From her storage soul tool, Zhang Lexuan drew out a white handkerchief and delicately wiped her palm. With a faint sigh, she murmured:
"Pity… not fast enough. Next!"
Gulp. Gulp.
The sound of throats swallowing echoed around.
The members of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy who had yet to take the stage stared at the miserable state of Li Li and Song Wu, their foreheads dripping with sweat.
Their legs felt rooted in place. None dared step onto the platform against Zhang Lexuan.
Her sheer dominance stunned countless spectators. After all, this was the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy — no small or nameless institution.
Yet Zhang Lexuan was utterly crushing them. Her power was terrifying.
Just as fear held the Sun Moon team in place, the referee spoke up, discharging his duty:
"Members of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, take the stage at once! If no one ascends within ten seconds, you will be judged as forfeiting the match!"
The faces of Elder Ma and Elder Zhang, the team's instructors, turned pale, then flushed crimson.
Shame — utter shame! For the elites of their academy to falter, too frightened to advance… worse than simple defeat!
Fury sent their blood pressure soaring. Elder Ma snapped, his voice cracking like a whip:
"Sun Tianyu, as captain, you'll go!
And hear me well — from this moment, any who shrink back again will be expelled from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy!"
Expelled?
Even terrified of Zhang Lexuan's might, none of the Sun Moon competitors dared risk that fate. One by one, their faces burned red, throats hoarse as they roared. Gritting their teeth, they strode onto the stage, resolute as if marching to their deaths.
As their captain, Sun Tianyu stepped up, Zhang Lexuan unleashed her full power. She called upon the secret arts passed down by Shrek — the very techniques spoken of in the legends.
Her six soul rings flickered in sequence. A mist of silver light rose at her feet, cloaking her slender form in a hazy, dreamlike veil.
With her secret technique activated, Zhang Lexuan's strength soared yet another level higher.
Already overwhelming, now she was unstoppable.
Boom!
Ahhh!
Pfft!
Explosions, screams, spurts of blood — and bodies crashing down off the stage in heavy thuds.
Sun Tianyu: Σ_(」∠) …the pain, too much pain!!
Even Sun Tianyu, a captain of Soul Emperor level, collapsed within mere seconds.
And that only because he had activated his Invincible Barrier — the life-saving soul tool said to withstand any attack beneath a Soul Douluo's eighth ring for three full seconds.
Without it, he might not have survived even a single move from Zhang Lexuan.
As Zhang Lexuan's slaughter continued, the stands roared.
In the front rows of the luxurious spectator seats, a pair of black eyes locked firmly on her figure. Wang Chen watched without blinking, terrified to miss a single technique, a single secret art.
And each time Zhang Lexuan unleashed a secret skill, deep in the core of Wang Chen's soul, the mysterious broken black book recorded it faithfully.
While he absorbed her every move, Zhang Lexuan herself was in full unstoppable mowing-down mode, cutting through the Sun Moon competitors like wheat before the scythe.
At last, with a single kick, she sent the final Sun Moon student flying from the platform.
She had done it — a one-versus-seven sweep in the finals!
Down in Shrek's resting area, her teammates who had practically "won by lying down" cheered wildly:
"Senior Sister, you're incredible! Majestic! Invincible!!"
"Senior Sister, I want to bear your children!"
"Hey, you're a girl…"
"So what? None of your business, hmph~!"
While Shrek basked in triumph, gloom smothered the Sun Moon side.
Elder Ma and Elder Zhang's faces had turned deathly pale.
Defeated 1v7. Utter humiliation. When they returned, Dean Jing Hongchen would erupt in fury. They were doomed.
The seven battered students groaned miserably, their faces swollen and bruised.
"Ugh… that Zhang Lexuan… is she even human? She's a monster!"
"Damn it! Why?! We're both Soul Emperors, so how can she be this strong?! I refuse to accept it!"
"…."
With the Sun Moon Academy utterly swept in the singles match, the team battle became meaningless.
The rules gave six points for the team battle and seven for the singles. Zhang Lexuan's clean sweep had already secured Shrek Academy's championship.
The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament ended early.
And with overwhelming might, Zhang Lexuan had carried Shrek Academy to the crown.
The referee's voice rang out:
"Congratulations to Shrek Academy for winning this year's Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament! Let us cheer for Shrek!"
"Shrek! Shrek!"
"Invincible! Invincible!"
"Zhang Lexuan!! Zhang Lexuan!!"
"Moon Goddess! Moon Goddess!!"
Tens of thousands shouted her name. "Moon Goddess" — the title was hers now.
Meanwhile, Wang Chen finally closed his eyes, resting from the strain.
His consciousness sank inward, deep into his soul.
The broken black book flipped open to its newest recorded page.
[Unnamed Skill One]: Fusion of Willpower, Spiritual Power, and Soul Power. It may be used in conjunction with other skills.
Power depends on the strength of will, spirit, and soul. The stronger they are, the greater the effect.
Requirement: Spiritual Power must reach the Soul Sage realm. Otherwise, fusion is uncontrollable.
[Unnamed Skill Two]: Draws forth latent strength from soul rings, greatly boosting power for a short time. The more rings and the higher their ages, the greater the boost.
After use, the body enters a weakened state. Skill cannot be used again within three days; otherwise, there is a risk of soul rings shattering.
Requirement: At least one soul ring.
Wang Chen's eyes glowed with barely contained excitement. Even after living two lives, with all his cultivated calm, he could not hide it.
So it had been worth it — ignoring all obstruction, traveling across nations from the Sun Moon Empire to the Heaven Dou Empire, just to watch this tournament.
The harvest… was priceless.
With these gains, even if his cultivation fell short, in the upcoming family competition a month later, he would surely take victory!
As for that little Wang Teng? Crushing him would be child's play.