In terms of strategy, Grandmaster’s proposal was no doubt perfect, as long as they could reach the top five in the qualifiers they would be in the clear, however, did they really had to avoid fighting?
Tang San hesitated moment, but still firmly shook his head,
“Teacher, after the end of this tournament, we will all have to graduate. Let us leave behind something for the Academy.”
Grandmaster smiled slightly, saying:
“I knew you’d say that. On the surface you seem very mild mannered, but in fact, deep in your heart you’re actually extremely rigid. This kind of unyielding spirit is admittedly good, but you must remember, it’s easier to break what’s rigid. Back in those days, your father apparently suffered because of this.”
“My heart being rigid is perhaps because of your influence.”
Hearing Grandmaster mention his father, Tang San couldn’t keep his eyes from darkening. Recently he’d obtained a lot of information about his father, even about his life’s experience, but, where was his father really? In all these years, he had never returned to see him. If it really was as Grandmaster said, and father really cared for him, then why didn’t he return? Even seeing him once would be good!
“You’re still young, I hope you can cultivate without distractions. If you really can obtain victory in this tournament, then I’ll arrange for you to enter a long period of secret cultivation. Let the outside world forget about you. Because right now, you’re not strong enough to protect yourself, and even more unable to keep you out of the whirlpool of struggle between all sides.”
What Grandmaster said made Tang San’s heart shiver, master and disciple looked eye to eye, and Tang San silently nodded.
……
One day later, Shrek Academy met their twelfth opponent.
This opponent made Tang San somewhat excited, and left him even thirstier for victory than against Blazing Academy. Their twelfth opponent wasn’t the five great elemental academies, but Blue Sunshine Academy.
The academy led by the Shi Nian who once had almost condemned Tang San to hell.
It was less than an hour to the start of the match, and all academy teams were already waiting in the rest area. This time Shrek Academy wouldn’t appear in the first round, but in the third.
* * *
[1] (耀阳)
[2] (风笑天) “Wind Laughing Sky”
Chapter 102: Hidden Mystery, Seven Gem Spirits
Part 1 (TL by Bagelson)
Everyone habitually rested in a corner. Eleven successive victories had no doubt long ago made them an existence like a crane in a flock of chickens among these competing academies, and scenes like at the start of the qualifiers when they were jeered at wouldn’t appear again.
Even though a lot of people looked at them from all around, it was rare that anyone came close.
In the Spirit Master world, strength meant everything, and it was the same among Spirit Master academies. The feeling Shrek Academy gave everyone was of a team without any features, but it was this king of team that had become a headache for each team they faced.
Tang San with the ten thousand year spirit ring had become the most favored competitor for Most Valuable Spirit Master in these qualifiers. At present, he already held more than half the votes.
As long as he wasn’t defeated, he would without a doubt obtain this distinction. However, defeating a Spirit Ancestor with a ten thousand year spirit ring was easier said than done for these competitors.
The Shrek Academy group gathered leisurely, Ma Hongjun, with a difficult to scratch itch in his heart, said to Tang San:
“Third brother, why not let me go on stage today. I won’t use my fourth spirit ability, alright?”
Tang San shot him a glance,
“No way. Zhuqing, you take over for Jiang Zhu today. Any problems?”
Along with everyone spending more and more time together, they participated in more and more fights.
Tang San’s authority among the Shrek Seven Devils had already imperceptibly influenced everyone’s hearts, especially those four younger then him, besides friendship, they all felt some respect for him.
Right now his position in the team was no lower than Dai Mubai’s, or even higher.
Zhu Zhuqing stared blankly a moment,
“No problem.”
Oscar puzzled said:
“Little San, that’s not needed. We didn’t dispatch Zhuqing even when we faced Blazing Academy. Is it needed to deal with trash like that Blue Sunshine Academy?”
