The vast plaza teemed with people. Clad in distinctively styled uniforms, the members of Shrek, each wearing a silver butterfly mask, strode with an air of arrogance and terrifying presence into the arena for the Heaven Dou Empire's regional qualifiers.
Their eye-catching and novel uniforms immediately drew attention. The colors, reminiscent of clouds, made others glance their way. However, any mockery or sneers were stifled, choked back by an indescribable aura of dread that emanated from the group.
"So... so terrifyingly imposing..."
A passerby, who had stopped to admire Shrek Academy's uniforms and was about to utter a taunt, met the gaze of one of the masked team members. The look was fleeting, indifferent, yet inexplicably chilling. All his intended jest vanished, unable to form even half a word of mockery.
Only those who had experienced it firsthand could comprehend the other’s fearsomeness.
If he had spoken a single word, the other might have actually killed him!
This thought not only crossed the mind of the person who had been glanced at but also that of others nearby who had witnessed this team.
"Who... who is this academy? Their aura... it's an overwhelming pressure that's hard to describe..."
"No, I don't know. I haven't seen this team before. They look very strong."
Passersby whispered amongst themselves, surrounding the Shrek Academy contingent. Their focus was solely on the terrifying aura of "I'm super fierce, don't mess with me" that the team exuded.
For a moment, not many dared to mock or comment on their uniforms.
Among the teacher contingent walking behind the little monsters, Flanders, with a darkened expression, muttered to the Master, "Master, look at that girl Sui Sui! You told them to keep a low profile, and yet she resorted to such a trick, using the special mental effects of her spirit to scare others!"
The Master glanced at Flanders, who had seemingly backfired on his own scheme, and replied calmly, "This is still your fault."
Flanders choked, remembering how the children had unanimously boycotted and rejected the school uniform he designed, and immediately deflated.
Were the colors he chose really that bad!
After passing through the most crowded entrance path and reaching the designated seats in the plaza, Tang Sui retracted the fear-inducing effects of the ape mask. The fierce and terrifying aura that had enveloped the group instantly vanished, as if they had transformed from horror-clowns of the uncanny valley to actual circus clowns meant to entertain.
"I can only help this much."
Leveraging her short stature, Tang Sui silently blended into the crowd, inconspicuous.
The gazes of those around them shifted from surprise to mockery. Dai Mubai and the others, with grim faces, their upright backs appearing especially desolate under the barrage of whispers and criticism.
After Emperor Xue Ye of the Heaven Dou Empire delivered a lengthy opening speech, the participants moved into the fully enclosed indoor arena.
Salas, the Platinum Bishop of the Spirit Hall, stood up to draw the lot for the match-ups.
Tang Sui’s gaze lingered on Salas for a moment before shifting away, then fell upon Xiao Wu, whose expression was slightly unnatural even in the dim light. Her eyes flickered, and she casually averted her gaze, only to meet Tang San's eyes as he looked over.
The siblings' gazes collided in the darkness. Tang Sui blinked innocently, while a hint of suspicion surfaced in Tang San's eyes, wondering if his sister knew Xiao Wu's secret. But soon, his attention was diverted by the revealed pre-qualification match order.
Because in the first match, they were going to face the second team of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy!
Upon hearing it was a Heaven Dou Academy team, Ma Hongjun and the others immediately clenched their fists, eager to rush forward and deliver a punch to each of them.
According to the pairings, the first match would feature Dai Mubai, Tang San, Xiao Wu, Jing Ling, Huang Yuan, Jiang Zhu, and Tai Long. The other four would be held in reserve. Su Dan Novel Network.
In the first preliminary match, Tang San and his seven companions took down all the Heaven Dou Royal Academy contestants in just one minute, leaving them no chance to retaliate. Everything happened in mere seconds.
The audience hadn't even finished a complete cheer before the battle was over.
A moment of eerie silence on the arena was followed by an even louder eruption of discussion.
"This... in the time it takes to drink a sip of water, how is it already over!?"
"Could this be a fixed match!?"
"Exactly. That Shrek Academy, we've never even heard of them. Where did they come from? And that's the second team of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy!"
"But don't you think that student named Tang San, the one with the tenthousand-year fourth spirit ring, is incredibly powerful? As a Spirit Ancestor, he can unleash group control spirit abilities that are usually only seen from Spirit Kings!"
"Exactly! Their strength is also formidable! I think this match was completely normal!"
In an instant, voices of doubt, praise, and mostly shock filled the air.
The esteemed second team of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy had been defeated in just one minute by an unknown spirit master team. Moreover, three of their seven members were Spirit Ancestors. Even without considering optimal spirit ring configurations for each, Tang San's tenthousand-year fourth spirit ring alone, and the group control spirit ability that resolved the second team of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, had delivered immense shock to the people.
On the special VIP platform, Emperor Xue Ye, seeing his empire’s trained Royal Academy so easily defeated, and knowing these promising talents should have belonged to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, his face turned ashen. He stood up, casting a cold glance at Prince Xue Xing, who looked dazed and disbelieving, then snorted and swept out.
Ning Fengzhi, with a smile, bowed respectfully to Emperor Xue Ye as they passed each other and followed him out of the VIP section. In the second row, Salas, the Platinum Bishop from the Spirit Hall, sat in contemplation, his gaze fixed on the Shrek Academy, clad in their comical yellow and green uniforms, seemingly pondering something.