We are up to 'Chapter 334: The Great Dao is Simple, Ostentatious but Impractical Hidden Weapons' on Patreon!
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)
------------------------------------------------------
Inside the dungeon
The jailer opened the door to Yu Xiaogang's cell.
Brother Snake and his group were naturally bullies who feared authority. Seeing the jailers arrive, they immediately put on a fawning smile. "Dear guards, what can we do for you? Are we finally being exiled?"
Locked in the pitch-black cells, they had no idea how much time had passed outside.
Compared to being imprisoned, exile at least offered the chance to see the sun again, which was better than their current predicament.
The jailers in the dungeon never conversed with prisoners. After searching the cell for a while, they found Yu Xiaogang crouching in a corner with his buttocks raised.
His pants were long gone, leaving him completely naked—a rather indecent sight.
The lead jailer waved his hand, and two jailers stepped forward, wrapping a blanket around Yu Xiaogang's body before dragging him out.
After the jailers left, Brother Snake and his group gathered together.
"Brother Snake, that old man is gone. Who will entertain us now?" one of his lackeys lamented.
Brother Snake shrugged it off. "What's the big deal? Just pick someone else from among you."
---
Yu Xiaogang was brought before the warden.
Not long ago, after negotiations between Bibi Dong and the Elder's Hall, Yu Xiaogang had been granted permission for release.
With orders from above, the warden naturally wouldn't keep Yu Xiaogang detained any longer.
The jailers forced Yu Xiaogang onto a chair, and the sharp pain in his buttocks caused him to let out a soft moan.
Once the pain subsided slightly, Yu Xiaogang trembled as he said, "W-what do you want to know? I'll tell you everything—just please give me a solitary cell."
He knew that most of the people locked in the dungeon were scum like Brother Snake. Rather than enduring further torment, he preferred solitude.
The warden gave a faint smile and pushed a document toward Yu Xiaogang. "You're lucky. It seems someone powerful has paid a hefty price to secure your release. Sign this release document, and you're free to go."
"What?" Yu Xiaogang thought he was dreaming. He squinted at the text on the document before finally believing it.
Without hesitation, he quickly signed his name on the paper.
The warden signaled, and Yu Xiaogang was hooded and escorted out of the dungeon.
Before leaving, the warden took pity on him and handed over a new set of clothes.
Out of the dungeon, every step Yu Xiaogang took sent sharp pains through his buttocks.
Under the cover of night, he slowly limped down the streets of the city, already cursing Bibi Dong to high heaven in his heart.
After all, he and Bibi Dong had spent some years together. Did she not feel even a shred of nostalgia for their past relationship?
Amidst his curses, Yu Xiaogang began searching for the hotel where Shrek Academy was staying.
During his time in the dungeon, every day felt like an eternity. If it weren't for his lingering attachment to Tang San and the Shrek Academy team, he might have already considered ending his life.
After so many days, he didn't know whether the Soul Master Tournament had ended. He could only ask the few passersby on the street about Shrek Academy's situation.
Fortunately, the tournament was still ongoing, and Shrek Academy hadn't been eliminated.
He also learned the location of the hotel where Shrek Academy was staying.
When he arrived at the hotel entrance, however, he was stopped by guards stationed there by the Spirit Hall.
"I'm a teacher from Shrek Academy—let me in," Yu Xiaogang tried to explain.
The guards eyed him suspiciously and sneered. "We're familiar with all the teachers from the participating academies. You're definitely not one of them. I suggest you stop scheming, or you'll end up back in jail."
At the mention of prison, Yu Xiaogang shuddered violently.
The guard continued, "If you really are a teacher, show us proof of your identity or some token. We're reasonable people, but you need to follow the rules."
Yu Xiaogang had once possessed a badge from Shrek Academy, but it had fallen off during his struggle when he was arrested—he didn't know where.
Now, no matter how much he searched his body, he couldn't find any item related to Shrek Academy.
His throat, ravaged by Brother Snake and others, burned with pain. Unable to shout loudly, he resorted to arguing with the guards.
At dawn the next day, Tang San stepped out of the hotel to absorb the first rays of purple qi.
Suddenly, he noticed a familiar figure near the hotel entrance.
Perhaps from exhaustion the previous night, Yu Xiaogang was leaning against the hotel door, asleep.
