boyutpedia Chapter 165 Preliminary Round
Chapter 165 Preliminary Round
Chapter 165 Preliminary Round (Part 1)
Just as the two siblings, Hongchen and his sister, were arguing, an incredibly loud voice, amplified by soul power, resounded throughout the entire square.
"quiet!"
Upon hearing this voice, all the soldiers stood at attention and raised their spears.
In an instant, a chilling atmosphere swept across the entire area, and the previously noisy Xingluo Square fell silent.
"His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!"
With a whoosh, the crowd knelt down in droves, hundreds of thousands of people making the same gesture at the same time, a truly spectacular and rare sight.
The soldiers all knelt on one knee, while the participating academies had been notified beforehand that the emperor had granted them permission not to kneel, but they were required to bow ninety degrees to show their respect for the monarch.
"All of you may rise."
The voice of Xu Jiawei, the emperor of the Star Luo Empire, was amplified and amplified by the amplifying soul guide device.
Upon hearing this, the crowd rose to their feet, and the members of the participating academies straightened their backs. At that moment, all eyes turned to the imperial city directly ahead.
Dressed in magnificent imperial and empress robes, Xu Jiawei, his empress, and the civil and military officials of the Star Luo Empire arrived at the forefront of the city wall. His gaze, gentle yet dignified, surveyed his people.
"The All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament is the most important event in the Soul Master world of Douluo Continent. I am delighted that this year it is our Star Luo Empire's turn to host it. Here, on behalf of the Star Luo Empire, I welcome the delegations from various academies who have traveled from afar. I hope that you will showcase your best on the stage during the competition over the next month. I wish you all the best in achieving the results you expect."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." The leaders and students from the 133 academies bowed again.
Xu Jiawei looked toward the rest area and nodded with a smile.
"Alright, I hereby declare the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Tournament officially open!"
Xu Jiawei's voice, amplified by the soul guide device, spread far and wide, instantly igniting the entire venue.
"Long live! Long live! Long live!"
The entire audience erupted in excited cheers.
"Boom, boom, boom..."
Accompanying this was the booming sound of a full 108 cannons, turning the entire Xingluo Square into a sea of jubilation.
Xu Jiawei smiled and gestured to the crowd, then left the podium with the Queen. Not far away, in front of the positions where the officials were standing, chairs were set up to await their arrival.
Xu Jiawei helped the Empress to her seat, and then the civil and military officials took their seats one by one. However, what was puzzling was that there were still empty seats, their owners not yet waiting.
"My dear brother, I invited them to watch the game, but they shrugged me off, which really annoyed me."
Xu Jiawei looked at Dai Hao, who was sitting to his left, and said meaningfully.
Upon hearing this, Dai Hao felt a chill run down his spine and hurriedly replied, "Without important matters on my mind, how could I dare refuse Your Majesty's request? Such a grand event is being held by the Empire; how could I not come? I cannot fathom what reason they might have to refuse."
Xu Jiawei nodded with a half-smile and said, "So, if they won't listen to reason, they'll have to suffer the consequences. I'll punish them a little, so don't blame me."
Dai Hao broke out in a cold sweat. Xu Jiawei's words of slight punishment instantly raised his vigilance to the highest level. Because those who didn't come were dukes with real power, just like him! Although those dukes didn't wield as much military force as he did, they were still powerful regional lords, each with their own territories in the southeast and northeast.
"Your Majesty's words are quite right, but a slight punishment is warranted."
"Hehe, I knew my brother was sensible. I can only feel at ease handing the Northwest Army Group over to you!" Xu Jiawei chuckled, looking at Dai Hao with a gratified expression.
"I dare not accept such praise! I am of limited ability and owe my success entirely to Your Majesty's guidance!"
"Hehe, my dear brother, you're too modest. Alright, I won't stand on ceremony with you anymore, let's watch the game."
"Yes."
Meanwhile, at the Prime Minister's behest, an official in charge of the event announced, "According to the rules of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament, the preliminary rounds will be conducted in an elimination format. A total of 133 advanced soul master and soul master academies have registered for this tournament. One academy will receive a bye in the preliminary rounds through a draw. A total of 66 matches will be played. The preliminary rounds will be an elimination tournament. Losers will be directly eliminated, ending their journey in this tournament."
"Now, let's welcome the two teams to the stage for the first match of the preliminary round of this competition. They are the delegation from Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy of the Douling Empire, and the delegation from Shrek Academy, the number one academy on the continent, with countless honors and having won almost every major competition championship in the past thousand years!"
"Shrek, Shrek, Shrek."
As soon as the words "Shrek Academy" were uttered, the square erupted in cheers once again.
Only the group from Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy felt utterly hopeless.
Upon hearing that their opponent was Shrek Academy, the group instantly became dejected, their fighting spirit completely gone.
They originally estimated they would easily make it into the top 32 in this competition, but fate is unpredictable...
"Let's welcome the participating teams from Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy to the arena!"
As the host's voice rang out, a group of pale-faced people walked out from the academy, and everyone couldn't help but cast pitying and grateful glances at them.
After all, they were about to face Shrek Academy, a school with an undefeated record for a thousand years and absolute dominance in the tournament! Their heroic sacrifice also allowed the other schools to avoid this terrifying demon king. How could the other schools not be grateful?
As the seven members of Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy stepped onto the stage, the host immediately proclaimed in an incredibly loud voice, "Next, please welcome the absolute champions of the Soul Battle Tournament, the Shrek Academy delegation, who have been undefeated for a thousand years!"
"Whoosh!"
Deafening cheers and applause erupted once again. In the audience, VIP seats, and the royal palace, everyone's eyes were now focused on the first row of the contestants' area, where the Shrek team was waiting to compete.
"Go on!" Zhang Lexuan and Wang Yan watched the seven people walk out of the group.
Soon, Ling Luochen went first, followed by Huo Yuhao, and the rest of the group followed behind, stepping onto the competition stage.
Unlike the original timeline, the main team didn't experience any major changes this time. Even without Dai Yueheng, they still had Ling Luochen, a Soul Emperor, to hold the fort, plus Huo Yuhao's shared mental detection, so everyone was relaxed and at ease.
On the imperial city wall, Xu Jiawei stood up, his expression somewhat excited. Back when he was still a prince, he had studied at Shrek Academy for a time. Shrek Academy held a hidden place in the emperor's memory.
Seeing his juniors from the same school on the competition stage again, especially Huo Yuhao, whom he wanted to win over, Xu Jiawei was filled with mixed feelings.