The cheers within the Great Soul Arena receded like a tide as the seven members of the Shrek Team helped each other off the arena. Despite winning the match against Blue Sunshine Academy, there was no joy to be found on anyone's face; instead, they were filled with exhaustion, lingering fear, and an indescribable sense of heaviness.
Medical Soul Masters quickly stepped forward to examine their injuries and restore their soul power. The Great Sausage and Recovery Sausage produced by Oscar were consumed in their entirety, replenishing their depleted physical strength.
Tang San sat cross-legged on the ground, his complexion pale, eyes closed as he regulated his breath. Forcibly triggering the embryonic form of his Slaughter God's Domain had placed a significant burden on his mind, and the violent, murderous thoughts in his head were still throbbing. Xiao Wu stood guard by his side, her small hand gripping his tightly, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.
Dai Mubai gasped for air, his evil eyes flickering as he recalled the complete failure of his internal family competition that he had witnessed within the illusion, his fists clenching involuntarily. He glanced at the silent Tang San beside him, his mood complex.
He had always considered himself the strongest combat force in the team's standard state and the undisputed core. Yet, in today's battle, if not for the strange domain power Tang San had unleashed at the critical moment, they likely would have fallen into the bizarre Seven Asura Illusory Realm of Blue Sunshine Academy.
This feeling of pinning victory or defeat on one person while being powerless himself made him, a man of high pride, feel extremely uncomfortable.
Ma Hongjun, Oscar, Li Qianshan, and Lu Ziqi were even more shaken. They had been the first to fall into the illusion, personally experiencing the terror of having their minds seized and being left at the mercy of others. Only now, having escaped danger, did they truly realize the inadequacy of their own strength and the fragility of their team coordination.
"Pull yourselves together!" Flender walked over, his expression stern, though a hint of comfort hid deep in his eyes. "A win is a win! Although the process was dangerous, this has taught you a good lesson! There are no weaklings in this tournament; any behavior that underestimates an opponent could lead to total ruin! Blue Sunshine Academy could produce a Seven-in-One Fusion Skill, so what about other academies? Do you really think our Shrek is invincible?"
Zhao Wuji also spoke in a gruff voice: "The Dean is right! Today's battle exposed many problems! Individual strength does not equal team strength! If not for Tang San, we would have all been rolling back to Suotuo City today! Remember this lesson!"
The team members nodded silently. Flender's words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the arrogance they had developed due to their paper-thin stats.
Indeed, the accident created by Tang San's domain ability could not be replicated; in the upcoming matches, they could not rely on him to turn the tide every single time.
From this day on, the training atmosphere of the Shrek Team changed significantly. Without needing much urging from Flender or Zhao Wuji, everyone poured two hundred percent of their effort into cultivation and coordination. Dai Mubai set aside his airs as captain and began to truly discuss tactics with Tang San, listening to the suggestions of this Control System Soul Master.
Xiao Wu, Ma Hongjun, and the others also paid more attention to their connection and cover for one another during combat drills. The previous estrangement caused by the conflict between Dai Mubai and Tang San seemed to have faded significantly after experiencing life-and-death crises together, and a bond known as "comrades-in-arms" was quietly budding. Although they hadn't reached the point of perfect telepathy, they at least managed to trust each other in battle and execute complex tactical commands.
In the following few elimination rounds, the Shrek Team had good luck, drawing opponents whose strength was generally not high; the strongest member of the most troublesome team was only a level 48 Battle Soul Ancestor.
With the lesson from Blue Sunshine Academy, the members of Shrek dared not be arrogant again, treating every match with seriousness. Under the leadership of Dai Mubai and Tang San, the team's synergy improved, whether by crushing opponents with assault or wearing them down with control, winning each match with a significant advantage and successfully advancing.
However, the road to the round robin was not smooth. In the final round of the elimination tournament, they encountered a real tough nut to crack, and perhaps the final, most difficult obstacle on their path to advancement—Elephant Armor Academy.
Elephant Armor Academy, located within the former territory of the Star Luo Empire, was a high-level soul master academy co-founded by the veteran soul master families, the Diamond Mammoth Huyan Family and the White Armored Earth Dragon Tuoba Family.
These two families had once joined forces, wanting to step on the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to make a name for themselves. The result was obvious: they failed, and they failed miserably. However, at that time, Martial Soul Hall and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan were in a state of mutual wariness, and in order to check the Yu Family, someone in Martial Soul Hall protected the remnants of the two families.
Both families' martial souls were known for defense and power. After the Federation was established, relying on their connections with Martial Soul Hall (the remnants of the two families had joined Martial Soul Hall) and their powerful martial souls, they had spent decades quietly developing and remained a force not to be underestimated.
