At first, when Shui Bing'er saw the roster from Shrek Academy and noticed they had a Fire Phoenix spirit master, her pulse quickened. She was eager to pit her Ice Phoenix against Ma Hongjun's Fire Phoenix.
But once she saw his spirit power—only rank 35—her excitement faded. With that gap, the match wouldn't even be a challenge.
At that moment, Ignaz leaned close, his voice low against her blushing cheek.
"That Fire Phoenix of Ma Hongjun's has the same problem as your Ice Phoenix. Yours is afflicted with cold poison, but his burns with a strange black-purple evil fire. Whenever it erupts, he has to…"
At first Shui Bing'er looked sympathetic. The longer she listened, though, the more disgusted she became.
"What kind of twisted Phoenix spirit is that? And the way he deals with it… so indecent."
Yes, his actions were shaped by his spirit, but there were plenty of better ways. Just as she relied on cold-attribute herbs to suppress her illness, he could find safer methods instead of preying on girls. No wonder Yan Yan had told her that one fat guy from Shrek was creepy, especially around pretty girls.
Ignaz shook his head. "That's not the main issue. His evil fire is extremely corrosive and clings to whatever it touches. Once it erupts, the entire arena will turn into a sea of flames."
He knew Shui Bing'er's ultimate ice could counter it, but he warned her anyway to keep her from being harmed.
"Bing'er, in this match, don't underestimate him. Be cautious above all else."
"I understand, Brother Ignaz. But… do you have anything else you want to say to me?" she asked, hope shining in her eyes.
"That's all. I'll be watching from the stands. Do your best."
When Shui Bing'er realized he didn't catch her hidden meaning, she stopped hinting. Seeing no one else nearby, she quickly kissed him on the cheek and then bolted back toward her teammates.
Ignaz watched her retreat with a smile.
"That's probably another trick my little sister taught her. Still, I can't say I dislike it."
Even in his happiness, unease tugged at him. With Shui Bing'er's Spirit King-level support, Skywater Academy might be the strongest among the Four Element Academies. But this match was also critical for Shrek—whether they could qualify early and save their trump cards for later.
Tang San might even be forced to reveal his Clear Sky Hammer. If that happened, his identity as a Clear Sky Clan disciple would be completely exposed. For Ignaz, that was great news.
A wandering spirit master carrying the Clear Sky Hammer, with the surname Tang—there could be no doubt Tang San was Tang Hao's son. With Tang San marked as Spirit Hall's greatest enemy, Ignaz could slip into the finals under Spirit Hall's nose with less risk. After all, Spirit Hall's hatred for Tang Hao and the Clear Sky Clan ran bone-deep. If assassins struck, Tang San would be the first target.
...
Both teams stepped onto the stage. The crowd erupted, thrilled by the sight of an entire squad of beautiful Skywater girls. The announcer's voice grew sharper with excitement.
"Skywater Academy is a veteran powerhouse, this year led by a Spirit King! On the other hand, while Shrek's strength seems weaker on paper, they've relied on flawless teamwork to rack up an astonishing twelve wins and only three losses. Can they keep their lucky streak alive today? Let's find out!"
He raised his hand and declared loudly,
"Preliminaries, Round Four, Match Two: Skywater Academy versus Shrek Academy! Begin!"
As he shot off the stage, spirits ignited and soul rings lit up on both sides.
"Dai, Fatty, we need to strike first! Bind!"
Tang San's Blue Silver Grass surged forward toward Shui Bing'er. At the same time, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun launched their attacks.
"First Spirit Skill: White Tiger Shield!"
"First Spirit Skill: Phoenix Fireline!"
One went in close, the other struck from range.
Shui Bing'er reacted instantly. "First Spirit Skill: Ice Seal!"
Wherever her spirit power spread, thick ice formed, freezing the Blue Silver Grass mid-charge. Jagged ice spikes shot up from the ground, shattering vines with a tremor.
Meanwhile, Shen Liuyu and Shui Yue'er, both assault-type fighters, lashed out decisively with their own first skills to block Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, shielding Shui Bing'er.
Qiu Ruoshui, their lone agility attacker, darted toward Shrek's right flank, aiming to take out Oscar and Jiang Zhu first.
But Shrek wasn't about to let that happen. Xiao Wu sprang into action.
"Second Spirit Skill: Charm!"
Qiu Ruoshui staggered under the spell. Xiao Wu leapt in with Waist Bow, striking clean.
Before Shrek could press the advantage, Shui Bing'er unleashed Ice Seal again. In less than a second, Tang San and three other Shrek fighters were frozen solid, leaving only Dai Mubai struggling on his own. Worse still, the ice not only restrained them but steadily drained their spirit power.
"Go!"
Shui Yue'er, Shen Liuyu, and Qiu Ruoshui seized the opening. One locked down Dai Mubai while the other two rushed Oscar and Jiang Zhu.
Shrek had fallen into a desperate position. Then, on the frostbitten stage, a surge of heat suddenly welled up.
The ice around Ma Hongjun began to crack. Dark red flames erupted from his body, burning hotter and hotter. The temperature of the entire arena spiked.
"Urghhh!"
The ice restraining him exploded apart. A Fire Phoenix wreathed in black flames burst free, screeching wildly as it soared into the air.
The evil fire around Ma Hongjun swelled to terrifying intensity. In an instant, every frozen Shrek member broke free of their icy prison.