Douluo: Wuhun Qimen Formation, control everything!

Wei Jin's expression froze instantly.

The giant net formed by black vines closed in, completely enveloping him.

"what--!"

As the black vines tightened, a piercing scream, accompanied by the sound of bones shattering, emanated from the black cocoon woven by the vines.

"Stop...stop!"

Beibei gently patted Tang Ya's shoulder.

A cold glint flashed in Tang Ya's eyes: "Hmph! I'll teach you a lesson today. If you do this again, no one will be able to save you!"

She suddenly flicked her hand, and all the black vines were retracted into her body.

The rest of the Lieyang Sect members were terrified, their faces pale as they stared at Wei Jin lying on the ground in agony, but none of them dared to approach him.

Wei Jin collapsed to the ground, limp and lifeless, like a lump of mud.

His crimson-gold team uniform was tattered, his face was ashen, and his body was convulsing uncontrollably.

Tang Ya slowly walked up to him and looked down at him.

"You just said that the Tang Clan is trash?"

Wei Jin's body trembled violently as he tried to escape, but the excruciating pain rendered him completely immobile.

Tang Ya ignored him, turned around, and glanced at the remaining members of the Lieyang Sect.

“Who’s the waste?”

The men were terrified when she looked at them, and they retreated in panic, shaking their heads like rattles.

"We're useless! We're useless! We were wrong! We didn't recognize a great person!"

Those Soul Masters who had previously looked down on the Tang Clan team now all shut their mouths, their expressions showing deep apprehension as they looked at the group.

Even the Sun and Moon officials who came to receive them had a serious look on their faces.

They're strong and ruthless!

They are definitely a formidable opponent; the Tang Clan is not to be trifled with.

Beibei walked to Tang Ya's side and asked softly, "Xiao Ya, are you alright?"

Tang Ya's expression returned to normal, and she shook her head: "I'm fine."

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er also came over, their faces showing a sense of relief and satisfaction.

On the other side, Ding Kun and Ling Haochuan from the Shrek team exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness on each other's faces.

"This Tang Sect Master... his strength is incredible. How come I've never heard of such a person in the academy before? His martial spirit is too strange," Ding Kun said in a low voice.

"Let's go." Zhou Xuan waved, signaling everyone to follow.

Behind him, the people from the Lieyang Sect hurriedly lifted the unconscious Wei Jin and slunk away into the crowd.

Xu Qiyu, the receptionist who had been observing from the sidelines, finally strode forward, his professional smile now replaced by a wry one.

"Everyone, please try to exercise restraint during the competition and refrain from private fights."

Tang Ya gave him a cold look: "They provoked us first, we were just acting in self-defense."

Xu Qiyu nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, I understand. This way, please. I'll take you to your lodgings."

His attitude was noticeably more respectful than before.

Although the name of the Tang Clan has not yet been displayed on the field, it has already left a deep impression on the minds of various forces in a way that no one expected.

A few days later, the competition officially opened.

Inside the Mingdu Center, a massive circular arena capable of holding hundreds of thousands of people, the atmosphere was bustling with noise.

At the very center of the towering viewing platform, a group of high-ranking officials of the Sun Moon Empire, dressed in magnificent robes, were already seated.

The current regent, Xu Tianran, was slowly pushed to the front in a magnificent wheelchair powered by a soul tool.

His face was sickly pale, but he exuded an indescribable aura of power. The moment he appeared, the noisy venue fell silent.

Beside him stood a woman dressed in magnificent palace attire, her beauty exquisite and her demeanor aloof; she was none other than the current Regent's Consort.

Her gaze inadvertently swept over the Shrek Academy team below, lingering on Huo Yuhao for a moment before returning to its usual calm.

"Silence." A deep voice suddenly rang out.

The moment that voice appeared, everyone felt a sudden darkness before their eyes.

All the chatter instantly vanished.

The entire competition venue and the hundreds of thousands of people in the spectator area fell silent in an instant; you could hear a pin drop.

But the moment that voice appeared, Old Song, who was at the front of the Shrek team, stiffened slightly.

Dragon Emperor Douluo, Long Xiaoyao!

After everyone quieted down, another voice rang out.

"The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Tournament has officially begun."

"First, let's read out the competition rules."

After the competition rules were read out, the atmosphere in the arena reached its peak.

"The first match of the first round of the knockout stage. Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy versus Dragon Slayer Sect!"

As soon as the words were spoken, both teams walked out simultaneously from the passageways on either side of the arena.

