The energy shield began dissolving from the top and quickly disappeared, making the situation on the stage even clearer.
There was no flood-like roar of cheers, no earth-shaking excitement — only silence.
The audience wore blank expressions, some still unable to recover from the shock, looking a bit dazed and foolish.
"Good!" It wasn't clear who shouted first, but that single cheer was soon followed by applause. It was like lighting a fuse — the silence shattered instantly.
"Yunze! Yunze!" The crowd shouted in unison, chanting Yunze's name loudly, passionately, with faces flushed in excitement.
They raised their right hands high, dropped them, then raised them again in rhythm with the chanting — a coordinated, powerful display.
This battle had stunned everyone — even those watching the live broadcast — all were completely shocked, their entire understanding of the world overturned.
Many were still in a daze, feeling like this wasn't real. Was it already over? From the start of the match until now, it seemed like only a few minutes had passed.
A six-year-old battle armor master, taking on five Shrek Academy students alone — and he won. Not just won — he crushed them.
Throughout the fight, the five Shrek Academy students were completely overwhelmed, instantly defeated without any chance to fight back. It was simply unbelievable.
No one could have predicted this result. Who could have imagined that five students from Shrek Academy would be utterly crushed by a six- or seven-year-old child?
For once, Sun Moon Royal Academy's boasting didn't feel exaggerated — that thought appeared in everyone's mind. The livestream title had been entirely accurate.
Most of the audience in the arena were Sun Moon Royal Academy supporters. Now, they were celebrating wildly, shouting with reckless joy.
Sun Moon Royal Academy had been bullied by Shrek Academy for so many years. Today, they finally launched a beautiful counterattack. All that long-suppressed frustration had found a release — like a dam bursting, it couldn't be stopped.
Yunze himself felt little toward the deafening cheers. He ignored them, walking calmly, steadily down from the stage.
He ignored the cheers.
He ignored the battered Shrek students.
He ignored the man in the sky whose murderous intent toward him was blazing.
Gu Yuena came over immediately, dimples showing as she smiled — she was clearly excited, naturally moving to Yunze's side.
"You're amazing — you can even control a two-word battle armor already!" Gu Yuena said happily.
"It's only basic control. I can't yet bring out its full power," Yunze replied.
"That's already incredible! Six years old and already a two-word battle armor master — you're definitely the first in the whole continent," Gu Yuena said, full of admiration.
Yunze only smiled at her praise. In his heart, he didn't feel this was something to be particularly proud of.
Up in the air, Wu Zhangkong looked down at Yunze, murder in his eyes, his frosty sword itching to strike.
Xie Xie and Tang Wulin had been with him since Sky Sea City — he had deep feelings for them. Seeing them hurt like this, he naturally couldn't sit still.
"This is Sun Moon Royal Academy. Even if you're a Shrek Academy teacher, you can't just do as you please here, otherwise…" An old man stood in front of Wu Zhangkong.
The old man released his martial soul, nine soul rings circling around him. The energy he released was far stronger than Wu Zhangkong's.
Wu Zhangkong hadn't revealed his identity, but since he dared to declare Shrek's surrender and considering his age, it was easy enough to guess he was a Shrek teacher.
"Otherwise what?" Wu Zhangkong said coldly, his sharp gaze cutting into the old man, rudely interrupting him.
The old man frowned. He had given the man face by not acting immediately, yet the other dared to push further, even trying to intimidate him back.
His face darkened, and he said bluntly, "Otherwise it will mean war between the two academies."
"Your Shrek Academy may be strong, but my Sun Moon Royal Academy is no pushover. If you dare to act here today, I guarantee neither you nor those five children will leave this arena alive."
Wu Zhangkong's grip on his sword tightened as he stared deathly at the old man. The old man did not flinch, meeting his gaze with anger of his own.
"All right, allow me to say a few words." The voice of Principal Xu Lin rang out, empowered by soul power, even overpowering the deafening cheers.
The cheering in the arena quieted, falling silent as Principal Xu Lin flickered into the air.
Xu Lin glanced at Wu Zhangkong and said calmly, "Take your students for treatment. If you're hoping to leverage Shrek Academy's background to demand answers — you're not qualified."
"You…" Wu Zhangkong's anger flared further.
Principal Xu Lin gave him a cold glance. A strong aura of pressure radiated out, weighing down Wu Zhangkong like a mountain pressing on his shoulders.
Wu Zhangkong, though enraged, didn't lose his reason. Facing superior strength, he chose to endure.
"Today's humiliation, I will remember. Shrek Academy will remember." With that, he flew downward.
"Can't even handle losing," one of the council members beside Xu Lin sneered coldly.
"Have the Academy's best healing soul masters treat them. In this matter, we must show the magnanimity of a top academy," Xu Lin said.
The old man understood Xu Lin's meaning. Whether the other side accepted or not, they would do it anyway. Such gestures would bring them a better reputation.
"I'll handle it immediately," the old man said, leaving.
Once the old man was gone, Xu Lin cleared his throat and bowed slightly toward one of the livestream cameras, a polite, apologetic look on his face:
"Friends from Shrek Academy, we truly apologize. Our student Yunze doesn't yet know his own strength — he injured several of your fine students badly, even putting one or two in mortal danger. That really went too far."
"Although he is extraordinarily gifted — a two-word battle armor master, a once-in-ten-thousand-years genius — I will not indulge him."
"Rest assured, in private I will certainly punish him properly. A sparring match, and he doesn't know his limits — acting recklessly just because he's only six years old — utterly outrageous."
"But I also hope you'll understand. After all, he didn't expect that your academy's students had only this much strength."
"He assumed that as Shrek Academy is the continent's number one academy, its students must be exceptional, and that if he didn't go all out, he couldn't possibly win — so he went all out."
"But unexpectedly… sigh!" Xu Lin spoke with deep sincerity, then finally sighed and bowed again to the camera. "We're truly sorry, and hope for your understanding."
Hearing this, the spectators looked at each other, their expressions odd. Some couldn't help but laugh.
This wasn't an apology — it was public mockery, rubbing salt into Shrek's wounds.
As for the so-called punishment for Yunze — from his tone, it was clear he meant to reward Yunze. Otherwise, he wouldn't have just finished delivering a whole string of praise about him.
At Shrek Academy, students and teachers who heard this were furious. Many began cursing, calling Xu Lin hypocritical, disgusting, a petty villain riding high.
Even the elders of the Sea God Pavilion couldn't stay calm — their soul power fluctuations turned violent.
Watching the livestream, Yun Ming's face darkened, and gentle Ya Li beside him also looked grim. When had Shrek Academy ever been humiliated like this?
(End of Chapter)