As Ma Xiaotao stepped onto the stage, all eyes were immediately drawn to her.
After all, she was the only official main team member from Shrek Academy currently competing in the tournament. Naturally, everyone from Emperor Xu Jiawei, to the Sun Moon Imperial Academy, to the other elite teams like Star Luo, Dio Academy, and Dou Ling Academy, were paying close attention to her.
"Finally sending out a main team member?" Emperor Xu Jiawei murmured. "Let's see what the captain of Shrek Academy's official team is capable of."
As emperor, Xu Jiawei was well informed about the structure of each academy's lineup. It was no surprise to him that Ma Xiaotao was Shrek's main team captain.
In the Sun Moon team's rest area, Ma Rulong wore a grave expression as he stared at the stunning woman standing on the stage.
"Ma Xiaotao… It's been five years. Just how powerful have you become?"
The other three academies' representatives also looked toward her, curiosity gleaming in their eyes.
Her opponent from Zheng Tian Academy was a strong assault-type Soul King named Yu Mengdi, who possessed an Angel martial soul and had reached Rank 55.
The moment the two young women's eyes met, the air grew tense.
Ma Xiaotao's gaze was full of pride and icy indifference, while Yu Mengdi's blazed with fighting spirit and defiance.
Without waiting for the referee, they declared their names and intentions directly:
"Zheng Tian Academy, Yu Mengdi!"
"Shrek Academy, Ma Xiaotao!"
The referee had no choice but to announce, "Match—begin!"
In the blink of an eye, the two women released their martial souls.
A pair of radiant white angelic wings enveloped in golden light spread behind Yu Mengdi, emanating sacred brilliance. At the same time, Ma Xiaotao's crimson phoenix wings burst into blazing flame, unleashing a heat so intense it scorched the very air.
Yu Mengdi's five soul rings appeared: two yellow, two purple, one black. Ma Xiaotao revealed six: two yellow, two purple, two black.
As soon as Ma Xiaotao's six rings appeared, the crowd erupted in gasps and cheers.
A real Soul Emperor!
This was no illusion—there was no way Shrek would fake this again. Her age, her soul ring configuration, and her presence proved beyond doubt that she was truly at Rank 60 or higher.
Back in Zheng Tian Academy's rest area, the atmosphere was grim. Captain Ye Wuqing's eyes never left Ma Xiaotao. Even knowing that Shrek was formidable, the appearance of a Soul Emperor still shook him deeply.
He could only hope that Yu Mengdi would last a little while.
On the stage, Yu Mengdi focused entirely on the battle. With a powerful flap of her wings, she shot toward Ma Xiaotao like a golden meteor. Her first soul ring flashed, summoning two golden swords in her hands.
First Soul Skill – Holy Twin Blades!
Her aura sharpened dramatically. Then, her second soul ring glowed. Crossing her twin swords in the air, she formed a blazing golden cross slash filled with divine energy.
Second Soul Skill – Radiant Cross Slash!
But Ma Xiaotao remained unmoved. With a single beat of her phoenix wings, she took to the sky, releasing her second soul skill – Bathing Flame Phoenix, and immediately followed up with her first skill – Phoenix Fire Line, launching a jet of scorching flame that coalesced into a proud fire phoenix circling the blast.
The cross slash looked powerful, and was especially effective against dark or evil elements—but it still wasn't enough.
The Phoenix Fire Line pierced straight through the golden cross, disintegrating it in a burst of flame.
Still flying strong, the fire phoenix hurtled toward Yu Mengdi. Her face darkened as she quickly used her fourth soul skill. Her angel wings crossed in front of her, forming a golden cocoon-like barrier that shielded her from the blast.
Even so, she was forced back dozens of steps before she could stabilize herself.
Ma Xiaotao gave her no respite. Her fourth ring lit up as she raised her graceful neck and let out a piercing phoenix cry. Her wings flared out, flames roaring around her, and the ground beneath began to surge with fiery energy.
A moment later, a massive pillar of fire erupted directly beneath Yu Mengdi.
