Shrek's Current Situation; the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament Was About to Begin

Two Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragons erupted at the same time. Yu Tianxin charged straight ahead, moving so fast in his Martial Soul Possession state that he left afterimages behind him. His right fist, wrapped in lightning condensed into tangible form, shot straight for Yu Tianlin's face. Yu Tianheng cut in from the flank, transforming into dragon-shaped lightning as he circled behind Yu Tianlin and sealed off his retreat. One in front and one behind, their coordination was flawless.

Yu Tianlin sidestepped Yu Tianxin's frontal punch and drove his right elbow toward Yu Tianxin's chest. Yu Tianxin reacted swiftly, crossing his arms to block as green Soul Power burst across his armguards and formed a layer of defense.

The instant the elbow struck the armguards, the shockwave from the clashing Soul Power exploded across the Martial Arts Arena in a visible ring of air. Yu Tianxin was driven back a full three steps, and several fine cracks spread across the stone slabs beneath his feet.

Yu Tianheng's dragon-shaped lightning exploded behind Yu Tianlin. The lightning of Thunder Fury condensed into a snarling electric dragon that lunged at his back.

Without even turning around, Yu Tianlin slapped the electric dragon's head with his backhand.

The blow scattered the lightning dragon, and shattered sparks of electricity sprayed in every direction.

After regaining his balance, Yu Tianxin charged again. He no longer held back, driving his Soul Power to its limit. The lightning around his right arm condensed into a translucent thunder dragon claw, which came chopping down at Yu Tianlin's head. At the same time, Yu Tianheng attacked from the left. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's first soul skill, Thunder Dragon Claw, erupted alongside it. One above, one below, one left, one right—their assault left no gaps.

Yu Tianlin curled his right hand, and the Azure Dragon Halberd condensed into being. Three streams of azure Soul Power burst from the dragon-headed halberd's shaft. Gripping it one-handed, he swept it in a wide arc, its blade carving a full-moon-like slash before him.

The three attacks collided in midair. The dragon claws were cleaved apart by the halberd blade, while Yu Tianxin and Yu Tianheng were both forced back by the recoil. They each took five steps back before steadying themselves, leaving a trail of uneven footprints in the stone slabs beneath them.

"His Azure Dragon Halberd is even faster than before." Yu Tianxin lowered his head and glanced at his numbed hand.

"Not just faster. Its power has doubled too. With fifty-third-rank Soul Power, we can't gain anything by meeting him head-on. Use the fourth soul skill," Yu Tianheng said.

Both of their fourth soul rings lit up. Yu Tianxin struck first. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon raised its head and roared at the sky as a thick lightning dragon descended from above, diving toward Yu Tianlin with the might of heavenly thunder wrapped around its head.

Yu Tianheng followed close behind. Lightning flared wildly around the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, and his aura instantly rose to its peak. A thick, violent shadow of a lightning dragon blasted straight toward Yu Tianlin.

Facing the pincer attack of two fourth soul skills, Yu Tianlin frowned slightly. His fourth soul ring lit up as well, a black ring revolving around him.

"Fourth soul skill, Azure Dragon Divine Wall."

A phantom Azure Dragon condensed before him into a translucent barrier of dragon scales. Every scale gleamed with an emerald-like luster. Countless fine lightning patterns flowed across its surface, shielding his entire body behind it.

Their attacks crashed into the barrier one after another, and dragon-shaped lightning exploded across the scales in blinding white light.

The combined power of the two fourth soul skills erupted in a shockwave that uprooted several old trees at the edge of the Martial Arts Arena.

When the light faded, the Azure Dragon Divine Wall had not moved an inch. The lightning patterns across its dragon scales continued to flow slowly.

Yu Tianxin and Yu Tianheng's pupils contracted at the same time. Their combined attack with their strongest fourth soul skills had failed to shatter even a single scale.

"His fourth soul skill's defensive power is actually this strong." Yu Tianheng's voice carried a trace of bitterness.

"More than that."

Yu Tianxin stared at the flowing lightning patterns on the Azure Dragon Divine Wall. "That barrier is absorbing the energy of our attacks and converting it into a boost for himself."

Sure enough, after absorbing the impact of the two fourth soul skills, the patterns on the Azure Dragon Divine Wall became even brighter. Yu Tianlin stepped out from behind the barrier as his fifth soul ring lit up. The black ring suddenly spun faster, and the Azure Dragon phantom behind him raised its head in a sky-shaking roar that churned the clouds above the Martial Arts Arena.

"Fifth soul skill, Azure Dragon Soul-Shattering Claw."

