The Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena plaza pulsed like a living heart. Sunlight glinted off polished armor and colorful banners, the roar of the crowd a physical wave washing over the central stage. Today marked the beginning of the Promotion Rounds, the crucible where the true contenders for the Continental Tournament finals would be forged. The air crackled, not just with anticipation, but with the raw energy of hundreds of powerful Spirit Masters gathered in one place.
On the stage, two teams stood ready. One, clad in the icy blues and whites of the Heavenly Water Academy, radiated an aura as cold and sharp as a glacier's edge. Shui Bing'er, their captain, stood at the forefront, her expression serene, her eyes like frozen pools.
Opposite them, the Shrek Academy team waited, their mismatched green uniforms a stark contrast to their opponents' elegance. Despite their recent, jarring loss, a new, hard-won resilience settled over them. They had clawed their way here, and they weren't backing down.
The referee, a Spirit Emperor from the Spirit Hall, raised his hand, ready to signal the start of the first, highly anticipated match.
"Hold the match!"
The voice boomed across the plaza, imbued with a spirit power that commanded instant silence. The crowd, the teams, even the referee, froze.
A contingent of imperial guards, their golden armor gleaming, marched onto the plaza, creating a wide, clear path to the main dais. Emperor Xue Ye himself ascended the steps, his dragon robes flowing, his expression regal and unreadable. He was flanked by Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect, his smile as polite and impenetrable as ever, and silent representatives from the newly emerged Clear Sky Sect and the ever-present Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
The Emperor reached the center of the dais and raised a hand again. The silence deepened.
"There has been... a change in schedule," Emperor Xue Ye announced, his voice ringing with imperial authority. "The Promotion Rounds will proceed, but first, a demonstration is required. Today, the strength of this empire's seeded team, the Emperor Team, will be tested."
A ripple of confusion and excited murmurs spread through the crowd. The Emperor Team? Here? Now? They were the seeded champions, destined to go straight to the finals. Why would they fight now?
On cue, seven figures walked onto the stage from a side entrance. Their entrance wasn't flashy, lacking the explosive spirit power displays of the other teams. Yet, their presence settled over the arena like a heavy cloak.
Zhang Tian led them, his steps unhurried, his handsome face holding only a casual indifference. He was a Spirit King now, Level 52, but his aura was contained, a deep ocean hiding its power. Beside him walked Zhu Zhuqing, a vision in dark purple, her every step a silent promise of deadly speed (Level 48), and Ning Rongrong, radiating a vibrant energy, her smile bright and confident (Level 47). Behind them followed Dugu Yan, her draconic presence a tangible heat (Level 44), Yu Feng, his bearing sharp and focused (Level 43), the hulking Shi Mo, a walking wall of stoicism (Level 42), and the quiet, veiled Ye Lingling (Level 41).
They didn't radiate aggression. They radiated certainty. Their combined presence made the air heavy, pressing down on the other teams.
In the designated seating areas for the participating academies, confusion reigned.
"What is the meaning of this?" Feng Xiaotian, captain of the Divine Wind Academy, muttered to his teammates, his brow furrowed. "A test? Against whom?"
Huo Wushuang, captain of the Blazing Academy, watched the Emperor Team take the center stage, his expression thoughtful. "Something isn't right. Why now?"
Yu Tianxin of the Thunderclap Academy just snorted, lightning crackling faintly around his fists. "Hmph. Showing off, most likely. Typical Imperial Academy arrogance."
Mu Qingzhu of the Plant Academy leaned forward, her eyes fixed on Zhang Tian with keen interest.
Zhang Tian stepped forward. He didn't address the Emperor on the dais. He didn't address the referee. He addressed the six teams gathered below the stage – Shrek and Heavenly Water on the platform, the others watching from their designated waiting areas. His voice was casual, almost bored, yet it carried effortlessly across the silent plaza.
"Greetings," he began, a lazy smile touching his lips. "As the seeded team representing the Heaven Dou Empire, it is our duty to ensure only the strongest proceed to the finals in Spirit City. We must prove our position is deserved, wouldn't you agree?"
He paused, letting his gaze sweep over the faces of the captains – Tang San, Shui Bing'er, Huo Wushuang, Feng Xiaotian, Yu Tianxin, Mu Qingzhu.
"Therefore," he continued, his smile widening, losing all warmth, "to save everyone time and unnecessary effort, my Emperor Team will challenge all six of your teams. Simultaneously."
Silence.
A profound, stunned silence descended upon the plaza. The wind seemed to hold its breath. Even the birds stopped singing.
Then, chaos erupted.
Gasps turned into shouts. Furious murmurs swelled into a roar of disbelief and outrage.
