The raindrops in the sky grew heavier and more urgent, turning the entire arena into a white blur.
Meng Hongchen lightly raised her right hand. The first soul ring on her body emitted a dazzling yellow light, and a white aura spread outward, skillfully merging with the rain until it vanished.
In front of Xiao Xiao, a large bronze cauldron appeared. Her delicate face was full of caution, eyes locked tightly on Meng Hongchen.
But Meng Hongchen simply approached Xiao Xiao, without any other action.
"Three-Life Soul-Sealing Cauldron, Cauldron Shock!"
Xiao Xiao shouted sharply. The single bronze cauldron instantly split into three, charging toward Meng Hongchen.
"Bravery is commendable, but your soul power is too weak."
Meng Hongchen shook her head slightly. Observing the three aggressive cauldrons, she moved lightly, forming two orbs of soul power in her hands—one red, one blue—and struck two of the cauldrons.
The two cauldrons instantly dissolved into soul power, dissipating into the air. The last cauldron, the true body of the Three-Life Soul-Sealing Cauldron, now faced Meng Hongchen directly.
Yet Meng Hongchen's expression remained calm and composed. She pointed a finger at it, and in an instant, it turned into a blinding light.
Xiao Xiao, standing in place, turned pale, half-kneeling, her entire expression dazed.
"Although you have persistence in your heart and burdens on your shoulders, so do I. I won't give you the chance to waste time."
Meng Hongchen looked at Xiao Xiao's fallen figure and spoke slowly. The match had only lasted a minute.
Her earlier comment, "even heaven is helping her," was not wrong. On a rainy day, the toxin of her Zhuqing Ice Toad spreads more easily, and once dissolved in the rain, it becomes hidden and difficult to detect.
Xiao Xiao felt her body weaken, dizziness overwhelming her.
"As expected… I'm still too weak."
She wanted to buy time. The idea was beautiful, but reality was harsh.
"Next."
Meng Hongchen glanced once more at Xiao Xiao before retreating lightly to her original position.
Up to this point, she had barely used any soul power.
When it came to using poison, she was serious.
"Jiang Jue, my sister's pretty good, right? You better treat her well, or else…"
Xiao Hongchen sat beside Jiang Jue, watching Meng Hongchen fight, speaking softly.
Jiang Jue paused slightly as he absorbed soul power.
"Of course!"
A slight gleam appeared in Jiang Jue's eyes, his tone resolute.
In the Shrek Academy standby zone, Wang Yan's face darkened as he watched Xiao Xiao being carried off. He had a nagging feeling that Meng Hongchen's martial soul seemed familiar, but he couldn't recall why.
Moreover, after their students had entered the match, they didn't even know how they lost, not even brushing against the opponent's sleeve—it was incredibly frustrating!
"I'll go!"
Wang Dong stood and spoke.
"But aren't we supposed to go in pairs for the 2v3 battle? That way we can maximize our effectiveness."
Huo Yuhao said in confusion. He already felt much better, his complexion healthy. After all, he hadn't really used his soul power; he was just stunned by Jiang Jue's sharp "Go away."
"Do you think we can even last until the 2v3 battle?"
Wang Dong stared at Huo Yuhao. For some reason, whether it was Huo Yuhao's earlier team performance or his current timid appearance, a sense of discomfort, even… a slight disgust, arose in Wang Dong's heart.
He also felt that the Hao-Dong force they cultivated together didn't feel as smooth as usual—it was somehow lacking.
Huo Yuhao, scolded by his good brother, looked blank and speechless.
There were only a few individual matches left, and Shrek Academy had already lost two.
Their team had already lost too many members in the group battle.
In other words, they could no longer afford to lose…
Wang Yan hesitated. From his perspective, sending Wang Dong in now would be useless; he could not act recklessly.
"I'll go! I'm fire-elemental. Meng Hongchen seems to be ice-elemental, probably ice poison. My immunity is stronger."
Ma Xiaotao spoke, standing up. At this crucial moment, as team captain, she could not retreat.
"Captain! I'll go! You need to stay at the back."
Dai Yaoheng said firmly, standing before Ma Xiaotao.
He nodded to Wang Yan, then leapt onto the stage.
As Dai Yaoheng entered, Meng Hongchen glanced back at her standby zone. Jiang Jue met her gaze, a slight smile forming as he nodded to her.
Meng Hongchen's eyes flickered. She nodded lightly in return, a confident smile appearing in her eyes.
She had someone to protect. She was no mere vase.
"Both sides, step back."
Tiansha Douluo repeated habitually. Over the past few days as a referee, he had grown to enjoy being alone rather than doing the tedious work here.
Now he understood why Xu Jiawei's team ran so fast when selecting referees.
Dai Yaoheng's eyes narrowed, his pupils coldly fixed on Meng Hongchen. He then glanced toward the Imperial City walls, where he wanted to display his strength.
Meng Hongchen merely gave him a brief glance before preparing to activate her martial soul.
Facing Dai Yaoheng, a Soul Emperor, she needed to be fully alert; she was still only a Soul King.
At the Imperial City walls:
Xu Jiawei smiled at Dai Hao beside him.
"Brother Dai, do you think Yaoheng can defeat that rare Poison Soul Master from the Sun-Moon team?"
Dai Hao furrowed his brows, thinking, and said:
"If he's smart, he can win. But the enemy will lose a thousand while he loses eight hundred. Poison Soul Masters are troublesome…"
"Your Majesty, was that plan really proposed by Shrek Academy? I have doubts about it."
Dai Hao hesitated, but spoke anyway.
Xu Jiawei shook his head slightly, looking at a boy in the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Tutor Academy standby zone.
"The Sun-Moon Empire is becoming increasingly uncontrollable. These past years, talented people have emerged there. For the future of the Star-Spiral Empire, this… is worth it."
"And Shrek Academy agreed to allow our royal family to send ten additional students to study there each year."
"The Sea God Pavilion also told me: Shrek doesn't take sides. It exists only to cultivate, only to protect. Its influence will never leave Shrek City."
Dai Hao snorted.
"They've already become continental inspectors, yet they don't leave the city? They just don't expand."
Since the establishment of the Shrek Academy Inspection Corps, under the banner of maintaining peace and exterminating evil soul masters, officials in territories of the former three empires must cooperate with Shrek Academy's actions.
"Shrek Academy is so strict in our former three empires. Why don't they go monitor the Sun-Moon Empire?"
"Ah! Brother Dai, don't say too much—walls have ears!"
Dai Hao's expression turned awkward. He wanted to speak, but swallowed his words.
Frustrating! Truly frustrating!
(End of Chapter)