Douluo Continent: I can nurture soul beasts and even perform super evolution.

Chapter 125 Surrounded by Flood Dragons, the Young Dragon Travels Alone

White Tiger Duke's Mansion.

Dai Hao looked bewildered as he saw his subordinate's urgent reply, his face turning ashen.

"What do you mean by 'all the Shrek Academy's main team members were severely injured'?"

What does it mean that Yao Heng's fate is unknown?

"What do you mean, 'It's all my fault'?!"

Yes, he was hosting a banquet and offered everyone some wine, but with their Soul King and Soul Emperor strength, they could easily expel the alcohol fumes with a little soul power. Soul Masters who get into trouble because of drinking are a big problem throughout the entire Soul Master world, okay? And where is Xuanzi?! Wasn't Xuanzi accompanying him?
"Would I harm my son?!" Dai Hao gasped for breath, smashed the table with a bang, and stood up.

"Shrek is going too far!"

"Commander, His Majesty has also sent an envoy to inquire about the situation..." Old Du said in a low voice, looking troubled.

"Huff, huff... Tell him to wait in the side tent!"

Dai Hao straightened his clothes and instructed Du Leisi to clean up the mess before striding out of the main tent. He could complain about Shrek in private, but in public, he still had to put on an act.

After all, the other side had just spared their own offspring.

……

Star Luo Empire.

imperial capital.

One of the most prosperous main cities on the continent, it is said that the annual turnover of gold soul coins alone reaches seventy to eighty million. Although it cannot compare with Shrek City, it is still a city with a dazzling array of goods, a wide variety of shops, and soul beast leather products with a strong local flavor and historical heritage.

However, Shrek and his group had no time to visit.

They went straight to the Xingluo Hotel, which is where all the academy teams registered.

"You're from Shrek... Academy?!"

The waitress was graceful and beautiful. She glanced at Wang Yan at the front, paused for a moment, and then peeked out as if to see if anyone was hiding behind him.

“That’s right,” Wang Yan said with a smile.

He wasn't forcing a smile; after a night of silence, he had figured things out. Anyway, the situation couldn't be worse than it was now. Before Ma Xiaotao recovered, Su Wen was still there to support her... so they could at least try their luck in the peak competition.

In that case, let's mislead the enemy and let them guess.

"Oh, sorry."

The maid hurriedly registered the information. There was a soul guide device for testing bone age nearby, and the staff guided her through the test.

"..."

Looking at the strange age distribution on the list, the maid hesitated for a moment, but still kindly reminded her, "There's only half a day left before registration closes. If... you don't register now..."

"Thank you, Shrek Academy only has a few people here."

Su Wen smiled.

Then he turned and left.

The main force quickly followed.

Inside a rest area in the lobby on the second floor of the hotel.

A handsome young man looked at the boy in the lead with great interest. "He does have some spirit, but Elder Ma, has the Imperial Intelligence Department replied yet? What exactly is Shrek Academy keeping secret? They don't really think they can beat us with these greenhorns, do they?"

"..."

The white-bearded old man, referred to as Old Ma, frowned and shook his head.

"Only half a day remains; the outcome will be clear then."

"Shrek Academy may be arrogant, but they shouldn't do something so thankless. I suspect... there must be some problem."

"Brother, does that mean we've already won this year's championship?" A girl with long, flowing silver hair, wearing a sun hat, exclaimed excitedly, her eyes wide with delight, standing beside the handsome young man.

"Of course, I am a genius that the Sun Moon Empire has only seen once in a thousand years. I never thought that I would win the championship in my first competition as a reserve. It is really extremely boring." He picked at his fingers with boredom.

Old Ma and the team leader Ma Rulong's face twitched.

That's some serious bragging.

The titles bestowed upon Xiao Hongchen in the Daily News, such as "Tiger of the Empire," "Fifteen-Year-Old Genius Soul Master of the Empire," and "Youngest Level 5 Soul Master Record Holder," truly elevated this young man to the heavens... However, while fifty percent of it was due to the influence of the Mingde Hall Master, the remaining fifty percent did indeed contain genuine talent.

Ma Rulong narrowed his eyes, staring at the back of Su Wen, the leader of the Shrek Academy team.

