Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun immediately consumed their Flying Mushroom Sausages. Illusory wings appeared on their backs, and the three soared into the sky at incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, they had circled around to the rear of the Star Luo Royal Academy team.
As Tang San approached the enemy team, he unleashed his fourth Spirit Ability—Blue Silver Prison—without holding back. However, with his current strength, he could only create three cages at once, while four enemies stood below. Helpless, Tang San used his first Spirit Ability, Bind, to try and restrain the remaining one.
The problem was, among the enemies below were a Rank 44 power attack-type Spirit Ancestor and a Rank 43 agility-type Spirit Ancestor.
While Tang San's Blue Silver Prison could restrain the two support-type Spirit Masters, it wouldn't hold the power attack-type for long.
Still, a few seconds of restraint was all they needed—because immediately after came the overwhelming assault from Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai.
Bathing Fire Phoenix and Phoenix Wing Ascension were activated in quick succession, followed by Ma Hongjun's fourth Spirit Ability—Phoenix Roar Air Strike, which detonated right in the middle of the enemy formation.
Just as the Phoenix Roar Air Strike landed, Tang San instantly withdrew his Blue Silver Grass.
A warped roar rang out—the delayed control skill exploding with devastating effect.
The first wave of energy from Phoenix Roar Air Strike instantly dazed all four enemies, and then—simultaneously from sky and ground—two destructive abilities collided.
Dai Mubai, burning the last of his Spirit Power, unleashed White Tiger Meteor Shower from above. At the same moment, the second wave of Phoenix Roar Air Strike burst up from the ground.
Both fourth Spirit Abilities slammed into the four enemies at once.
Agonized screams erupted as the four were blasted off the stage, their bodies tumbling through the air.
Having cleared the arena of the enemy team's rear guard, Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun landed back on the ground. At this point, Dai Mubai had exhausted all his Spirit Power and could no longer fight. Tang San wasn't far behind, having used his full strength to restrain four high-level Spirit Ancestors.
Only Ma Hongjun remained in relatively good condition.
The three of them exchanged glances, then turned to look at Lin Jie, who was still locked in fierce combat with the massive Hell White Tiger.
Now, only Zhu Zhuyun and Dai Weisi—the duo fused into the Martial Soul Fusion Technique—remained for Star Luo Royal Academy.
On Shrek's side, Lin Jie and Zhu Zhuqing still stood strong, and Ma Hongjun could still battle.
When Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun had seen Tang San and the others take flight, their hearts sank—but there was nothing they could do. What shocked them most was how powerful Lin Jie was. His chain blade's cutting force was enough to make even them hesitate.
Having activated the Martial Soul Fusion Technique, both Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun had already suffered light injuries, and the toll on their Spirit Power was substantial. Maintaining the fused form consumed massive amounts of Spirit Power—if they couldn't finish the battle soon, they would lose.
Now, they controlled the Hell White Tiger to take a step back, and Lin Jie also retreated a few paces. The distance between them grew.
Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun exchanged a look. Both understood: if they didn't defeat Lin Jie, they couldn't win. But if they did—victory was still within reach.
Without hesitation, they surged their Spirit Power, and the Hell White Tiger opened its maw, a brilliant white light beginning to condense within.
Seeing this, Lin Jie immediately understood—they were aiming to finish him with a decisive, ultimate attack.
But would Lin Jie be afraid?
Absolutely not.
Let's see whose finishing move is stronger.
With a wave of his hand, the Iron Sand Sword in Lin Jie's grasp dispersed into countless grains of black iron sand.
Then, with both palms held open in front of him, he began to channel electromagnetic energy. The scattered iron sand recondensed into a special iron projectile.
Lin Jie's right hand pointed toward the Hell White Tiger. Under the control of electromagnetism, a special electromagnetic rail formed, and the iron projectile began to rotate rapidly along the path. Fierce energy fluctuations radiated outward.
Meanwhile, the Hell White Tiger had finished charging. A massive white energy beam roared out of its mouth, tearing through the air as it rushed toward Lin Jie.
But he remained calm.