Tang San said in a low voice:
“Blue Sunshine Academy might not truly be trash. You haven’t paid attention to their record. From the start of the competition until now, Blue Sunshine Academy has only lost three times, and that was each against Elephant Armored Academy, Thunderclap Academy and Godwind Academy. When confronting others, they’ve won. Right now they’re even above Elephant Armored Academy in the total ranking. Moreover, don’t forget that dean Flender once warned us that their coaching teacher isn’t ordinary. Right now Blue Sunshine Academy has lost to the Elephant Armored Academy, and later in the competition the powerful opponents they’ll confront are us, Blazing Academy and Skywater Academy. In these three matches, they have to obtain at least two victories, the chance to advance to the next phase of the competition is in their hands. Further adding the grudge between our teams, I dare say that in today’s competition they will inevitably go all out. I’m letting Zhuqing go up in order to ensure our victory.”
Dai Mubai nodded:
“Good, we’ll follow little San’s plan. Aren’t those Blue Sunshine kids too arrogant? Today we’ll let them know trouble. Advancing to the ranking competition, that’s lunatic ravings.”
“Hey, are you Shrek Academy’s team members?”
As Tang San began to prepare for the match, a sudden voice interrupted him.
Everyone turned their heads to look. In a cyan uniform, a youth with a somewhat handsome appearance looked at them with a smile.
Dai Mubai frowned,
“That’s right, we’re Shrek Academy, who are you?”
The youth grinned, saying:
“I’m called Feng Xiao Tian, perhaps you haven’t heard my name. That doesn’t matter, we’ll come across each other in the tournament later. I’ve come to encourage you. Definitely make an effort. Destroy that Blue Sunshine Academy.”
En? Dai Mubai and Tang San looked face to face, both somewhat astounded.
Even though they hadn’t seen their opponents’ matches, judging from this fellow’s uniform they could tell he should be from Godwind Academy.
Altogether twenty eight teams participated in the qualifiers, everyone wanted to win, and all wanted to enter the next stage. It was very rare that they interacted. Since the start of the competition, this was the first time anyone took the initiative to be friendly.
Tang San nodded, saying:
“We will.”
Feng Xiaotian smiled:
“You must be Tang San. I believe in your strength. However, you have to be a bit careful. Our Academy once fought Blue Sunshine Academy. Even though their strength is quite ordinary, when they fought us, I always felt they didn’t use their full strength. It seemed they were careful to cover something up. I think highly of you. At least until you meet our Academy, you definitely can’t lose. Alright, you rest, I’ll leave first.”
This fellow left as quickly as he came, leaving behind a pile of words making everyone mystified, and quickly departed. Even if everyone from Shrek Academy were astute, they still couldn’t figure out just what Feng Xiaotian wanted, and even less why he would come over to encourage them.
Only Feng Xiaotian knew the answer to this. Finished speaking, he very quickly returned to the side of his team mates.
“Captain, what were you doing?”
“I went to encourage Shrek Academy!”
Feng Xiaotian stated with a smile.
“Encourage them? Captain, you represent our Godwind Academy, in fr
ont of so many people……”
Feng Xiaotian made no secret of it,
“What’s there to fear, as long as I can marry the beauty, everything else is fleeting as clouds.”
One Godwind Academy team member baffled asked:
“How’s encouraging the Shrek Academy related to you marrying a beauty?”
Feng Xiaotian said:
“Of course it’s related, did you forget? Huo Wu said that as long as I beat Tang San, she’ll be my girlfriend. If by some chance someone else beats Tang San before me, won’t she also agree to their proposals? Therefore, before meeting us, Shrek Academy can’t lose, this is called taking preventative measures.”
“Eh……”
Looking at Feng Xiaotian’s somewhat idiotically proud appearance, all the Godwind Academy students couldn’t help choking speechlessly……
Even though the matches still hadn’t started, the teams waiting in the rest area could hear the din of the cheering spectators outside.
What drew the most attention from the audience, was without exception the most popular candidates.
But in order to make the competition exciting, these teams would all appear in different rounds each day. Only like the day before when Shrek Academy faced Blazing Academy, would two powerful teams appear in the same round.
Tang San stood quietly, watching the Blue Sunshine Academy gathering quietly in a distant corner and talking about something. Adjusting his breathing, he let the Mysterious Heaven Skill internal strength warm up to peak condition.
