Douluo Dalu: 9 Treasure Sword

The next day was Shrek's match. I wore my formal robes and prepared to go to the stadium.

The other members already decided to not come and see the match so they stayed at the academy training. In Mayi's case, she asked to follow me, but I negated her. As a formal meeting with the most important people of the empire it won't be polite to bring another person without invitation, moreover, Mayi could be a lot of things but being lady-like is not one of them.

Leaving the academy, dad was waiting for me outside, besides a carriage. "Prepared, Bai?" Asked dad.

I shrugged "I don't have any other option"

Dad smiled "Always so positive. It won't be too horrible, I have a good relationship with the emperor, and he will favor you as one of his representative team. For bishop Salas, he can be very grumpy, ignore him"

"A meeting with the most important people of the empire, what will I worry about?"I sarcastically said.

"Don't worry too much. It's not like a formal meeting, take it as simple as watching a match. I expect a lot of you" then he smiles "And even if you offend them, it's not like they could do anything. The power of three titled douluos plus my own support can't be ignored"

"So you say that there's the possibility of an all-out fight, thank god! I'm much calm now" I continued with the sarcasm.

"You will do it great" dad signaled the carriage " Let's go"

We both entered the carriage that took us to the stadium. Inside, we were guided to a room. Only seeing the door you could already see how much VIP it was, exuding wealth and status.

Walking through a room that even if wasn't very full, the little furniture showed a prim and noble air. On the other side of the room, there was the exit to a VIP box. It was the same that yesterday they were sat.

There wasn't anyone yer. This time there were 4 seatings. Dad went towards the one on the right side and sat.

"Sadly, as you are now you didn't have any rank so it will be impossible for you to sit. You should stay standing" dad said.

"Why are we the firsts one to arrive?" I asked.

"As a favor to take you here, at least I wanted to give then some respects arriving a little before than them. Usually, the emperor arrives last, even when there's sometimes the bishop arrives late with a bad excuse" dad explained.

I went towards dad and positioned behind his seating.

Shortly, two men came. One of then was Bishop Salas, the other one was a big man, more than 2,5 meters with white hair and beard with strong muscles. For dad explanation, he should be the school head of the Elephant Armored School, Huyan Zhen.

Entering Huyan Zhen made a light bow toward dad while the bishop only looked at us and sneered. I made a light bow while dad only smiled. While they may have better standings than me, that I wasn't even the heir of the clan yet, as a part if the Seven Treasured Glaze Titled Clan, not affiliated with Spirit Hall or even strictly with the empire, I don't have the need to kneel or do a complete bow. A light bow is enough to show my respect for their power.

They both took the two sits on the left side. When they were sat Salad looked at me attentively "This is your son? As irrespective as his father"

I was a little angry but I keep my calm and calmly said "My name is Ning Bai. A p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet you, bishop" only gaining a sneer.

At that moment another person entered the box. This time it was the emperor, Xue Ye.

He entered and sat at the center sit. "Very glad to meet you again" the emperor said.

He looked at me and smiled, the smile was like a father one. "Especially, to our new additions"

I light bowed, this time a little more respectful "It's an honor to meet you, your majesty".

The emperor smiled "There's no need to be so formal. You are my son's friend, he praised you a lot"

"It's my honor to be friends with the prince. And I can't compare with him, at least now" I answered.

The emperor laughed "The youth should be ambitious"

Huyan Zhen also bowed "It's an honor to meet the sun of the empire"

"I am happy that you could come, schoolmaster Huyan. What are your expectations for this match?" The emperor asked.

"This year we have a strong team. Especially, captain Huyan Li, who is my grandson. He is especially talented, being stronger than I was at his age. We all trust him, maybe he can achieve our long dream of arriving at titled douluo rank" he said.

"Hoho" the emperor nodded "What do you think about their rivals?"

"Even if they surprised us in yesterday match against Heaven Dou second team, especially, the boy with a 10.000 years old ring as his 4th one. I don't think my school will have a lot of problems to win. With their strong defense and coordination, they will not be easily defeated, the other team won't finish them quickly and tired themselves. They won't break their defense"

Xue Ye turned to dad "You seemed to have high esteem to Shrek team yesterday, schoolmaster Ning. What do you expect would be the results?"

Dad smiled "I am not completely sure. As my daughter is part of the Shrek team, I had the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet all their member and I must say they are very talented. In yesterday match, they only used 3 of their main team, so it depends on which members will participate"

At that time both teams entered the ring. From one side there was the Elephant Armored team, specializing in defense, all their 7 members were more than 2 meters tall with big muscles.

On the other side came Shrek, they made some changes respect yesterday match. Now with 5 main members, Zhu Zhuqing and Oscar substituting Tai Long and Jiang Zhu.

"You could see the difference in their aura, my team surely will win" said Huyan Zhen.

The emperor turned to me "Let's hear the young generation opinion, what do you think about the match, Bai?"

I thought for a little "Now they have 5 main members respect the 3 of yesterday. The two new addition I know them to be a food type and an agility one. The change in support has a meaning, wanting to concentrate in a long battle of endurance, the strange is the other one change. Changing a power one for a speed type it would be usually considered a bad option against defense system. I doubt Shrek don't know about it, so their plan must depend on it"

"Oh? What do you think their plan will be?" asked Xue Ye.

"Against the Elephant Armored team the most important is to break their defense, so I will say that the agility one is necessary to it. For example a spirit fusion" I reasoned.

Xue Ye nodded and said "Let's see the match".

After the presentation of the teams, the match started with all the fighters activating their spirits. Just as the match began the Armored team invoked shields and advanced towards Shrek trying to push them outside the ring. From Shrek, Oscar gave a sausage to Tang San. When Tang San ate it, a beautiful pair of blue wings grew on his back, then he used his Blue Silver Grass to connect all their teammates, all of them flying, passing over their defense.

Bishop Salas sneered "It seems that our little companion was wrong. The change didn't have any meaning in power, it was a change is weights. With the Armored team unable to fly they will have the advantage"

I only smiled at him (If it would be only for the weight, there would be more option)

"Such a little trick won't be enough to win against them" explained Huyan Zhen.

The Elephant Armored team counterattack with a combination, they used themselves as a cannon, gaining momentum, shooting themselves towards the rivals. This new tactic forced Shrek to the ground.

After some exchange of blows, Tang San finally used his 4th skill trapping in a cage all the rivals. Huyan Li could quickly liberated, breaking the cage. But he found himself surrounded but the 5 offensive members of Shrek at the mercy of their attacks.

Seeing his grandson being beaten, Huyan Zhen buzzed something. I was sure that it was communicating with his grandson.

"Schoolmaster Huyan doing this seems against the rules" dad said.

Huyan Zhen feigned innocence "I don't know what are you referring"

At that moment Huyan Li activated a head spirit bone, after an external one and trunk one it was one of the rarest types. This spirit bone was in the form of an elephant head helmet, increasing tremendously his defense, he could resist Shrek attacks until his companions finally broke through the cages.

"To have a head spirit bone, your grandson sure has talent and luck" Xue Ye said.

The match seemed to start again, this time the Armored team decided to attack the weaker ones. When they were about to take out Zhuqing, she and Dai Mubai used a spirit fusion. A giant white tiger appeared.

I grinned at bishop Salas, gaining an angry grunt of his part.

Taking advantage of the other distracted Armored's members distracted by the other Shrek's members. The tiger attacked Huyan Li who was alone, defeating him. Then it could take out the other two members.

For their part, the combination of Tang Sand and Xiao Wu took out the other two members. Now with 5 members unable to continue, the Armored team only has 2 members left. Shrek in its part had 5, both Zhuqing and Mubai too exhausted after their spirit fusion.

The 2 left decided to attack Tang San and Xiao Wu, ignoring the other members for their inability to break their defense, taking advantage of their tired states after their fight.

The main problem for them is that thanks to the food support of Oscar they weren't too tired. Tang San and Xiao Wu with their great coordination quickly disposed the last to members, winning the match. The main factor of their victory is the good control of Tang San over his team and the enemies, plus the spirit fusion.

Huyan Zhen could help to clench his hand angrily. A match that he was sure to win was lost.

"The effect of a control system is really great, increasing strength and avoiding weakness," said dad.

With the match finished, the stadium started to become empty, dad and I also left after said our goodbyes to them.

Outside the arena, we took our carriage that brought to my academy.

"You did it great today, Bai. Formal, but showing the pride of our clan. In the future it would only be easy" congratulated dad.

"For you, it may easy, you are on the same ground. I never could talk unless the asked me" I complained.

Dad smiles and left me alone, I returned to the academy.