Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

Chapter 48 Mother and Daughter Reunite
According to the Spirit Hall's notification, the competition will officially begin in three days. This rest period is a valuable opportunity for the various academies, who have traveled a long distance, to adjust their condition.

The Spirit Hall cleverly placed the participating academies of the Star Luo Empire on the other side of the city, effectively drawing a dividing line between the teams of the two great empires. This deliberate geographical separation added a layer of tension to the already delicate atmosphere of antagonism.

For the past three days, the members of the Royal Fighting Team have remained secluded, devoting all their time to deep meditation. Feng Yao's Fuxi zither plays softly day and night, its melodious strains helping his teammates enter a meditative state more quickly. Each person is single-minded, striving to adjust their soul power to its peak state in preparation for the upcoming battle.

On the other side, inside the Pope's Palace.

Qian Renxue's footsteps echoed in the empty hall, crisp and lonely. Her gaze traveled across the long red carpet, finally landing on the high throne—Bibi Dong sat enthroned on the papal throne, her scepter leaning at her side, her face beneath the nine-curved purple-gold crown still breathtakingly perfect. An invisible pressure enveloped her, as if even the air itself had frozen before her.

Qian Renxue stopped, gazing at that familiar yet unfamiliar figure, momentarily at a loss for words. Though they were so close, it felt as if an insurmountable abyss separated them.

Silence spread between the two.

Finally, Qian Renxue spoke slowly, her voice calm and restrained: "You... are you going to take action against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School?"

Although it is a polite form of address, it is cold and distant, as if it were talking about a completely unrelated outsider.

Bibi Dong's eyes flickered slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in them, but this surprise was quickly replaced by a strong sense of contradiction, turning into a faint sigh: "You've grown up."

She lightly tapped the scepter with her fingertip and continued, "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has repeatedly ruined my plans. Its members are incredibly wealthy. I am indeed considering eliminating the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School to lay the foundation for the Spirit Hall to unify the continent."

Qian Renxue frowned, about to retort, but Bibi Dong spoke again, her tone calm and resolute: "You want to subdue them, don't you? But you should understand what the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School wants. Bloodline is their foundation; sect power is based on blood ties. If you want them to truly submit, there is only one way—"

She slightly raised her eyes and looked directly at Qian Renxue: "Have the child beside you marry Ning Fengzhi's daughter."

Qian Renxue's pupils suddenly contracted, and she almost instinctively interrupted in a cold voice: "That's impossible!"

Her voice echoed in the hall, carrying an undeniable resolve.

Seeing Qian Renxue's resolute reaction, Bibi Dong was momentarily stunned. In that instant, she seemed to see herself thirty years ago in Qian Renxue—equally stubborn, equally unwilling to compromise.

The scepter tapped lightly on the ground, producing a crisp sound. Bibi Dong slowly turned around, her back to Qian Renxue, her voice suddenly becoming ethereal: "Since that's the case, there's no need to discuss this matter further."

Her figure appeared exceptionally lonely, enveloped in the papal robes. "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School must disappear before the great war begins. As for the reason... you know perfectly well."

After a pause, Bibi Dong's voice suddenly carried a hint of barely perceptible weariness: "Unless... you can do it before I make a move."

The words were left unsaid, but the unspoken meaning was clear. At this moment, although the mother and daughter stood back to back, it seemed as if they were engaged in a silent contest.

Qian Renxue's gaze suddenly turned cold, and a chilling aura emanated from her. She slightly raised her head, her voice terrifyingly calm: "I understand."

Four simple words, yet they carry immense weight.

Before she finished speaking, she had already turned and left, her retreating figure revealing a hint of resolve. The heavy palace doors slowly closed behind her, completely separating the mother and daughter into two different worlds.

Only after Qian Renxue's aura had completely vanished did Bibi Dong lightly tap her scepter and slowly turn around. She gazed at the spot where Qian Renxue had stood, a rare and complex expression appearing on her flawless face. The gems on the scepter reflected a hazy halo, mirroring the dark emotions flickering in her eyes.

A barely audible sigh echoed in the empty hall. Bibi Dong slowly sat down, raised her hand and gently touched her brow. Her fingertips touched the nine-curved purple-gold crown that symbolized supreme power.

To prepare for the finals of the Continental Elite Tournament of Advanced Soul Master Academies, the Spirit Hall meticulously constructed a magnificent arena in the city center. The gigantic arena, hundreds of meters in diameter, was entirely constructed of the hardest granite, its surface inlaid with hundreds of reinforced soul tools, shimmering with mysterious runic light under the sunlight. According to the Spirit Hall's official statement, this arena was capable of withstanding the impact of soul skills of any intensity below the Soul Emperor level.

