Xie Xie's Individual Match

Yue Zhengyu had eight broken ribs and needed time to recuperate. Naturally, he would be unable to participate in the upcoming team and doubles matches.

"I'll compete," Gu Yue said.

Gu Yue had originally planned not to participate in any event other than the doubles match, but as a substitute, with Yue Zhengyu out, she had no choice but to fill in.

What was more, they were bound to encounter Long Yue in the team battle.

Xu Xiaoyan's beautiful eyes were icy. "In the team match, we'll wipe them out!"

Xie Xie said, "Boss, you'd better grind him into the ground in your individual match."

Tang Wulin glanced at him. "You seem excited?"

"Of course I am! Look at how cocky he was after sending Zhengyu flying. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was something amazing."

Tang Wulin looked at Xie Xie, who had been getting a little carried away lately, and decided to give him a reminder. "He's already a six-ringed Soul Emperor at only twenty. Could you do that by the time you're twenty?"

Xie Xie's smile stiffened, and his gaze unconsciously drifted toward Yuanen.

His pursuit of Yuanen was practically common knowledge. Even though his strength had been improving, the gap between him and Yuanen still remained.

Tang Wulin was in a league of his own and couldn't be used for comparison, but what about Long Yue? Right now, he could comfort himself by saying he was five years younger, but would those five years be enough to erase the gap?

Xie Xie didn't know.

He fell silent.

Tang Wulin looked at him. "You compete before me tomorrow. The Monster Academy Eight Kings are all Soul Kings except Dai Yuner. Your match won't be easy. Are you prepared?"

Xie Xie lowered his head.

Yuanen watched him from the side. Seeing that he said nothing, she shook her head, stood up, and left.

Xie Xie seemed to want to get up, but he didn't move.

Tang Wulin waited for his answer.

After a long while, Xie Xie finally raised his head. The usual frivolity had vanished from his face.

"I'll do my best," he said in a low voice.

A smile bloomed on Tang Wulin's face. "Good. I'll wait for your triumphant return."

Xie Xie curled his lips into a grin. "Little Wulin..."

Tang Wulin punched him straight in the stomach. Every teasing word Xie Xie had been about to say was forcibly swallowed back, and he clutched his stomach as he wailed.

Xu Xiaoyan secretly giggled. Gu Yue rolled her eyes speechlessly. Ye Xinglan pretended not to see anything, while Xu Lizhi chuckled and walked over to the grimacing Xie Xie. "Want a bun?"

Xie Xie's stomach was churning violently. He hurriedly waved his hands. "You eat it yourself, you eat it yourself... Ouch, Boss, couldn't you go a little easier?"

Tang Wulin held out a hand toward Xu Lizhi. "If he won't eat it, I will."

"Eat what?" Yue Zhengyu, lying in bed, slowly woke up. His eyes lit up. "Captain, do you have Red Jade Shrimp again?"

Tang Wulin narrowed his eyes. "Your abacus beads are practically smacking me in the face."

Yue Zhengyu gave a sheepish laugh, but it tugged at his injury, and he started grimacing alongside Xie Xie.

Everyone burst into laughter.

Xie Xie's opponent in the individual match was Lin San, the Wind King among Monster Academy's Eight Kings—a man who had already grasped the true essence of agility-based offense.

Long Yue watched the calm-faced Lin San. He might not have been the strongest of the Eight Kings, but he was undoubtedly the fiercest, most focused, and most devoted in cultivation.

Dai Yueyan, who was stronger than him, treated cultivation as a means and bargaining chip to obtain the throne. Long Yue himself pursued powerful strength.

Lin San was different.

What Lin San loved was agility-based offense. What he loved was the thrill of pursuing ultimate speed.

As for Shrek's Xie Xie... Long Yue did not dare make a rash judgment. His previous performances in the individual matches had been fairly ordinary, without anything especially eye-catching. But as the teammate of that person and a member of the Shrek delegation, Long Yue could not be certain that Lin San would win.

After Lin San and Xie Xie entered the arena, the protective barrier slowly closed.

Fang'er gave the commentary from outside the arena. "A clash between a five-ringed Soul King and a four-ringed Soul Ancestor! Who will claim the fruits of victory? Let's wait and see!"

Xie Xie and Lin San donned their battle armor at the same time.

"Spirit alloy! Spirit alloy again! Though it isn't a full set, its quality can make up for some of the gap." Fang'er's eyes lit up.

With twin daggers in hand, Xie Xie's aura became illusory, his killing intent aimed directly at Lin San.

Lin San merely shifted one step aside, moving like a breeze as he gently dissolved Xie Xie's lock-on.

The soul rings beneath Lin San's feet lit up, and he made the first move.

