A Soul Grandmaster against a Soul Elder-the advantage is mine!

The lights in Shrek Academy's Great Soul Arena converged on the central stage the instant the quarterfinals began.

Deafening cheers and shouts surged through the arena, threatening to tear the roof from its hinges.

Every eye turned toward the entrances at opposite ends of the stage. Since the Freshman Assessment had begun, this quarterfinal was the most exciting and hotly contested match yet.

On one side was the Spirit Eye Team, a dark horse that had fought its way to the top without a single loss. On the other was the White Tiger Team, a formidable squad from a prestigious family.

And to top it off, the two team captains had a blood feud between them. The pre-match clash alone had sent the anticipation for this match soaring.

Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao emerged side by side from the passage on the left.

Huo Yuhao walked at the front. His face showed not the slightest trace of emotion, but his Spirit Eyes gleamed brightly, with ten years of pent-up hatred buried deep within them.

At the other end of the stage, Dai Huabin swaggered out with Zhu Lu and another broad-shouldered boy.

Dai Huabin wore a fitted golden outfit, a White Tiger insignia pinned to his chest. His face was full of arrogance and disdain.

His gaze swept across the arena before locking firmly onto Huo Yuhao. His lips curled into a vicious sneer, and he even made a throat-slitting gesture at him.

Beside him, Zhu Lu wore a fitted black outfit. She was slender, and her eyes fixed on the opposite side of the stage like a venomous snake's. The aura of her Hell Spirit Cat flickered faintly around her.

The last boy was a Level 31 Defense System Battle Soul Master with a Vajra Bear Martial Soul. He stood at the front of the team like an iron tower, radiating a weighty pressure.

"Both teams, enter the arena!" the referee announced. His voice rang throughout the Great Soul Arena through the Soul Tool Loudspeaker.

All six stepped forward at once and stopped in the center of the stage, facing one another.

They stood barely ten meters apart, yet the air between them was so thick with hostility it seemed ready to explode. The cheers gradually died down. Everyone held their breath, waiting for this fated showdown to begin.

"Huo Yuhao." Dai Huabin spoke first, his voice dripping with undisguised contempt.

"I'll give you one last chance. Get down on your knees, kowtow to me three times, apologize, and crawl off the stage. I might even spare you a little pain. Otherwise, once we start fighting, I can't promise I won't accidentally cripple a piece of trash like you."

His voice carried through the arena's Soul Tools, provoking an uproar among the spectators.

Wang Dong instantly flew into a rage. She stepped forward and glared at Dai Huabin. "Dai Huabin! Watch your mouth! If you've got the guts, let's settle this on the stage. What kind of skill is running your mouth?"

"Who said you could speak?" Dai Huabin glanced at Wang Dong coldly, his tone full of disdain.

"You dare to bark at me? I'll deal with you too in a moment."

"You!" Wang Dong's cheeks flushed with anger. She was about to rush forward, but Huo Yuhao reached out and stopped her.

Huo Yuhao slowly raised his head and looked at Dai Huabin calmly. His voice was quiet, but carried a bone-chilling coldness.

"Kowtow and apologize? You're the one who should be kneeling." Huo Yuhao's voice suddenly rose, the hatred in his eyes no longer held back.

"Today, I'll show you that the White Tiger bloodline you're so proud of isn't worth a thing in my eyes. I'll defeat you fair and square, and show everyone what kind of person the legitimate son of the White Tiger Duke Mansion really is."

"Good! Very good!" Dai Huabin was utterly enraged. His face turned livid as he ground out each word through clenched teeth.

"Huo Yuhao, you're asking for death! If I don't beat you half to death today, then I'm no Dai!"

"Both teams, step back! Prepare to begin!" Seeing the hostility between the two reach a boiling point, the referee shouted at once, afraid they would start fighting before the match even began.

Huo Yuhao and the others turned and retreated toward the back of the stage. Dai Huabin and his teammates did the same. The two teams took their places at opposite ends and released their Martial Souls and Soul Rings.

Soul Ring halos lit up at both ends of the stage almost simultaneously.

Three Soul Rings rose around Dai Huabin: yellow, yellow, and purple, arranged in perfect order. The dazzling glow of his optimal Soul Ring configuration stood out on the stage.

A Level 32 Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder, he released his White Tiger Martial Soul. White fur instantly covered his body, his muscles swelled, and the king-shaped marking on his forehead shone brightly. His roar made the stage tremble.

Three Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—also rose around Zhu Lu. As she released her Hell Spirit Cat Martial Soul, her figure grew even more slender, her nails sharpened like blades, and her eyes filled with a cold, murderous intent.

The last Defense System Soul Master transformed into a two-meter-tall giant bear. Three Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—swirled around him as his formidable defense spread outward. He stood before the other two like an unbreakable shield.

Three Soul Elders!

Thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the stands. This lineup was among the strongest in the freshman class. No wonder the White Tiger Team had swept through the competition and made it to the quarterfinals.

At the other end of the stage, the cheers from the stands died down as Huo Yuhao's team released their Soul Rings.

One white-gold and one purple Soul Ring rose slowly beneath Huo Yuhao's feet. Though the white-gold halo of his Million-Year Soul Ring looked like an ordinary Ten-Year Soul Ring, the pressure it gave off was enough to make hearts pound.

A Level 25 Control System Tool Soul Master, he activated his Spirit Eye Martial Soul. A pale blue glow enveloped the stage as his spiritual power spread like a rising tide.

The wings of the Light Goddess Butterfly unfurled behind Wang Dong, their blue-purple glow dazzling as a forest sprite's. Two Soul Rings, one yellow and one purple, rose around her, and she unleashed the full aura of a Level 29 Power Attack System Battle Soul Master.

Three black cauldrons floated beside Xiao Xiao as she released her Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron Martial Soul. Two yellow Soul Rings swirled around her.

Three Soul Grandmasters against three Soul Elders.

Even with Huo Yuhao's ultimate Mental Attribute, everyone still saw this as a match with a foregone conclusion.

The overwhelming gap in levels wasn't something talent alone could easily make up for.

In the front row of the stands, Gu Yuan, Gu Yuena, and Jin Ruiqiu sat quietly.

Jin Ruiqiu clenched her small fists, watching the stage nervously. She muttered, "My lord, can Yuhao and the others win? The other team has three Soul Elders!"

"Don't worry." Gu Yuan smiled faintly, his gaze fixed on Huo Yuhao at the center of the stage. His tone was certain.

"Dai Huabin has no idea what he's up against. Yuhao will be the one to win this match."

If this had been the old Huo Yuhao, it might have been a tough fight. But for the Huo Yuhao who had now been greatly strengthened physically and was backed by the full power of Tian Meng? This was easy as pie!

Gu Yuena gave a slight nod, her tone utterly unruffled. "Ultimate spiritual power can already let one fight across ranks. Besides, that Tian Meng fellow isn't just dead weight."

As the two were speaking, the referee's whistle rang out.

"Begin!"

The instant the whistle blew, Dai Huabin moved.

His first Soul Ring lit up at once. White Tiger Protection Barrier! His muscles swelled even further, and a golden glow spread over his white fur. His strength and defense doubled in an instant.

Then his second Soul Ring lit up. White Tiger Intense Light Wave! A blinding beam of white light hurtled toward Huo Yuhao's team like a cannonball.

The Vajra Bear Soul Master beside him also activated his first Soul Skill, Vajra Body Protection. He stood at the front like an iron tower, his third Soul Ring primed and ready to intercept any attack from the opposing team.

Zhu Lu, meanwhile, turned into a black blur the moment the match began. She silently circled around the side of the stage, heading straight for Xiao Xiao at the back of the team. Clearly, she wanted to take out the opposing support Soul Master first and shatter the Spirit Eye Team's formation.

The White Tiger Team unleashed their fiercest assault right from the start. Their coordination was seamless, and their tactics had clearly been planned in advance. They intended to end the match quickly with their overwhelming advantage in level.

But every move they made was as clear as day to Huo Yuhao's spiritual power.

The moment Dai Huabin began circulating his Soul Power, Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection Sharing had already sent precise information into Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao's minds.

