Sacred Spear Bloom

On the day of the finals, heavy clouds blocked out the sun, making the weather rather gloomy. The two teams participating in the finals wore solemn expressions. They were old rivals, and precisely because of that, they both knew that today's final would be the toughest match of the tournament.

The first team battle was proof enough. The Sun Moon Team unexpectedly lost two people in battle, and even the referee, Heavenly Fiend Douluo, had been unable to save them in time. The fighting had been extremely brutal. Having reached the finals, it was difficult for everyone fighting with all their strength to hold back. Before entering this tournament, they had all prepared themselves for this.

Although the Sun Moon Team had suffered heavy losses in the first match, faced with the overwhelming Soul Tool attacks from the remaining five opponents, Shrek Team decisively chose to surrender. This had also been part of Wang Yan's pre-match strategy: use the team battle to eliminate as many opponents as possible. The following individual matches and 2-2-3 format did not allow substitutions. Once the seven members of a team had been confirmed, they could not be changed. Whether the opposing side sent injured members into battle or replaced their own with reserve members, Shrek would have the advantage.

After both sides made minor adjustments, Wang Yan confirmed the lineup: Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, Beibei, Xu Sanshi, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Ling Mo.

The first to take the field in the individual matches was Xu Sanshi, who had awakened the Power of the Black Tortoise during the previous team battle. The reasoning was the same as before. Defensive Soul Masters had a certain advantage against Soul Engineers, and Xu Sanshi, with the Power of the Black Tortoise activated, was no weaker than an ordinary Soul King.

Things unfolded as Wang Yan had expected. With his Soul Ancestor cultivation, Xu Sanshi struggled to defeat a Soul King. The battle had been difficult, but he endured it. An accident occurred in the second match. Facing the fierce attack of a Soul King from the Sun Moon Team, Xu Sanshi suddenly erupted. A black phantom of the Black Tortoise condensed behind him, and he killed the opposing contestant with a unique soul skill.

Heavenly Fiend Douluo had originally sensed that things were going wrong and wanted to intervene, but for some reason, when he came into contact with the soul skill Xu Sanshi had unleashed, he withdrew his hand as if shocked by electricity. Thus, that Soul King from the Sun Moon Team vanished right before his eyes.

The loss of yet another Soul King made the Sun Moon Team cry out in grief. They charged toward Xu Sanshi, who had collapsed on the stage from exhaustion, like madmen. But how could the Shrek members, who had been watching the stage closely, allow that?

A black-and-white spear descended from the sky and embedded itself between the Sun Moon Team members and Xu Sanshi. The sudden attack halted the Sun Moon Team's advance. At the same time, the referee, Heavenly Fiend Douluo, shouted, "Stop! What are you trying to do?!" Although Heavenly Fiend Douluo understood how the Sun Moon Team felt, this was a competition, and he had to stop their outburst. Their members had died in battle, and the tournament had long made it clear that Soul Masters fighting with all their strength found it nearly impossible to control the extent of their attacks. Among the other teams in this tournament alone, at least dozens of contestants had died. It was regrettable, but there was nothing he could do.

Ling Mo walked onto the competition stage step by step. He had launched the previous attack. Reaching Xu Sanshi's side, he hoisted him onto his back, while the Black Abyss White Flower embedded in the ground dissipated as well. Ling Mo carried Xu Sanshi back to the resting area. The individual match order had already been decided; it was not yet his turn to fight.

In the third match, Beibei unexpectedly defeated an opponent with Tang Sect techniques and Hidden Weapons.

In the fourth match, the Sun Moon Team contestant was someone Ling Mo remembered. She was a rather famous character from the original story, named Meng Hongchen.

After the match began, Beibei used the soul skill Thunder Dragon Head and charged forward. Then... there was no then. Beibei fell. Before anyone could react, the fourth match was over.

After bringing Beibei back to the resting area, everyone discovered that he had fallen to a terrifying poison—a Fire-Ice Dual Attribute poison.

