Chapter 235: The Legendary Battle—One Versus Fourteen! [Part 1]
Yu Xiaogang looked solemnly at the seven Shrek members, then stepped forward to reassure them:
"Children, you've exceeded my expectations in reaching this point. Yes, our strength may be the weakest among the three teams, but don't forget our trump card!"
As he spoke, his right hand clenched tightly. His Seven-in-One Spirit Fusion Skill was a culmination of his life's work, and he could already envision Shrek's Seven using it in the upcoming battles. Finally, his name as a master would resonate across the continent, washing away the shame of being known as a "waste."
Seeing the confidence on Yu Xiaogang's face, Shrek's expressions relaxed somewhat. However, Tang San's brow remained tightly knit.
"Teacher, do we really have to give up the individual round? To lose to both Spirit Hall and Oakland without a fight…it leaves a bitter taste."
Yu Xiaogang smiled. "Xiao San, while our trump card does grant us an assured victory, we can only use it once, and with both Oakland and Spirit Hall being powerful teams, we'll have no opportunity to use it again if we deploy it prematurely. It's best saved for the final."
"But that doesn't mean we should forfeit the individual rounds. With the right strategy, there's still a chance we can win here," he added.
Curious, the Shrek Seven listened intently, eager to hear Yu Xiaogang's plan. For them, Yu Xiaogang was a man of unparalleled strategy. They knew their strength was the lowest among the three teams, so how could victory be possible?
Unable to contain himself, Ma Hongjun asked, "Master, what's the plan?"
Everyone leaned in to listen, while Liu Erlong gazed admiringly at Yu Xiaogang. No matter how difficult the situation, her Xiaogang could always find a solution.
Yu Xiaogang cleared his throat and began,
"We must first acknowledge that we are the weakest of the three teams. Therefore, our only path to victory lies in provoking Spirit Hall and Oakland into exhausting each other, leaving us to clean up what's left. Because we have two support spirit masters, we'll initially need Jing Ling and Tai Long to step forward."
He continued, "For this plan to work, they should intentionally lose against Oakland, neither seeking victory nor aiming to drain Oakland's spirit power. But if they face Spirit Hall, they should aim to weaken their opponents as much as possible, giving Oakland an advantage when they face off."
"Due to the risks, we'll also need to eliminate a few of their weaker players ourselves. Dai Mubai and Hongjun, that will be your task. When an opponent sends in weaker players, you two will step in and narrow the field."
"If all goes according to plan," Yu Xiaogang concluded, "it's possible we'll have a chance to swoop in at the end and win. The key is to be prepared to capitalize when the last competitors from Oakland and Spirit Hall are barely hanging on."
The Shrek Seven were thoughtful. Yu Xiaogang's plan was logical, but it would also depend heavily on Oakland's ability to withstand Spirit Hall's formidable pressure. Could Oakland's team hold their own against Spirit Hall's three Soul Kings? The answer, they feared, was self-evident.
Tang San voiced his concern, "Teacher, the odds are against us for this to work."
Yu Xiaogang sighed. "True, but it's our only chance for victory in the individual round. We need someone strong enough to finish off the remaining competitors, even if they're not down to the last member. Xiao San, that someone is you."
After a moment's pause, Tang San nodded resolutely. "Teacher, I'll do my best."
With a goal in mind, the Shrek Seven's spirits lifted, though Ning Rongrong, still coughing lightly, raised a concern.
"Master, are we being too optimistic?"
Yu Xiaogang turned to her. "What's the matter?"
Rongrong looked down, her voice uncertain as she said quietly,
"I think…we're underestimating Dai Yao."
She knew Dai Yao was a twin spirit master, and after witnessing him defeat Shi Nian effortlessly, she understood just how terrifyingly powerful he could be when he unleashed his true potential.
Yu Xiaogang stroked his chin, thinking. "Rongrong, there's no need to worry. Even if Dai Yao is remarkable, he's still a Soul Ancestor. Could he possibly rival Spirit Hall's three Soul Kings?"
"By the way, you've been coughing a lot lately. Are you coming down with something? Should Sect Master Ning take a closer look?"
Rongrong forced a smile and replied softly, "It's nothing, Master. If it doesn't go away after the tournament, I'll ask my father to check it out."
Yu Xiaogang nodded. "Good. You should rest during the morning matches and be ready for the team battle this afternoon. We can't afford mistakes—your performance is crucial to our success."
Rongrong's Fusion Ring was fundamental to the successful execution of the Seven-in-One Spirit Fusion Skill.
Spirit Hall Team
The Golden Generation stood at the forefront. Their confidence bordered on arrogance as they prepared, seeing neither Shrek nor Oakland as threats. And with three Soul Kings on their side, they certainly held the upper hand.
Yan, crossing his arms as he looked at the two teams stepping up to the stage, sneered,
"What a shame we aren't going first. If I were up, I'd wipe out half of them myself!"
Xie Yue, calm and composed, responded, "Yan, it's better that you don't go first—not because of any doubt in your skill, but because it would make us the target. No matter how strong we are, overconfidence will only hurt us."
"Both Tang San of Shrek and Dai Yao of Oakland are potential threats," Xie Yue continued. "The three of us should stay back, letting our Soul Ancestors lead. And Hu Liena, you should save your strength in case of emergencies."
Hu Liena's seductive gaze swept across the two teams, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "I just hope they're strong enough to give me a reason to step in. It would be too dull otherwise."
Her tone shifted as she turned to the four Soul Ancestors in the Spirit Hall team, her eyes hardening. "During the matches, do as you like, but if you face Tang San…" She trailed off, tracing a slender finger across her own neck in a silent, deadly gesture.
Though she didn't spell it out, the message was clear: eliminate Tang San.
