Would Rather Die Than Lose? Then Die Here!

Golden fur, golden claws. The White Tiger Protective Barrier, White Tiger Vajra Transformation, and White Tiger Demon God Transformation—these three enhancement skills pushed Dai Yueheng's strength to its peak within just a few breaths.

"Sixth Soul Skill, White Tiger Destruction Kill!"

Dai Yueheng took a step forward. The sixth Spirit Ring on his body blazed brightly as platinum Soul Power surged out from within him. He crossed his arms and gathered his strength, forming a golden light seal bearing the character for slaughter. Wrapped in destructive sharpness, it shot through the air and slammed heavily toward Xiao Jinchen, its powerful Soul Power fluctuations instantly sweeping outward.

At the same time Dai Yueheng launched his attack, Ma Xiaotao moved as well. A pair of dark red wings abruptly spread behind her back, and dark red Soul Power fluctuations swept out as scorching flames rose.

"Screech!"

"Sixth Soul Skill, Phoenix Meteor Shower!"

The Evil Fire Phoenix behind Ma Xiaotao suddenly let out a phoenix cry. Her sixth Spirit Ring shone brilliantly as the black ring lit up, and golden-red flames filling the sky condensed into countless fireballs. Clusters of golden-red fireballs rained down on Xiao Jinchen like flaming meteors.

As they fell, those flaming meteors actually transformed one after another into the forms of phoenixes, accelerating instantly amid piercing phoenix cries.

Both Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng knew that if they did not use their strongest Soul Skills now, they would have no chance of winning. This time, neither of them held anything back, releasing their respective trump cards at the same time.

Faced with their savage offensive, Xiao Jinchen merely raised his eyes to watch them. He showed no sign of retreat, and a teasing curve slowly formed at the corner of his lips.

The two world-destroying attacks met in midair, then transformed into an impenetrable net of death that completely swallowed Xiao Jinchen's figure.

The powerful Soul Power fluctuations carried by White Tiger Destruction Kill crashed down like a tangible heavy hammer, while Phoenix Meteor Shower flooded that small patch of space like a torrential sea of fire.

Scorching flames surged wildly upward. Dark red firelight intertwined with the golden slaughter-character seal, forming a massive energy storm. At the heart of that storm, Xiao Jinchen's figure had long since vanished, completely covered by the overwhelming assault.

"Rumble!"

A deafening explosion rang out, and the ground, unable to withstand the terrifying impact, finally let out a groan of unbearable strain.

Immediately afterward, centered on where Xiao Jinchen had stood, the hard floor cracked apart inch by inch. Rubble flew everywhere, and countless savage fissures spread madly in all directions like a spiderweb. Smoke and fire shot into the sky, enveloping the entire arena in a sea of flames.

"Wow! Sister Xiaotao and Senior Dai Yueheng are amazing!" Xiao Xiao clenched her little fists beneath the stage, her dark green eyes full of astonishment. Although Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng were only Soul Emperors, their true combat strength was enough to rival Soul Sages. Could Xiao Jinchen really withstand those two attacks head-on?

The energy storm subsided, and the smoke cleared, revealing a shocking crater at the center of the arena.

Xiao Jinchen lay at the bottom of the crater, his clothes shredded and his body covered in scorch marks and abrasions. His eyes were tightly shut, his face pale as paper, and his chest rose and fell faintly. He seemed to have fallen unconscious, having completely lost awareness.

"Th-this is over?" Xu Sanshi muttered in disbelief beneath the stage.

"An Soul Douluo was taken out just like that?" Wang Dong said in disbelief as well.

Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng panted heavily, their faces somewhat pale. That strike had consumed nearly half their Soul Power. As they looked at the motionless figure at the bottom of the crater, there was no joy in their eyes—only a faint sense of unease stirring in their hearts.

"Huh? The captain was taken out by two Soul Emperors from Shrek just like that?" Yu Mengdi swallowed and said in surprise.

"No! Look!" Losk pointed at Xiao Jinchen lying in the crater on the stage.

Everyone looked in the direction Losk was pointing and saw that Xiao Jinchen's body, which had been lying on the ground barely alive, was slowly dissipating.

"That's... an afterimage?!" Yu Mengdi's pupils suddenly contracted as he cried out in shock.

Before everyone's stunned eyes, the barely living body at the bottom of the crater transformed into specks of blue lightning and completely vanished into the air, not leaving behind even a trace of aura.

"How is that possible?! My White Tiger Destruction Kill clearly hit him!" Dai Yueheng's expression changed, horror flooding his eyes. Then a chill shot from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head. He clearly remembered that his attack had struck Xiao Jinchen. How could it have been fake?

"Above!" Ma Xiaotao suddenly raised her head toward the sky. Above the arena, which had been dyed red by the firelight, a tall figure had somehow appeared.

With his hands behind his back, Xiao Jinchen floated silently in the air, looking down at the two below him from above. A teasing curve slowly rose at the corner of his lips.

"Is this all the strength you have?"

Xiao Jinchen's voice was not loud, yet it struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer and clearly carried across the entire arena.

The entire venue fell deathly silent.

Xiao Jinchen gently shook his head. A wisp of Emperor Flame's sub-flame rose from his fingertip. His gaze narrowed slightly, and he quickly locked onto Dai Yueheng.

"Whoosh!"

He lightly flicked his finger at Dai Yueheng, and that wisp of Emperor Flame's sub-flame entered Dai Yueheng's glabella with lightning speed.

"Aah!"

Dai Yueheng clutched his head in agony, his face instantly turning incomparably pale. He suddenly let out a miserable scream, his body convulsed once, and his eyes rolled back as he fainted on the spot.

Instant defeat! A six-ringed Soul Emperor could not even last one exchange against Xiao Jinchen before being instantly defeated.

Xiao Jinchen merely cast Dai Yueheng an indifferent glance. At that moment, he had already planted a wisp of Emperor Flame's sub-flame in Dai Yueheng's brain. Killing him directly in the arena would be letting Shrek off too easily.

He had calculated the timing. Once Dai Yueheng returned to Shrek Academy, that wisp of Emperor Flame's sub-flame would detonate at just the right moment, letting him die within Shrek Academy.

That way, even if Shrek Academy wanted to blame Dai Yueheng's death on him, they would not find any excuse.

He felt no psychological burden about killing. At his core, he was an extremely selfish person. His kindness would only be given to those he cared about: Du Busi, the Ice Empress, and the disciples of the Body Sect. Other than his own people, the lives and deaths of outsiders meant nothing to him. If he killed them, he killed them; not the slightest ripple would rise in his heart.

"What? Will you admit defeat, or die here?" Xiao Jinchen looked down at Ma Xiaotao with amusement. In truth, even if she admitted defeat, he would still kill her. But if he could make Ma Xiaotao surrender voluntarily, Shrek Academy would lose all face.

Ma Xiaotao stubbornly bit her lip and glared angrily up at Xiao Jinchen in the air. Gritting her teeth, she said, "Shrek would rather die than lose!"

"Would rather die than lose? Then die here!" Xiao Jinchen's gaze suddenly turned icy, and killing intent burst from his eyes without restraint.