Chapter 128: The First Round of the Competition

Chapter 128: The First Round of the Competition

As the speeches of Emperor Xueye and Ning Fengzhi drew to a close, Bishop Salasu of the Spirit Hall slowly rose to his feet.

Led by an attendant, he made his way to the emcee and began the team drawing ceremony.

Despite the process, the platinum bishop couldn't help but express his reluctance with a slight pout, seemingly uninterested in the draw.

With each team he drew, the emcee beside him announced the competing pairs.

"First round of the preliminaries..."

"First round of the preliminaries, Oakland Academy versus Tianwu Academy."

"First round of the preliminaries..."

"First round of the preliminaries, Oakland Academy versus Shrek Academy."

Hearing that their respective academies would be facing off against unknown opponents, both Tianwu Academy and Shrek Academy heaved sighs of relief.

The Shrek team was glad to finally be free from targeted attention, while Tianwu Academy wanted to avoid revealing their true strength in the first match.

"How should we arrange our team?"

Alan looked at Wang Si. Although he wasn't too concerned about the team competition, the presence of so many people still made her feel a bit uncomfortable.

"As a new academy, it's important for us to make a strong first impression in our debut match.

Zhu Ye as team leader, followed by Alan, Zhu Zhuqing, Zhu Wu, Ren Ling'er, myself, and Xue Qinghe.

Xue and I have special identities, and this match is about establishing our academy's reputation.

For this match, the six of us don't need to take action. Zhu Ye alone should be able to finish the job within thirty seconds, against opponents who are mostly in their thirties in terms of soul power level."

Wang Si glanced at Zhu Ye, seeking his agreement.

Noticing the look, Zhu Ye nodded.

"I can handle it. I'll try to minimize the exposure of my soul skills while taking down the opposition."

Zhu Ye's words garnered unanimous approval. To be honest, aside from Zhu Ye, any one of the prepared team members could have easily defeated the opposing seven.

The participating teams took turns entering the arena, but the matches were mostly unremarkable, akin to a game of untrained warriors in the eyes of the spectators, though they found them thrilling nonetheless.

However, for some of the students and teachers from the academies, these early rounds were nothing more than a warm-up act.

Soon, it was Tianwu Academy's turn to take the stage.

In the VIP section, Ning Fengzhi narrowed his eyes as he watched Xue Qinghe step forward.

"Your Majesty, are you sure you want to let the first prince participate in the Soul Master Competition? The contestants vary greatly in skill and strength. If something unexpected happens during the competition, it could be a loss for our Star Luo Empire."

While Ning Fengzhi expressed concern for Xue Qinghe's well-being, he was also probing the extent of the emperor's interest in the competition.

This would determine whether he felt assured about letting his daughter join the fray.

Unfazed, Emperor Xueye shook his head.

"That was Qinghe's choice, and I will support him. If he's unwilling to take on even this level of risk, then his time away from home these past few years would have been for naught."

It was clear—Emperor Xueye held the competition in high regard, and Ning Fengzhi could rest easy about letting his daughter participate.

Having been focused on his eldest son, the emperor breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed their team formation, as his son was standing in the back row, indicating he wouldn't be directly involved in the fight.

No longer worried about his son, the emperor then realized the underlying message in Ning Fengzhi's earlier words and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Ning Zong, I hear your daughter, Ning Rongrong, is also participating in this competition. Which academy is she representing?"

Hearing the emperor's question, Ning Fengzhi humbly pointed in the direction of Shrek Academy.

A young Soul King in his early twenties! Previously, they had only heard rumors of Tianwu Academy fostering a young Soul King.

At the time, everyone had brushed it off as insignificant gossip, never imagining that the rumors were true!

...

A few minutes earlier.

Tianwu Academy's entrance into the arena was not met with any warnings or provocations from their opposing academy.

Evidently, their teachers had informed them beforehand about the presence of the Heavenly Combat Dragon Prince within Tianwu Academy's team.

Who would dare provoke them now?

The customary pre-match handshake and bow proceeded without any conflicts.

As the referee signaled the start of the match, all students except Zhu Ye took a step back.

Then, everyone except Wang Si and Xue Qinghe retreated another step.

"Release your martial souls."

As soon as these words were spoken, the audience gasped in astonishment.

Even the opposing team members from Oakland Academy, who were preparing to release their martial souls, were stunned.

They watched in awe as one soul ring after another appeared around Zhu Ye.

Yellow, yellow, purple, and black.

When the fourth soul ring appeared, they exchanged glances, unsure of what to make of it. But when the fifth black soul ring materialized, they all shuddered in unison.

They were intimidated not only by the configuration of five soul rings but also by the bone-chilling cold that suddenly permeated the arena.

By the time they realized they were up against a Soul King, it was too late.

"Extreme Frost Blast!"

Zhu Ye's fourth soul ring shone with a purple light, and a blizzard of ice shards and snow erupted from him, spreading in all directions.

A tornado of freezing wind surged towards the students of Oakland Academy.

"We concede! ! !"

While the students of Oakland Academy were still in a daze, their teacher quickly snapped out of it, realizing the gravity of the situation.

The next month would be filled with various competitions, and they certainly didn't want to start off at a disadvantage by losing team members right at the beginning.

Hence, the teacher swiftly conceded the match.

The referee was equally quick to react, and as soon as Oakland Academy signaled their surrender, he intervened to prevent any further harm from befalling their students.

The appearance of a Soul King in the Youth Soul Master Competition was unprecedented, and all the major powers present immediately shifted their focus to Zhu Ye.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end