Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

"They've gone mad! Everyone's gone mad! What's going on with this tournament? When did Soul Masters become so common? In previous years, having even one Soul Master leading a team was considered a strong team, and having three or four Soul Masters meant they had a good chance of qualifying!"

He slammed the paper on the table, his small eyes bloodshot: "And now? Look! There are already so many teams at the Soul Master level, you can't even count them on two hands! Those kingdoms and duchies have taken ten spots, and the remaining five spots are being fought over by so many academies in our Heavenly Dou region..."

Flander's voice stopped abruptly, a profound sense of powerlessness gripping him.

Originally, it was thought that with the talent of the Shrek Seven Devils, even if there were twists and turns in the preliminaries, qualifying should not be a problem.

In retrospect, they were probably too optimistic.

Yu Xiaogang stood silently in front of the charts, his eyes behind his glasses sunken, showing a deep weariness.

He pointed to several names highlighted on the chart: "It's not just the quantity. The quality far surpasses previous years. Yu Tianxin from Thunder Academy, level 45. Feng Xiaotian from Divine Wind Academy, level 49. Huo Wu from Blazing Fire Academy, level 43... These are just the ones that are known on the surface. Who had ever heard of Merida from Azure Sun Academy before? She's a Soul Master right off the bat, and she also has that bizarre Seven-in-One Fusion Technique."

"The average level of this competition has been raised to an unbelievable level." Yu Xiaogang's voice was dry.

“Our previous plans were based on past experience. But now, experience has failed.”

Having three or four Soul Masters in this tournament merely means having the qualification to participate in the fierce competition; it's far from a guarantee of success.

The room fell into a deathly silence, with only the faint sounds of other academies training or celebrating coming from outside the window, which made the atmosphere even more oppressive.

In stark contrast to the increasingly somber atmosphere in Shrek Academy's preparation area, Shi Nian was in high spirits and beaming with joy at the hotel where Canghui Academy was staying.

Since Merida led her team to a stunning victory over Shrek Academy in the first match of the preliminaries with their "Seven-in-One Spirit Fusion Skill," the terms "Canghui Academy" and "Seven-in-One" have become the focus of heated discussion in the spirit master community of Tiandou City.

Every day, representatives of various forces come in droves to visit, probe, or even extend olive branches.

Scholars curious about the theory of martial spirit fusion techniques, families wanting to explore the possibility of fusion for their own children, and envoys from powerful figures within various kingdoms, duchies, and even empires all subtly expressed their intention to recruit them.

He welcomed all who came, and they chatted and laughed freely.

Of course, he wouldn't reveal the true secret of the "Seven-in-One" technique. It was a trick he, Merida, and the other six core members had painstakingly developed by combining his unique use of illusionary mental power with the resonance of special gemstone martial souls. It was far from a true fusion of the seven martial souls.

But this doesn't stop him from enjoying the adulation and awe of the crowd with an unfathomable demeanor.

Whenever an envoy mentions Shrek Academy, inevitably with a hint of comparison and belittling, Shi Nian will subtly reveal a reserved indifference, or let out a light, ambiguous laugh.

This attitude, in turn, confirmed the outside world's speculation that Canghui Academy had a profound foundation and astonishing methods.

Looking at his smug reflection in the mirror, Shi Nian smoothed his meticulously combed gray hair and felt a surge of relief as he exhaled the pent-up frustration that had been building up over the years.

The competition is truly a great stage. It not only allows students to gain fame, but also enables "mentors" like him to gain unprecedented respect and... tangible benefits.

---

Xingluo City, deep within the imperial palace.

The emperor's study was brightly lit, yet it could not dispel the loneliness and heaviness within.

Emperor Dai Tianfeng of the Star Luo Kingdom sat alone behind his large desk.

What he held in his hand was not a memorial, but a briefing from the Heaven Dou Empire regarding the Elite Tournament of Advanced Soul Master Academies Across the Continent, which highlighted information related to "Dai Mubai".

Dai Tianfeng's gaze lingered on the words "Shrek Academy" for a long time. His sharp, hawk-like eyes revealed a complex and indescribable weariness, which eventually turned into a barely audible sigh.

Chapter 391 Blazing Fire Against Heavenly Water

Dai Tianfeng put down the briefing, leaned back in the hard chair, and closed his eyes.

He once harbored a faint, almost imperceptible expectation for his third son, who shared his bloodline but chose to escape the cruel rules of Xingluo.

Perhaps, by escaping that meat grinder-like environment, Mu Bai can find another path in the vast world outside?

Can it truly unleash the wildness and pride that the Evil-Eyed White Tiger should possess, instead of being twisted and succumbing to the light and pressure of Weiss?

But now it seems... he was wrong after all.

Dai Tianfeng reopened his eyes, his gaze falling on the cold data in the briefing.

Shrek Academy's performance in the preliminary rounds was mixed, currently struggling in the middle of the standings. Team composition...

An academy that cannot even guarantee that all its members will be Soul Masters in battle is far too...ordinary, even shabby, in the eyes of an emperor like Dai Tianfeng who rules the empire and is used to seeing elite troops.

The situation of the Star Luo Empire's representative team in this competition, namely the Star Luo Royal Academy Team 1 led by Davis.

