The battle on the arena had reached a stalemate.
Xiao Cheng and Bai Xiao's spear-and-sword duel had already continued for dozens of exchanges. The arena floor around them had been carved into ruins by crisscrossing sword marks and spear scars.
Rubble flew everywhere as dust filled the air. The two figures collided again and again through the haze, separating and clashing once more. Every collision erupted with blinding light and deafening explosions.
Yet anyone with a discerning eye could see that Xiao Cheng was gradually falling into a disadvantage.
Bai Xiao's Sword Intent was fierce and pure. Every strike carried an edge that seemed capable of cutting through anything. His cultivation was more than a dozen levels above Xiao Cheng's—Bai Xiao was a level thirty-eight Soul Elder, while Xiao Cheng was only a level twenty-five Soul Grandmaster.
Although Xiao Cheng did not fall short of Bai Xiao in sheer strength or technique and even held a slight advantage in those aspects, there was indeed a considerable gap between them in the depth of their Soul Power.
With every spear-sword collision, Xiao Cheng was invaded by that sharp Sword Intent, disrupting the circulation of his Soul Power. Although the Power of Empty Green and True Dragon Qi protected him together and offset some of the Sword Intent's assault, and although Xiao Cheng's Spear Intent had also entered Bai Xiao's body, Bai Xiao's higher cultivation made it clearly easier for him to erase it. Xiao Cheng's Soul Power was being consumed far faster than Bai Xiao's.
Thus, Bai Xiao appeared completely at ease while fighting him, even occasionally freeing up a hand to support the battles elsewhere!
"Su Ze, left side!"
Bai Xiao drove Xiao Cheng back with a single sword strike. At the same time, his body flashed, and the Seven Star Sword became a streak of silver-white light that shot straight at Leng Yaozhu's flank!
Leng Yaozhu was locked in combat with Su Ze when she suddenly felt fierce Sword Intent attacking from the side. She hurriedly withdrew her sword to block—
"Clang!"
With a crisp ring, she was knocked back several steps, her arm going numb.
"Good chance!" Su Ze's eyes lit up. His legs suddenly exerted force, and his entire body turned into an afterimage as he pounced fiercely toward Leng Yaozhu! His Body Martial Soul legs erupted with astonishing speed, his kicks crashing down like a relentless storm and forcing Leng Yaozhu back again and again!
"Sister!" Leng Yulai wanted to support her, only to be driven back by a bolt of lightning from Yu Momo!
"Don't even think about getting through!" Yu Momo sneered. The Thunder Dragon Claw descended toward Leng Yulai's head with overwhelming force!
Leng Yulai could only grit her teeth and fight back. Her cultivation had already been far below Yu Momo's, and she had also suffered internal injuries after directly taking Bai Xiao's Seven Star Wandering Dragon earlier. Now, she was barely holding on, with danger looming at every turn!
Seeing this, Qiangu Dongfeng immediately moved to support Leng Yulai. Although Yu Momo had previously lost to Qiangu Dongfeng, that had been in a one-on-one battle. Now, with the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda's enhancement from Ning Xia, his strength had surged. He could actually faintly suppress Qiangu Dongfeng, and only because he was splitting his attention to deal with Leng Yulai was he gradually forced into a disadvantage by the two of them.
Qiangu Qingfeng was not faring much better either. Han Xiao, whom he faced, had greatly increased speed and strength under Ning Xia's enhancement. His tiger claws carried sharp gusts of wind, forcing Qiangu Qingfeng to fight with all his might. Though he held a slight advantage, he could not spare attention for anything else.
It had to be said that the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda's enhancement was still absurdly powerful. If Battle Armor had not become so widespread while the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda remained unable to provide corresponding enhancements to Battle Armor, the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect would likely still be one of Douluo Continent's top sects.
Xiao Cheng had also tried teleporting directly before Ning Xia, planning to eliminate the support first and catch the enemy off guard. Yet Ning Xia had unexpectedly absorbed a Soul Bone with a teleportation Soul Skill. When Xiao Cheng teleported in for the ambush, Ning Xia instantly teleported away as well, causing Xiao Cheng's plan to fail.
