Yu Tianheng let out a long sigh. "Ever since we lost to you all, I've been waiting for a rematch. We've been preparing for it. When the finals began, I thought we'd finally get our chance to fight you seriously. But now… it seems there won't be another opportunity. If there's any team capable of threatening the Spirit Hall Advanced Spirit Master Academy Team, it's not us or the Star Luo Royal Academy, but your Shrek Academy. Watch closely. Even if we lose today, we'll do everything we can to make them reveal their true strength."
"…Huh." Lin Jie was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected Yu Tianheng to sound so pessimistic about facing Spirit Hall's team. Thinking back, he realized that from the start of the finals, Hu Liena and the others hadn't made an appearance—not even when Shrek Academy fought against Star Luo.
Lin Jie's gaze swept across Yu Tianheng's team. Compared to Star Luo Royal Academy, their overall strength was slightly lower. Only five of them had reached Spirit Ancestor (Rank 40+), which was clearly lacking against a lineup of full Spirit Ancestors—especially Spirit Hall's Golden Generation, who had yet to even take the field.
Faced with such overwhelming strength, it was no surprise that Yu Tianheng had lost confidence.
But… was Spirit Hall really that invincible?
Not necessarily.
Lin Jie smiled faintly. "Pull yourself together, Yu Tianheng. Don't make me look down on you. As a team captain, if you've already given up before the match has even started, then you might as well just forfeit and walk away."
"What did you say?! Who's forfeiting? You're the one who should give up!" Ye Lingling stepped forward with uncharacteristic fire, shouting at Lin Jie, her face flushed with anger.
"…Huh?" Lin Jie was caught off guard by her sudden outburst. Wasn't I just trying to motivate him? Why is she yelling at me?
Even Dugu Yan, who had been ready to scold Lin Jie herself, was stunned silent. She didn't expect the normally quiet, sweet-natured Ye Lingling to explode like that—she beat her to it.
Not just Dugu Yan. Even Yu Tianheng and the rest of his team were taken aback. Was this really their usually demure and gentle teammate?
Realizing everyone's eyes were on her, Ye Lingling's cheeks turned even redder, and she shyly stepped back.
Despite his earlier discouragement, Yu Tianheng's fighting spirit had been reignited by Lin Jie's words. A fire burned in his eyes. "Just wait. We'll show them what we're made of."
With that, Yu Tianheng led his seven teammates onto the arena.
Meanwhile, Lin Jie and the others returned to their spectator area, turning their full attention to the match.
Shrek's intense battle with Star Luo had already shaken the audience. But now, a clash between two seeded teams—Heaven Dou Imperial Academy and Spirit Hall Academy—promised to be even more spectacular.
Back in the second round, Spirit Hall's team had fielded an entire squad of Spirit Ancestors, but their famed Golden Generation—Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan—hadn't even appeared. Now, all seven of Spirit Hall's team were walking onto the stage… and the three at the front were faces everyone recognized.
Their uniforms were pristine white, bearing the official emblem of Spirit Hall. The three in front wore an additional emblem—a purple crest shaped like a medal—symbolizing their distinguished status: the Purple Record Medal.
At the center stood a tall, calm man with black hair and a composed demeanor. His sharp gaze locked onto Yu Tianheng's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul.
His name was Xie Yue, a Rank 52 power attack-type Spirit King, Martial Soul: Moonblade.
Yu Tianheng met Xie Yue's gaze without fear. Lin Jie was right. If the captain didn't believe in victory, then the match was already lost. Lin Jie's taunt had lit a fire in his heart.
Standing beside Xie Yue were one man and one woman.
The man was tall, over 1.9 meters, with fiery red hair—Yan, another Rank 52 power attack-type Spirit King, Martial Soul: Flame Lord.
The woman was, of course, Hu Liena, with her Charming Fox Martial Soul—a Rank 51 control-type Spirit King.
The four Spirit Ancestors accompanying them? Nothing more than backup in the presence of this trio.
From the spectator's area, Lin Jie studied the group. He had to admit—they were strong. No wonder Yu Tianheng had been so shaken. With three Spirit Kings and four Spirit Ancestors, Spirit Hall's team was a formidable force.