Tang San hurried over and woke him. "Teacher, Teacher, wake up!"
Yu Xiaogang struggled to open his eyes.
Having spent so long in the dark dungeon, the bright sunlight now stung his eyes, making it impossible for him to open them fully.
But hearing Tang San's voice instantly made him feel safe. "Xiao San, is that really you?"
Tang San was alarmed. "Teacher, what's wrong? Are your eyes hurting?"
Without hesitation, he helped Yu Xiaogang into the room.
The dim light inside allowed Yu Xiaogang to finally open his eyes.
Tang San laid him on the bed, and the soft quilt provided some relief to the pain in his buttocks.
Upon hearing that Yu Xiaogang had returned, the members of Shrek Academy joyfully gathered around him.
"Xiaogang, what happened? Did that woman do this to you?" Liu Erlong asked anxiously.
Yu Xiaogang dared not speak of his experiences in prison and instead shifted the topic to his purpose for coming.
"So, that woman didn't tell you the cultivation method?" Liu Erlong sighed.
Lying on the bed, Yu Xiaogang bitterly said, "Hmph, from now on, my ties with Bibi Dong are severed! Over a few harsh words, she dared to throw me into prison."
Liu Erlong grabbed his hand, her face full of concern. "Xiaogang, did they torture you in prison?"
"Teacher Erlong, Teacher doesn't have any visible injuries—it seems he's fine," Tang San interjected.
When helping Yu Xiaogang into the room, Tang San had checked his body and found no obvious wounds.
Yu Xiaogang certainly wasn't going to reveal his ordeal and quickly changed the subject. "I-I'm fine. My situation isn't important. What stage is the final at now?"
"The day after tomorrow, our opponents will be the Star Luo Imperial Academy team," Dai Mubai said. "Master, please arrange the tactics. No matter what, we must win this match."
"There's something I've never told everyone before—I am a prince of the Star Luo Empire…"
Dai Mubai explained the inheritance system of the Star Luo Royal Family and recounted his own experiences.
"So, Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun possess a martial soul fusion technique?" Yu Xiaogang asked.
Dai Mubai nodded.
Losing Zhu Zhuqing meant losing one of his major trump cards—the martial soul fusion technique.
Both Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun were high-level Soul Ancestors, and their martial soul fusion technique was formidable. Dai Mubai alone wouldn't be able to withstand it.
Tang San placed a hand on his shoulder. "Mubai, you still have us, your teammates. Don't worry."
Everyone expressed their willingness to help Dai Mubai win this match.
After a pause, Tang San added, "Teacher, earlier I discussed with Teacher Erlong and Principal Flender about replicating the three-person martial soul fusion technique among us."
"Unfortunately, we don't understand the principles behind it. With your help, we should be able to achieve a three-way fusion. At that point, whether facing the Spirit Hall Academy team or the Seven Treasures Academy team, we'll stand a good chance."
Yu Xiaogang was well aware of the Spirit Hall Academy team's strength.
As for the secrets of the three-way fusion technique, only he knew them. Otherwise, how could he have dominated Flender and Liu Erlong?
He wholeheartedly agreed with Tang San's suggestion. "I believe the three-way fusion isn't the limit. I can try for a four-way or even a five-way fusion."
Flender's breathing quickened. "Are you serious? The three-way fusion among us could rival a Title Douluo. If we succeed in replicating it with the children, it could at least reach the level of a Soul Emperor. That way, we'd have a real chance at winning the championship. With the title of champions, we'll attract plenty of students during the recruitment season in two months…"
Yu Xiaogang chuckled. "Of course, I'm confident I can make it happen. By the way, when is the match between Seven Treasures Academy and Spirit Hall Academy? I need to study their strength beforehand."
Currently, the six strongest teams had emerged.
Aside from Shrek Academy and the Star Luo Imperial Academy, the remaining four teams were Seven Treasures Academy, Spirit Hall Academy, Tian Shui Academy, and Beast Academy.
Today's match would be between Seven Treasures Academy and Beast Academy, while tomorrow's match would pit Spirit Hall Academy against Tian Shui Academy.
This schedule almost guaranteed the finalists for the championship.
Yu Xiaogang quickly got up from the bed. "Time is of the essence. Let's head to the arena immediately. The Beast Academy team is strong—they might force Seven Treasures Academy to reveal their trump cards."
---
The Seven Treasures Academy and Beast Academy teams entered the arena together.
Before the match, Tian Chao said to Ning Tianchen, "Friend, we'll probably lose this match. But please fight with all your strength—at least let us leave the arena with dignity."
The Beast Academy team didn't care about their ranking in the Soul Master Tournament. Reaching the top six was already proof of their strength. However, they didn't want to leave the arena with regrets either.
Ning Tianchen bumped fists with him. "As you wish."
With some time before the match began, the Seven Treasures team retreated to the rest area to discuss their strategy.
Though Tian Chao had spoken humbly, if the Seven Treasures team performed poorly, the Beast Academy team wouldn't hesitate to seize the opportunity to advance.
"The Beast Academy team has no auxiliary-type soul masters—all of them are power-type soul masters. This match will be highly confrontational. Xiao Ao won't participate, and the rest of us will give it our all."
In direct head-to-head battles, complex tactics weren't necessary—just ensure no one was left behind, and prevent the opponent from easily breaking through to the backline.
Yu Die couldn't help but laugh. "Our team has four agility-type soul masters. Head-on clashes aren't exactly our forte, are they?"
Ning Tianchen explained, "In this match, Rongrong can use her fourth soul skill. With the Turtle Shell's defense, everyone will have a high margin for error and won't get injured easily."
Ning Rongrong's fourth soul skill provided a defensive shield for the entire team, and its strength was formidable—ordinary Soul Ancestors couldn't break it easily.
Yu Die nodded. "That works. If things get dire, we'll use our martial soul fusion technique."
...
The match began soon after.
In the pre-match predictions, no one thought that the Seven Treasures Academy would lose.
Of course, the Beast Academy's strength couldn't be underestimated either. If they had better luck with the draw, they could have easily advanced to the finals.
Ning Tianchen and his team lined up, preparing for a direct confrontation.
Tian Chao and his teammates were more than willing to oblige, forming a lineup and adopting a man-to-man tactic.
Xue Ao, as a Soul Elder, was assigned to circle around the team, ready to provide support at any moment.
"Friend, let's fight one last time," Tian Chao stomped his foot forcefully, and his Snow Mountain Mammoth martial soul emerged, emitting a "hissing" sound.
Tian Guocheng targeted Feng Xiaotian, and the two quickly engaged in a fierce struggle.
Below the arena, Yu Xiaogang watched this scene anxiously, stomping his feet in frustration.
This was just a simple man-to-man tactic—there was no way to discern the Seven Treasures Academy's trump cards.
After all, once this match ended, the next time they'd see the Seven Treasures Academy would likely be in the finals.
By then, even if they figured out their tactics, it would be too late to devise countermeasures.
"Xiaogang, you've been standing there for so long. Why don't you sit down and rest?" Flender asked with concern.
Yu Xiaogang quickly shook his head. "No need, I'll stand."
Observant Dai Mubai asked, "Master, you've been rubbing your buttocks. Are you injured? I have some medicinal herbs that might help relieve your pain."
Upon hearing this, Liu Erlong looked at Yu Xiaogang with concern.
Yu Xiaogang's face flushed red from embarrassment. Enduring the pain, he quickly took a few steps forward to avoid revealing his expression. "Cough, cough, no need. I'm fine, let's keep watching the match."
If what happened in the dungeon became known, how could he ever show his face again? His lifelong reputation would be ruined!
On the arena, Ning Tianchen deliberately slowed the pace, keeping both teams in a balanced state.
After all, the relationship between the two sides was good. In the future, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect might even form an alliance with the Snow Mountain Sect. Naturally, they had to give the other side enough face in this match.
"Nine Treasures are renowned, and the fourth is defense."
A dazzling nine-colored light enveloped Zhu Zhuqing, forming a turtle shell shield around her body.
The Dark Shadow Cat martial soul was suitable for assassination and blending into shadows. Although Zhu Zhuqing had explosive power, she couldn't sustain it for long. During her previous battle with Long Keduo, if Ning Rongrong hadn't provided her soul skill in time, she might have been injured.
"Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda soul skill can create an additional defensive barrier for her teammates!" Yu Xiaogang exclaimed in shock.
As a disciple of the top three sects, he was quite familiar with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul.
