After all the junior and youth group matches concluded, the organizing committee officially held the closing ceremony and awards ceremony.
Tianhai Stadium was packed with people, every seat filled, a truly lively scene. Even those who weren't present, most residents of Tianhai City and other participating coastal cities watched the live stream.
The final champion naturally deserved all the glory, and would be crowned under the watchful eyes of all Soul Masters and civilians in the entire Tianhai Alliance. They would receive their supreme honor amidst cheers.
The competition usually begins with the junior group awards ceremony, with a champion emerging for each event.
The seven-person team competition champion was undoubtedly Tianhai Academy Team 1. After all, Tianhai Academy was considered the strongest academy in the entire Tianhai Alliance, having won for several consecutive years, so it wasn't surprising.
The next three-person team champion was also awarded to the three members of Hailu Academy. Although they had lost to Lin Xiuran at the time, they ultimately won by accumulating points and defeating other teams to advance, ultimately securing the championship.
"Next, we will be awarding the final championship of the junior group individual competition!"
The host raised the microphone high, his voice booming, and the cheers from the audience were even more intense than those for the previous championships.
As the host announced this, Lin Xiuran, dressed in a clean and tidy Donghai Academy uniform, slowly walked onto the stage under the watchful eyes of everyone present.
Meanwhile, not only the audience present, but even in front of a television, a middle-aged man crumpled his cigar, his gaze chilling and menacing.
He stared at the fading marks on his arm, his entire body seemingly emanating a black aura.
"Just wait, just wait..."
the host announced enthusiastically, "He is Lin Xiuran from Class 0 of the first year at Donghai Academy!"
"This time, he is not only the individual champion, but also the final champion of the blacksmith competition."
Lin Xiuran walked to the center of the stage and received his two championship trophies. Normally, the competition would have allowed the teacher to accompany him to receive the awards, as two trophies are not easy to collect. However, Wu Changkong refused.
Indeed, it was impossible for him to receive the awards in this setting.
Lin Xiuran didn't say anything more, his expression even somewhat indifferent, remaining unchanged even amidst the cheers of the audience.
But this was merely a facade; deep down, he was very excited. At least he hadn't let Wu Changkong down after his cultivation.
Moreover, in just a few short months, he had already advanced from someone who couldn't even afford a spirit ring to a three-ring spirit master. And he had even won two championship trophies at once.
This contrast made Lin Xiuran feel unreal. He had always fantasized about it, but now that it was real, he felt somewhat unaccustomed to it.
After the awards ceremony, there were supposed to be some post-match interviews, but Wu Changkong declined them all.
On the way backstage, Wu Changkong suddenly said to him, "You can celebrate, but don't overdo it. Keep working hard and stay grounded. You have more important things to do next year."
"More important things?" Lin Xiuran was taken aback.
Wu Changkong said calmly, "The All-Federation Grand Competition."
After speaking, Wu Changkong walked straight ahead.
Some of the most outstanding participants in the Tianhai Alliance Grand Competition would represent the Tianhai Alliance in the All-Federation Grand Competition, held every five years. As the double champion of the junior group, Lin Xiuran could definitely participate in the All-Federation Grand Competition if he asked the organizing committee.
Behind him, Lin Xiuran murmured to himself, "The All-Federation Grand Competition… Shrek City…"
Three
years later,
a vast expanse of white, icy world came into view.
This was the far north of the Douluo Continent, a land of unbearable cold and powerful, mysterious soul beasts.
The biting wind roared like a lion, carrying withered branches and dust, ushering in a blizzard.
This place was practically a death trap, with towering ice walls stretching back millennia, where history and time seemed to slow down.
Amidst the frost and snow, on the frozen lake, the young man's figure appeared somewhat desolate and forlorn. His handsome face was tinged with frost, and his white robes seemed to blend into the icy world.
Lin Xiuran was almost frozen stiff; he released some fire element to warm his hands, which helped somewhat.
"Sister Na, speaking of which, what exactly is in this far north?"
Lin Xiuran only felt the sky filled with snowflakes and ice blocks frozen for millennia; he had no idea what he was looking for.
A short while later, a voice echoed in his mind.
"I don't know the exact location, only that it's in the far north. You can try releasing more of your bloodline power."
"Alright."
Helpless, Lin Xiuran could only continue searching in the far north, each step leaving a deep footprint, which was soon buried by the wind and snow.
He had participated in the Federation Grand Competition the following year after the Tianhai Alliance Grand Competition, but he was too young. The junior group's age limit was fifteen, and he was only eleven; a four-year gap was insurmountable even with talent.
Unexpectedly, he was specially recruited by Shrek Academy's inner court, something he hadn't anticipated, yet it seemed perfectly reasonable. After all, his ability to control multiple elements indicated extremely high talent.
However, this year, he reached level forty but encountered a bottleneck, one that even Gu Yuena couldn't overcome.
The element at level forty, even Gu Yuena couldn't control—the most domineering lightning element.
Without this element's supply, he simply couldn't reach level forty. Of course, finding any lightning element soul master was unrealistic. He needed more than just external support; external supplementation was important, but not the most crucial element.
Like when he awakened his ice element at level 30, although Wu Changkong's special training was very effective, without Gu Yuena's internal support, he couldn't have succeeded. Conversely, even with only Gu Yuena's internal support, albeit for a longer period,
he could still have successfully awakened. Ultimately, he needed to awaken elemental power from the depths of his bloodline.
Gu Yuena's final suggestion was to come to the far north, where the answer to successfully awakening the lightning element might lie.
However, Lin Xiuran had come on vacation, and a month had already passed. He had wandered here for a month, but all he saw was snow, nothing but snow, and he hadn't discovered anything special. Lin
Xiuran tried releasing his bloodline aura to attract something, and while doing so, he spoke with Gu Yuena in his spiritual sea.
"Sister Na, what exactly are we looking for?"
The voice in the spiritual sea was silent for a moment, then said, "Actually, what we're looking for isn't a thing, but..."
Read 30+ advanced chapters at p4treon..
[email protected]/Horizons685
(End of Chapter)