Spirit Hall knew that Tang San, even with his humble Blue Silver Grass, was a rising power. With his twin spirits, bloodline, and lineage as Tang Hao's son, he had too many factors in his favor. For these reasons, Bibi Dong had hesitated for some time, but ultimately, she ordered Tang San's death.
Feeling Hu Liena's cold intent, the four Soul Ancestors knelt in unison. "Understood!"
As the match began, the red-robed archbishop called out,
"Would the first fighters from Oakland and Shrek Academy please take the stage!"
For Shrek, Jing Ling stepped onto the stage, looking visibly tense. As a Soul Elder, he was among the weaker participants in a competition dominated by Soul Ancestors and Kings.
Jing Ling closed his eyes, taking deep breaths to calm himself. Reaching the final three teams was beyond his expectations, and though his strength alone wouldn't decide the match, his role was to pave the way for Oakland's victory and enable a clash between Oakland and Spirit Hall. As a Spirit Master, it was frustrating not to fight to his heart's content, but it was the reality of the weak.
He exhaled, reopened his eyes, and glanced toward Oakland. When he caught sight of a golden figure, his pupils constricted. Stepping onto the stage for Oakland was—Dai Yao!
Oakland's strongest member was up first, catching everyone off guard.
"Is Oakland giving up the win? They're sending in Dai Yao first?!" Yu Xiaogang's eyes widened in disbelief. The Shrek Seven were equally stunned, with Tang San clenching his fists. Dai Yao's entrance completely disrupted their plans.
"Teacher, what now?" Tang San asked.
Yu Xiaogang frowned, "The plan stays, but we need to focus on depleting his spirit power. No matter what, Dai Yao must be eliminated first!" Immediately, he transmitted his instructions to Jing Ling.
In Spirit Hall's rest area, Hu Liena's red lips parted in surprise, "What's Dai Yao doing? Oakland barely has anyone else we should be concerned about. If he loses, they're done."
Yan frowned, "Dai Yao is indeed powerful. Our Spirit Ancestors can't stop him if he's up."
Xie Yue gave a cool glance, "Don't worry. Let's just drain his spirit power. By the time he reaches us, he'll be exhausted." Yan nodded in agreement.
On the stage, Dai Yao greeted his opponent, "Oakland Academy, Vice-Captain Dai Yao. Spirit: Holy White Tiger. Pleased to meet you."
"Shrek Academy, Jing Ling. Spirit: Skeleton," Jing Ling responded with a bow.
The red-robed judge raised a hand. "Both fighters ready. Begin!" His hand dropped, and the crowd leaned forward, eyes locked on the arena.
At the call, Jing Ling sprang into motion. His Skeleton Spirit activated, and as an agility-type spirit master, he circled around Dai Yao at high speed, searching for an opening.
"Master warned me that Dai Yao is fast, but he's not an agility-type. He can't maintain high speed indefinitely. Even if I can't win, I'll drain as much of his spirit power as I can!" Jing Ling thought to himself.
"Not attacking? Trying to drain my spirit power, I see," Dai Yao observed with a slight smile. To achieve his goal of one-versus-fourteen, he needed to conserve every bit of spirit power, and his experience in the Heaven Dou Battle Arena gave him plenty of practice conserving energy. Watching Jing Ling's shadow dart around him, Dai Yao's eyes remained calm.
Planting his foot and crouching slightly, he launched himself with explosive force, darting toward the shadow in a flash. With a loud bang, he shot forward like an arrow toward Jing Ling.
The sharp whistle of air filled Jing Ling's ears as Dai Yao closed in, and alarms blared in his mind. In a split second, his three spirit rings glowed, boosting his speed and launching an attack. But his strikes were futile, barely scratching Dai Yao.
Before he could register what happened, Dai Yao vanished momentarily from his view, reappearing right in front of him. A hand as unyielding as steel gripped his throat, and like a doll, Jing Ling was slammed to the ground, leaving a black skid mark on the floor.
"It's over," Dai Yao said calmly, still gripping him. Jing Ling's back was rubbed raw, his skin red and bleeding. In a defeated tone, he replied, "I lost."
The crowd's reaction was muted; after all, Jing Ling was only a Spirit Elder, and his loss was anticipated. Spirit Hall's members felt a tinge of apprehension at Dai Yao's strength, though his victory was no surprise.
Returning to Oakland's side, Dai Yao sat down to meditate, replenishing his energy. Even without using his spirit, the burst of speed required a slight amount of energy. Determined to conserve as much power as possible, he treated every drop as critical.
Back at Shrek's rest area, Jing Ling was receiving treatment when Ma Hongjun remarked excitedly, "Jing Ling, your acting was great! Looked real enough to fool anyone!"
The Shrek Seven stared, impressed. Jing Ling's performance had indeed looked like he'd fought without holding back.
Jing Ling let out a bitter laugh, "I followed the master's strategy, but that wasn't an act. Even without his spirit activated, Dai Yao's strength left me defenseless."
The Shrek Seven were stunned.
"Well, well," Hu Liena remarked with interest as she watched Dai Yao meditating.
"Sun Chuantao, you're next," Xie Yue instructed.
"Yes!" A short-haired Spirit Hall member stepped forward.
"Spirit Hall's next contestant, please enter the stage," the judge announced. The short-haired man approached, shouting, "Spirit Hall's Sun Chuantao! Spirit: Circular Great Blade, Rank 48 Assault-type Spirit Ancestor. Prepare yourself!"
Having long been a proud member of Spirit Hall, Sun Chuantao despised the idea of Dai Yao challenging their Golden Generation. Though he wouldn't admit it aloud, his pride burned. Now, given the chance to fight Dai Yao, he was determined to show his worth.
"Be careful," he sneered as he raised his massive blade.
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