So fast! Xie Xie was startled inwardly.

In the blink of an eye, Lin San had arrived before Xie Xie. Black light flashed over Xie Xie's body as he vanished into the void, avoiding the brunt of the attack.

Lin San paused. Several identical figures suddenly appeared around him, and blades of light struck straight for his throat like garrotes. The attack was ruthless, showing no mercy whatsoever.

"Contestant Xie Xie has extremely rich combat experience! He avoided Contestant Lin San's greatest strength—speed. Now, Contestant Lin San has fallen within the range of Xie Xie's soul skill. With this nearly angleless barrage of attacks, how will he respond?"

How would he respond?

Lin San's expression did not change. He stepped into Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, his figure becoming indistinct and ethereal. The intertwining blades of light seemed to fall into empty space, producing no effect at all.

Xie Xie had not expected to succeed in one strike either. His purpose was simply to avoid being dragged into Lin San's rhythm.

He used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track as well, rapidly shifting positions. With the characteristics of the Shadow Dragon Dagger, his movements were impossible to predict.

After fighting hundreds of evil Soul Masters in a life-and-death struggle like venomous insects trapped in a jar during that summer vacation, his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track Steps had long since undergone a complete transformation.

But Lin San naturally had more than just those methods.

His five-ring cultivation was there for all to see. How many of Lin San's attacks could Xie Xie dodge?

The two clashed and separated again and again.

Gradually, more and more bloody wounds appeared on Xie Xie's body.

He was already close to exhaustion, yet the hands gripping his two daggers did not tremble in the slightest.

How can I win? I fought for my life all summer. The captain helped clear my meridians countless times. Every day, I buried myself in cultivation to catch up with her footsteps. And in the end, I still can't win?

Is it that I truly can't win, or do I still not dare to gamble my life to win?

Xie Xie's consciousness gradually blurred. He bit down hard on the tip of his tongue, spat out blood, and rasped, "Again!"

A trace of admiration appeared in Lin San's eyes. "Good!"

As an agility-based assault Soul Master, Xie Xie had seen plenty of agility-based combat. But Lin San's precision and speed were far beyond what he could currently hope to match.

Should I give up...? Xie Xie defended passively, drenched in blood. The pain stripped away his willpower without any discount.

But when the image of Yuanen leaving in disappointment surfaced in his mind, and the scene of Tang Wulin standing alone before them to face life and death flashed through his thoughts, the unwillingness and ruthlessness in his heart forced him to keep fighting!

Fight until she would look at him properly! Fight until he could stand shoulder to shoulder with Tang Wulin!

The bloodline within him surged. Every blade of light his Twin Dragon Daggers slashed out was accompanied by the faint, clear cry of a dragon.

Even though he was covered in wounds, he fearlessly charged into Lin San's wind blades once more, forcibly leaving injuries on Lin San's body. Then he forcefully raised his soul power, split into clones again, and thrust out his daggers.

Tang Wulin, seated beneath the stage, suddenly rose to his feet.

Gu Yue looked at Tang Wulin's grave expression in surprise. "What is it?"

Tang Wulin's brows were tightly furrowed. "Why does it have to be now..."

Lin San was somewhat surprised to discover that Xie Xie's strength was growing greater and his speed faster, as though he had a bloodthirst effect, forcefully breaking through his attacks.

Light flickered erratically around Xie Xie, and his aura fluctuated violently.

He dropped to one knee. At some point, the Light Dragon and Shadow Dragon Daggers had transformed into two streams of light circling around him.

Tang Wulin appeared directly on the stage, using one hand to block Lin San's attack.

The referee hurriedly intervened. "You're violating the rules of the match!"

Tang Wulin said coldly, "We concede this match."

Lin San frowned. "What right do you have to represent him?"

Tang Wulin replied, "As captain of the Shrek delegation."

He strode quickly to Xie Xie's side and hoisted him onto his shoulder.

Xie Xie only felt as though a torrent of heat within his body was trying to burst out, yet it was tightly locked in place. The scorching current rampaged through him, searing hot and overwhelming.

Xie Xie's consciousness was hazy. "Boss..."

Tang Wulin said quietly, "Your martial soul is about to awaken. I'm taking you away."

"...Okay..."

Tang Wulin carried Xie Xie away, his figure vanishing. Wu Changkong walked over to Gu Yue. "What happened?"

Gu Yue frowned. "Wulin said Xie Xie's martial soul is about to awaken. He's taking him to help with the awakening."

Gu Yue nodded.

Xu Xiaoyan said, "Xie Xie will be okay, right...? He looked like he was badly hurt."

Yuanen stood behind them, her lips pressed tightly together.