To Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing and Tang San, this sum of money might not be anything. But to the others, money was still very important. Even more, Tang San and the others had all seen the original circumstances of the Shrek Academy. Having now with great difficulty found the chance to earn money, they still couldn’t too easily contradict Flender. Even though this dean was a bit treacherous and sly, it really hadn’t been easy for him to support the Academy for all these years.
Of course, the Shrek Seven Devils also once asked Grandmaster for help, but his reply was also extremely out of the ordinary. Grandmaster told them that even though this uniform was a bit unsightly, it was also a kind of practice for their inner qualities. If they could keep from changing under everyone’s jeers and laughter, then their psychological qualities would also have reached a certain degree.
The Shrek Seven Devils secretly whispered that this was clearly to toughen the thickness of their face.
Grandmaster used his position as Academy representative to along with Flender refuse to wear such a uniform, and they only had a small and very inconspicuous Shrek design on their left lapels.
It was precisely because of this unusual attire that just as Tang San and the others were about to enter the crowd, they immediately attracted special attention.
“What academy is that? Heavens, did they just crawl out from a latrine?”
“I’m dying from laughing, that green monster design on their chests is really too adorable. Why do the ears look like trumpets.”
“Look, look, on their backs they’re still recruiting some advertising? Is an advanced Spirit Master academy like this real? Can they still participate in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament? It’s too funny. The really are all kinds of birds in the woods.”
Be quiet, they’re still Spirit Masters. Only, I expect they’re only going through the motions, look at that fatty, it’s like he’s growing into a ball.”
If there was a crack in the ground right now, then the eleven Shrek Academy students would perhaps be pushing each other aside to be first to squeeze into it. Even if they had a measure of mental preparation, they still hadn’t expected there would be so many people outside the Great Spirit Arena. It was like they were on display. Moreover it was the model of negative attention. at the Spirit Arena tournament, and the Shrek Seven Devils hastily copied him one by one. The pitiful late members with Tai Long didn’t have such equipment, and could only cover their faces with their hands, like that getting more and more embarrassed.
Flender walked forward with an ‘I don’t know these people behind me’ appearance, and bore into the crowd with big steps, the speed of Grandmaster and Liu Erlong following behind him not a bit slower.
Tang San finally understood what was meant by ‘wanting to cry but lacking tears’. Right now, if he could choose to instead confront a fiftieth ranked Spirit Master team, he still wouldn’t choose to be put on display here.
Fortunately there were very many teams that came to participate in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament, representing close to thirty academies, and the majority of the crowd’s interest was still attracted by those groups, allowing the Shrek party to squeeze into the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena after their hardships.
All the teams that came to participate were for the most part dressed bright and neat. Even though they were all dressed in their academy uniforms, none were as out of the ordinary as the Shrek Academy. Dressed up in those beautiful golden, silver, red, white, with all sorts of decorations, designs and academy insignia uniforms, each and every one of the young Spirit Masters stepped forward to enter the Great Spirit Arena like heroes with their heads held high. With imposing appearance and displaying bravery, abundantly looking disdainfully at the world.
Having broken into the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena, the Shrek Academy party all loosed a breath. Tang San and Dai Mubai looked face to face, their eyes full of helplessness.
“When leaving the tournament, no matter what you say I won’t wear this. Too damaging to my heroic image.”
Ma Hongjun took off the mask from his face and complained. This tournament didn’t permit covering their faces, and right now everyone had the urge to immediately leave this place because of their clothes. Participating when attired like this was really too embarrassing.
Fortunately, today was the opening ceremony, and the first day of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament. Apart from the opening ceremony there would only be one match. The Heaven Dou Imperial Academy secondary team would conduct the first match of the round robin tournament against the first opponent they drew. It could also be considered to be a spirit fight with something of a show nature. Otherwise, with only the opening ceremonies it clearly couldn’t attract the interest of the audience.
This Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament had a cash prize, and moreover unusually direct. Each preselection match victory would award five hundred gold spirit coins, and entering the promotion competition would reward an additional three thousand gold spirit coins. If they could enter the finals, Heaven Dou Empire would not only award the title of baron, but would also reward each member of the team one thousand gold spirit coins, regardless of whether they were regular or reserve members. As for the bonus of the last finals, it would be even higher.
For the sake of the advertisements on the back of the Shrek Seven Devils, Flender had already renounced this income. In other words, any reward would be returned to the team members.
Tang San comforting said:
“Anyway, the odds of us appearing on stage today is low. After returning we’ll talk it over with dean Flender again, and no matter what is said we won’t wear these clothes tomorrow. WE have to at least drop the letters on the back.”
Right now, the Shrek Academy party stood in a specially arranged rest area for competing academies within the main arena. They weren’t the first to enter, but also weren’t the last here. Within the expansive rest area were more than a thousand seats, split into sections, to be used for the Spirit Master academies to rest and wait.
Even though there wasn’t as many people here as outside, along with the advanced Spirit Master academy participant teams entering, the Shrek Academy group still became the focal point. Despite already having done their utmost to find a corner, they still attracted a lot of attention.
