The Promotion Competition of the Continental Elite Soul Master Academy Tournament was not nearly as rowdy as the qualifiers. To protect the privacy of the soul masters' individual abilities and for security reasons, no outside spectators were allowed.
The competition remained divided between the two great empires. The thirty teams that passed the qualifiers would compete within their respective empires, while the three teams already seeded for the finals did not participate in this stage.
On the Heaven Dou Empire side, fifteen teams—including the five that emerged from the Heaven Dou City qualifiers—completed their registration in the morning and gathered at the competition site. Though the number of teams had decreased, those remaining were undoubtedly the elite of the elite.
The ten teams from the four kingdoms and one duchy had arrived even earlier to familiarize themselves with the environment. They came bearing numerous promises and incentives from their respective rulers. If they achieved good results, their rewards could potentially eclipse even the promises made by Emperor Xue Ye. After all, these were vassal states of Heaven Dou; outshining the central empire's teams was the best way to prove their worth.
In the wars of the Douluo Continent, while the number of soul masters was small, they had long been the deciding factor on the battlefield. The quantity of high-level soul masters was the fundamental measure of a faction's power. This was exactly why Spirit Hall held such a transcendent status that even the two great empires dared not lightly offend them.
The venue for the Promotion Competition was the Royal Hunting Grounds, located fifty kilometers southwest of Heaven Dou City. The terrain was varied and vast, serving as a private preserve for the imperial family's hunting and training.
Usually, commoners were strictly forbidden from approaching. Ten thousand members of the Royal Knights took turns patrolling and guarding the grounds, rotating every three months to maintain peak combat readiness. The Royal Knights were considered the strongest force directly controlled by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
To avoid unnecessary conflict and to prevent teams from easily scouting one another, the fifteen participating academies were assigned separate rest areas. The Royal Knights were clad in polished silver plate armor, a heavy protection that offered incredible defense. Their mounts were specially bred "Heavenly Soul Horses," which possessed a trace of soul beast blood. These horses were incredibly fast, possessed immense endurance, and could carry great weight without slowing down, making them the ultimate choice for cavalry.
A charge from such a unit was terrifying. The Royal Knights totaled fifty thousand men, and any captain of a hundred-man unit or higher was a soul master. It was an extremely expensive army to maintain, but its deterrent power ensured that the vassal kingdoms and duchies dared not act rashly.
Because this year's tournament featured so many dark horses, the first team of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy also came to observe. Without Dugu Yan, geniuses like Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wu would put immense pressure on Yu Tianheng and his teammates.
At the Seven Treasure Academy's encampment, Gu Xuan was inside a tent with his three fiancées, discussing the team's order of appearance. Ye Lingling had followed him there, and the four were deep in strategy.
The Promotion Competition also used a round-robin system, but because there were fewer teams, the duration was shortened to half a month. This would be followed by a half-month rest before the Grand Finals in Spirit City, located on the border of the two empires.
As Gu Xuan debated with Dugu Yan whether she should take the field, Ning Fengzhi and the Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, arrived to pay a visit. Today, Xue Qinghe wore simple noble attire, appearing like an ordinary aristocrat. Standing next to the elegant Ning Fengzhi, he almost seemed like an escort.
However, when Xue Qinghe saw Gu Xuan tucked away in a tent with three beautiful girls, his expression shifted slightly. 'I told him before that cultivation is the most important thing right now,' she thought with a surge of inexplicable annoyance. 'Is he really spending all his time flirting with three girls? Can his small frame even handle that?'
Xue Qinghe quickly masked his emotions, remembering he was there as the Emperor's representative.
"Father!" Ning Rongrong's voice rang out as she pounced out of the barracks. "Why are you here?"
She dove into Ning Fengzhi's arms, looking thrilled. Ning Fengzhi patted her head. "I came to see you all. It seems you're in high spirits. I hope you achieve excellent results."
Ning Rongrong puffed out her chest and raised a small fist. "Hmph! It's a pity I'm a Support Type and won't have a chance to fight in the Promotion Competition. Otherwise, I'd show you my real strength!"
Ning Fengzhi smiled warmly. Gu Xuan, seeing that they were still standing outside, invited them in. "Uncle, Big Brother Xue, why don't you come in and sit for a bit?"
The two declined, noting they had other academies to visit. After they left, Gu Xuan returned to his strategy session with the girls.
The next day, the Promotion Competition officially commenced. Unlike the qualifiers, there were no multiple stages; only the large parade ground of the Royal Knights was used. The fifteen teams would compete in fourteen rounds of round-robin matches. Each day, seven matches were held, with one team receiving a bye.
The arena was a cordoned-off circle with a diameter of one hundred meters. This vast space allowed soul masters to fully utilize their mobility and range. To the north, a temporary VIP stand served as the judge's seat. There were fewer nobles this time, and no commoners at all. The front row consisted of Emperor Xue Ye, Ning Fengzhi, and Platinum Bishop Salas. Behind them sat high-ranking generals and officials from the Heaven Dou spirit temple.
Team battles were often chaotic and hard to follow, but the Promotion Competition was different. Every student would showcase their individual strength under scrutiny. It was the perfect stage for a "one-man show" if one was powerful enough.
Ten thousand Royal Knights surrounded the parade ground, their armor gleaming. The front rank stood on foot while the rear rank remained mounted, forming an impenetrable circle. Emperor Xue Ye intended for his elite soldiers to witness the strength of the new generation to stimulate their own fighting spirit.
The rules were simple: each side sent seven members. Each member fought until defeated. The winner stayed on the field to face the next opponent until one side had all seven members eliminated. The draw had been held the night before; notably, the Seven Treasure Academy received a bye for the first round.
Following the announcer's guidance, Emperor Xue Ye stood and projected his voice through a soul tool. "The Promotion Competition officially begins today. For the next fourteen days, I hope every team displays the true elegance of a soul master. I declare... the Continental Elite Soul Master Academy Tournament Promotion Competition, open!"
As his voice fell, the ten thousand knights raised their lances, their shout echoing like a tsunami: "Long live! Long live! Long live!" The rhythmic clanking of their armor and their thunderous voices startled many of the young competitors, a vivid display of the Great Empire's majesty.
(End of Chapter)
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