Though she reacted quickly and took to the air, the five-meter-high flame still scorched her angel wings black, rendering her unable to fly.
Furious, Yu Mengdi activated both her third and fifth soul skills at once.
A phantom six-winged angel appeared behind her, bathed in golden flame. Her Holy Twin Blades merged into a single massive divine sword held by the phantom angel.
"Angel – Divine Judgment Slash!" she shouted.
The angel phantom swung down, releasing a colossal golden light blade, over ten meters long and three meters wide, toward the airborne Ma Xiaotao.
A fearsome attack. Any ordinary Soul Emperor would've been in serious trouble.
But Ma Xiaotao? She didn't hesitate.
Her fifth soul ring lit up, and her red flames turned to deep blue. A dark-blue phoenix burst from the fire—also made of raging flames.
Fifth Soul Skill – Phoenix Azure Flame!
The blue phoenix collided with the golden light blade in a blinding explosion. Smoke billowed, hiding the outcome.
But not for long.
Less than a second later, the blue phoenix soared out of the smoke and dove straight for Yu Mengdi.
Yu Mengdi stood stunned. She never imagined her strongest move could be so easily overpowered.
"Is the gap between us… really this huge?" she thought, despair flooding her.
But there was no time to dwell on it. The blue phoenix crashed into her with full force.
Even the referee didn't react in time.
Yu Mengdi was sent flying from the ring, severely burned and knocked unconscious.
Zheng Tian Academy's students rushed forward to carry her away.
In the stands, the crowd went wild.
"This is insane! A clash of ten-thousand-year-level soul skills in the very first match!"
Next, Zheng Tian sent their second contestant: an agility-type Soul Ancestor named Yang Yifan.
But if a Soul King like Yu Mengdi couldn't handle Ma Xiaotao, what chance did a Soul Ancestor have?
One move. Defeated.
The third contestant? Another assault-type Soul Ancestor. Same result.
The fourth and fifth contestants were also Soul Ancestors. Only the fifth forced Ma Xiaotao to use a second move, thanks to his special martial soul, Soul Suppressing Bell.
But still, Ma Xiaotao was effortlessly dominating.
Spectators were confused—why keep sending weak fighters?
The other academies, however, understood: Zheng Tian was trying to wear her down by draining her soul power.
But they completely miscalculated the power gap.
They weren't draining her—they were just handing her free achievements.
Finally, Zheng Tian's sixth contestant stepped up: Tang Xiaolei, a Rank 53 ranged assault-type Soul King with a Purple Bloom Bow martial soul.
He launched his attack the moment he entered the ring. In a dramatic display, he turned all five of his soul rings into arrows—each with a different effect.
The five arrows tore through the air like streaks of light.
Tang Xiaolei's mouth bled from the strain, but he grinned. This was his ultimate shot.
Ma Xiaotao took the threat seriously. Her phoenix wings crossed before her, conjuring a massive wall of flame.
Four arrows were blocked, but one pierced through, striking her phoenix wing and nearly penetrating it.
Surprised and angered, she prepared to counterattack—only to see Tang Xiaolei voluntarily stepping down from the ring.
He knew he had nothing left. Better to yield than be thrashed.
Now, only one fighter remained: Ye Wuqing, the captain.
He was a Rank 58 assault-type Soul King with a rare Golden Leaf martial soul—a strange blend of plant and weapon. Though plant-based, it was extremely sharp and tough, known for its high resistance to fire.
That's why Ye Wuqing had placed himself last—he believed he could counter Ma Xiaotao's flames.
But the moment his first soul skill's leaf blades were ignited and consumed by her fire, his heart sank.
A chilling realization struck him.
"You… You wield Ultimate Fire…"
"Yes," Ma Xiaotao replied coldly. "If you surrender now, it's not too late."
Ye Wuqing's face twisted in pain and inner conflict. But after a long moment, he sighed.
"…I surrender."
And just like that, Ma Xiaotao had achieved an unprecedented one-vs-seven sweep.
The crowd burst into ecstatic cheers:
"Shrek! Shrek! Shrek!"
She had become the first contestant in this year's tournament to accomplish such a feat.
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