"Calm down!" Just as Xuan Zi was about to act impulsively, a faint voice quietly sounded behind him.
Hearing this voice, Xuan Zi's body stiffened abruptly. He was too familiar with this voice; he had heard it countless times over a hundred years, so how could he not be familiar with it?
"Elder Mu, you're here too! Xiaotao, she..." Xuan Zi's face initially lit up with joy. With Elder Mu present, even the Snow Moon Douluo would have to give Shrek Academy a reasonable explanation.
However, when he turned to see Mu En's state, the joy on his face instantly vanished, replaced by deep disappointment.
It turned out that it wasn't Mu En's true body that had arrived, but a clone formed from the energy of the Golden Tree.
Although this clone could unleash the powerful strength of a Limit Douluo, its duration was extremely short, making it impossible to sustain combat for long.
The faint figure of Mu En, radiating soft golden light, spoke calmly: "Don't worry, Xiaotao isn't dead."
The details that Xuan Zi had missed, Mu En saw clearly.
Ma Xiaotao was not in mortal danger at this moment. The spear piercing her body was not intended to take her life. Instead, it was Lu Jingming's deliberate act, aimed at preventing Ma Xiaotao from continuing to fight recklessly, to avoid her excessively burning her life force.
In fact, this spear strike was actually saving Ma Xiaotao.
Otherwise, Ma Xiaotao, who had been fighting so selflessly with Yingliu, might have continued to burn her life force until she withered and died.
Moreover, Mu En understood that Lu Jingming had no reason to kill Ma Xiaotao in front of so many onlookers.
After all, there was no deep-seated animosity between Ma Xiaotao and Lu Jingming. On the contrary, while their relationship wasn't intimate, it wasn't bad either.
The truth was exactly as Mu En had expected. At this moment, the Abyssal White Flower was primarily guided by the power of the White Flower.
When Lu Jingming slowly withdrew the spear from Ma Xiaotao's chest, something astonishing happened: the wound on her chest instantly healed as if she had never been injured, leaving no trace of a scar.
However, her soul power had been completely eliminated, and she lost the ability to resist, collapsing limply to the ground.
In the unique state of his Self-Created Martial Soul Fusion Skill, as long as Lu Jingming did not intend to take a life, he could save the opponent's life, no matter how severe the injury.
Just like Ma Xiaotao, even with her heart pierced, Lu Jingming, relying on the White Flower's power of creation, could ensure her safety.
"I almost thought you really killed her!"
Gu Yue was also startled just now, but her mind was agile, and she quickly reacted.
Lu Jingming wielded both the powers of destruction and creation. The fused sacred spear was not meant for killing.
"Ah Ming wouldn't bear to, right?" March 7th skipped forward, curiously examining the unconscious Ma Xiaotao.
Her gaze landed on Ma Xiaotao's proud figure, especially the eye-catching 'big chest' on her chest, which made her mouth twitch slightly.
She had only seen such a proud figure on Changli; she hadn't seen it on anyone else.
Whether it was her, Jinhsi, or Zhang Lexuan and the others, they all had to admit defeat in front of Ma Xiaotao's figure.
At this moment, the entire arena presented a completely different scene.
The members of St. Freya Academy stood tall on the arena, their faces beaming with the joy of victory.
In stark contrast, the members of Shrek Academy lay scattered across the ground.
Wang Yan's heart, which had been hanging high, finally relaxed upon seeing that Ma Xiaotao was not in mortal danger.
However, he then let out a heavy sigh. In this match, Shrek Academy had ultimately lost.
Ma Xiaotao, Huo Yuhao, and Wang Dong were all unconscious, and Xu Sanshi, Beibei, Dai Yaohang, and Ling Luochen had also lost the ability to continue fighting.
It could be said that almost all of Shrek Academy's main team members were annihilated.
Even if the subsequent individual elimination rounds allowed substitutions, Shrek Academy, with only He Caitou, Xiao Xiao, Jiang Nan Nan, and Xixi remaining, would undoubtedly be like striking a stone with an egg against the strong St. Freya Academy; there was no chance of victory.
Therefore, the situation of this highly anticipated All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Competition was already clear.
Shrek Academy, having suffered heavy losses in the team battle, was no longer able to fight. This match determined the winner in a single round; there would be no second or third match.
Although Wang Yan was filled with unwillingness, the reality was before him, leaving him no other choice.
To continue would only be to invite humiliation, so he reluctantly chose to give up the remaining matches.
As the leading teacher of Shrek Academy, Wang Yan had the right to represent the team in forfeiting the match.
Wang Yan approached Dan Heng on behalf of Shrek Academy and conceded.
Facing this outcome, Dan Heng's expression was calm. He then announced in a steady voice to the entire audience: "Due to Shrek Academy forfeiting the individual elimination rounds, St. Freya Academy is hereby declared the winner of this All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Competition final!"
Dan Heng's voice, amplified by the soul tool, clearly echoed throughout every corner of Haiyuan City.
Upon hearing this news, all the spectators were momentarily stunned, their brains seeming to briefly cease functioning.
But soon, they reacted, and then overwhelming cheers reverberated through the sky.
The audience did not overly blame Shrek Academy for choosing to surrender without a fight.
After all, anyone with a discerning eye could see that after that intense team battle, Shrek Academy's members had exhausted their physical and soul power and had lost the ability to continue fighting.
Moreover, St. Freya Academy was incredibly strong, having advanced through the ranks, carrying the glory of the previous champion. Their victory this time was also well-deserved.