Dai Yueheng took the field in the fifth match. Relying on his Soul Emperor cultivation, which surpassed Meng Hongchen's Soul King level, he forcibly took her down with him. The final result was mutual defeat, but because Dai Yueheng had been poisoned by Meng Hongchen, he clearly could not take part in the following 2-2-3 format. Meng Hongchen, on the other hand, had merely suffered severe injuries and could still fight after resting and receiving treatment.

In the sixth match, Ma Xiaotao prepared to take the field, but the Sun Moon Team surrendered. Just like Shrek's decision in the previous team battle, the Sun Moon Team's leading teacher knew clearly that, in order to preserve their strength, none of their remaining members could defeat Ma Xiaotao in an individual battle.

A few minutes later, the third round, the 2-2-3 format, was ready to begin.

Shrek still had Ma Xiaotao, Ling Mo, Huo Yuhao, and Wang Dong able to continue fighting. The Sun Moon Team had their captain Ma Rulong, the fifth-rank Soul Engineer Xiao Xiafeng, and the siblings Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen remaining.

Looking at the four remaining contestants on each side, Heavenly Fiend Douluo announced, "As neither side has enough contestants to complete all three matches, if the first two matches result in one win and one loss, the third match will be fought by members from both sides who have not yet appeared in the finals. Now, please send out the contestants for the first match."

There was no need to say much for Shrek's side. Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong could perform Martial Soul Fusion, so they naturally could not be separated. Therefore, Ma Xiaotao and Ling Mo would fight in the first match.

The contestants from both sides took the stage under Heavenly Fiend Douluo's watch. Ling Mo glanced at the Sun Moon Team's lineup. As expected, it was Ma Rulong and Xiao Xiafeng.

The situation was excellent for Shrek, because they only needed to win one match. During today's finals, Ling Luochen had not taken the field in case Ling Mo used the Divine Grace Barrier during the team battle. If the Sun Moon Team lost one match, then Shrek's lineup for the third match would be Soul King Ling Luochen, fourth-rank Soul Engineer He Caitou, and Xiao Xiao. The Sun Moon Team, meanwhile, could only field one fourth-rank Soul Engineer and two third-rank Soul Engineers. Therefore, the Sun Moon Team could only hope to win both matches. They had sent out their two strongest members to face Ma Xiaotao and Ling Mo.

On the stage, Ma Xiaotao said quietly to Ling Mo, "Once it starts, keep Xiao Xiafeng occupied. Ma Rulong is no match for me one-on-one. Once I take care of Ma Rulong, this match is as good as over. Can you do it?"

I could fight both of them by myself. But Ling Mo did not refuse. His rare opportunities to fight had awakened his lazy nature. Since Ma Xiaotao had put it that way, how could he say no? Though he could not remember the exact course of the match, he still knew the final result. Shrek could win even without him, let alone now. Ling Mo immediately nodded to Ma Xiaotao, indicating that he could do it.

At the same time, seeing that both sides had taken the field, Heavenly Fiend Douluo shouted, "The first match of the third round of the finals, the 2-2-3 format, begins now!"

As Soul Engineers, Ma Rulong and Xiao Xiafeng immediately began activating and preparing their Soul Tools after the match started. On the other side, Ma Xiaotao swiftly released her Martial Soul. She opened with a Phoenix Flame Line, attacking the two opponents.

As a flying-type Martial Soul, the Evil Fire Phoenix granted Ma Xiaotao an extremely high speed boost. Within only a few breaths, the distance between Ma Xiaotao and her opponents had closed by two-thirds. Behind her, the stigmata on Ling Mo's back faintly lit up as he followed closely.

Facing the incoming Phoenix Flame Line, Xiao Xiafeng raised a fifth-rank Soul Tool shield and blocked the attack for himself and Ma Rulong. Meanwhile, light flickered around Ma Rulong's body as if he were preparing something.

By the time the Phoenix Flame Line was blocked, Ma Xiaotao had already rushed before them. Xiao Xiafeng continued holding his shield in front of him, resisting Ma Xiaotao's assault while countless metal tubes emerged from his back, seeking to interfere with Ma Xiaotao and buy time.

