"The tournament has its own rules. The organizing committee will decide on the appropriate punishment," Li Zhaoyan said coldly, his gaze sweeping over the Shrek group like an Ice Cone, especially targeting Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and Liu Erlong. The chill in his eyes made them feel as if they had fallen into an icy abyss.
However, just as he prepared to press further, his brow imperceptibly furrowed. His perception, far surpassing that of ordinary people, keenly detected several obscure, powerful, and scrutinizing auras not far away, quietly observing the commotion here. Those auras seemed to come from a certain direction in the VIP seating area. Though fleeting, they carried an indescribable depth and Imposing Aura.
Thoughts raced through Li Zhaoyan's mind as he instantly weighed the pros and cons. In such a public setting, continuing to press the issue might further suppress Shrek, but it could also invite unnecessary trouble. Moreover, Shrek Academy's actions today had already ruined their own reputation. The tournament rules would punish them, and more importantly, the other side had already paid a sufficiently heavy price. Considering this, his initial intention to escalate the conflict faded.
However, this did not mean he would give Shrek a favorable impression.
"Hmph." Li Zhaoyan snorted coldly and said no more, but the warning and disdain contained in that single snort were unmistakably clear. He no longer looked at the Shrek members, whose faces were ashen and who were trembling in fear, as if another glance would sully his eyes. He turned and gave a slight nod to the referee and the commander of the Royal Knights maintaining order, his tone returning to normal. "My son has been frightened. I shall take my leave first. This matter is left to you all."
After speaking, he casually picked up Marco with one hand, his figure flickering before disappearing from the spot as if he had never been there. Only a trace of sharp spear intent lingered in the air, along with the icy pressure that weighed heavily on the hearts of the Shrek members for a long time.
It was only long after Li Zhaoyan had left that the oppressive feeling slowly dissipated. Yet the entire Martial Arena remained deathly silent. Everyone looked at the disheveled Shrek Academy members with complex emotions—some gloating, some disdainful, some sympathetic, but most felt deep apprehension and lingering fear.
Of all people to provoke, they had to provoke Marco Lee and draw out his unfathomable, fiercely protective Titled Douluo father… Shrek Academy had truly fallen this time, their reputation in tatters and their future bleak.
Flender and Zhao Wuji felt as if they had been granted a reprieve, their backs soaked in cold sweat. They hurriedly helped up Yu Xiaogang, who was vomiting blood and unconscious, and the severely injured Liu Erlong, then ordered someone to carry the barely breathing Tang San down from the stage. The group fled the Martial Arena in disarray and panic, utterly devoid of their former confidence and vigor.
As the Godly Spear Douluo Li Zhaoyan vanished from the spot with Marco like a ghost, the sharp Imposing Aura and icy killing intent that had enveloped the Martial Arena slowly receded like a tide. Yet the entire arena remained shrouded in a suffocating silence. Everyone was still immersed in the heart-stopping, tumultuous conflict that had just unfolded, their hearts filled with lingering fear.
For a long while, until the panicked, disheveled, and dust-covered figures of Shrek Academy had completely vanished from sight, the oppressive atmosphere in the spectator stands finally burst open like a punctured balloon. Whispers, gasps, and discussions boiled over like a pot of hot water!
"My heavens! That was terrifying! Was that Marco's father just now? A Titled Douluo?! Just the momentum he exuded standing there made me feel like my soul was about to fly away!"
"That spear! I recognize it! It's His Excellency, Godly Spear Douluo Li Zhaoyan! I never expected him to come in person!"
"Nonsense! His son was almost publicly assassinated, of course he'd come! I'd fight tooth and nail too if it were me! That teacher from Shrek Academy is utterly shameless, a dignified Soul Saint actually trying to kill a participating student!"
"Exactly! First, their own student used a poisoned hidden weapon to launch a sneak attack, then the teacher attempted to bully the weak and silence witnesses by killing them. This Shrek Academy, tsk tsk, really..."
The focus of the crowd's discussion quickly shifted from Marco's terrifying display of power and his swift counter-kill against Tang San to Li Zhaoyan's shocking appearance and Shrek Academy's "shameless" actions. Their tones were filled with disdain, lingering fear, and awe towards the Titled Douluo.
However, right at that moment, a slightly hesitant voice rang out from the crowd, interrupting the chorus of condemnation:
"But... is Shrek Academy really finished just like that? Their future looks bleak? I'm not so sure..."
Upon hearing this, many people nearby looked over. The speaker was a middle-aged team leader from a certain kingdom's academy who seemed somewhat knowledgeable. Someone scoffed, "Not sure? How can they not be finished after all this? A student using a poisoned hidden weapon to attempt murder in violation of the rules, a teacher publicly trying to kill a student, breaking the ironclad laws of the tournament, and now they've earned the hatred of His Excellency Godly Spear Douluo! Their reputation is ruined! Who would dare go to their academy in the future? How can they possibly establish themselves on the continent?"
The middle-aged team leader shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the direction where Shrek Academy had disappeared. Lowering his voice, he said, "You all only see the surface. This Shrek Academy... their background is probably not simple. In fact, one could even say it's... unfathomably deep!"
"Unfathomably deep?" The surrounding people were taken aback, expressions of disbelief appearing on their faces. "Them? How deep could their background be? Could it be deeper than a Titled Douluo?"
