The quarterfinal arrived swift. Opponent: Temple Academy, known across continent as near‑elite, affiliated with noble Spirit Temple itself. Their students strode proud, armored in gold gleam, their leader with martial soul Heavenly Flame Spear, innate rank nine.
Crowd buzzed with excitement—and fear for Shrek. Could ragged beggars truly stand?
Battle erupted in explosion of aura. Heavenly flames roared, radiance washing across arena. Leng Xue instantly raised Glacial Barrier. But flame spear struck once—and for first time, barrier cracked instantly wide open.
Shocked gasps echoed stadium. Never before had Frost Brother's wall broken so quickly.
Tang San shouted command instantly, vines covering flanks, Dai Mubai charged feral, others boosted frantically. Xue trembled, stunned but not broken. He reinforced second wall, smaller angles tighter. Again spear lanced forward, crack ringing. He coughed blood violently.
Spectators exploded sharing disbelief. Noble youths cried gleeful, "See! Frost wall fragile against true genius!"
But still he stood, barrier again and again, each crack more. He staggered, nearly falling, but eyes never closed. Inside memory roared—first life crawling bleeding across snow, shielding clan though called useless. He whispered inside, Ancestor Tian, even if wall crumbles, frost never yields.
Tang San roared support, twisting foe with hidden weapons, vines snaring. Shrek forced match long, exhausting Temple enough, claiming narrow win only because frost still stood fragments at end.
Leng Xue collapsed unconscious afterwards, spirit pools nearly empty. But when his eyes fluttered in healers' den, he heard outside thousands chanting still—FROST NEVER FALLS.
Tome glowed heavy: Critical Heritage Trial: Frost cracked before thousands. But legacy survived. Path strengthening under duress