People's reactions to Shrek Academy's defeat varied.
Some couldn't help but shake their heads and sigh. In their view, the once glorious Shrek Academy seemed to be in decline, and its brilliant era might have completely passed.
Others, however, secretly rejoiced.
Among them were the people from Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. They had always regarded Shrek Academy as their rival. Seeing Shrek Academy defeated, they naturally welcomed it, even if they too had lost to St. Freya Academy. They still hoped St. Freya Academy would win, rather than Shrek Academy.
And there was Xu Jiawei, his face now filled with smiles, deeply satisfied.
After all, the championship once again falling to the Star Luo Empire was undoubtedly a great thing for the Star Luo Empire. It could not only enhance the empire's reputation but also, to some extent, strengthen the nation's cohesion.
"Elder Mu, we lost again. It's all my fault!" Xuan Zi stood aside, his expression incredibly dim, his face filled with self-reproach and guilt.
His eyes revealed deep regret. If only he had been more cautious and less careless back then, he wouldn't have caused the misfortune of three excellent students: Yao Haoxuan, Gongyang Mo, and Chen Zifeng.
It was precisely their absence that greatly diminished Shrek Academy's strength, leading to such an easy loss in this match.
Mu En shook his head slightly, his eyes holding both disappointment and helplessness.
He didn't truly prioritize the outcome of the competition. In his heart, the academy's legacy and the cultivation of talent were paramount.
However, Xuan Zi had repeatedly made mistakes, causing the academy to lose many excellent disciples, which deeply pained him.
But, with Shrek Academy currently facing a talent drought, besides Xuan Zi, he simply couldn't find a more suitable successor.
Shrek Academy was now in a difficult period of transition, with the Sea God Pavilion filled with old generation powerhouses, while Yan Xiaozhe and others had failed to take on significant responsibilities.
In his helplessness, Mu En could only place his hopes on Ma Xiaotao and the others.
Ma Xiaotao possessed extremely high talent and a powerful martial soul, making her a promising individual. However, her personality was too fiery and impulsive. Just like in this competition, she recklessly used power she couldn't fully control, almost causing a disaster.
If her opponent hadn't been kind, she might have played herself to death. Such a personality was truly not suitable for the position of Sea God Pavilion Master.
After much thought, Mu En's gaze finally fell upon Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao possessed twin martial souls, one of which was the extremely rare Ultimate Ice Martial Soul.
What was even more commendable was Huo Yuhao's calm and steady character; he could maintain rationality even in various difficult situations. In Mu En's opinion, Huo Yuhao was undoubtedly the best candidate for Sea God Pavilion Master.
Mu En's mind was made up. Upon returning to the academy, he intended to formally accept Huo Yuhao as his direct disciple.
He planned to use the life force of the Golden Tree to help Huo Yuhao heal his physical injuries.
With Huo Yuhao's talent and potential, he was entirely worth investing Shrek Academy's resources in for cultivation.
As long as Xuan Zi could hold on until Huo Yuhao and the younger generation like Ma Xiaotao matured, then he wouldn't have to worry too much about Shrek Academy's future.
As for himself, he knew his physical condition very well; he wouldn't last many more years, and a few years wouldn't be enough time for Huo Yuhao and the others to grow up.
Though the competition had ended, the lively atmosphere around the Eye of the Deep Sea did not dissipate.
The spectators lingered, immersed in the lingering afterglow of the matches, unwilling to leave.
This bustling scene continued for several hours until the city guards began to systematically clear the area. Only then did the spectators reluctantly rise, board ships one by one, and slowly depart from the Eye of the Deep Sea.
Meanwhile, the teams from the various academies that had stayed to watch the matches also began packing their belongings and embarking on their journey back.
On the eve of the various academy teams' departure from the Eye of the Deep Sea, Ye Wuqing and Yu Mengdi of Righteous Heaven Academy specifically sought out Lu Jingming.
Lu Jingming was slightly surprised by their arrival but then offered a friendly smile.
Ye Wuqing spoke first, his words filled with sincerity: "City Lord, after we return to Righteous Heaven Academy and complete our graduation applications, we will immediately come to Haiyuan City to pledge our allegiance to you."
Clearly, Ye Wuqing had also inquired about Lu Jingming's true identity: not only the captain of St. Freya Academy's team but also the City Lord of Haiyuan City, the contemporary Earl of Haiyuan.
Lu Jingming heard these words with a faint smile in his eyes. He knew that Ye Wuqing wouldn't refuse his invitation. After all, Righteous Heaven Academy had limited resources and not many strong individuals. If Ye Wuqing wanted to become stronger, he could only seek to join other forces, and Haiyuan City was undoubtedly a very suitable choice.
After all, whether it was strong individuals or resources, Haiyuan City was top-tier. Coupled with its thirst for talent, there was no reason for Ye Wuqing to refuse Lu Jingming's personal invitation.
As for Yu Mengdi, she wasn't purely seeking cultivation resources and strong mentors. More importantly, it was for Ye Guyi, or more precisely, for her dream.
She was a descendant of the Angel Legion, but her family had fallen into decline. Therefore, she wanted to work with Ye Guyi to rebuild the Angel family and restore its glory.
Lu Jingming could fulfill both their requests. Rebuilding the Angel family would likely interest Ye Guyi as well.
Although the Soul Master Competition had ended and most of the spectators and academies had left Haiyuan City, some still chose to stay, so Haiyuan City remained very lively.