The arena's location was even more significant—it faced the Papal Mountain, a kilometer away, with the majestic Papal Palace overlooking the entire arena from its elevated position. The Spirit Hall had already announced to the world that the final three-way battle would be held in the plaza in front of the Papal Palace, where the Pope himself would be present to crown the champion. This was the highest honor for any Spirit Master.

At dawn, students from various academies entered the arena one after another, led by deacons from the Spirit Hall. The rest area surrounding the arena was meticulously designed, with each academy having its own preparation area. Facing the Papal Palace was a lavishly decorated VIP judging panel, where representatives from the two empires and high-ranking officials of the Spirit Hall would watch the matches.

The Royal Fighting Team had just settled in when their leader, Sun Buyu, was summoned to draw lots. Feng Yao stood at the edge of the rest area, his fingers lightly caressing the body of the Fuxi Qin, his gaze shifting between the magnificent arena and the distant Papal Palace, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Sun Buyu quickly returned with the draw results, his expression calm yet tinged with seriousness: "Our first-round opponent is Tianshui Academy, and Shenfeng Academy gets a bye in the first round."

"Tianshui Academy?" Everyone frowned upon hearing this. Among the thirty-three teams participating in the finals, they never expected to face an opponent from the same Tiandou region in their very first match.

Feng Yao lightly stroked the strings of his zither, a knowing glint in his eyes. He thought to himself, "A strategy of division."

This draw result was no accident. Feng Yao could almost certainly conclude that, apart from the Spirit Hall Academy team, all the other strong teams among the thirty-three teams would be matched against academies from their own region, with only a small number of teams being matched against teams from other regions. The Spirit Hall's move was clearly an attempt to exacerbate the conflicts between the academies within the empire.

Although Soul Masters generally have a weak sense of national identity, their academy affiliation inherently represents their stance. Furthermore, academies within the same region are inherently competitive, and the Spirit Hall has cleverly exploited this, sowing the seeds of division before the competition even begins. "Truly, there are hidden schemes everywhere," Feng Yao thought to himself, his fingertips lightly tapping the body of his zither. At this moment, Feng Yao was even more eager to see that person.

If he weren't so familiar with the original plot, he probably wouldn't have noticed these meticulously designed subtle arrangements. Every match combination held a deeper meaning, and every tournament arrangement was deliberately planned. The Spirit Hall was subtly dividing the Soul Master forces of the two great empires, offering high rewards, the location of the finals, and the Golden Generation—each step was intricately linked.

Feng Yao's gaze inadvertently swept over Shui Bing'er in the distance, then turned to Huo Wu in the rest area on the other side. These exceptionally talented young soul masters had all become pawns in the Spirit Hall's game. He suddenly recalled the scene five years later in the original story—if Tang San hadn't crushed everything with absolute strength, it would have been difficult to reintegrate the Four Elements Academy into Shrek Academy.

"The difference in strength is ultimately the key to everything," Feng Yao said, gently stroking the strings of his zither. The Spirit Hall had been laying the groundwork for this grand scheme for years, and these contestants were merely pawns on the board.

Yu Feng craned his neck, peering into the waiting area of ​​Tianshui Academy. His gaze swept over Shui Bing'er and the others a few times before he suddenly turned to Feng Yao and winked, "Little Feng, this competition is all counting on you!"

"Ha." Oslo sneered, arms crossed, mercilessly tearing down the argument: "Even if Xiao Feng wins the match, the girls from Tianshui Academy won't even look at that noisy wind chime bird."

"You!" Yu Feng's face flushed red instantly, and he was about to retort when Dugu Yan stopped him with a sharp glare. Her purple eyes narrowed slightly, and she looked at the two of them with a half-smile: "Both of you shut up. The competition is just around the corner, and you still have the mind to bicker?"

Sun Buyu clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back: "Alright, the competition is about to begin. You all need to carefully observe the performance of the other teams. There are no weak teams among those who have made it to the finals, and every opponent we encounter from here on out is not to be underestimated."

The opening of the finals was surprisingly simple. A cardinal took the stage to announce the start of the tournament, directly revealing the first-round matchups and the list of teams receiving byes, and the competition officially began. There was no grand opening ceremony, no lively performances, and only a few thousand spectators filled the entire stadium.

The first match was a duel between two teams from the Star Luo Empire, whose strengths didn't seem particularly outstanding. The Royal Fighting Team discussed amongst themselves in the rest area.

Yu Feng curled his lip: "How come this final is even more shabby than the qualifiers? There wasn't even a proper opening ceremony, and the stands are practically empty, maybe a few thousand people at most."

