Final Battle Begins, Soul Tool Onslaught

Morning sunlight pierced the clouds, bathing Shrek Arena in golden splendor. The air was filled with tension and excitement several times stronger than usual.

The day of the Continental Young Soul Master Tournament finals had finally arrived.

The vast arena was packed to capacity. The stands buzzed with voices as Soul Masters, academy representatives, nobles, and merchants from across the continent gathered together, their eyes fixed firmly on the massive competition platform at the center, reinforced several times over. Everyone knew that today's match would be the ultimate collision between traditional Martial Soul cultivation and emerging soul tool technology. The victor would ascend to the pinnacle of the continent's young Soul Master world.

In the VIP section, the academy's higher-ups sat in place. The elders of Seagod Pavilion watched calmly, though their gazes carried scrutiny, while Shrek Academy's dean remained composed, quietly awaiting the start of the match. On either side of the stands hung the flags of Shrek Academy and Sun Moon Empire Academy. One bore Shrek's green emblem, symbolizing its ancient legacy, while the other displayed a silver gear representing soul tool technology. They faced one another from afar, brimming with fighting spirit.

Tang Wulin arrived at the contestants' lounge early with his companions.

They all wore brand-new green Shrek team uniforms, standing tall and full of vigor. After a night of recovery, everyone's soul power had returned to its peak. The heaviness from yesterday was gone from their eyes, replaced by steady fighting spirit and certainty in victory.

Xu Lizhi held a large food box in his arms, filled with steaming soul power buns and specially made soul power pastries. He kept urging everyone, "Eat up, eat up! You need a full stomach to fight. I got up before dawn to steam these. I added all kinds of herbs that restore soul power. I guarantee you'll be bursting with soul power after eating them!"

Everyone gathered around with smiles, each taking two buns and quickly eating them. A sweet fragrance spread through their mouths, while warm soul power flowed down their throats and into every part of their bodies, making their already abundant soul power even richer.

Tang Wulin looked at his companions beside him, his gaze passing over each face. His voice was steady and powerful. "Remember the strategy we worked out last night. Steady and solid—defend before attacking. Cover each other, and don't charge in recklessly. No matter what happens, we stay together. We are the Shrek Seven Monsters. We will win!"

"Victory!"

Seven voices rang out in perfect unison, forceful and resounding throughout the lounge. The youths exchanged looks, and the trust and determination in their eyes condensed into an unbreakable team strength.

Just then, the lounge door was pushed open, and the referee's voice sounded out. "Shrek Academy's team, please enter the arena!"

Tang Wulin took a deep breath and swept his hand forward. "Let's go. Time to fight!"

The seven walked side by side with steady steps, ascending the competition platform one step at a time. Their green figures emerged in perfect formation, instantly igniting the crowd's enthusiasm. Deafening cheers and shouts of encouragement swept through the arena, with cries of "Shrek will win!" rising one after another and echoing into the sky.

Standing on one side of the platform, Tang Wulin narrowed his sharp gaze toward the entrance opposite them.

A moment later, six figures slowly emerged. They were the team from Sun Moon Empire Academy.

They wore fitted black uniforms embroidered with intricate soul tool patterns. Each of them had differently shaped soul tools attached to their waists, arms, and backs. The metallic devices radiated cold soul power fluctuations, utterly different from the youthful vigor of the Shrek Seven Monsters, carrying a sharp and murderous aura.

The captain at the front was tall and stern-faced. Wolf-shaped soul rings pulsed beneath his feet, two yellow and two purple rings arranged neatly around him. The muzzle of the Level 5 explosive soul cannon on his left arm was pitch-black and aimed straight ahead. His eyes swept disdainfully across the Shrek Seven Monsters, his arrogance undisguised.

The vice-captain was a woman. Butterfly-wing-shaped soul rings revolved around her as her Illusion Spirit Butterfly Martial Soul faintly unfurled. She wore exquisite soul tool control gloves on both hands, subtle soul power fluctuations flickering at her fingertips. She was clearly an expert at operating soul tools. The other team members were no weaker, their soul tools gleaming coldly under the sunlight as though they could unleash fatal attacks at any moment.

The two sides faced each other from afar, and the air instantly seemed to freeze. Their invisible fighting spirits collided, stirring even the currents of air above the competition platform.

The referee stood at the center of the arena with a solemn expression and loudly announced the rules. "The finals follow the same rules: a team melee. Defeat every member of the opposing team to win. Lethal attacks are forbidden during the match, and damaging the arena's defensive soul tool array is prohibited. Now, I declare the finals of the Continental Young Soul Master Tournament officially begun!"

As his words fell, the referee flashed away from the competition platform. The defensive soul tool array around the arena lit up at once, a pale golden barrier firmly enveloping the entire platform. It isolated the airflow inside and out, preventing the battle's aftermath from reaching the stands.

"Attack!"

Almost the instant the referee left the arena, the captain of the Sun Moon Team gave a cold shout and launched the first attack.

There was no probing, no preliminary display of Martial Souls. Every member of the Sun Moon Team instantly activated their soul power, and the soul tools on their arms and backs lit up simultaneously. Dense soul power poured into the core arrays of the soul tools, and in the next instant, countless brilliant rays erupted from them.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The piercing sounds of tearing air rang out as dense explosive rounds and energy arrows poured toward the Shrek Seven Monsters like a torrential downpour. The attack range was so vast that it covered every one of their positions, leaving them no room to dodge. At the same time, two enormous silver soul tool binding nets appeared out of thin air. Carrying special fluctuations that sealed soul power, they descended from above to envelop the group. The interference waves controlled by the vice-captain also activated at the same time, invisible soul power fluctuations rushing straight at Xu Xiaoyan in an attempt to disrupt Shrek's battlefield control from the outset.

Long-range fire coverage, battlefield restraints, and interference assaults—the Sun Moon Team's tactics were ferocious to the extreme. They went all out from the very start, intending to use their advantage in soul tools to crush the Shrek Seven Monsters in an instant.

Faced with this sudden, savage offensive, the audience in the stands held their breath. Many were sweating for the Shrek Seven Monsters. Against such dense soul tool attacks, any team would likely struggle to withstand them.

Yet the Shrek Seven Monsters remained completely unruffled. Last night's tactical discussion had already been etched deeply into their minds, and they reacted with incredible speed in the face of the soul tool barrage.

"Yehui, defend!" Tang Wulin shouted sharply. His Golden Dragon Claw condensed at once, golden scales covering his arm as he stepped forward.

Yuanen Yehui moved at his command. Her Titan Giant Ape Martial Soul erupted with full force, thick earth-element soul power surging forth. She brought her arms together, and an enormous, heavy earthen-yellow shield instantly condensed before the group. Dense patterns covered its surface as its defensive power soared to the limit.

Holy Purification! Sacred radiance blossomed around Le Zhengyu, golden light enveloping the entire team and rapidly neutralizing the negative effects of the interference waves while protecting Xu Xiaoyan's soul power fluctuations.

Gu Yue raised her jade-like hand, and wind, earth, and water elements surged at once. Wind formed blades that sliced apart the incoming energy arrows. Water condensed into barriers to withstand the explosive rounds' impact. Earth reinforced Yuanen Yehui's defensive shield. Three layers of elemental defense stacked atop one another.

"Xie Xie, circle behind them! Xing Lan, prepare to break through!" Tang Wulin calmly issued orders, his eyes locked on the Sun Moon Team's soul tool cores. "Xiaoyan, steady yourself and prepare Star Wheel battlefield control!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The dense soul tool attacks slammed viciously into the defensive shield, explosions erupting one after another. Violent shockwaves swept across the arena, sending dust flying everywhere. The tremendous force drove Yuanen Yehui back step by step, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, but she still held the shield fast without yielding in the slightest.

With Le Zhengyu's purification supporting her, Xu Xiaoyan quickly stabilized her soul power. Her Star Wheel Martial Soul slowly rose into the air, faint starlight scattering down as she prepared to seize control of the battlefield. Yet before she could act, the Sun Moon Team's second wave of attacks had already arrived!

This ultimate clash between Martial Souls and soul tools had entered a white-hot stalemate from the very beginning. The Sun Moon Team's tide of soul tool attacks surged forward—whether the Shrek Seven Monsters could hold their line and find an opening to counterattack remained unknown.