Bang!
Xia Yi sent an opponent flying with a single punch before turning away casually.
At that moment, Wu Jin and Gu Yue had also finished their battles.
"They won! They won again!"
"This time, they didn't even use their battle armor!"
"This is already the ninth city, right? They've been sweeping through everything, tearing apart Tang Sect's 20,000 years of glory!"
"Yeah, you can tell that Tang Sect carefully selected opponents who specifically counter them, yet it still wasn't enough."
"Five days, sweeping through nine Tang Sect city branches. Haha, I bet the Tang Sect higher-ups are absolutely furious by now."
"If they lose again in tomorrow's battle in Mingdu… heh."
"Tang Sect, the ancient sect of twenty thousand years, the glory of the Sea God and the God of Emotions… Haha, I can't wait to see how that turns out!"
In the blink of an eye, five days had passed since the start of Shrek Academy's final exams.
In those five days, Xia Yi and his team had already challenged nine cities' Tang Sect branches.
They swept through them all—undefeated.
Aside from Yang Shuangshuang from the Tang Sect headquarters in Shrek City giving Gu Yue a bit of trouble, the rest barely managed to force Xia Yi and his teammates to use their battle armor.
The three from Tang Sect headquarters who faced them—Yang Shuangshuang's team—were not only chosen to counter Xia Yi's group but were also among the strongest below the Soul King rank in the entire Tang Sect.
Other Tang Sect branches had even weaker representatives.
If even they couldn't defeat Xia Yi's team, who else in the branches could?
In truth, the moment Xia Yi's group defeated the Tang Sect headquarters' team, the outcome had already been decided.
At this moment, Tang Sect's higher-ups were in chaos.
"Everyone, speak up. What do we do now?"
The Amorous Douluo, Zang Xin, personally arrived at the Mingdu Tang Sect branch to oversee the arrangements for tomorrow's battle.
Right now, all he wanted was for Tang Sect to secure at least one victory.
Just one.
As long as Tang Sect wasn't completely wiped out, there was still room to maneuver.
At this point, Tang Sect didn't even need to call the media. In every city Xia Yi's team visited, reporters would already be camped outside Tang Sect's doors 24 hours in advance.
Ever since Xia Yi's group defeated the Tang Sect headquarters' team, every major headline had been the same:
"Three-Person Team Challenges Tang Sect, Sweeping Through Without a Single Loss."
It made the Tang Sect higher-ups grind their teeth in frustration.
If not for the bitter lesson learned from Shrek Academy, Zang Xin would have considered eliminating Xia Yi's group in secret just to end this nightmare.
"Hall Master, don't worry. The Mingdu Tang Sect branch might not be able to deal with Gu Yue and Wu Jin, but defeating Xia Yi is absolutely certain," said Xiao Jingxing, the person in charge of the Mingdu branch, in a firm tone.
"You sound so confident, Hall Master Xiao?" Zang Xin asked curiously.
Xia Yi's group had been unstoppable, completely unrivaled below the Soul King rank.
Even the Tang Sect headquarters had lost. Where did Xiao Jingxing's confidence come from?
"Tomorrow, my grandson Xiao Yicai will personally take the field," Xiao Jingxing said solemnly.
"Your grandson, Xiao Yicai?"
Zang Xin frowned slightly and said, "If I recall correctly, he's nearly thirty now, isn't he? With his talent, he should at least be a Soul Emperor by now."
"That's right. Yicai is currently a Rank 67 Soul Emperor with a two-word battle armor," Xiao Jingxing confirmed.
"A Soul Emperor? Are you joking?" Zang Xin said flatly.
Xia Yi was only a three-ring Soul Elder. If Tang Sect was shameless enough to send a six-ring Soul Emperor against him, they might as well just admit defeat outright.
"Hall Master, rest assured. I guarantee that no one will have anything to say about it," Xiao Jingxing vowed, patting his chest.
Zang Xin narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Xiao Jingxing before finally nodding.
"If the Mingdu Tang Sect branch can defeat Xia Yi and preserve Tang Sect's last shred of dignity, I will personally request the Divine Craftsman to forge a four-word battle armor for you."
"Then I must thank the Hall Master in advance," Xiao Jingxing's eyes immediately lit up with excitement.
With a four-word battle armor, he would be able to fight even against an Ultimate Douluo.
How could he not be excited?
Mingdu
As soon as Xia Yi entered the city, he felt something was off. His eyelid kept twitching violently.
"What's wrong?" Gu Yue asked softly, noticing his unease.
"I don't know. My eyelid keeps twitching, and I feel restless, like something big is about to happen," Xia Yi said, his brows furrowed.
