Seven Asura Illusory Realm, the Embryonic Form of a Domain
The Martial Soul Great Soul Arena, Central Main Stage.
As the fourteen members of the Shrek Team and the Canghui Academy Team walked out from the two side passages and stepped onto the smooth, mirror-like alloy arena engraved with intricate soul-guiding patterns, murmurs arose from the stands.
The vast majority of viewers looked at the Canghui Academy with undisguised scrutiny, and even a hint of sympathy, before naturally turning their gaze to the Shrek Team.
The reason is simple: the gap in strength between the two sides on paper is too obvious.
On Shrek's side, Captain Dai Mubai, a level 51 Power Attack System Battle Soul King with the Evil Eyes White Tiger Martial Soul, had five Soul Ring —two yellow, two purple, and one black—that pulsed slowly, radiating the powerful pressure of Soul King. His eyes were disdainful, exuding an aura of royalty.
Vice Captain Tang San, a level 45 Control Type Battle Soul Ancestor, possesses the Man Faced Demon Spider Martial Soul, with two yellow, one purple, and one black rings! When his deep, ink-black fourth Soul Ring rose, a collective gasp erupted from the stands!
"The Ten Thousand Year Fourth Ring?!"
"My god! What's the background of the Shrek Academy? They actually have a genius with Ten Thousand Year Fourth Ring?"
"Aside from the precious talents of Tianxing and Martial Soul, you could probably count the number of players Ten Thousand Year Fourth Ring in this competition on two hands, right?"
"Man Faced Demon Spider Martial Soul... Strange, the Man Faced Demon Spider's enhancement to physique shouldn't be able to withstand Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring."
Exclamations, doubts, and praises rose and fell. Ten Thousand Year Fourth Ring —even in this era of great development in the Soul Master system, it remains a mark of top genius!
This means that the Soul Master possesses a physique, willpower, and Spiritual Power far exceeding those of others of the same level! The name Tang San was instantly remembered by countless people.
In fact, the process of Tang San absorbing this Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring was extremely dangerous. With the powerful physique brought to him by Tang San Second Martial Soul, the Crimson Gold Dragon, and the fact that the Man Faced Demon Spider Martial Soul, although not known for its strength, still provided a boost to strength that ordinary Blue Silver Grass could not match, Tang San's physique was still no less than that of the original character, even though he had not consumed Immortal Herb as in the original story.
Although he possessed the Purple Demon Eye, a method for training the eyes, his Spiritual Power was significantly inferior to that of Tang San in the original story, especially without consuming the Immortal Herb, the Autumn Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew. Fortunately, Tang San's fourth Soul Ring was a ten-thousand-year-old Man Faced Demon Spider, which was extremely compatible with Tang San Martial Soul, reducing the difficulty of fusion. Furthermore, the Man Faced Demon Spider Martial Soul's amplification of Spiritual Power was much stronger than that of the Trash Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass. This allowed Tang San to barely withstand the Soul Shock of the Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring through sheer willpower (you could say Tang San in the original story was bad, but he did have a firm will).
(In the original novel, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul was truly a Trash Martial Soul before he awakened the Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline. In terms of the six attributes, only his Life Force was close to that of a high-level Martial Soul. The so-called tenacious Life Force was simply because the Blue Silver Grass was weak enough to grow and recover quickly. On the other hand, the Man Faced Demon Spider could barely be considered a Top-tier Martial Soul, and even its lowest attribute was close to that of a high-level Martial Soul.)
Xiao Wu, a level 46 Assault Type Battle Soul Ancestor, possesses the Soft Bone Rabbit Martial Soul, with two yellow and two purple attributes, and a nimble figure.
Oscar, a level 44 Food System Tool Soul Ancestor, with Sausage Martial Soul, possessing two yellow and two purple attributes.
Ma Hongjun, a level 41 Assault Type Battle Soul Ancestor, Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul, with two yellow and two purple attributes.
Li Qingshan, a level 44 Defense System Battle Soul Ancestor, Dragon Patterned Stick Martial Soul, with two yellow and two purple attributes.
Lu Ziqi, a level 43 Control Type Battle Soul Ancestor, possesses the Star Luo Chess Martial Soul, with two yellow and two purple attributes.
With top-tier Soul Ring Configuration across the board! An average level exceeding forty-three! They also boast a Soul King and a genius with Ten Thousand Year Fourth Ring! This academy team, named "Shrek," made its debut and displayed astonishing strength!
