Yu! Hao! Explosive! Fist!

On the Assessment Platform, Huo Yuhao's eyes were sharp as an eagle's as he stared at the charging Hell White Tiger.

He tapped the ground with his feet and retreated at full speed, trying to dodge the fatal blow.

But after fighting continuously all morning, he had almost no Soul Power left. He was far slower than usual.

"Pfft!"

The Hell White Tiger's claws grazed his shoulder, tearing open his combat uniform and leaving three deep gashes that exposed the bone.

Blood poured out at once, staining his white clothes red.

A sharp pain shot through him. Huo Yuhao grunted and staggered back several steps.

"Damn it!"

He gritted his teeth and watched the Hell White Tiger draw closer, a powerful surge of unwillingness rising in his heart.

I can't lose!

I absolutely can't lose to Dai Huabin!

If I lose here today, my mother's spirit in heaven won't be able to rest in peace!

His mother's gentle smile flashed through his mind, then the image of her urging him to live well just before she died, followed by the disdainful, mocking looks of those people in the White Tiger Duke Mansion.

Damn it! Was he really going to lose?

Was he going to lose to that bastard Dai Huabin?

Was he really going to... lose to the man who killed his mother?!

Huo Yuhao watched the Hell White Tiger draw nearer. Its sharp fangs glinted coldly in the sunlight, and only endless despair remained in his heart.

His Soul Power had been completely drained by the gauntlet of battles all morning. His spiritual power was nearly exhausted too; even raising a hand to release the most basic Spiritual Slash was incredibly difficult.

Just then, a steady, powerful voice suddenly exploded in his mind:

"Idiot! How can you give up now?!"

It was Zhao Ze!

Huo Yuhao shuddered. As if grasping the last lifeline, he cried out hoarsely within the Sea of Consciousness:

"Master! But I really have no way out! My Soul Power and spiritual power are both gone. I can't stop the Hell White Tiger!"

"If they're gone, squeeze out more!"

Zhao Ze's voice carried an unquestionable authority.

"Get up! Use the method I taught you before.

Let spiritual power drive it, and Soul Power flow! The stronger your will, the greater your strength!"

Huo Yuhao froze.

He remembered that half a month ago, Zhao Ze had taught him this method of unleashing a burst of power.

But no matter how he had tried back then, he couldn't use his spiritual power to force his Soul Power into motion. In the end, he'd had to give up.

"Can I really do it? Is it really possible?"

Huo Yuhao asked, trembling.

"I failed so many times before..."

"You failed because you didn't have the resolve to burn your boats!"

Zhao Ze shouted sternly.

"Remember! If your will is fierce, your strength will be fierce too, ya!

Do you want your mother to watch from beneath the earth as your enemy tramples you underfoot?

Do you want that piece of trash Dai Huabin to step on your head and swagger around?!"

If your will is fierce, your strength will be fierce too...

Those eight words exploded in Huo Yuhao's mind like a thunderclap.

He abruptly raised his head and looked at the charging Hell White Tiger. The despair in his eyes was instantly replaced by a boundless hatred and determination.

That's right!

I can't lose!

I still haven't avenged my mother!

I still haven't made the White Tiger Duke Mansion pay!

How can I fall here?!

"Yaaah!!!"

Huo Yuhao threw his head back and let out a bloodcurdling roar.

He gathered all his spiritual power, all his determination, all his yearning for his mother and his hatred for Dai Huabin, compressed it into a single point, and drove it fiercely into his dantian!

"Soul Power! I order you! Start moving!!!"

Voom!!!

A terrifying wave of energy suddenly erupted from Huo Yuhao's body!

The last trace of the Source of Life in his already depleted meridians ignited completely, turning into a surging river of Soul Power that roared in a wild, ceaseless cycle through his body.

Pale blue icy power and golden spiritual power intertwined, forming a swirling storm of energy around him and whipping his torn clothes into a frenzy.

His hair lifted in a windless gust, brilliant golden light shone in his eyes, and he looked like a battle god reborn in fire, radiating a terrifying aura that made the heart quail.

"W-What is going on?!"

On the high platform, Mu En shot to his feet.

He had lived for more than two hundred years and seen countless secret techniques, yet never had he seen anyone unleash such tremendous power with their Soul Power completely exhausted!

This had completely surpassed the limits of a Soul Elder!

"Quick! Get all the students to move back!"

Wang Yan's face changed dramatically as he hurriedly shouted to the crowd below.

"The energy fluctuations are too strong! You'll get caught in them!"

But the students below didn't retreat. Instead, they shoved forward even more eagerly.

It was a rare chance to witness a battle between powerful fighters with their own eyes.

Even dying would make the ticket worth it!

On the other side of the Assessment Platform, Dai Huabin's face turned deathly pale.

He had challenged Huo Yuhao now because he was sure Huo Yuhao had reached the end of his strength.

He'd thought he could crush him with ease. He never expected this guy to still have such a terrifying trump card!

But the Hell White Tiger had already launched its attack. There was no way to call it back!

He could only grit his teeth and frantically drive his Soul Power, forcing the Hell White Tiger's strength to climb another notch.

"Quit your tricks! You think you can stop the Hell White Tiger? Die!"

"Roar!"

The Hell White Tiger let out a thunderous roar and raised its enormous paw, bringing down enough force to split mountains and crack rocks as it slammed toward Huo Yuhao's head.

The paw tore through the air, unleashing a piercing sonic boom.

Facing this devastating blow, Huo Yuhao neither dodged nor retreated.

He slowly raised his right fist, concentrating all the power erupting inside him into it.

Golden and blue energy spun madly over his fist, forming a sphere of energy that compressed without end.

"Yaaah!!!"

"Yu! Hao! Explosive! Fist!"

Huo Yuhao roared and swung his fist with all his might.

A dazzling beam of two-colored light shot from his fist like a meteor streaking across the night sky, carrying the force to destroy everything as it collided head-on with the Hell White Tiger's enormous paw.

"Boom!!!!"

A deafening explosion rang out across the entire Shrek Great Soul Arena.

Dai Huabin was completely dumbfounded. He had never imagined Huo Yuhao could unleash such a terrifying punch.

Just as the fist was about to hit the Hell White Tiger, the cold Assessment Platform vanished before Dai Huabin's eyes.

In its place stood the familiar gates of the White Tiger Duke Mansion. Begonia flowers bloomed in full in the courtyard, and a faint floral fragrance lingered in the air.

"Huabin, slow down! You'll fall!"

A gentle voice called out.

Dai Huabin abruptly turned around and saw his young mother standing beneath the veranda. She held a handkerchief and smiled as she beckoned him over.

Not far away, Dai Yueheng, half a head taller than him, swung his fists, practicing each move with impressive form.

"Brother! Wait for me!"

His younger self ran over with a cheer and threw himself into Dai Yueheng's arms.

Dai Yueheng smiled and ruffled his hair.

"Come on. I'll take you to play."

Sunlight fell over the three of them, so warm that he never wanted to wake up.

"Those were the days..."

Dai Huabin murmured, a tender smile appearing on his face, one he had never worn before.

"So... I really did have such happy days."

He was lost in the warmth of those memories when suddenly a voice calling out shattered the peace.

"Dai Huabin! Dai Huabin! Wake up!

Don't get lost in there!

That's a deathbed vision!"