"Tomorrow, that boy from the Shrek Academy team will be taking the stage, and he's going to face the entire Zheng Tian Academy team on his own." In the meeting room of the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, Elder Ma spoke gravely.
Before every match, the lineup of competing teams had to be submitted in advance by their respective instructors. These lineups couldn't be changed without extraordinary circumstances.
As Shrek Academy's perennial rivals, the Sun-Moon Academy received the roster as soon as it was filed.
When they discovered that Shrek Academy had chosen Qian Ran to face Zheng Tian Academy's entire team alone, Elder Ma's initial reaction was disbelief. Surely Shrek had made a mistake. But upon closer examination, it became clear that this wasn't an oversight—Shrek Academy wouldn't blunder on something so critical.
An unconventional arrangement like this would have been triple-checked by tournament officials.
The Sun-Moon Royal Academy's members were stunned into silence. One of the starters finally spoke up:
"Elder Ma, you must have misread it. Zheng Tian Academy isn't to be underestimated. In the last tournament, they only lost because they faced us in the knockout rounds; otherwise, they could have made it to the semifinals. And now, they're even stronger. Their lineup is formidable enough to give even us pause."
"Do you think I'm blind? Of course I've confirmed it multiple times!"
"Which means… Qian Ran's strength has already reached the level of a Soul Emperor! And he's how old? Isn't he still just a Soul Elder?" Elder Ma's voice rose, frustration evident.
"Impossible. He's younger than me, and there's no way a Soul Elder could defeat Soul Kings, let alone an entire team!"
Self-proclaimed genius Xiao Hongchen shot to his feet.
If Qian Ran, someone younger than him, was far stronger, what did that make him?
Xiao Hongchen had long dreamed of leading his team to crush Shrek Academy. If Qian Ran was truly this monstrous, what chance did he have?
Qian Ran was already this terrifying—what would he be like in five years?
"Shrek Academy has always been full of geniuses, keeping us under their thumb for years. Maybe they really do have someone who can crush everything in their path. This must be Shrek Academy showing off their dominance," Elder Ma said solemnly.
For years, the Sun-Moon Academy had been closing the gap between themselves and Shrek Academy, with the goal of surpassing them.
While they had crushed every other academy on the continent, Shrek Academy remained their final hurdle.
Now, Shrek was sending a single prodigy to face a powerhouse team like Zheng Tian Academy. It was an unmistakable declaration of strength to the entire continent.
"Enough scaring ourselves," interjected Meng Hongchen, clad in her Sun-Moon Royal Academy uniform. Her graceful figure and calm demeanor drew attention as she stood.
"I don't believe for a second that this Qian Ran is as incredible as they say. If Shrek is being overconfident and loses, it'll just be embarrassing for them. Maybe we'll be celebrating our championship a little early this year."
"That's also a possibility," Elder Ma conceded with a chuckle.
A Soul Elder defeating Soul Kings, and an entire team? Ridiculous.
Few teams even boasted a Soul Emperor-level member. Zheng Tian Academy's strongest was a Level 58 Soul King, which was already remarkable. Add two other Soul Kings and four high-level Soul Elders, and their lineup could pressure even the strongest teams.
Other academies, upon hearing the news, were equally dumbfounded.
As the rumor spread, tickets for the match skyrocketed in price, selling at several times their original value.
Meanwhile, Qian Ran remained unaffected by the buzz, summoning the girls to his hotel room.
The spacious, luxurious suite quickly felt cramped with so many people gathered. Though dressed in their uniforms, the women's stunning beauty was undeniable, creating a dazzling scene.
"Qian Ran, what's with the sudden gathering? You're not planning something shady, are you?" Wang Dong'er teased, poking Qian Ran with her finger, a blush creeping up her cheeks.
Her words made the room erupt with shy giggles.
It wasn't as if Qian Ran had never done such things before—though his previous invitations usually involved only four or five women, never the whole group.
What could he possibly want from all of them at once?
Even if Qian Ran was exceptional, he was still just one man. Were they supposed to stand by and watch if things got… complicated?
The thought made their faces flush deeper, and the atmosphere in the room became increasingly suggestive.
Though Qian Ran briefly entertained some mischievous ideas, he quickly cleared his mind. He hadn't called them here for such things.
The system's soul bone gift pack was perfect for helping them improve their strength. Though the soul bones were of high age, their energy was remarkably stable thanks to the system's quality. With careful absorption, the women could refine the bones without issue.
If not for the system, someone like Xiao Xiao wouldn't even be able to handle a 10,000-year soul bone.
"Really, do I look like the type to pull something like that?" Qian Ran said, feigning indignation.
Even if he had such plans, he wouldn't risk being so blatant about it—word would surely reach Wang Yan and the others.
"Then why did you call us here?" Wang Dong'er asked, pouting. Despite her outward frustration, she was secretly relieved. If Qian Ran had made a request, she wouldn't have known how to refuse.
"Yes, tell us already. We're all waiting," Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan chimed in.
Qian Ran grinned. "I'm giving you a gift."
With that, he retrieved the soul bone gift pack from his storage soul tool. The soul bones were housed in exquisite jade boxes, each of which was priceless on its own.
As more than a dozen glowing jade boxes appeared on the table, the women's curiosity peaked. They knew Qian Ran must have something extraordinary for them.
"This one's for you," Qian Ran said, handing two soul bones to Jiang Nannan. Both were equipped with long-range soul skills, perfect for her.
"And this is yours," he said, giving Tang Ya a plant-based soul bone.
One by one, Qian Ran distributed the soul bones among the group.
As the jade boxes opened, the room was suffused with the powerful energy radiating from the soul bones.
(Chapter End)