"What? Extend your life by a hundred years?"
Jiang Zhu was stunned, lowering his head to stare at the emerald green seven-leaf clover in his hand. This small medicinal herb could actually prolong life by a whole century? He hesitated, then tried to hand it back to Ye Feng. "No, this thing is too valuable."
"Take it. It's just a high-grade medicinal herb." Ye Feng smiled.
"Even if it's high-grade, it's still priceless. Rich merchants would kill to get their hands on something like this. It's really too precious."
"Take it. If you feel guilty, then prove your worth in the competition. With only seven players, it'll be tough to handle the heavy schedule and the ever-changing opponents, both in terms of stamina and strategy. Even though you're substitutes, your role is just as crucial." Ye Feng's voice carried a serious weight.
"This..." Jiang Zhu still hesitated.
"Jiang Zhu, just accept it. Don't let him down." Jing Ling urged.
"...Alright." Jiang Zhu nodded and put away the herb Ye Feng had given him.
Dai Mubai and Tang San, watching this unfold, couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.
They were main players too, yet Ye Feng had given Tai Long, Jing Ling, and Jiang Zhu powerful medicinal herbs, while completely ignoring them.
Dai Mubai, as a prince, had always been proud. Seeing Oscar and Ma Hongjun, who used to be weaker than him, now surpass him in spirit power, made him feel uneasy.
But he understood. He had treated Ye Feng like shit before. Why would Ye Feng give him anything now?
Ye Feng caught the look on Dai Mubai's face. "Mubai, do you have something to say?"
Dai Mubai forced a smile. "Boss Ye, do you have any herbs that suit me? Even if they don't help my cultivation, I'd still like to experience their effects."
"No."
Ye Feng smiled and shook his head, then glanced at Tang San. Even if he had an immortal herb that suited them, he wouldn't give it to them. He knew that sooner or later, he and Tang San would walk completely separate paths.
"Alright, everyone, sit down."
Once everyone was seated, Ye Feng continued, "In a few days, the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Competition will begin. Since Erlong entrusted me with this responsibility, I'll see it through to the end."
"Now, let me explain the rules. Rules aren't just limitations—they can also be advantages if used properly."
"This competition is organized by the royal families of the Tiandou and Xingluo Empires and co-hosted by the Spirit Hall. It's the biggest competition in the spirit master world, second only to the elite selection of the Spirit Hall itself."
"The rules are simple. All participants must be under 25 years old. Each match will have seven participants. Killing is not allowed in the competition."
Oscar raised his hand. "Boss Ye, that rule doesn't make sense. Spirit skills don't have eyes—what if someone gets killed accidentally?"
"You're right, but you need to understand that the purpose of this tournament isn't just combat. The empires are using it to scout and recruit talent."
"Also, during the competition, no one is allowed to use medicine or food that isn't created by a food-type or healing-type spirit master. Weapons that aren't martial spirits are also forbidden."
"In short, no hidden weapons, no guns."
"Remember these rules, or you'll be disqualified. But if your opponent threatens to kill you in the match, don't worry about the rules—just do what you have to do."
Hearing this, Xiao Wu interrupted, "So, if necessary, we can kill our opponent, right?"
"Just remember this—Shrek Academy has your back now, more than ever," Ye Feng responded.
Seeing everyone nod in understanding, Ye Feng continued, "Now, let's go over the competition format."
"There are two groups: the main teams and the vice teams. The main teams are the royal teams of both empires and the Spirit Hall's seeded teams—they automatically advance to the finals."
"The vice teams, along with other spirit academies, have to compete in the preliminaries."
"The Tiandou Empire alone has six regional qualifiers, with over a hundred teams fighting for just fifteen spots. The Tiandou City division is the toughest, with the highest number of advanced spirit academies, and only five spots available."
"The preliminaries are team battles—each match has seven players. The promotion matches switch to one-on-one duels. Each team sends out seven players one by one, and whoever remains standing wins the match."
"As for the finals, 33 teams will enter a knockout tournament. In the first round, the three seeded teams get a bye. In the second round, the top two teams from the qualifiers get a bye. Same in the third round. After that, the remaining six teams will fight for the championship in a group battle."
Hearing this, Tang San interrupted, "Boss Ye, before the promotion matches and the finals, I suggest that you, Ning Rongrong, Ma Hongjun, and Zhu Zhuqing hold back and not reveal your full strength—especially you and Ning Rongrong. It would be best if you didn't compete until the finals."
"Why?" Ma Hongjun asked.
"Because hiding our true strength will make it harder for opponents to figure us out. That way, we'll have an easier time later in the competition," Tang San explained with a smile.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Tang San hadn't planned to speak at first, but for Yu Xiaogang's sake, he needed a chance to shine. He wanted to prove his teacher's worth to the spirit master world. Ye Feng was too strong, and Ning Rongrong's support ability was ridiculous. If they were in the spotlight, Tang San knew he wouldn't get a chance to stand out. That's why he made this suggestion.
"No."
Ye Feng rejected the idea without hesitation.
"Why not?" Tang San frowned.
"The Spirit Hall has been arrogant for too long. In recent years, they've won every single tournament. If we want to humble them, we can't just hide our strength—we need to dominate from the start and crush their confidence."
"Boss Ye, isn't that a bit reckless? If we reveal our strength too early, we'll become a major target," Tang San reminded him.
Just then, Zhao Wuji walked in, his expression heavy. He approached Ye Feng and said grimly, "Ye Feng, Prince Xue Xing from Tiandou City just sent word. His Majesty Poison Douluo... has passed away."
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