Chapter 297: Tai Tan's Request

  Tai Tan said, "Actually, what I want from you is quite simple: just a reserve spot in this year's Continental Soul Master Tournament."

  "A reserve spot?"

  After hearing Tai Tan's words, Yan Shaozhe and Xuan Zi were both puzzled.

  If Tai Tan had asked for something tangible like gold or silver, they could have accepted it. But since the Haotian Sect had been in seclusion for so long, what use would this spot be to them?

  "I know you two must be wondering why I want this spot," Tai Tan continued. "To be honest, we have a disciple in the Haotian Sect who is currently studying at Shrek Academy. I want to give him a chance to participate in the Soul Master Tournament, to broaden his horizons and see the world."

  Tai Tan could tell that the two were still confused, so he expined directly.

  In fact, as he spoke, Tai Tan himself couldn't help but wonder inwardly.

  He didn't understand why Tang San, the King of Gods in the divine realm, insisted on having Wang Dong participate in that incredibly boring Soul Master Tournament.

  Moreover, Tang San had urged him and Niu Tian to make sure this matter was handled.

  Tai Tan was puzzled.

  Why did Tang San pce such importance on this matter?

  Nevertheless, no matter how puzzled he was, he couldn't afford to be careless about what needed to be done.

  So he hurried to Shrek Academy without dey.

  Initially, he had pnned to see Mu En directly.

  Coincidentally, he ran into Yan Shaozhe and Xuan Zi, who were discussing the Soul Master Tournament, outside the Sea God Pavilion.

  In contrast, after hearing Tai Tan's words, Yan Shaozhe's face showed a look of surprise. "A disciple of your Haotian Sect is at our Shrek Academy? I didn't notice that."

  "Haha, that young fellow has hidden himself well. It's only natural that Dean Yan wouldn't have noticed him," Tai Tan ughed heartily.

  "So, who exactly is this young fellow you're talking about?"

  "Wang Dong!"

  Tai Tan slowly uttered two words.

  "Wang Dong?"

  Yan Shaozhe's pupils suddenly contracted. "Are you serious? But Wang Dong's martial soul is clearly the Light God Butterfly."

  In his view, being a disciple of the Haotian Sect and having a strong figure like Tai Tan speak on his behalf, possessing the Haotian Hammer martial soul must be one of the essential factors.

  Although the Light God Butterfly was exceptional, he didn't think it would be valued in the Haotian Sect.

  "Shaozhe, have you forgotten?

  There is no explicit rule on the Douluo Continent that a person can only have one martial soul."

  At that moment, Xuan Zi's voice sounded behind Yan Shaozhe.

  Yan Shaozhe suddenly felt enlightened. "Elder Xuan, are you saying that Wang Dong has a dual martial soul?"

  Xuan Zi did not respond but instead shifted his gaze to Tai Tan, waiting for an answer.

  Tai Tan nodded vigorously. "Elder Xuan is correct. Wang Dong does indeed have a dual martial soul, and his second martial soul is the number one martial soul in the world, the Haotian Hammer."

  Upon confirmation, Yan Shaozhe's pupils contracted sharply, and he inwardly excimed in amazement.

  Wang Dong actually had such a hidden trump card.

  He had completely misjudged him.

  Moreover, if Wang Dong possessed the Haotian Hammer as his second martial soul, then his future prospects would be limitless.

  Even

  Even his own disciple, Ma Xiaotao, might not be able to achieve what Wang Dong could.

  After all.

  The st person with a dual martial soul of the Haotian Hammer had already become a god.

  The other person's second martial soul was merely the Blue Silver Grass.

  "Your request is granted.

  It is indeed good for the young to be given more opportunities to broaden their horizons and expand their vision.

  It will also be greatly beneficial for their future cultivation."

  Xuan Zi nodded and directly accepted Tai Tan's request on behalf of Yan Shaozhe.

  After all, since Tai Tan had come, no matter what request he made, Shrek Academy had no reason to refuse, right?

  "Haha, in that case, I thank you in advance.

  This matter can be considered a favor that our Haotian Sect owes Shrek Academy, and we will surely repay it generously in the future."

  Tai Tan csped his hands in a salute, and after speaking these words, he left gracefully.

  After a long while, Xuan Zi finally withdrew his gaze. "This person's cultivation is not inferior to mine. After all these years, the Haotian Sect is still so powerful."

  Yan Shaozhe nodded silently in agreement.

  He believed Xuan Zi's words.

  Because he had sensed a threat of death from Tai Tan.

  This intuition was never wrong.

  "Elder Xuan, how should we arrange for Wang Dong?"

  "Give him a reserve spot."

  "But the reserve pyers have already been selected..."

  "Can't it be changed once it's been decided?"

  Xuan Zi frowned. "Tell me again, who are the reserve pyers?"

