Shrek Academy's matches were always scheduled as the first match of the day, and today was no exception.
The venue was still packed, and at this moment, the audience's focus was on the two individuals who had already gone up to the competition stage for the public drawing.
Representing Shrek Academy was Shi Yu, while their opponent, Zheng Tian Academy, sent up their strongest Soul King, Ye Wuqing.
Zheng Tian Academy had a total of three Soul Kings, and this Ye Wuqing was the strongest, with Soul Power reaching level fifty-eight.
The two went onto the stage and faced each other. Shi Yu's gaze was calm, and he politely nodded at the other party.
Ye Wuqing had seen Shi Yu's previous performance and looked at this person, who was only thirteen or fourteen years old, with a different perspective. He also nodded courteously as a greeting.
The Referee conducted the drawing witnessed by both individuals. The result would determine the format of today's match.
"The match format between Shrek Academy and Zheng Tian Academy will be individual battles," the Referee announced the result.
Shi Yu could accept this result. As long as it wasn't the two-two-three battle strategy, it was acceptable.
After all, there were only three match formats: team battles were the best, followed by individual battles, and the two-two-three battle strategy was the worst.
Ye Wuqing's side could accept this result even more.
With three Soul Kings and four Soul Grandmasters on their side, they were not afraid at all when facing the currently incomplete Shrek Academy.
Shi Yu returned to the rest area. Jiang Nannan, Huo Yuhao, and the others were all looking at him.
Zhang Lexuan and Xuan Lao were also present, looking quite solemn. Today's opponent was not easy to deal with.
"I'll go first," Jiang Nannan volunteered.
Among their five members, besides Shi Yu, her individual strength was the strongest.
Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao were all a bit helpless. In individual battles, the value they could display was very limited, and they might even not be able to play any role.
After all, the weakest opponent might be a Soul Grandmaster, which would make it very difficult for Wang Dong to handle, and it was even unlikely for him to win.
Not everyone could fight across ranks as exaggeratedly as Shi Yu.
Shi Yu thought for a moment, shook his head, and said, "Let me go first. If I can't hold on, then you guys can go up."
Some things were left unsaid. If he could break through the opponent's lineup, then they could win.
If he couldn't break through, they would likely lose this match.
Unless he managed to leave the opponent with only one or two people remaining, it would be very difficult for Jiang Nannan and the others to win.
"Let Shi Yu go first," Zhang Lexuan agreed with Shi Yu's arrangement.
Xuan Lao also nodded in agreement. There was no need for someone to go and consume the opponent's state for Shi Yu. Consuming wouldn't consume much and had little significance.
It was finally decided that Shi Yu would be the first to fight. At the Referee's signal, he walked towards the competition stage.
Seeing that Shrek Academy actually sent Shi Yu out first, many people showed surprise.
Generally speaking, powerful contestants would be kept for the end. Shrek, however, sent their strongest one out first.
Thinking of Shrek Academy's current awkward situation, these people suddenly understood a little.
Indeed, among the five people Shrek Academy could field now, besides Shi Yu, only the Soft Bone Rabbit Soul Grandmaster was presentable.
Sending anyone else up would probably just boost Zheng Tian Academy's morale.
Anyway, sending them up or not wouldn't make much difference, so it was better not to send them up to lose face and just let Shi Yu go first.
Shi Yu walked onto the competition stage. Zheng Tian Academy's first contestant also came up; it was a female.
Shi Yu had no intention of underestimating the opponent. He could feel a relatively strong energy fluctuation from her. Her cultivation was much higher than his, she was a Soul King.
If he remembered correctly, this might be the Angel Martial Soul Soul King from Zheng Tian Academy.
The Angel Martial Soul, this was not simple, and he also wondered if it had any connection with the Qian family from ten thousand years ago.
Thinking of the Angel Martial Soul, Shi Yu instinctively thought of the Hall of Spirits' Qian family from ten thousand years ago.
Their inherited Martial Soul was the Six-Winged Angel, and this person's Martial Soul was Angel. There was a connection between the two.
There might also be some connection between them.
Of course, it wasn't absolute. There could still be situations where Martial Souls were the same, but there was no connection between them.
There was no shortage of examples on the Continent where people had the same Martial Soul but were not related by blood.
For example, the most common waste Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass. Millions of people on the Continent awakened this waste Martial Soul. Could it be that they were all related by blood?
It's worth mentioning that awakening a Martial Soul does not mean one can become a Soul Master.
People in this world can all awaken Martial Souls, but they must have innate Soul Power to cultivate and become Soul Masters.
People without innate Soul Power cannot become Soul Masters. They can only be called ordinary people who have awakened a Martial Soul, not Soul Masters.
Therefore, the number of people who have awakened Martial Souls on the Continent is in the hundreds of millions, but the total number of Soul Masters across the four countries is unlikely to exceed one million.
Saying one in a hundred is already exaggerating the proportion.
Shi Yu also couldn't be sure if the person in front of him was really related to that Qian family.
"After the match, I should find an opportunity to make contact, just in case," Shi Yu thought to himself.
He couldn't make a definitive judgment, so he could only slowly try to verify it himself.
At the Referee's signal, both sides released their Martial Souls. Shi Yu hadn't guessed wrong; the opponent's Martial Soul was indeed the Angel Martial Soul.
Sacred golden light permeated her body surface, and a pair of pure white wings with rich golden color appeared behind her.
Shi Yu paid special attention. There was only one pair of wings, not the so-called Six-Winged Angel.
But the Angel Martial Soul could evolve. Now it might be two wings, and later it might be four wings, or six wings.
In Yu Mengdi's hands, a golden longsword appeared in each. These were not Soul Guidance Devices, but twin swords condensed from Soul Power, considered a combination of the Martial Soul's inherent ability and Soul Skills.
At this moment, she hadn't lit up her first Soul Ring, but it was equivalent to releasing her first Soul Skill.
Five Soul Rings emerged from the soles of her feet: two yellow, two purple, and one black. The five Soul Rings proved her powerful strength as a Soul King.
Yu Mengdi, having released her Angel Martial Soul, became solemn and majestic, like an angel's messenger in the human world.
It wasn't the first time Shi Yu had faced a Soul King, but it was the first time he had faced an Angel Martial Soul Soul King. This feeling was quite novel.
The opponent had two more Soul Rings than him, but he didn't feel much pressure. Of course, he wasn't completely relaxed either. He still valued his opponent and wouldn't be careless.
Their gazes met, and sparks of fighting intent collided and engaged in the air. The battle was about to begin.
The audience also watched with anticipation. Individual battles were considered their favorite battle format.
It was clearer to watch this way. Team battles were too chaotic, and many people actually just watched for the spectacle.
"Shrek Academy versus Zheng Tian Academy, individual battle first match, begin!" The Referee announced the start of the match.
Yu Mengdi, with her wings beating off the ground, rushed towards Shi Yu immediately, holding her golden twin swords, her attention exceptionally focused.
Shi Yu didn't rush to make a move, just waiting for the opponent to come over.
Yu Mengdi frowned, instinctively feeling there was something wrong, and her second Soul Ring directly lit up.
The golden twin swords drew a cross-shaped sword light, striking towards Shi Yu with sacred flames.
A Soul King's attack was naturally not weak. Even Shi Yu wouldn't directly take such a move head-on.
He wasn't crazy. Why would he actively endure an attack?
Shi Yu took a step back and disappeared from his spot, causing the incoming Sacred Radiance Cross Slash to miss.
Yu Mengdi had anticipated it but was still a bit disappointed. Naturally, she hoped her attack would be effective, not consume Soul Power in vain like this.