"Burp!"
Feeling content, He Yuefeng rubbed his stomach with satisfaction.
The hotpot had been even more delicious than he imagined. Various ingredients, dipped in the spicy broth and then into his personally mixed dry dip, left a lingering, delectable taste.
And then there was the Blazing Cup.
He glanced at the empty wooden barrel beside him.
The scenario he anticipated had not occurred; he remained in a pleasantly tipsy state. His head felt light and dreamy, but he never became completely inebriated.
The magical quality of the Blazing Cup gradually revealed itself. Unlike typical alcohol, this drink seemed to affect the soul directly. Even Spirit Power couldn't dispel the intoxication.
Moreover, it quickly induced a heady feeling but never pushed one into full drunkenness. The pleasant buzz persisted only briefly after drinking ceased, soon dissipating to leave a clear-headed state.
He Yuefeng was convinced there was no other drink like this in all of Douluo Continent.
He resolved to come back to this place again,and next time, he won't be alone, he will bring his friends for dinner tonight!
Smiling contentedly, he paid Qin Yao and left the restaurant.
Yes, this would be his go-to place for eating out from now on.
As for Fenglai Pavilion? He had entirely forgotten about that restaurant in Star Luo City.
...
"Here's your Crab Stuffed with Orange, please enjoy."
As the lunch service neared its end, Yue Lengxin and Fu Ya arrived at the Small Shop, choosing to dine on the first floor.
Qi Han, still under the influence of a "busy as a bee" buff, brought their dishes to the table.
Yue Lengxin nodded slightly in acknowledgment, only smiling when Pururu, holding a plate, jumped onto the table, making Qi Han momentarily lose his composure.
Fu Ya, curious, asked, "Boss, what happened today? Why are there so many customers?"
Yue Lengxin and Fu Ya hadn't arrived late, but when they did, they found a long line of people waiting, much longer than usual. They only got in just as service was ending.
With the restaurant no longer accepting new customers, Qi Han stood by their table, smiling, "There's a popular food magazine in Star Luo City. I was lucky enough to have several dishes from my restaurant featured in its recent ratings."
Upon hearing this, Fu Ya remembered the hooded girl from that day, her eyes lighting up with realization. "You mean the Food Critique Magazine?"
"Yes."
Fu Ya nodded, recalling she had another reason for calling Qi Han over.
"Well..." Fu Ya paused, looking up at Qi Han. "We have our first round-robin match this afternoon. Would you like to come watch?"
"Huh?" Qi Han was taken aback by the invitation but then thought it might be a good idea.
He had been meaning to find an opportunity to watch the Shrek Academy matches, but his restaurant's booming business, especially with the recent food ratings, kept him too busy to attend.
Shrek Academy had held two matches so far. Qi Han missed the first elimination round due to the new store's renovation and the second due to a clash with the food review week and his restaurant's hours.
The upcoming round-robin match would be Shrek Academy's third battle.
Meanwhile, Yue Lengxin, who was playing with Pururu but listening to their conversation, paused, surprised that Fu Ya was inviting Qi Han to watch the match.
"Sure." Qi Han agreed cheerfully after considering he had no pressing matters that afternoon. However, he soon frowned slightly, "I heard Shrek team's tickets are very popular. Will there be any left to buy now?"
Though Qi Han had never attended a match of the Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament, he had heard about it. Tickets for matches featuring many top-seeded teams were often sold out days in advance, with scalped tickets going for dozens of times their original price.
"No worries." Fu Ya smiled easily. "Shrek Academy has a special spectator area reserved for friends and family. The boss can sit there to watch the match."
This special viewing area was something every team had, designated for the relatives or friends of the contestants. Given Qi Han's familiarity with the Shrek team members, securing a seat there was not a problem.
"That's good," Qi Han nodded. "What time does it start?"
"It starts at two in the afternoon, against the Element Academy."
…
The Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament originated five thousand years ago during the Spirit Hall era, known then as the Continental Advanced Academy Soul Dueling Tournament.
Back then, the Advanced Tournament had preliminary rounds conducted by the two great empires, selecting sixteen teams to compete in the finals at Spirit Hall City, along with teams sent by Spirit Hall, totaling thirty-three teams.
Spirit Hall no longer existed, but the Advanced Tournament persisted due to joint applications from various academies. Over five thousand years, it evolved into the current Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament.
Today, the Battle Tournament is hosted alternately by the two great empires every five years. Unlike the past, there is no specific selection process; any advanced Spirit Master academy meeting the qualifications can participate. The tournament structure has also changed accordingly.
The most significant change is the age limit for participating Spirit Masters.
Five thousand years ago, the Advanced Tournament required participants to be under twenty-five years old. Now, the age limit has been reduced to twenty years old.
Interestingly, this rule change is largely due to the influence of Shrek Academy.
In one particular tournament, Shrek Academy's contestants met the age requirement but had Spirit Power levels reaching eight rings, while contestants from other teams had at most six rings.
How could they compete against such overwhelming power?
Due to collective protests from other academies, the two great empires finally reduced the age limit to twenty years old.
Even with this age reduction, there remains a significant gap between Shrek Academy and other academies, but at least it is not as hopeless, saving some face for other institutions.
The Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament is divided into three stages: elimination rounds, round-robin, and finals. The elimination rounds are relatively straightforward, with all academies drawing lots for seven-on-seven team battles. Winners advance, while losers are eliminated immediately. After two elimination rounds, only thirty-two teams remain to enter the round-robin stage.
In the round-robin stage, thirty-two teams are randomly divided into four groups, each with eight teams. The teams face off against every other team in their group. Each win earns one point, while a loss earns none. The two teams with the highest points in each group advance.
Teams that make it through two elimination rounds possess considerable strength, making the round-robin stage much more exciting than the elimination rounds, and a highlight for spectators.
After the round-robin stage, the advancing eight teams compete in three rounds of two-on-two battles to determine the top three, who receive substantial rewards from the hosting empire, concluding the tournament.
Element Academy is also an advanced Spirit Master academy with a long history. It was surprising to see them face Shrek Academy in the first round-robin match.
This matchup made the upcoming match highly anticipated.
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