Zhu Ziyang arrived at the restaurant, and everyone else was already there.
Seeing Zhu Ziyang arrive, Tang Ya asked with a smile, "It's rare, Zhu Ziyang, that you would actually have a day to sleep in!"
"It's not sleeping in, I just had a breakthrough," Zhu Ziyang said with a faint smile, taking the rice porridge and steamed bun that Jiang Nannan handed him as he sat beside her.
"Breakthrough?" Unexpectedly, his words broke Tang Ya's composure. She said indignantly, "Aren't you too abnormal? You broke through so quickly. Are you going to let us people with ordinary talent live or not?"
Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi nodded in agreement, feeling deeply powerless.
"Heh heh, if you're still considered to have ordinary talent, then there are no geniuses in this world!" Wang Yan also said with a smile. He was very happy about Zhu Ziyang's breakthrough, but he felt a little uneasy. He looked at Zhu Ziyang and said, "Ziyang, although you've broken through, we don't need you to act yet. Wait a few more days!"
"I know!" Zhu Ziyang replied.
Wang Yan's idea was very simple: before Elder Lin arrived, it was best for Zhu Ziyang not to act if he could avoid it. A 100,000-year spirit ring was too eye-catching, and no one could guarantee that some desperate individuals or forces wouldn't attack him. Therefore, only with a Super Douluo by his side would Wang Yan feel at ease letting Zhu Ziyang enter the arena.
Although Zhu Ziyang really wanted to say that he actually carried five Titled Douluo-level powerhouses with him and feared no assassination, he knew very well that the Hell Knight and Lich King were existences that couldn't see the light of day. As the purest undead creatures, once they appeared in public, Zhu Ziyang would definitely be branded as an Evil Soul Master and suffer the combined ostracism of the Spirit Master's world and the secular world.
At that time, no one would care whether he was truly an Evil Soul Master or not. People only cared about what they saw, and those with ulterior motives would infinitely magnify this point and then take the opportunity to eliminate him.
As for Shrek Academy, it would also fall into an unprecedented crisis due to Zhu Ziyang's identity as an Evil Soul Master. How did Shrek Academy's ten-thousand-year reputation come about? Besides turning the tide four thousand years ago and repelling the Sun Moon Empire's army, it was also because their consistent actions over thousands of years to eradicate Evil Soul Masters earned them the respect of the secular world and the Spirit Master's world.
Once Zhu Ziyang was deemed an Evil Soul Master, Shrek Academy's enemies, such as the Sun Moon Empire, would immediately pounce on Shrek Academy, spreading propaganda that Shrek Academy was harboring Evil Soul Masters, inciting public resentment towards Shrek Academy, and then using the opportunity to destroy Shrek Academy. This was not alarmist talk, but a very likely possibility!
The greater the trust and reverence people on the continent had for Shrek Academy before, the greater the anger and disgust it would transform into afterward, and then they would unite to destroy it!
Ten thousand years ago, Spirit Hall was destroyed in this very manner.
Therefore, unless it was a matter of life and death, Zhu Ziyang would absolutely not dispatch his undead creatures.
Why weren't they afraid of someone attacking Huo Yuhao?
Firstly, because it was too fake. Anyone with a little common sense about Spirit Masters would understand that while Huo Yuhao's five 100,000-year spirit rings might seem horrifying and terrifying at first glance, a closer look would reveal that they couldn't withstand scrutiny and had too many loopholes. Secondly, Huo Yuhao himself didn't have 100,000-year spirit rings, so neither Wang Yan nor Zhu Ziyang worried that someone would attack Huo Yuhao, because it wasn't worth it. No force would be foolish enough to make an enemy of Shrek Academy for the sake of a Spirit Grandmaster.
In short, with 100,000-year spirit rings, you're not afraid of not having them, you're afraid of actually having them!
Whether it was Zhu Ziyang or Huo Yuhao, if they truly possessed a 100,000-year spirit ring at their current age, it would mean they could have a second, a third, or even more, and this was the truly terrifying and frightening aspect.
The Shrek contingent quickly finished their meal, left the hotel, and walked towards Star Luo Plaza.
At the hotel entrance, they ran into the Sun Moon Academy Team coming down from another passage. The two teams were old rivals; if they hadn't met, there would have been no trouble, but since they did, confrontation was inevitable.
"I never thought that Shrek Academy, of all places, would let a bunch of imposters participate in the Soul Master Competition. It's truly an eye-opener!" a Sun Moon Team member said, his tone sarcastic and mocking.
His words made the other members of the Sun Moon Team smile knowingly, while the members of Shrek Team's preliminary squad showed angry expressions.
Ma Xiaotao, who was walking at the very front, also had an unpleasant look on her face. Her beautiful eyes filled with anger, she said, "Good dogs don't block the way, get lost!"
