Douluo: Soul-Breaking spear

Chapter 136: The Spirit Master Tournament Begins

At long last, the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament officially commenced. The members of the second team assembled, consisting of their eight competitors and the two vice leaders, Teachers Li Xiang and Anya.

Yang Potian addressed everyone. "The Spirit Master Tournament is about to start. According to my plan, I won't be participating in the preliminary or qualifying rounds. This means each of you will face more individual battles."

"As for why I won't participate, it's partly to preserve strength and partly to give each of you the experience of facing this intense, high-pressure competition. The Spirit Master Tournament is one of the grandest events on the continent, and I hope each of you will use this opportunity to battle a wide array of teams and spirit masters, pushing yourselves to grow stronger and even break through your own limits."

"In each battle, with Linging and Teacher Anya providing healing, you don't need to fear injury. Just focus on giving it your all in combat, and I'll handle the rest. Teacher Li Xiang, please go over the tournament rules."

As Potian finished, he glanced over at Teacher Li Xiang, who had years of experience at the academy and a deep understanding of competition rules.

Teacher Li Xiang nodded at the group and began to explain. "Students, the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament is about to begin, so let's review the rules."

"This tournament is organized by the royal families of the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires along with Spirit Hall. It's the largest tournament in the spirit master world, and there are a few critical rules that everyone must follow. First, all participating students must be under the age of twenty-five, with each team fielding exactly seven members per match. During matches, the purpose is friendly competition, so causing severe injuries should be avoided, and killing is strictly forbidden. Any academy that kills an opponent will not only bear the penalties but also face expulsion from the tournament."

As Teacher Li Xiang explained this, he cast a quick glance at Dugu Yan, knowing her Jade Phosphor Serpent Spirit's natural venom could easily result in severe injuries or worse if unleashed fully.

Dugu Yan immediately protested, "Teacher, why do we even have a rule like that? During spirit battles, it's common knowledge that spirit abilities aren't always easy to control. Besides, spirit master combat is inherently brutal."

Teacher Li Xiang nodded in acknowledgment. "I understand your point, but these are the rules. The two empires and Spirit Hall invest enormous manpower and resources in this tournament to recruit talent. Almost all participants are the elite students from each academy, and if deaths occurred, it would be a huge loss for any faction involved."

At this, Yang Potian added, "Consider this tournament as a minor test. Holding back from killing is just one of the conditions. Remember, your goal is to conquer the stars and seas beyond. If you can't complete even a simple trial like this, how can you expect to grow stronger?"

Dugu Yan quieted, and everyone else fell silent, realizing the truth in Potian's words. They had all gone through relentless training and survived perilous battles in the Sunset Forest. This tournament was just another form of practice.

Teacher Li Xiang continued, "Aside from these two core rules, there are additional guidelines to ensure fairness. For instance, participants are not allowed to use any medicine or food items that are not produced by food-type or healing-type spirit masters present in the match. Linging, who is now at rank forty-eight, is already among the highest-level spirit masters in the tournament, giving us a significant advantage in this area."

"In terms of the format, both the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires are divided into multiple regions. We belong to the Heaven Dou City region, where twenty-nine teams will compete for six spots in the qualifying round."

"The qualifying round follows a one-on-one elimination format. Sixteen teams from the Heaven Dou region compete in head-to-head matches to determine ranking. Each team sends one member to battle, and the match continues until one team's seven members have all been eliminated."

"In the finals, sixteen teams from the Heaven Dou region will compete with fifteen from Star Luo, along with the seeded teams from Spirit Hall and Star Luo for a total of thirty-three teams. These teams will be paired through a draw. The top three teams from the qualifying rounds will receive a bye during certain match-ups."

"These are the tournament rules. Make sure you remember each one; they'll be crucial when it matters."

Yang Potian addressed the team again. "This tournament is of utmost importance, and our only goal is victory. My grandfather and uncle will be heading to Spirit City to receive their titles, so I want us to win this championship as a celebration gift for them."

Hearing this, the team's faces grew resolute; they were determined to win the championship. After all, they wanted to bring glory to their families and honor their ancestors.

"In terms of strategy, I'll keep it simple: coordinate and launch strong attacks. With the teamwork we've built, this tournament won't be a problem."

Just as Potian mentioned, aside from Linging, every team member was robust, with spirits that leaned toward attack-oriented abilities. Yang Ping'an, Yang Tianyue, and Yang Yuxuan each possessed the Po Hun Spear, known for its fierce attack power.

Although Dugu Yan was a control-type spirit master, her Jade Phosphor Serpent Spirit gave her the ability to serve as a strong attacker if she unleashed her full power.