This seems to be the closest the Sun Moon Empire has ever come to first place; this honor is within their grasp...

……

“Your Highness, Shrek Academy…” A woman dressed in the Star Luo Empire team uniform approached, her face full of excitement.

Shrek Academy held the top spot in the Continental Academy Tournament for ten thousand years.

The lineups in previous years have been so strong that no other team even had the will to compete, so everyone's eyes were on the top three positions. But this year, the number one spot seems to be vacant...

"Shut up." Xu Jiujiu, dressed in the uniform of the Star Luo Empire Royal Academy, stood ramrod straight, quietly watching Su Wen's back, and spoke calmly.

The aura emanating from royalty forced all the team members to bow their heads.

The royal family has received firsthand information from Duke Dai Hao of the White Tiger.

Shrek Academy will not receive any more assistance. Except for one person, the entire home team was severely injured in the Mingdou Mountains. Even Dai Hao's son, Dai Yueheng, was the most seriously injured. Let alone recovering and participating in the competition, Duke Baihu mentioned only one person... and that was Su Wen.

The entire Shrek Academy team, known as the elite, drank alcohol and nearly perished in the Mingdou Mountains. Only this person did not drink a drop and remained perfectly sober from beginning to end. It is even said that if he had not intervened, the team would not have been severely injured but would have lost their lives.

If such an opponent were not from Shrek Academy, she would definitely try her best to win him over, and even using herself as bait would not be out of the question.

However, he was the successor of the Sea God Pavilion, a generation removed from his own.

This kind of identity that only exists in legends actually appeared in a boy younger than her. You should know that the previous generation successor of the Sea God Pavilion was the current senior sister of Shrek Academy, with the eighth soul skill of 100,000 years, and she was someone who had a very high probability of reaching the top in the future.

The fact that he was able to oust Zhang Lexuan at such a young age shows how much the Sea God Pavilion valued him...

It's no wonder it's Shrek Academy.

She sighed quietly.

A place where monsters appear in endless streams.

Even with such heavy casualties this year, there are still people who can turn the tide and save the day. The true strength of a force lies in the fact that there are always people who can step forward and shoulder the burden.

but……

Only those who can subdue a group of powerful dragons can be called true dragons. But right now, Shrek Academy seems to be nothing more than a fledgling dragon. Its status is still there, but it is surrounded by a group of dragons, all of whom are eyeing the number one position.

Her beautiful eyes glanced at the Shrek Academy members who had already disappeared, and a fiery passion welled up within her.

Feelings are feelings.

But how could Star Luo Royal Academy let such a great opportunity slip by?
She is also one of the powerful dragons.

To be able to compete against such figures before they rose to prominence is enough to make life worthwhile. I'm afraid I'll be completely outmatched next time...

……

I put my things on the top floor of the hotel.

Wang Yancai remained silent.

But just now, he looked up, worried about Su Wen's reaction.

But the young man strode confidently, his expression unchanged. In the second-floor lounge, amidst a multitude of gazes—some mocking, some hostile, and some greedy—his steps were steady and unwavering, showing no sign of anything amiss.

This scene seemed to come to life.

A group of dragons surrounded him, coveting his position, but the young dragon among them remained calm.

The outcome is still undecided, and the result remains to be seen.

It was only then that Wang Yan felt a deep sense of emotion. In times of peace and stability on the mainland, he rarely felt this way, but it was only when he truly encountered difficulties that this natural leader's talent would emerge, drawing others to him unconsciously...

……

the other side.

"There are quite a few people watching the show."

Mu Qiu'er pouted.

"They all want to get first place by stepping on us, huh~"

"That's only human nature," Su Wen said with a leisurely smile.

This is not as simple as just getting first place.

Instead, they would trample Shrek Academy, the number one academy on the continent, under their feet and use it as a stepping stone to build their own fame. Who wouldn't be tempted by that?

"Let's go for a walk..."

Bei Bei, Ning Tian, ​​and others stayed at the hotel to recover. Although their injuries were minor, they still needed to adjust their condition to prepare for tomorrow's competition. Wang Yan, as the team leader, chose to stay at the hotel to take care of them.

