Eight members of Shrek Academy stood at the main entrance of Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy. The afternoon sun beat down mercilessly.
Xie Xie tilted his head up to look at the academy crest, where the sun and moon shone together, and whistled. "This entrance is way more impressive than ours."
Xu Lizhi held half a packet of chestnut cakes, crumbs still clinging to the corner of his mouth. He mumbled, "I wonder what their cafeteria's like."
"You're always thinking about food," Xie Xie retorted.
"What's wrong with eating? You need a full stomach to have the strength to fight."
Tang Wulin led the way, ignoring the bickering behind him. Ye Xinglan walked beside him, gazing at the academy, lost in thought.
Wu Siduo, Xu Yucheng, and Luo Guixing followed behind. Wu Siduo's gaze swept over the students coming and going at Sun Moon Academy's entrance, her expression indifferent.
Xu Yucheng was as silent as ever, trailing at the back like a shadow. Luo Guixing was busy adjusting his cuffs, taking his time. He looked less like he was here to challenge the academy and more like he was here for afternoon tea.
Wu Zhangkong led the group. Dressed in white, with blue hair and a cold expression, he stood at the entrance to Sun Moon Academy and seemed even more chilling than its thousand-year-old sign. He climbed the steps, with the seven following behind.
The door opened.
Zhang Hanlin stood on the other side, dressed in a dark gray suit, his white hair combed to perfection and his hands clasped behind his back. His aged face was expressionless as his gaze swept over the seven young men and women behind Wu Zhangkong.
"Shrek Academy has come to challenge Sun Moon?"
"Of course!" Tang Wulin answered. "We challenge Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy's strongest team of seven under the age of eighteen!"
Zhang Hanlin nodded, unsurprised. He stepped aside and gestured for them to enter. "A guest from afar is welcome. Please."
Xie Xie followed Wu Zhangkong inside, his eyes darting everywhere. He couldn't help saying, "Hey, is that a statue of Spirit Ice Douluo? Sun Moon sure knows how to bask in reflected glory."
Luo Guiming glanced at it too, his tone laced with amusement. "Spirit Ice Douluo was an exchange student here, so you could say this place is half his alma mater."
Zhang Hanlin didn't break stride. He only turned his head slightly and said, "Spirit Ice Douluo did indeed study here as an exchange student. As the founder of the Spirit Pagoda, he's part of our academy's history, too."
Zhang Hanlin led the way, the corner of his mouth curling almost imperceptibly. The group crossed the central plaza, went around the Mimicry Cultivation Ground, and arrived at the Main Competition Arena.
Sun Moon Academy had built this arena specifically for official competitions and hosting visiting teams. Its domed ceiling soared high overhead, and Soul Guidance lighting arrays were embedded in all four walls. The central platform was assembled from massive slabs of White Obsidian, and it was more than three times the size of the academy's own mimicry competition platforms.
A huge holographic screen hung above the arena's main entrance, displaying the results of Sun Moon Academy's exchange matches over the past decade.
At the top, in the largest font, was the result of the Tianhai Alliance Grand Competition five years ago: Shen Nanxun and Gu Yue defeated Shrek Academy's seven in a two-on-seven match.
The screen had hung there for five years and had never been taken down.
Ye Xinglan saw it. Her hand, hanging at her side, clenched slightly.
Of course she remembered that match.
How could she not?
Zhang Hanlin pushed open the arena doors and stepped aside. "Please come in. We can discuss the rules inside."
He led them to the arena's lounge, where tea and snacks had been laid out across a table. The hospitality was so impeccable that there was not a single flaw to pick at. You'd never guess the two academies were sworn rivals.
He stood at the doorway, his hands still clasped behind his back, his tone as businesslike and bland as ever. "Please have a seat. As Shrek Academy requested, we'll arrange for Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy's seven strongest students under eighteen to fight you. I'll be right back."
With that, he turned and walked out of the lounge. The moment the door closed behind him, his deeply wrinkled face suddenly blossomed into an exceptionally radiant smile.
Zhang Hanlin hurried down the corridor, turned into an empty preparation room, and locked the door. He pulled a Soul Guidance Communicator from his pocket, his fingers trembling slightly with excitement.
"Dean, they're here. Yes, Shrek. Seven of them." He kept his voice low, but could hardly contain his excitement. "Don't worry, everything's arranged perfectly. If we don't send Shrek back crying this time, then I've wasted my whole life!"
After ending the call, he straightened his tie in the preparation room's mirror and took a deep breath. The moment he pushed the door open, his expression had returned to that of a dry, unruffled old scholar.
Inside the arena, both teams took their places.
The seven from Tang Wulin's team were clearly confident. As students of the continent's number-one academy, they naturally had every reason to look down on the other academies.
Behind a huge pane of floor-to-ceiling glass in the VIP viewing area above the competition platform, two men stood side by side. Dean Kong Jieming was on the left, and Director of Studies Zhang Hanlin was on the right. Watching the scene below, they shared nearly identical smiles.
