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The homeroom teacher of Class 1, Grade 3, Song Lin, closed her eyes and let out a long sigh before speaking solemnly to Elder Cai on the stage, "Elder Cai, we forfeit the team battle. We admit defeat."
"Why, Teacher Song?" Li Qiankun asked urgently. As the strongest student in Class 1, Grade 3, and a one-word battle armor master, how could it end before he even got a chance to fight?
Song Lin gave him a bitter smile and shook her head. "Look at your teammates. In a team battle, we have no chance."
Li Qiankun froze, his gaze first landing on Mo Jue, who had regained consciousness but sat on the sidelines like a walking corpse. Then he looked at Ye Yu, whose vacant eyes were fixed on Tang Wulin on the stage, as if swallowing hard.
On the stage, Li Mengyang and Li Mengtian, the siblings, leaned against each other, their eyes flickering with unmistakable fear.
As for the other teammates who hadn't yet fought, they all lowered their heads in unison.
Their confidence had been shattered—completely crushed by the first- and second-year alliance in the previous five matches.
"Teacher Song, I want to fight this battle. Even if it's one against seven, even if I'm the only one left, I still want to fight!" Li Qiankun clenched his fists, teeth gritted.
But Song Lin shook her head. "I don't want you to end up like Mo Jue. My decision is final."
Ye Xinglan had pierced through Mo Jue's battle armor, overturning the absolute dominance a one-word battle armor master should have over ordinary soul masters. Mo Jue's pride had been utterly shattered.
Class 1, Grade 3 had lost—completely and thoroughly—in front of all six grades of the outer court. They had lost so badly that they didn't even dare to fight the final seven-on-seven battle.
Ye Xinglan's determination was awe-inspiring, their perseverance was shocking, and their strength was truly admirable.
On the competition stage, Tang Wulin stood at the forefront, flanked by his six teammates: Gu Yue, Xu Xiaoyan, Xie Xie, Xu Lizhi, Yuanen Yehui, and Le Zhengyu. Seven young boys and girls, brimming with youthful vigor, stood there with flames burning in their eyes and unwavering confidence in their victory.
"Since it's over, let's move on to the next round," Elder Cai announced, rising to her feet.
"Class 1, Grade 3 forfeits the team battle. The first- and second-year alliance wins. Next up is Bai Xu's turn to face the first- and second-year alliance in both individual and team battles. Both sides, take a short break!"
Bai Xu stood up, instantly drawing the attention of the entire audience. He exchanged a glance with Li Qiankun as they passed each other—a moment heavy with irony. Li Qiankun hadn't been allowed to fight one against seven, but Bai Xu could.
The Holy Spirit Douluo continued healing Tang Wulin and his team, restoring their injuries, stamina, and soul power. Meanwhile, Bai Xu slowly walked onto the stage, standing there like an unshakable monument, his black robes fluttering in the wind, his oppressive aura making it hard for everyone to breathe.
The young fighters' eyes burned with passion, eager to defeat this formidable enemy and wash away their past humiliation. This young man, who revered individual strength above all else, was indeed peerless in the world. But their team was more united, more powerful.
Their world was small—Shrek Academy was their entire world. And in the end, no single person could stand against the whole world.
"Why can he do it, but I can't?" Li Qiankun's eyes reddened with frustration and anger as he turned and ran away, leaving the arena behind.
---
Fifteen minutes later.
"The first match, one-on-one! Competitors, step forward!"
With Wu Zhangkong's announcement, Bai Xu took his stance, his expression calm, his mind steady.
"We meet again on the stage, Bai Xu!" Tang Wulin greeted him warmly.
Bai Xu, however, posed a question: "So, do you think you can beat me this time?"
"Of course!"
"Then let's begin."