  Well... Yan Shaozhe had no choice but to comply with Xuan Zi's order and said, "Ning Tian..."

  However.

  He had only mentioned one name when Xuan Zi interrupted him.

  "Alright, no need to mention the others. Let Wang Dong take Ning Tian's pce."

  "Elder Xuan, Ning Tian is a direct descendant of the Seven Treasure Gzed Tile Sect, with a martial soul of the Seven Treasure Gzed Tile Pagoda. Her cultivation and strength are both good, and she is worth focusing on for cultivation."

  "So she is that outstanding, you say? Then let me ask you, will such an outstanding disciple stay with us at Shrek Academy in the future, or will she return to the Seven Treasure Gzed Tile Sect to inherit the family business?"

  "Ah, this..." Yan Shaozhe was taken aback.

  As for the answer, he already had it in his heart.

  Ning Tian will inevitably return to the Seven Treasure Gzed Tile Sect to inherit the family business in the future. How could she possibly stay at Shrek?

  "Our Shrek Academy indeed welcomes all students without discrimination, but resources are limited, and they must be allocated to those who need them the most."

  "But isn't Wang Dong also an outstanding disciple of the Haotian Sect?"

  "Can that be compared? The Haotian Sect has withdrawn from the world. If Wang Dong wants to stay on the Douluo Continent in the future, it will inevitably be under the name of Shrek Academy."

  After hearing Xuan Zi's words, Yan Shaozhe felt as if he had been enlightened.

  He never expected that Xuan Zi, who seemed so muddled all day, actually had such a pn in mind.

  It was truly unexpected.

  "What are you still standing there for?

  Waiting for the feast?

  Hurry up and announce the list of participants. Come and notify me again when it's time to depart."

  Xuan Zi waved his hand, shooing Yan Shaozhe away.

  And he didn't forget to add, "Don't disturb me while I'm drinking unless it's important."

  On the other side.

  After leaving Xuan Zi, Yan Shaozhe immediately announced the list of participants for the Soul Master Tournament.

  In front of Shrek Academy, the square was bustling with people.

  Everyone was discussing the participants on the list.

  As for the main team members, they had no compints.

  Those were reputations earned through sheer strength, and no one was不服气 (unconvinced).

  But when it came to the reserve team, opinions varied.

  Why are they all freshmen?

  Are they bullying us uppercssmen by saying we have no talent?

  "I'm not on the list?"

  Among the crowd, Ning Tian was somewhat stunned.

  She checked several times, and indeed, her name was not on the reserve team.

  This doesn't make sense.

  The teacher clearly said that my name had been submitted.

  Did we change it temporarily?

  She looked at Wang Dong... and seemed to be thinking something.

  On the other side of the crowd, Wang Dong was also very surprised.

  Why am I on the list?

  Time flies.

  The days until the Soul Master Tournament are getting closer.

  Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy.

  The door to Jing Hongchen's office was knocked on.

  "Come in."

  He casually found a chair and sat down properly, unusually serious.

  Creak.

  The door opened, and an old man with a horse-like face walked in.

  Ironically, the old man's surname was Ma (horse).

  He was also the leading teacher of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy's participating team this time.

  Everyone else called him Old Ma, while Jing Hongchen called him Old Horse.

  "Dean, as you requested, please review the list of participants from our academy."

  Old Ma said, handing a list to Jing Hongchen with both hands.

  "Oh, I'm actually curious, who did you choose?"

  Jing Hongchen took the list with one hand, gave it a light flick, and the list unfolded.

  "Ma Rulong, Chen Fei, Chen An, Migia, Lin Xi, Xiao Xiafeng, Li Yan, not bad.

  I have high hopes for these kids."

  Jing Hongchen nodded in satisfaction.

  Seeing this, Old Ma's meticulous face finally showed a smile, "These are the hopes of our Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, the future pilrs of our Sun Moon Empire."

  However.

  In the next moment, his expression changed.

  Because Jing Hongchen said two words, but

  But what?

  He was extremely puzzled.

  Fortunately, Old Ma didn't have to wait long before he heard Jing Hongchen continue, "But, I have an ace up my sleeve that might py a crucial role in the Soul Master Tournament, giving our academy a chance to win the championship!"

  "Hm?"

  Old Ma's eyebrows lifted, "Dean, are you serious?"

  He had always been concerned about the growth of the academy's children.

  He hadn't seen any promising talents in the academy that hadn't been discovered.

  "Hehe, then follow me. I've already sent my ace to the academy's soul-fighting arena."

  Jing Hongchen gave a mysterious smile, stood up from the chair, put his hands behind his back, and walked out of the boratory door with his chest puffed out.

  With a confident and composed demeanor, Old Ma silently followed.

  He had too many doubts that needed crification.

  Given the strength of Jing Hongchen and Old Ma, it took them only a moment to arrive at the Soul-Fighting Arena.

