The Glory of the Sun and Moon in the Peerless Tang Sect

Upon seeing this princess, not only were the students from Shrek Academy surprised, but the vast majority of the participating academy teams also stared wide-eyed. They had all attended that top-tier auction.

But seeing the Star Luo Royal Academy uniform on Xu Jiujiu's body, the surprise in everyone's eyes deepened even more.

Chapter 186 Shrek Academy vs. Star Luo Royal Academy (Part 1)

Today's Princess Jiujiu is different from the elegant and noble one at last night's auction. Her well-tailored yellow outfit perfectly outlines the exquisite curves of her body, giving her a heroic and spirited appearance.

Among the teams representing various advanced Soul Master academies, there are many female students with outstanding looks and temperament, such as Ma Xiaotao, Jiang Nannan, and Ning Tian from Shrek Academy, and Meng Hongchen from Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, etc.

However, when Princess Jiu Jiu appeared today, she still seemed somewhat overshadowed. The majesty and nobility of her royal lineage gave Princess Jiu Jiu a significant advantage.

Of all the contestants who have appeared, perhaps only Xu Zihuang, who single-handedly crushed the Thousand Spirits Advanced Soul Master Academy, could surpass Princess Jiujiu in terms of her demeanor and presence.

Although both are from royal families, the two give people a distinctly different impression.

Xu Zihuang previously displayed an aloofness and indifference, as if he stood on a cloud, like a born king, while Princess Jiujiu gave people more of the elegance and grandeur of someone who had been pampered since childhood.

Watching the contestants stand for a long time in the waiting area on the other side of the competition stage, Wang Yan couldn't help but frown. Before today, this princess had never appeared in the Star Luo Royal Academy's lineup. However, the Star Luo Royal Academy's reserve team did indeed have a vacancy for a reserve player.

For some unknown reason, Wang Yan was slightly shaken, and a look of shock and sudden realization appeared in his eyes.

"I remember now, Yaoheng. The direct descendant martial soul of the Xu family, the royal family of the Star Luo Empire, should be the Star Crown, right? Could it be that this princess's martial soul is also..."

Standing next to Wang Yan, Dai Yueheng nodded solemnly.

"Teacher Wang, your guess is correct. Although the Xu family of the Star Luo Empire's royal family has a thin bloodline, their powerful Star Crown Martial Soul has been passed down through generations. My father once commented on His Majesty's cultivation level, saying only four words: unfathomable. His Majesty is the most outstanding cultivator in the royal family in the past three hundred years. Jiu Jiu also inherited the royal family's Star Crown Martial Soul, but she has rarely shown her true cultivation level in public over the years. I came to Shrek Academy to study when I was eleven years old, so I am not very clear about Jiu Jiu's specific cultivation level. However, when Jiu Jiu awakened her Martial Soul, she had innate level nine soul power, and with the various resources of the royal family, she should have at least reached the Soul King level by now."

Wang Yan took a deep breath, his gaze becoming serious.

"It seems we're in for a lot of trouble in this battle."

Ma Xiaotao, standing on the other side of Wang Yan, simply curled her lip indifferently.

"Dai Yueheng, aren't you making a big fuss over this? No matter how powerful the Star Crown Martial Soul is, it's nothing in the face of absolute cultivation suppression."

“Senior Sister Xiaotao, ten thousand years ago, this Star Crown Martial Soul was a top-tier Martial Soul comparable to the inherited Martial Souls of the three upper sects at that time. I think Teacher Wang and Senior Dai’s concerns are valid. Winning this match will probably not be easy.” Xu Zihuang could tell that although Ma Xiaotao was refuting Dai Yueheng on the surface, perhaps even she herself did not realize that her words contained a veiled criticism of Wang Yan.

This doesn't mean Ma Xiaotao is petty; on the contrary, it shows her straightforward nature.

She had never really thought much of Wang Yan, her team leader, whose cultivation level was even lower than hers.

The principle of prioritizing strength is even more thoroughly embodied at Shrek Academy.

Dai Yueheng was the same in this respect. It's just that Dai Yueheng's thoughts were more profound than Ma Xiaotao's, and he never showed them.

Xu Zihuang's words weren't intended to deliberately antagonize Ma Xiaotao, but rather to uphold the authority of Wang Yan, the team leader. Wang Yan, as the team leader for this Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Tournament, was absolutely qualified. He was upright and kind to his students.

One reason he wanted to leave a good impression on the higher-ups at Shrek Academy was that he still held a degree of respect for Wang Yan, a teacher with genuine talent and learning.

During the year or so that he had been studying at Shrek Academy, Wang Yan had taken good care of him.

Upon hearing this, Ma Xiaotao raised her eyebrows and glared at Xu Zihuang, but ultimately restrained herself and said nothing more.