The entire team consists of Soul Masters, with an average level exceeding 45. They have excellent teamwork, skillful tactics, and possess the powerful Netherworld White Tigers, Davis and Zhu Zhuyun, who have honed their skills over many years.

That is the edge the empire should have in the future, the true elite selected under the Star Luo Iron-Blooded Rules.

And Mu Bai...

Dai Tianfeng shook his head, erasing the last faint ripple of emotion belonging to his father from his heart.

The path he chose, the consequences he borne.

The empire neither needs nor can afford a prince who wallows in the shadows and struggles even in the qualifiers.

……

The Heavenly Battle Arena.

Today, the venue, which can accommodate 80,000 people, is more than 90% full.

Half an hour before the start of the match, the stands were already bustling with noise and a dense crowd of people. Even the cheapest ticket section on the top floor was packed with enthusiastic fans waving flags.

The reason for this grand occasion is quite simple.

Today's match is between Blazing Fire Academy and Skywater Academy.

Neither team has lost a single game since the start of the qualifiers.

Blazing Academy won all five of their matches, each one a resounding victory, with an average time of less than seven minutes.

Tianshui Academy also won all five matches.

On one side are raging flames that burn everything, and on the other side is freezing ice that freezes everything.

On one side is the most powerful offensive spear of the season, and on the other side is a shield with an impregnable defense.

Such a clash is rare even in the history of the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.

What's more, a monstrous 15-year-old captain has emerged at Blazing Academy this year.

It is said that a mysterious newcomer has joined Tianshui Academy. After several matches, her opponents couldn't even force her to use many of her soul skills before the matches ended.

Who wouldn't be curious? Who could sit still?

At this moment, in the VIP section of the audience, three slender figures are sitting quietly.

On the far left, a young girl is excitedly looking around, holding a large bucket of popcorn in her hands. She is none other than Ning Rongrong, the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

"Sister Xue! Sister Rapunzel! Look over there!" Ning Rongrong excitedly tugged at the sleeve of the person next to her and pointed to the Blazing Fire Academy team warming up on the sidelines.

"That redhead is Leah! Fifteen years old! Level 48! My goodness, she's only a few years older than me..."

Snow White is dressed in an elegant moon-white dress today, with her long hair simply tied back, making her look ethereal and otherworldly.

She looked in the direction Ning Rongrong was pointing and her gaze fell on the red-haired girl who was stretching on her own, looking focused.

A knowing glint flashed in his eyes.

"Indeed very strong," Snow White said softly, her tone calm.

Ning Rongrong didn't catch the deeper meaning in his tone and continued chattering, "And there's Tianshui Academy! I heard there's a super powerful Soul Master named Lan Fu'er, level 49! My god, there are so many monsters in this competition!"

Sitting to Ning Rongrong's right was a girl with long hair reaching her waist and an exquisitely braided fishtail braid.

It was Rapunzel.

At this moment, Rapunzel was listening quietly to Ning Rongrong's chatter, a faint smile on her lips.

Her gaze swept across the Tianshui Academy's preparation area, lingering for a moment on the girl with long, sea-blue hair who was resting with her eyes closed.

"It's starting, it's starting!" Ning Rongrong's exclamation pulled her back to reality.

The massive soul-guided spotlights all shone towards the center of the arena.

The host's voice was amplified and carried throughout the venue via a megaphone:

"Heavenly Dou Empire Division, Round 6 of the Preliminaries"

"Blazing Fire Academy versus! Heavenly Water Academy!"

"boom"

The cheers of 80,000 people exploded like a tsunami, the sound almost lifting the dome off its height.

Amidst the deafening noise, a silver figure stood out conspicuously.

The front row of the stands, near the Blazing Academy's preparation area.

A boy with short, silver, slicked-back hair and wearing a black mask was cupping his hands around his mouth and screaming at the top of his lungs:

"Lia!! Go for it!!!"

The sheer volume, intensity, and disregard for appearance of his voice created a stark contrast to his status as the top genius of Shenfeng Academy, a level 49 Soul Master, and the dream lover of countless female students.

The surrounding audience turned their heads and whispered among themselves.

"Is that person... Feng Xiaotian from Shenfeng Academy?"

"It seems like... he's cheering for Blazing Academy?"

"I heard that a few days ago he spent an entire afternoon squatting at the entrance of Blazing Fire Academy, and was questioned by the gatekeeper for a long time as a suspicious person..."

Feng Xiaotian turned a deaf ear.

In his eyes, there was only the red-haired girl in the ring doing her final stretches.

His face was slightly red under the mask.

I don't know if it was a shout or something else.

On the ring, both teams were already in their positions.

On the Blazing Fire Academy side, seven figures lined up in a row.

The one in the lead is Leah.

The fifteen-year-old girl was slender, with red hair like burning flames cascading over her shoulders, and amber eyes as calm as water, showing no sign of tension.

Half a step behind her was Vice Captain Huo Wushuang, a burly man with short, bright red hair standing on end, bulging muscles, and a faint aura of heat emanating from him.

His martial soul is a unicorn fire dragon, similar to Liu Erlong's fire dragon but following a different path. He doesn't use yin fire, but relies solely on pure explosive power to crush his opponents.

Next is Huo Wushuang's younger sister, Huo Wu.