Chapitre 358: Chapter 358: Resolve, The Eve of the Elite Spirit Master Tournament
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."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone