The afternoon sun was scorching, baking Shrek's sports field until it was blisteringly hot. The air was thick with dust and a faint scent of gunpowder.
Zhao Wuji sat on a broken stone pedestal, idly twirling a stick of incense in his hand, his gaze gloomy. Although his wrist had been set, the piercing pain still reminded him of yesterday's humiliation.
"The rules are simple." Zhao Wuji glanced at Qian Mo's group on the left, then at Tang San and the others on the right, who were eagerly preparing themselves. "Three against three. Step out of bounds, lose the ability to fight, or surrender, and you lose. Since this is actual combat, treat it like a battlefield. Don't expect your opponents to show mercy."
Tang San stood at the front of his team, with Dai Mubai's dark expression and Ma Hongjun's fleshy face behind him.
"Mubai, Fatty, follow the plan." Tang San lowered his voice. Purple glint flickered in his eyes as he spoke rapidly. "Their Soul Power may be high, but their lineup is terribly unbalanced. Ning Rongrong and Oscar are both pure support types with no combat ability. As long as we focus our attacks on Zhu Zhuqing and restrict her speed, even if she's a Soul Emperor, two fists can't beat four hands!"
"I'll deal with those two Traitors!" Dai Mubai glared fixedly at Oscar's face, which was even more handsome than his own. His golden pupils were filled with jealous Blood Thread. "I'll make them understand that without Shrek, they're nothing!"
"Hehe, leave that beauty to me." Ma Hongjun licked his lips, lewd light flashing in his beady eyes. "Perfect timing to test my Evil Fire Suppression."
Across from them.
Qian Mo lounged lazily in a Grand Tutor Chair, not even intending to stand. He held a cup of Iced Sour Plum Drink and gently swirled it.
"Go on." Qian Mo waved at Zhu Zhuqing as though shooing away a fly. "Don't dirty your clothes. You still have to accompany me around Suotuo City tonight."
Zhu Zhuqing gave a slight nod. Her Black Tight Leather Clothes traced out breathtaking curves. Behind her, Ning Rongrong and Oscar stood to either side, looking as relaxed as if they were out on a picnic.
"Begin!" With a flick of Zhao Wuji's finger, the incense tip ignited.
"Brothers, get them!" Dai Mubai roared. The White Tiger Martial Soul possessed him, and his muscles instantly burst through his shirt. "Third Soul Skill, White Tiger Adamant Transformation!"
Ma Hongjun followed close behind, purplish-red flames erupting from his body. "Phoenix Fireline!"
Tang San, meanwhile, slid toward the flank like Gui Mei. His arms hung at his sides, while cold glints appeared faintly between his fingers.
Facing the three men's imposing charge, Qian Mo's side was eerily quiet.
"Nine Treasures Manifest, Glazed Tile."
Ning Rongrong parted her red lips, her voice ethereal.
There was no longer that laughably corny chant of "Seven Treasures Manifest." In its place was a sacred incantation. A dazzling pagoda soared from her palm. It was no longer seven stories tall. Though the eighth and ninth levels were still somewhat illusory, the terrifying waves of enhancement instantly swept across the entire field.
"First: Strength. Second: Speed."
Two streams of colored light shot into Zhu Zhuqing's body like meteors.
"This enhancement..." Zhu Zhuqing's beautiful eyes brightened slightly. She felt as light as though she had no weight at all, while her strength had increased by more than fifty percent!
Was this the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda after consuming Aromatic Silk Beauty? Even before fully evolving, its effects were already twice as strong as before!
"Catch!"
Beside her, Oscar flipped his palm. There was none of that disgusting chant, "I Have a Big Sausage."
The phantom of an Ancient Golden Book flashed behind him and vanished. A small chili pepper appeared from thin air in his hand, entirely crimson and still spitting sparks from its skin.
Ancient God of Food Record, Chapter One: Explosive Red Pepper.
Zhu Zhuqing caught it with a backhand and swallowed it in one bite.
Boom!
A violent torrent of heat instantly surged through her Limbs and bones. All attributes increased by twenty percent, pain was reduced by fifty percent, and it came with fire-attribute explosive attacks!
"I'm moving."
Zhu Zhuqing's figure disappeared.
It was not a figure of speech. She truly vanished from where she stood.
The next second.
Ma Hongjun, who had opened his mouth to breathe fire, suddenly felt his vision go dark.
"Too slow."
A cold voice sounded beside his ear.
Bang!
A black leather boot viciously kicked him in the fat-laden stomach.
Before Ma Hongjun could even scream, he flew away like a kicked, burst ball. Accompanied by a shrill Sonic Boom, he shot fifty meters through the air and "hung" from a crooked-necked tree at the edge of the sports field.
The once-imposing Phoenix Fireline turned into a ridiculous little flame and went out with a puff.
Instant defeat.
"Fatty!" Dai Mubai's eyes nearly split apart. He had just turned to rescue him.
Then, an incomparably terrifying aura that made even his soul tremble suddenly descended.
It was the absolute suppression of an apex predator.
At some point, Zhu Zhuqing had appeared before him. Six Blood Red Soul Rings did not appear in her heterochromatic cat pupils, yet the vicious might lingering from a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast bore down on him like a mountain.
Dai Mubai's prized White Tiger Adamant Transformation was like a mongrel encountering a true dragon before that aura. It trembled uncontrollably, and the circulation of his Soul Power instantly froze.
"So this is your Evil Eye White Tiger?"
Zhu Zhuqing sneered and thrust out her right claw.
Netherworld Hundred Claws!
Screech, screech, screech, screech—!
A teeth-grating tearing sound rang out.
The expensive noble dress on Dai Mubai's body instantly turned into fluttering butterflies. At the same time, five bloody gashes deep enough to expose bone appeared across the chest muscles he had been so proud of.
"Ah—!" Dai Mubai screamed and dropped to his knees, clutching his chest as blood dyed the ground red.
Less than three seconds.
Shrek's two assault-type Soul Masters were one crippled and one maimed.
It had all happened so quickly that Tang San's Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track had only just taken its third Footsteps.
"How is this possible..." Tang San's pupils contracted violently. Watching the battle collapse in an instant, cold sweat soaked his back.
Was this absolute power?
No! There was still a chance!
A fierce glint flashed through Tang San's eyes. Zhu Zhuqing might be strong, but she had pushed ahead alone. Ning Rongrong and Oscar in the rear were living targets!
"Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao!"
Tang San shifted his feet, his body twisting in an eerie turn as his hands danced like butterflies among flowers.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!
Dozens of cold flashes sliced through the air. Bone Piercing Nails, Willow Leaf Knives, Locust Stones... the Sky Flower Rain technique!
Their targets were not Zhu Zhuqing, but Ning Rongrong and Oscar, who had no defensive ability at all!
As long as Zhu Zhuqing went back to save them, she would expose an opening. If she did not, those two support types would surely die!
"Despicable!" Ning Rongrong cried out, instinctively trying to dodge, but the hidden weapons had sealed every avenue of retreat.
At that critical moment.
Qian Mo, seated at the edge of the field, did not even raise an eyelid.
He merely gave a soft snort.
"Hmph."
The sound was not loud, yet it was like a massive hammer that ignored the distance of space and slammed directly into the depths of Tang San's spiritual sea.
[Auspicous Beast Qilin Pressure · Spiritual Intimidation]
Buzz—!
Tang San felt as if his brain were being stirred by a red-hot branding iron. His vision went dark, and the severe pain forced a muffled groan from him. A fatal stiffness appeared in his originally fluid movements.
When experts fought, that instant of stiffness was the difference between life and death.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
A dense barrage of metallic collisions rang out.
Zhu Zhuqing appeared before Ning Rongrong like Gui Mei. The Netherworld Blade in her hand transformed into a black shield, knocking every hidden weapon aside.
Several Bone Piercing Nails, guided by Zhu Zhuqing's precise control of angles, flew back along their original paths.
Pfft! Pfft!
"Urgh, ah!"
Tang San had only just recovered from the severe pain when piercing pain shot through his thigh. Two Bone Piercing Nails had buried themselves deep in his thigh muscles, blood spurting forth.
He staggered two steps and fell to one knee, his face Pale as Paper.
Before he could raise his head, a cold foot stepped onto his chest.
Zhu Zhuqing looked down at him, her sharp claws pressed against his throat. With the slightest force, she could sever his carotid artery.
"This is your tactic?" Zhu Zhuqing's gaze was indifferent. "Using your teammates as cannon fodder—is this what Master taught you?"
The entire field fell silent.
Zhao Wuji stood nearby, his fists clenched until they cracked, but he did not dare move.
Because he could feel a vague but unmistakable killing intent locked onto his vital point. If he dared interfere, he would be the one lying on the ground the next second.
Qian Mo slowly set down his Sour Plum Drink, rose to his feet, and patted nonexistent dust from his clothes.
Oscar leisurely walked up to Dai Mubai. Looking at this once-arrogant "Boss Dai," who now resembled a dead dog, Oscar took an ordinary sausage from his pocket and tossed it onto his bloodied face.
"Young Master Dai, want a sausage to restore your strength?" Oscar's lips curled into a mocking smile. His handsome face was full of ridicule. "Oh, right. This one isn't free. Ten Gold Soul Coins, please."
Dai Mubai shut his eyes in humiliation. His body shook violently, but he did not even have the strength to curse.
Qian Mo walked to the center of the field. His gaze swept over the three "monsters" lying on the ground before finally stopping on Tang San's face, which was filled with unwillingness.
"Other than sneak attacks, poisoning, and playing the victim, what else can you do?"
Qian Mo shook his head, deep disappointment in his tone.
"This is the so-called Shrek Seven Devils? I think Shrek Three Wastes suits you better."
He turned around, took Zhu Zhuqing's hand, and could not even be bothered to look at them again.
"Let's go. The air here is terrible. It reeks of losers' sour stench."
The instant Qian Mo turned to leave, Xiao Wu, who had been hiding in a corner and watching, suddenly shuddered.
Looking at Tang San, who had been beaten miserably and still suffered a crushing defeat after using every trick he had, the monument in her heart called "Third Brother Is Invincible" cracked open with an enormous fissure.
And when Qian Mo passed by her, the pure aura belonging to the Auspicious Beast Qilin caused the Soul Beast Bloodline within her body to instinctively feel both closeness and the urge to submit.
It was a call from the depths of her soul.
"Who... is he?" Xiao Wu bit her lip, her eyes filled with confusion.
Qian Mo seemed to sense something, and his Footsteps paused slightly.
He turned his head. Those golden eyes looked deeply at Xiao Wu, and a meaningful curve rose at the corner of the mouth.
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