In the rest area of the competition arena.
Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and the others wore serious expressions, seemingly deep in discussion.
"Xiaogang, do you really think your plan will work?" Flender and Zhao Wuji beside him couldn't hide their worry.
"Don't worry." Yu Xiaogang clenched his fist slightly, brimming with confidence. "Tang San is my disciple. Even if something unexpected happens, he can react in time."
"Besides, don't forget—even a Soul Emperor is no match for Xiao San. Just over a month ago..."
Yu Xiaogang wanted to continue boasting about Tang San, but seeing Tang Xiao's face darken like a burnt pot left on the stove, he wisely stopped himself.
After all, the Soul Emperor Tang San had killed was related to the Clear Sky Sect.
This was a case of "the flood washing away the Dragon King's temple"—best not to bring it up carelessly, lest the Tang Sect Master lose his temper.
"Tch, it was just some trash who'd barely broken through to Soul Emperor. Dying by Xiao San's hand was an honor. It's not like he was a direct descendant of the Clear Sky Sect—why care so much?"
"Those who achieve great things don't sweat the small stuff. Sect Master Tang Xiao really is petty."
Yu Xiaogang still had some sense of propriety, knowing these words couldn't be spoken aloud. He could only run them through his mind.
His gaze returned to the arena.
At this moment, the two teams began exchanging introductions.
"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Ning Rongrong."
"Clear Sky Sect, Tang San."
Unlike in the original timeline, where Tang San had to hide his identity to participate in the Continental Elite Soul Master Grand Competition, with the Clear Sky Sect's return to the world and the ancestor Tang Chen's reappearance, all parties had reached a delicate balance.
No one would come to kill him. Besides, he was Tang San!
Who would dare kill him? Who even could kill him?
That 62nd-rank Soul Emperor who'd called him a beggar? His bones had long since turned to dust.
"Spirit Hall, just you wait. One day, I, Tang San, will have my revenge."
Suppressing his irritation, Tang San refocused.
The two teams separated, each taking their positions on opposite sides of the arena.
The referee's whistle blew, announcing the start of the match.
"Everyone, release your spirits! Let Glazed Academy see our strength!"
Representing the Clear Sky Sect, Tang San had become Shrek Academy's captain, with Dai Mubai willingly stepping down. Tang San's intimidation was Shrek's might.
His roaring voice seemed to declare: The Clear Sky Sect is the world's number one sect—even among the younger generation, no one can compare.
Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Black, Black.
Two hundred-year soul rings, one thousand-year soul ring, and two ten-thousand-year soul rings.
This was him—a 51st-rank Soul King.
Similar to the original timeline, when Xiao Wu was in danger, Tang San had forcibly absorbed a ten-thousand-year soul ring as his fourth. Every time this fourth ring appeared, it drew gasps from the audience.
Compared to Tang San's soul rings, Tang Long and the others were far more ordinary.
Tang Long was a 52nd-rank Soul King.
The remaining Shrek monsters had all reached Soul Ancestor level—meaning this was a terrifying team consisting of two Soul Kings and five Soul Ancestors.
"So that's how it is."
Ning Rongrong studied the seven opponents, deep in thought.
She had already sensed Tang San's soul power during their last encounter, so his current strength didn't surprise her.
But the others from Shrek were roughly at the same level as in the original competition, which was surprising.
Xiao Wu—41st rank, Dai Mubai—44th rank, Zhu Zhuqing—45th rank, Oscar—42nd rank, Ma Hongjun—42nd rank.
"Hmm?"
"Zhu Zhuqing is a rank higher than Dai Mubai?"
As a terrifyingly powerful Grandmaster-level expert, Ning Rongrong could clearly discern their soul power levels. Zhu Zhuqing's 45th-rank strength was simply unbelievable.
That strange aura around her… it felt oddly familiar.
But for now, Ning Rongrong couldn't place it.
Aside from Tang Long and Tang San, every member of Shrek's team carried a strong killing intent.