But Elephant Armor Academy's reputation had not been good in recent years. Its management was almost entirely held by the Huyan and Tuoba families, with admissions and resources heavily skewed toward family members, leading to a closed-off academy culture, difficulty for excellent outside students to enter, and declining teaching quality.
A few years ago, the Martial Soul Hall under the Federation's Department of Education had issued them a warning: if they did not rectify their "family private property" style of operation, they would consider revoking their status as a high-level soul master academy. Under pressure, Elephant Armor Academy restrained itself on the surface, but the family brand remained deep in its bones.
However, they clearly did not know that some Federation personnel from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had never liked them; it was just that the high-level members of the sect mostly didn't care about the two families, and hindered by Federation regulations, they hadn't targeted them much. But now that they had a pretext, they naturally wouldn't be polite, and were preparing to secretly dig a pit for the two families.
For this tournament, the team sent by Elephant Armor Academy consisted entirely of direct descendants of the two families. The captain, Huyan Li, was a level 52 Defense System Battle Soul King with the Diamond Mammoth martial soul; he was the grandson of the current head of the Huyan family and had an arrogant personality.
The vice-captain, Tuoba Shan, was a level 49 Assault Type Battle Soul Ancestor with the White Armored Earth Dragon martial soul, a direct descendant of the Tuoba family. The other five members were also excellent descendants of the two families, with soul power levels between 43 and 46—all of them were Soul Ancestors! Their average soul power was as high as level 46, significantly higher than the Shrek Team!
More importantly, their martial souls, the Diamond Mammoth and the White Armored Earth Dragon, were top-tier defense and assault-type beast martial souls, with thick skin and astonishing power, acting like a mobile fortress in team combat.
When the draw results came out, Flender's brows furrowed. Elephant Armor Academy was not some eccentric, tricky opponent like Blue Sunshine Academy; this was a real, hard-fought battle.
Moreover, he keenly sensed that the aura of Tang San beside him turned ice-cold the moment he heard the names "Elephant Armor Academy" and "Huyan Family," and the killing intent that had just subsided showed signs of boiling over again.
In the preparation room, the atmosphere was heavy.
Tang San raised his head, his gaze sweeping over every teammate, his voice low but carrying an unquestionable resolution: "We must win this battle. And we must win it beautifully."
Dai Mubai frowned: "Tang San, Elephant Armor Academy has extremely strong defense. We won't gain any advantage in a head-on assault; we need to plan carefully."
"No," Tang San shook his head, cold light flickering in his eyes, "it's not a tactical issue. This battle, for me, is a personal vendetta."
"Personal vendetta?" Everyone was stunned.
Tang San took a deep breath, as if he had made a certain decision. He slowly told his teammates, briefly but clearly, how his mother, Tang Miao, had been tortured to death by Huyan Lian, and the filth between the Huyan and Tuoba families. He had buried these things deep in his heart, never speaking of them to anyone. Speaking of them now was both an act of honesty and a request.
"...So, the Huyan family has a deep, sea-like hatred with me. Elephant Armor Academy contains their lackeys. Today, on the arena, I not only want to win, I want to break their arrogance! Everyone," Tang San looked at Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Li Qianshan, and Lu Ziqi, his gaze sincere and firm, "for this battle, I need your strength. Please help me!"
The room was silent. No one had expected that this boy, who was usually so calm he was almost cold, was carrying such a blood feud.
Dai Mubai thought of the pressure from his own family. Although Oscar and Ma Hongjun were from commoner backgrounds, they had gotten along well with Tang San during this time and felt a sense of empathy for his hatred.
Dai Mubai was the first to break the silence. He walked up to Tang San and gave him a heavy pat on the shoulder, a flash of shared misery in his evil eyes: "So that's how it is. Tang San, don't worry, the brothers will help you settle this score!"
"That's right! Third Brother, screw them!" Ma Hongjun waved his fist.
"Let them know how tough we are!" Xiao Wu said indignantly.
Oscar, Li Qianshan, and Lu Ziqi also nodded, their eyes firm. Support between men sometimes requires no extra words.
An atmosphere of shared hatred permeated the preparation room. The pressure originally caused by the strength of the opponents now transformed into an even stronger fighting spirit.
On the day of the match, at the central main arena.
When both teams took the stage, the atmosphere in the stands became noticeably heated. On one side was the Shrek dark horse, which had recently risen to fame and possessed a genius with a ten thousand year fourth ring; on the other was the Elephant Armor Academy, a veteran powerful clan with a deep foundation. This duel was highly anticipated.