Gu Yuena and Mu Qiu'er were fast asleep in the hotel. They were both somewhat homebodies, and given the sensitive nature of the mythical beast, Gu Yuena preferred to keep it by her side.

Therefore, only Su Wen and Wang Dong were on this trip.

"Wow, it's huge!" Wang Dong exclaimed, his light blue eyes filled with admiration as he put his arm around Su Wen's.

Compared to Shrek Academy's "trading" nature, which is determined by its geographical location, the shops appear more rustic and simple. The Star Luo Empire, on the other hand, places more emphasis on "grandeur," because many merchant guilds are indirectly or directly controlled by the royal family, so the architecture has a touch of extravagance and a magnificent and imposing atmosphere.

There are even dragon head carvings on the walls at the entrance to highlight the identity of this chamber of commerce.

Su Wen didn't waste any words.

The two went straight to a soul tool shop.

In the spacious hall, there were only a handful of people. Perhaps it was because this was a place that customized high-end soul tools, all of which were level four or five or above, and each transaction amount was no less than 10,000 gold soul coins, so it indirectly filtered out a lot of people.

"Young master, are you looking to purchase soul tools from the Starshine Merchant Guild?"

The waiter came forward and asked with a smile.

"Yes." Su Wen nodded.

"May I ask what level of soul tool you would like to purchase? Or what type? Our store has the latest defensive soul tool from the Sun Moon Empire—Titan Barrier (available in levels five to eight), as well as the Scorching Sun Ray (an exclusive level seven soul tool). We also have the best-selling Invincible Shield, or various soul tools for melee combat. Our store has everything you could want." The waiter's smile grew increasingly enthusiastic.

Although these two are young, the Star Luo Empire has no shortage of second-generation talents.

Nobles, military personnel, and even royalty.

Perhaps in a little while, someone will come to arrange payment with him.

Led by the waiter, Su Wen tried out several soul tools one after another, and was somewhat disappointed. Apart from the milk bottle, the flying soul tool, and the invincible shield, the rest were somewhat useless. Close and long-range soul tools consume soul power and are suitable for pure support, such as food-type soul masters like He Caitou, or soul masters with very weak martial soul strength. But for him, they were somewhat useless.

The Star Luo Empire is the only country on the continent that borders the Sun Moon Empire.

Although they are enemies on the surface, they actually have a secret deal.

Of course, this transaction was not officially authorized, but rather... due to corruption within the military. The Sun Moon Empire may seem vibrant and energetic, with considerable achievements in soul tools and many capable of becoming generals, but it is not truly able to achieve nationwide integrity.

In peacetime, unable to profit from war, some military units secretly sell soul tools to the outside world. This phenomenon is particularly evident among border troops. The Mingdou Mountains are a natural cover, making it difficult to find evidence of transactions inside.

The trading partners were naturally mostly from the Star Luo Empire.

This can be seen from the soul tool equipped on the White Tiger Duke's attendant; the real world is a makeshift operation.

They were inseparable during the day, and became sworn brothers at night.

That's why Su Wen came to the Star Luo Empire to see the current level of first-class soul tools on the front lines.

The conclusion was that it was a useless thing.

For Soul Masters with Metal or Spirit-based Martial Souls, Soul Tools offer a significant boost, even revolutionizing traditional combat methods. However, for other traditionally gifted Soul Masters, they can be a constraint.

Su Wen shook his head.

He purchased several high-level milk bottles, an eighth-level flying soul tool, and several invincible shields before leaving.

As for the [Titan Barrier], it cannot be charged using milk bottles; it must draw upon the Soul Master's own Soul Power. Even for a level 5 [Titan Barrier], the Soul Power consumed is completely disproportionate to the effect it provides.

During this awkward period of transformation in soul tools, traditional soul masters can still maintain a certain advantage.

For example, Little Gold can even overwhelm a level 7 Titan Barrier in terms of defense.

However, there were still some gains.

Wang Dong, beaming with excitement, carried a long-range soul tool called "Warfire" at the shooting range and fired wildly. She had finally stopped resisting soul tools.

This doesn't mean she particularly likes soul tools.

But whether you can or not is a different matter from whether you want to.

The cage finally cracked open, allowing the butterfly to see a glimmer of hope.

(End of this chapter)