Whoosh—
Both sides erupted with their full auras. A golden light flooded the stage—on one side, it seemed as though a golden dragon coiled around Tang Wulin, accompanied by a mighty dragon's roar, exuding overwhelming majesty. Bai Xu's golden light, in contrast, was simpler, spreading across the floor around him, flowing slowly along his arms with remarkable control. His unadorned golden light effortlessly blocked Tang Wulin's oppressive aura, the clash of their energies sending shockwaves across the stage.
Tang Wulin reversed the flow of his blood essence, stomped his right foot, and let out a deafening dragon's roar. Eight dragon-shaped currents of energy surged from his body, homing in on Bai Xu like guided missiles.
Bai Xu countered effortlessly, his golden light condensing into eight dragon forms that collided head-on with Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon Shakes the Earth.
Though the soul skills were spectacular, both attacks ultimately dissipated into nothingness.
What was the Golden Dragon King's fighting style?
Brute force!
In his Golden Dragon Startles the Sky state, Tang Wulin lashed out with five claw strikes, his Golden Dragon Claw already at Bai Xu's throat. Bai Xu gathered golden light into his hands and met the attack head-on, forcing Tang Wulin back once again.
Seeing the dimmed golden scales on his claw, Tang Wulin frowned. Bai Xu's strength had grown even more formidable. Then, suddenly, he withdrew his martial soul and smiled. "I still can't beat you. I concede!"
Under the stunned gazes of the crowd, he leaped off the stage.
Tang Wulin knew Bai Xu was immune to the Golden Dragon King's pressure. If he couldn't overpower him physically, his chances of victory were slim. He couldn't afford to go all-out against Bai Xu now—he needed to save his strength for the team battle.
Wu Zhangkong had told him that temporary defeat meant nothing. His Golden Dragon King bloodline had immense growth potential. He might not be able to defeat Bai Xu now, but the future was unpredictable.
"One-on-one: Xie Xie forfeits!"
"Two-on-two: Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan forfeit!"
"Both sides proceed to the team battle!"
Facing the seven opponents before him, Bai Xu felt a surge of excitement for the first time. This damn tournament format is the biggest joke of all!
Tang Wulin stood at the front of his team, his voice firm. "Bai Xu, maybe I can't beat you alone, but our first- and second-year alliance is the best. After more than a year of relentless training, after our crushing defeat in the last team battle—today, we're taking everything back!"
Bai Xu swept his gaze across the seven of them—Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, Xu Lizhi, Yuanen Yehui, Le Zhengyu, Gu Yue, and Xu Xiaoyan—all of them his former victims.
He spoke with absolute dominance, his tone leaving no room for doubt:
"Those who fall before me are never worthy to be my rivals. I give you time to catch up—until the day you can no longer even see my back."
The entire arena fell silent. The students of Shrek Academy had never witnessed such invincibility—a single person standing against a team, as if defying the world itself. His domineering aura overshadowed mountains and rivers.
The battle began in silence.
Tang Wulin and his team had a solid plan. Bai Xu's speed and strength were indeed unmatched—even Tang Wulin couldn't suppress him. But his defense had weaknesses. If they could exploit Xu Xiaoyan's evolved martial soul's absolute control—a skill so absolute that even Bai Xu couldn't resist—they could lock him down for just one second.
And in that second, they would unleash every long-range attack they had. No one could withstand such an onslaught.
But reality was far harsher than ideals.
"Begin!"
Whoosh—
The instant Wu Zhangkong announced the start, Gu Yue teleported herself and Xu Xiaoyan to the side. The next moment, to Tang Wulin's shock, everyone except Gu Yue, Xu Xiaoyan, and himself collapsed.
"Did Na'er not tell you? My mental shock can even stagger Soul Kings."
Tang Wulin froze, leaving an opening. In that instant, a fist struck him from behind, sending him flying in pain. Gu Yue teleported to catch him.
"With my first soul skill active, my spiritual power has reached the Spirit Abyss realm."
"Then why didn't you use it on me?" Tang Wulin asked as he stood back up.
"That's my secret."