But the inner qualities of Spirit Masters would always be a lot higher than that of ordinary people, and although there was no lack of despising gazes and disdainful expressions, there weren’t a lot of comments. Each academy’s team members were gathered together by each team’s teacher, waiting for the opening ceremony. At the same time, each Academy also had a teacher do the final sign up registry confirmation work. Once the competing students were properly registered, thereafter in the tournament, they couldn’t again add or change members.
Not long after, Flender came waltzing back,
“Yi, what are you doing running into a corner like this?”
Seeing the students’ unkind gazes, Flender coughed somewhat awkwardly,
“En, then we’ll be here. The signup formalities have already been completed, and in a moment you will enter for the opening ceremonies. Each and every one of you be a bit spirited, don’t lose face for our Shrek Academy. You must be the champion team.”
“Champion? Toads still want to be champions?”
At this moment, a disharmonious voice came from the side.
The Shrek Academy students nursed a bellyful of anger, and suddenly hearing this voice they immediately turned sharply to look in its direction.
That was an academy team standing close to them. Speaking of, by true coincidence, among this team were some the Shrek Seven Devils recognized. It was precisely the ones they encountered when they originally left for the Star Dou Great Forest to get their third spirit rings: students from Blue Sunshine Academy[4].
They still had those moon white Spirit Master robes, t
he two words ‘Blue Sunshine’ embroidered within a circle on their shoulders in blue-green. What was different was that this time their team uniforms all had silver decorations, appearing even more dazzling than before.
Part 3 (TL by Bagelson)
Right now, among the Shrek Seven Devils only Fatty had taken off his mask, and among the Blue Sunshine Academy’s ten plus students there were only two that originally met them, and therefore they didn’t recognize these people.
“Who did you say is a toad?”
The first to leap up was Tai Long.
“The ones wearing snot green uniforms is who. En, I think you all still lack a green hat. Adding that, it would truly be perfect.”
The speaker was a youth appearing twenty years old, a person Tang San and the others had never seen before, with a somewhat pale face, slim build, and a pair of small eyes filled with disdain and contempt.
“I’ll show you who is a toad.”
Tai Long directly swung his fist. He never had a good temper, and being directly taunted, how could he endure?
“Tai Long, come back.”
Tang San’s voice rose. Just about to swing, Tai Long had no choice but to halt in midair, turning his head to look at Tang San,
“Young master San, I……”
Tang San spoke calmly:
“What use is talking big, if you want to fight, wait until we’re on the stage. Don’t you know it’s prohibited for Spirit Master academies to fight each other here? This is some group of little white dogs, don’t they have an owner, take them away quickly.”
Tang San’s expression was very serene under his mask, at most he only looked a bit impatient, not even facing the Blue Sunshine Academy people as he spoke.
“Who are you calling a dog?”
The Blue Sunshine Academy people didn’t have much self restraint, and surrounded them in an instant, each and every one with threatening manners. Apparently they really had a bit of strength.
Dai Mubai with perfect cooperation said:
“The ones barking are the dogs. A group of masterless strays, even. Little San, even though we can’t fight here, self defense is always alright. I don’t mind sending these little white dogs back home.”
The Blue Sunshine Academy people were angry, but at this moment a forceful voice echoed,
“What are you doing?”
On hearing this voice, the Blue Sunshine Academy students’ complexion immediately turned ingratiating, and hastily separated. A sixty year old man came walking up from behind them, also wearing moon white Spirit Master attire, only his embroidery was golden.
Flender had always kept aside as a cool eyed bystander, but on seeing this person he couldn’t keep the expression in his eyes from pulsing.
Ma Hongjun whistled,
“Oh, the little white dogs’ owner came. Quickly take away these dogs of yours. They’re noisy when left here. It wouldn’t be good if they happened to piss in a public space.”
Against the Shrek Academy group’s expectations, that old man only swept his gaze across Ma Hongjun without flaring up, but on the contrary shouting in a deep voice:
“Go.”
Finished speaking, he turned and headed towards the other side of the rest area. The Blue Sunshine Academy students all looked at each other, but none dared say anything and they obediently followed him away.
Fatty laughed loudly, saying:
“The owner is sure enough different, really obedient.”
“Fine, Fatty.”
Flender glared at Ma Hongjun. The latter shut his mouth, but there was a somewhat unreconciled light in his eyes.
Flender’s brows furrowed, saying:
“I didn’t expect that old fellow to actually have gone to Blue Sunshine Academy. It seems that the quality of the Blue Sunshine Academy’s students in this competition should be pretty good. Don’t tell me that impetuousness just now was an act?”
Ma Hongjun was the closest to Flender and hastily asked:
“Teacher, who was that old man just now? You know him?”
