Chapter 59. The Competition Begins

"Let my Ego Spirit absorb it first. After all this time, I still haven't figured out what it's for," Mu Yang thought to himself. Then, silently, he commanded: Use.

The metallic sphere, infused with a sense of technological wonder, merged directly into Mu Yang's body. There was no pain; instead, as his soul power increased, he felt a comforting warmth suffuse his being. Around him, a white soul ring appeared, swiftly shifting through yellow, purple, black, crimson, dazzling gold, and finally settling into silver.

"A silver soul ring? It feels strange. Well, what soul skill did I acquire—‘Phoenix Song and Dance’?" Mu Yang wondered aloud.

He felt an unfamiliar surge of musical and dance talent well up within him, as if it were an innate ability. Ensuring no one was outside, Mu Yang locked the door, and following the singing techniques that surfaced in his memory, he began to sing a song he often performed at home—"Sorrow of the Departed."

"Spring has gone, whitening the hair and deepening the yearning.
Cutting a lock of sorrow to blind the eyes, leaving one lost...
...In dreams, grief rises, how many floors high does love reach..."

He had only intended to sing a few lines to test his new ability, but out of habit, Mu Yang continued, song after song, until Huo Yuhao called him, snapping him back to reality. "Why are you here?"

"The match is about to start. Teacher Wang Yan said so," Huo Yuhao replied helplessly, looking at Mu Yang.

All the streets surrounding Xingluo Plaza were sealed by soldiers in shining armor, especially near the Imperial Star Hotel, where over a thousand troops were stationed. The road leading from the hotel to Xingluo Plaza was strictly guarded; only the academy teams emerging from the hotel could pass.

The arena for this year's All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament was not built in the center of Xingluo Plaza, but before the main gate of the imperial city. This arrangement allowed the Emperor of the Xingluo Empire and his civil and military ministers to watch from the city walls above, enjoying the best view and absolute safety.

The arena measured one hundred meters in length and width, and five meters in height. Surrounding it were one hundred and eight metal pillars—not mere decorations, but genuine defensive soul devices. During the matches, one hundred and eight soul masters would operate the arena's protection, forming a shield to contain all soul skills within, preventing damage to the city or harm to innocents.

Building the arena alone required enormous resources, and mobilizing so many soul masters for over a month was a feat only a nation could achieve.

At this moment, Xingluo Plaza lay empty, save for distant soldiers; the square itself was deserted. During the last tournament hosted by the Xingluo Empire, a stampede incident had occurred. This time, the royal family took extraordinary precautions, deploying large forces to maintain order and implementing many new measures.

Mu Yang and the Shrek team waited in the lounge.

"I hereby declare the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament officially open," the Xingluo Emperor announced loudly, marking the commencement of the grand event.

The matches began. Shrek Academy's first opponent was the Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy team.

Under the gaze of thousands, Huo Yuhao and his companions grew nervous. Ma Xiaotao and the senior students comforted them, saying, "Don't be nervous. I can assure you, facing Shrek, the opponents are ten times more anxious than we are."

"Senior, in the match, are we forbidden from causing death or severe injury to the opponents?" Mu Yang asked.

"If possible, avoid killing or seriously injuring them. Why do you ask?" Ma Xiaotao paused, then replied.

"Nothing, just curious," Mu Yang responded.

The Shrek team ascended the stage together. At the referee’s signal, the match began, and both sides released their martial spirits.

The seven members of Tianling Academy were by no means weak; their soul rings, predominantly yellow and purple, shone brilliantly. Among them, five were four-ring soul masters, with only two at three rings. The leading youth’s four soul rings gleamed with extraordinary radiance, indicating a late-stage Soul Sect level—a remarkable achievement at just twenty years old.

But Huo Yuhao’s soul rings were even more terrifying. Crimson light instantly bathed the entire arena, exuding an aura of coldness, cruelty, slaughter, and madness. One, two, three, four, five, six—six blood-red soul rings appeared on Huo Yuhao, who looked no older than thirteen or fourteen but was actually only twelve.

Mu Yang was not to be outdone, revealing his own soul rings—two gray rings floated silently, yet the power they unleashed rivaled Huo Yuhao’s, perhaps even surpassing it slightly.

Mu Yang's second soul skill flashed, and in an instant, the seven members of Tianling Academy lost all sensation.

Darkness enveloped them; they could not even perceive their own existence.

Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong embraced unnoticed, and a golden vertical eye shot toward the seven from Douling Academy. Instantly, their soul devices exploded, their soul rings vanished, and their martial spirits were sealed.

...

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