Soul Power Breakthrough: Three Rise in Rank, the Eight Monsters Grow Stronger

The cheers from the Soul Dueling Competition had yet to fully fade when Shrek's Eight Monsters returned to their private resting area in the Great Soul Arena. The moment they entered, Oscar handed out the Recovery Sausages and fruit juice he had prepared in advance. "Hurry and replenish your energy! We won that fight, but everyone used up quite a bit of Soul Power."

The group sat around on soft cushions, replenishing their energy while discussing the tactics from the match. Xiao Wu rubbed her arm and said with a smile, "Those three arrows Zhi Xia fired were so cool! She took down the Black Blade Team's Soul Masters in one shot—I got fired up just watching!" Ning Rongrong nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the Soul Shatter trait of the Star River Shattering Bow is incredibly useful. When we face opponents with strong defenses in the future, we'll be relying on Zhi Xia!"

Lin Zhixia smiled and was just about to speak when she suddenly felt the Soul Power within her begin to stir. Instinctively, she closed her eyes and circulated her Soul Power cultivation technique—breaking through a Soul Power bottleneck during a Soul Dueling Competition was not uncommon. Her battle against the Black Blade Team had awakened her potential, and with the assistance of the Soul Gathering Stone and Star Guidance Bell, her Soul Power unexpectedly began to strike at the barrier of level 30!

"Zhi Xia, what's wrong?" Tang San was the first to notice something unusual and immediately stepped forward. He saw a pale blue Soul Power glow rise around Lin Zhixia, while the Star Guidance Bell at her waist shook fiercely and rang with a clear, melodious chime. She was clearly about to break through.

"She's advancing!" Master's voice came from the doorway. He, Flender, and Zhao Wuji had just returned from the stands, and their eyes filled with delight at the sight. "Don't disturb her. Let her focus on her breakthrough!"

Everyone immediately fell silent and formed a circle around Lin Zhixia to protect her. Her Soul Power glow grew brighter and brighter, with specks of starlight mixed into the pale blue radiance—the sign that the Star River Shattering Bow martial soul had fully awakened. After about fifteen minutes, a soft hum sounded. The Soul Power glow around her abruptly contracted, then violently expanded, and an even stronger Spirit Power Fluctuation swept through the entire resting area.

Lin Zhixia slowly opened her eyes, a bright glimmer of starlight flashing within them. "I... broke through to level 30."

"That's great!" Xiao Wu was the first to cheer, and everyone quickly gathered around to congratulate her. Lin Zhixia clenched her fist and could clearly feel that the Soul Power within her had become far more abundant than before. The Soul Shatter trait of the Star River Shattering Bow had also grown stronger—her arrows could now pierce through the ordinary Soul Power defenses of a level 40 Soul Master.

Just then, Tang San suddenly furrowed his brow and closed his eyes as well. The Soul Power in his body had begun to stir, and his Blue Silver Grass martial soul faintly appeared in his palm. The pale blue glow around him was even denser than Lin Zhixia's. "Tang San is breaking through too!" Dai Mubai shouted excitedly. "He pushed his Soul Power to the limit while using Blue Silver Grass to restrain the Black Blade Team. He must have broken through his bottleneck too!"

Sure enough, not long afterward, the Soul Power glow around Tang San suddenly erupted before gradually calming down. He opened his eyes, and the sharpness in them had grown even more pronounced. "I've reached level 30 too."

With two people breaking through in succession, the atmosphere in the resting area instantly became lively. Flender slapped his thigh and laughed so hard he could barely close his mouth. "Good! Good! As expected of Shrek's students! Two level 30 breakthroughs from a single Soul Dueling Competition—other academies will be green with envy when they hear about this!"

Master nodded as well, his gaze falling on Dai Mubai. "Mu Bai, you compressed your White Tiger Blazing Light Wave very well in the arena just now. Your Spirit Power Control was much more precise than before. Do you feel like you're closer to level 39?"