All kinds of tactics constantly appeared in his mind, they were all already prepared for the battle.
Without waiting too long, the second round matches ended, and it was time for the teams participating in the third round to appear.
Shrek Academy moved away from the rest area together with Blue Sunshine Academy, the members on both teams watching their counterparts carefully. Compared to the proud Shrek Academy, the Blue Sunshine Academy’s seven members all expressed a cold air, a fierce light flickering in their eyes as if they wanted to bite the Shrek Academy team.
Blue Sunshine Academy’s seven members were all male, all wearing moon white uniforms, their auras all reserved. Just like Tang San judged, these opponents weren’t so easy to deal with.
At the same time as they entered the passage, the Blazing Academy team returning after just finishing a match. Tang San didn’t pay any attention to them, but Blazing Academy’s members all focused their gazes on them. Especially Huo Wu, who instantly picked out Tang San’s silhouette among the Shrek Academy team.
Yi? Huo Wu’s heart twitched, her face immediately showing fury, looking fiercely at Tang San, a burst of angry pain in her heart.
It was also no wonder she was angry. Their research into Shrek Academy was already rather incisive, and seeing that Shrek Academy’s formation was somewhat different from yesterday, Huo Wu immediately recalled the members constituting Shrek Academy. They had replaced an auxiliary system Spirit Master with a fortieth rank Spirit Ancestor. ‘Tang San, you bastard, you only had two Spirit Ancestors when confronting our Blazing Academy, now you’ve changed to three, don’t tell me we’re not even equal to this Blue Whatever Academy?’
The more Huo Wu thought, the angrier she got. With a ferocious meaning in her eyes, she deliberately stumbled, her shoulder striking straight at Tang San.
Both teams were passing each other when Tang San suddenly felt a strong with towards his shoulder. Practically subconsciously, his body reacted instantly.
Dropping his shoulder and staggering his pace, his shoulder first shifted back, letting Huo Wu strike and largely neutralizing the force, then, the moment the old force had faded but no new had been born, his shoulder practically stuck to Huo Wu’s shoulder, his strength suddenly erupting at the last moment. With a cry of surprise, Huo Wu was directly sent tumbling.
Fortunately this was only Tang San’s subconscious reaction, using something similar to the Clothed Eighteen Drops technique[1]. If she had touched Tang San’s poisoned hidden weapons, perhaps she wouldn’t have come off so easily.
Seeing his little sister being sent flying, Huo Wushuan hastily moved to catch her. The Blazing Academy team immediately stopped, barring the way for Shrek Academy’s seven participating members, glaring at them.
The Blue Sunshine Academy team naturally saw it and stopped as well. Not only did they find it entertaining, but it seemed like it could get out of hand at any moment.
Part 2 (TL by Bagelson)
At this moment Tang San had already reacted. Seeing Huo Wu sent tumbling, his brows furrowed minutely, wrist wiping across Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges, a Godly Zhuge Crossbow appearing with a flick. His movements were so fast that in practically a split second, with a sonorous mechanical sound, it was already wound.
Tang San did this because he had no choice.
Right now, Shrek Academy’s seven were just between Blazing Academy and Blue Sunshine Academy. If by some chance Blue Sunshine Academy ambushed them from the back when Blazing Academy acted, it could very easily lead to casualties.
But with the Godly Zhuge Crossbow it was different. It could guarantee that as long as Blazing Academy dared violate the tournament rules, attacking in the rest area, he could lead his team to kill them instantly, then turning to deal with Blue Sunshine Academy.
Tang San could be certain that at such close distance, the Blazing Academy team members absolutely couldn’t resist the Godly Zhuge Crossbow’s attack without first releasing their spirits. Even more, they had come straight from a match and were bound to have used up some spirit power.
Tang San’s actions were aimed at the whole team, and the moment he flicked out the Godly Zhuge Crossbow, Xiao Wu who had the most tacit understanding with him, had also completed the same action. Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing also pulled out their Godly Zhuge Crossbows immediately afterward, pointing four Godly Zhuge Crossbows at the Blazing Academy team.
