Chapter 466: Chapter 466: Crushing Defeat of Xiao Hongchen! The Spirit Master Tournament Begins (Extra)
Boom!
The massive cauldron tore through the air, swift as thunder.
Even the air itself exploded with a sonic boom, its shriek piercing the ears.
Xiao Hongchen’s pupils contracted sharply as he poured Spirit Power into both palms.
With a loud shout,
he met it head-on with a palm strike.
Clang!
Metal clashed against metal,
the impact making eardrums ache.
Immediately after came a crisp crack—the unmistakable sound of bones breaking, enough to make one’s teeth ache.
Xiao Hongchen’s arms twisted into a grotesque angle.
Yet the cauldron’s momentum did not diminish.
It smashed brutally into his chest.
"Pff!"
His eyes bulged as a spray of blood shot from his mouth.
His entire body flew backward like a kite with its string cut, slamming into the wall behind him with a thunderous crash.
Spiderweb-like cracks spread across the wall.
He then slid down limply, like a sack of mud.
"Captain!"
The six members of the Sun Moon Emperial reserve team turned pale and rushed forward in panic.
Healing soul tools lit up one after another.
Members of the surrounding academy teams were left dumbfounded.
Just moments ago, Xiao Hongchen had overpowered Shrek’s reserve captain and acted arrogantly beyond measure—yet in the blink of an eye, he had been defeated in a single strike, reduced to a near-corpse.
"There’s an even stronger one?!"
"That blue-robed boy is terrifying!"
"He looks the youngest—where does that kind of monstrous strength come from?!"
"Xiao Hongchen, you still need more training." Huo Yuhao chuckled and shook his head.
Xu Sanshi and He Caitou supported Bei Bei as they walked over. The way they looked at Huo Yuhao now was filled with unconcealed admiration.
"Heh, Xiao Hongchen, you sure talked big. Turns out you can’t even take a hit!"
"Don’t play dead—show us that arrogance again!"
A few mocking remarks were thrown out.
The six members of the Sun Moon Imperial team flushed with anger. Soul tools flashed repeatedly in their hands, offensive devices gleaming coldly.
Xu Sanshi and the others were equally unyielding, Spirit Power surging as their auras rose, refusing to back down.
Huo Yuhao calmly looked at the wine-red–haired girl across from him.
Silver streaks ran through her hair. Beneath her short skirt, her legs were shapely and strong. Her gaze was heavy with both caution and resentment.
"Ribbit!"
A sudden frog-like croak sounded.
Chilling air spread from her body, sweeping toward Huo Yuhao.
His expression did not change.
An equally piercing cold current flowed from within him.
The instant the two icy auras collided,
the girl shuddered violently. Her pretty face turned pale as she staggered backward several steps.
With each step she took,
a layer of frost formed beneath her feet.
"You... you actually possess Ultimate Ice?!"
"Let’s go." Huo Yuhao said nothing more.
He gestured to Bei Bei and the others, turning to leave.
Just as they were about to step out of the underground level,
a weak yet unwilling voice called out from behind.
"You—what’s your name?"
He did not stop walking.
"Huo Yuhao."
...
Back on the top floor of the Star Emperor Hotel, the preparations for the next day’s tournament were underway.
Zhang Lexuan gathered both the main team and the reserve team in the meeting room.
Xu Sanshi and the others animatedly recounted what had happened underground.
"Senior Sister, Senior Xiao Tao—you didn’t see how arrogant that Xiao Hongchen was!"
"And in the end, he couldn’t even withstand a single move from Yuhao..."
Zhang Lexuan’s lips curved slightly.
She glanced at Huo Yuhao, who wore a helpless expression at the side.
Ma Xiaotao and the other six members of the main team also fixed astonished gazes upon the young man.
When they were outside earlier,
they had already heard other academy teams buzzing with discussion.
They all said Shrek had produced another monster—someone destined to dominate the next Spirit Master Tournament.
Upon hearing that,
the first person who came to their minds was Huo Yuhao.
"With the tournament beginning tomorrow, it’s a good thing that you have such fighting spirit."
Zhang Lexuan, dressed in black, sat upright and composed. Her slender waist was willow-like, her bearing calm and dignified.
"Remember this—you do not need to be nervous."
"The ones who should be nervous are the opponents facing Shrek."
"During the matches, Bei Bei will be the public captain. He will command the usual battles."
She paused, her gaze sweeping across everyone as her voice suddenly grew more serious.
"But if you encounter a formidable enemy..."
"You are all to obey Huo Yuhao’s commands—and carry them out without fail."
"Yes!"
Everyone responded in unison.
After another round of detailed instructions, the meeting finally adjourned.
That night, the lights of the Star Emperor Hotel were extinguished early. Amidst the profound silence, battle intent quietly coalesced, waiting for the dawn.
...
At Star Luo Plaza, the crowd was like a vast sea, cheers surging into the sky.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators packed the plaza so tightly there was barely room to move. Over ten thousand soldiers clad in silver armor stood like a forest, maintaining order.
At the center of the plaza,
one hundred and thirty-three academy teams stood in formation within the waiting area.
On each youthful face were intertwined expressions of barely contained excitement and the tension of stepping onto the grand stage for the first time.
Unconsciously, they clenched their fists, eyes blazing.
On this arena, which gathered the gaze of the entire continent, they would not only fight for glory for their academies—they would also strive to make their names in a single battle, to rise to fame.
At the very front of the waiting area,
the Shrek Academy team stood quietly.
Thunderous cheers surged toward them from all directions.
Bei Bei and the others breathed slightly faster; even their palms were damp with sweat.
Only Huo Yuhao remained calm.
Such a scene—
He had already experienced before.
Directly behind Shrek stood the Sun Moon Emperial Soul Engineer Academy.
A burly old man with steel-like white hair and thick sideburns, his voice deep, asked Xiao Hongchen—whose arms were wrapped in bandages:
"The one who injured you yesterday... was it that blue-robed youth?"
At those words,
the Sun Moon Emperial main team did not show solidarity.
Instead, several even wore faint expressions of watching a show unfold.
Xiao Hongchen had always been arrogant, looking down even on his own academy peers.
Now that he had suffered a setback,
no one truly felt indignant on his behalf.
Xiao Hongchen ground his teeth audibly, fury blazing in his eyes.
"Huo Yuhao... I, Xiao Hongchen, will definitely defeat you to wash away this humiliation! Just you wait for the next tournament!"
At that moment,
a sharp voice boomed across the entire plaza through a soul tool amplifier:
"His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!"
In an instant,
the masses knelt in perfect unison.
Hundreds of thousands moved as one, bowing like a rolling tide—an awe-inspiring sight.
"Rise, my subjects."
The Star Luo Emperor’s voice was warm yet powerful, echoing into every corner of the plaza.
"The All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament is a grand occasion for the Spirit Master world of Douluo Continent. My heart is filled with joy that this tournament is held in Star Luo."
"On behalf of the Star Luo Empire, I welcome all academy representatives who have traveled from afar."
Applause erupted like thunder, lasting for a long while.
"I hereby declare—"
"The All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament officially begins!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
One hundred and eight ceremonial cannons fired in unison, shaking heaven and earth.
Brilliant streams of Spirit Power shot skyward, painting the entire sky in dazzling colors.
On Star Luo Plaza, hundreds of thousands of spectators cheered wildly.
As the roar of the crowd gradually subsided,
the host’s resonant voice rang out.
"The first match—officially begins!"
"Please welcome—"
"The Tian Ling Advanced Spirit Master Academy from the Dou Spirit Empire..."
"And the team bearing countless legends and honors..."
"Shrek Academy!"
