The stone slabs in the center of the arena lay shattered across a wide area.
Tang San knelt on one knee amid the ruins, sharp shards of stone cutting his knee until it bled.
He gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently, his bloodstained hands braced against the ground.
His bloodshot eyes fixed on the boy in dark robes in the distance.
Gu Sheng stood quietly in the middle of the arena.
A gentle breeze swept past, stirring the hem of his dark robes and lending him an air of effortless grace.
From beginning to end, he had not once turned to look at Tang San. His gaze rested only on empty space.
Across the vast stands, a brief silence gave way to a rising murmur of whispers.
"Is it over?"
"All seven members of Shrek are down..."
"Is this the true captain of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation? He took down the entire champion team from the Heaven Dou Empire all by himself!"
"His clothes aren't even dirty. He's so strong—he's a monster!"
"Spirit Hall are the champions!"
Someone shouted first, and a wave of voices swept across the arena like a tsunami.
Tens of thousands of spectators were chanting the same name, waiting for the final result to be announced.
The referee stood at the edge of the arena, holding an Amplifying Soul Tool.
He looked at the unconscious Shrek team members scattered across the ground, then at Gu Sheng standing tall and proud.
After confirming that none of them could still fight, the referee drew a deep breath and prepared to raise his right arm and announce the winner of the final.
"Wait."
A weak voice, yet one brimming with tenacity, came from the ruins.
The referee's arm froze in midair.
Tang San gritted his teeth, the knuckles of his hands braced against the ground turning white.
Summoning every last ounce of strength, he staggered to his feet.
As he moved, a sound came from the ruins in the distance, too.
Dai Mubai planted his thick arm against a shattered stone slab and let out a muffled cry of pain.
The White Tiger Vajra Transformation had already faded. His muscles screamed with tearing pain, and cold sweat covered his forehead, but he still forced himself upright.
Zhu Zhuqing slowly came to from unconsciousness.
She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. Her delicate frame swayed, and she bit down on her red lips, forcing herself up through sheer willpower.
Ma Hongjun crawled out of a crater shaped like a person.
Dust covered his chubby face, and blood kept spilling from the corner of his mouth.
But he clenched his teeth, and a crimson Phoenix Flame rekindled in his palm, flickering like a candle in the wind. It was faint, but burned with resolve.
Xiao Wu lay among a pile of rubble in the distance and gave her head a slight shake.
The dazed look in her eyes gradually cleared.
She looked at the straight-backed figure before her. Her eyes reddened, but she endured the agony of feeling as though every bone in her body had been shattered and slowly struggled to her feet.
Farther away, Oscar and Ning Rongrong supported each other.
The two auxiliary Soul Masters had been gravely injured in the collision. But now they gripped each other's arms, keeping one another upright as they trembled to their feet.
Seven people.
The Shrek Seven Devils had risen to their feet, even in the face of near-total defeat.
The cheers from the stands caught in the spectators' throats. Everyone stared wide-eyed at the unbelievable sight.
Ning Rongrong pushed away Oscar's support and thrust both hands high above her head.
"Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda!"
Her clear voice rang across the arena.
Light burst from within her without restraint.
She poured in every last bit of Soul Power she had left—even the strength she had already drawn from her life force.
The phantom of the Glazed Tile Pagoda spun wildly in midair, bathing the battered arena in a riot of color.
Oscar rubbed his hands together rapidly.
One Recovery Sausage after another, along with Excited Pink Sausages, appeared in his hands. Without pausing, he shoved them into the hands of each teammate who passed by.
Dai Mubai took a sausage, swallowed it in one bite, then strode behind Tang San.
Zhu Zhuqing followed and took her place behind Dai Mubai.
Ma Hongjun and Xiao Wu lined up in turn.
The seven of them formed a straight line across the ruined arena.
Ning Rongrong and Oscar stood at the very back.
They exchanged a glance, and every last bit of Soul Power in their bodies surged out like floodwaters bursting through a dam.
The Soul Power flowed along their formation, first pouring into Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing shuddered. The phantom of the Hell Spirit Cat flashed into view and vanished. She sent this power, together with her own Soul Power, into Xiao Wu before her.
Xiao Wu pressed both hands against Ma Hongjun's back, and pink light burst forth.
Ma Hongjun endured the pain of his meridians being stretched to the point of tearing and pushed his scorching Soul Power into Dai Mubai.
Dai Mubai let out a tiger's roar. The muscles in his arms swelled once more, and he poured the immense energy gathering behind him into Tang San at the front.
In that instant, the six others' Soul Power, given without reservation, all converged within Tang San.
Tang San's fading aura erupted with terrifying force.
A gale swept outward from him.
Level 60!
Level 65!
Level 70!
The overwhelming pressure from this sudden leap in power distorted the space around them.
Tang San raised his right hand sharply.
A simple, ancient hammer appeared in his palm without warning.
It no longer gleamed with the same pure black light as before.
Now the Clear Sky Hammer was heavier, and dark-gold patterns of light flowed and shimmered across its surface.
Weapon Soul Avatar!
With the full power of his six teammates pouring into him, Tang San crossed the gap between levels and forcibly unleashed the Martial Soul Avatar, a power that only a Seven-Ring Soul Sage could command.
The aura around Tang San rose to a terrifying peak.
Deep in his eyes, the shifting light of the Purple Demon Eye swirled wildly, carrying a murderous intent that made the heart tremble.
He stared at Gu Sheng. In that moment, the killing intent in his eyes solidified, shooting toward him like two sharp swords.
"You insulted my master!"
Tang San took a step forward, and the stone beneath him instantly crumbled to dust.
"You bullied my fellow disciples!"
He took another step, and the dark-gold light on the Clear Sky Hammer blazed even brighter.
"You hurt the woman I love!"
As his third step landed, Tang San gripped the hammer's handle tightly in both hands. His voice, amplified by Soul Power, carried across the entire arena.
"Gu Sheng, you deserve to die!"
The words echoed over the arena, ringing with undisguised condemnation.
At that, Gu Sheng finally moved.
He slowly turned around, his gaze settling on Tang San, who stood there brimming with fury.
Looking at Tang San's righteous, self-important expression, as though he occupied the moral high ground, Gu Sheng could no longer hold back.
He suddenly burst out laughing.
The laughter was soft, but full of mockery.
"Master Tang the Great Benefactor, you really are pure as driven snow, aren't you?"
Gu Sheng shook his head slightly, his tone full of teasing.
"Your master swindles people, looks down on commoners, and even wants to give young women from commoner families physical examinations. I scold him a few times, and that's insulting your master?"
"Your fellow disciple Ma Hongjun used what little skill he had to bully people into buying from him. I stepped in to teach him a lesson, and that's bullying your fellow disciples?"
"As for the woman you love..."
Gu Sheng raised a hand and pointed toward Xiao Wu in the distance, his laughter growing louder.
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