On the left is the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, which is playing on their home turf.

They wore matching silver team uniforms with sun and moon emblems on their chests, and each of them appeared confident and composed.

The two leading figures, a handsome man and a charming woman, were none other than Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, the brother and sister.

Their opponents, the Dragon Slayer Sect, were a group of burly men dressed in black, each with bulging muscles and a fierce aura. The leader even carried a huge battle axe, making them look like men to be trifled with.

"The sun and moon will prevail! The sun and moon will prevail!"

The cheers from the home crowd surged forth like a tidal wave, almost lifting the entire stadium roof off.

Inside the spectator area, the Shrek members displayed a variety of expressions.

"That Dragon Slaying Sect, the sect name sounds imposing, but I wonder how strong they are." Ling Haochuan's gaze swept over the Dragon Slaying Sect members, trying to assess their strength.

On the Tang Sect's side, Huo Yuhao had already activated his mental detection, taking in the entire situation on the field.

Zhou Xuan leaned back in his chair, calmly watching the scene unfold.

The competition begins with the individual elimination rounds.

On the Sun and Moon Academy side, the first one to step onto the stage was Meng Hongchen.

From the Dragon Slaying Sect's side, a young man of medium build walked up.

"Game start!"

As soon as the referee finished speaking, the young man from the Dragon Slaying Sect shouted and his five soul rings lit up.

However, six soul rings appeared on Meng Hongchen's body.

Six-Ring Soul Emperor!

"Moo—" A deep roar came from the mouth of the young man from the Dragon Slayer Sect.

A pair of thick, forward-curving, sharp bull horns, two feet long, protruded from the shoulders on either side of his neck.

His thick, powerful muscles completely burst out of his shirt, revealing bronze-colored muscles that looked like they had been cast in bronze and iron.

The first spirit ring lit up, and then it rushed towards Meng Hongchen.

In that instant, Meng Hongchen was moved.

With a slight flick of his wrist, the third spirit ring lit up, and an icy blue mist instantly enveloped the opponent.

The poison of a sixth-ringed being is enough to threaten a titled Douluo, let alone someone who is merely a Soul King.

The other party hadn't even reached Meng Hongchen yet.

Thump. The young man's eyes rolled back, and he fell straight down.

Go to sleep!

The entire stadium fell silent for a moment, then erupted into even more enthusiastic cheers.

“The second one.” Meng Hongchen’s cold voice rang out, without even glancing at the fallen opponent.

The Dragon Slayer Sect's expression turned grim, and they sent out a second person.

This time, they learned their lesson and held their breath as soon as they entered the arena, using their soul power to protect their mouths and noses.

But the result was still the same.

Meng Hongchen's Zhu Qingbing Toad Poison is so potent that it cannot be avoided by simply holding one's breath. An opponent can barely even touch the hem of her clothes before collapsing from the poison.

This is also their disadvantage due to their lack of experience in major competitions. Because they have never participated in previous Soul Master Competitions, the sect members actually have almost no understanding of any of the participating teams.

The third……

the fourth……

the fifth……

The situation on the field turned into a one-sided crushing defeat.

Meng Hongchen stood alone on the stage, while members of the Dragon Slaying Sect went up one after another, only to fall one after another without exception.

It's like the Calabash Brothers saving their grandfather, one by one they're sent away.

Finally, they reached the last member of the Dragon Slayer Sect, who was also their captain.

"Game start!"

However, even if Meng Hongchen was strong at this point, he was already quite exhausted, so there was no need to continue fighting.

So she simply conceded defeat.

After all, she had already defeated six opponents single-handedly, so she could leave the last one to her teammates.

As expected, Sun and Moon decisively won the final match.

The moment the opposing captain fell to the ground, the entire stadium erupted in unprecedented cheers after a brief silence, the sound almost piercing the sky!
Meng Hongchen stood on the stage, her face pale and her chest rising and falling slightly.

"In the individual elimination round, Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy wins!"

The referee announced the result loudly.

According to the competition rules, if any team scores six or more points in the individual elimination rounds, that team will advance directly without needing to participate in the subsequent team matches!

This completely ignited the fervor of the home crowd.

"Invincible under the sun and moon!"

"The championship belongs to us!"

Just then, the victorious Sun Moon Academy team, led by Xiao Hongchen, was preparing to leave the field.

The brother and sister walked at the front, enjoying the cheers of the crowd.

As Xiao Hongchen passed through Shrek Academy's spectator area, he suddenly stopped.