"Xiao Xiao, block the White Tiger Intense Light Wave from the front left! Wang Dong, cover the right flank and intercept Zhu Lu!" Huo Yuhao's voice was perfectly calm as it rang clearly in their ears.

At his command, Xiao Xiao moved at once. The three Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldrons shot into the air. Her first Soul Skill, Soul Suppressing, activated. The three cauldrons collided with a muffled boom, and an invisible sound wave spread out in an instant.

The impact not only weakened the incoming White Tiger Intense Light Wave; it also made Zhu Lu, who had circled around the side, falter. Her Soul Power stuttered for a moment.

Then her second Soul Skill, Cauldron Shakes Mountains and Rivers, activated. The three cauldrons crashed down, positioning themselves precisely in front of the White Tiger Intense Light Wave. The beam slammed into them with a deafening explosion, but the cauldrons held firm. Not even a trace of the shockwave got past them.

Wang Dong beat the wings of her Light Goddess Butterfly and soared into the air. Her second Soul Ring lit up, sending countless blue-purple beams of the Light of the Butterfly God raining down on Zhu Lu, whose movements had faltered.

As her wings beat, she activated her first Soul Skill, Wing Blade. Razor-sharp blades of light sealed off every possible escape route.

Zhu Lu's expression changed dramatically. She hadn't expected her stealth and surprise attack to be seen through so completely. In her haste, she could only activate her first Soul Skill, Nether Slash, to barely withstand the Light of the Butterfly God. But the shockwave from Wing Blade sent her stumbling backward, her blood and energy roiling. She had nearly been injured.

In less than three seconds, the White Tiger Team's fierce opening assault had been neutralized. Zhu Lu had even nearly been eliminated.

Gasps rose from the stands. Nobody had expected the Spirit Eye Team, so far behind in level, to withstand the White Tiger Team's opening attack with such ease.

"How is this possible?!" Dai Huabin's expression turned terribly dark when he saw the three of them standing unharmed.

He had never imagined Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection could be so precise. It had even tracked Zhu Lu's stealth perfectly, predicting all their moves in advance.

"Charge straight in! Zhu Lu, harass them from the flank! I'll take the lead!" Dai Huabin roared. His third Soul Ring lit up at once. White Tiger Vajra Transformation!

In an instant, his body swelled again, and his fur turned brilliant gold. His strength, speed, and defense increased more than threefold as he unleashed everything he had and charged at Huo Yuhao.

The Vajra Bear Soul Master also activated his third Soul Skill, Vajra Roar. A sonic blast struck Xiao Xiao's Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldrons. His massive body followed close behind, charging toward the center of the stage to tear open the defense for Dai Huabin.

Zhu Lu moved again, pushing the speed of her Hell Spirit Cat to its limit. Black blurs flickered across the stage as she repeatedly harassed Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, splitting their attention.

For a time, the stage rang with the deafening booms of clashing Soul Power.

Dai Huabin's White Tiger Vajra Transformation was terrifyingly powerful. Every pounce carried a force capable of shattering the heavens and splitting the earth. He struck Xiao Xiao's Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron with his claws, making it tremble violently. Fine cracks appeared across its surface.

The Vajra Bear Soul Master's head-on charge piled even more pressure onto Xiao Xiao. She had to use all her strength just to barely hold off the two of them. Her Soul Power drained rapidly, and sweat already beaded on her forehead.

Wang Dong, meanwhile, was locked down by Zhu Lu. The Hell Spirit Cat was too fast for her Light of the Butterfly God to land accurately. She could only defend herself and had no chance to help Huo Yuhao.

Dai Huabin had made Huo Yuhao his primary target.

Countless Spirit Shocks shot toward Dai Huabin's Spiritual Sea like arrows. But with White Tiger Vajra Transformation boosting his defense, though the Spirit Shocks made his head throb with agony, he was still able to keep up his assault. If anything, they only stoked his ferocity, making his attacks more and more fierce.

The gap in levels was magnified to the extreme. The three Soul Elders' unrelenting attacks gradually pushed the Spirit Eye Team onto the back foot, leaving them under immense pressure every second.

