Morning sunlight pierced through the clouds, bathing Shrek Arena in a magnificent golden glow. 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, and the stands roared with voices. Soul Masters, academy representatives, nobles, and merchants from across the continent had gathered together, their eyes fixed on the heavily reinforced giant competition platform at the center. Everyone knew that today's battle would be the ultimate collision between traditional martial soul cultivation and emerging soul tool technology. The victor would stand at the pinnacle of the continent's young Soul Master world.
In the VIP section, the academy's higher-ups sat in their seats. The elders of Seagod Pavilion watched with calm yet appraising gazes, while Shrek Academy's dean wore an indifferent expression as he quietly awaited the start of the match. On either side of the stands hung the banners of Shrek Academy and Sun Moon Empire Academy. One bore Shrek's green emblem, symbolizing its ten-thousand-year legacy; the other displayed a silver gear, representing soul tool technology. They faced each other from afar, brimming with battle intent.
Tang Wulin arrived at the competitors' lounge early with his companions.
Everyone wore brand-new green Shrek uniforms, standing straight and full of spirit. After a night of recovery, each of their Soul Powers had returned to its peak. The heaviness from the previous day was gone from their eyes, replaced by composed 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, eat! You need to be full to have the strength to fight. I got up before dawn to steam these. I added lots of herbs that restore Soul Power. I guarantee you'll be brimming with Soul Power after eating them!"
The others 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 limb and bone, making their already abundant Soul Power even more robust.
Tang Wulin looked at his companions, his gaze passing over each face in turn. His voice was steady and powerful. "Remember the tactics we planned last night. Advance steadily, defend before attacking, and cover each other. Don't rush forward recklessly. No matter what happens, stay together. We are the Shrek Seven Monsters. We will win!"
"We will win!"
Seven voices rang out in perfect unison, sonorous and forceful as they echoed through the lounge. The youths' gazes met, and the trust and determination in their eyes condensed into an invincible force of teamwork.
At that moment, the lounge door opened, and the referee's voice came through. "Shrek Academy Team, please enter the arena!"
Tang Wulin took a deep breath and waved his hand. "Let's go. Time to fight!"
The seven walked forward shoulder to shoulder, their steps calm and steady as they mounted the competition platform one step at a time. Their green figures appeared in neat formation, instantly igniting the enthusiasm of the entire audience. Deafening cheers and encouragement swept through the arena, while cries of "Shrek will win!" rose one after another and shook the skies.
After taking their positions on one side of the platform, Tang Wulin fixed a sharp gaze on the entrance opposite them.
A moment later, six figures slowly emerged. They were the Sun Moon Empire Academy Team.
They wore fitted black outfits covered in intricate soul tool patterns. Each of them had differently shaped Soul Tools attached to their waists, arms, and backs. Their metallic equipment emitted cold Soul Power fluctuations, completely unlike the youthful vigor of the Shrek Seven Monsters. Instead, they carried a sharp, murderous air.
The captain at the front was tall and stern-faced. Wolf-shaped soul rings slowly pulsed beneath his feet, two yellow and two purple rings arranged in perfect order. The muzzle of the fifth-grade Explosive Soul Cannon on his left arm was pitch-black and pointed straight ahead. His eyes swept contemptuously across the Shrek Seven Monsters, his arrogance entirely undisguised.
The vice-captain was a woman, with butterfly-wing-shaped soul rings flowing around her. Her Illusion Spirit Butterfly Martial Soul slightly spread its wings, while exquisite soul tool control gloves covered her hands. Subtle Soul Power fluctuations pulsed from her fingertips, making it clear that she was an expert at operating Soul Tools. The remaining members were no weaker, and their Soul Tools gleamed coldly beneath the sunlight as though they could unleash lethal attacks at any moment.
The two teams faced each other from afar, and the air instantly seemed to freeze. Their invisible battle intent collided, stirring even the airflow above the competition platform.
The referee stood in the middle of the arena, his expression stern as he loudly announced the rules. "The finals rules remain unchanged. This is a team free-for-all. Defeat every member of the opposing team to claim victory. Lethal attacks are forbidden during the match, as is damaging the arena's protective soul tool formation. Now, I declare the Continental Young Soul Master Tournament finals officially begun!"
As his words fell, the referee flashed off the competition platform. The protective soul tool formation around the arena instantly lit up, and a pale golden barrier firmly enclosed the entire platform, cutting off the airflow inside and out while preventing the battle's aftermath from reaching the stands.
"Attack!"
Almost the instant the referee left the field, 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 at the same time. Dense Soul Power poured into the core formations of their Soul Tools, and countless brilliant lights burst forth in an instant.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The piercing sounds of projectiles tearing through the air rang out as dense explosive shells and energy arrows poured down upon the Shrek Seven Monsters like a torrential storm. The attack covered every one of their positions, leaving them no room to dodge. At the same time, two enormous silver Soul-Conducting Restraint 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 were also unleashed at once, invisible Soul Power fluctuations rushing directly toward Xu Xiaoyan in an attempt to disrupt Shrek's battlefield control rhythm from the start.
Long-range firepower coverage, battlefield restraint, and interference strikes—the Sun Moon Team's style was ferocious to the extreme. They went all out from the very beginning, intending to use the advantage of their Soul Tools to crush the Shrek Seven Monsters in one fell swoop.
Faced with this sudden, savage barrage, the spectators in the stands held their breaths. Many could not help but worry for the Shrek Seven Monsters. Such dense Soul Tool attacks would be difficult for any team to withstand.
Yet the Shrek Seven Monsters remained utterly composed. The tactical discussions from the previous night had already been etched into their hearts, and they reacted with astonishing speed before the Soul Tool onslaught.
"Yehui, defend!" Tang Wulin shouted sharply. His Golden Dragon Claw instantly formed, golden scales covering his arm as he stepped forward to block the attack.
Yuanen Yehui moved at once. Her Titan Giant Ape Martial Soul erupted at full strength, and dense earth-element Soul Power surged outward. She brought her arms together, instantly forming an enormous, heavy earthen-yellow shield before the group. Dense patterns spread across its surface as its defensive power soared to the limit.
"Holy Purification!" A sacred aura blossomed around Yue Zhengyu, and golden light enveloped the entire team, rapidly dissolving the negative effects of the interference waves and protecting Xu Xiaoyan's Soul Power fluctuations.
Gu Yue waved her delicate hand, and the elements of wind, earth, and water surged simultaneously. Wind formed sharp blades that sliced apart the incoming energy arrows. Water condensed into barriers that blocked the impact of explosive shells. Earth reinforced Yuanen Yehui's defensive shield. The three layers of elemental defense stacked over one another.
"Xie Xie, circle around from behind! Xing Lan, prepare to break through!" Tang Wulin commanded calmly, his eyes locked on the core Soul Tools of the Sun Moon Team. "Xiaoyan, steady your mind and prepare Starwheel Control!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The dense Soul Tool attacks slammed viciously into the defensive shield. Explosions erupted one after another, and 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. Yet she continued to hold the shield firmly, showing no sign of retreat.
With Yue Zhengyu's purification supporting her, Xu Xiaoyan swiftly stabilized her Soul Power. Her Star Wheel Martial Soul slowly rose into the air, scattering faint starlight as she prepared to seize control of the battlefield. But before she could act, the Sun Moon Team's second wave of attacks had already arrived!
This peak clash between martial souls and Soul Tools had entered a white-hot deadlock from the very beginning. The Sun Moon Team's Soul Tool tide surged forward relentlessly. Could the Shrek Seven Monsters hold their defensive line and find an opportunity to counterattack? For now, everything remained unknown.
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