Dugu Yan tossed her long purple hair and said meaningfully, "Don't be fooled by the fact that there are only a few thousand people; these are all Soul Masters, and the vast majority should be members of the Spirit Hall." Her gaze swept around the surroundings. "The Spirit Hall has its reasons for prohibiting civilians from watching. The real highlight will be the final battle of the three strongest in front of the Pope's Palace. This current low profile is probably all building momentum for that moment."

Feng Yao nodded thoughtfully. Indeed, the Spirit Hall was deliberately controlling the scale of the spectators, saving the real spectacle for the final battle before the Pope. This arrangement was less about frugality and more about a meticulously designed display of power.

The first match quickly came to a close, and the referee in red announced loudly: "Next match, Heaven Dou Royal Academy versus Heaven Water Academy!"

This was the Royal Fighting Team's first appearance in the finals. As they stepped onto the stage in perfect unison, the eyes of the other qualifying teams from the Heavenly Dou Empire were involuntarily drawn to them, their eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation.

At the other end of the competition stage, seven graceful figures slowly ascended. Their light blue team uniforms shimmered in the sunlight, and Shui Bing'er, leading the group, possessed a cool and aloof demeanor, her long, icy blue hair swaying gently in the breeze. Behind her, the Tianshui Academy team members stood tall and imposing, each exuding a subtle, ethereal aura.

After the two teams exchanged greetings, they quickly took their battle formations, and the entire arena instantly erupted in cheers. Amidst the dazzling light released by their martial spirits, the four spirit rings rising beneath Feng Yao's feet were particularly eye-catching—especially the jet-black fourth spirit ring, whose oppressive aura silenced the entire arena.

"The fourth ring of the millennium?!"

"Wait a minute... He seems to be a level 50 Quasi-Soul King already?"

"What if we had a fifth spirit ring?"

Exclamations of surprise rose and fell from the audience. Even Ning Fengzhi in the VIP section sat up slightly, a hint of astonishment flashing in his eyes.

Qian Renxue, dressed as Xue Qinghe, sat upright in the VIP section, his golden pupils gleaming with an unusual light. His slender fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, his gaze falling on Feng Yao's dazzling black soul ring in the center of the room, a surge of indescribable joy welling up in his heart.

He took a sip of tea, concealing the faint smile playing on his lips.

In a flash, Qian Renxue couldn't help but feel annoyed: "This little rascal, he's really good at hiding things, even from me." But then she thought about it again, and Feng Yao really rarely showed his strength in front of others, so it was understandable that she didn't know.

He turned his head slightly, catching a glimpse of Ning Fengzhi's thoughtful expression out of the corner of his eye, and immediately understood. At this moment, Qian Renxue suddenly felt that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School wasn't so important after all; she could even foresee the moment when Feng Yao would defeat the Spirit Hall Academy team.

In the Shrek Academy's rest area, Yu Xiaogang suddenly stood up, his eyes wide with shock. He stared intently at the white-clad figure in the arena, his mind reeling with astonishment: "This is impossible. Even with the enhancement of a soul bone, Xiao San's third and fourth soul rings only barely broke through the optimal age limit. How could Feng Yao possibly skip an entire major stage to absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring?"

On the field, a hint of shock flashed in Shui Bing'er's icy blue eyes. She had originally planned to suppress the opposing captain, Feng Yao, but now she had to reassess the situation. The oppressive aura emanating from that dark spirit ring made her instinctively tremble.

Feng Yao's slender fingers gently caressed the strings of the zither, a faint smile playing on his lips. Under the glow of his black spirit ring, the newly formed golden patterns on the Fuxi Zither swirled with a mysterious aura. His gaze swept over the astonished crowd, finally settling on Shui Bing'er in the front row of Tianshui Academy: "Please enlighten me."

As the referee in red swung his right hand down sharply, a loud voice resounded throughout the stadium:
"The match begins!"

The command resounded like a thunderclap, instantly igniting the atmosphere of the entire arena. The referee quickly retreated, creating ample space for both sides to fight. His movements were clean and decisive, without the slightest hesitation, demonstrating the professionalism unique to referees from the Spirit Hall.

Almost simultaneously, a chilling aura suddenly arose from the Tianshui Academy side, and Shui Bing'er's long, icy blue hair moved without wind; on the Royal Fighting Team side, Feng Yao's fingertips had already landed on the strings of the Fuxi Qin. The discussions in the audience abruptly ceased, and everyone held their breath, awaiting the first clash of this powerful duel.

(End of this chapter)