Zhang Geyang and Lie Yang's battle was quite intense. Nether Flame Beast against Flame Lord—both were fire-attributed assault-type battle Soul Masters. Sparks flew everywhere, and neither could do anything to the other.
Xia Zhengleng and Ye Zhi's soundwave duel was evenly matched. The clear zither notes of the Cold Rhyme Zither intertwined and collided in midair with the lingering xiao notes of the Purple Jade Xiao. At times, they flowed like lofty mountains and running water; at others, they thundered like clashing weapons and galloping warhorses, forming an invisible musical battle. Both followed paths combining control and support, so neither could overcome the other, leaving them temporarily deadlocked.
Overall, the Seven Luminaries Team was gradually being suppressed by Shrek's seven fighters.
Seeing this, Xiao Cheng grew extremely anxious, but Bai Xiao's swordsmanship clung to him like a parasite on the bone, holding him fast and preventing him from breaking away!
"Where are you looking?" Bai Xiao's voice sounded beside his ear. The Seven Star Sword, carrying fierce Sword Intent, stabbed straight for his throat!
Xiao Cheng hurriedly drew back his spear to block—
"Clang!"
With a tremendous crash, he was knocked back several steps, and his palm went numb.
"I'm your opponent," Bai Xiao said calmly, his sword tip pointed directly at Xiao Cheng. "Until you defeat me, you're not going anywhere."
Xiao Cheng took a deep breath, suppressing the anxiety in his heart as he gripped the Azure Sky Divine Spear once more.
"Then I'll defeat you first!"
He shouted coldly. The Power of Empty Green operated at full capacity, and azure light burst from the Azure Sky Divine Spear as a Flood Dragon Exits the Sea thrust pierced toward Bai Xiao's chest!
Bai Xiao neither dodged nor retreated. Starlight flowed across the Seven Star Sword as he met the attack with a sword strike!
"Clang—!!!"
A deafening explosion rang out, and both men were forced back several steps!
Yet as Bai Xiao retreated, he flicked his wrist. The Seven Star Sword became a silver-white streak once more, stabbing directly at Xiao Cheng's ribs!
The strike was fast, ruthless, and viciously angled!
Xiao Cheng's pupils contracted. Just as he was about to use Voiding to evade, he heard—
"Twang—!!!"
A crisp zither note rang out!
An invisible soundwave came from the Seven Luminaries Team's rear line and struck Bai Xiao's Seven Star Sword with pinpoint precision, knocking the trajectory of that strike slightly aside!
Xiao Cheng seized the opening, flashing aside and narrowly evading the sword!
He looked back to see Xia Zhengleng sitting cross-legged in the rear. Her ten fingers moved swiftly over the Cold Rhyme Zither, sending wave after wave of sound pouring forth like flowing water, intertwining with the Purple Jade Xiao's notes from Ye Zhi across from her. In the midst of her own battle, she had made time to resolve Xiao Cheng's crisis!
Xiao Cheng nodded toward Xia Zhengleng before turning his attention back to Bai Xiao.
This can't go on any longer, he thought. I have to end this quickly!
He took a deep breath, and his gaze sharpened.
"Body Martial Soul—possess!"
A powerful aura erupted from within him! A faint golden glow appeared over his body, his muscles swelled slightly, and he radiated a steady, heavy pressure. A violet-gold Soul Ring slowly rose beneath his feet, revolving around his body!
The instant that Soul Ring appeared, the air across the entire arena seemed to freeze!
"That's... a Variant-Colored Soul Ring?!" Cries of shock erupted from the spectators. Since the Soul Master system had developed, quite a few Soul Masters with Variant-Colored Soul Rings had appeared throughout history. The most famous were Sea God Tang San and Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao. Though no one knew the origins of Xiao Cheng's Variant-Colored Soul Ring, the Soul Master world universally recognized that every Variant-Colored Soul Ring possessed an exceptionally heaven-defying Soul Skill effect.
Bai Xiao's pupils also narrowed slightly. He could feel that the violet-gold Soul Ring contained an ancient and tyrannical power.
"So this is your trump card?" Bai Xiao asked slowly, a trace of gravity entering his voice.
"That's right." Xiao Cheng gripped the Azure Sky Divine Spear, his gaze blazing. "The battle has only just begun."
It was worth mentioning that Xiao Cheng's Azure Sky Snake Martial Soul followed the path of Martial Soul Mimicry. His externally manifested Martial Soul took solid form, then, through the Azure Sky Snake Martial Soul's Beast Martial Soul Weaponization talent, transformed into the Azure Sky Divine Spear. Thus, Xiao Cheng could use two Martial Souls at the same time.
As soon as he spoke, the violet-gold Soul Ring suddenly lit up!
Body Martial Soul's first Soul Skill—Evil God Body!
A violent force burst from Xiao Cheng's body like floodwaters breaking through a dam! Black Tiger Skin Demon Patterns surfaced across his body, his muscles swelled massively, and he seemed to grow taller! An evil, tyrannical aura spread outward, making even the surrounding air feel heavy!
Base effect: a one-hundred-percent enhancement to all attributes!
More than that, the Evil God Body had an additional effect: it granted Xiao Cheng the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's innate ability—Evil Demon Devour! Though he could not openly use this ability in public, or Shrek Academy might label him an Evil Soul Master, it was undeniably a divine skill. Still, the Evil God Body's enhancement alone was enough to deal with the current situation!
At the same time, Xiao Cheng gave a low shout, and with a thought—
External Soul Bone—Dark Demon Scorpion Tail!
A dark-purple scorpion tail extended from his tailbone, its hook glinting with a cold, sinister light!
The moment the Evil God Body's power came into contact with the Dark Demon Scorpion Tail, an unusual resonance formed between them! The dark-purple radiance on the tail suddenly surged, and the shape of the hook changed, becoming more savage and sharper as it emitted a terrifying aura!
Dark Demon Scorpion Tail—temporarily evolved into the Evil God Hook!
"Th-this... what kind of power is that?!" Yu Momo's expression changed as he sensed that aura. He could feel that Xiao Cheng's presence was now no weaker than Bai Xiao's and was even faintly stronger!
"Come on!" Xiao Cheng shouted coldly. His body flashed as the Azure Sky Divine Spear, carrying fierce Spear Intent, stabbed straight toward Bai Xiao's chest!
This thrust was several times faster than before! Its power was also several times greater! The air tore apart wherever the spear tip passed, releasing sharp sonic booms!
Bai Xiao's face grew solemn. He did not dare be careless. Starlight burst from the Seven Star Sword as he met the thrust with a sword strike!
"Clang—!!!"
A deafening crash resounded!
This time, Xiao Cheng was not the one forced back.
Bai Xiao was!
He was driven back several steps by Xiao Cheng's thrust, his palm numb as disbelief flashed in his eyes!
Such terrifying strength! Bai Xiao thought in shock. He had never expected Xiao Cheng's power to rise to such an extent after using his Twin Martial Souls and External Soul Bone!
"I'm not done yet!" Xiao Cheng pressed his advantage without mercy. The Azure Sky Divine Spear attacked like a raging storm, each thrust faster and heavier than the last, leaving Bai Xiao with only the power to defend and no room to retaliate!
"Seven Star Wandering Dragon!" With no other choice, Bai Xiao unleashed his strongest attacking Soul Skill!
The Seven Star Sword flew from his hand and transformed into a silver-white roaming dragon. Carrying the howl of the wind, it lunged viciously at Xiao Cheng! Wherever the dragon passed, stone slabs on the arena were thrown into the air, forming a devastating shockwave!
Facing the imposing Seven Star Wandering Dragon, Xiao Cheng neither dodged nor retreated!
He poured the Power of Empty Green into the Evil God Hook. Dark-purple light suddenly flared from it, radiating an aura that seemed capable of tearing through space itself!