Five emerald-like phantom dragon claws flew out, each as tall as half a person. The claws tore through the air so quickly that they left five azure afterimages behind them. Yu Tianxin and Yu Tianheng defended at the same time.

The five dragon claws struck their layered defenses. The first pierced the lightning aura, the second tore through the lightning barrier, the third knocked them back three steps, the fourth forced them to the edge of the Martial Arts Arena, and the fifth pierced through their defenses and blasted them both away.

Yu Tianxin and Yu Tianheng flew off the platform and landed on the grass at the edge of the Martial Arts Arena. They slid more than a meter before coming to a stop. Both lay on the ground, gasping for breath. Their clothes were covered in tears left by the dragon claws, but neither had any wounds. Yu Tianlin had withdrawn his strength at the last moment, merely sending them flying without hurting them.

Yu Tianxin sat up from the grass, brushed the bits of grass from his body, and looked at Yu Tianlin on the platform as he withdrew his martial soul and soul rings. His tone was filled with helpless admiration. "Tianlin, you're so strong you barely seem human. A year ago, we could still take a few of your moves. Now we can't even break through your defense."

Yu Tianheng sat up as well, wiping grass from his face. A rare note of complaint entered his voice. "I think this is unfair. Next time, all of us should gang up on you."

Everyone around the Martial Arts Arena laughed and voiced their agreement.

Yu Tianlin jumped down from the platform and shook his head with a smile. "I couldn't handle all of you attacking me together. With Nine Heart Begonia and Jade Phosphorous Serpent poison, plus Lei Jiu boosting all of you by another forty percent, even with the Azure Dragon Divine Wall, I wouldn't be able to withstand it."

At that moment, Dugu Yan rose from the stone steps and dusted off her skirt. "The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament begins in less than ten days. When are we leaving?"

Yu Tianlin recalled the Azure Dragon Halberd into his body, and five soul rings returned to him. He glanced toward the back mountain, where Yu Yuanzhen was cultivating. "I'll go inform the Sect Master. We leave tomorrow."

Everyone nodded.

At the same time, Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

At the training grounds behind the mountain, Qin Ming, Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and the others stood side by side beneath an old banyan tree. Its shade blocked the harsh noon sunlight, casting mottled patches of light across their shoulders.

On the training grounds, the Shrek Seven Devils were sparring. Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun formed one pair, Tang San and Xiao Wu another. Zhu Zhuqing practiced repeated Hell Stabs alone in a corner. Ning Rongrong stood in the rear, taking turns empowering both groups with the enhancement light of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda. Oscar crouched at the edge of the field, rubbing out Recovery Sausage after Recovery Sausage.

In this timeline, without Dugu Bo's interference, the Shrek Seven Devils had not been driven out of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. They had stayed and become official students of the academy. But likewise, without Dugu Bo, Tang San had never set foot in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. The immortal herbs and opportunities that had transformed them in the original story had never fallen into their hands.

A year and a half had passed, and their Soul Power had progressed far more slowly than in the original story. Dai Mubai had been stuck at rank thirty-nine for months. Ma Hongjun was at rank thirty-seven; Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing were both at rank thirty-six; Ning Rongrong was at rank thirty-five; and Oscar was at rank thirty-four. Only Tang San, relying on the foundation of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, had forcibly broken through to rank forty, becoming the sole Soul Ancestor among the Shrek Seven Devils.

Qin Ming stood with his arms crossed against the banyan trunk, his gaze sweeping over the seven students on the field. He actually felt rather helpless. Every few days, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun would sneak off to Red Romance. Flender had reprimanded them several times, but those two always found a way to slip out.

Ning Rongrong's young-lady temper was as constant as ever. Whenever training did not go her way, she would immediately pull a face. Whenever Oscar had free time, he would hover around Ning Rongrong. Even when she scorned him, he said nothing, merely lowering his head and continuing to rub out sausages.

Zhu Zhuqing could not manage three sentences in an entire day. Once training ended, she vanished without a trace. Xiao Wu was far too lively, constantly jumping onto Tang San's back. The academy administration's patrol teachers had caught them several times, forcing Qin Ming to step in and explain, "They're only practicing weighted jumps."

Tang San was the least troublesome of them all. He trained more desperately than anyone, but that desperation carried an unsettling obsession. His pursuit of power had nearly reached the point where he would disregard everything else.

Qin Ming's gaze passed over the Shrek Seven Devils one by one, and for the first time, genuine doubt rose in his heart. If he had not refused the invitation of that young man wearing the Withered Wood Mask in the lounge of Soto Grand Arena that day, what would things be like now?