Gu Yue was also puzzled. Bai Xu's mental shock was unnaturally potent—even she would suffer a splitting headache if hit. Xie Xie and the others never stood a chance. She could only save Xu Xiaoyan, who was closest to her.
"Third soul skill—Starlight Brilliance! First soul skill—Star Chain Binding!" Xu Xiaoyan attacked with everything she had. "Captain! Gu Yue! Now! I can only hold him for one second!"
Seeing Bai Xu entangled in the chains, Tang Wulin and Gu Yue didn't hesitate. Seven Elements Fission, Golden Dragon Shakes the Earth, and other long-range soul skills erupted at once, engulfing the entire stage in a massive explosion.
Both the Golden Dragon and the Silver Dragon were shaken, their foreheads slick with sweat. The pressure of facing Bai Xu was overwhelming—without Xu Xiaoyan, they wouldn't even have a chance to counterattack.
"Be careful—he's still there!" Gu Yue warned, her eyes locked on the thick smoke.
Sizzle—
A faint sound rang out. Gu Yue instantly teleported away with Xu Xiaoyan. A split second later, Bai Xu—still wreathed in smoke—appeared where they had just stood.
"Even I can't resist absolute skills unless my power surpasses this plane?"
"Correct," the Plane's Will replied.
"His aura has weakened! Captain, now's the time!" Gu Yue shouted. Based on her past battles with Bai Xu, she knew he had only used his Metal attribute for defense. Since outsiders were watching, he hadn't employed the other four elements.
"The attacks of the two Dragon Kings are truly formidable… I've only got a sliver of Metal left. Hopefully, the Five Elements Cycle recovers quickly…" Bai Xu mused silently as a one-meter-long Genggold Sword materialized in his hand, its killing intent flooding the air.
Seeing Tang Wulin charging at him again with his Golden Dragon Claw, Bai Xu raised his sword and slashed downward, sending Tang Wulin flying. For the first time, the scales on his claw were torn, and blood seeped out.
The Golden Dragon Claw was no longer indestructible. Even the claws of a Darkgold Terrorclaw Bear had failed to breach its defenses—yet today, Bai Xu had shattered them.
In the flurry of blades and shadows, Tang Wulin was soon forced off the stage.
If he couldn't defend against Bai Xu's sword, his attacks were meaningless.
Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan exchanged a glance and raised their hands in surrender.
"We admit defeat!"
Gu Yue knew Bai Xu's Metal energy was nearly depleted. But she also knew he hadn't used the other four elements. If they continued, they might win—but it would still mean nothing.
"The winner is Bai Xu!" Elder Cai declared, her face grim. From the start of the battle until now, the arena had been as silent as a frozen wasteland. It was as if the audience had left their voices at home.
Bai Xu's black robes fluttered in the wind. The massive explosion had loosened his hair, letting it dance freely. In the eyes of the spectators, his figure grew taller and more imposing—like a towering mountain, casting a shadow over the brilliance of his entire generation.
Elder Cai announced the news about the Star Luo Continent exchange program, mentioning that there weren't enough slots and that selections would be made from Shrek's first and second years. But the audience remained trapped in the lingering tension of the battle, unable to snap out of it.
This defeat was a heavy blow to the outer court's freshmen. From now on, it would be hard for anyone to hold their head high in Bai Xu's presence.
"That little guy's second martial soul is quite interesting. Can it change forms freely? Combined with that body rivaling a Body Soul master's, he certainly has the right to be proud," the Holy Spirit Douluo remarked before leaving to heal Tang Wulin and the others backstage.
She had met Tang Wulin before and had a good impression of him—a brave young man who had fought fearlessly against evil soul masters, earning the title of Honorary Citizen of Heaven Dou City.
"Indeed, he's a real monster. Too outstanding—he's made his peers pale in comparison," Zhuo Shi sighed, glancing at Tang Wulin, who was being treated by the Holy Spirit Douluo, before departing.