A crisp chime echoed in Huo Feng's mind.
"Ding!"
"Sacrifice successful!" The system's voice was clear and emotionless. "All seven members of the Berserker Team have been successfully sacrificed. Hidden quest complete."
"Reward: Five thousand sacrifice points. Now transferring to system storage."
A faint smile touched Huo Feng's lips. The points were his.
On the stage, the last member of the Berserker Team, the Spider Female Soul Master, crumpled to the ground with a soft thud. Already weakened by Huo Feng's Lightwing Slash, the final act of sacrifice had drained the last of her strength, and she fell into unconsciousness.
An eerie silence descended upon the Great Spirit Arena. The thousands of spectators, who had been roaring moments before, were now frozen, their eyes wide with disbelief. Even the host stood speechless, forgetting his duty to announce the result.
After a tense ten seconds, Supervisor Ao's voice finally boomed through the arena, breaking the spell.
"None of the Berserker Team's members have been able to stand within ten seconds! I hereby declare the winner of this team battle is… the Shrek Seven Devils!"
"The Berserker Team's seven-win streak is over! A new legend is born today—the legend of the Shrek Team!"
The supervisor's words were like a lit match to a barrel of gunpowder. The silence shattered into an explosion of cheers and applause that shook the entire arena.
"Whooo! Shrek is amazing!"
"Shrek's captain, you're my new god!"
"I want to have your babies!"
The shouts grew wilder, and Huo Feng winced as he stepped off the stage. Honestly, he thought, can't they be a little more reserved?
He had barely taken two steps when Supervisor Ao intercepted him, a wide, benevolent smile plastered on his face. It was a complete reversal of the disdain he'd shown them earlier.
"You must be the Shrek Team's captain, right?" Ao said, his tone oozing with admiration.
Huo Feng recognized the look instantly. It was the look of a shrewd businessman who had just discovered a new gold mine. The Shrek Team had exceeded his expectations, and their captain was the most valuable asset. His fighting style was unique, and his power was on another level entirely.
"I am," Huo Feng replied curtly, offering nothing more. He had no interest in getting involved with profit-driven opportunists.
"If I said anything… inappropriate earlier, please don't take it to heart," Supervisor Ao continued, his apology sounding surprisingly sincere.
Huo Feng gave a slight, dismissive wave. "Don't worry about it."
Without another word, he walked away, leaving the supervisor behind. Supervisor Ao wasn't offended. Instead, a knowing smile remained on his face as he watched Huo Feng leave. Geniuses are always eccentric, he thought. This captain is no different.
He turned his attention back to the stage, where the seven unconscious members of the Berserker Team still lay.
"You lot," he barked at the arena staff. "Get them off the stage. The next match is about to start."
One of the staff members approached him hesitantly. "Supervisor Ao, they're all seriously injured. It doesn't look like they'll be waking up anytime soon. Where should we take them?"
The supervisor glanced at the broken team, his expression hardening. His earlier thoughts about them were now cemented. They were a liability. Between the backlash from their berserk state and whatever Huo Feng had done to them, they were in terrible shape. Their lives weren't in danger, but they'd be lucky to be back on their feet in half a month.
He waved his hand dismissively. "Just toss them in the lounge," he said, already walking away. "Whether they live or die is none of our concern."
When Huo Feng reached the Shrek Team's rest area, he was immediately ambushed.
"Huo Feng, you were so handsome!" Xiao Wu cried out, launching herself at him.
Before he could react, she had wrapped herself around him like a joyful octopus. Her legs coiled around his waist, her arms looped tightly around his neck, and her pretty face, flushed with excitement, was just inches from his.
Huo Feng froze, completely stunned. What in the world is she doing? he thought, his mind blanking. In front of everyone, this was… a bit much. Of course, only a 100,000-year-old spirit beast in human form like Xiao Wu would be so bold. A girl like Ning Rongrong, for all her mischievous thoughts, would never dare to do something so public. And as for Zhu Zhuqing, the idea was simply unimaginable.
Seeing the spectacle, Ning Rongrong's face turned a shade of red that rivaled Xiao Wu's. "Xiao Wu, get down! There are so many people watching!" she hissed.
Beside them, Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun all coughed awkwardly and turned their heads away, trying their best to look anywhere else.
Hearing Ning Rongrong, Xiao Wu finally seemed to realize how indecent her actions were. She let out a small cough to cover her embarrassment and quickly untangled herself from Huo Feng. Luckily, they were in a corner, and not many spectators had noticed them yet.
"Sorry, Huo Feng," she mumbled, her cheeks still bright pink. "I just got too excited!"
"Xiao Wu's right, though," Ning Rongrong chimed in, stepping forward. "You were incredibly handsome out there!" Her eyes darted to Xiao Wu's flushed face, and a flicker of envy sparked within her. But if someone asked her to hug Huo Feng like that, she knew she'd never find the courage.
"Very handsome," Zhu Zhuqing added, her praise as concise and direct as ever.
Just then, Huo Feng noticed several pairs of eyes from the stands turning their way. A few people were even starting to walk in their direction. Not wanting to become the center of a mob, he quickly spoke. "Let's go."
He led the team away from the arena, leaving the growing crowd behind.
Meanwhile, in a quiet corner of the spectator stands, Zhao Wuji let out a booming laugh. "Hahahaha, that Huo Feng kid is really something else!" He slapped his knee and turned to the man beside him. "I have to hand it to you, Dean. You've got a good eye. In my opinion, Huo Feng is the perfect core for the Shrek Team!"
He leaned in, his voice laced with pointed meaning. "Unlike certain other Spirit Masters who are more focused on their own crooked schemes than on actual cultivation, that boy is the real deal!"
Yu Xiaogang sat rigid in his seat, his face darkening with every word. He had come today fully expecting the Shrek Team to lose, which would have given him the perfect opportunity to step in and promote Tang San as the team's new leader. But that plan was now in shambles. Huo Feng hadn't just won; he had single-handedly crushed the opposition. With a performance like that, Tang San would be lucky to even make it back into the starting lineup anytime soon.
Yu Xiaogang's jaw clenched. Zhao Wuji's taunts were like salt in the wound, and he felt a surge of fury so intense he nearly choked on it. With a stiffness that betrayed his inner turmoil, he rose from his seat. He tried to project an air of calm indifference, as if Zhao Wuji's words meant nothing to him.
Without a single glance back, he turned and walked away.
Zhao Wuji watched him go, a smirk playing on his lips. He ran away? he thought with a chuckle. Looks like the 'Grandmaster' can't take a little pressure after all.
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