Chapter 176: Chapter 177 – The Semifinals of the Top Four
The intense Soul Master Tournament had just moved past the sixteen-to-eight elimination round. With the team battles concluded, the fiery clashes quickly shifted into one-on-one duels.
Shrek Academy, having relied on flawless teamwork and overwhelming strength, had secured victory in the team round and earned five precious points.
For the upcoming one-on-one matches against Dou Ling Academy, Shrek’s members had a clear understanding: all they needed was three more wins to safely advance to the quarterfinals.
Dou Ling Academy also understood the situation. To surpass Shrek Academy in points, they would need a miracle—three of their members would have to consecutively defeat Shrek’s seven. Only then could they turn the tables.
Yet reality was harshly against Dou Ling Academy.
They had always excelled in team battles, but their ace strategy—relying on the seventh-rank soul tool, the Thunderous Giant Cannon—had already been neutralized and taken away by Shrek Academy. When it came to individual duels, their chances looked even dimmer.
Shrek’s overwhelming strength was laid bare for all to see; they had no less than three Soul Emperors among their main roster.
By comparison, Dou Ling’s strongest solo fighter, Qian Yuan, with his Terrorclaw Bear martial soul, might be formidable in single combat, but expecting him to leap ranks and defeat a Soul Emperor was nothing short of impossible.
Knowing they were hopelessly outmatched, Dou Ling’s captain, Gu Zhu Jian, came up with an unorthodox plan.
After some internal discussion, Dou Ling Academy made a startling decision—they would forfeit outright, without playing a single duel.
The reason was simple. Gu Zhu Jian didn’t want other academies to use these one-on-one matches to gauge the true strength of Shrek Academy’s main team.
Since they were bound to lose anyway, why not throw a wrench into everyone else’s plans?
He sneered inwardly: "You all want to use these matches to figure out Shrek’s real power? Too bad—we’re not giving you that chance. You’ll just have to keep guessing!"
The rest of his team didn’t object. Losing to Shrek Academy wasn’t shameful in itself; Shrek’s reputation was unmatched. And this way, they managed to annoy their rivals a little, which gave them a strange sense of satisfaction.
When Shrek’s members learned of this unexpected decision, they were naturally delighted.
The originally nerve-wracking duels were simply skipped. Without lifting a finger, they advanced smoothly into the quarterfinals.
Not only did this secure them a solid step forward, but it also gave the entire team valuable time to rest and recover, allowing them to conserve their strength for the tougher battles ahead.
However, the reaction from the other academies was entirely different—resentment and disapproval spread quickly.
In their eyes, even if Dou Ling had no hope of winning, they could have at least put up a fight.
After all, Dou Ling’s performance would have provided critical insights into Shrek’s strength, which other academies could then use to formulate countermeasures.
Some thought privately: "Fine, so you can’t beat Shrek—but what about the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy? They still stand a chance, don’t they? If you’d at least tested Shrek’s capabilities, Sun Moon could use that information to target them properly. That way, you’d still get your revenge, indirectly!"
But no matter how much others argued, Dou Ling Academy remained firm. Their stance was united: if they said they wouldn’t fight, then they wouldn’t fight.
And so, Shrek Academy advanced to the quarterfinals with laughable ease, continuing their march toward greater glory.
When the quarterfinal brackets were drawn, Shrek’s luck seemed almost ridiculous.
Their opponent turned out to be Zheng Tian Academy—the same academy that had emerged from the same group stage as Shrek.
In the previous round, Zheng Tian’s captain, Ye Wuqing, had shone brilliantly, leading his team with dazzling strength.
Despite qualifying only as second place in their group, Zheng Tian had created miracles—defeating other academies that had advanced as group leaders, and carving their way into the top eight.
However, their celebration didn’t last long.
For the quarterfinals, fate once again placed them directly in front of Shrek Academy. And this time, they weren’t facing Shrek’s reserve squad, but the full main lineup—three Soul Emperors among them.
Upon hearing this, Ye Wuqing was filled with nothing but helplessness.
He recalled the sixteen-to-eight round, where even Shrek’s substitutes had suppressed his team. Now, in the quarterfinals, they were up against Shrek’s true core members. His luck was absolutely abysmal.
Ye Wuqing was arrogant by nature, but even he was realistic enough to recognize the gap in strength. His Zheng Tian Academy had no chance.
After discussing the matter with Gu Zhu Jian of Dou Ling, Ye Wuqing made a decision similar to theirs—he would surrender directly.
Thus, Zheng Tian Academy never even planned to fight, handing Shrek another effortless victory into the semifinals.
Why did they make such a choice?
It wasn’t only about avoiding the humiliation of a crushing defeat. More importantly, none of them wanted to experience the terrifying venom of Duguxian Meng, Shrek’s "Poisonous Beauty." Rumors of her abilities alone were enough to make their skin crawl.