  Not far away, several individuals were training vigorously, sweating profusely.

  However, upon seeing Jing Hongchen and Old Ma, they immediately ran over, lined up neatly, and showed great respect.

  This demonstrated that the members of the Sun Moon Soul Master Academy team were indeed of high quality.

  "Director, Old Ma."

  Without a doubt, none of the seven had a cultivation level below that of a Soul King. The weakest among them was a Level Five Soul Master, a member of the Mingde Hall.

  Thus, they addressed Jing Hongchen as "Director" instead of "Dean."

  This further highlighted their identities.

  They were not only students of the academy but also disciples of the Mingde Hall.

  "No need for formalities, we're just here for a casual visit," Jing Hongchen said with a gentle smile and an amiable expression.

  "Dean, I don't see the person you mentioned," Old Ma said, looking around and noticing no one else had arrived.

  "Haha, Old Ma, you're so old now, yet you still can't keep calm," Jing Hongchen ughed heartily, pointing towards the distance. "Look, isn't he coming right there?"

  Old Ma followed the direction of Jing Hongchen's finger and saw two young men and a young woman approaching.

  Old Ma's mouth opened slightly in surprise. "Dean, the person you're talking about couldn't possibly be Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen, could it?"

  Naturally, Old Ma was familiar with Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen.

  They were geniuses in the academy, and Xiao Hongchen, in particur, was the future heir of the Hongchen family.

  However.

  No matter how talented the two were, they couldn't possibly be the trump card of their Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, could they?

  "Of course not," Jing Hongchen shook his head. "Xiao and Meng are indeed talented and have the potential to become the backbone of the Sun Moon Empire in the future, but relying on these two siblings in the Soul Master Tournament would likely lead to a loss."

  Old Ma was even more puzzled. "So who is this person you're talking about?"

  As he spoke, his gaze involuntarily shifted to the young man behind Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.

  Could this young man be the ace up the Dean's sleeve?

  It seemed unlikely!

  After all, the young man appeared to be even younger than Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen.

  No matter how talented he was, how far could he have come?

  Perhaps to the thirties or forties in level at most?

  A Level Four Soul Master was already an insurmountable threshold, right?

  "Old Ma, do I need to get you a pair of soul-conducting gsses that can cure eye diseases?" Jing Hongchen said irritably. "There's such a big person right behind Xiao and Meng. Don't tell me you can't see him."

  What?

  Could it really be that young man?

  After hearing Meng Hongchen's words, Old Ma's eyes narrowed, and his face showed disbelief.

  "Am I joking with you?"

  As Jing Hongchen's words fell, Qin Xiao and the Hongchen siblings had already arrived in front of everyone.

  "I won't say much about Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen; everyone knows them. And this one here, named Qin Xiao, is a new student who just enrolled in our academy today and will be one of the main competitors in the Soul Master Tournament," Jing Hongchen personally introduced Qin Xiao's identity and background.

  However.

  After hearing his words, everyone was taken aback.

  Especially the phrase "main competitor in the Soul Master Tournament" sent a shiver down their spines.

  What was going on?

  Had they heard correctly?

  A newly enrolled young man was decred by the director to be a main competitor?

  This had to be a joke.

  "You guys, what kind of attitude is that? Let me tell you, my junior uncle is a genius. His cultivation has already reached level forty. Even though he hasn't had time to obtain his fourth soul ring yet, he is definitely a Level Four Soul Master," Meng Hongchen noticed the expressions on everyone's faces and couldn't wait to stand up for Qin Xiao.

  These people who judged others by their appearance had no idea how much Qin Xiao could enhance a soul master.

  After witnessing Qin Xiao's shared spirit, she had been thoroughly convinced.

  To put it simply.

  Once the spirit detection was activated, it allowed a soul master to fight across five levels as if it were child's py.

  For a soul master with strong abilities and rich combat experience, the improvement was even greater.

  It was not a problem to significantly enhance one's own combat power.

  Such support was nothing short of divine for soul masters!

  "Level forty is indeed impressive," Old Ma gave a fair assessment.

  "But to be a mainstay of the team, one must at least be a Soul King."

  He was speaking to Jing Hongchen.

  He was telling Jing Hongchen that Qin Xiao's cultivation was not sufficient.

  Uh, didn't expect to be underestimated. Qin Xiao couldn't help but touch his nose.

  Jing Hongchen looked at Old Ma and then at the seven members of the main team and said with a smile, "How about this? Three of you seven will fight against Xiao, Meng, and Qin Xiao.

  If you lose, you will have to accept Qin Xiao.

  If Qin Xiao and the others lose, the team configuration remains unchanged. I'll let Qin Xiao stay in the reserve team and just go to Star Luo City to watch the excitement and broaden his horizons, how about that?"

  (End of Chapter)

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