Douluo Continent II: The Dragon King Suppresses the World!

Chapter 44 Provocation?

On the Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy side, the seven people quickly lined up, their typical traditional positions clear and distinct. Three Soul Masters stood upright in front, two Soul Masters were precisely positioned on either side slightly behind, and the last two Soul Masters were in the center. They were arranged in a staggered manner, supporting and relying on each other, making the overall layout orderly and well-organized.

Compared to the rigorous, orderly, and traditional formation of the Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy, almost everyone's eyes were now fixed on Shrek Academy's side. Their focused gaze caused them to involuntarily gasp in surprise.

The four Shrek Academy members stood in a row casually, from left to right: Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, Ye Qi'an, and Gu Yuena. Rather than a carefully planned and cleverly arranged formation, it was more like they simply stood there arbitrarily, appearing so spontaneous and without any discernible pattern.

The formation presented gives one only two immediate impressions: either an absolute certainty of victory or utter ignorance and a complete lack of strategy. However, when placed in the context of Shrek Academy, which has always been hailed as the best in the continent, it doesn't seem entirely unreasonable.

Even the referee was dumbfounded, so much so that he forgot to bring his raised right hand down.

"Referee, we're ready, can we begin?" Ye Qian said leisurely to the referee in a voice filled with extreme laziness and disdain.

The referee seemed to snap out of a daze, slowly lowering his raised right hand before shouting at the top of his lungs, "The match begins!"

As the referee's deafening shout echoed throughout the arena, the Tianling Academy team members released their martial souls almost simultaneously. Of the seven members from Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy, five were four-ring soul masters, and only two were three-ring level.

Ye Qi'an turned his head to look at Huo Yuhao, signaling him to get ready, and then walked firmly and powerfully toward the seven people from Tianling Academy.

Just as Ye Qi'an took a step, an indescribable terrifying aura suddenly appeared on the competition stage. The Golden Dragon King Martial Soul instantly possessed him, its light dazzling and so bright that no one dared to look directly at it, as if even a glance would pierce their eyes with its radiance.

With each step Ye Qi'an took forward, one spirit ring after another lit up, their light dazzling and radiant. By the time Ye Qi'an stood firmly on his feet, a total of eight spirit rings had appeared, arranged neatly and orderly, radiating a powerful force that sent chills down one's spine.

Two purple, five black, and one red!!! An eight-ring Soul Douluo. Soul Douluo isn't unfamiliar to most people, but this boy before them looked to be only a little over thirteen years old, yet he possessed such astonishing achievements at such a young age. Moreover, his first Soul Ring was purple, along with two thousand-year Soul Rings, five ten-thousand-year Soul Rings, and a brightly colored one hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring, dazzling and stunning the entire audience, leaving everyone speechless.

Is this reasonable? The answer is undoubtedly no, it's definitely unreasonable, but within Shrek Academy, it seems perfectly reasonable. A collective gasp erupted from hundreds of thousands of people, deafening and reaching the heavens. Even the Emperor, Empress, and officials of the Star Luo Empire atop the city walls rose to their feet in shock, their faces filled with disbelief, as if witnessing the most incredible sight in the world.

"Scared already? A bunch of ants!" Ye Qi'an's voice instantly became extremely majestic, like a thunderclap, deafening and shaking people's hearts.

At the same time, an enormous, golden dragon-shaped phantom appeared behind him, its imposing and majestic aura blotting out the sky. The golden dragon's crimson eyes coldly swept over the seven members of the Heavenly Spirit Academy, its gaze tangible and icy, seemingly capable of freezing their souls instantly. The moment it appeared, the previously solid and unbreakable soul-guiding protective shield instantly developed fine cracks, as if it could not withstand the immense pressure.

The seven students from the Heavenly Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy opposite them almost simultaneously let out a muffled groan. Ye Qian'an's overwhelming pressure made the already extremely tense Heavenly Spirit Academy students even more nervous. Their hearts pounded rapidly, like rapid drumbeats; their breathing became rapid, as if bellows were struggling to pump. At the same time, the circulation of their soul power was severely disrupted, and the flow of soul power within their bodies became sluggish and obstructed.

When they sensed the terrifying aura emanating from the golden dragon king phantom behind Ye Qi'an, almost everyone quickly retreated and huddled together, trying to gain a tiny bit of security from each other.

"You think you can survive by gathering together? Naïve! The only reason you're afraid is because I haven't truly unleashed my power yet." Ye Qi'an's lips curled up slightly, revealing an extremely contemptuous smile. He crossed his arms, and the light from his soul rings shone brightly, becoming even more dazzling, like brilliant stars.

The students of Tianling Academy exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with fear and hesitation. Their gazes met with unease and helplessness, but the competition had to continue—a mission they could not escape. The leader, a four-ring Soul Master, gritted his teeth and roared, "Let's fight!"

They quickly adjusted their stances, each unleashing their strongest soul skills. In an instant, multicolored lights shot towards Ye Qi'an, like dazzling fireworks. However, Ye Qi'an remained completely still, as steady as a mountain. Those seemingly invincible soul skills dissipated the moment they approached his body.

"Is that all the pathetic tricks you have? You dare to show off in front of me!" Ye Qi'an sneered, his voice full of disdain. He took a step forward, and the golden dragon king phantom behind him moved accordingly, opening its huge mouth and letting out a deafening roar.

The powerful sound waves assaulted the students of Tianling Academy. They felt a roar in their minds, as if countless thunderclaps were exploding in their ears, and their bodies trembled involuntarily, like autumn leaves shivering in a gale.

"Get out of here!"

As soon as Ye Qi'an finished speaking, the golden dragon king phantom stretched out its huge dragon claw and swept towards the students of Tianling Academy. An irresistible and powerful force struck, and the students of Tianling Academy were unable to resist at all. They were instantly swept out of the field like fallen leaves in the wind.

The Star Luo Square, which could hold hundreds of thousands of spectators, including the Star Luo Empire's royal family, civil and military officials, and more than a hundred advanced Soul Masters and Soul Master Academies, fell completely silent. Everyone was stunned by the terrifying strength Ye Qi'an displayed. They were even unable to breathe or swallow, as if time had stood still. Shrek Academy, this is Shrek Academy, the number one and invincible Shrek Academy on the continent.

The referee, finally snapping out of his daze, loudly announced, "Shrek Academy wins!"

The audience snapped out of their daze and erupted in enthusiastic cheers and applause, wave after wave of sound that seemed to shake the entire square.

After the referee announced the end of the match, the eight spirit rings that Huo Yuhao had simulated on Ye Qi'an instantly disappeared, their light vanishing without a trace. He then walked calmly down from the competition stage with Gu Yuena and the other two.

Wang Yan took the initiative to greet Ye Qi'an. When he reached him, he said with a slightly reproachful expression, "If we didn't know you, we would have thought you were going to kill those people."

Ye Qi'an replied coldly, "Life and death are but a thought to me. If I step onto the field, they should be prepared to die."

His domineering speech was heard by the students of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy and those students from the academies at the front of the line. Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and Ling Luochen were also somewhat dazed at this moment. Ye Qi'an was very confident, and confidence needs to be supported by strength, but he had both.

"Let's go back. There's no need to watch the rest of the matches. They're not worth our attention," Ye Qi'an said with a cold snort, his tone full of contempt.

As the group passed by the various college teams, Ye Qi'an's gaze swept over them, and surprisingly, not a single person dared to meet his eyes; they all avoided his sharp gaze.

"Who is that person? Why have I never heard of him before? Investigate him, investigate his background, at all costs." The Star Luo Emperor watched Ye Qi'an leave. In fact, he should have known, but because of the scheming of a certain sixth brother, he was unable to find the information about when Ye Qi'an's martial soul awakened.

The most shocked were the members of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy. At this moment, their faces were terribly pale, as if shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere. Even the usually proud Xiao Hongchen was now ashen-faced, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and a voice kept echoing in his mind.

"How is this possible? How is this possible? How could there possibly be someone more talented than me in this world? This is fake, this must be fake..."

The Shrek Academy students went straight back to the Star Emperor Hotel. Wang Yan looked up at Ye Qi'an and asked, "What exactly did you arrange?"

Yes! How exactly was it arranged? This was also a question in the minds of Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and Ling Luochen.

"It's like this, Brother Ye told me to simulate eight spirit rings for him. Because of the distance, my spirit power was a bit insufficient, so I added Wang Dong, and that's how I managed to simulate it," Huo Yuhao said, glancing at Ye Qi'an.

"As for the aura I displayed, that's even simpler. I used Nana's soul power to create a phantom, and with the power of my bloodline, it wasn't difficult to intimidate them. Mental pressure is often more effective than actual action." Ye Qi'an nodded as he spoke, his expression calm.

Wang Yan suddenly realized and exclaimed, "So that's how it is! This plan is truly ingenious. But Ye Qi'an, your bloodline power and control over soul power are indeed astonishing."

Ma Xiaotao stepped forward and said, "We can't take such risks in the upcoming matches. The fewer shots you take, the greater the pressure you put on them, and the more wary they will become."

Dai Yueheng chimed in, "That's right. Although the results were significant this time, someone will definitely check your records. If they don't find anything, that's fine, but if they do, your lies will be exposed."

Ye Qi'an nodded slightly and said, "I know what I'm doing, and everything is under my control. There's no need to worry."

Wang Yan stood up, a relieved smile on his face, and said, "No matter what methods they used, I dare say this is the most exhilarating victory that Shrek Academy has achieved in all the battles since we participated in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament."

With Ye Qi'an's psychological warfare tactic in this battle, any college team that encounters them next will likely be filled with fear.

After the shock of the first match, the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Tournament was in full swing. However, Ye Qi'an's performance in the first match was deeply imprinted in the minds of every contestant and audience member, especially his domineering declaration before leaving, which made him unforgettable.

Since the elimination rounds were held on the first day, the Shrek Academy students were able to rest well for the next two days. Wang Yan was the busiest person during these two days, going in and out every day. It wasn't until the evening of the third day of the competition that he gathered all the team members in the conference room for a meeting.

"Xiao Tao, how are the three of you injured?"

Ma Xiaotao said, "I've been able to rest and recuperate peacefully these past few days, and my injuries are healing quite well..."

Dai Yueheng said, "My situation is similar."

Ling Luochen nodded as well: "Normal recovery."

Wang Yan said, "I've been carefully reviewing the other academies' matches these past two days. The round-robin tournament starts tomorrow. The roster for the round-robin is already out, arranged according to the order of qualification from the first round of elimination matches. Now I need to make tactical arrangements for tomorrow. I have a general understanding of Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao's soul skills, but I don't know enough about the rest of you, which will affect my tactical planning. So I hope you can tell me about your soul skills."

Ye Qi'an nodded and said, "My soul skills are Golden Dragon Body, Golden Dragon Overlord Body, Golden Dragon Roar, and Golden Dragon Berserk Domain."

Gu Yuena continued, "My soul skills are Silver Dragon Body, Elemental Condensation, Elemental Fission, and Devouring Heaven and Earth Domain."

After the two of them, it was Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, and finally He Caitou. When it was He Caitou's turn, he looked slightly embarrassed. Ye Qi'an already knew about that bizarre soul spell. When everyone heard it, they all burst into laughter. Although they were laughing, they were stunned when they heard the effect of He Caitou's soul skill.

Gu Yuena was surprised by everyone's expressions and secretly asked Ye Qi'an. However, Ye Qi'an just shook his head and did not tell her. Ye Qi'an's thinking was simple: Gu Yuena was a fairy who did not eat the food of mortals, so why should she come into contact with these things?

Wang Yan coughed lightly, signaling everyone to stop laughing, and began to seriously analyze the characteristics of each person's soul skill and formulate corresponding tactical strategies.

"Judging from everyone's soul skills, we have a variety of combinations and ways to deal with them." Wang Yan said as he wrote and drew on the blackboard, his expression focused and serious.

"Ye Qi'an and Gu Yuena's domain skills can play a decisive role at crucial moments. Bei Bei's soul skill is biased towards a balance between control and attack, Xu Sanshi's defensive ability must be fully utilized, Jiang Nannan's speed advantage cannot be ignored, and He Caitou's powerful attack soul skill is our trump card."

Everyone nodded, listening attentively with focused and determined eyes.

Wang Yan continued, "Tomorrow's round-robin tournament..."

Ye Qi'an's conclusion after listening to the whole thing was: people who play tactics are all dirty-minded.

Wang said, "That's the basic arrangement."

"Yes," everyone responded in unison.

Wang Yan stood up and said, "Everyone, get a good rest tonight and get yourself into top condition. No one is allowed to go out. Meeting adjourned."

Everyone stood up and walked out of the conference room in an orderly manner. When Ye Qi'an and Gu Yuena were about to cultivate together, their gazes suddenly turned to the other end of the corridor. There, they saw a teenager who looked to be fourteen or fifteen years old standing at the other end, staring at them intently.

"Your name is Ye Qi'an. Remember my name, I am Xiao Hongchen. I will definitely defeat you." The boy raised his right thumb and turned it downwards, his eyes full of provocation.

"A mere Soul King dares to spout nonsense in front of me? Are you tired of living? You'd better pray you don't run into me, otherwise, I will crush your bones one by one!" Ye Qi'an said disdainfully, his tone full of contempt.

Xiao Hongchen's face darkened, and he snorted coldly, "Hmph, anyone can talk big. Let's see who's the real deal on the field!" After saying that, he turned around and strode away with firm and powerful steps.

Ye Qi'an watched his retreating figure, a disdainful sneer playing on his lips, and pulled Gu Yuena along, saying, "Let's go."

Gu Yuena nodded slightly, and the two returned to their room to begin their meditation.

……

(End of this chapter)