On the stage, soul skills flashed as fierce battles raged on.
Meanwhile, in the stands, Li Si lounged comfortably, with Gu Yuena on one side and Xiao Wu on the other. His relaxed demeanor and enviable position drew countless jealous gazes.
Feeling the attention of the competitors, Li Si was tempted to break into song: We're just not the same!
These young spirit masters were fighting passionately for their dreams. You could mock their lack of strength, but never their ideals.
"Captain, I... I don't feel like competing anymore," one competitor muttered to their team leader.
"Give me a reason. And give yourself one while you're at it!"
"Captain, the audience's attention isn't even on the stage!"
"…"
These contestants were the cream of the crop, geniuses handpicked from among thousands. Yet here they were, giving it their all, while the audience ignored them entirely.
They had come here to prove themselves, to catch the eye of influential forces and secure a brighter future. But instead, the spectators were more interested in a few onlookers than the battles unfolding before them.
"You've convinced me," the team captain sighed. "This match… maybe we shouldn't bother."
Of course, not every team felt the same. The tournament continued, though a few teams chose to withdraw and forfeit their matches.
"Xiao Si, I don't know why, but their matches feel so boring to me," Xiao Wu whispered.
As a former 100,000-year soul beast and a spirit master of considerable strength, Xiao Wu found these battles between Soul Elders and Soul Masters utterly uninspiring. She couldn't understand why so many people were so interested in watching them.
"These matches are primarily for talent selection. Their strength may seem weak and full of flaws to us, but they're already among the best of the younger generation on the Douluo Continent," Li Si explained patiently.
"In addition to this tournament, there's also the Sect Wars, hosted by Spirit Hall, which determine the ranking of the upper three sects and lower four sects."
"The Sect Wars?" Xiao Wu asked, puzzled.
"It's also known as the Seven Sects Competition, held once every twenty years. The winners of the last competition became the current upper three sects and lower four sects. The next competition should be happening soon," Li Si replied, offering a brief explanation.
Li Si wasn't particularly familiar with the Sect Wars, only knowing the basics. The last competition had taken place a long time ago, before Tang Hao became a Titled Douluo.
Following the original timeline, there seemed to be a significant gap between the previous Sect Wars and the upcoming one. The time elapsed should have been far more than twenty years.
By his reckoning, Tang San—no, Li Si—would be nineteen in five years. The Sect Wars wouldn't take place until two or three years after that.
Using the Clear Sky Sect's closure as a reference, the gap between the two competitions must have been more than twenty years.
"Indeed, Her Majesty the Pope intends to revive the Seven Sects Competition. This time, our Elephant Armored Sect will surely secure a place among the upper three sects!"
A booming voice rang out nearby, drawing Li Si's attention.
"Hu Yan Zhen?"
Li Si turned to see a towering man nearly three meters tall, and his jaw dropped in astonishment.
Of all the people on the Douluo Continent, Li Si had the most respect for two individuals.
One was Hu Yan Zhen, the other Shi Nian.
Shi Nian had faced the "Yama's Invitation" with his bare hands, completely ignorant of its true nature, and died without understanding why.
Hu Yan Zhen, on the other hand, had known full well how powerful the Sea God's Trident was but still dared to try to stop it with his head!
Li Si: "…"
Frankly, if Hu Yan Zhen had been a Titled Douluo at the time, he might have actually succeeded. But he was merely a Spirit Douluo back then!
This moment was iconic—on par with the infamous "Come back to life, my love" scene.
Suddenly, Li Si's expression darkened. Weren't all these iconic moments originally Tang San's?
Hmm… but what did Tang San's moments have to do with him, Li Si?
With that thought, his mood improved slightly.
Faced with Hu Yan Zhen's invitation, Li Si remained indifferent. Joining such a "hard-headed" sect? What if their mindset rubbed off on him? That would be a disaster.
"I didn't expect to meet the master of one of the lower four sects in person…" Li Si began, but Hu Yan Zhen cut him off.
"The Elephant Armored Sect will definitely become one of the upper three sects!"
If he had possessed Titled Douluo-level strength during the last Sect Wars, the Elephant Armored Sect would undoubtedly have secured a spot among the top three.
Now that the Clear Sky Sect had withdrawn from the public eye and the Pope intended to revive the competition, Hu Yan Zhen saw this as his chance.
Even though he wasn't yet a Titled Douluo, his martial spirit and strength allowed him to stand unafraid against Titled Douluos below rank ninety-five.
Hearing this, Li Si rolled his eyes. Hu Yan Zhen's confidence stemmed solely from the absence of the Clear Sky Sect.
At its peak, the Clear Sky Sect had been home to six Titled Douluos, excluding Tang Chen and Tang Hao. If Hu Yan Zhen knew this, he'd probably be shaking in his boots.
"While I appreciate your offer, Sect Master Hu Yan, I must decline. I prefer to remain a free spirit master," Li Si said firmly.
Hu Yan Zhen's face darkened immediately. He had offered the position of vice sect master, and this kid had dared to refuse?
"You'd better pray we don't cross paths again outside this arena," Hu Yan Zhen said, his voice dripping with malice. He didn't bother to hide his intent to kill.
For powerful factions, rejecting their invitation often led to only one conclusion: destruction. After all, what if the rejected talent grew and joined an opposing force?
"Hiss…"
Li Si drew in a sharp breath. Why did this feel like the classic "See you at the factory gate after work" threat?
Hu Yan Zhen was audacious enough to threaten him!
"No need to go to such trouble, Sect Master Hu Yan. If you'd like to test my strength, let's find a more private location and settle this now," Li Si said with a smile as he stood up.
Hu Yan Zhen's pupils shrank, an ominous feeling creeping over him. Normally, someone would be cautious and fearful after such a threat.
But this young man seemed eager to give him an opportunity right away, as if afraid he might back out.
Hu Yan Zhen: "???"
In all his years, he had never encountered a reaction quite like this!
(Chapter Ends)
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