think I'm in love..."
"..."
Then your love is really hasty!
Muxue couldn't stop complaining in her heart, but she didn't say it out loud, pretending not to have heard.
For a Princess, free "love" was absolutely not allowed.
In the distance, on the VIP seating area of the Sun Moon Empire delegation, Kong Ming'an retracted his gaze, but his thoughts were no longer on the documents. Of course, they were not on that Princess either.
The reason he personally came to Tianhun Empire was partly to contact Zhang Lexuan, and the other was for the Body Sect, which was hidden in the shadows and suspected to have close ties with the Heaven Soul Royal Family.
When he just exchanged glances with Vina, he was actually more focused on observing whether there were any Body Sect members, but unfortunately, he found nothing.
Clearly, as a reclusive Sect, the Body Sect was deeply hidden, and it was even possible that they did not appear in such public occasions.
"Indeed, finding them directly is somewhat troublesome; I still have to follow the normal process."
Kong Ming'an murmured softly, without much disappointment in his heart; it was only a matter of time anyway.
His eyes were calm, and his gaze naturally fell upon Zhang Lexuan in the Shrek delegation below.
Now that direct searching had failed, the matter of the Body Sect would just have to proceed alongside the matter of his "older sister."