The seven members of Elephant Armor Academy were generally tall and sturdy, especially the captain, Huyan Li, who stood over two meters tall, his skin possessing a crystalline texture similar to a diamond. Standing there, he gave off an indestructible feeling. He swept his arrogant gaze over the Shrek members, finally stopping on Tang San, the corner of his mouth curling into an undisguised sneer and malice.
"Yo, look who it is. It's you, the bastard." Huyan Li's voice was loud, carrying deliberate insults. "What, you snuck into the tournament relying on some skills you stole from who knows where? It's a pity, trash is trash after all. Today, meeting our Elephant Armor Academy, your good luck has come to an end."
He lowered his voice so only those on the arena could hear, "Huyan Lian is my aunt. I've heard about that slut, your mother. Don't worry, once we're on the arena, I'll take good 'care' of you, and I guarantee I'll make you lie down just like your dead mother!"
The vicious words were like poisoned daggers, stabbing fiercely at Tang San. Tang San's body tensed instantly, and in his eyes, purple light and a trace of blood-red flashed alternately; his killing intent was almost uncontrollable. Xiao Wu held his arm tightly, and Dai Mubai stepped forward, blocking in front of Tang San, glaring coldly at Huyan Li: "Huyan Li, watch your dog mouth! Who will be lying down later is not yet certain!"
Huyan Li laughed loudly, full of contempt: "Dai Mubai? A stray dog kicked out by his family, and you dare to be arrogant in front of me? You Shrek are just a bunch of rabble! The match is starting, and I'll let you know what despair is!"
The smell of gunpowder instantly filled the arena, and the referee had to intervene early, signaling both sides to prepare.
"The match begins!"
Before the referee's voice had even faded, the seven members of Elephant Armor Academy let out a simultaneous roar: Martial Soul Avatar! In an instant, it was as if seven humanoid mammoths and earth dragons had appeared on the arena! A heavy, earthy-yellow radiance linked them together, forming a solid wall that advanced steadily toward Shrek Team with the momentum to crush everything in its path! It was a standard frontal assault tactic, relying on extreme defense and power to steamroll the opposition!
Facing this steel-like torrent of an offensive, Shrek Team did not choose to meet force with force.
"Follow the plan!" Tang San's cold voice rang out. His Purple Demon Eye was already active, calmly observing the opponent's formation.
"White Tiger Vajra Transformation!" Dai Mubai roared, but instead of charging forward, he stood at the very front alongside Li Qingshan and Lu Ziqi, who had activated their Black Tortoise Turtle Martial Souls. They formed a triangular defensive formation, bracing themselves to withstand the first wave of the Elephant Armor Academy's impact!
Boom! Amidst the thunderous sound, the three of them were jolted back several steps, their qi and blood surging, but their formation remained unbroken!
"Now!" A gleam of light flashed in Tang San's eyes. "Xiao Wu, left flank! Fatty, harass them from the air! Oscar, Flying Mushroom Sausage! Qingshan, Ziqi, shift formation, penetrate!"
The orders were concise and clear! Having rehearsed this countless times, the members of Shrek moved in an instant!
Xiao Wu's figure was like a ghost. She activated her Waist Bow and instantly circled to the left side of the Elephant Armor Academy's formation, targeting a White Armored Earth Dragon Soul Master with weaker soul power!
Ma Hongjun spread his phoenix wings and soared into the sky. He activated his third soul skill, Hōyoku Tenshō, and countless flaming feathers rained down like arrows toward the rear of the Elephant Armor Academy, disrupting their vision and the condensation of their soul power!
Oscar's Flying Mushroom Sausages were tossed with precision toward Xiao Wu and Ma Hongjun!
At the same time, Li Qingshan and Lu Ziqi, who had been holding the front, suddenly scattered to the sides, revealing Tang San, who had been prepared behind them!
"Third soul skill, Spider God Transformation; first soul skill, Tough Spider Web!" Tang San made his move! Under the enhancement of the Spider God Transformation, it was no longer a single web, but three tough spider webs covered in a purple-black halo that were sprayed simultaneously, shrouding Huyan Li, Tuoba Shan, and another core member!
"Trifling tricks!" Huyan Li snorted in disdain. His Diamond Mammoth trunk curled, lashing out at the webs with terrifying force. Tuoba Shan also swung his dragon claws to tear them apart. With their strength, they could have easily broken through the webs.
