The spectators of the Skysea Alliance held their heads high at last.
The previous oppression and humiliation had been swept away, replaced by incomparable pride and excitement!
Because Wang Chuan had not only restored their dignity, but had done so in this almost mythical fashion...
He had crushed head-on...
Shrek Academy's undefeated legend!
Wang Chuan's expression remained calm, as if he had merely done something insignificant.
His Fourth Soul Skill, Five-Colored Divine Light, was the same as that of the legendary figure from the Primordial World. Though it was still far from that innate divine being's supreme realm of "brushing away everything."
Yet under the laws of Douluo Continent, combined with his own control over multiple elements and the nature of his chaotic Mental Power, it possessed the ability to annihilate energy, suppress attributes, and even seal Martial Souls.
It was especially effective against Soul Masters.
He looked at Yu Hengtian, whose face had gone ashen and whose eyes were filled with defeat and disbelief. Wang Chuan gave a slight nod, his tone as calm as ever.
"You let me win."
With that, he did not linger. He calmly stepped down from the competition platform and returned to Eastsea Academy's resting area, as though he had merely finished an ordinary stroll.
Yet the storm triggered by this exceedingly brief but overwhelmingly shocking clash...
Had only just begun.
Almost at the same time, countless people in major Federation cities who had watched the live broadcast through various channels erupted in similar cries of shock and uproar before their Soul Guidance Screens.
The news departments of major media outlets became even more frantic, editing footage and drafting articles at top speed. One eye-catching headline after another was swiftly produced and pushed across the Federation.
"Shrek Academy's Ten-Thousand-Year Myth Shattered! Young Genius Defeats His Enemy in One Move!"
"A Monster Appears in Tianhai! Ten-Year-Old Soul Ancestor with Four Black Rings Crushes the Shrek Seven!"
"The Continent's Number One Academy Suffers a Waterloo? Youth Wind and Cloud Ranking's Top Star Displays an Invincible Bearing!"
"Shrek Has Lost! Defeated by a Ten-Year-Old Child!"
For a time, the name "Phoenix Wang Chuan."
Along with his four black Soul Rings and the footage of him defeating seven Shrek students in a single move, spread through the Soul Guidance Network and traditional media.
At an unprecedented pace throughout the entire Sun Moon Federation, becoming the hottest topic in every street and alley.
Shrek Academy's nearly sacred aura of invincibility, which had shrouded it for ten thousand years, seemed to have developed its first clear crack at this moment.
Shrek Academy, Sea God Pavilion.
The atmosphere in the ancient and solemn conference room was grave.
The light screen repeatedly played the scene of Wang Chuan using Five-Colored Divine Light to instantly dismantle Thunderstorm and suppress the Shrek Seven.
Cai Yue'er lightly tapped her fingers against the table, producing crisp sounds. No joy or anger showed on her face, but her tone carried a trace of amusement and chill.
"This Skysea Alliance..."
"Really has a fine scheme."
"They spent heavily to invite our people for an 'exchange.' If they won, they would gain glory."
"If they lost, they already had a backup plan. They brought in such a little monster to step on Shrek's name and win back their lost face a hundredfold."
"Take a look at the public opinion outside now..."
She casually opened several light screens, where all sorts of sensational headlines scrolled past.
"The entire Federation is laughing at Shrek. There are no shortage of voices predicting our decline."
The Senior Elders of Sea God Pavilion wore varied expressions. Some frowned deeply, some looked indignant, while others seemed lost in thought.
Feng Wuyu, who came from the Blacksmith Association and possessed a fiery, straightforward temperament, dug at his ear and said carelessly.
"So they lost. Victory and defeat are common in battle."
"That kid is a monster. Losing to him isn't shameful."
"I think he's pretty good. He's far more pleasing to the eye than some of those arrogant little brats in the Inner Court."
Cai Yue'er shot him a glance, her voice slightly cold.
"Easy for you to say!"
"Shrek Academy has stood for twenty thousand years. Its prestige was forged from the blood, sweat, and victories of countless predecessors!"
"'Number One on the Continent,' 'Undefeated Myth'—these are not merely honors. They are responsibility and faith!"
"In twenty thousand years, have we ever lost so badly in a formal external exchange?!"
"Even during the most critical time ten thousand years ago, when defeat seemed most likely, we still won in the end!"
"And now, we have lost to a ten-year-old child, with seven of ours being instantly suppressed by one..."
"Isn't that laughable?!"
"This is a real blow to the academy's reputation!"
Feng Wuyu choked for a moment, rolled his eyes, and muttered.
"It's no use taking your temper out on me!"
"The kid really is ten years old."
"Even if you argue until the sky falls, it still doesn't count as us bullying the young with the old. Our side is actually older."
"We lost within the rules because our skills were inferior. What is there to say?!"
His words pointed out a fact that left the Senior Elders somewhat helpless.
Shrek's dignity could not be defiled, but it valued rules and fairness even more.
If the other side had relied on age, cultivation, or improper means to win, they had countless ways to reclaim their honor.
But Wang Chuan had won openly and fairly. His age, Soul Rings, and strength were all displayed in plain sight, leaving them constrained and unable to lash out.
Cai Yue'er snorted coldly and said nothing more, but her tightly pressed lips showed that her heart was far from calm.
The Sea God Pavilion Master, Sky-Prop Douluo Yun Ming, who sat in the seat of honor, had been calmly watching the argument.
At that moment, he slowly spoke. His voice was gentle, yet it carried a power that soothed people's hearts.
"Enough, Yue'er. There is no need to worry overly much."
His gaze swept across everyone present, and his deep eyes seemed to contain stars and seas.
"As long as I am here..."
"Shrek will forever be Shrek."
"One accidental defeat cannot shake the academy's foundations."
"Besides..."
He paused, and an almost imperceptible smile even appeared at the corner of his lips.
"With the talent and temperament that child has displayed."
"Do you truly think his future..."
"Will remain outside Shrek forever?"
Yun Ming's words were like a stone cast into a still lake, stirring the expressions of the Senior Elders as they fell into thought.
"The Pavilion Master's meaning is..."
One Senior Elder asked hesitantly.
"Such a stunningly gifted youth may have a vast continent before him, but there are ultimately only a limited number of places where he can truly unleash his talent and reach the pinnacle."
Yun Ming's tone carried absolute certainty.
"Shrek Academy's doors will always remain open to true geniuses."
"What shame is there in losing to one of our own?"
"It would merely be an internal sparring match within the academy."
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the Senior Elders immediately eased considerably. Some even smiled.
That was right. With Shrek Academy's foundation and appeal, such a genius would most likely still enter the academy's embrace in the end.
When that time came, today's defeat could be transformed entirely into a "fine tale" that inspired later generations.
Look, even such a monstrous genius ultimately chose our Shrek!
Was that not another kind of victory?
And Yun Ming's words precisely aligned with the absolute confidence and pride buried deep within the hearts of these powerhouses who had stood at the continent's peak for many years.
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