บท 43: Chapter 43: The Seven Monsters Challenge (Part 1)

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After finalizing the selection of talented Outer Academy students and the various details, Ning Tian's thoughts began to wander, and he proposed an idea:

"Brother Bai, do you think there's a chance we could attract Inner Academy students?"

Compared to the Outer Academy students, who are like unpolished jade requiring time and effort to shape, the Inner Academy students, who have already honed their skills and possess even greater talent, were more desirable to the Nine Treasures Crystal Tower.

Ling Bai smiled wryly upon hearing this. "You're more daring than I am. There are fewer than a hundred Inner Academy students, each one a one-in-a-million genius on the continent. The Three Great Empires, various sects, and even Shrek Academy itself... so many forces are eyeing these prime targets.

Little Tian, you don't need to worry about the Inner Academy. If there's a chance to recruit them, I won't let it slip. Just focus on your Outer Academy tasks."

"Alright."

Ning Tian's face lit up with a bright smile after receiving Ling Bai's promise. As the sky grew darker, they bid each other goodnight, and the three of them parted ways, each returning to their dormitories.

Ling Bai crossed the Sea God Lake and returned to his small house, sitting on the wooden bed and immersing himself in meditation, completely unaffected by the Huo Yuhao incident.

Wrong is wrong.

What if he's the protagonist?

If he truly feared the protagonist's aura, Ling Bai wouldn't have hooked up with Ilex and taken the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's remains in the Star Dou Great Forest back then.

He never believed in the concept of a chosen one, only in the power of human effort.

...

A ray of morning light filtered through the window, casting a golden glow on Ling Bai's slender figure. With each breath, waves of golden Soul Power rose like steam and gradually merged back into Ling Bai's body.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

The door was suddenly knocked on, and Ling Bai instantly snapped out of his meditation. He got out of bed and opened the door, only to be greeted by a burst of rich fragrance and a fiery, beautiful face.

"Ma Xiaotao?"

Ling Bai wasn't particularly eager to see this beautiful neighbor, unsure when this Inner Academy volcano might erupt.

"What's up?" Ling Bai asked.

"Elder Xuan has summoned us to the Soul Duel Arena," Ma Xiaotao said, her lips parting in a brief, headless sentence that left Ling Bai momentarily stunned before he smiled helplessly.

To be honest, he didn't want to see the Chicken Leg Douluo either, always feeling that the old man had ulterior motives. However, one had to bow to the roof, and the two of them spread their radiant golden Angel Wings and fiery red Phoenix Wings, flying toward the Inner Academy Soul Duel Arena.

When Ling Bai landed in the Soul Duel Arena, he was surprised to see two clearly divided groups, including some familiar faces.

Dugu Lin, Chu Qingtian, Tai Xing, Pan Tao, and Zhou Sen, the new Inner Academy students who had entered with him, were already standing on one side, waiting. Seeing Ling Bai, Dugu Lin winked at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

On the other side stood seven people in neat rows, all wearing the Inner Academy's blood-red uniforms. They looked to be in their late teens, each one full of energy and radiating a powerful aura.

Ling Bai recognized two of them: the ice element user Ling Luochen and Qian Duoduo's adopted son, Qian Fufu. Seeing Chu Qingtian and the others who had arrived earlier standing straight and occasionally looking at the seven with admiration and excitement, he seemed to have guessed their identities.

In stark contrast to the restrained Inner Academy newcomers, Ling Bai and Ma Xiaotao were much more relaxed, especially the latter, who couldn't stop eyeing the dual-eyed youth at the front, her face openly challenging.

Elder Xuan scanned the room and nodded. "Everyone is here, so let's get straight to the point! In a year, the new session of the Continent-Wide Advanced Soul Master Academy Duel Tournament will officially begin. You are all Inner Academy students, intelligent and perceptive, so I'm sure you can guess each other's identities!"

Pausing for a second, Elder Xuan turned to Ling Bai and the others, his voice deep and solemn.

"That's right, standing opposite you are the students under twenty years old who represent Shrek Academy's strongest combat force—the Shrek Seven Monsters! It is they who have repeatedly upheld Shrek Academy's glory, spreading the tales of the continent's top academy across the land!"

Shrek Seven Monsters!

A name that has echoed for ten thousand years!

A synonym for monsters!

Chu Qingtian and the others instantly ignited, realizing they were about to get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a chance to become one of the Shrek Seven Monsters!

After speaking, Elder Xuan turned to the seven selected students and said:

"In the last tournament, you were just the reserve team. Now, you are the provisional Shrek Seven Monsters. You, who have been through the tournament, should understand that every member of the Shrek Seven Monsters, from the captain to the support, is the best in their class of Soul Masters!

Don't think you're safe yet, kids!

Those who lost to you during the reserve team selection are now back with a burning desire to challenge you again after five years, becoming your strongest opponents on the path to becoming the Seven Monsters!

I give you six months to prepare. In six months, the Seven Monsters Challenge will officially begin. The winners will become the true Shrek Seven Monsters and represent the academy in this year's Soul Master Tournament!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the air was filled with intense battle spirit. The fourteen people locked eyes with their opponents, their auras rising, and the Soul Power in the air surged wildly, as if a black dragon was rising from the Soul Duel Arena, soaring into the sky!

"Excellent! This is exactly the fighting spirit I wanted to see!"

Elder Xuan laughed heartily, savoring his chicken leg and wine with great pleasure. "I know you're eager, but don't be too hasty. I haven't told you the rules of the Seven Monsters Challenge yet."

"Another team battle?"

The powerful gorilla Tai Xing couldn't help but ask.

The bitter defeat in the team battle selection had left a deep scar in his heart, and even years later, the memory still stung. He often woke up in the middle of the night, wondering if he could have been a part of the reserve team if he had formed a strong team faster.

"How could it be?"

Elder Xuan poured cold water on Tai Xing, instantly quelling half of his fighting spirit. He scratched his head, confused. "Elder Xuan, we're seven against seven, perfect, right?"

Elder Xuan smacked Tai Xing on the head with a chicken bone, making him stagger a step, and said with exasperation:

"Do you think this is about selecting the reserve team? How can the official Shrek Seven Monsters be chosen so casually?"

Tearing off a piece of chicken, Elder Xuan muttered, "To avoid the factor of luck, you can forget about a seven-on-seven team battle."

Imagine Ling Bai + Ma Xiaotao + Dugu Lin. They could easily win with four weaker teammates, but the Soul Master Tournament isn't just about team battles. There are also individual matches, two-on-two, and other formats. If the weaker teammates perform poorly, it will still tarnish Shrek's reputation!

Elder Xuan continued, "The rules of the Seven Monsters Challenge are similar to a tournament. The official Shrek Seven Monsters will act as the main challengers, with one-on-one and two-on-two modes. The two-on-two mode is only open to support-type Soul Masters!

To avoid excessive repetition of the same type of Soul Master, one-on-one challengers must be of the same cultivation type as the main challenger. That means Control Type vs. Control Type, Power Attack Type vs. Power Attack Type, Agile Attack Type vs. Agile Attack Type, and Soul Master Tutor with no restrictions, allowing anyone to challenge the Soul Master Tutor..."

PS: Ma Xiaotao has never participated in a Soul Master Tournament and was not part of Dai Yueheng's reserve team. She replaced a Soul Master Tutor after controlling the Evil Fire, as noted in the original novel's screenshot. (Scheduled update at 9:00 AM, hoping I can wake up to post the screenshot.)

The unfortunate Soul Master Tutor not mentioned in the original novel is set as Qian Duoduo's adopted son, Qian Fufu.

(End of Chapter)