Wang Yan's expression shifted slightly; how could he not see that Yu Tianhuang was protecting him?

Chen Zifeng and Gongyang Mo exchanged a glance but remained silent.

Xu Sanshi, with a lewd expression, mouthed something to Bei Bei beside him, the meaning of which was vaguely discernible.

"Could Tianhuang really be having an affair with Senior Xiaotao? How come she didn't explode even after being confronted like that?"

"You idiot, Tianhuang is just protecting Teacher Wang's dignity." Beibei rolled her eyes and said in a low voice, annoyed.

"Tianhuang is right to do this."

Just then, the gentle voice of Emperor Xu Jiawei of the Star Luo Empire suddenly resounded throughout the entire venue. Just as Dai Yueheng had said earlier, the Emperor's strength was indeed unfathomable.

The sound wasn't loud, but it clearly traveled to every corner of the vast Xingluo Square.

"The sixteen teams that have now entered the final sixteen of this Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament are all elites among the younger generation of our Soul Master world. In order to ensure the safety of the students from each academy, I have decided that in every match from now on, our Empire's Guardian Douluo will serve as the referee. Today's first match, Shrek Academy versus Star Luo Royal Academy, will be presided over by Senior Cheng Gang, whose title is Giant Strength."

As soon as Xu Jiawei finished speaking, a beam of black light descended from the top of the imperial city and landed in the center of the arena.

The black soul power light receded, and an old man appeared before everyone's eyes.

Judging from his appearance, the old man was around sixty years old, of average height. He had short, dark brown hair, was energetic, and had bright, piercing eyes.

The moment he landed in the center of the arena, the earth seemed to tremble. An invisible pressure swept over the old man, especially felt by the Shrek Academy and Star Luo Royal Academy students in the waiting areas on both sides of the arena.

This powerful Douluo was not among the four Title Douluos who protected Xu Zihuang last night. Xu Jiawei's intention was also clear: to demonstrate national power.

It's worth mentioning that this powerful Douluo Cheng Gang is the same one who was brutally beaten by Elder Xuan in the original novel.

His martial soul is the Ant Emperor, which excels in strength. All martial souls that can be described as "Emperor" are at least high-level martial souls. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to cultivate to the level of a Title Douluo.

To reach the level of a Title Douluo, besides focusing on cultivation talent, the most important thing is the quality of one's own martial soul.

Once you reach the Super Douluo realm of level 95 or above, unless you possess a top-tier martial soul with profound foundations, you will basically have no further chance to advance your cultivation.

Cheng Gang's soul power was level 93, higher than that of Huang Jinxu, the Heavenly Fiend Douluo. However, in terms of individual strength, he was actually far inferior to Huang Jinxu.

But no matter what, he is a powerful figure at the Title Douluo level, and he is more than capable of hosting such a competition.

"Shrek Academy, Star Luo Royal Academy, team members from both sides, please enter the arena." Cheng Gang restrained the aura emanating from him.

Wang Yan turned to face the crowd and said in a deep voice.

“If Princess Jiujiu’s martial soul is Star Crown, then the tactics we discussed earlier will need to be changed. Let’s put those two control-type soul masters aside for now. Sanshi, you should prioritize switching in Princess Jiujiu. It would be best to take care of her first. The rest of the tactics remain unchanged. Tianhuang, you will take command later.”

"Yes, Teacher Wang."

The crowd responded and strode confidently toward the competition stage.

Ma Xiaotao walked at the front, followed closely by Dai Yueheng, Chen Zifeng, Gongyang Mo, Xu Zihuang, Beibei, and Xu Sanshi.

This was the first time Shrek Academy had fielded its strongest lineup, and the cheers from the audience instantly resounded through the sky, creating a truly awe-inspiring scene.

This time, unlike in the past, the audience at Xingluo Square was not mostly cheering for Shrek Academy. Instead, it presented a scene of Shrek Academy and Xingluo Royal Academy competing on equal footing.

As the premier academy of the Star Luo Empire, Star Luo Royal Academy enjoys a reputation in the country that is no less prestigious than Shrek Academy.

The vast majority of the audience members present were from the Star Luo Empire, and it was only natural for them to support their country's academy.

On the other side, the seven students from Xingluo Royal Academy also remained calm.

One by one, the team members who were about to go into battle walked out. Xu Jiujiu walked at the very front.

Her bright, azure eyes shone with a faint golden luster, her gaze serene. Yet, upon closer inspection, one could discern a vastness within them, as boundless as the ocean.

However, her gaze only lingered on Ma Xiaotao for a moment before landing on Xu Zihuang in the center of the Shrek Academy group.

Princess Jiujiu was also aware of the speculation regarding Yu Tianhuang's second martial soul attribute.