As she spoke, her top-tier Spirit Emperor aura immediately burst forth, directly sending the two people at the very front of the Sun Moon Team flying backward, causing them to retreat seven or eight steps before they barely managed to stabilize themselves. Ma Xiaotao didn't care. After no one was blocking her way, she lifted her head and said, "The dogs blocking the way are gone, let's go!"
Ma Xiaotao led the way, with Zhu Ziyang and the Shrek contingent following behind her. They walked directly towards Star Luo Plaza, paying no attention to the glaring Sun Moon Academy members.
After all the Shrek Academy members had left the hotel, the Sun Moon Academy members also departed. On their way to Star Luo Plaza, their leading teacher, Elder Ma, asked, "Rulong, how was it?"
"Just as we suspected, Ma Xiaotao is very strong!" Ma Rulong said with a solemn expression, "If it's a one-on-one fight, none of us are her match!"
"Hmph! Give me five years, and I'll definitely be able to trample this Ma Xiaotao underfoot!" Xiao Hongchen's face was gloomy, because he was the one who had been shaken back by Ma Xiaotao's aura. This made the incredibly proud Xiao Hongchen feel immense humiliation, and his animosity towards Ma Xiaotao instantly became his top priority.
"That means our chances in the individual competition aren't very high," Elder Ma said, not paying attention to Xiao Hongchen's words, but rather pondering.
"Yes!" Ma Rulong nodded in agreement, but then changed the subject, saying, "However, if they consistently maintain this lineup, then our chances in the collaborative battles and team battles are very high. In that case, with a two-to-one score, our possibility of winning the championship exceeds two-thirds!"
Ma Rulong finished speaking, a look of excitement on his face.
"Heh!" Xiao Hongchen scoffed, "Elder Ma, Brother Ma, you're thinking too far ahead. With Shrek Academy in this state, it's questionable whether they'll even make it to the finals!"
"Xiao Hongchen, I warn you, don't direct your arrogance at your enemies!" Elder Ma, for the first time, lost his temper with Xiao Hongchen and said, "As the Empire's number one enemy, if Shrek Academy truly only had this level of strength, how could it have held back the Empire's army and powerhouses for nearly a thousand years?"
"It just means the people the Empire used before were all idiots and incompetents!" Xiao Hongchen said nonchalantly, unconcerned.
"You..." Elder Ma was so angered by Xiao Hongchen's words that he almost choked. Angrily, he wanted to continue scolding him, but then he seemed to remember something, and all his anger and dissatisfaction ultimately turned into a sigh. He said, "Sigh, never mind, let's go to the arena."
On Star Luo Plaza, as on the previous day, it was bustling with people, and the stands were filled with eagerly awaiting spectators. On the Imperial City Tower, Emperor Emperor Xu Jiawei, accompanied by the Empress and his ministers, once again appeared on the tower.
Today was the first day of the third round of the round-robin tournament, and also Shrek Academy's fourth match. Although Shrek Academy had fooled everyone in the previous day's match, no one truly cared. People's tolerance for the strong was always the greatest.
After the Shrek Academy contingent entered Star Luo Plaza, they still received the most enthusiastic cheers, and the Shrek contingent accepted these cheers with a clear conscience. The glory created by their predecessors was always accepted by their successors with a clear conscience.
The group arrived at the resting area. The competition was about to begin, and their opponent today was Zhengtian Academy, the strongest team in Group 1, second only to Shrek Academy.
During the draw, Shrek Academy still sent out Bei Bei, the captain of the preliminary squad, while Zhengtian Academy sent their captain, Ye Wuqing, a cold young man just like his name suggested.
The draw results were revealed: Shrek Academy vs. Zhengtian Academy, individual battle!
As soon as this result came out, Ma Xiaotao in the resting area excitedly stood up, her gaze fixed intently on Wang Yan.
Wang Yan felt a chill down his spine from Ma Xiaotao's stare and could only nod helplessly, saying, "Since that's the case, then Xiao Tao, you go!"
"Haha, it's finally my turn!" Ma Xiaotao was very happy. She smiled and patted Zhu Ziyang next to her, saying, "Watch me! In fifteen minutes at most, we can go back to the hotel to rest!"
"Really?" Wang Dong yawned and said expectantly, "Senior Xiao Tao, then you really have to do your best! I'm already ready to go back to the hotel and sleep!"
"Rest assured!" Ma Xiaotao vowed.
"Wang Dong, what were you doing last night? You've been yawning since breakfast today?" Tang Ya was very curious and asked.
"It's all Yu Hao's fault! He kept bothering me until it was almost dawn before he let me sleep!" Wang Dong replied, completely unaware that his words sounded strange.
Xu Sanshi's expression was peculiar, and he said with a smile, "Yu Hao, Wang Dong, you two wouldn't be...?"
"What are you talking about?!" Huo Yuhao was anxious and quickly said, "Wang Dong, can you talk properly? We were just cultivating, not messing around!"
When Bei Bei returned, the resting area was filled with laughter, and Ma Xiaotao had already entered the waiting area, ready to step onto the stage at any moment.