Flender carefully examined the pagoda in Ning Rongrong's hand and asked, puzzled, "Xiaogang, how many layers does the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul have?"
Without hesitation, Yu Xiaogang replied, "It's called the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, so naturally, it has only seven layers."
Flender was surprised. "That's not right. The pagoda in Rongrong's hand clearly has nine layers."
Ning Rongrong was just an auxiliary-type soul master, and on the stage, people usually focused on who received her boosts rather than her martial soul itself.
Tang San and Liu Erlong simultaneously looked at Ning Rongrong, confirming Flender's observation.
Yu Xiaogang's expression suddenly darkened. "For the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul, each layer of the pagoda can hold one soul ring. That's why, even with Ning Fengzhi's talent, his strength is still capped at level seventy-nine."
"If I'm not mistaken, Ning Rongrong's martial soul should be the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda. With nine layers, it means she can attach nine soul rings to her martial soul. With her talent and the resources of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, she may very well become an auxiliary-type Title Douluo in the future."
The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul merely allowed Ning Rongrong to absorb two additional soul rings in the future, which wasn't a problem at all.
After all, Ning Rongrong's current strength couldn't fully showcase this advantage yet.
The members of Shrek Academy had just relaxed a bit when they heard Yu Xiaogang's words, causing their expressions to tense up again.
"What I said earlier was just one aspect. The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda is a legendary martial soul of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Now that it can provide Zhu Zhuqing with additional shielding, who knows what other effects it might have?"
"Unfortunately, they've hidden themselves so deeply that we no longer have the chance to uncover Ning Rongrong's full capabilities."
Tang San smiled. "Teacher, don't forget we still have the three-way martial soul fusion technique. A single auxiliary-type soul master like Ning Rongrong won't be able to change the outcome of the match alone!"
...
After fifteen minutes of intense fighting in this match, Ning Tianchen and Feng Xiaotian executed a dual-person combination.
Essentially, Ning Tianchen used his fourth soul skill to manipulate the surrounding airflow, assisting Feng Xiaotian's attacks.
Their coordination had been practiced before the tournament, and now, their execution was seamless.
Ultimately, under Ning Tianchen's cover, Feng Xiaotian unleashed a powerful gust of wind that blew all members of the Beast Academy off the stage.
The match ended, and the Seven Treasures Academy successfully advanced to the finals.
After stepping off the stage, Tian Chao patted his chest. "Friends, your strength is impressive. We lost, but we're convinced. However, we won't be able to watch your performance in the finals. Our sect sent a secret message a few days ago, calling us back."
"After we finish packing, we'll set off on our return journey. This parting is uncertain—there's no telling when we'll meet again."
As he left, Tian Chao waved. "Friends, if you ever have the chance, come find us in the far north."
"I will. Safe travels," Ning Tianchen waved goodbye.
Ke Jie came down to the arena to greet everyone. "We've entered the finals. There's no doubt that the Spirit Hall Academy will defeat the Tian Shui Academy and advance to the finals. After returning, don't let your guard down. Study your opponents carefully. The tournament will conclude in a few days—just hang in there a little longer."
The tournament had already lasted nearly four months. The tension built up over such a long period, if relaxed too early, would make the upcoming matches much harder to win.
...
The next day's match went without surprises—the Spirit Hall Academy team easily defeated the Tian Shui Academy.
For the Tian Shui Academy, achieving a top-six finish was already a new record for the school. Unfortunately, against the heavily favored Spirit Hall Academy team, they stood no chance of resistance.
However, compared to the Imperial Battle Team, the Tian Shui Academy members weren't maliciously injured by the Golden Generation, which was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.
The following match would decide the final spot in the finals: Shrek Academy versus Star Luo Imperial Academy.
Before the match, many predicted that the Tiandou Imperial Academy would win.
At that point, the three finalists would represent the two empires and the Spirit Hall.
Listening to the audience's chatter, Tang San sneered. "Hmph, it's still unclear who will emerge victorious!"
Dai Mubai, however, felt worried. "Xiao San, Master's martial soul fusion technique hasn't been perfected yet. Do we really have a chance to win this match?"
Tang San smiled confidently. "Don't worry, my Haotian Hammer isn't here to play games!"
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead Guaranteed: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow