The successive defeats had left the Shrek reserve team's atmosphere oppressive and heavy.
Meng Hongchen's invisible, colorless poison hung over everyone like a dark cloud.
"I'll go!"
A steady voice rang out as Beibei stepped forward.
"Teacher Wang, I'll take the next match."
Teacher Wang Yan nodded gravely.
"Good! Beibei, your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul has lightning attributes, which may be able to counter her poison. Be careful."
Beibei walked onto the Soul Fighting Arena and faced Meng Hongchen from a distance. She had already won two matches in a row.
Just as the referee was about to announce the start of the match, Huo Yuhao quietly closed his eyes where he sat in the Shrek rest area.
A white halo appeared. His invisible spiritual power crossed the distance in an instant and connected to Beibei on the platform.
To keep it hidden, he had deliberately concealed his Soul Ring behind the broad back of his chair.
Spiritual Detection Sharing!
He wanted to use this method to help his senior, Beibei, see through everything about his opponent, including how her invisible poison spread.
However, his supposedly covert actions did not escape the notice of the powerful.
Xuan Zi, who had been resting with his eyes closed, stirred his eyelids slightly but said nothing.
Ma Xiaotao, beside him, also sensed the spiritual fluctuation. She merely glanced at Huo Yuhao and likewise did not stop him.
Dai Yueheng furrowed his brows. He looked at Huo Yuhao, then at Ji Jing, whose expression remained calm. His lips moved, but in the end, he chose to stay silent.
He knew this wasn't his place to interfere.
The others had failed to notice the faint fluctuation of Soul Power.
But one person spotted it instantly.
"Stop."
A cold voice rang out.
It was Ji Jing.
He didn't even turn around, continuing to watch the Soul Fighting Arena in silence.
Huo Yuhao's heart jolted. He instinctively tried to explain himself.
"I just wanted to help Senior Brother. Her poison is too—"
Before he could finish, a hand appeared in his field of vision without warning and struck him hard across the cheek.
"Smack!"
The crisp slap rang through the rest area.
The force knocked Huo Yuhao off his chair and onto the floor. A trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
His head was ringing. He stared at Ji Jing in disbelief.
The entire rest area fell silent. Everyone watched in shock.
No one had expected Ji Jing to suddenly strike Huo Yuhao!
"I warned you."
Ji Jing lowered his hand, his voice still even.
Just then, Dai Yueheng, who had been silent until now, slowly rose to his feet. His gaze swept over Huo Yuhao as he spoke in a deep voice.
"Shrek has its pride. If we lose this match, then we lose. But if winning means getting our hands dirty, I'd rather forfeit the whole match!"
His words rang out with force.
If it had been only him, he wouldn't have voiced his opinion, even if he was displeased.
But Ji Jing had already started the charge. He had to back him up with everything he had.
Ma Xiaotao sighed and stepped forward to help the still-dazed Huo Yuhao to his feet.
She brushed the dust from his clothes. Though she wasn't entirely pleased with Ji Jing's direct approach, she ultimately said nothing.
She knew Huo Yuhao's actions had indeed broken the rules—and crossed Ji Jing's line.
And here, Ji Jing was the strongest. His word was the rule.
Once Huo Yuhao was steady on his feet, shame and lingering fear welled up inside him.
At last, he understood where he had gone wrong.
This wasn't a fight to the death. It was a competition watched by the entire continent, and he represented the honor of Shrek Academy.
He took a deep breath, walked over to Ji Jing, and lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, class monitor. I was wrong."
Ji Jing nodded and turned his gaze back to the Soul Fighting Arena, as if nothing had happened.
Wang Dong, sitting beside Ji Jing, had watched quietly the entire time.
Now she leaned close to his ear and whispered with a laugh, her voice low enough for only the two of them to hear.
"That's so you."
Ji Jing kept his eyes straight ahead and replied coolly.
"A genius needs principles."
A glimmer lit Wang Dong's eyes, and her smile widened. She answered softly.
"I like you best when you're this bold and full of spirit."
The little incident in the rest area did nothing to disrupt the match on the Soul Fighting Arena.
Without Huo Yuhao's spiritual support, Beibei had to rely entirely on his own judgment to contend with Meng Hongchen.
He pushed his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul to its limits. Electricity coiled around him as lightning snakes danced, and he tried to purge the invisible poison with the power of his fierce, positive lightning.
However, the dominance of the Vermilion Clear Ice Toad's poison surpassed his expectations.
Lightning could certainly disperse some of the poisonous mist, but Meng Hongchen's Soul Power flowed without end, and the poison seeped in through every gap.
Although Beibei's Martial Soul had an advantage against hers, his Soul Power Level was lower than Meng Hongchen's.
After a fierce struggle, Beibei's lightning power was nearly spent, while the poison's invasion continued to deepen.
His movements grew slower and slower. At last, after forcing himself to unleash Thunder Dragon Claw, his vision went black. His body swayed, then toppled straight backward.
He had lasted even less time than Xu Sanshi.
"Third match of the individual competition: Meng Hongchen of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy wins!"
Meng Hongchen had won three matches in a row!
Shrek Academy had lost three in a row!
Dai Yueheng flashed onto the platform and carried the unconscious Beibei back.
Ji Jing handed over another cup of Antidote Wine. The atmosphere in the rest area had sunk to freezing point.
"I'll take the fourth match."
Wang Dong stood up, her clear, resolute voice ringing out. Fierce fighting spirit burned in her azure eyes.
Teacher Wang Yan looked at her and nodded.
"Go. Just do your best."
Wang Dong walked onto the Soul Fighting Arena and faced Meng Hongchen, whose Soul Power had also taken a heavy toll. She didn't waste a word.
"Begin!"
"Goddess of Light!"
The dazzling butterfly wings behind Wang Dong sprang open, and her third Soul Ring shone brilliantly!
Rings of golden light spread from her body, enveloping her.
Beneath this sacred radiance, every one of Wang Dong's attributes received a terrifying boost!
When the invisible poison rushed toward her, the Light of the Butterfly Goddess proved exceptionally effective at purifying it, keeping the poison at bay.
Meng Hongchen's expression changed. She hadn't expected her opponent to possess such an overbearing skill that both boosted her abilities and purified poison.
Wang Dong pressed her advantage. She turned into a streak of light, and as her wings beat, countless Blades of Light formed from the power of radiance rained down on Meng Hongchen.
Meng Hongchen did everything she could to defend herself, but against Wang Dong with all her attributes enhanced, her Soul Tools' defenses proved inadequate.
In the end, Wang Dong broke through her defenses with a single Butterfly Goddess Slash and sent her flying out of the arena.
"Fourth match of the individual competition: Wang Dong of Shrek Academy wins!"
Shrek had finally claimed a victory!
But Wang Dong's expression was hardly good. Though the Light of the Butterfly Goddess had shielded her, she had inevitably inhaled some of the poison during the lengthy fight, and her Soul Power was nearly spent.
Next, the Sun Moon Team sent Xiao Hongchen into the match.
Against this powerful Soul Engineer, Wang Dong was already poisoned and short on Soul Power. She couldn't work a miracle and was soon defeated.
With that, the individual elimination matches ended. Shrek Academy had lost the round with a record of one win and four losses.
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