"Azure Sky—Evil God Slash!"
He fiercely activated the Evil God Hook. A dark-purple spatial slash shot from the hook and met the silver-white roaming dragon head-on!
Wherever that slash passed, space itself ripped open, revealing pitch-black spatial cracks!
"Boom—!!!"
The dark-purple spatial slash collided with the silver-white roaming dragon, erupting in a deafening explosion!
The blinding light made everyone instinctively shut their eyes!
When the light faded, everyone saw—
The silver-white roaming dragon had been forcibly split in two by the dark-purple spatial slash, dissolving into specks of starlight in the air!
Though the spatial slash had also spent most of its power, its remaining force did not diminish as it continued toward Bai Xiao!
Bai Xiao's expression drastically changed. He hurriedly raised his sword to block—
"Clang—!!!"
With a tremendous crash, Bai Xiao was blasted backward by the spatial slash. He slammed heavily into the edge of the arena, warping the railing there!
He struggled to rise, only to feel his blood and qi churn violently in his chest. He spat out a mouthful of blood! More importantly, the attack also carried the Evil God Hook's poison. Bai Xiao lost his ability to fight under that strike.
"Boss Bai Xiao!" The other six from Shrek's side changed expression dramatically!
Xiao Cheng stood with his spear lowered as the Evil God Body and Evil God Hook slowly receded, returning to their normal forms. His face was somewhat pale as well. That Azure Sky Evil God Slash had consumed nearly half his Soul Power in one go.
But he had no time to rest.
Because the battle was not over yet.
He turned to the battles elsewhere—Qiangu Dongfeng and Leng Yulai were still entangled with Yu Momo, Qiangu Qingfeng was still deadlocked against Han Xiao, Zhang Geyang had begun to be suppressed by Lie Yang, while Leng Yaozhu was using her aerial advantage to keep Su Ze at bay.
I'll take them down one at a time. Xiao Cheng took a deep breath, his gaze locking onto Ning Xia, who was enhancing his teammates.
"You're first!"
His body flashed. The Azure Sky Divine Spear became an azure streak and stabbed directly toward Ning Xia!
Ning Xia's expression changed. He hurriedly activated his Soul Bone skill—Teleportation!
His figure instantly vanished from where he stood and reappeared ten meters away!
But Xiao Cheng would not fall for the same trick twice. At the same moment Ning Xia teleported, he activated Teleportation as well!
The two figures vanished from the arena at the same time, then appeared simultaneously in another location!
Xiao Cheng appeared before Ning Xia, the Azure Sky Divine Spear thrust directly at his chest!
"What?!" Ning Xia's pupils contracted. He tried to teleport again, but Xiao Cheng's spear was already pressed before his throat!
"Don't move," Xiao Cheng said coldly.
Ning Xia's body stiffened, and the light from the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda in his hand dimmed as well.
Without the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda's enhancement from Ning Xia, Yu Momo and Han Xiao's strength immediately dropped by a level!
Leng Yulai and Qiangu Dongfeng seized the opportunity together. Dark Phoenix Flame disrupted Yu Momo, while the Coiling Dragon Staff came crashing down with immense force, sending Yu Momo flying with a single blow!
Qiangu Qingfeng also took the opportunity to counterattack. With a sweeping strike of the Purgatory Halberd, he drove Han Xiao back step by step!
The situation reversed in an instant!
All seven members of the Seven Luminaries Team attacked at once, launching a fierce counteroffensive against Shrek's seven fighters!
Without Ning Xia's support, obvious flaws appeared in Shrek's coordination. Meanwhile, led by Xiao Cheng, the Seven Luminaries Team fought more fiercely with every passing moment and gradually seized the initiative on the battlefield.
In the end, after Xiao Cheng knocked Yu Momo's Thunder Dragon Claw away with a spear strike, Leng Yaozhu placed her sword against Han Xiao's neck, and Qiangu Dongfeng smashed Lie Yang to the ground with his staff, Shrek's seven fighters completely lost their ability to fight.
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