Tang San contemplated the potential of his twin spirits, realizing that if he used a secret technique to temporarily sacrifice a bit of his innate strength, he could enhance his power substantially. With his Mysterious Heaven Technique, he was confident he could quickly reach the level of Spirit Sage (Spirit Power level 70). Once there, he could add rings to his Clear Sky Hammer, ideally each over 50,000 years, which would allow him to reach Spirit Douluo level (80+). Even Su Ming likely couldn't achieve that.
With his resolve firm, Tang San glanced at Dai Mubai, who had been silently waiting, his face reflecting both hope and hesitation.
After a moment, Tang San took a deep breath and spoke seriously, "Boss Dai, I do have a method to quickly boost our power, but there are risks. It could damage our foundation and lifespan—in other words, it's like trading years of life for strength."
Dai Mubai's expression changed slightly. "Tang San, this method sounds suspiciously like something an Evil Spirit Master would use. Will using it make us bloodthirsty or unstable, like those Evil Masters? And more importantly, will it corrupt our spirits, causing them to darken?"
What surprised Tang San was Dai Mubai's priorities—he was more concerned about becoming violent or having his spirit turn dark than he was about risking his health or lifespan. For him, gaining power in exchange for years of life seemed worthwhile. After all, in the upcoming tournament, he would face his brother, Davis, in a battle that could shape his destiny. Losing could mean exile or even death.
Only by defeating Davis and Zhu Zhuyun in the tournament—who, with their fusion spirit, Nether White Tiger, were formidable foes—could he stand a chance of securing his future and pressuring the Zhu family into a favorable marriage with Zhu Zhuqing.
Tang San reassured him, "Boss Dai, I know of Evil Spirit Masters and can assure you this technique won't have those effects. It only reduces lifespan and affects your foundation. But, Boss Dai, you realize that a damaged foundation can lead to issues down the road…"
Before he could finish, Dai Mubai cut him off, determined. "Tang San, I understand. As a member of the Star Luo royal family, I must compete with my brother Davis in the tournament. If I lose, I'll either be exiled to a remote post or worse, killed. I have no choice but to push myself beyond my limits. Lifespan doesn't concern me; I'm still young and can always extend it as I grow stronger."
Seeing Dai Mubai's unwavering resolve, Tang San relented, though he omitted one detail: the technique could cause one's cultivation level to become unstable, requiring prolonged focus to solidify it later. But in this world, he thought, it might not matter as much—after all, there were Evil Spirit Masters who used similar rapid-boosting techniques, even if they often had shorter lives.
"All right, Boss Dai. I'll teach you the technique. For optimal results, you'll need to take specific medicinal herbs as well. I'll prepare these within three days," Tang San promised.
Dai Mubai nodded before asking casually, "Do you think we should let Fatty and Oscar in on this? Both are still Spirit Elders, so they'll likely only have chances to compete early on, with Oscar maybe joining us for team battles. But Fatty…"
Tang San considered this. While both were close friends, neither faced personal vendettas in the tournament, unlike himself and Dai Mubai. Fatty was often lazy, and while he'd become more focused recently, he might lack the drive. As for Oscar, his feelings for Ning Rongrong were known, but even if he enhanced his power with this technique, it likely wouldn't matter in the eyes of her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
Still, it couldn't hurt to ask. "Let's talk to them tomorrow and see if they're interested," Tang San said. "They don't have personal stakes like we do, but maybe they'll decide to join us."
Dai Mubai smirked, thinking to himself. Oscar and Fatty both had confrontations with Su Ming before. Oscar's chances with Ning Rongrong might improve with more power, and as for Fatty, well… Su Ming gave him quite a shock in Star Dou Forest.
The next day, Tang San set off to gather the medicinal ingredients specified in the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record for the concoction. Fortunately, his stock was already quite extensive, so he didn't need much effort to find what he needed.
Meanwhile, Dai Mubai headed to Oscar's dormitory to explain the plan.
Oscar looked doubtful after hearing everything and voiced his concerns. "Boss Dai, Tang San's technique sounds dangerously close to those used by Evil Spirit Masters. If Spirit Hall discovers us using it, won't they label us as Evil Spirit Masters?"
Ma Hongjun chimed in, "Yeah, Boss Dai, we understand the pressures you're facing, but we could just train hard together. Don't forget we already have seven Spirit Elders. Even Star Luo Academy doesn't match that, right?"
