Chapter 43: Seven Monsters Challenge (I)

After finalizing the selection of talented Outer Courtyard students and settling various details, Ning Tian's thoughts became increasingly active. She proposed an idea:

"Bai-ge, do you think there's a chance for our clan to attract Inner Courtyard disciples?"

Compared to the Outer Courtyard students who were like uncut jade needing time and effort to polish, the Inner Courtyard students who had already been honed to sharpness and possessed even greater talent were even more enticing to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.

Upon hearing this, Ling Bai smiled wryly and said, "You're even bolder than me in your thinking. There are fewer than a hundred students in the Inner Courtyard, and each one of them is a monster selected from tens of thousands across the continent. The three great empires, the major sects, including Shrek Academy itself... so many factions are eyeing these fat pieces of meat like tigers stalking their prey.

"Xiao Tian, you don't need to worry about matters concerning the Inner Courtyard. If there's an opportunity to recruit someone, I definitely won't let it slip by. Just focus on completing your tasks in the Outer Courtyard."

"Okay."

Ning Tian's lovely face bloomed with a bright smile upon receiving Ling Bai's promise. As dusk settled, the three of them bid each other goodnight and went their separate ways back to their dormitories.

Ling Bai crossed Sea God Lake and returned to his small house. Sitting cross-legged on his wooden bed, he immersed himself in meditation, entirely unaffected by the incident with Huo Yuhao.

Wrong is wrong.

So what if he's the protagonist?

If he were truly afraid of the protagonist's halo, he wouldn't have gotten involved with Electrolux and taken the Skydream Iceworm's shed skin back in the Star Dou Forest.

He never believed in the so-called 'Child of Destiny'; he only believed in making things happen through one's own efforts.

...

A ray of dawn light shone through the window lattice onto Ling Bai, casting a golden hue over his slender figure. With each rise and fall of his breathing, streams of golden spirit power rose like steam, gradually merging back into his body.

Knock, knock, knock!

Someone suddenly knocked on the door. Ling Bai instantly awoke from his meditation, got out of bed, and opened the door, only to be greeted by a rich fragrance accompanying a stunning face as bright as fire that domineeringly burst into his sight.

'Ma Xiaotao?'

Ling Bai wasn't particularly keen on seeing this beautiful neighbor. Who knew when this Inner Courtyard's active volcano might erupt?

"What's the matter?" Ling Bai asked.

"Elder Xuan has summoned us to the Spirit Dueling Arena."

Ma Xiaotao slightly parted her cherry lips. Her abrupt sentence left Ling Bai momentarily stunned, then he smiled helplessly.

Truth be told, he didn't want to see the Chicken Leg Douluo either; he always felt that the old glutton had ulterior motives. However, under someone else's roof, one had to play by their rules. The two of them unfurled dazzling golden angelic wings and fiery red phoenix wings and flew toward the Inner Courtyard's Spirit Dueling Arena.

Ling Bai landed in the arena and unexpectedly saw two distinctly separate groups of people, including some familiar faces.

Dugu Lin, Chu Qingtian, Tai Xing, Pan Tao, and Zhou Sen, these students who had entered the Inner Courtyard with him were already waiting on one side. Upon seeing Ling Bai, Dugu Lin secretly winked at him, displaying a charming and playful demeanor.

On the other side stood seven people in neat rows, all wearing the Inner Courtyard's red uniforms. They appeared to be eighteen or nineteen years old, each full of vigor and exuding an imposing aura.

Ling Bai recognized two of them, the Ice Element Ling Luochen and Qian Duoduo's adopted son, Qian Fufu. Considering how Chu Qingtian and the others who arrived at the Spirit Dueling Arena earlier stood ramrod straight, occasionally casting gazes filled with admiration and fervor toward the seven, he seemed to have guessed their identities.

In stark contrast to the restrained demeanor of the Inner Courtyard freshmen, Ling Bai and Ma Xiaotao were obviously much more uninhibited, especially the latter. She couldn't stop sizing up the dual-pupiled youth at the front of the opposite side, her face clearly displaying the word 'provocation.'

Elder Xuan surveyed the group and nodded, "Everyone's here, so let's skip the small talk! In one year, the new Continental Elite Spirit Master Academy Tournament will officially commence. You are all smart and quick-witted Inner Courtyard students. I believe you can guess each other's identities!"

After pausing for a second, Elder Xuan turned to Ling Bai and the others, and said in a deep voice:

"That's right! Standing opposite you are the under-twenty students who represent Shrek Academy's strongest combat strength, the Shrek Seven Monsters! It is they who have upheld Shrek Academy's glory time and again, spreading the illustrious deeds of the continent's number one academy across the entire land!"

The Shrek Seven Monsters!

A name renowned for ten thousand years!

The epitome of monsters!

Chu Qingtian and the others instantly ignited with passion. They realized they were being given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, an excellent chance to become part of the legendary Shrek Seven Monsters!

With that, Elder Xuan turned to the current seven members and said:

"In the last tournament, you were only the reserve team, and now you're just provisional members of the Shrek Seven Monsters. Having experienced the baptism of the tournament, you should understand that from the captain down to the support, each member of the Shrek Seven Monsters must be the cream of the crop among their peers!

Little brats, don't think your positions are secure!

Those who lost to you during the selection of the reserve team have returned with renewed determination and drive. Five years later, they have once again become your strongest opponents on the path to becoming the true Shrek Seven Monsters!

I'm giving you six months to prepare. Six months from now, the Seven Monsters Challenge will officially begin. The victors will become the true Shrek Seven Monsters and represent the academy in this Spirit Master Tournament!"

Battle intent soared to the sky as soon as he finished speaking!

All fourteen people on both sides locked their gazes onto the formidable opponents across from them. Their auras continued to rise, spirit power surged wildly in the air, and it seemed as if a black dragon was ascending in the Spirit Dueling Arena, soaring straight into the clouds!

"Good, good, good! This is exactly the fighting spirit I wanted to see!"

Elder Xuan laughed heartily, taking a bite of his chicken leg and a sip of fine wine, thoroughly enjoying himself. "I know you're all eager, but don't be too hasty. I haven't told you the rules of the Seven Monsters Challenge yet."

"Is it another team battle?"

Tai Xing, the Vigorous Orangutan, couldn't help but ask.

The regret of losing in the chaotic selection battle had left a deep scar in his heart. Even years later, recalling it still brought a dull pain. Countless times, he had awakened in the middle of the night, suddenly thinking that if he had formed a strong team more quickly back then, perhaps he would have become a member of the reserve team!

"How could that be?"

Elder Xuan's response was like a bucket of cold water poured over Tai Xing's head, instantly extinguishing half of his fighting spirit. He scratched his head in confusion and asked, "Elder Xuan, there's exactly seven of us on each side; a seven-on-seven match would be perfect."

Elder Xuan flicked a chicken bone at him, making Tai Xing stagger back half a step. With a tone of hating iron for not becoming steel, he said:

"You brat, do you think this is selecting the reserve team? How can the selection of the official Shrek Seven Monsters be so casual?"

Tearing off a piece of chicken meat forcefully, Elder Xuan grumbled, "To avoid the influence of luck, forget about seven-on-seven team battles."

Just think about it. Ling Bai + Ma Xiaotao + Dugu Lin, the three of them plus four pieces of baggage could very well defeat the current Shrek Seven Monsters. The problem was, the Spirit Master Tournament wasn't just about team battles; there were also individual matches, two-on-two battles, and other formats. If the baggage performed poorly then, it would still be Shrek's face that was lost!

Elder Xuan continued, "The rules for the Seven Monsters Challenge are similar to a king-of-the-hill format. The official Shrek Seven Monsters will act as the defending champions. The competition is divided into two modes: one-on-one and two-on-two, with two-on-two only open to auxiliary-type Spirit Masters!

To avoid excessive repetition of the same type of Spirit Masters, challengers in one-on-one matches must be of the same cultivation path as the defender—that is, control-type against control-type, power attack-type against power attack-type, agility attack-type against agility attack-type. There are no restrictions on Spirit Guidance Masters; anyone can challenge a Spirit Guidance Master..."

-------------------

-------------------

Original Author's Note:

Ma Xiaotao never participated in the Spirit Master Tournament and wasn't in Dai Yueheng's reserve team. After controlling her evil fire, she replaced a Spirit Guidance Master.

The unlucky Spirit Guidance Master who didn't appear in the original work is set in this book as Qian Fufu, the adopted son of Qian Duoduo.