Another reason was Gu Zhu Jian’s persuasion.
Gu Zhu Jian had said: "The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy is Shrek’s true rival for the championship. If we keep Shrek’s true strength hidden, that’s giving Sun Moon less to work with. Consider it doing Shrek a favor—you never know when such goodwill might be useful later."
After careful thought, Ye Wuqing found this reasoning sound.
So he sought out Shrek’s captain, Zhou Sichen, and openly declared his surrender.
In a way, this even allowed Ye Wuqing to gain some recognition.
Zhou Sichen, upon hearing Zheng Tian’s decision, showed no arrogance or disdain.
After all, it wasn’t easy for someone to voluntarily extend goodwill. Such favors were worth accepting.
Thus, Zhou Sichen engaged Ye Wuqing in a warm and insightful discussion.
He patiently analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of both academies’ teams, and even shared training insights and battle strategies without holding back.
By the end of their exchange, the humiliation Ye Wuqing had felt from losing to Shrek’s reserves had largely faded.
He realized deeply that Shrek Academy’s strength wasn’t born from mere luck. They truly had the foundation, the knowledge, and the willingness to pass it down.
With this series of developments, Shrek Academy had only needed to fight once in the sixteen-to-eight stage—the team battle. After that, they advanced unchallenged, breezing their way into the semifinals.
On the other side, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy had no such easy path. They had to fight tooth and nail with their full roster of reserves, but thanks to their sheer power, they too emerged victorious and claimed their place in the top four.
In the quarterfinals, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy’s Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen became the focus of everyone’s attention with their dazzling performances.
Xiao Hongchen displayed an astonishing level of talent with soul tools. He seamlessly fused his soul skills with soul tools, and with the strength of just five rings, he executed operations on par with a sixth-rank soul engineer.
Every attack he launched carried terrifying destructive power, leaving opponents scrambling to defend.
From his performance, it was clear that he cared little about concealing his strength. Instead, he was wholly focused on challenging himself, pushing his limits further with each exchange.
After all, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy’s main team members still hadn’t revealed themselves. To this day, they remained hidden behind the curtain, never once stepping into the arena. This only left the other academies with even greater suspense, making their true strength all the more mysterious and enticing.
With the quarterfinals completed, the list of the top four was finally settled.
Besides Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, the other two advancing academies were Star Luo National Academy and the Heavenly Soul Empire’s top academy—Diao Academy.
The semifinals, also called the Top Four Matches, marked the critical final stage of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament. The four teams that remained were all elite squads that had survived countless rounds of brutal elimination.
Each academy’s main team members had cultivation of no less than five rings.
Among them, aside from Star Luo National Academy, the other three—Shrek, Sun Moon, and Diao Academy—all fielded powerful six-ring Soul Emperors.
This meant that the coming semifinals would undoubtedly be thrilling, with breathtaking clashes that the entire soul master world eagerly awaited. Everyone was anticipating these teams unleashing their brightest brilliance on the battlefield.
With the quarterfinals concluded, the soul master world still buzzed with excitement, shaken by the intensity of the matches.
Meanwhile, preparations for the semifinals were underway in full swing. According to the tournament rules, the four team captains were required to draw lots on stage to determine the semifinal pairings.
The reason for the early draw was clear: the organizers wanted to give the top four teams two full days to study their matchups, refine their tactics, and prepare in depth for their upcoming opponents.
At this moment, on the vast platform of the Duel Arena, the atmosphere was tense but charged with anticipation.
The four captains stood tall and proud.
—Shrek Academy’s calm yet extraordinarily powerful captain, Zhou Sicheng.
—The Sun Moon Academy’s enigmatic and mysterious captain, Ma Rulong.
—Diao Academy’s bold and straightforward captain, Jiang Peng.
—And Star Luo Academy’s graceful and intelligent captain, Xu Jiujui.
Among these four, both Ma Rulong and Xu Jiujui had yet to reveal their true combat abilities in any public match. This shroud of mystery only fueled curiosity about their actual strength.
Jiang Peng, the Diao Academy captain, was boisterous and unrestrained by nature.
The moment he stepped onto the platform, his eyes locked directly onto Zhou Sicheng. With bold strides, he approached, a wide grin spreading across his face as he spoke openly:
"Brother Zhou, I’ve got to say, Shrek Academy’s performance this year has been nothing short of astonishing! Your strength is beyond what anyone imagined. I can’t wait to have a peak battle with you all—it’ll surely be a spectacle for the ages!"
Zhou Sicheng’s lips curved into a warm smile, his eyes carrying respect and anticipation as he replied:
"I also look forward to crossing hands with Diao Academy. Hopefully, when we draw lots, fate will allow us the chance."
Hearing this, Jiang Peng chuckled heartily, determination gleaming in his eyes as he said loudly:
"No matter the result, Diao Academy will never surrender easily. We’ll give it our all and fight Shrek head-on!"