With a thunderous boom, the iron projectile—charged by electromagnetic force—launched from Lin Jie's hand at three times the speed of sound, continuing to accelerate mid-flight. The immense energy release stirred a violent wind as an orange-red beam streaked toward the white energy blast.
The moment the two collided, there was a brief pause—and then:
BOOM—!!
BOOM… BOOM…
Energy erupted in a deafening explosion. Shockwaves rippled outward, a fierce tempest sweeping across the arena.
This wasn't just any attack—it was Lin Jie's basic Railgun.
And just this "ordinary" Railgun had already injured a Spirit Sage during their journey to Spirit City. As powerful as Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun's Martial Soul Fusion Technique was—could it surpass a Spirit Sage?
No chance.
Sure enough, after briefly stalling against the white energy wave, the orange-red beam surged forward again, piercing through and crashing into the Hell White Tiger.
The fusion instantly shattered into pieces as Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun were blasted apart, both crashing heavily onto the arena floor. Blood sprayed from their mouths as they fell, utterly defeated.
By the time they hit the ground, Lin Jie was already standing before them.
Gazing down at the wounded Zhu Zhuyun, he said coldly:
"If you weren't Zhuqing's sister, that last attack would've ended your life."
"Why… is your attack so powerful?" Dai Weisi asked weakly, propping himself up with one hand.
Lin Jie replied flatly:
"There's no why. All you need to know is—you've lost."
With Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun no longer able to fight, the referee—still in disbelief—announced Shrek Academy's victory. The team had just eliminated one of the top three seeded academies—Star Luo Royal Academy—from the finals.
When Lin Jie's Railgun had crushed Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun's fusion attack, the entire arena fell into stunned silence.
What kind of technique was that orange-red beam?
How could it shatter a Martial Soul Fusion Technique with such ease?
In stark contrast to the quiet audience, the Shrek Academy rest area erupted in cheers.
Liu Erlong watched the stage with a radiant smile. Lin Jie stood tall like a king—stronger than ever. Her face glowed with pride.
Even Yu Xiaogang, standing nearby, couldn't help but feel a flicker of joy. But when he turned and saw the blissful expression on Liu Erlong's face, his heart twitched. For the first time in a long while, he realized—he still couldn't let her go.
Maybe… maybe he should find a time to talk to her again.
Meanwhile, Tang San supported the exhausted Dai Mubai as the Shrek team descended from the arena.
Liu Erlong and Xiangzhu rushed to greet them. Xiangzhu immediately activated her Healing Staff Martial Soul, treating the wounded. Oscar also began producing Recovery Sausages.
"Xiao Jie, I didn't expect you to become this powerful," Liu Erlong said with a smile.
"Of course, Sister Erlong," Lin Jie replied with a grin. "If I weren't strong, how could I protect you in the future?"
Protect me?
Liu Erlong paused for a moment, recalling the words Lin Jie had said to her before. A faint blush touched her cheeks—gone in a blink.
"With just this little strength? Try again when you're stronger," she said, turning away and looking toward Zhu Zhuqing, a glint of admiration in her eyes.
—
As the Shrek team returned to the stands, a group passed by them.
Lin Jie sensed a gaze on him and turned around—recognizing the team from Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. At the front was Yu Tianheng, and beside him… a beautiful, delicate young woman.
He remembered her—Ye Lingling, the Nine-Heart Begonia Spirit Master.
He had even held her once before… although not in the most graceful of circumstances.
Ye Lingling's watery eyes glared at Lin Jie. She hadn't forgotten how he had slammed her off the stage during the previous match. Ever since, his name had echoed in her mind—not out of affection, but fury.
After all, no one had ever dared treat her like that.
She cursed Lin Jie's name daily, and so deeply had he etched himself into her memory that now, even though she tried, she couldn't bring herself to speak.
Yu Tianheng, meanwhile, looked at the Shrek team with burning eyes. His gaze finally settled on Lin Jie.
"I didn't expect your strength to grow so much.
Truly surprising."
Lin Jie glanced back at him and replied calmly:
"You're not bad either. I assume you've trained hard to get here."