Even though they didn’t know what it was, the moment the Godly Zhuge Crossbows were pointed at them, everyone in the Blazing Academy immediately felt an ice cold killing intent from the Shrek Academy seven.
Tang San calmly said:
“If you’re looking for trouble, we’ll be happy to accompany you.”
Hu Wushuang glared coldly at Tang San. Even though he felt anything but reassured, as Blazing Academy’s captain, if he shrunk back at this time, how could he be a part of Blazing Academy later? Just when he was about to flare up, he was stopped by Huo Wu.
Huo Wu shot a glance at the chi long black box in Tang San’s hand,
“Let’s go.”
Finished speaking, she forcefully pulled her big brother into the rest area.
The Shrek Academy seven didn’t act, and the Blue Sunshine Academy members all revealed disappointed expressions. If Shrek Academy and Blazing Academy fought, let alone breaking the rules, just the spirit power consumption alone would give them an advantage against Shrek in the match.
A faint light flickered, as Tang San’s eyes revealed an ice cold expression. Huo Wu’s expression as she stared fixedly at him before leaving made him somewhat uneasy.
Dai Mubai walked forward once again. While walking, he said to the Blue Sunshine Academy captain next to him:
“You must be disappointed we didn’t fight.”
The Blue Sunshine Academy captain looked to be about thirty. If it wasn’t for the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament being impartial, Dai Mubai would really have thought he was already too old.
The Blue Sunshine Academy team captain snorted coldly, glancing at Dai Mubai, then striding forward with his head held high.
Cold light flickered in Dai Mubai’s eyes, ‘Later, on the stage, I’ll let you know about trouble.’
Immediately after both sides entered the ring, cheers rose like wildfire. And these cheers naturally weren’t for Blue Sunshine Academy. As the greatest spectacle of this round, the place where Shrek and Blue Sunshine Academy fought was
of course the central stage. Shrek Academy had long ago already became frequent visitors here.
“Get rid of them. Kill those guys, long live Shrek……”
“Twelve successive wins, twelve successive wins……”
All kinds of cheers constantly transmitted from the stands to the ring, and right now the target of the special commentator in the VIP seats were also directed at this battle.
“The third round matches of the twelfth day are about to begin. I believe everyone has already seen that Shrek Academy will fight in this round. Their opponents, with a record of eight wins and three losses over eleven fights, is Blue Sunshine Academy. Judging by their present record, Blue Sunshine Academy still has a chance. Of course, compared to the Shrek Academy team, their strength is clearly inferior. After all, when they previously confronted a few powerful enemies, they were always at a disadvantage. Today Blue Sunshine Academy faces Shrek Academy. In my estimation, the outcome of this fight isn’t in any suspense. The question is only how long Blue Sunshine Academy will be able to hold out under Shrek Academy’s attack.”
The introduction was no doubt sharp and unkind. As a special commentator, he didn’t have any bias of his own. His bias would only change according to the mood of the audience, and at this moment all the spectators no doubt favored Shrek Academy, and what he said was doubtless to fan the mood in the arena.
“Ah, let’s have a look at who the Shrek Academy team formation has exchanged today. It’s no longer the auxiliary system Spirit Master Jiang Zhu, but rather the agility system Spirit Master who once fought with Elephant Armored Academy. Let me look over the material. Oh, she’s called Zhu Zhuqing. If I remember correctly, she should also be a fortieth ranked Spirit Ancestor, moreover, in the fight against Elephant Armored Academy, she joined hands with Shrek Academy team captain Dai Mubai to use this tournament’s first spirit fusion ability, and it was just that spirit fusion ability that reversed the situation, letting Shrek Academy turn defeat into victory. Having her in Shrek Academy’s formation today, don’t tell me they think Blue Sunshine Academy is even more powerful than Blazing Academy? We didn’t see her in yesterday’s fight!”
Douluo Dalu - Volume 01-48 Page 182