In contrast, their opponents Canghui Academy Team.
The captain is a level 48 Control System Soul Ancestor. His Martial Soul is a gem that can refract light, and he has two yellow and two purple Soul Ring.
The remaining six people consisted of three Soul Ancestor and three Soul Elder! Their Soul Ring Configuration were also standard, with nothing particularly outstanding.
Their average level is just over level 40! Compared to the Shrek Team, they are completely inferior in terms of both top-tier combat strength and overall level!
"Why even fight? It's a complete annihilation!"
"Canghui Academy is really unlucky; they ran into a tough opponent in the first round."
"It seems Dean Flender's Spirit Bone is a sure thing." In the stands, many people began to sympathize with the Canghui Academy, and almost no one believed they could win.
In the preparation area of the Canghui Academy, Vice Dean Shi Nian's face was ashen, his hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He stared intently at the Shrek members on the arena, especially Tang San, who possessed the Ten Thousand Year Fourth Ring. His eyes were filled with jealousy, resentment, and a hint of... barely perceptible madness.
"The match begins!" the referee announced, swinging his arm.
"Brothers, activate your Martial Soul! Let's finish this quickly!" Dai Mubai roared, instantly activating the White Tiger Body Protection Barrier and the White Tiger Vajra Transformation. His body swelled, carrying an unstoppable momentum, like a tiger descending the mountain, charging straight at the enemy formation! He intended to use his absolute strength at the Soul King level to forcibly tear open a gap!
Xiao Wu Waist Bow, her figure like a pink phantom, closely following Dai Mubai's flank. Ma Hongjun spewed Phoenix Flame, providing support from the air. Oscar's Flying Mushroom Sausage and Recovery Great Sausage were already ready. Li Qingshan and Lu Ziqi, one defending and the other controlling, stabilized the situation.
A flash of purple light appeared in Tang San's eyes. He activated his Purple Demon Eye to its fullest extent, and a phantom of Man Faced Demon Spider appeared behind him, its Tough Spider Web ready to be unleashed at any moment.
A standard aggressive assault formation! The Shrek Team's intention is clear: to crush the enemy with sheer strength!
However, faced with Shrek's fierce offensive, the seven members of the Canghui Team made a move that surprised everyone!
They didn't scatter, didn't defend, and didn't even unleash any offensive Soul Skill! The seven quickly gathered together, forming a strange circular formation, each holding a gem of a different color in their hands! Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple! Seven colors of light shone simultaneously!
What are they doing?
"What kind of formation is this?"
A murmur of doubt arose from the stands.
Flender frowned slightly, a vague unease creeping into his heart. That Shi Nian bastard, Shi Nian, was cunning and treacherous; he would never fight a battle he wasn't sure of winning!
Just then, the captain of the Canghui Team revealed a strange smile and shouted in a hoarse voice, "Seven in one, Soul Power fusion! Seven Asura Illusory Realm —open!"
Buzz--!
The seven gems suddenly burst forth with dazzling light! Seven beams of light of different colors shot into the sky, converging in the center of the arena and instantly transforming into a twisting, rotating, seven-colored light shield that covered the entire arena! Inside the light shield, the scene changed drastically!
The arena vanished, replaced by a bizarre and ever-changing world of light and shadow! Countless hideous ghosts, man-eating demons, and distorted spatial rifts appeared out of nowhere, emitting piercing screams! The extremely dense illusionary energy surged towards the Shrek Seven Devils like a tidal wave!
"It's an illusion! Be careful!" Tang San's pupils shrank sharply, and he activated his Purple Demon Eye to its maximum, his eyes blazing with Purple-Gold light as he tried to see through the illusion. He felt an incomparably Spiritual Power slamming into his mind like a heavy hammer!
"Well!"
"Ah!"
Screams of agony rang out one after another!
Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Li Qingshan, and Lu Ziqi, whose Cultivation Level relatively low and whose Spiritual Power was relatively weak, almost the instant the illusion took shape, their eyes became unfocused, and their faces showed extreme fear or ecstasy. They danced around, screamed in agony, or frantically attacked their teammates, completely trapped in the illusion!
Dai Mubai groaned, his Soul King- level Soul Power forcibly supporting him. The White Tiger Body Protection Barrier shone brightly, resisting the erosion of the illusion, but his eyes began to glaze over, and his movements became sluggish.
The scene before Dai Mubai's eyes gradually distorted and changed! It was no longer the bustling arena, but had transformed into the Star Luo Dai Family. His eldest brother, Dai Weisi, smiled disdainfully, glaring at him with a ferocious expression, declaring his defeat in the competition...
Xiao Wu, relying on the strong soul and agile movements of Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, struggled to dodge the illusory attacks within the illusion, but her pretty face was deathly pale, clearly indicating she was enduring immense hardship. But soon, she seemed to hear her mother and Da Ming Er Ming's dying roars...
"It's actually Seven-in-One Soul Power Fusion Skill!" A knowledgeable expert in the VIP section exclaimed in surprise, "Canghui Academy actually had such a trump card hidden away!"
"It's over! Shrek Team is finished! This Seven Asura Illusory Realm is as powerful as a mental attack at the Soul Sage level! Apart from Dai Mubai with his Soul King Cultivation Level and Tang San has absorbed Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, the others simply can't withstand it!"
"That old bastard Shi Nian, he's cunning enough!"
On the arena, the situation took a sharp turn for the worse! The Shrek Team lost four members in an instant, and Dai Mubai and Xiao Wu were also in grave danger! Only Tang San remained, relying on his Purple Demon Eye and the unwavering will of two lifetimes to hold on desperately in the bizarre and fantastical illusion!
Countless hallucinations assaulted his mind! His mother's tragic death, Xiao Wu's blood, Dai Mubai's mockery, Huyan Lian's sinister smile... The fear, regret, and anger from his past and present lives were amplified infinitely, attempting to drag him into the abyss!
"No! These are all fake!" Tang San bit his tongue, the excruciating pain keeping him sliver of clarity. His Purple Demon Eye blazed wildly, the Purple-Gold light in his eyes like two bright lamps, locked onto the seven blurry figures of the Canghui students maintaining the formation in the illusion.
But his heart sank. He had only been cultivating his Purple Demon Eye for a short time and hadn't been tempered by any Immortal Herb. His Spiritual Power strength was far from enough to forcefully break through this illusion formed by the combined power of seven people! If this continued, once his Spiritual Power was exhausted, everyone would be at their mercy!
In the stands, Flender suddenly stood up, his face ashen, his right hand already raised, ready to signal to the referee that he had conceded defeat! A lost Spirit Bone can be found again, but the lives and futures of the students cannot be lost!
Just as his lips parted slightly, and the word "recognize" was about to escape his lips—
A sudden change occurred on the arena!
"Roar--!!!"
A roar, seemingly emanating from the Nine Netherworlds hell, filled with endless violence, slaughter, and madness, suddenly exploded from the depths of Tang San's throat! This roar was not like a human voice, but more like that of a Primordial Era Ferocious Beast that had been enraged!
Buzz!
A dark red, viscous, blood-mist-like domain suddenly spread out from Tang San's center! The domain was not large, only covering the area where the Shrek Seven were located, but it was filled with a terrifying killing intent and a mad will that made one's soul tremble!
The prototype of the Divine Slaughter's Domain —Awakening!
At this critical juncture, under the extreme mental pressure of the Seven Asura Illusory Realm, the violent will of the Dragon God hidden within Tang San's body—originating from the Asura Divine Power's power, fused with the ferocity of the Man Faced Demon Spider, and derived from the Golden Dragon God Golden Dragon King's Golden Dragon Bloodline —combined with the hatred and killing intent he had accumulated in this life, was finally fully unleashed!
Wherever the crimson domain passed, the bizarre illusions faded, distorted, and collapsed as quickly as melting snow! The core of the illusion—the seven Canghui students maintaining the formation—groaned in unison under the impact of the killing intent domain, their faces turning deathly pale, and their Soul Power circulation suddenly becoming chaotic!
"Pfft!" Captain Cang Hui coughed up a mouthful of blood, his eyes filled with disbelief and horror! "A domain?! How could he possibly have a domain?!"
The illusion has been shattered!
This nascent realm doesn't possess strong direct offensive capabilities, but its inherent Artistic Conception "slaughter" and "madness" is precisely the nemesis of such illusions that rely on emotional manipulation! It uses violence to combat violence, and with even more extreme negative emotions, it dismantles the structure of the illusion!
At the same time, the dark red killing intent domain seemed to come Life, Entanglement Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu, and the other six who had just escaped the illusion, lost their composure, and had their mental defenses at their lowest!
"Kill!!!"
Dai Mubai's eyes instantly turned blood red, and he roared like a tiger. His originally handsome face twisted into a ferocious expression, and the power of the White Tiger Vajra Transformation erupted without reservation as he charged recklessly towards the nearest Canghui student!
"Tear you apart!" The pink light in Xiao Wu's eyes was covered by blood, and her Soft Skill turned into a pure Slaughter Dance. Her figure was like Gui Mei, and every move was aimed at vital points!
Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Li Qingshan, Lu Ziqi were like wild beasts who had lost their minds, relying on their instincts and Soul Power to frantically pounce on their opponents!
Berserk! The remaining six members of the Shrek Team have all fallen into a berserk state triggered by the Slaughter Domain! Although they have lost their composure, their attack power, speed, and fearlessness have increased several times over!
"Not good! Defend!" Captain Cang Hui shouted in terror. But it was too late! The seven of them had exhausted their Soul Power and suffered mental injuries in maintaining the Seven Asura Illusory Realm, leaving them weak in direct combat. How could they possibly withstand six opponents who were now in a berserk state and far stronger than themselves?
Devastating!
Dai Mubai sent a Canghui Soul Ancestor flying with a single claw strike, the sound of bones cracking clearly audible! Xiao Wu's Waist Bow was like a death noose, instantly killing another Soul Elder! Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Flame burned a person, causing them to scream and roll in agony! Oscar even used the Copy Mirror Sausage to create Dai Mubai's appearance, knocking down one person with a single punch! Li Qingshan and Lu Ziqi also each found their own opponents!
In just over ten seconds, screams rose and fell! The seven members of the Canghui Team were like straws ravaged by a storm, all of them knocked to the ground without any resistance, seriously injured and unconscious! Only seven Shrek Academy members remained on the stage, panting heavily, their eyes still bloodshot, as if they had crawled out of Blood Pool, and Tang San, who stood in the center, his face pale but his eyes as cold as knives.
The dark red domain slowly receded. Tang San swayed, barely managing to stay upright. Forcibly activating this nascent domain was a tremendous burden on his mind.
The entire hall was deathly silent!
Everyone was stunned by this sudden reversal! From Shrek being in dire straits, to Tang San unleashing his strange domain, to the entire Shrek going berserk and instantly turning the tide, the whole process took less than a minute! Yet, it made everyone's hearts jump out of their chests!
The referee was stunned for several seconds before reacting and loudly announcing, "Shrek Academy Team... wins!"
Whoa--!
After a brief silence, a deafening roar erupted from the stands! There was shock, horror, curiosity about that strange realm, and admiration for Shrek's indomitable will!
"A domain! That's definitely the power of a domain!"
Shrek Academy... truly a place where hidden talents abound!
"That Tang San... seems like someone special?"
"Hehe, looks like this tournament is going to be interesting. Maybe we'll even see the Five Elements Academy get upset. Even if we die, it'll be worth the price of admission!"
In the preparation area of the Canghui Academy, Shi Nian's face was ashen, and he slumped into a chair with a blank stare.
It's over... It's all over... Not only did he lose the match and his Spirit Bone, but his most crucial trump card, the Seven Asura Illusory Realm, was also exposed... He could almost see the dean's thunderous rage upon returning to the academy.
Flender let out a long sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from his brow, and plopped back into his seat, a complex expression of lingering fear and excitement on his face. He looked at Tang San on the stage, his gaze incredibly complicated. Just how many secrets is this kid still hiding?
Soon, medical personnel arrived and carried the seriously injured Canghui team members off the stage for treatment. Shi Nian walked onto the arena with a livid face, threw a cold jade box to Flender, inside which was the Thousand-Year Soul Bone that had been wagered. He glared venomously at Flender and the Shrek team, then turned and left without saying a word.
Flender weighed the jade box in his hand, chuckled, and completely ignored Shi Nian's threat. He looked at his teammates who were helping each other off the stage, especially Tang San, who was being held tightly by Xiao Wu, and his eyes were filled with pride.
A resounding victory in the first battle! And in such a thrilling and triumphant manner! After this battle, the name of the Shrek Academy will surely resound throughout the entire tournament!
However, Tang San's mood was far from relaxed. He felt the restless killing intent within him and the mental exhaustion, his brow furrowing slightly. Was this uncontrollable power a blessing or a curse? The road ahead seemed even more unpredictable.
But in any case, they have taken a solid first step. The journey of the competition has only just begun.