"Could it be that Tang Sect is planning to resort to underhanded tactics against us?" Gu Yue speculated.
They had fought their way from Shrek Academy to Mingdu.
If they won tomorrow, Tang Sect would be utterly humiliated.
At a time like this, it wouldn't be surprising if someone tried to sabotage them.
"I don't know," Xia Yi shook his head. He wasn't sure why, but something felt off.
"Forget it, let's not dwell on it. We should find a place to rest. Tomorrow morning, we'll head straight to the Tang Sect headquarters. With so many media outlets present, if those old monsters from Tang Sect dare to make a move, they'll have to consider the consequences," Xia Yi said seriously.
"Take this, just in case," Gu Yue handed him a Phoenix Heart Jade given to them by Leng Yaozhu.
Originally, Xia Yi hadn't brought anything with him—he had left all his valuables at the Star Dou Forest's Beast Estate in Shrek City.
But Gu Yue, always cautious, had asked Zi Ji to bring all their treasures to Mingdu.
She had just secretly received the Phoenix Heart Jade from Zi Ji.
"Alright." Xia Yi didn't refuse.
This was Mingdu. Unless absolutely necessary, the beasts couldn't afford to reveal themselves.
The Phoenix Heart Jade was his best backup plan.
Mingdu: The Steel Forest
Mingdu, the most modernized city on the Douluo Continent, was located in the west and served as the region's core.
Its architectural style was vastly different from Shrek City's.
While Shrek City blended classical and modern elements, Mingdu was a pure high-tech steel jungle. Towering buildings stood side by side, each unique in design—some looking downright bizarre and eye-catching.
Mingdu was massive, with a dense population and heavy traffic.
After entering the city, Xia Yi and his team spent over three hours traveling by car before finally reaching the Mingdu Tang Sect branch.
While Mingdu might not be larger than Shrek City, it was certainly more densely packed and had a far greater population.
As it was already nighttime, Xia Yi's group checked into a hotel next to the Tang Sect branch.
That way, they could go straight to the challenge in the morning.
Xia Yi knew that if Tang Sect was truly shameless enough to send assassins after them at night, it wouldn't matter where they stayed.
Tang Sect's influence spread throughout the entire city.
Staying far away would only make them look weak.
But staying right next door would force Tang Sect to be cautious.
Each of them took a separate room.
With a swarm of reporters following their every move, if Xia Yi dared to share a room with Gu Yue, the media would blow it out of proportion instantly.
After a night of meditation, the three reached their peak condition by morning.
At the Tang Sect entrance, the crowd was already packed tightly.
As they stepped forward, a loud commotion erupted.
"This is shameless! Isn't that Xiao Yicai a Soul Emperor? What's he doing on the stage? A nearly thirty-year-old Soul Emperor bullying a fourteen-year-old Soul Elder—Tang Sect, have you no shame?!"
Xiao Yicai, as the grandson of Xiao Jingxing, the head of the Mingdu Tang Sect branch, was considered a prominent figure in Mingdu.
Most people in Mingdu knew him.
When they saw him appear in the Soul Battle Arena, many spectators immediately became restless.
However, the high-ranking officials of the Tang Sect did not provide any explanation. Aside from the three referees and the three contestants, no other Tang Sect members showed up.
Opposite the Tang Sect, on the rooftop of a fifty-story, two-hundred-meter-tall building, a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl sat on the edge of the railing, a lollipop in her pink lips, looking down at Xiao Yi with disdain.
"Xiao Yicai, huh? Heh, you think too highly of yourself. Do you really believe that having a two-word battle armor makes you invincible? Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron.… Hehe, this is going to be interesting!"
The girl did not pay much attention to Xiao Yicai. She merely glanced at him with disdain before turning her gaze toward Xia Yi and Gu Yue.
With a crack, she bit down hard on the lollipop in her mouth, shattering it instantly.
"Who was it that told me I couldn't date before I turned eighteen?"
Watching Xia Yi and Gu Yue holding hands, the girl waved her delicate fist and ground her teeth.
"So young, and already learning how to be in a relationship? Hmph! I need to find a reason to teach you two a lesson!"
Xia Yi suddenly felt something and looked up.
"What's wrong?" Gu Yue asked curiously.
"I feel like someone is watching me," Xia Yi said in a low voice.
"There's no one there," Gu Yue replied, glancing up. The rooftop was completely empty.
Besides, with Zi Ji and Di Tian secretly following them, if there really was someone nearby, they would have noticed.
"Maybe I'm just being paranoid lately," Xia Yi said, shaking his head.
(End of Chapter)