Douluo's ice devil Yuhao

Chapter 619 Pride Comes Before a Fall
Inside a luxury suite at the Tianling Grand Hotel, in the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy.

Xiao Hongchen sat at the head of the table, his majestic and aloof gaze sweeping over the Sun and Moon team members in front of him.

Every team member stood ramrod straight, their faces serious and attentive, listening intently to Xiao Hongchen's instructions.

"The results of the semifinals are in, as you have all seen. Our next opponent is Shrek Academy."

Xiao Hongchen slowed his speech, his tone thick with disdain. The team members below, however, frowned deeply, some sweating profusely.

Xiao Hongchen glanced at the team member: "Are you scared?"

“Reporting to the young master, I’m not afraid.” The young student paused for a moment. “I’m just a little nervous.”

Compared to the relatively relaxed and casual atmosphere of the Mingdou team, the Riyue team is much more serious, and Xiao Hongchen, the team leader, is beyond question.

"What are you so nervous about?" Xiao Hongchen snorted.

"Our opponents are, after all, Shrek Academy. They have been the champions of the competition all along, and we..."

Xiao Hongchen ignored his explanation and directly raised his hand to interrupt: "What was their ranking in the last competition?"

Five years ago, they were still junior students at Sun Moon Academy, and they witnessed most of the exciting matches firsthand.

"Reporting to the young master, we did not make it to the final four."

The team members answered truthfully.

The results of the last competition were too memorable. The powerful Shrek Academy split into two teams, and both strong teams lost, stopping before the semi-finals.

Xiao Hongchen let out another disdainful snort: "What was our Sun and Moon Sect's ranking in the previous competition?"

A glint of light flashed in the team member's eyes, and his voice trembled with excitement: "We're the champions!"

Do you think we, as champions, would lose to a team that didn't even make it to the semifinals?

"Reporting to the young master, but..." the team member hesitated before speaking.

The previous competition was actually fraught with unexpected factors, including the hunt by Xu Tianran's regime and the conspiracy of the Holy Spirit Cult...

These students, born in Mingdu, had learned more detailed information from the rumors and knew that they could not underestimate Shrek Academy just because of their unusual ranking in the previous competition.

And who did Shrek Academy lose to back then? The Body Sect, and that unspeakable figure in the Inner Cabinet.

None of them expected that they would run into Shrek Academy so soon.

"There are no 'buts'!" Xiao Hongchen interrupted him sharply. "You are all elites selected by the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, the elites and geniuses of Mingde Hall. Do you think you can be stumped by Shrek Academy?"

"I don't want to hear anyone complaining."

As he spoke, he suddenly paused, turned his head and glanced at the door, as if he knew that a visitor had suddenly arrived.

Xiao Hongchen looked at the team members again, his tone becoming more gentle: "I know that some of you are worried that their main force has not shown up, but I want to tell you that in the past five years, the soul tools of our Sun Moon Empire have been constantly improving."

"The humanoid soul tool that Mingdou Academy displayed in the group stage was also our secret weapon. Although it was exposed to other teams in advance, you all witnessed its power."

"In the next match, I ask all of you main players to give full play to your strength and defeat Shrek Academy cleanly and beautifully."

"All I want is victory."

Emboldened by the affirmation and encouragement of their superiors, the eyes of the main members of the Sun and Moon team gleamed with a fierce determination.

They were champions last year, and they're determined to bring the championship back to Sun Moon Academy this year. The era of Shrek Academy has ended; they should just accept their fate and rest in peace.

"Go back and adjust your mindset, and practice your teamwork."

"Yes." Xiao Hongchen gave the final instruction, and the team members acknowledged the order and headed towards the room.

In the blink of an eye, only Xiao Hongchen remained in the hall.

He didn't stand up, but spoke to the air: "Huo Yuhao, stop hiding."

Huo Yuhao's figure appeared in front of him, and he smiled and said, "You're quite imposing, young master."

"Hmph, don't give me that." Xiao Hongchen revealed a provocative smile. "After my team defeats Shrek Academy, will you be next in a direct confrontation?"

Huo Yuhao sat down casually and began chatting with the young master, whose authority in front of the Sun Moon team members was beyond question.

He asked, "Are you so confident you can beat this year's Shrek?"

Xiao Hongchen revealed his dissatisfaction: "Hmph, Huo Yuhao, if you hadn't exposed the existence of the humanoid soul tool in the group stage, Shrek Academy would have been caught off guard by us."

“My trainees also need training. And do you really think that Shrek’s main players, who haven’t even shown up yet, are so easy to deal with?”

Xiao Hongchen looked completely at ease: "The main force of the Sun and Moon Sect will definitely not be inferior to the opponent's."

"What if I told you they sent five Soul Emperors this time?"

Xiao Hongchen's smile hadn't faded, but his brows were furrowed. After a moment, he said again, "Sun and Moon still have a greater chance of winning."

Huo Yuhao muttered to himself: He's starting to be stubborn.

He knew Xiao Hongchen's personality too well; he wouldn't easily admit his weaknesses.

Huo Yuhao chuckled: "Brother Xiao, there's a famous military theory that fits your and Shrek's current situation perfectly."

"What?" Xiao Hongchen looked up, intrigued.

"It's called 'A victorious army is bound to be arrogant, an arrogant army is bound to be defeated, a defeated army is bound to be miserable, and a miserable army is bound to be victorious,'" Huo Yuhao said seriously.

Xiao Hongchen pondered for a moment: "You mean... that Sun Moon Academy and I are too arrogant and careless right now, so we are bound to fail?"

"It's a cycle," Huo Yuhao explained. "In the last competition, Shrek Academy failed because they were too arrogant. But after the failure, they will definitely learn from their experience and turn their sorrow into motivation to defeat their overly arrogant opponent, Sun Moon Academy, next time."

Xiao Hongchen waved his hand, completely disregarding Huo Yuhao's twisted logic: "Hmph, you're wrong. It's not that the victor is arrogant, but that only the victor has the right to be arrogant."

"Just watch, my students will make Shrek remember this defeat. Their era is over, and the future championship glory will belong to the Sun and Moon."

"I will prove to you that, apart from strength, the level of my management academy is in no way inferior to yours."

"I hope you won't let me down and make Mingdou lose to Tianhun in the next match."

Huo Yuhao didn't linger. He chatted with Xiao Hongchen for a while about the recent situations of Mingdu and Jing Hongchen before leaving the Sun and Moon Team's room.

Xiao Hongchen sat alone on the sofa, his eyes filled with fervor, repeatedly chanting his opponent's name: "Shrek!"

Huo Yuhao shook his head helplessly in the corridor and walked downstairs.

Huo Yuhao understood the feelings of this new young master of Mingde Hall better than Jing Hongchen.

Xiao Hongchen was too arrogant. A prodigy at a young age, a genius in both Soul Master and Soul Instructor, destined to become the future Master of Mingde Hall. But in his path stood a towering mountain that always blocked his way: Huo Yuhao.

In the previous competition, Sun Moon Academy won the championship, but it was almost like they were guaranteed a spot. They didn't even have to compete in the last two matches and just picked up the championship.

Furthermore, with Xu Tianran and the Holy Spirit Cult's conspiracy exposed, most people in the public did not actually acknowledge the results of the previous competition, which became a knot in Xiao Hongchen's heart.

He was eager to prove himself and that Sun Moon Academy was the number one academy on the continent, but unfortunately he had already passed the age limit and could only place his hopes on the next generation of team members.

The next match will be a fierce battle between the two strongest academies on the continent.