Ling Mo had also arrived by then. Using only a small portion of his stigmata's power, he was still inferior in speed to Ma Xiaotao, a Soul Emperor. When he was roughly ten meters from his opponents, he swung one palm and used the familiar Drooping Willow and Flying Willow forms of the Heart-Shattering Fist, directly crossing those short ten meters and flashing before shield-bearing Xiao Xiafeng.

"Inch Strength: Instant Dust!" Four soul rings emerged behind him. Ling Mo drove his left elbow forward and pushed out with his right palm. The tremendous force sent Xiao Xiafeng flying, exposing Ma Rulong behind him.

Ling Mo ignored Ma Rulong. With a Cun Jin - Flying Willow, he instantly followed Xiao Xiafeng, then before Xiao Xiafeng could land, struck him with Inner Form: Cloud-Entering Eagle, sending him into the air with a punch. Just as he was about to take out Ksitigarbha Soul and follow up with Zero Void Triple Flash to finish him, black flames erupted behind him. Their overwhelming presence interrupted Ling Mo's movement. The unusual flames made him realize that something might have happened to Ma Xiaotao. He decisively abandoned Xiao Xiafeng, turned around, and rushed back toward Ma Xiaotao and Ma Rulong's battlefield.

Ma Xiaotao was in a very wrong state. Her expression was filled with pain, and the Evil Phoenix Flame she had once been able to control was now expanding wildly as if venting itself. Ling Mo had no time to think. He used Immortal Form: Timely Rain Swallow to pass through Ma Rulong, who was trying to stop him. Upon reaching Ma Xiaotao's side, he immediately activated Ice Herrscher Mode. When ice and fire collided, the enormous amount of mist produced enveloped the two of them, blocking everyone else's view.

This situation did not last long. Ling Mo discovered that although the black flames around Ma Xiaotao could not break free of his control, his ice could not suppress them either. The two sides remained locked in a stalemate.

"The difference in Soul Power is nearly thirty levels. Herrscher Mode with three rings still isn't enough. This black fire is hardly weaker than Ultimate Fire. Tch, this is troublesome." Ling Mo remembered that Ma Xiaotao had fallen into darkness in the original story, but he had not expected it to happen like this. Yet he had no solution at the moment.

Mimic Judas appeared again. The halo of the Divine Grace Barrier carried Ma Xiaotao out of the water mist, ignoring the defensive barrier below the stage as it flew toward Shrek's resting area.

"Old man! Catch her!" Ling Mo shouted toward the area beneath the stage, then turned back toward Ma Rulong and Xiao Xiafeng, walking out of the water mist step by step.

Below the stage, Xuan Zi appeared after hearing him and caught Ma Xiaotao. He noticed her condition as well. After giving Wang Yan an instruction, he swiftly left the Soul Dueling Arena with Ma Xiaotao and rushed toward Shrek Academy.

Ling Mo felt deeply guilty at that moment. He had thought nothing unexpected would happen, but Ma Xiaotao had still fallen into darkness. He bore full responsibility for this accident. The feeling of believing he could accomplish something, only to ultimately change nothing, made Ling Mo extremely uncomfortable.

Ma Rulong held a Milk Bottle in his hand, recovering the vast amount of Soul Power consumed by activating the eighth-rank Soul Tool, Judgment Sword. His eyes remained fixed on the place obscured by water mist. The mist did not cover much area, and Ling Mo soon appeared in his sight. But when Ling Mo reappeared, the soul rings behind him were no longer one yellow, two purple, and one black. They had become one yellow, two purple, three black, and one blue.

Seven. A full seven soul rings! Although Huo Yuhao had set a precedent, and the strange blue soul ring told him this was likely fake, the appearance of seven soul rings still shocked Ma Rulong, who had already expended immense Soul Power and mental energy.

Ma Rulong shook his head, forcing himself to clear his mind. A cannon barrel extended from his right arm, and a blue beam burst forth, blasting toward Ling Mo.

