Today, Princess Jiujiu looked completely different from the elegant and noble image she had displayed at last night's auction. Dressed in a perfectly tailored yellow combat outfit that outlined her graceful curves, she exuded an aura of heroic spirit and vigor.
Among the representatives of the various advanced soul master academies, there were quite a few outstanding female students in both appearance and temperament—such as Ma Xiaotao, Jiang Nannan, and Ning Tian from Shrek Academy, and Meng Hongchen from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
However, even compared to these beauties, Princess Jiujiu still seemed to outshine them all today. The natural dignity and nobility of royal blood added greatly to her charm and presence.
Among all the contestants who had appeared on stage so far, probably only Xu Zihuang—who had once single-handedly crushed the Qianling Advanced Soul Master Academy—could surpass this princess in sheer natural bearing.
Both were of royal lineage, yet the impressions they gave were distinctly different.
Xu Zihuang had previously displayed a cold, detached aura—like a king who stood high above the clouds, born to rule.
Princess Jiujiu, on the other hand, emanated a gentle majesty and refined grace cultivated through years of luxury and royal upbringing.
When Wang Yan saw Xu Jiujiu standing in the waiting area on the opposite side of the arena, his brows furrowed tightly. Before today, this princess had never appeared in the lineup of the Star Luo Imperial Academy. However, there was indeed a vacant slot among their reserve members.
Suddenly, as if recalling something, Wang Yan's eyes widened slightly in shock before a look of realization dawned upon him.
"I remember now, Dai Yueheng—the hereditary martial soul of the Star Luo Imperial Family should be the Star Crown, right? Could it be that this princess's martial soul is also…"
Standing beside him, Dai Yueheng nodded solemnly.
"Teacher Wang, your guess is correct. Although the royal bloodline of the Star Luo Empire's Xu family has become somewhat diluted over generations, the powerful Star Crown martial soul has always been passed down. My father once evaluated His Majesty's cultivation and only used four words to describe it—'immeasurably profound.' His Majesty is the most gifted cultivator in the royal family in nearly three hundred years.
Jiujiu also inherited the royal Star Crown martial soul, but she has rarely displayed her true strength in public. I came to Shrek Academy at the age of eleven, so I don't know her current cultivation level. But when she awakened her martial soul, she already possessed innate level-nine soul power. Considering the royal family's resources, she must have at least reached the Soul King level by now."
Wang Yan took a deep breath, his expression grave.
"It seems this match will not be an easy one."
Standing on his other side, Ma Xiaotao curled her lips dismissively.
"Dai Yueheng, you're overreacting. No matter how powerful the Star Crown martial soul may be, it's meaningless in the face of absolute power."
"Senior Ma Xiaotao," Xu Zihuang said calmly, "ten thousand years ago, the Star Crown martial soul was already a top-tier martial soul, comparable to the legacy martial souls of the Three Upper Sects. I believe Teacher Wang and Senior Dai's concerns are justified. Winning this battle may not be easy."
Though Ma Xiaotao's words seemed to contradict Dai Yueheng, even she might not have realized that her tone carried a subtle criticism of Wang Yan.
This wasn't because Ma Xiaotao was petty—it was simply her straightforward nature.
In her heart, she had never truly respected Wang Yan, whose cultivation level was below her own.
In Shrek Academy, strength was everything, and that truth was deeply ingrained.
Dai Yueheng shared the same sentiment, though he was far more reserved and never showed it outwardly.
Xu Zihuang's response wasn't meant to oppose Ma Xiaotao, but to uphold Wang Yan's authority as their team leader. During this Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament, Wang Yan had proven to be an excellent mentor—upright, fair, and kind to his students.
Part of Xu Zihuang's motivation was to leave a good impression on the higher-ups of Shrek Academy, but deep down, he also truly respected Wang Yan's knowledge and dedication. Over the past year at Shrek, Wang Yan had looked after him with genuine care.
Hearing Xu Zihuang's words, Ma Xiaotao arched an eyebrow and shot him a sharp glance but didn't say anything more.
Wang Yan was slightly moved. How could he not recognize that Xu Tianhuang was speaking up on his behalf?
Chen Zifeng and Gongyang Mo exchanged glances but stayed silent.
Meanwhile, Xu Sanshi made a mischievous face at Beibei beside him, mouthing something suggestive.
"Could it be that Tianhuang really has something going on with Senior Ma Xiaotao? He talked back to her, and she didn't explode?"
"Idiot," Beibei rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Tianhuang's just protecting Teacher Wang's authority."
"He's right to do so."
At that moment, a warm yet commanding voice suddenly filled the entire Star Luo Square—it was Emperor Xu Jiawei himself.
Just as Dai Yueheng had said, His Majesty's strength was truly unfathomable.
Though his voice wasn't loud, it resonated clearly across the vast plaza.
"Now, the sixteen remaining teams in this year's Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament represent the finest young elites of the Soul Master world. To ensure the safety of all participants, I have decided that from this round forward, each match will be personally officiated by one of our Empire's Guardian Douluo.
For today's first match—Shrek Academy versus the Star Luo Imperial Academy—Senior Cheng Gang will serve as the referee. His title is Mighty Strength."
As soon as the Emperor's words fell, a streak of black light descended from the walls of the imperial palace, landing at the center of the arena.
The black glow condensed, revealing an elderly man.
He appeared about sixty years old, of medium height, with short dark-brown hair and sharp, energetic eyes.
The instant he landed, the ground seemed to tremble faintly.
An invisible wave of pressure spread outward from his body—especially palpable to the contestants from both academies waiting on either side of the stage.
This Mighty Strength Douluo, Cheng Gang, was not among the four Titled Douluo who had guarded Xu Zihuang the previous night. Emperor Xu Jiawei's intent was clear—this was a display of national strength, a demonstration of imperial might.
It was worth noting that this very same Cheng Gang was the Titled Douluo who had once been beaten down by Elder Xuan in the original story.
His martial soul was the Ant Emperor, a power-type beast martial soul specializing in overwhelming strength. Any martial soul bearing the title "Emperor" was at least of high-grade quality. Without such a martial soul, one could never reach the rank of Titled Douluo.
To attain the Titled Douluo realm, one required not only exceptional cultivation talent but, more importantly, a martial soul of outstanding quality.
At levels above 95—the Super Douluo stage—only those with profound heritage and top-tier martial souls could progress further.
Cheng Gang's soul power had reached rank 93, even higher than the Heavenfiend Douluo Huang Jinxu. Though in terms of actual combat strength he was inferior, he was still a genuine Titled Douluo, more than qualified to referee this battle.
"Shrek Academy, Star Luo Imperial Academy—send your team members for the group battle," Cheng Gang said, retracting his aura.
Wang Yan turned to his students and spoke solemnly.
"If this Princess Jiujiu truly possesses the Star Crown martial soul, our previously discussed strategy will need adjustment. Sanshi, prioritize swapping her to our side first. If possible, take her down early. The rest remains the same. Tianhuang, you'll command."
"Yes, Teacher Wang!"
The Shrek team responded in unison, stepping confidently toward the arena.
Ma Xiaotao led the group, followed by Dai Yueheng, Chen Zifeng, Gongyang Mo, Xu Zihuang, Beibei, and Xu Sanshi.
This was Shrek Academy's strongest lineup, and the audience erupted into thunderous cheers that shook the heavens.
This time, the crowd wasn't overwhelmingly one-sided in favor of Shrek—half the spectators were passionately cheering for the Star Luo Imperial Academy.
As the Empire's top academy, the Star Luo Imperial Academy held a reputation no less prestigious than Shrek's, and most of the audience were Star Luo citizens supporting their own.
On the opposite side, the seven members of the Star Luo Imperial Academy appeared calm and composed as they stepped forward—Princess Xu Jiujiu leading them.
Her bright sapphire eyes shimmered faintly with golden light, serene yet vast as the sea. Her gaze lingered on Ma Xiaotao for only a moment before falling squarely on Xu Zihuang.
Like Emperor Xu Jiawei, she was aware of the rumors surrounding Xu Tianhuang's second martial soul.
She too looked forward to confirming whether he truly possessed an Ultimate Martial Soul—but for a different reason than her father. Xu Jiujiu wanted to use the royal family's Star Crown to suppress the Ultimate attribute directly and prove the superiority of her family's inheritance.
Despite her elegance, the princess's competitive spirit burned fiercely.
Ma Xiaotao's pink eyes blazed like twin flames. The heat of her aura alone pressed down on the opposing team. She noticed Xu Jiujiu's subtle glance at Xu Zihuang and felt a surge of irritation.
Without turning back, she knew exactly who the princess was looking at.
Fuming inwardly, she muttered to herself:
"That bastard really does have a way with women."
Cheng Gang, the Mighty Strength Douluo, shot Ma Xiaotao a brief surprised look before resuming his calm demeanor.
"Both sides, step back. Before I announce the start of the match, no one is allowed to release their martial souls."
The two teams retreated to their respective edges, arranging their formations as they moved.
Shrek Academy's formation was an inverted triangle—Ma Xiaotao stood at the front, flanked by Dai Yueheng and Chen Zifeng. Behind them were Beibei and Xu Sanshi, and at the rear, Xu Zihuang and Gongyang Mo.
Four attack-type, one defense, one control, and one auxiliary—an all-out offensive setup.
In contrast, the Star Luo Imperial Academy adopted the opposite—a standard upright triangle with Xu Jiujiu at the rear, a defensive formation emphasizing stability.
Golden light began to glow in the princess's eyes, radiant with confidence as she looked across at the Shrek team like a commander surveying her army.
Just as Xu Zihuang had predicted, once both sides were in position, Ma Xiaotao spoke in an unquestionable tone to Xu Sanshi:
"When the match starts, Little Xu, swap me over."
"That's not good, Senior Ma Xiaotao. It's against Teacher Wang's plan," Xu Sanshi said nervously.
"Hmph, what's wrong with it? If I go or Dai Yueheng goes, the result's the same."
Dai Yueheng hesitated—if anyone else had defied the plan like this, he'd have objected instantly. But against Ma Xiaotao's overwhelming power, he stayed silent.
Xu Zihuang said nothing. He knew that with Princess Xu Jiujiu on the field, Xu Sanshi's fourth soul skill, Mysterious Underworld Swap, might not even work.
"Begin!"
Cheng Gang's loud declaration echoed across the arena as his body turned into a streak of black light, vanishing from sight.
Both teams, composed of top young soul masters, reacted instantly—each releasing their martial souls at nearly the same moment.
A dazzling golden light erupted on Xu Jiujiu's forehead. A diamond-shaped golden gem appeared, radiating brilliance. The gem detached and floated upward, forming a magnificent crown above her head.
From that central gem, eighteen large star-shaped points rose to form a gleaming circlet—the royal martial soul of the Star Luo Empire: the Star Crown.
Two yellow, two purple, and one black—five soul rings appeared in perfect configuration.
The six other members of the Star Luo team also revealed their martial souls, each at the Soul King level, each with the same optimal ring ratio.
In Shrek's northern rest area, He Caitou couldn't help but exclaim,
"What kind of martial soul is that?"
Ning Tian's blue eyes widened in awe.
"That's the Star Crown—a top-tier tool-type martial soul once renowned alongside the Clear Sky Hammer of the Clear Sky Sect and our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."
If the Clear Sky Hammer was the strongest attack-type tool martial soul on the continent, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was the greatest auxiliary one, then the Star Crown stood between the two—capable of both astonishing support and formidable offense, depending on the user's cultivation path.
Princess Jiujiu was a rare auxiliary-type battle soul master.
Following the plan, Xu Sanshi raised his heavy black Mysterious Underworld Turtle Shield and activated his fourth soul skill—Mysterious Underworld Swap.
His fourth purple ring shone brightly as black light flared from the shield, refracting sideways toward Xu Jiujiu with perfect control.
Though Xu Jiujiu didn't know the effect of his skill, she wasn't about to be struck so easily.
Golden light surged from her crown as her third soul ring lit up, and a golden pillar of light shot skyward.
Third Soul Skill of the Star Crown: Starlight Blessing.
The golden pillar shimmered with mist and countless tiny starlights swirling within—mysterious and beautiful.
When Xu Sanshi's black energy touched it, it simply dissolved, as if disintegrated.
Neither Shrek's members nor Xu Sanshi understood the exact effect of the skill, but one thing was certain—their initial strategy was now useless.
That suited Ma Xiaotao just fine.
Despite Wang Yan's repeated warnings to conserve her strength, she'd never intended to hold back.
Fiery red phoenix flames erupted around her—two yellow, two purple, two black rings—signifying her Soul Emperor rank.
With a fiery aura like a meteor, she charged straight toward the enemy.
Dai Yueheng released his White Tiger martial soul, muscles bulging as he followed close behind.
Chen Zifeng, the sword-wielding Soul King, joined them, his crimson Soul-Chasing Sword gleaming blood-red.
Three attack-types—two Soul Emperors and one Soul King—an explosive combination unmatched by any other academy in the tournament.
Xu Jiujiu's eyes narrowed, and her golden light expanded into a mist that enveloped her six teammates.
The three front-line fighters of the Star Luo team stepped up to meet Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and Chen Zifeng head-on.
Ma Xiaotao's speed was tremendous. In an instant, she reached the enemy front line, spreading her fiery phoenix wings and unleashing a torrent of flames.
Her opponent, the Soul King Huang Heyun, was the strongest among them—even stronger than Xu Jiujiu herself. His martial soul—the Dark Demon Tiger—was a top-tier beast soul, rivaling Dai Yueheng's White Tiger but of opposite attribute.
Black energy surged around him, muscles swelling as his body expanded and became covered in sleek black fur shot through with gold from Xu Jiujiu's Starlight Blessing. The golden mist didn't clash with his dark energy—it merged with it, turning his black aura into a shimmering dark-gold.
His first yellow soul ring lit up—
"First Soul Skill: Dark Wave!"
He thrust his fist forward, releasing a dark-golden shockwave nearly a meter wide.
Ma Xiaotao's flaming Phoenix Fire Line collided with it, scattering sparks.
Despite her higher rank, her first skill was easily matched by his.
Ma Xiaotao's eyes flickered—she had noticed the dark-gold starlight mingled with his energy.
Dai Yueheng and Chen Zifeng faced similar situations.
Dai's opponent, Du Guyun, wielded the Nether Berserk Lion, partially countering the White Tiger's physical dominance, while Chen Zifeng's adversary, Chen Xiaojie, used the Lightning Falcon—fast, agile, and lethal.
Under the boost of Xu Jiujiu's Starlight Blessing, the battle remained deadlocked.
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