At that moment, Ma Rulong, who had stood silently until now, finally walked forward with steady steps.
His head lifted slightly, pride and confidence gleaming in his eyes. After glancing over the others, he spoke in a voice laced with disdain:
"Judging from the strength shown so far, only we, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, are qualified to contest Shrek Academy. As for Diao Academy—you’d best step aside and stop wasting everyone’s time."
Ma Rulong’s sharp words struck like a stone cast into a still lake, instantly stirring waves.
Jiang Peng’s expression darkened at once. His eyes bore into Ma Rulong as he let out a cold snort, voice dripping with anger:
"Hmph! Don’t get too arrogant! If the draw pits us against you Sun Moon people, I’ll show you my ’Dragon-Slaying Eighteen Strikes’ and let you taste true strength!"
In Jiang Peng’s heart, though Shrek was strong, they were still kin to the three original empires. Losing to them would sting, but it wasn’t unbearable.
But the Sun Moon Academy? To him, they were unequivocal outsiders. Losing to them was something he could never accept—it was a matter of pride and honor.
As the tension crackled between Jiang Peng and Ma Rulong, Xu Jiujui approached Zhou Sicheng like a blooming lotus, her steps graceful and elegant.
Tilting her head slightly, her eyes filled with expectation and humility, she said softly:
"If Shrek ends up drawing us, I hope Senior Zhou will be merciful."
Zhou Sicheng glanced at the dignified and beautiful princess, smiling gently with understanding.
"Of course. If we do face each other, we’ll make it look like a hard-fought battle, as long as Shrek takes the win in the end."
Hearing his reply, Xu Jiujui’s eyes brightened with delight. She smiled sweetly:
"Then let’s stage a thrilling match where Shrek barely wins by a slim margin. That way, our Star Luo Academy can still showcase our strength, and Shrek can keep its true power hidden. A win-win."
Zhou Sicheng nodded in agreement. It was indeed a sound plan—assuming fate paired them together.
Xu Jiujui, known as Princess Jiujui, had already made a name for herself. At the recent Starlight Auction’s grand event, she had served as the star auctioneer. With her eloquence, elegance, and professional demeanor, she left a lasting impression on every guest.
After Jiang Peng and Ma Rulong’s heated exchange, their eyes both drifted toward Xu Jiujui.
Jiang Peng spoke first, still with his trademark boldness:
"Princess Jiujui, don’t you agree? If we must lose, it should only be to Shrek Academy! As for Sun Moon—they’re nothing! Their main team hasn’t even dared to appear. If you ask me, it’s because their so-called ’main force’ is weak, and they’re hiding behind their reserves to cover it up!"
Xu Jiujui couldn’t help but cover her lips and laugh lightly at Jiang Peng’s fiery outburst.
Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she turned to Ma Rulong and teased:
"Senior Ma, is what Senior Jiang says true?"
Ma Rulong showed no anger. Instead, his lips curled into a cold, confident smile as he replied:
"Truth or not, the stage will reveal it soon enough. Empty words mean nothing. In the end, only strength speaks."
As the four captains exchanged words, the entire arena had filled to the brim with spectators.
All eyes were glued to the platform, the atmosphere reaching its peak.
At last, a middle-aged referee walked briskly onto the platform, holding a finely crafted box containing the lots for the semifinal draw.
The four captains stepped forward to special bronze-colored machines etched with ancient, mysterious runes.
Each placed their right hand upon the disk, pressing gently.
With a low rumble, the machines lit up. Four golden beams shot out, and golden tokens flew through the air like meteors.
The captains swiftly reached out and caught them.
Zhou Sicheng and Xu Jiujui lowered their eyes to see the number "1" engraved upon their tokens. Jiang Peng and Ma Rulong each held a "2."
Simultaneously, all four raised their tokens high. Sunlight glinted off the golden numbers, dazzling the crowd.
The matchups were now clear.
Xu Jiujui tilted her head toward Zhou Sicheng with a faint, expectant smile.
"Looks like we guessed right after all. Senior Zhou, don’t go back on your word."
Zhou Sicheng nodded with a smile.
"Of course. You can trust me."
On the other side, Jiang Peng clenched his fists, brimming with excitement as he stared at Ma Rulong.
"Good! Now we finally get to fight fair and square! I’ll show you that my words aren’t empty bravado. I’ll make sure the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy leaves the field speechless!"
Ma Rulong snorted coldly, disdain flickering in his gaze.
"Then we’ll see the truth on the battlefield the day after tomorrow. Victory or defeat—it’s far from decided."
With that, he turned sharply, striding off the platform with an air of confidence and pride.
The other three captains also left in turn, each carrying their own thoughts as they began their final preparations for the semifinals.
The entire soul master world now waited with bated breath. In just two days, the semifinals would bring two earth-shaking clashes.
Who would laugh last, earning their place in the finals? The answer remained shrouded in suspense.
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