Dai Mubai chuckled. "You're too naive, Fatty. Even if our power surpasses Star Luo Academy's, Davis and Zhu Zhuyun can use their fusion spirit, Nether White Tiger, which no one under the Spirit King level can counter. My competition with Davis goes beyond the tournament—if I lose to him, it's game over for me, regardless of the tournament's outcome."
Ma Hongjun asked worriedly, "Boss Dai, is there really no other way?"
Dai Mubai replied with a hint of frustration, "Fatty, Oscar, if I wasn't backed into a corner, I wouldn't have asked Tang San for a quick way to improve our strength."
He turned to them and continued, "Fatty, Oscar, are you really content with this? Think back, Fatty. Remember when Su Ming first joined Shrek Academy? You got beaten up pretty badly. Didn't that leave a grudge in your heart?"
"Oscar, remember in Star Dou Forest? You'd just earned your third spirit ring—a rare flying technique—and Su Ming belittled it as if it was nothing. Don't you want to prove him wrong? And what about your feelings for Ning Rongrong? Don't you want her to look at you with new respect and show her what you're capable of?"
Ma Hongjun and Oscar froze at the mention of these memories, as they hadn't forgotten those unpleasant incidents. Dai Mubai closely observed their expressions, seeing his words hit a nerve.
While Dai Mubai continued to appeal to their pride, he was unaware that many of Su Ming's past actions had been misunderstood. Su Ming's intentions were never to antagonize them but merely to maintain good relations with Xiao Wu and the others. Yet Ma Hongjun couldn't leave him and Xiao Wu alone, and Oscar's jealousy over Ning Rongrong led to his own self-sabotage, eventually making him look petty in her eyes.
After Dai Mubai's persuasion, the two finally made up their minds and agreed. Just a few years of lifespan lost, but if they could redeem themselves and settle old grievances during the tournament, it would be worth it. Little did they know, if Ma Hongjun had known the Titan Giant Ape was Xiao Wu's friend, he might not have needed much persuasion at all—he would have agreed instantly. After all, he held the Titan Giant Ape responsible for his own "loss of manhood," and the lingering resentment made him secretly detest Xiao Wu.
That night, the four gathered, and Tang San spoke solemnly, "Since you both decided, I won't try to dissuade you. But I must be clear about one thing. If we grow stronger too quickly, it will surely draw attention. We need to get our story straight."
Fatty nodded with a sly smile. "So, what's the plan?"
Tang San responded, "If the master or any of the teachers ask, say I prepared some high-quality herb-based pills, and we split them. They were rare finds I encountered during training—unique and now unavailable—so we don't risk raising anyone's hopes for more."
The group agreed. The explanation would account for their sudden power boosts.
Curious, Dai Mubai asked, "Tang San, do such herbs really exist—ones that can improve power and talent without side effects?"
Tang San's expression filled with longing. "They do exist. They're known as celestial herbs, capable of boosting strength and talent without side effects. But I didn't come across any while training with my father."
Su Ming, from a distance: Heh, good luck with that, Tang San. All the celestial herbs are already in my stash!
Tang San continued, "Though the technique and pills will increase our strength, we should exercise caution. With only half a month left, we should focus on improving teamwork. For now, let's each raise our power by one level—no more, so we don't draw suspicion. Once the tournament starts, we'll finalize our spirit power levels during registration, and afterward, we can ramp up our training. Besides, Su Ming and his team will likely attend."
The others nodded, understanding the plan.
In two weeks, everyone managed to gain one level of spirit power as planned. The team marveled at their progress, chalking it up to the pressure of the tournament deadline.
On the eve of the tournament, the Thunder Academy team gathered in a hotel room, joined by the primary and backup team members. Qin Ming, Flender, and the master stood before the group.
The master began, "Tomorrow, the Continental Elite Spirit Master Tournament will begin with the opening ceremony, followed by the first round of preliminary matches. Let me outline the tournament format and rules."
"Each academy is granted one entry slot, with some official academies in the two empires receiving two slots: a main team and a secondary team. The main teams of each empire advance directly to the finals, while the secondary teams will compete in the preliminary rounds."
"Our empire has four kingdoms and one principality. Each will host its own qualifying rounds, along with Heaven Dou City, for a total of six divisions. Five teams will qualify from each division, totaling thirty teams that will advance to the final competition."
"Before the finals, there will be a ranking match to determine each team's standing and order of appearance in the finals, during which each team will face off in a single-elimination format."
Oscar asked curiously, "Master, could you tell us about the Spirit Hall team? How strong are they?"
The master smiled slightly. "Very strong! The Spirit Hall team is more powerful than you might imagine. In past tournaments, they've claimed the championship every time, except for once when Star Luo Empire won."
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