Dai Mubai froze for a moment, then instinctively circulated his Soul Power. When he had fought the scar-faced captain earlier, he had forcibly compressed his Soul Power to unleash his soul skill. He had thought it was merely a temporary breakthrough, but now the Soul Power in his body had also begun striking at the barrier of level 39! "I... I think I'm breaking through too!"

Everyone fell quiet once more and stood guard over Dai Mubai. His martial soul was the Evil Eyes White Tiger, so the Soul Power glow that appeared during his breakthrough was golden and carried an overwhelming pressure. He gritted his teeth and threw all his strength into striking the bottleneck—level 39 was the peak of a Soul Elder. Once he broke through, he would be only one step away from becoming a Soul Ancestor, and his strength would increase dramatically.

Bang! With a muffled explosion, the golden glow around Dai Mubai burst apart, and a Spirit Power Fluctuation stronger than Tang San's and Lin Zhixia's spread outward. He sprang to his feet and moved his arms. The golden light on his tiger claws shone even more brilliantly. "Level 39! I've finally reached level 39!"

"Amazing, Boss Dai!" Ma Hongjun patted his shoulder, his face full of envy. "From now on, you'll be the strongest Assault System fighter on our team!" Zhu Zhuqing also looked at Dai Mubai, a trace of approval flashing in her eyes—everyone had witnessed his progress.

Flender smiled until his eyes narrowed into slits, then pulled three Soul Tools from his robes. "These are advancement gifts for you three! Tang San, this Blue Silver Bracer can enhance your control over Blue Silver Grass. Zhi Xia, this Star Pattern Quiver can store your Soul Power and make it easier for you to fire arrows. Mu Bai, this White Tiger Heart Mirror can strengthen your defense and help you withstand more powerful attacks."

The three accepted the Soul Tools, their hearts filled with gratitude. Tang San put the Blue Silver Bracer on his wrist and could clearly sense how well it resonated with his Blue Silver Grass martial soul. The moment Lin Zhixia's Star Pattern Quiver touched an arrow shaft, it glowed with pale blue light and resonated with the Star Guidance Bell. Dai Mubai's White Tiger Heart Mirror rested against his chest, giving off a warm golden glow that made his Soul Power circulate more smoothly.

Master looked at the three of them, his tone solemn. "Breaking through is only the beginning. Tang San and Zhi Xia need to find suitable soul rings as soon as possible to strengthen their martial soul abilities. Mu Bai must stabilize his level 39 Soul Power and prepare to break through to Soul Ancestor. For the training ahead, I will create stricter plans tailored to your new strength."

Everyone answered in unison, their eyes blazing with fighting spirit. Sunlight streamed through the windows into the resting area and fell upon the eight of them, as though coating them in a layer of gold. Among Shrek's Eight Monsters, Tang San and Lin Zhixia had broken through to level 30, while Dai Mubai had advanced to level 39. Their overall strength had increased greatly—they were no longer inexperienced youths, but a powerful team truly capable of facing the threat of Spirit Hall.

Lin Zhixia touched the Star Guidance Bell at her waist, then looked at the companions beside her, her heart filled with resolve. She knew that level 30 was only a new beginning on her path of vengeance and of protecting her companions. She would grow stronger in the future, use the arrows of the Star River Shattering Bow to protect those at her side, and seek justice for her family. Tang San and Dai Mubai also understood that their responsibilities had become heavier—as the core of the team, they had to lead Shrek's Eight Monsters through even more hardships ahead.

In the distant woods, Ye Jin sensed the three Spirit Power Fluctuations coming from the resting area, and a complicated emotion flashed through his eyes. He knew that Lin Zhixia had reached level 30, and that Tang San and Dai Mubai had become stronger as well. He clenched the wound on his left hand and murmured softly, "Zhi Xia, the stronger you become, the more relieved I am... but the danger of Spirit Hall has not been eliminated. You must protect yourself."

After saying that, he turned and vanished into the depths of the forest—he needed to investigate whether there were any more dangerous conspiracies behind the Black Blade Team, aside from Spirit Hall and the other forces involved. And with this advancement, Shrek's Eight Monsters officially began a new journey.