The middle-aged team leader glanced around, seeing that he had everyone's attention, before mysteriously whispering, "Let me ask you all, what was Tang San's second Martial Soul?"
"Right, it was the Clear Sky Hammer, wasn't it?" someone recalled.
"Correct! The Clear Sky Hammer!" the team leader emphasized. "And isn't Tang San practically the only disciple of the Clear Sky Sect walking the continent now?"
Someone gasped sharply.
The team leader said gravely, "The Clear Sky Sect! Although they've secluded themselves from the world these past years, they were once the leader of the Three Upper Schools! The depth of their heritage is unimaginable! Tang San possesses the Clear Sky Hammer. Even if he isn't a direct descendant, he must be an extremely important successor of the Clear Sky Sect! Otherwise, how could the secret of his Twin Spirits have been kept? Even if the Clear Sky Sect is in seclusion, would they sit idly by and watch such an important successor of theirs be bullied, or even... eliminated?"
As soon as these words were spoken, a wave of sharp intakes of breath sounded around them. Many people's faces showed expressions of shock and uncertainty. That's right, the Clear Sky Sect! That behemoth that once shook the continent! Even in seclusion, its remaining prestige lingers! If Tang San is a successor of the Clear Sky Sect, then the implications are entirely different!
"And that's not all!" The middle-aged team leader pointed again in the direction Shrek Academy's team had departed. "Take another look at that little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School in their ranks—Ning Rongrong!"
"Ning Rongrong? You mean... the daughter of Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's leader, Ning Fengzhi?!" someone exclaimed in shock.
"Exactly! The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul—the number one Support System Tool Martial Soul in the world! Ning Rongrong appearing at Shrek Academy—what does that mean? It means Shrek Academy has, at the very least, gained the recognition of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and possibly... even their covert support!" The middle-aged leader lowered his voice further. "Think about it—the Clear Sky Sect and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, two of the Three Upper Schools! What kind of background is that? Could this be an ordinary academy?"
The people around exchanged glances, each seeing shock reflected in the others' eyes. If this were truly the case, then the waters behind Shrek Academy ran incredibly deep! No wonder they dared to act so "arrogantly"!
"And there's more!" The middle-aged leader seemed to be on a roll. "Did you notice that Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing? Their Martial Souls—the White Tiger and the Netherworld Spirit Cat!"
"White Tiger? Netherworld Spirit Cat? What... what about them?" someone asked, confused.
"Fool!" A student who seemed to be from the Star Luo Empire nearby changed expression and whispered, "The White Tiger and the Netherworld Spirit Cat are the hereditary Martial Souls of the Star Luo Imperial family and the Netherworld Duke's clan! Especially since these two can perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill—the Netherworld White Tiger!"
"What?! The Star Luo Imperial family and the Netherworld Duke's clan?!" The crowd was shocked once more. Although the Star Luo Empire was far away, they had still heard of the great reputations of the White Tiger Spirit and the Netherworld Spirit Cat Martial Souls! Especially the legendary Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Netherworld White Tiger—that was the Star Luo Empire's divine national guardian skill!
"Correct!" The middle-aged leader nodded, his eyes gleaming with sharp light. "Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing... these two names, combined with their Martial Souls and their Fusion Skill—haven't you realized something yet?"
"Hiss—!" Someone had already caught on, their face drastically changing. "You mean...?!"
"Yes!" the middle-aged leader affirmed. "The fact that they've come to the Heaven Dou Empire to participate in the Soul Master Grand Competition is itself a deeply suggestive matter. Consider the brutal inheritance system of the Star Luo Empire..."
Those around who knew some of the details showed expressions of sudden understanding and gravity. The succession to the Star Luo throne was a truly bloody competition where the losers were either dead or crippled! For Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing to end up in the Heaven Dou Empire, the story behind it was likely anything but simple.
"Clear Sky Sect, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Star Luo Imperial family, Netherworld Duke's clan..." someone murmured, counting them off, feeling their scalp go numb. "Just... what kind of monstrous academy is this Shrek Academy? How did it gather people from all these powers?"
Hearing this, everyone fell silent. Much of their previous contempt and disdain faded, replaced by a deep sense of wariness and complexity. They had thought it was some backwater, no-name academy, but who could have imagined the intricate web of powers involved behind it, the waters so deep! Wading into this muddy water would bring misfortune to anyone! No wonder the referee had only announced a report for punishment and hadn't immediately disqualified Shrek—he was likely harboring his own reservations.
"Still, Marco is just too fierce! Facing the Clear Sky Hammer, External Spirit Bone, poisoned Hidden Weapons, and even that crazy woman Soul Saint's sneak attack, he actually came out completely unscathed!"
"Yeah, that's what a real monster looks like! No matter your background, if you cross him, you're getting beaten down!"
The discussions gradually shifted to Marco and his father, with awe, amazement, fear, and curiosity all intertwined. But everyone understood that from this day forward, the name Marco would no longer be merely the "Top Genius of Heaven Dou," but would truly carry a weight that could stir up storms—a weight that all major powers would have to treat with caution!
And the grudge between Shrek Academy and Marco had only just begun. This turmoil would not simply fade away; instead, it might stir up even greater waves. Everyone was secretly anticipating it, or perhaps... watching uneasily.
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