"Did he just say… all six?"
"At the same time? Is he insane?"
"This is an insult! An insult to every academy here!"
On the stage, Shui Bing'er's icy aura flared, frost beginning to creep across the stone beneath her feet. Tang San's face hardened, his hand instinctively moving towards his hidden weapons.
Huo Wushuang stepped forward from the audience area, his usual gentle demeanor gone, replaced by a deep frown. "Your Majesty," he addressed the Emperor, his voice tight but respectful. "With all due respect, this is unprecedented! To face six teams at once… it makes a mockery of the tournament!"
Feng Xiaotian shouted from his seat, "This isn't a test of strength; it's a public humiliation! Does the Imperial Academy think so little of the rest of us?"
Yu Tianxin was already on his feet, lightning crackling fiercely around him. "Forget the others! Thunderclap Academy alone will teach you the meaning of respect, you arrogant brat!"
Mu Qingzhu simply watched Zhang Tian, a strange, analytical gleam in her eyes.
Zhang Tian merely waved a dismissive hand, cutting off their protests as if swatting away annoying flies. "Unprecedented? Perhaps. Necessary? Absolutely." His gaze swept over them again, dripping with condescension. "Frankly, watching your preliminary matches was… tedious. Like watching children squabble over scraps. None of you possess the strength required to challenge us seriously. This is merely an efficient way to demonstrate the vast chasm that separates your level from ours."
His blatant arrogance poured gasoline on the already raging fire.
"You arrogant bastard!" Feng Xiaotian roared, wind beginning to whip around him even in the stands. "Do you think your Emperor Team is invincible just because you hide behind the palace walls like pampered pets?"
"Fight us one-on-one if you dare!" shouted another captain from a lesser academy that hadn't even made the promotion round.
Even the usually calm Huo Wushuang spoke, his voice tight with controlled fury. "We acknowledge the Emperor Team's strength, Captain Zhang Tian. We have seen your members fight in the arena. They are formidable." He paused, his gaze hardening. "But your words disrespect every academy here, every Spirit Master who has fought tooth and nail to reach this stage. Retract your challenge, or face the consequences."
Yu Tianxin, nephew of Yu Yuanzhen and one of the inheritors of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, stepped fully into the aisle, lightning crackling fiercely around his fists. "Enough talk! If you want a fight, Thunderclap Academy accepts! We alone will show you the might of true lightning dragons! We don't need these other weaklings!"
Zhang Tian just laughed. It was a cold, sharp sound, devoid of any mirth. "One academy? You?" He looked Yu Tianxin up and down as if inspecting a mildly interesting insect. "Please. Don't waste my time. You couldn't even scratch us."
He turned his gaze back to the assembled captains, his voice ringing with absolute, unshakeable arrogance. "My proposal stands. All six of you. Your full teams. Forty-two Spirit Masters. Against the seven of us."
He paused, letting the impossible odds hang in the air. "If we cannot defeat you all simultaneously, then we are unworthy of our seeded position. We will withdraw from the tournament." His gaze then shifted, slowly, deliberately, locking onto Dai Mubai across the stage. A slow, cruel smile touched his lips. "And certain… personal wagers… will be paid."
Dai Mubai felt a chill crawl down his spine despite the heat radiating from the Blazing Academy members nearby. He met Zhang Tian's gaze, and the memory of their bet, of the horrifying stakes, crashed down on him. But mixed with the fear was a surge of desperate hope. Forty-two against seven… even against them, the odds…
Tang San saw the look in Dai Mubai's eyes. He saw the flicker of hope, the desperate calculation. His own mind raced. 'Six teams against one… forty-two elite Spirit Masters, including multiple Spirit Kings and Ancestors… against seven. Even with Zhang Tian as a Spirit King, even with Zhu Zhuqing's speed and Rongrong's support… the numbers are overwhelming. This isn't arrogance. It's suicide. Unless… unless he knows something we don't. Or unless… this is an opportunity.' He met Dai Mubai's gaze and gave a barely perceptible nod. Unite the teams. Use their combined numbers. It was risky, borderline insane, but it was their only chance.
"But," Zhang Tian continued, his voice dripping with condescending amusement as he surveyed the furious, calculating faces before him, "if we do defeat all six of your teams at once... then perhaps you will finally understand the chasm that separates mediocrity from true power. Perhaps then, you will realize that you all do deserve this bit of humiliation."
His words were deliberately chosen barbs, perfectly aimed to inflame their pride, to bypass their caution, to push them towards accepting his impossible challenge. He wanted this fight. He wanted this spectacle. He wanted the world to witness their absolute dominance.