Niu Meng and Niu Kui's spirits were the Plate Armor Giant Rhinoceros, typically a defense-oriented spirit. Yet, after years of training, their strength was formidable—especially Niu Meng, whose power could likely rival even Yan from Spirit Hall.

Finally, even Linging, the team's only support-type member, had developed remarkable physical strength and speed, enough to keep up with most agility-type spirit masters.

The day of the tournament's opening ceremony finally arrived, and the Great Spirit Arena of Heaven Dou City was packed. The arena had been renovated, expanding each ring for seven-person team battles, and all private matches had been canceled for the event.

With the spotlight on them and the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd, twenty-nine teams entered the main Spirit Arena in order.

Leading the parade was the first team from Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Unlike the original Shrek Seven's green uniforms, they wore regal gold attire, a symbol of royal prestige. Each team had eleven players—seven main members and four substitutes. To everyone's surprise, the original Shrek Seven were all in the starting lineup, while the substitutes included Yu Tianheng, Ning Heng, Tai Long, and Bai Xiaofei.

As each team took the stage, the cheers grew louder, with fans whistling and chanting in excitement.

One of the loudest responses was reserved for Tianshui Academy. Known for their long history as a strong team, they wore uniforms in shades of sky blue, and their team was composed entirely of beautiful young women. With their stunning looks and long legs, Tianshui's entrance sent the crowd into a frenzy of excitement.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Second Team entered last, with the First and Second Teams bookending the lineup, giving an impressive symmetry to the procession. The second team wore sleek silver uniforms, simple yet stylish, which made them look dignified and confident.

As the teams entered the Spirit Arena, Yang Potian turned his focus to the main stage. Several prominent figures sat in the guest section. At the center was a very thin, elderly man wearing a crown and holding a scepter—this could only be Emperor Xue Ye. Surrounding him were other notable figures, including Ning Fengzhi, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan Master; Sword Douluo; and Spirit Hall's Platinum Bishop Salas.

Originally, the tournament organizers had also invited Potian's grandfather and uncle to serve as special guests, but both had politely declined. These days, they kept an exceptionally low profile, rarely appearing in public. Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo, also had a reserved seat but felt that sitting on the main platform was too troublesome. Instead, he preferred to stay alongside Heaven Dou's Second Team, claiming that it wouldn't make sense for him as vice-captain to be apart from the team. The tournament committee was speechless—Dugu Bo was a Titled Douluo after all, and now he was actually taking his role as vice-captain seriously.

Following tradition, Emperor Xue Ye, Ning Fengzhi, and Salas each took the stage to give opening speeches. They mostly offered words of encouragement, urging all the teams to perform their best. Though filled with general praise for the competitors, the speeches also hinted subtly at potential alliances. Of course, with the tournament only beginning, it was too early to see who might align with whom. For now, they just presented a bright future for the spirit masters in attendance.

Once the speeches concluded, Platinum Bishop Salas began the tournament draw. Surprisingly, Heaven Dou's First Team was matched against the Blue Tyrant Academy, while the Second Team drew a more modest academy opponent.

Fate seemed to have set the stage—Blue Tyrant Academy and Tang San's team had a prime chance to demonstrate their strength directly in front of Emperor Xue Ye. Perhaps this was precisely what Yu Xiaogang hoped for: a grand opportunity for his students to impress the emperor.

The tournament kicked off with two matches scheduled for the central Spirit Arena. Heaven Dou's First Team faced Blue Tyrant Academy that day, with the Second Team's match scheduled for the following day. Soon, the other teams returned to the spectator area, leaving the field open for the day's competitors.

Heaven Dou's First Team lineup consisted of Tang San, Ning Rongrong, Yu Tianheng, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing. The First Team was already showcasing seven Spirit Elders, with three joining this lineup. They planned to gradually reveal their strongest members, likely saving the big guns for Spirit Hall's team.

Watching the lineup, Yang Potian chuckled, amused. This team arrangement made it obvious that Heaven Dou's First Team was a union of the top three sects. Under Yu Xiaogang's guidance, it was clear that Tang San was calling the shots. Ning Heng from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan would probably sit out the entire preliminary stage, as would Dai Mubai, Star Luo's prince, given the political sensitivity of the match. Tai Long and Bai Xiaofei would likely see little action until the final rounds.

Potian also spotted Titan among the support crew, constantly hovering near Tang San. It seemed he was there for protection. Yet, it was evident that Titan was no longer in peak condition. Though his spirit energy seemed intact, his right hand was gone, likely lost during the fierce battle between Tang Hao and the two Titled Douluo, Qian Jun and Jiang Mo.

One could only wonder if Titan, a master craftsman, ever regretted his loyalty now that he had sacrificed so much. But Potian didn't dwell on it—this was Titan's chosen path, and it was no concern of his. He was already doing well by not capitalizing on their misfortune.

(End of Chapter)

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