It seemed their power boosts were tied to Slaughter City—or perhaps Tang Chen had given them special treatment.
But this didn't seem like a normal method of soul power advancement.
Especially Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun. The twisted gleam in their eyes made Ning Rongrong deeply uncomfortable.
Oscar, at least, didn't radiate the same sinister aura.
"Did he restrain himself in Slaughter City?"
"Or… did Flender say something to him?"
Ning Rongrong was quite familiar with places like Slaughter City.
But before she could ponder further—
A deafening tiger's roar snapped her back to reality.
"Starting with a Spirit Fusion Skill?!"
Taking a deep breath, Ning Rongrong activated her domain and layered buffs onto her teammates.
"Alright, all set."
Beside her, Ye Lingling did the same.
"Spirit Fusion Skill—Netherworld White Tiger!"
"Spirit Fusion Skill—Falling Snow and Ice!"
Almost the instant Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing activated their fusion skill, Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er—boosted by Ning Rongrong's domain—unleashed theirs.
With Ning Rongrong's buffs stacked, the fusion skill's power was even greater.
The Ice Phoenix and Netherworld White Tiger clashed under the guidance of soul power.
The cries of phoenix and tiger reverberated across the arena.
A mix of icy mist and killing intent filled the battlefield.
In the final collision, the Ice Phoenix broke through the Netherworld White Tiger. Though weakened, it still shot toward Shrek's team.
Tang Long suddenly stepped forward, his Clear Sky Hammer swelling into a massive mallet.
"Clear Sky Secret Art—Clear Sky Nine Strikes: Heaven-Shaking Earth-Quaking!"
The hammer smashed down onto the diving Ice Phoenix.
BOOM!
The arena trembled violently from the impact.
The Ice Phoenix cracked apart, dissolving into icy mist.
Tang Long's face paled as he popped a sausage into his mouth to recover stamina.
"That should do it."
Tang San's voice reached his ears.
The skill he used next was Tang San's signature move—now perfected.
Group Control Skill—Blue Silver Entanglement.
Its purpose? To disrupt the enemy, preventing counterattacks while buying time for their strategy.
Because from the start, their goal wasn't a head-on fight.
After his spirit's second awakening, Tang San's Blue Silver Entanglement carried a faint bloody hue, giving it an eerie, vampiric allure.
Blue Silver Grass erupted from the ground, forcing Glazed Academy to dodge.
Exactly as Tang San intended.
Of the original seven team members, Ma Hongjun and Xiao Wu had already vanished. Amid the icy mist, only five remained visible.
"Go, Xiao Wu!"
"Big brother believes in you—you can take out both support Soul Masters!"
Sure enough, within the fog from the Ice Phoenix's explosion, Glazed Academy's team stayed alert against the visible foes, unaware of the two figures descending from above.
Or perhaps they noticed but didn't care.
Ning Rongrong and Ye Lingling stood relatively far back on the field.
As support Soul Masters, their job was to "cheer from the sidelines."
"Such a big commotion—so their targets are me and Ye Lingling?"
Two such glaring "light bulbs" in the sky might escape a Soul King's notice, but how could Ning Rongrong miss them?
Even Dugu Yan, positioned slightly ahead to "protect" Ning Rongrong and Ye Lingling, spotted the figures above.
Noticing Dugu Yan's glance, Ning Rongrong subtly shook her head.
Dugu Yan hadn't released her soul rings yet.
As the progenitor of the Misfortune Poison Body, her strength wasn't much diminished even without them.
Above, Xiao Wu and Ma Honjun rode Oscar's flying sausages.
As they closed in on Ning Rongrong and Ye Lingling, Ma Hongjun's face lit up with excitement.
"The plan's working—they really didn't notice us!"
Though he said this, his eyes roamed greedily over Ye Lingling and Ning Rongrong, his lecherous gaze even making Xiao Wu uncomfortable.
"Fatty, remember the plan," Xiao Wu rarely spoke up.
"Heh, I know! But damn, Glazed Academy's team is full of beauties."