The clamor and fervor within the Central Main Spirit Arena had yet to fully subside, but with the outcome decided, the crowd gradually began to disperse. Inside the VIP lounge, Marco calmly said to Qin Ming and Ye Lingling, "Teacher Qin, Lingling, let's go meet them."
Ye Lingling immediately nodded, her Nine Heart Begonia Spirit already prepared to heal their injured teammates.
The group left the lounge and proceeded along the dedicated passageway toward the medical area at the rear of the Soul Arena. However, at a turn in the corridor, they unexpectedly encountered another group—the Shrek Seven Monsters, who had just concluded their spirit battle and were heading back to their resting area.
The chance meeting instantly created a subtle atmosphere.
On the Shrek Seven Monsters' side, Dai Mubai supported Xiao Wu, whose face remained pale and whose waist and abdomen were wrapped in bandages. Tang San followed closely beside them, his eyes still carrying a trace of lingering coldness and deep concern for Xiao Wu. Ma Hongjun, Oscar, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong followed behind. Although they had won the match, Xiao Wu's injury and Tang San's final outburst had significantly dampened their joy of victory. Each of their faces showed weariness and gravity.
From the Royal Fight Team's side, Qin Ming and Ye Lingling walked at the front, with Marco half a step behind. Dugu Yan, Osler, and the others also caught up, their expressions filled with concern for their teammates' injuries and the disappointment of defeat.
When Ning Rongrong's gaze fell upon Marco, her lively eyes widened instantly, and she covered her mouth with a soft exclamation: "Brother Marco?! Is it really you?"
This call immediately drew everyone's attention. The Shrek Seven Monsters' eyes collectively focused on Marco. Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and the others regarded him with curiosity and scrutiny; Zhu Zhuqing's cool eyes flickered with a barely perceptible ripple of emotion; Tang San slightly furrowed his brows, his Purple Demon Eyes instinctively activating as he carefully observed this youth whom Ning Rongrong addressed as "brother" and who was rumored to be the "continent's top genius."
Marco wore a simple, dark blue martial attire, his posture as straight and firm as a pine tree. Though he stood casually, he naturally exuded a presence as steady as a mountain. His features were handsome with clear-cut lines, and his skin was a healthy wheat color. Most striking were his profound eyes—the pupils seemed deeper in color than an average person's, faintly hinting at Double Pupils. His calm gaze appeared capable of seeing through people, yet it carried a touch of gentle warmth. His black short hair stirred slightly in the breeze. He appeared to be only about sixteen or seventeen years old, but his composure and bearing far surpassed others his age.
Hearing Ning Rongrong's call, Marco turned his gaze to her, a warm and familiar smile appearing on his face: "Rongrong, long time no see. I didn't expect to meet you here." His voice was clear and pleasant, carrying a magnetic quality that put people at ease.
Ning Rongrong's pretty face flushed slightly. She stuck out her tongue sheepishly, then quickly stepped closer to Marco and lowered her voice to say, "Brother Marco, I ran away from home on my own. Please don't tell my father or the others!"
Upon hearing this, a deeper smile appeared in Marco's eyes, carrying a hint of understanding and a barely perceptible teasing. He thought to himself, "Sneaking out from under the noses of the Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo? That's quite something, haha." However, his expression remained unchanged as he simply nodded gently and said kindly, "Don't worry, I won't say anything. But you must take good care of yourself outside."
"Got it!" Ning Rongrong smiled sweetly, relieved.
At that moment, the other members of the Shrek Seven Monsters gathered around. Dai Mubai, as the team leader, spoke first with a scrutinizing gaze, "Rongrong, who is this?"
Ning Rongrong quickly introduced, "Captain Dai, Xiao San, everyone, this is Brother Marco, known as the number one genius on the continent."
Tang San's gaze met Marco's calm one in the air. At this moment, Tang San's short golden hair was slightly disheveled from the intense battle and emotional fluctuations, but it couldn't hide his tall, straight posture and handsome, refined features. His eyes were sharp, carrying a trace of lingering coldness and an instinctive wariness toward an unfamiliar expert. He could sense that the young man before him possessed power as vast as the deep sea, far beyond what Yu Tianheng and the others could compare to. Was this the rumored sixteen-year-old Soul Emperor? Tang San felt a chill in his heart.
