Ning Rongrong tugged at Dai Mubai's hand, pouting as she spoke coquettishly.
The preliminaries had been going on for half a month, and it was always the same few people participating in matches—she hadn't had a single chance to fight yet!
After a brief moment of thought, Dai Mubai nodded in agreement.
There was no need to hide their strength when the disparity was so vast. Besides, picking the same lineup repeatedly was just a habit that they hadn't bothered to break.
Suddenly, as if recalling something, Dai Mubai leaned close to Ning Rongrong's ear and whispered,
"Rongrong, whatever happens later, don't use your spirit skills on me!"
After saying that, he quickly kissed her on the cheek.
Ning Rongrong blushed, nodding seriously.
Though she didn't know why Dai Mubai didn't want her to enhance him, she chose to trust him without question.
Whether it was the Seven Treasures, Eight Treasures, or Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, they all shared a particular trait:
The stronger the recipient of the enhancement, the greater the soul power consumption for the spirit master casting it.
This was because the attribute-boosting effect of the Glazed Tile Pagoda was calculated as (Spirit Master's Title Level × 10)%.
Ning Rongrong, currently at the Soul Ancestor level, had a title multiplier of 5. Thus, her enhancements amplified attributes by 50%.
For reference:
Spirit Master Title Levels: Soul Scholar → Soul Master → Grandmaster → Soul Elder → Soul Ancestor → Soul King → Soul Emperor → Soul Sage → Spirit Douluo → Titled Douluo
In simpler terms, the base enhancement was 10%, with an additional 10% for each spirit ring acquired.
Ning Rongrong, with four spirit rings, had a total enhancement effect of 50%.
The boost effect remained constant regardless of the recipient. However, the stronger the recipient, the more soul power was drained from Ning Rongrong.
Dai Mubai feared that if she used all four of her spirit skills on him, she'd faint within half a minute due to exhaustion.
"Big Brother Mubai, I want a kiss too!"
Dugu Yan chimed in, leaning forward.
Without hesitation, Dai Mubai gave her a quick peck.
At this moment, Shrek Academy and the Blazing Fire Academy began preparing to take the stage.
At the Heaven Dou Grand Soul Arena
The preliminaries weren't limited to a single arena. With 28 teams competing, each day saw 14 matches.
For teams of similar strength, it wasn't uncommon for matches to last over an hour. With only one arena, the tournament would drag on endlessly.
Aside from the main arena, there were six smaller ones, with each hosting up to two matches per day. Spectators could choose their favorite teams and head to the corresponding stands to cheer them on.
Today, Shrek Academy and the Blazing Fire Academy were assigned to the main arena, which naturally attracted the largest crowd.
Even Emperor Xue Ye, Ning Fengzhi, and Salas were watching closely.
"Let's welcome Shrek Academy and the Blazing Fire Academy!"
"Both teams have remained undefeated since the start of the preliminaries. Which team's streak will end today?"
DouDou, the commentator and referee for the main arena, announced enthusiastically. Dai Mubai still found it hard to believe she didn't have some sort of inside connection.
The Blazing Fire Academy's team—led by Huo Wushuang and Huo Wu—stepped onto the stage with grim expressions.
Their coach had analyzed the situation and suggested they surrender.
The strength gap was too significant, leaving their chances of victory slim.
However, as the first of the Five Elemental Academies to face Shrek, surrendering would ruin their reputation. They couldn't afford to have their peers mock them as cowards who backed down at the first challenge.
"Our only chance lies in one strike. If Huo Wu's Blazing Sun Dance can't crush the enemy, we'll have to concede," the coach had said.
"But before that, we need to take out their other members first!"
The "enemy" in question was, of course, Dai Mubai.
The Blazing Fire Academy wasn't entirely without tricks. With two auxiliary spirit masters supporting Huo Wu, her fourth spirit skill could reach Soul King-level power.
This was their only chance at victory.
"Hey, Shrek switched out their lineup?"
"That's strange—where's Ye Lingling?"
The absence of Ye Lingling puzzled not just the Blazing Fire team but also the spectators and members of other academies.
Ye Lingling's Nine-Hearts Begonia spirit was one of the most powerful healing spirits in existence. As long as she was on the field, Shrek was virtually unkillable.
And now, they'd swapped her out?
Before the Blazing Fire members could voice their doubts about whether Shrek was underestimating them, the match began!
"Nine Treasures arise, Glazed Tile Pagoda!"
As the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda appeared alongside four spirit rings, the Blazing Fire Academy team froze again.
Good grief! Shrek's auxiliary spirit masters weren't just numerous—they were absurdly powerful!
One had the Nine-Hearts Begonia, and now this?
Wait a minute—Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda?
Wasn't it supposed to be Seven Treasures?
How did this girl's spirit have nine levels?
They had no time to ponder further. While the Nine-Hearts Begonia excelled at sustained healing, the Glazed Tile Pagoda was a combat enabler that directly amplified attributes.
Unlike the Begonia, which prolonged endurance, the Glazed Tile Pagoda made allies stronger and more dangerous in battle.
"This is outrageous! Shrek Academy has both the Nine-Hearts Begonia and the world's top auxiliary spirit!"
"I get the feeling Shrek Academy has more auxiliary talents hidden somewhere…"
On the Arena
Guarding the auxiliary members was Dugu Yan's task, and her strength gave the team full confidence.
Dai Mubai stood at the forefront, arms crossed, casually observing the Blazing Fire team.
The members of Blazing Fire Academy were all dressed in fiery red outfits, their spirits blazing with flame-based energy.
Huo Wu, with her fiery red hair, short red dress, and red boots, also sized up Dai Mubai with a determined expression.
(Chapter End)