The referee's announcement echoed over the arena for a long while, and cheers surged through the stands like a tidal wave, nearly overturning the entire venue. Teachers and students waving Shrek Academy flags shouted at the top of their lungs. Even spectators from other academies could not help applauding and cheering for such an extraordinary clash between powerful teams. After all, such a thrilling comeback from a disadvantageous position was truly rare.
The Gold Dragon Soul Power around Tang Wulin gradually settled, and the golden dragon markings along his arms slowly faded. His chest rose and fell slightly after the intense battle, while sweat slid down his jaw and soaked faint marks into his clothes. Yet his back remained perfectly straight. There was no arrogance in his eyes after such a great victory—only the steadiness and brilliance earned through a hard-fought battle. His companions were all breathing a little heavily, but none could hide the wild joy in their expressions. Their days of grueling training and tense preparations before the match had all turned into the glory of advancing to the finals.
Xu Xiaoyan loosened her grip on the Starwheel Ice Staff slightly as her icy-blue Soul Power fully receded. Her little face was flushed, beaded with sweat from the battle. She quickly walked to Tang Wulin's side, her voice brimming with uncontrollable excitement. "Brother, we really won! The Heaven Soul Team was so strong, but we still beat them! We finally made it to the finals!" During the standoff with the Illusive Vine, she had remained tense the entire time. She had not dared make the slightest mistake in every instance of battlefield control or every cooperation with Gu Yue. Only when the referee announced their victory did the weight on her heart finally fall away, leaving her eyes full of the joy of surviving a close call.
"We all won this together." Tang Wulin turned toward his companions, a gentle yet firm smile rising on his lips as his gaze passed over every one of them. "Without Xiaoyan and Gu Yue joining forces to break the illusion, without Xie Xie, Xing Lan, and Yehui pinning them down so precisely, without Zheng Yu's enhancements and Li Zhi's supplies, we never could have won such a tough fight. Everyone worked hard." He never claimed all the credit for himself. In his heart, the Shrek Seven Monsters were one whole: sharing glory, sharing defeat. The cohesion of their team was the true core of their consecutive victories.
Xie Xie slapped his chest carelessly, his face full of pride despite the exhaustion he could not conceal. "Of course! Our coordination was flawless! No matter how powerful the Heaven Soul Team's Illusive Vine was, Xiaoyan and Gu Yue still had it completely under control. We'll definitely take the finals easily too!" As he spoke, he sidled up to Xu Lizhi and grinned as he asked for the remaining Soul Power buns. "Li Zhi, hurry and give me two more buns to replenish myself. That sneak attack just now exhausted me."
Xu Lizhi smiled honestly and quickly opened the Soul Tool food container he carried with him. Several steaming Soul Power buns remained inside, and he handed them out one by one. His voice was soft as he said, "Everyone, eat something and restore your Soul Power. We just finished a match, so we can't let ourselves go hungry. We still need to keep working hard for the finals."
Gu Yue walked to Tang Wulin's side and gently brushed the dust from his shoulder. There was a trace of warmth in her usually cool eyes as she spoke calmly. "Our opponent in the finals should be the Sun Moon Empire Academy Team. They are the biggest dark horse in this exchange tournament. Every member is equipped with Soul Tools, and their fighting style is strange. They will be even harder to deal with than the Heaven Soul Team." While on the field, she had noticed the gaze of the Sun Moon Team's mentor from a corner of the stands. That gaze was cold and sharp, filled with wariness and calculation. They were clearly not good people.
Ye Xinglan sheathed her sword. There was still little expression on her cool face, but her tone was grave. "The Sun Moon Empire's Soul Tool technology stands unrivaled across the continent. Their team does not rely solely on the power of martial souls, but combines martial souls with Soul Tools. Their tactics are tricky. We must devise new countermeasures and cannot let down our guard."
Yuanen Yehui and Yue Zhengyu both nodded, their expressions growing serious. The battle against the Heaven Soul Team had already drained much of their energy, while their opponent in the finals was even stronger than they had imagined. Their earlier joy gradually faded, replaced by vigilance toward this new powerful enemy.
Tang Wulin's expression turned solemn at once. Naturally, he knew how formidable the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Tools were. Opponents like them were far more difficult to handle than teams that relied purely on martial souls. The long-range attacks and area damage of Soul Tools could easily disrupt their formation. One careless misstep could lead to total defeat. He raised his eyes toward the highest part of the stands and, sure enough, saw several figures in Sun Moon Empire attire coldly watching them. Their eyes were filled with hostility; they had clearly long regarded Shrek Academy as a thorn in their side.
Na'er had already pulled free from the teacher watching over her and ran down the aisle of the stands. She threw herself into Tang Wulin's arms, her little face full of pride as she lifted her head and shouted, "Big Brother is the best! Big Brother is the champion!" Her soft, childish voice instantly diluted the oppressive atmosphere in the arena.
Tang Wulin bent down and picked up his sister, gently rubbing his cheek against hers. The tension in his heart eased somewhat as he smiled. "Be good, Na'er. Big Brother will work hard to win the championship."
At that moment, an official from the tournament committee hurried over with the finals notice in hand. He respectfully bowed to Tang Wulin. "Captain Tang Wulin, congratulations to Shrek Academy for advancing to the finals. The finals will be held tomorrow morning, and your opponent will be the Sun Moon Empire Academy Team. Please make your preparations in advance."
Tang Wulin accepted the notice and nodded. "Thank you. We understand."
After the official left, the companions gathered around Tang Wulin and looked at the finals notice in his hand, their expressions becoming increasingly resolute.
"Tomorrow, we face the Sun Moon Team in the finals. Everyone should rest properly tonight. After dinner, gather as usual at the training grounds. We'll reanalyze the Sun Moon Team's fighting style and develop tactics to counter their Soul Tools." Holding Na'er, Tang Wulin spoke in a steady, powerful voice without the slightest trace of panic. "The Sun Moon Team may be strong, but as long as we work together, hold our formation, and identify their weaknesses, we will win."
"Alright!" everyone answered in unison, without the slightest hesitation.
The sun gradually dipped westward, dyeing the arena a warm red. The youths walked shoulder to shoulder toward the exit, Tang Wulin carrying Na'er in his arms. Behind them were the cheers of the entire arena; ahead of them lay the ultimate challenge of the finals. The glory of their winning streak had not caused them to lose themselves. Instead, it made them even clearer-minded, knowing that the true final battle had only just begun.
What they did not notice was that, within the shadows in a corner of the arena, a hidden gaze had been following their figures all along. Its aura was cold and filled with deep calculation. A conspiracy targeting the Shrek Seven Monsters was quietly brewing in the darkness. Yet the youths feared nothing. Carrying trust in one another and a desire for victory in their hearts, they continued steadily toward their goal of becoming champions.
Would you like me to continue directly with Chapter 46 and fully write out the details of the evening's planning session for tactics against the Sun Moon Team's Soul Tools?
Before you continue