Marco also observed Tang San, especially taking a few extra glances at him. His gaze lingered briefly on the Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges at Tang San's waist before shifting away. He nodded slightly to the Shrek group as a greeting and said in a calm tone, "So you are the Shrek Seven Monsters? The match just now was very impressive." His praise sounded sincere, without any hint of falseness.
Dai Mubai and the others politely returned the greeting, but the atmosphere remained somewhat delicate. After all, the Royal Fight Team had just been defeated by them on the stage, and some were injured.
At that moment, Yu Tianheng, Shimo, Shimò, and the others emerged from the direction of the medical room, supported by the Soul Arena staff. Yu Tianheng's face was pale, his chest bandaged. Seeing Marco standing with the Shrek Seven Monsters, his expression was complex—filled with unwillingness, shame, and a trace of fear toward Tang San's terrifying strength. Crazy Rhino, Spider Woman, and the others looked even more dejected.
Seeing this, Marco turned and walked toward Yu Tianheng and the others. He patted Yu Tianheng's shoulder and glanced at Shimo, Shimò, and Li Qiuyao (who was only exhausted from excessive Soul Power consumption and not seriously injured). His tone was gentle yet carried an undeniable authority, "Victory and defeat are common in battle. You lost this time, so win next time. What's important is what you learn from it. Your opponents are strong, but that's exactly the tempering you need. Go back, rest well, and reflect on your gains and losses."
His words seemed to have a magical effect, slightly lifting the spirits of the disheartened Yu Tianheng and the others, who nodded in agreement. Yu Tianheng took a deep breath and looked at Marco, "Brother Marco, we understand."
Marco nodded, then turned once more to face the Shrek Seven Monsters. His gaze swept over everyone, lingering for a moment on Tang San and Xiao Wu before curling into a meaningful, faint smile. He said, "Congratulations on your victory. I hope we have the chance to spar again in the future." With that, he signaled to Qin Ming and Ye Lingling and calmly led the Royal Fight Team and Berserker Team members away through the passage.
The Shrek Seven Devils remained in place, watching their departing figures, the atmosphere momentarily falling into silence.
"Damn, that guy is Marco? He feels... incredibly imposing," Ma Hongjun clicked his tongue.
Oscar stroked his chin: "Rongrong, your Brother Marco seems quite amiable, not as arrogant as the legends say."
Dai Mubai frowned slightly: "Amiable? I think he's unfathomable. The way he looked at us just now, especially when he looked at Tang San..."
Zhu Zhuqing said coldly: "He's dangerous."
Ning Rongrong defended: "Brother Marco is a good person! He's just... very powerful."
Tang San didn't speak, only stared in the direction where Marco had disappeared, his brow tightly furrowed. Marco's final smile and his words "I hope we have another chance to spar" gave rise to a strong premonition in his heart - that they would definitely cross paths again with this mysterious youth.
While the Shrek Seven Devils were discussing animatedly, later that same day, an unexpected visitor came to the hotel where they were staying - Qin Ming.
Qin Ming came alone, his attitude sincere. Flender, Zhao Wuji, and the Grandmaster received him.
Qin Ming got straight to the point, expressing high praise for the Shrek Seven Devils' talent and strength: "Dean Flender, Teacher Zhao, Grandmaster, these seven little monsters from your academy have truly opened my eyes! Especially your control-system Soul Master Tang San - exceptionally talented with outstanding tactical awareness, his future potential is limitless!"
After exchanging pleasantries, Qin Ming finally revealed his purpose: "With the Shrek Seven Devils' talents, staying in a small place like Suotuo City is really wasting their potential. I wonder if Dean Flender and the other teachers would be interested in bringing your disciples to join our Heavenly Dou Royal Academy? With their abilities, they could absolutely serve as the main combat team, representing the academy in the next Pan-continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament! Heavenly Dou Royal Academy can provide the best cultivation resources, the most excellent teaching staff, and the broadest stage!"
Qin Ming's proposal made Flender, Zhao Wuji, and the Grandmaster all fall into deep thought. For the resource-lacking Shrek Academy, this was undoubtedly an extremely tempting offer. However, it also involved issues of the academy's independence...
--Enjoying the story? Want more chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance chapters.
Just search for "QueenTL" on Patreon!"
Thanks!