He turned around, a smile on his face, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on Zhou Xuan.

Although Meng Hongchen, who was standing beside him, looked tired, she followed her brother's gaze and looked over. Her cold eyes held a fighting spirit that refused to admit defeat.

Xiao Hongchen smiled and nodded toward Zhou Xuan.

Zhou Xuan smiled politely at him, after all, they were acquaintances, weren't they?
Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, the siblings, did not linger and quickly disappeared into the contestant passage.

In the spectator area, the atmosphere within the Shrek team was somewhat subtle.

"Captain." Ding Kun shifted his muscular frame, moved closer to Zhou Xuan, and asked curiously, "That Xiao Hongchen from Sun Moon Academy, was he after you? Do you two know each other?"

Ling Haochuan and Xu Yun also perked up their ears, having also noticed the brief eye contact between the two earlier.

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, as the aces of the host academy, demonstrated their strength on the field just now, which was obvious to all.

"We know each other. In the last competition, they were the runners-up, and we were the champions."

Once that was explained, the two understood.

"I see."

"They were more than just defeated opponents!" He Caitou laughed from the side. "The captain beat the brother and sister so badly that they had no chance at all. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he crushed them."

Although He Caitou's description was somewhat exaggerated, Ling Haochuan and the others had no doubts whatsoever.

A bitter feeling welled up in Ling Haochuan's heart. He now truly understood that his challenge back then was probably no different from children playing house in the eyes of the other party.

Even Xu Yun, who had been quiet all along, secretly glanced at Zhou Xuan, his face full of admiration.

"Alright, let's not dwell on the past." Xian Lin'er's cool voice rang out, interrupting He Caitou's boasting. "So much time has passed, everyone has improved, don't underestimate your opponents."

Although her words were meant as a warning, the faint smile at the corner of her mouth clearly showed that she still had great confidence in Zhou Xuan.

On the other side, in the Tang Clan's spectator area.

“The strength of Sun Moon Academy is indeed stronger than we imagined.” Bei Bei’s expression was solemn. “That Meng Hongchen’s poisonous martial soul is too strange. In a one-on-one situation, apart from Xiao Ya and Yu Hao’s ultimate ice, I’m afraid no one on our side can match her.”

"Hmm," Huo Yuhao responded, his feelings somewhat complicated.

The opponent is getting stronger, and just how strong will Zhou Xuan, who once dominated a generation, become?

Can I really keep up with him?

Just as everyone was lost in thought, the referee's booming voice rang out again from the center of the field.

"First round of the knockout stage, second match! Heavenly Soul Royal Academy of the Heavenly Soul Empire versus Starlight Academy of the Star Luo Empire!"

With the referee's final verdict, the first day of the knockout stage came to a close.

The stadium, which had been bustling all day, finally began to quiet down, and the audience left one after another with expressions of lingering enjoyment.

The bright moon hangs high, casting a layer of silver frost over this steel city.

Inside the Tang Clan's courtyard, the lights were on.

The group sat in a circle.

"The Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy is very strong, but that's not what we need to worry about. Tomorrow's match is the focus."

Although tomorrow's opponent isn't the Sun and Moon Sect, we mustn't be careless. Any sect with a strong foundation likely has hidden trump cards.

He looked at Tang Ya and asked softly, "Xiao Ya, did you feel tired today? Are you feeling unwell?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Ya gently shook her head: "I'm fine. Dealing with that kind of scum doesn't require much effort."

But the more this happened, the more uneasy Beibei felt.

He always felt that since Tang Ya's martial soul underwent a change, her temperament had also been affected, becoming more decisive.

It's not that this change is bad, but Beibei always feels a little uneasy.

However, since Tang Ya had already said so, he couldn't say anything more.

"In short, we must win the first match tomorrow, and win it spectacularly! We must show everyone that the Tang Clan is back!"

"Yes!" the crowd responded in unison, their fighting spirit soaring.

On the other side, at Shrek Academy's headquarters.

The atmosphere was much more relaxed then.

Ding Kun and Ling Haochuan were huddled together, reviewing Meng Hongchen's battle from earlier that day.

Xian Lin'er came out of the room, interrupting everyone's discussion, "Get some rest and conserve your energy. Although our match is scheduled for later, we still need to maintain our best condition."

She walked to Zhou Xuan's side and asked in a low voice, "Are you confident?"

"What confidence do you have?" Zhou Xuan countered.

"champion."

"Easy peasy." (End of Chapter)