As the match was about to begin, Hu Liena suddenly felt something and glanced toward the spectators—her gaze meeting Lin Jie's.
A faint, meaningful smile curved her lips.
Noticing this, Xie Yue, her older brother, turned to follow her gaze. With his Spirit King-level perception, he easily spotted the person she was looking at—Lin Jie.
"Na'er, do you know him?" Xie Yue asked.
"More or less," Hu Liena replied, then turned her eyes back to the Heaven Dou team.
At that moment, the referee stepped forward and declared, "Both teams, release your Martial Souls. Match—begin!"
As soon as his words fell, three simultaneous flashes of Spirit Rings lit up on Spirit Hall's front line—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black.
All three Spirit Kings revealed their full five-ringed strength. The overwhelming pressure instantly radiated from them.
Even with his morale high, Yu Tianheng's expression faltered at the sight of three opponents with five rings each.
Yet, surprisingly, the first to move wasn't one of the power attackers Xie Yue or Yan—it was the control-type, Hu Liena.
With elegant steps and a graceful spin, she advanced.
A faint smile bloomed on her already stunning face, becoming even more enchanting as her Martial Soul was released. A soft pink aura enveloped her body, and a furry fox tail emerged behind her—the Charming Fox was now fully possessed.
The moment her Martial Soul activated, the pink light shimmered across her form. Her eyes gleamed, and as she made eye contact with Yu Tianheng—he froze.
But his battle instincts were sharp. He quickly snapped out of it and shouted:
"Don't look into her eyes!"
Hu Liena giggled. "You think that'll help? People call me the Celestial Fox for a reason."
Strangely, despite her obvious advance, none of the Heaven Dou team moved. It was as if all their senses had been clouded.
Then, something even more bizarre happened. The black glow of her fifth Spirit Ring lit up first, then her purple and yellow rings. With each pulse, the pink aura around her intensified.
At that moment, Xie Yue moved.
His Martial Soul, Moon Blade, came in a pair—two blood-red curved blades.
He raised both hands and charged straight toward Hu Liena's back.
As he collided into her, the red glow of his blades fused with Hu Liena's pink light. Their powers intermingled and then erupted—engulfing them both in a glowing sphere of light. The sphere expanded outward from Hu Liena, enveloping half the arena—and all seven members of the Heaven Dou Imperial team.
Lin Jie's eyes widened in the spectator stand.
"That's a Martial Soul Fusion Technique!"
"Another one?" Tang San muttered in shock beside him.
After Hu Liena and Xie Yue fused, the other four members of Spirit Hall's team didn't act. Instead, they quietly stepped back.
From the red glow emerged a figure of indistinct gender, wielding a greatly enlarged Moonblade, shimmering with radiant energy. Light flowed around them as they moved gracefully—this was their Martial Soul Fusion Technique:
"Charm Demon."
"Charm Demon" was a control-type fusion. Within its range, all enemy senses were suppressed by 50%, movement speed reduced by 50%, and Spirit Power suppressed by 50%.
Shrouded in the red light, the Heaven Dou team could barely see their opponent's figure, let alone fight back. They had no chance to retaliate.
Suddenly, the red aura flared, and powerful energy surged outward. Several muffled grunts echoed from within, and one after another, figures were flung out of the light—crashing off the stage.
In moments, five out of the seven had already been eliminated.
Only Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan were still struggling inside, their attacks lost in the haze.
A distorted voice echoed from within:
"Poison? In our domain, its strength is cut in half.
Dugu Yan, your current power isn't enough to affect me.
Now… disappear."
With a thunderous boom, Dugu Yan's body was blasted out of the aura. Blood sprayed from her lips as she crashed to the ground outside the arena.
As the last echo faded, the red light gradually dissipated, and the fusion separated—Hu Liena and Xie Yue reappeared.
Yu Tianheng was half-kneeling, his dragon-transformed arms trembling uncontrollably.
Xie Yue stepped forward, his Moonblades spinning in hand. In a low voice, he said:
"Out of respect for your clan, I'll spare your life."
Then he slashed. A red arc cut through the air, shattering Yu Tianheng's dragon scales. Blood sprayed, and Yu Tianheng collapsed to the ground.