"Enough!"
Before the captains could descend into a brawl amongst themselves or launch a suicidal attack on Zhang Tian, Emperor Xue Ye's voice boomed across the plaza again, carrying the undeniable weight of imperial authority.
He stood, his gaze sweeping over the furious captains, the stunned crowd, and the calmly arrogant figure of Zhang Tian. "Zhang Tian's proposal is... bold," he stated, his tone carefully neutral. "Reckless, perhaps. But," he added, a flicker of something, a hint of imperial ambition, in his eyes, "it presents a unique opportunity. A chance to test the absolute limits of our empire's finest talents in a single, decisive confrontation."
He addressed the captains directly. "While unconventional, I will permit this challenge. It will serve as the ultimate qualifier. A single battle to determine the true strength of Heaven Dou. Do you accept?"
The captains looked at each other. Their pride stung. Their anger burned. But the challenge had been issued. To refuse now would be seen as cowardice.
Huo Wushuang spoke first, his voice tight but firm. "Blazing Academy accepts."
One by one, the others followed. Feng Xiaotian. Yu Tianxin. Shui Bing'er. Even the intrigued Mu Qingzhu. Finally, Tang San, speaking for Shrek, nodded grimly. "Shrek Academy accepts."
The Emperor nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. "Excellent." He then addressed the entire plaza. "However," he continued, his voice rising, "such a battle requires a suitable stage. This arena is insufficient."
He announced the construction of a new, massive arena, specifically designed for this unprecedented event. "It will be built within three days, just outside the city walls. A colosseum worthy of this contest. It will be the largest the world has ever seen!"
A wave of excited murmurs swept through the crowd.
"Furthermore," Xue Ye declared, his voice taking on a new, solemn weight, "this battle will not be a simple promotion round. It will be a spectacle witnessed by the highest powers of the continent. Representatives from the Spirit Hall, the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect, the Clear Sky Sect, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will preside alongside my Imperial Family."
The announcement landed like a physical blow. This was no longer just about academy pride. This was a major political event, a gathering of the world's most powerful factions, all converging to witness this single, insane battle. The pressure on every single participant skyrocketed.
The Emperor concluded the proceedings. "The Promotion Rounds are hereby suspended. Prepare yourselves. In three days, history will be made."
The teams were dismissed. The crowd began to disperse, buzzing with disbelief, excitement, and feverish speculation.
As the Shrek team walked off the stage, their earlier defeat momentarily forgotten, replaced by the crushing weight of this new, impossible challenge, Tang San immediately pulled Dai Mubai and Yu Xiaogang aside.
"Teacher, Boss Mubai," he said, his voice low and urgent. "We need to talk. Now. We cannot win this alone. We need allies. Real allies."
Across the plaza, Zhang Tian led his team away, their expressions calm, almost indifferent. Ning Rongrong was already chattering excitedly about what spectacular dress she would wear for the big event, debating colors with Zhu Zhuqing.
"Maybe the celestial blue silk? Or the emerald green velvet?"
"The black lace one would certainly make a statement, Rongrong," Zhu Zhuqing replied, her lips curving into a small smile as she glanced back at the retreating Shrek team.
Qian Renxue walked beside Zhang Tian, a thoughtful, calculating look in her violet eyes. She was already analyzing the political implications, the potential opportunities this spectacle presented.
They showed no sign of concern, no hint of the immense pressure they had just placed upon themselves. To them, this wasn't a gamble; it was a performance.
News of the 7 vs 42 challenge spread through Heaven Dou City like wildfire. Betting houses were thrown into chaos, odds fluctuating wildly. Arguments erupted in taverns and teahouses. Was Zhang Tian a suicidal fool blinded by arrogance? Or was the Emperor Team truly powerful enough to achieve the impossible?
In the shadows, the various factions reacted. Ning Fengzhi, receiving the news via his pager, smiled. Another opportunity for his brilliant son-in-law to showcase the sect's unparalleled power. Tang Xiao and Yu Yuanzhen, receiving the news in their respective strongholds, frowned. Their primary concern was Tang San's safety in such a chaotic battle, but a part of them was also deeply intrigued, eager to witness the true strength of this mysterious Emperor Team. In Spirit City, Bishop Salas sent another urgent, coded message back to Bibi Dong, detailing the unprecedented event.
Outside the city walls, under the light of thousands of spirit lamps, construction began immediately. Earth Spirit Masters reshaped the land, Wood Spirit Masters grew structural supports, Metal Spirit Masters forged reinforcements. An army of builders and engineers worked frantically.
The stage for an epic, unprecedented battle was being prepared. Three days remained. The countdown had begun.