"Heh heh heh." Zhang Hanlin lowered his voice and chuckled twice. "Dean, I've waited decades for this day."
Kong Jieming lifted his teacup and took a sip. He sounded composed, but couldn't suppress the curve of his lips. "Is the broadcast arranged?"
"Federation TV, Ming Capital Sports Channel, and the Xingdou Network homepage—all three platforms are broadcasting live. After today, let's see how Shrek can keep flaunting that 'number-one academy on the continent' title." Zhang Hanlin had already taken care of every last detail.
The four giant Soul Guidance screens hanging directly above the competition platform lit up at the same time. A live broadcast countdown from Federation TV appeared in the center.
The stands around the arena were already packed with students from Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy. The academy plaza behind them was just as crowded with Shrek students who hadn't made it inside. They craned their necks to watch the holographic broadcast screen in the middle of the plaza.
Meanwhile, at the Shen Family's old residence in Ming Capital, Elder Shen had made an unusual decision not to go to military headquarters. He sat on the living room sofa, watching the live broadcast from Federation TV on a holographic screen in front of him.
Ye Li walked out of the kitchen carrying a fruit platter. Shen Xing sat cross-legged on the carpet, a bag of potato chips in her arms, her eyes fixed on the screen.
"Shrek Academy versus Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy!" The host's voice boomed beneath the arena's domed ceiling. All the lights in the venue blazed on.
"Let's welcome Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy's strongest seven-member team!"
Seven figures emerged side by side from the passageway on the left of the competition platform. Shen Nanxun naturally led the way, with Na'er on his left and Gu Yue on his right. Xu Xiaoyan followed close behind. The three bringing up the rear were Radiant Sacred Dragon Long Chen, Xue Liushuang, and Weng Daimin.
Cheers erupted in the stands.
The moment Shen Nanxun stepped onto the competition platform, all four giant Soul Guidance screens cut to close-ups of him. He wore black, his hair was black, and his figure was tall and slender.
"Shen Nanxun! Shen Nanxun!"
Someone in the stands started the chant. The roar swept down from the highest rows, shaking the entire arena with its hum.
"Sun Moon's number one!"
But Xie Xie's attention wasn't on Shen Nanxun. He looked at the two people beside him, his lips moving slightly. "Gu Yue, Xu Xiaoyan?"
"It's them!" Tang Wulin replied, his expression complicated. He couldn't help sighing.
The East Sea Quartet, once together, had now ended up on opposite sides.
Ye Xinglan watched Shen Nanxun, her breath catching slightly. Five years had passed. He was even more mature than before.
But only she knew just how strong he was, because she was the only one who had spent all these years collecting records of every public match he'd fought.
Now, he could only be stronger than before.
She turned her head and lowered her voice, speaking much faster than usual. "That Shen Nanxun at the front must be held back. Otherwise, if we let him cut loose, none of us will make it to the end."
"Don't bolster the enemy's morale and undermine our own," Luo Guixing said, frowning slightly.
"Leave him to me!" Wu Siduo's gaze sharpened as she looked toward Shen Nanxun. She loved challenging the strong.
Especially this guy, hailed as Sun Moon's number one!
The host raised her right hand high. The lights throughout the arena dimmed for a moment in response, then suddenly burst into a dazzling white blaze.
"Shrek Academy versus Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy—the match begins!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Luo Guixing pressed both hands into the air in front of him. Silver-white spatial power spread soundlessly, and a spatial lockdown landed precisely on Shen Nanxun, instantly separating him from the other six.
"Wu Siduo!" Tang Wulin barked. Blue Silver Grass surged from beneath his feet. Its jade-green vines wove into an impenetrable wall behind Shen Nanxun, separating Gu Yue, Na'er, and Xu Xiaoyan several yards away.
Wu Siduo had already charged. With her White Tiger Martial Soul possessing her, she moved at incredible speed. Dark golden tiger markings spread over her hands, and sharp tiger claws sprang from her fingertips. She became a streak of dark golden lightning as she plunged into the spatial rift Luo Guixing had created, aiming straight for Shen Nanxun.
Her tiger claws came down toward Shen Nanxun's head with a sharp whistle.
At the same time, Xu Yucheng soundlessly appeared on Shen Nanxun's flank, blocking his only escape route.
Ye Xinglan drew her sword, the Stargod Sword angled toward the ground, waiting for Wu Siduo's first assault to break through the defense.
Tang Wulin's arm muscles bulged as Blue Silver Grass, bolstered by life energy, reinforced the vine wall without pause. He was going to hold the others back, even if only for a few seconds.
On the competition platform, Shrek's seven had moved faster than anyone expected.
Spatial lockdown, vine-wall isolation, tiger-claw assault, shadowed escape-route blockade.
All four actions were completed in the same second, their coordination flawless!
"That's a clean tactic," Zhang Hanlin said, narrowing his eyes in the VIP viewing area.
"Clean is one thing. Whether it works is another." Kong Jieming held his teacup and blew lazily across the tea.
But the concentrated assault wasn't nearly as effective as they'd imagined.
Luo Guixing's spatial lockdown shattered first. The instant nine-colored patterns lit up around Shen Nanxun, the silver-white spatial barrier exploded from the middle, like glass struck by a hammer.
Next, Tang Wulin's Blue Silver Grass wall was torn apart from within by an immense force. Dozens of vines bolstered by life energy snapped one after another.
Wu Siduo's tiger claws were already in front of Shen Nanxun. She had attacked with absolute confidence. Luo Guixing controlled the field, Tang Wulin split the battlefield, and Xu Yucheng blocked the escape route. Their coordination had given her an almost perfect opening for a direct assault.
But the instant Shen Nanxun's black eyes turned toward her, her White Tiger Martial Soul faltered under the pressure of the Angel God's might. Shen Nanxun simply clenched his fist. The muscles in his right arm swelled, and nine-colored patterns spread along his meridians from his shoulder to his knuckles.
He met Wu Siduo's tiger claws head-on with a punch.
The moment her dark golden claws collided with his nine-colored fist—
A wave of white air exploded visibly in every direction.
Wu Siduo felt a terrifying, almost unreasonable force travel from her fingertips into her arm.
This was sheer, crushing strength. Even her proud White Tiger body trembled instinctively before it.
The punch sent Wu Siduo flying backward. Her tiger claws plowed ten deep furrows across the ground, sending White Obsidian shards flying everywhere. She only managed to steady herself at the edge of the competition platform. She looked down at her right hand: the dark golden light on her tiger claws had already dimmed by more than half.
She struggled to raise her head and saw that Shen Nanxun had vanished from where he stood. In the next instant, his nine-colored fist was right in front of her.
He had counterattacked.
Wu Siduo had no time to think. Almost instinctively, she crossed her arms in front of her, pushing the defensive power of her White Tiger Martial Soul to its limits.
The punch slammed into the point where her arms crossed. The dark golden tiger markings shuddered violently, and her feet slid backward several more yards, her tiger claws gouging one final deep crack into the edge of the platform.
She couldn't retreat.
One more step and she'd be out of bounds. She knew Shen Nanxun was strong, but she hadn't expected him to be this strong. A single punch had cracked her White Tiger form.
She couldn't hold back any longer.
Wu Siduo took a deep breath. The Soul Power in her body began to vibrate at an exceptionally unusual frequency. Dark golden light suddenly burst from her White Tiger Martial Soul, and at the same time, a completely different aura awakened inside her: the Hell Spirit Cat.
Both Martial Souls activated within her at once. Dark gold and ghostly purple light intertwined as her figure split in two within the shifting shadows, then merged again. Behind her appeared the phantom of a massive Hell White Tiger. Dark golden tiger markings covered its body, while ghostly purple flames burned in its eyes.
A self-fused Martial Soul Fusion Skill—Hell White Tiger.
The entire arena erupted in an uproar.
A self-fused Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
Martial Soul Fusion Skills were already rare, let alone self-fused ones.
Wu Siduo's figure grew indistinct and immense within the phantom of the Hell White Tiger. Dark golden tiger markings and ghostly purple cat eyes swirled together, and the terrifying pressure of her fused Twin Martial Souls bore down on Shen Nanxun.
She held nothing back in this attack. Every extra second the Hell White Tiger lasted burned through her Soul Power. She couldn't afford to drag it out.
Shen Nanxun didn't retreat. He raised his eyes, and a faint, deep nine-colored light glimmered in their black depths. Then, a dragon's shadow emerged behind him.
At first, it was only a faint phantom. In an instant, it swelled against the wind. Its body was long and slender, its scales layered one atop another, nine-colored patterns flowing over each one. The dragon raised its head high, its slit pupils looking down at the charging Hell White Tiger.
The Dragon Prince's phantom. The Dragon Prince Soul Spirit had yet to awaken completely, but when Shen Nanxun stirred his bloodline, the projection of the Dragon Prince's origin was already enough to crush all ordinary Martial Souls.
The dragon raised its claw. Nine-colored patterns gathered along its talons, then came crashing down.
The dark golden tiger markings and ghostly purple cat eyes of the Hell White Tiger began to shatter the moment they met the dragon's claw. Before that pressure, the fusion of two top Beast Martial Souls was as flimsy as paper. It crumbled inch by inch, starting from the tiger's head. The dark golden light shattered into fragments, and the nine-colored patterns swallowed the ghostly purple flames whole.
That haughty Hell White Tiger didn't even have time to let out a wail before the dragon's claw ripped it in two.
An ant trying to stop a chariot—she'd overestimated herself!
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