Deterrence

Shrek Academy directly entered the winners' bracket of the elimination rounds.

Logically speaking, the average strength of the winners' bracket after the preliminaries was not weak. Yet among the Shrek team, aside from Xu Xiaoyan and Xu Lizhi, who had won with some difficulty, everyone else had easily secured their individual matches. The team matches were even more one-sided. Tang Wulin and Ye Xinglan had merely stood at the back and watched while Xie Xie and Yue Zhengyu took care of all seven opponents.

The doubles matches were no different. Tang Wulin directly released Golden Words, then stood there chatting with Gu Yue and easily won.

Dai Yueyan and Dai Yuner watched the two casually walk on and off the stage, their expressions grave.

Dai Yuner clenched her fists. "What cultivation is he at?!"

Dai Yueyan gave a bitter smile. "From the looks of it, he's no weaker than me."

Dai Yuner stared at their departing backs.

She abruptly stood up. "Brother. I want to win."

Her eyes were filled with unwillingness and determination. She had grown up with everything going her way and had never desired a victory as desperately as she did now.

Dai Yuner said firmly, "I have to win!"

Dai Yueyan rose to his feet and held her shoulders. "Alright! Your brother will be with you!"

Shrek's strength was unstoppable throughout the opening elimination rounds. Even by the final round, no one had truly seen Tang Wulin's Martial Soul or Soul Rings.

Yue Zhengyu was extremely unlucky; he ran into Long Yue.

Facing someone who could rival Tang Wulin in strength, Yue Zhengyu did not dare to let his guard down in the slightest. The moment the match began, he released his Battle Armor.

Specks of light lit up at his joints as pieces of Battle Armor covered his body. Without anyone realizing it, Yue Zhengyu already possessed five pieces of Battle Armor.

Long Yue merely stood there quietly, watching Yue Zhengyu, his aura as towering as a mountain.

Outside the arena, the gold-medal commentator Fang'er was giving live commentary.

"A One-Word Battle Armor made from Spirit Alloy?! Shrek Academy truly does things on a grand scale." Fang'er was somewhat astonished.

Xie Xie asked, "Boss, can Yue Zhengyu win?"

Tang Wulin replied, "It'll be difficult. Long Yue is a Soul Emperor."

The Shrek students were somewhat surprised, then quickly understood. Someone who could shake Tang Wulin's hand for that long could not possibly be weak.

Golden light flickered in Tang Wulin's eyes. He was not watching the match; instead, his gaze fell upon the two people seated in the private box above.

The emperor of the Star Luo Empire, Dai Tianling, and the acknowledged strongest person in the empire, Holy Dragon Douluo En Ci, Long Yue's teacher.

Inside the private box, En Ci was speaking with Dai Tianling when he suddenly sensed someone peering at him. He sprang to his feet and swept the surroundings with his spiritual power, but found nothing.

Tang Wulin withdrew his gaze and looked back toward the arena.

In only a few seconds, Yue Zhengyu lit up all his Soul Rings. Light Elements became incomparably dense, and the Holy Sword grew brighter and brighter under the amplification of his various soul skills.

He slashed out with his sword—Judgment!

When fighting the Shrek team, Yue Zhengyu would never have been allowed to unleash such a massive attack, because aside from Tang Wulin, no one could withstand it head-on.

But perhaps Long Yue was simply confident in his own abilities. He stood there and watched Yue Zhengyu gather power and strike.

As the Holy Sword descended, a faint smile appeared on his face, carrying a hint of madness.

Six Soul Rings rose beneath Long Yue's feet. His mountain-like aura became even heavier. The Holy Sword struck, yet it was like a child hurling a pebble against a mountain. Apart from the hollow echoes ringing through the valley, there was nothing else.

With a clang, the sword broke.

Yue Zhengyu's soul skill was forcibly interrupted, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. With a flap of the wings behind him, he tried to escape Long Yue's attack range.

Long Yue merely pointed at him and said in a low voice, "River!"

There was clearly no river, yet Yue Zhengyu felt as though he had been violently struck by a rushing torrent. His Battle Armor flickered intensely.

Yue Zhengyu was sent flying backward. He directly exited his Martial Soul state, crashed onto the ground, and lost consciousness.

One move was enough for victory.

The referee and medical team members quickly checked Yue Zhengyu's condition while the Shrek team rushed to his side.

Long Yue withdrew his Soul Rings, though the madness around him had yet to fully fade. His eyes still carried a scarlet tint, but his expression was calm.

Tang Wulin watched him.

Long Yue gave him a thumbs-up, then slowly turned it downward. He then turned and jumped off the competition stage, smiling as he spoke with the other heavenly kings of Monster Academy.

Dai Yuner glanced at Tang Wulin, her face full of provocation.

Tang Wulin merely watched her calmly, without the slightest unnecessary expression.

Boos and mocking laughter erupted throughout the audience.

Yue Zhengyu was taken away by the medical team. Xie Xie stood beside Tang Wulin, his chest heaving violently. "They've gone too far!"

Tang Wulin gave a cold snort like a thunderclap. Even though the protective barrier had not yet been deactivated, how could it possibly block his God Origin Realm spiritual power?

The minds of all the spectators and waiting competitors went blank for a moment. The boos and laughter instantly vanished, leaving the entire venue silent.

Long Yue and the others had not yet left, so they naturally felt that overwhelming pressure as well.

En Ci walked to the window of the private box, his expression grave.

Tang Wulin said faintly, "Long Yue. See you in the finals."

He spoke slowly, every word falling across the entire arena. As he spoke, not a single person dared make a sound.

Including Long Yue.

He even felt as though his Martial Soul was about to leave his body and bow in worship.

Only after Tang Wulin and Xie Xie left the venue did that pressure finally dissipate.

Inside the private box.

En Ci struggled to utter a few words. "Spirit... Domain... Realm."

Dai Tianling was horrified. "Teacher... how is that possible?! How old is he!?"

En Ci took a deep breath. "It seems... we must reassess Shrek Academy."