"Yuhao!" Xiao Xiao gritted her teeth and poured all her strength into the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron to block one of Dai Huabin's claw strikes. She almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

"I can't hold them much longer!"

"Xiao Xiao, fall back! Wang Dong, defend!" Huo Yuhao called at once, the light in his eyes growing sharper.

He knew they couldn't win by matching the opponents' strength head-on. If they wanted to win, they had to find a weakness.

He spread his spiritual power to its fullest. His Spirit Eyes remained fixed on Dai Huabin and the others, tracking every detail of their Soul Power circulation, every gap between their movements.

Just as Dai Huabin smashed apart Xiao Xiao's Cauldron Shakes Mountains and Rivers with another claw strike—his old force spent, his new force not yet gathered—purple-gold light suddenly blazed in Huo Yuhao's eyes.

"Now! Group Stun!"

His spiritual power formed an invisible shock wave that engulfed Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, and the Vajra Bear Soul Master. Huo Yuhao poured everything he had into this attack. He even drew on the Life Gold in his Spiritual Sea, doubling the force of the blow until it rivaled the full-power attack of an ordinary Soul Ancestor.

The three attackers felt their minds ring as if they had been struck by a heavy hammer. They fell into a daze, their movements halting in unison and their Soul Power circulation cutting off instantly.

That one second of hesitation was enough to change the course of the battle.

Xiao Xiao reacted immediately. She raised the Jade Flute to her lips, and a clear, lilting melody rang out. An invisible sound wave enveloped the three dazed opponents, making their bodies suddenly feel impossibly heavy and slowing them to a crawl. Even when they came to, they were unable to dodge.

The wings of the Light Goddess Butterfly folded together behind Wang Dong. A huge blue-purple blade of light, like one splitting open heaven and earth, crashed down on Dai Huabin and the others.

"Not good!" Dai Huabin went deathly pale. He tried to activate White Tiger Protection Barrier, but there was no time. All he could do was raise his arms in a desperate attempt to block the attack.

Boom!!!

Butterfly God Slash slammed into Dai Huabin. The golden White Tiger Protection Barrier shattered instantly, and Dai Huabin flew backward like a kite with its strings cut, crashing hard onto the stage and spitting out a mouthful of blood. His White Tiger Vajra Transformation was forcibly interrupted.

The Vajra Bear Soul Master beside him was caught in the shockwave and stumbled back several steps. His Vajra Body Protection shattered at once, leaving him badly injured.

Zhu Lu was slowed by Xiao Xiao's flute music. Wang Dong casually struck her with a beam of the Light of the Butterfly God, sending her crashing down beside Dai Huabin. Her aura was unsteady, and she had been badly hurt.

In less than a second, the tide of battle had turned! All three members of the White Tiger Team were injured and left at an absolute disadvantage!

The stands erupted. Thunderous applause and cheers nearly tore the roof off the Great Soul Arena.

No one had imagined that the Spirit Eye Team, despite being on the back foot, could pull off such a stunning reversal with their teamwork and take down the White Tiger Team in an instant!

"Beautifully done!" Wang Dong landed and shouted excitedly to Huo Yuhao, delight filling her eyes.

Xiao Xiao also let out a sigh of relief. She smiled at the fallen Dai Huabin and the others.

Huo Yuhao didn't relax at all. His Spirit Eyes stayed fixed on Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu as they lay on the ground, a powerful sense of unease rising in his heart.

He knew Dai Huabin too well. Someone as proud as him would never give up so easily.

Sure enough, just as the referee was about to step forward and announce the result, Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu suddenly moved at the same time.

The two sprang to their feet, ignoring their injuries. They stood face to face and clasped all four hands tightly together.

Dai Huabin's White Tiger Martial Soul and Zhu Lu's Hell Spirit Cat Martial Soul were released to their limits. Three Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—lit up around each of them and began to fuse wildly.

An aura of terrifying intensity burst from the pair. A white tiger silhouette and a black cat silhouette intertwined in the air, then fused into a gigantic Hell White Tiger with a pair of wings sprouting from its back.

The Hell White Tiger had appeared! A Martial Soul Fusion Skill!