"She's too strong!" exclaimed Ma Rulong gravely in the Sun Moon Academy's resting area. "I thought I already took Ma Xiaotao seriously… but I never expected her to be this powerful. Her soul power must be at least Rank 68."
"That's not all," added Elder Ma, his old face full of bitterness and frustration. "Her Fire Phoenix martial soul is likely Ultimate Fire. Why does Heaven favor Shrek Academy so much?!"
"Ultimate martial soul…" Ma Rulong's face turned grim. Even the always-proud Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen had darkened expressions.
Elder Ma nodded. "Think about Ye Wuqing from Zheng Tian Academy. We know his martial soul, Golden Leaf, has near-complete fire resistance. Yet it still couldn't withstand Ma Xiaotao's phoenix flames. If that's not Ultimate Fire, what else could it be?"
For the first time, doubt crept into Xiao Hongchen's heart. An ultimate martial soul… Am I really more talented than someone who possesses one? But he shook the thought away quickly. So what if she has Ultimate Fire? His Three-legged Golden Toad martial soul had a gold element nearly on par with Ultimate Gold—a divine beast martial soul in its own right. It was no weaker than the Fire Phoenix.
Meng Hongchen, however, looked deeply concerned. "So after more than ten days of the tournament, we've only figured out one of Shrek's martial souls—and it's an ultimate martial soul?"
"…I hate to admit it, but that's the truth," Elder Ma replied with a sigh. "They've taken action so rarely, and their battles end too quickly. Our people haven't had time to gather more intel."
"So far, here's what we know:
Jiang Nannan – agility-type Soul King, martial soul unknown, suspected moon-type bloodline.
Huo Yuhao – Great Soul Master, martial soul unknown, suspected spiritual-type.
Bei Bei – Shrek's pre-selection team captain, Soul Ancestor, martial soul suspected to be Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
And now, Ma Xiaotao – Fire Phoenix martial soul, peak Soul Emperor, and Ultimate Fire."
The entire Sun Moon team fell silent.
Meanwhile, in Shrek Academy's rest area, Ma Xiaotao returned beaming with pride. "So? I said I'd win the match in fifteen minutes—and I did it in exactly fifteen minutes!"
"Sister Xiaotao is invincible!" Wang Dong cheered gleefully, then turned expectantly toward Teacher Wang Yan.
"…The match is over, so we may as well return to the hotel," Wang Yan said, clearly unable to refuse Wang Dong's pleading gaze. "Let's go!"
"Yay!" Wang Dong cried with excitement.
Everyone returned to the hotel and dispersed to rest in their rooms.
That afternoon, while Zhu Ziyang was meditating in his room, something unexpected happened. Ma Xiaotao and Jiang Nannan—a very rare pairing—entered together and pulled him out.
"You two… got permission from Teacher Wang Yan, right?" Ziyang asked helplessly, glancing at the two girls, each clinging to one of his shoulders.
"Hmph! Why should I report where I go to him?" Ma Xiaotao scoffed with her usual disdain. "He's not worthy!"
"I told him," said Jiang Nannan, far more respectful and well-mannered. "As long as we're back before dinner, it's fine."
"So, where exactly are we going?" Ziyang asked again.
"We haven't decided yet," Jiang Nannan replied sweetly. "I want to visit Star Luo Tower, but Sister Xiaotao wants to go to Nether Pavilion. So, big brother… which do you choose?"
Both girls turned their gazes on Ziyang, eyes filled with anticipation.
Zhu Ziyang's instincts screamed at him—this was a death trap. Choosing either one would definitely lead to disaster!
So, instead of choosing either, he said with a smile, "Actually, I'm not interested in either place. Why don't I take you two somewhere else?"
Before they could react, he grabbed both girls by the hand and started walking decisively toward another direction.
Soon, they arrived at the largest structure in the southeastern corner of Star Luo City.
Standing before it, both Ma Xiaotao and Jiang Nannan blinked in confusion.
"The… Star Luo Great Battle Arena?" they both said in unison.
"Ziyang, what are we doing here? Don't tell me you're thinking of entering a match?" Jiang Nannan asked, staring at him.
"That's right," Zhu Ziyang said calmly. He pulled out three masks, putting one on himself and handing the other two to the girls. "Put these on first—then let's go."
Still baffled, the two girls obediently donned the masks and followed him inside.
As they entered, they expected him to head to the main front desk to register. Instead, he led them to a discreet side door—one that looked almost hidden.
Ma Xiaotao froze. As a disciple of Shrek's inner court, she'd been to many arenas and instantly recognized the significance of that small door.
"Ziyang, are you planning to enter an Unrestricted Soul Duel?"
"Mm," he nodded without slowing down, pulling the two girls through the entrance.
Jiang Nannan hadn't heard of such a thing before, but Ma Xiaotao had—and it made her deeply uneasy.
Beyond the door lay a dimly lit corridor. A cloaked man stood at the end, eyes unreadable.
"Unrestricted Duel?" the man asked simply.
"One participant," Zhu Ziyang replied smoothly.
"Level?"
"Soul Emperor."
The cloaked man paused, then handed him a silver medallion engraved with the number 5. "Soul Emperor-level duel. One hour from now. Second lounge on the right past the hallway. First betting room on the left."
Ziyang accepted the token and walked forward with the two girls.
They soon arrived at a massive underground arena—several times larger than the tournament's platform. The stage was a perfect circle, surrounded by ten thick iron pillars and massive metal railings. Dried blood stains covered its edges, creating a brutal, oppressive atmosphere.
Above the arena was a ring of private viewing booths, each one like a small room suspended high above, offering an unobstructed view of the stage.
Inside the assigned lounge, Ma Xiaotao could no longer hold back.
"Ziyang, why are you entering an Unrestricted Duel?"
This type of match was notoriously brutal. Ten soul masters of the same rank would fight with no rules. Anything goes—weapons, poison, hidden tools. The last one standing won. Most importantly…
Killing was allowed.
"I read about it once and got curious," Zhu Ziyang said with a smile.
A lie, of course. He wasn't here for curiosity. He was here for the Death God's Second Trial: kill five soul masters of the same rank in one battle. And there was no better place than an Unrestricted Duel.
"Is that so?" Ma Xiaotao nodded slowly. "Then be careful. The people who fight here are desperate and ruthless. They might not have elite training like us, but they're crafty and cruel. If you're in danger, jump off the stage immediately."
"Don't worry, Sister Xiaotao. You know how strong I am," Ziyang smiled.
"Big brother, I agree with Sister Xiaotao," Jiang Nannan said, her brows tightly furrowed with concern. "There will be nine opponents—and you'll be alone. You must be extremely careful. Better safe than sorry!"
"I know, I know," Ziyang nodded reassuringly. "How about this—I'll try to finish it in five minutes. If it goes past that, I'll jump off the stage immediately. Deal?"
"…Okay." Jiang Nannan's expression finally relaxed a little.
Ziyang closed his eyes and began meditating, adjusting himself to peak condition.
One hour passed quickly.
As Jiang Nannan and Ma Xiaotao watched anxiously, Zhu Ziyang stepped onto the arena.
He wore a sleek black battle suit and a fierce mask, revealing only his cold eyes. The other nine combatants all turned to look at him instinctively.
Though participants in Unrestricted Duels came in all types, it was rare to see someone show up in a mask and full combat gear. They sized him up curiously.
But Zhu Ziyang didn't even glance their way.
In his mind, these nine men were already dead.
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