Fated Showdown: Ji Ni Tai Mei Team vs. Shrek Seven Devils

Thunder Academy had been fighting souls in Suotuo City for nearly three months.

From Iron Soul to Copper Soul, and now only one match away from advancing to Silver Soul, their undefeated record in team battles was not unprecedented in the history of Soto Grand Arena, but it was more than enough to be unmatched.

The team name Ji Ni Tai Mei Team, once mocked by countless people, now stood at the top of the Copper Soul rankings.

In the hotel lobby that morning, Lei Jiu counted on his fingers. "Win today's match, and the Silver Soul badges are ours. Captain, will there be any rewards after we advance to Silver Soul? Like a day off or something? I haven't gone out in two months."

Lei Dong came down the stairs and chimed in when he heard that. "Exactly, Captain."

Yu Tianlin rose from the middle of the room and said only four words. "Talk after we fight." Then he took the lead toward the exit.

The others immediately followed.

Soto Grand Arena, registration desk.

It was still that middle-aged woman with gold-rimmed glasses. She accepted the seven Copper Soul badges Yu Tianlin handed over and stamped and registered them without even looking up.

The promotion match from Copper Soul to Silver Soul required queueing for a match. She placed the badges onto a tray, then glanced up at the match schedule display.

Copper Soul promotion match, Ji Ni Tai Mei Team, matching. Opponent... The words on the display flickered, then several conspicuous lines of red text appeared: Shrek Team, also a new team that had fought from Iron Soul to the Copper Soul promotion match, likewise undefeated in team battles.

The middle-aged woman pushed the badges back, a rare and subtle expression appearing on her face. Two undefeated new teams meeting in a promotion match—this would be quite a show.

"Shrek? Sounds familiar." Lei Dong frowned.

Yu Tianxin thought for a moment. "That little academy Flender runs. We saw some of their people at the entrance to the Soul Fighting Arena before. There are a few young people with fairly high Soul Power there. The leader is a blond guy named Dai Mubai. His martial soul is the White Tiger, a level thirty-seven assault-type Soul Master. He's very strong, so we need to watch out for him."

"Besides Dai Mubai, there's another control-type Soul Master at that academy we need to watch for." Yu Tianlin's voice came from behind the group. He had already put on the Withered Wood Mask and held a sheet of paper in his hand. "Tang San, martial soul Blue Silver Grass, level thirty-two control type. His soul ring configuration is two yellow, one purple. But don't underestimate Tang San. His true trump cards are far more complicated than you imagine. And there are also their food-type Soul Master and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Soul Master."

"Food type? Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?" Lei Jiu said in surprise.

"Which is why our first priority is to take those two out." Yu Tianlin's tone was calm.

Meanwhile, in the waiting area on the other side of the Great Soul Arena.

The Shrek group sat around a long table while Yu Xiaogang explained their tactics.

Dai Mubai stood by the window, unconsciously clenching and loosening his right hand. That strike at the entrance of Red Romance had shattered part of his confidence in his own strength.

"Boss Dai, that masked guy is definitely the one who injured me." Ma Hongjun's right hand was no longer bandaged, but his wrist still moved with a slight stiffness.

Tang San's bone-setting technique was indeed exceptional. Coupled with his own regenerative ability, Ma Hongjun had recovered seventy to eighty percent in just over ten days. But the memory of having his wrist bone crushed barehanded was not so easily healed. "He'll definitely fight today."

"I know." Dai Mubai did not turn around.

Xiao Wu lay sprawled over the table, reading the record sheet. Her scorpion braid hung over her shoulder and brushed the paper. "They're undefeated in team battles, just like us. But they've been winning far too easily. Less than half an incense stick on average per match, and every opponent was utterly crushed. Look at this information."

Tang San stepped out from behind Dai Mubai, holding another matchup analysis he had compiled himself. "No one has forced him to act yet. Last time, that masked man knocked Boss Dai back with one palm at the entrance of Red Romance and crushed Fatty's wrist barehanded without even releasing his martial soul. His strength is at least level thirty-eight, and his combat experience is extremely refined."

There was a gravity in Tang San's tone that everyone could hear. The Shrek Seven Devils had never feared powerful enemies. What they feared was knowing nothing about their enemy. And the captain of Ji Ni Tai Mei Team, the one wearing the Withered Wood Mask, could be described by only two words: deep and steady.

"We must go all out in this battle." Tang San's gaze swept across every face. "Boss Dai will hold them at the front. Rongrong will support us. Xiao Wu and Zhuqing will provide support from the flanks. Fatty will suppress them from range. Oscar, prepare Flying Sausages in advance. I'll organize the field control. If we can hold out for half an incense stick, we may get to see him make a move. If we can't, then we'll use the Godly Zhuge Crossbow early."

Godly Zhuge Crossbow. The four words made everyone from Shrek fall silent for a moment. Tang Sect hidden weapons—Tang San never suggested using them lightly.

But today, he had brought it up himself. That meant he believed that without the Godly Zhuge Crossbow, Shrek might not even have a chance to turn the battle around.

Dai Mubai turned around with crisp decisiveness. "Prepare to fight."

Yu Xiaogang rose to his feet. He said nothing to rouse their spirits, merely patting Tang San's shoulder as Tang San passed by, neither too lightly nor too heavily.

Both sides emerged from their respective waiting areas almost at the same time.

The seven members of Shrek all possessed the optimal soul ring configuration of two yellow and one purple. At the front, Dai Mubai's blond hair gleamed beneath the lights of the Soul Fighting Arena, while the aura of his White Tiger martial soul already flowed uncontrollably around him. Behind him were Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong. The little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect stood at the rear of the team, her Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda already condensing in her palm.

The seven members of Ji Ni Tai Mei Team approached from the other end of the arena. Yu Tianxin led the way, lightning from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon flickering across his shoulders. Lei Dong and Lei Li stood to his left and right, Thunder Spider Silk and the Thunder Turtle Shield already giving off faint electric light. Lei Jiu followed behind with the Thunder Drum over his shoulder, arcs of electricity crackling across its surface.

Yu Xiaolou and Qing Luo stood on either side, while Yu Tianlin, wearing the Withered Wood Mask, stood slightly ahead of the center of the team.

Both sides came to a stop at the center of the arena, separated by only ten steps.

Dai Mubai's gaze passed over Yu Tianxin and settled directly on the figure wearing the Withered Wood Mask. That posture, that position, the outline beneath half the mask—he could not be mistaken. That night at the entrance of Red Romance, this was the person who had sent him flying with a single slap without even releasing his martial soul.

Tang San stared directly at Yu Tianlin.

Xiao Wu's scorpion braid swayed gently behind her as she spoke softly. "Third Brother, that person has a very unusual scent."

Tang San nodded slightly. He also sensed an exceptionally natural aura, like the moist, fresh air that rushed over one's face upon entering an ancient forest.

Yu Xiaogang sat in the farthest corner of the eastern spectator stands, a notebook spread across his knees and a pen already in his hand. For the past three months, he had sat there every day, using the same pen to record every detail of Ji Ni Tai Mei Team's team battles.

And today, he had a feeling that the secret beneath that mask would finally be revealed. Not far away, Flender and Zhao Wuji had also taken their seats. The three were separated by several empty seats and did not speak, but their eyes all rested on the center of the arena.

The referee walked to the very center of the arena and raised his right hand. The lights around the arena brightened to their fullest at once, illuminating the entire stage as brightly as day. The uproar from the spectator stands fell silent in an instant. Everyone waited for those four words.

"Ready, beg—"