Flender nodded:
“That old man is called Shi Nian[5], his spirit is extremely unusual. It’s a kind of special intangible spirit, capable of causing all kinds of illusions, losing people inside. His current strength should be enough to disable and kill people within the illusions. We call his spirit Cruel Dream[6]. This old fellow is extremely sinister, don’t just look at his calm and collected surface, it’s actually the corners of the eyes that will tell. You must all be a bit careful for me. When I knew him his spirit power was more than sixtieth rank, by now it might have reached more than the seventieth.”
Illusions? Was there still such a spirit? The Shrek Seven Devils couldn’t help being alarmed, in their minds reflecting on how it could be withstood, but for the most part they were at a loss.
Flender said:
“His spirit is extremely difficult to deal with, even Spirit Masters more powerful than him wouldn’t want to fight him. Alright, the opening ceremonies are about to begin, prepare to enter. Mubai, Tang San, the two of you lead everyone inside. I’ll leave first to see your heroic appearance from the stands.”
Before anyone had the chance to protest, this dean had already taken to his feet and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Sure enough, the tournament functionaries soon entered the rest area, organizing the now all present academies to enter the arena.
Making the Shrek Academy team somewhat pissed was that those functionaries apparently ignored their existence. One after another the other teams were sent into the arena, but they alone were forgotten. Only finally, when they were the only team remaining in the rest area, did a functionary walk over, taking them to the passage into the arena.
If it wasn’t for Tang San and Dai Mubai suppressing him, the fire choked back in Fatty’s belly would already have had signs of erupting.
Even though they were last to enter the arena, the instant they arrived they were still shocked by everything they saw.
Around the enormous wide open space were countless shouting and cheering spectators. Just ahead in the middle was a platform against a golden backdrop, and behind the platform were the remodelled VIP seats.
The diameter of the expansive space surpassed a hundred fifty meters, and in the center the academies that had already entered were arranged in neat formations. Each academy that entered was introduced by the master of ceremonies on the platform.
“Last to enter is the Shrek Academy team. Shrek Academy, originally Blue Tyrant Academy, changed its name to Shrek one year ago. Look, in the distinct exotic attire, altogether eleven competing students. Their sign up slogan is: Unchallenged champions. Truly a very expressive slogan, I hope they can make an outstanding display.”
Hearing the officiant's words, the spectators in the stands roared with laughter, heckling calls rising and falling in succession.
“Fuck, I can’t stand it.”
As Dai Mubai walked forward he clenched his fists, and Tang San walking behind him could clearly sense how Dai Mubai’s muscles tensed, about to erupt at any moment.
“Boss, patience. Wait until the matches. We’ll shut them up with strength.”
Tang San clapped Dai Mubai’s shoulder.
Dai Mubai turned to glance at Tang San, and with a deep breath he managed to calm himself. If it had only been him, he might have already erupted, but he knew that as team captain, if he couldn’t control himself, how could he lead the team?
Finally all the teams had entered the arena, the Shrek Academy group stood furthest back.
Tang San didn’t pay any attention to the jeers, and constantly observed their surroundings. This Great Spirit Arena was undoubtedly the biggest he had ever seen. Enough stands to hold eighty thousand spectators, backed with silver decorations. Even though it was morning, the specially suspended magic tool illumination didn’t only seem lavish, but still gave a feeling of vast space.
As his gaze fell on the VIP platform, he unexpectedly
saw a few acquaintances. One of them was the one who originally drove them away from Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, prince Xue Xing, and also Heaven Dou Imperial Academy’s three committee members. They all sat in the second row of the VIP seats, and in the first row were only three people.
The man in the middle wore gold and red robes, on his head a brilliant gold crown, his face like an old moon, and though apparently a bit older than prince Xue Xing, they still resembled one another. The difference was, this man’s bearing was far from what prince Xue Xing could compare to. Despite appearing a bit aged, sitting there straight backed he have people a feeling of being central. As if everything in the surroundings centered on him.
Without need to ask, Tang San could guess this man’s identity. If even prince Xue Xing sat in the second row, then the identity of this man in the first row was obvious; besides Heaven Dou Empire’s emperor, who could sit in this seat? Sitting to his left was an old man even older than him. Dressed entirely in red robes, wearing a pentagonal platinum hat, both eyes small as if he was asleep, with slim shoulders and a slender build like a javelin.
The person on the emperor’s right, Tang San wasn’t just familiar with, but moreover knew well. Ning Rongrong’s father, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School’s master, Ning Fengzhi.
Today Ning Fengzhi wore white robes, on his head the emblematic seven treasures purple and gold hat. As school master of one of the upper three sects of the seven great schools, he was perfectly entitled to sitting here. As for the red robed man on the other side, from the pentagonal platinum hat, Tang San could determine that this was Spirit Hall’s platinum bishop.
Spirit Hall’s highest ruler was no doubt the Supreme Pontiff, and under the Supreme Pontiff were four archbishops, their identity symbolized by the pentagonal platinum hat. This person here was no doubt one of the platinum bishops. Able to qualify as platinum bishop, this person should be the hall master of Heaven Dou City’s Spirit Temple.
Douluo Dalu - Volume 01-48 Page 162