Breaking the Deadlock, Golden Dragon at Dawn

The billowing dust had yet to settle when the second wave of soul cannon fire came howling in once more.

The Sun Moon Team clearly had no intention of giving Shrek any breathing room. Their captain's Flame-Pattern Wolf martial soul erupted in full force, and his fourth soul skill suddenly lit up. Flames coiled around a level-five explosive soul cannon, instantly doubling the shells' power. Countless fire-element explosive rounds rained down upon Shrek's defensive line like a meteor shower.

Boom—!

The heavy earth-element shield shuddered violently, cracks spreading across it like a spiderweb. Yuanen Yehui let out a muffled groan, the veins in her arms bulging as she poured every ounce of the Titan Giant Ape's savage strength into it. Only then did the defense barely avoid collapsing on the spot.

Xu Xiaoyan's starwheel had only just risen into the air when two agility-type soul masters activated their soul-powered thrusters and transformed into black shadows lunging straight at her. The soul daggers gleaming coldly in their hands aimed directly at her vital points, intending to kill the battlefield's control core first.

"Don't even think about it!"

Xie Xie flashed forward. The Light Dragon Dagger and Shadow Dragon Dagger left their sheaths at the same time, spatial ripples abruptly spreading outward as he turned into an afterimage that flickered between solid and illusory. He forcibly blocked the two agility-type soul masters. His twin daggers crossed and collided fiercely with their soul daggers, producing an ear-piercing clang of metal.

"Light-Shadow Dragon Assault!"

His figure flickered repeatedly as he constantly disrupted their positioning, but their soul-powered thrusters were simply too fast. Their speed was not inferior to his in the slightest, and the two sides fell into a stalemate, making it difficult for him to break away and return to support the others.

Just as Ye Xinglan was about to rush forward with her sword, several soul-powered binding beams locked onto her, forcibly restraining her movements and preventing her from approaching the Sun Moon Team's support soul engineers in the rear.

In an instant, the Shrek Seven Monsters fell completely onto the defensive.

The cheers from the stands came to an abrupt halt, and the atmosphere grew tense to the extreme. Many spectators supporting Shrek clenched their fists, secretly worrying in their hearts.

In the VIP section, an elder gave a slight nod. "The Sun Moon Empire's soul tool technology has indeed reached such a level. Among opponents of the same rank, conventional soul masters can hardly contend against it."

However, the dean remained calm, his gaze resting on the golden figure atop the arena. "Don't rush. Their true killing move hasn't moved yet."

At the center of the battlefield, Tang Wulin took in everything before him.

His gaze was sharp as an eagle's, without the slightest hint of panic. Instead, amidst the dense cannon fire, he calmly searched for an opportunity. He knew full well that if they continued defending so passively, their defenses would sooner or later be broken. They had to take the initiative and break the deadlock!

"Gu Yue!"

Tang Wulin called out in a low voice.

"Understood."

Gu Yue's cool voice answered immediately. Her hands rapidly formed seals as the power of four elements surged madly around her fingertips. She no longer held fast to defense, but erupted without warning!

"Wind Vortex!"

A violent hurricane suddenly rose, sweeping away and scattering some of the incoming energy shells.

"Water Condensation!"

Countless droplets instantly condensed into sharp icicles and shot toward the Sun Moon Team's front line, forcibly disrupting their soul tool targeting.

"Earth Shield Rupture!"

The earth shield before Yuanen Yehui suddenly exploded, countless fragments of stone spraying outward to form a brief zone that blocked vision.

Now!

Golden light flared in Tang Wulin's eyes as he held back no longer.

"Martial Soul True Body—Golden Dragon King!"

Roar—!

A dragon's roar that shook the entire arena suddenly erupted. Golden light surged skyward, sweeping across the whole competition stage. Brilliant golden scales instantly covered Tang Wulin's entire body, while sharp dragon horns burst forth as if breaking through the earth. His Golden Dragon Claws swelled several times larger, and terrifying dragon might poured forth, making the hearts of many low-rank soul masters beneath the stage tremble.

Four soul rings revolved violently around him, golden radiance blooming like a blazing sun and forcibly driving back the surrounding soul tool energy fluctuations.

"Fourth Soul Skill—Golden Dragon Overlord Body!"

Golden light surged for an instant, and Tang Wulin seemed to be clad in an indestructible suit of golden armor. Every scattered soul cannon shell that struck him was directly bounced away and exploded, unable to harm him in the slightest.

"Xie Xie, just keep them occupied. Don't fight them head-on!"

"Xinglan, charge with me!"

"Yehui, protect Xiaoyan and Li Zhi!"

"Zheng Yu, keep boosting us!"

Each command rang out clearly and decisively. Tang Wulin suddenly charged forward, abandoning defense and choosing instead to confront the Sun Moon Team's firepower core head-on!

The Sun Moon Team captain's expression changed. He clearly had not expected anyone to dare charge directly through the soul cannon barrage. "You're courting death! Fire at full power!"

The firepower of every soul cannon instantly concentrated on Tang Wulin alone. Explosions merged into one continuous roar, and the golden figure was completely swallowed by smoke and fire.

"Wulin!" Xu Xiaoyan cried out in alarm.

But in the next moment, a streak of golden light tore forcefully through the smoke and flames.

Tang Wulin was completely uninjured. His Golden Dragon Claws clenched tightly, dragon might soaring to the heavens. He was already less than ten meters away from the Sun Moon Team.

"Not good!"

"Quick, the binding net!"

The vice-captain's expression changed drastically as he hurriedly controlled an enormous soul tool net to descend over him.

Tang Wulin's eyes were icy. Rather than retreat, he advanced, his left Golden Dragon Claw swinging out with unstoppable force.

"Golden Dragon Slash!"

Golden claw light tore through the air with incomparable sharpness, slashing fiercely against the soul tool binding net. With a crisp "Riiip!", the soul tool net—said to be nearly impossible to escape for those of the same rank—was forcibly torn apart by a single claw!

Immediately afterward, he shattered the ground beneath his feet and leaped into the air. Looking down from above, his gaze locked onto the captain who was still frantically firing.

"Your soul cannon is very noisy."

Tang Wulin's voice was cold as his Golden Dragon Claw came crashing down upon the level-five explosive soul cannon with devastating force.

The captain's pupils contracted sharply. He wanted to dodge, but the dragon might had already locked onto him, slowing his movements.

Bang—!

A thunderous crash rang out.

The sturdy soul cannon casing instantly caved in, twisted, and exploded. Its core formation shattered directly, parts scattering in every direction.

The Sun Moon Team's firepower core had been crippled by a single claw!

The entire arena fell silent for an instant before erupting in earth-shaking cries of shock.

No one had expected that under such terrifying soul cannon bombardment, someone from Shrek could break through head-on and destroy the opponent's primary soul tool with one claw!

Tang Wulin landed, his golden dragon eyes sweeping over the remaining soul engineers. His voice carried dragon might as it echoed across the arena:

"Now, it's our turn."

Battle intent boiled in Ye Xinglan's eyes. Her longsword left its sheath, sword light soaring into the sky. "Charge!"

Xu Xiaoyan finally steadied herself completely. Her starwheel hung high overhead as starlight rained down across the battlefield, her control power fully unleashed.

The Shrek Seven Monsters, who had been passively taking blows moments ago, instantly shifted from defense to offense. Their momentum surged like a rainbow as they launched a full counterattack against the pale-faced Sun Moon Team!