Like Xu Jiawei, she also hoped that Yu Tianhuang would possess an ultimate martial soul. However, their starting points were different. Xu Jiujiu wanted to use their Xu family's Star Crown Martial Soul to directly suppress the ultimate martial soul, thereby proving the power of their Xu family's direct lineage martial soul.

Although this princess appears elegant and noble, she also possesses an extremely strong competitive spirit.

Ma Xiaotao's pink eyes burned like raging flames, and that intense aura put immense pressure on the Star Luo Royal Academy team members. She had noticed every subtle movement of the princess. Since awakening her martial soul and beginning her cultivation, this was the first time she had been treated with such disrespect.

Without turning around, it was clear that Xu Jiujiu was observing Yu Tianhuang behind her.

Feeling angry because she had been looked down upon for so long, she couldn't help but mutter a curse in her heart.

"This brat is really good at flirting with women."

The Mighty Douluo Cheng Gang glanced at Ma Xiaotao in surprise, and his expression returned to normal after a moment.

"Both sides step back. No one is allowed to release their Martial Soul before I announce the start of the match."

Both sides retreated towards the edges of the field, and their positions gradually changed during the retreat.

On Shrek Academy's side, Ma Xiaotao was still standing at the front, flanked by Dai Yueheng and Chen Zifeng.

Following the three were Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi. Standing at the very back were Xu Zihuang and Gongyang Mo. The overall formation was an inverted triangle, a three-two-one formation.

There are seven Soul Masters in total: four offensive types, and one each of defensive, control, and support types. Undoubtedly, this team is biased towards burst damage and strong offense.

On the other hand, the Star Luo Royal Academy's formation was the complete opposite, an equilateral triangle with a 1-2-3-1 formation, with only Xu Jiujiu standing at the very back.

This kind of positioning is also on the conservative side.

The golden light in Xu Jiujiu's eyes began to intensify, filled with a confident radiance. Like a commander of an army, he gazed at the Shrek Academy team from afar.

Just as Xu Zihuang had predicted, once the two sides were in position, Ma Xiaotao gave Xu Sanshi an order in an unquestionable tone.

"When the game starts, Xiao Xu, just switch me over there."

"This isn't good, Senior Sister Xiaotao. This doesn't align with the tactics Teacher Wang discussed earlier," Xu Sanshi said hesitantly.

Ma Xiaotao snorted coldly.

“What’s wrong with that? My past and Dai Yueheng’s past had the same effect.”

Dai Yueheng's eyes flickered slightly; it was only because Ma Xiaotao was far stronger than him that he realized this. If it were anyone else, he probably would have stood up and refuted them immediately.

Xu Zihuang remained silent, for he knew very well that with Princess Jiujiu participating in the battle, Xu Sanshi's fourth soul skill, Xuanming Replacement, would likely be completely ineffective.

"Game start!"

Just as Ma Xiaotao and Xu Sanshi were talking, the Mighty Douluo Cheng Gang shouted and transformed into a streak of black light once more. This powerful Title Douluo disappeared without a trace in the center of the arena.

Both were elites among young Soul Masters, with profound foundations, and they released their respective Martial Souls almost instantly.

A brilliant golden light suddenly shone on Xu Jiujiu's fair forehead; it was a rhombus-shaped golden gem. As soon as the rhombus-shaped golden gem appeared, it immediately burst forth with dazzling golden light, and then detached from her forehead, slowly floating upwards amidst the golden light.

When it landed on her head again, it had transformed into a magnificent crown.

Starting from the rhombus-shaped gemstone, the crown quickly narrows backward, with a total of eighteen larger stars protruding upward to form a beautiful circle of apex.

This is the powerful martial soul inherited by the Star Luo Empire's royal family: the Star Crown.

Two yellow, two purple, and one black—five perfectly matched spirit rings appeared simultaneously beneath her feet.

The other six students from the Star Luo Royal Academy standing in front of Xu Jiujiu were the opponents Wang Yan had introduced earlier. They had all released their martial souls, all possessing Soul King level cultivation, and all had optimal soul ring configurations.

On the north side of Xingluo Square, He Caitou, in the Shrek Academy rest area, exclaimed in surprise.

"What kind of martial spirit is this?"

“This is the Star Crown. Ten thousand years ago, it was a top-tier weapon spirit that was on par with our Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Clear Sky Hammer of the Clear Sky School.” Ning Tian’s aquamarine eyes were also full of surprise.

If the Clear Sky Hammer is the number one offensive weapon spirit on the continent, then the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is the number one support weapon spirit. The Star Crown, however, lies somewhere between the Clear Sky Hammer and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda; it possesses both incredible support abilities and formidable offensive power.

It depends on the direction of cultivation.

Princess Jiujiu is also a unique support-type battle spirit master.