Yet before the attack could travel very far, four walls of ice rose high into the air. They blocked Ma Rulong's attack and then contracted around them, trapping Ma Rulong and Xiao Xiafeng within.

"Ha..." Ling Mo drew a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Tch, I still feel awful."

Unable to calm himself, Ling Mo decisively gave up trying. He gently closed his eyes and whispered to himself, "Let me be a little willful."

One purple and one blue soul ring lit up behind him. The black-and-white spear appeared. Ling Mo opened his eyes, gripped Black Abyss White Flower with both hands, and lightly tapped the ground with its tip facing downward.

Closing his eyes again, Ling Mo softly chanted, "I am the black that devours all. I am the white that nurtures all. Born before creation, existing after annihilation." As Ling Mo chanted quietly, an indescribable aura emerged around him. Black-and-white radiance flowed from Black Abyss White Flower.

Seeing this from within the ice prison, Ma Rulong inwardly cried out that things were bad. Ignoring the consumption of Soul Power, countless cannon barrels emerged from his body as he and Xiao Xiafeng frantically attacked the ice walls. But how could the defense of Ultimate Ice be broken so quickly?

"Black Abyss White Flower, first rated output—Sacred Spear Bloom!" Dazzling white light erupted at that moment. The blinding radiance made Ma Rulong unable to open his eyes for an instant, but in the next moment, the black-and-white spear burst from the light. The ice wall that he had failed to break even with all his strength was pierced through as easily as paper before Black Abyss White Flower! With almost no Soul Power remaining, Ma Rulong had no time to think. He immediately activated an Invincible Barrier, and a golden shield surged out to protect him. But what happened the next second made his eyes widen.

The Invincible Barrier, which should have lasted three seconds, collapsed upon contact with the black-and-white spear! With his eyes nearly splitting apart, Ma Rulong was pierced through the chest by Black Abyss White Flower. He fell to the ground and soon ceased breathing.

Yet before anyone could marvel at the power of that attack, they noticed that Black Abyss White Flower had not stopped. After piercing Ma Rulong's body, it also shattered the eighth-rank Soul Tool defensive barrier, continuing forward with undiminished momentum.

Just as Black Abyss White Flower was about to rush into the spectator stands, Heavenly Fiend Douluo instantly appeared before it. Two yellow, three purple, and four black soul rings floated behind him. He extended both hands, seeking to stop Black Abyss White Flower, but he had underestimated Sacred Spear Bloom. With Ling Mo's current Soul Power Level, he could not release the Divine Key's rated output normally. Therefore, Ling Mo had used Honkai Energy for this attack!

Without using any soul skills, the Soul Power in Heavenly Fiend Douluo's hands instantly vanished under Black Abyss White Flower's power of decomposition. Bolstered by Ling Mo's Death Herrscher Mode and the endless Honkai Energy of Imaginary Space, the forcibly unleashed Black Abyss White Flower pierced Heavenly Fiend Douluo's chest and ultimately nailed him to the wall of the viewing platform!

The shock this scene brought everyone far exceeded Ma Rulong's death. That was a Titled Douluo! The Sun Moon Team members stared in disbelief at the injured Heavenly Fiend Douluo. The trace of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth showed that even he had suffered injuries. One could only imagine how powerful Ling Mo's attack had been!

Ling Mo did not look at Heavenly Fiend Douluo, whom he had injured. At that moment, his eyes contained only the Sun Moon Team's remaining contestant—Xiao Xiafeng. Retracting Black Abyss White Flower, two more soul rings lit up behind him. They were no longer one blue and one purple, but one blue and one black—the black soul ring belonging to Heaven's Fire Sacred Judgment.

Ling Mo's movements drew everyone's attention. Looking at the greatsword wrapped in bright flames that appeared in his hand, everyone thought the same thing: the thousand-year soul skill combined with the blue soul ring had already been so powerful. How terrifying would the ten-thousand-year soul skill he was using now be?

PS: I had originally wanted to skip through the finals quickly, but I got carried away while writing, so I'll post this much for now.