But just as the webs were about to be struck, Tang San's second soul ring lit up: "Second soul skill, Silk Differentiation!" The three spider webs suddenly exploded, transforming into countless thin yet extremely tough spider threads. Instead of being scattered, they clung to the targets like bone-eating maggots, instantly restricting the movements of Huyan Li and the others! Although it couldn't completely bind them, it was enough to stall their movements for a split second!
That split second was the opening they needed!
"Mubai! Qingshan! Ziqi! Triangular assault, target Tuoba Shan!" Tang San shouted.
Dai Mubai, Li Qingshan, and Lu Ziqi, who had been poised to strike, surged forward like tigers released from their cages. In a triangular formation, they concentrated all their power and ferociously charged at Tuoba Shan, whose movements were sluggish due to the spider threads! Dai Mubai's White Tiger Blazing Light Wave, Li Qingshan's Dragon Patterned Stick smash, and Lu Ziqi's Star Luo Chess control converged from three sides!
"Oh no! Protect the vice-captain!" Huyan Li was shocked. He wanted to rescue him, but he was held back by even more spider threads and Ma Hongjun's flames.
On the other side, Xiao Wu, having consumed the Flying Mushroom Sausage, was like a pink bolt of lightning. She instantly cut into the opponent's left flank. Her Waist Bow, Soft Skill, and Explosive Kill Eight-Stage Throw were executed in one fluid motion. The White Armored Earth Dragon Soul Master was caught off guard and screamed as he was thrown out of the arena!
Shrek's tactics were crystal clear: avoid the strong to strike the weak, use their speed advantage and Tang San's control abilities to divide the battlefield, and concentrate superior forces to take out the opponent's secondary cores and weak links first!
Elephant Armor Academy possessed powerful defense and strength, but speed was their fatal weakness! Under Shrek's swift, wind-like, and well-coordinated penetrating strikes, their formation was instantly shattered! The main force in the front, including Huyan Li, was pinned down by Tang San's webs and Ma Hongjun's aerial bombardment, leaving their support and control soul masters exposed!
"Oscar, Excited Pink Sausage! Mubai, power attack!" Tang San continued to command.
Oscar's sausage arrived just in time. Dai Mubai's momentum surged again, and together with Li Qingshan and Lu Ziqi, he launched a frenzied attack on Tuoba Shan. As strong as Tuoba Shan was, he couldn't withstand the three-man assault and was soon injured.
Meanwhile, after clearing the left flank, Xiao Wu didn't stop for a moment and lunged straight at the opponent's support soul master!
The battlefield fell into complete chaos! The defensive formation that Elephant Armor Academy took such pride in was thoroughly dismantled, turning into a passive situation where they fought individually. While their individual strength was high, they were forced into a steady retreat under Shrek's precise, point-based, and localized numerical superiority.
Huyan Li roared repeatedly, wanting to use his absolute strength to break through Tang San's blockade, but Tang San's Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track Steps were incredibly refined. He always managed to dodge the heavy attacks by a hair's breadth while constantly harassing him with spider webs, threads, and various hidden weapons, leaving Huyan Li with immense power but nowhere to vent it—a feeling of utter suffocation.
"Bastard! If you have the guts, fight me head-on!" Huyan Li was so angry his eyes turned blood-red.
Tang San glanced at him coldly and flashed behind an Elephant Armor member who was being besieged by Xiao Wu and Ma Hongjun. His Eight Spider Lances struck like lightning, instantly breaking through the opponent's defense and tossing him into the air!
"Ah!" Another one was out!
The defeat was like a mountain collapsing! In less than five minutes, three of the seven members of Elephant Armor Academy had been knocked out of the arena, and Tuoba Shan had fallen to the ground severely injured, losing his combat capability. Only Huyan Li and two other members remained, struggling in vain; the outcome was already decided.
"We... concede!" The teacher leading Elephant Armor Academy had a livid complexion and helplessly called out their surrender. Continuing the fight would only bring more humiliation.
The referee immediately terminated the match.
"Shrek Academy, victory!"
On the arena, Huyan Li knelt on one knee, gasping for breath, his body covered in wounds. Looking at his fallen teammates and the Shrek Seven—who were panting but still in a complete formation—his eyes were filled with unwillingness, resentment, and disbelief. He could not accept that the Elephant Armor Academy, with their superior strength, had lost in such a manner!
The Shrek Seven looked at each other, seeing the excitement and exhaustion in each other's eyes. This battle was won beautifully! It was a satisfying victory!
Tang San walked up to Huyan Li, looking down at him from above with a cold voice: "Tell Huyan Lian, this is just the beginning. The debt owed will be collected one by one."
Huyan Li looked up, meeting Tang San's emotionless eyes, and felt a chill run through his heart.
