"Everyone!" Liu Erlong walked into the tent and announced, "The matchups for tomorrow's draw are out. Our first match in the promotion round will be against Balak Academy."
"Balak Academy?" Oscar was stunned. "I remember Shrek Academy was originally based in Balak's Soto City. Did they also make it to the promotion round?"
Liu Erlong explained, "The Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament is divided into three stages: preliminaries, promotions, and finals. There are six preliminary divisions in the Heaven Dou Empire. The empire itself is divided into four kingdoms and one affiliated principality, each having its own competition zone. Heaven Dou City gets five promotion slots, while each affiliated kingdom and principality gets two, making a total of fifteen promotion spots."
"Balak Kingdom is one of the four affiliated kingdoms of the Heaven Dou Empire. Shrek Academy also competed for a slot representing Balak Kingdom, but in the end, we were excluded by the kingdom and its nobles. That's why we didn't qualify for the promotion round back then," Flender recalled, his fists clenching in frustration. He would never forget how they had been pushed out.
"So, it looks like we'll have to properly 'welcome' Balak Academy, who have traveled all this way," Liu Erlong said with a smirk.
"Take care of yourself first." Ye Feng frowned. "Erlong, it's been over three months. You're going to be a mother soon—can you stop stressing me out? From now on, let Zhuqing handle these kinds of errands."
"Understood, Boss Ye." Before Liu Erlong could even respond, Zhu Zhuqing had already stepped up, accepting Ye Feng's decision without hesitation.
"As for the lineup against Balak Academy, who do you think we should send?" Ning Rongrong asked.
"Yeah, the rules of the promotion round are different from the preliminaries," Oscar added. "Each team sends out seven participants, and the matches are continuous. If a fighter wins, they stay on the field to face the next opponent, until all seven members of one team are defeated."
"Let me go. I'm a Spirit King—I'll win the whole match by myself," Ma Hongjun boasted confidently, eager to take the stage.
"No," Ye Feng rejected immediately.
"Boss Ye, if you let me fight, I'm confident I can take all seven of them down," Ma Hongjun pressed on.
"No, that would be overestimating them. You're a Spirit King above level 50. A mere Balak Academy doesn't warrant Shrek Academy sending out a Spirit King," Ye Feng said with a chuckle.
"Then... what do you mean?"
"Tai Long, you're up." Ye Feng turned his gaze to Tyrone.
"Tai Long?"
"Tai Long?"
"Tai Long?"
The moment Ye Feng's words fell, everyone's eyes turned to Tai Long.
"Me?" Tai Long looked at Ye Feng in disbelief.
"Are you confident?" Ye Feng asked.
"Yes." Tai Long nodded.
---
At the Royal Hunting Grounds, the Emperor stood on a high platform, his voice echoing across the venue.
"I now declare the promotion round of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament officially open! I expect all of you to give your best performance."
With that announcement, the first round of the promotion matches began.
Huo Wu, Meng Yiran, Shui Bing'er, and others each swept through their opponents in one-versus-seven victories, demonstrating their overwhelming strength.
"I declare the winner of this match: Blazing Academy! Huo Wu of Blazing Academy has defeated Auckland Academy with a one-versus-seven victory!"
Standing proudly in the arena, Huo Wu relished the feeling of triumph. Confidence surged back into her as she shot a sharp gaze at Ye Feng, then pointed directly at him—provoking him.
"Boss Ye, she's provoking you again," Ma Hongjun teased. "You've really offended quite a few people—Huo Wu, Shui Bing'er... Do you think other academies will start thinking you're some kind of traitor?"
"Doesn't matter what they think," Ye Feng said indifferently.
"Boss Ye, did you know the news about you declaring to the world that Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er are your future wives has already spread to Skywater Academy? I heard their parents are on their way here. You might be in trouble," Ma Hongjun continued, smirking.
"Shui Bing'er's parents?" Ye Feng was taken aback. His future mother-in-law and father-in-law were coming.
"So, I should start preparing some gifts," Ye Feng said with a confident smile.
"Boss Ye, aren't you panicking?" Ma Hongjun asked doubtfully.
"Why panic? An ugly daughter-in-law still has to meet her in-laws someday. Besides, I'm not ugly," Ye Feng said confidently.
The strong are respected—that is the eternal truth of this world. If Ye Feng lacked strength, he might have been worried, but with his power, he was sure he could gain the recognition of Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er's parents.
---
"Oh? Who do we have here? Turns out it's the world's wealthiest dean, Flender!" A mocking voice rang out from the side.
Everyone turned toward the voice, and from Ma Hongjun and Oscar's introductions, they quickly identified the speaker—it was a contestant from Balak Academy.
"Dean Flender, we meet again. My father wanted me to ask you—when are you planning to establish a Shrek Academy branch in Soto City?"
This time, the members of Balak Academy spoke with unusual respect toward Flender, completely different from their past arrogance.
The reason was simple—Shrek Academy's real estate empire had expanded massively. A full tenth of Balak Kingdom's housing industry was controlled by Shrek Real Estate. Two-tenths of the people in Balak Kingdom now lived in homes built by Shrek. With Shrek Academy's newfound wealth and influence, even the nobles of Balak Kingdom had no choice but to show respect.
"Lofuki, tell your father to forget it. We're doing just fine in Heaven Dou City. Besides, the old Shrek Academy site has long since collapsed and been abandoned," Flender replied indifferently.
"Dean Flender, that's not true. Thanks to my father's sponsorship, Shrek Academy's old grounds have been restored. He specifically asked me to tell you that you're welcome to return to Soto City anytime," Lofuki insisted.
"Is that so?" Flender raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. If Shrek Academy is willing to return, my father said he is willing to negotiate a deal—Shrek Academy will be exempt from all taxes for ten years," Lofuki added with a respectful tone.
"Alright, I'll consider it," Flender said, clearly uninterested in further conversation.
"As you wish, Dean Flender," Lofuki said before leading his teammates away.
"This Lofuki sure has changed his tone. Did the sun rise from the west today?" Ma Hongjun sneered as he watched them leave.
"Boss Ye, are we still going through with the plan?" Tai Long asked hesitantly.
"Of course," Ye Feng nodded.
Shrek Real Estate had adopted the same wealth-building model as Xu Jiayin. The more popular Shrek's real estate became, the bigger the eventual market collapse would be. On the surface, Flender seemed to be helping Balak Kingdom's economy, but Ye Feng knew the truth—Flender was planting a time bomb under Balak Kingdom's feet.
Flender was exacting revenge.
And in that case, their 'hospitality' toward Balak Academy had to continue.
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