In the stands, applause thundered. With a brilliant tactical victory, Shrek Team once again proved their status as a dark horse and successfully advanced to the round robin!
However, entering the round robin meant they were about to face true powerhouses from the top academies across the entire continent.
After the round robin draw, Shrek Team was placed in Group B. When they received the list of opponents in their group and watched recordings of key matches from other groups, everyone, including Tang San, was struck by a silent sense of shock.
Tianxing Academy Team One, captain Yu Tianquan, sixteen years old, a Level 72 Power Attack System Battle Soul Sage! Soul ring configuration: black, black, black, black, black, black, red! Six black and one red! The legendary spirit-level soul ring configuration! His Silver Dragon Martial Soul controlled all laws, and it was said he also practiced elemental magic. His strength was unfathomable, and he was hailed as the top favorite to win this tournament.
Martial Soul Academy Team One, captain Qian Renxue, twenty-two years old, a Level 89 Power Attack System Soul Douluo! Soul ring configuration: black, black, black, black, black, black, red, red! Her Six-winged Angel Martial Soul was sacred and brilliant. It was said that she had already condensed a soul core during her time as a Soul Sage, possessing the terrifying combat power to challenge a Super Douluo across ranks!
Federal Soul Tool Master Academy Team One, captain Xu Tianyi, twenty years old, a Level 65 Power Attack System Soul Emperor. His Martial Soul was the Purple Blazing Sky-Destroying Dragon, and he was equipped with top-tier soul tools, making his combat power fierce.
The seeded teams from the Five Elements Academy (Tianshui, Chihuo, Godwind, Thunder, Boulder) also possessed two Soul Emperor-level powerhouses: Yu Tianxin of Thunder Academy (Level 63 Soul Emperor) and Feng Xiaotian of Godwind Academy (Level 63 Soul Emperor).
Every one of these geniuses far surpassed the current Shrek Team in soul power level, martial soul quality, and combat experience. Dai Mubai's strength as a Level 51 Soul King seemed so ordinary in front of these monsters.
Tang San's ten thousand year fourth ring, while stunning, was no longer unique among this group of prodigies who all possessed optimal soul ring ratios, and some even possessed hundred thousand year soul rings.
What put even more invisible pressure on the Shrek members were Qian Renxue and Yu Tianquan. During an opening ceremony event attended by all participating academies, they were fortunate enough to see these two figures who stood at the pinnacle of the younger generation.
Qian Renxue wore golden palace attire; her face was exquisitely beautiful, and her temperament was noble and sacred, like a goddess descending to the mortal world. Her eyes were calm, yet carried a detachment and confidence as if looking down on all beings, as if everything in the world was under her control.
Yu Tianquan wore silver combat attire, with silver hair and purple eyes, his posture tall and straight. Although he was the youngest, his aura was as deep as the sea. Every move he made carried an air of supreme grandeur, as if he were a pioneer of an era, leading all things. When his gaze swept over the crowd, it was calm and waveless, only flashing with a scorching light—like seeing a worthy opponent—when he looked at Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue's gaze also lingered mostly on Yu Tianquan. There was an invisible tacit understanding between the two, as if in this entire tournament, only the other was worthy of being their opponent.
That natural, effortless confidence and composure, born from absolute strength, held no arrogance, yet it left everyone who felt it unable to harbor the slightest resentment at being looked down upon, feeling only a sense of powerlessness akin to gazing up at a towering mountain.
"Is this... what the world's top genius looks like?" Oscar muttered, forgetting to even eat the sausage in his hand.
Ma Hongjun opened his mouth, but in the end, he couldn't say a word.
Dai Mubai clenched his fists tightly, the flames of unwillingness burning in his evil eyes, but there was more of a heavy realization of reality.
Xiao Wu quietly gripped Tang San's hand; she could feel his body stiffening.
Tang San watched the figures of those prodigies on the light screen in silence, especially Qian Renxue and Yu Tianquan. All this time, he had taken pride in his own talent and the memories of his two lives, believing that as long as he was given time, he would surely stand at the pinnacle.
But at this moment, he truly saw the chasm-like gap between himself and the truly top-tier monsters. A sixteen-year-old Soul Sage with six black and one red soul rings; a twenty-two-year-old Soul Fighting Douluo with combat power comparable to a Super Douluo... this had already exceeded the bounds of conventional understanding.
The battlefield of the Round Robin would be a clash of dragons and tigers. Could Shrek, this dark horse, continue to advance in front of this group of true dragons? Unprecedented pressure now weighed upon the heart of every Shrek team member.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan