The instant Tang Wulin smashed the Explosive Soul Cannon with a single claw, the Sun Moon Team's offensive rhythm was completely thrown into disarray. That golden figure standing proudly amid the ashes of cannon fire was like a stabilizing pillar, instantly driving Shrek's morale to its peak.
The Sun Moon Team captain stared at the scrapped Level Five Soul Cannon, his face turning livid with disbelief and horror in his eyes. His prized core offensive method had been destroyed so brutally by the enemy. To him, it was an unbearable humiliation.
"Trash! What are you all standing around for? Activate the Soul Tool formation at full power and crush them to pieces!" the captain roared. His wolf martial soul erupted completely, his soul rings blazing as fiery soul power swept up the remaining Soul Tool components, attempting to reassemble them into a crude attack device. "Illusion Spirit Butterfly, activate the interference field and cut off their soul power links!"
The female vice-captain with the butterfly martial soul dared not delay. Her hands moved swiftly as her Soul Tool control gloves released pale purple electrical waves. An invisible interference field instantly spread across most of the arena, intending to sever the Shrek Seven Monsters' soul power coordination while disrupting Gu Yue's control over the elements.
The remaining four Soul Engineers reacted quickly as well. They abandoned their scattered attacks, and the Soul Tool cores on their backs lit up simultaneously. Six silver beams intertwined and rapidly condensed into a Level Six Soul Tool defensive shield before them. Metallic light flowed across its surface as it tried to block Shrek's counterattack, while the piercing Soul Tool arrows at their waists charged in unison, ready to strike a fatal blow at any moment.
They knew perfectly well that with their main Explosive Soul Cannon gone, their long-range firepower had been greatly reduced. Only by using the defensive shield to stabilize their position, then picking off their opponents one by one with precise piercing attacks, would they have any chance of turning the battle around.
"Want to rely on a Soul Tool shield for defense? Too late!"
Tang Wulin sneered as the Golden Dragon pressure spread once more. The dragon's might crushed down like something tangible, causing everyone on the Sun Moon Team to hesitate for a brief instant. Rather than charging in recklessly, he stepped aside and made room for the companions behind him. "Xiaoyan, lock down the field! Xing Lan, break the shield!"
In just two sentences, he issued precise counterattack orders. At that moment, the team's flawless coordination was displayed in full.
Hearing him, Xu Xiaoyan's starry eyes suddenly lit up. The Star Wheel Martial Soul suspended high in the air spun rapidly. The starlight that had once scattered loosely through the air now converged into thick strands of stellar light, descending upon the Sun Moon Team's area like a vast net from the heavens.
"First Soul Skill: Star Wheel Binding! Third Soul Skill: Star River Immobilization!"
The two battlefield control soul skills erupted simultaneously. Dazzling starlight instantly locked onto every member of the Sun Moon Team, and their interference field was forcibly torn open by the pure stellar power. They felt the circulation of soul power throughout their bodies grow sluggish, their feet as heavy as though filled with lead. Even their Soul Tools charged far more slowly, and the hands controlling them began to tremble.
"Damn battlefield control Soul Master!" the Sun Moon Team's vice-captain gritted her teeth and desperately urged her soul power, trying to break free of the stellar restraints. Yet no matter how hard she struggled, that gentle but tenacious starlight held her firmly in place. She could not escape at all.
At the very instant the Star Wheel locked down the field, Ye Xinglan moved.
The soul rings beneath her feet pulsed, two yellow and two purple rings arranged neatly around her. She raised her longsword toward the heavens, and icy sword light burst from its blade. Sword intent surged into the sky, aimed directly at the Level Six Soul Tool defensive shield. As one of the Shrek Seven Monsters' primary attackers, her sword had always been unstoppable.
"Martial Soul Avatar: Stargod Sword!"
With that clear cry, Ye Xinglan's body fused with her sword. The blade transformed into a streak of light as stellar power and soul power merged perfectly. Fine star patterns emerged along its surface, each one containing the force of an armor-piercing slash. She made no unnecessary movement. In a flash, she appeared before the defensive shield and thrust her sword forward, with nothing but ultimate sharpness and speed.
"First Soul Skill: Sword Cleaves Mountains and Rivers! Fourth Soul Skill: Star Sword Armorbreaker!"
The two soul skills stacked together, and the sword light surged. A several-meter-long azure sword beam tore through the air and smashed viciously into the Level Six Soul Tool defensive shield.
Crack—
A piercing shattering sound rang out. The Level Six defensive shield that the Sun Moon Team had been so proud of instantly split beneath the Stargod Sword's edge, spiderweb cracks spreading over it like glass. In the next instant, it completely collapsed, turning into countless metal fragments that scattered across the ground.
The shield was broken!
Clean and decisive, without the slightest hesitation!
The Sun Moon Team members' faces turned pale at once. Their defensive shield had been shattered, the stellar restraints remained in place, and they had lost all protection. Exposed within Shrek's attack range, they had fallen into an unprecedented desperate situation.
"Li Zhi, attack! Zheng Yu, Holy Amplification!" Tang Wulin gave another order.
Xu Lizhi had already been itching for action. Upon hearing the command, his plump body erupted with astonishing speed. His Food God Martial Soul unfolded fully as his hands rapidly condensed soul power. One large soul power bun after another appeared from thin air, but they were not meant for recovery. They had become weapons of attack.
"Third Soul Skill: Food God Projectile Rain!"
Countless buns packed with dense soul power shot toward the Sun Moon Team like cannonballs. Though they looked soft and harmless, they exploded upon hitting the ground, releasing powerful soul power shockwaves. Together with Ye Xinglan's sword qi, they continuously suppressed the opponents' movements.
Sacred light blazed around Yue Zhengyu as his Divine Angel martial soul unfolded. His golden wings fluttered gently, and beams of Holy Amplification descended upon Tang Wulin, Ye Xinglan, and Xie Xie. The three of them instantly gained a tremendous increase in attack power and speed, while the holy soul power continuously burned the core energy of the Sun Moon Team's Soul Tools, steadily weakening their power.
Xie Xie seized the opportunity as well. His spatial martial soul operated at full force, and his body turned into countless afterimages. The Light Dragon Dagger and Shadow Dragon Dagger struck in alternation, targeting the core formations of his opponents' Soul Tools. Every attack precisely shattered a Soul Tool component.
"Whoosh!" "Clang!" "Bang!"
Across the arena, the sounds of metal shattering, soul power explosions, and colliding soul skills intertwined. The Sun Moon Team, which had once held the advantage, had now completely become the side taking a beating. Their Soul Tools were scrapped one after another, their soul power steadily drained, and they did not even have the strength to retaliate.
Watching his subordinates fall one after another and more than half their Soul Tools destroyed, the captain's eyes filled with despair and unwillingness. He frantically drove his remaining soul power, attempting to activate a final self-destructing Soul Tool and perish together with Shrek.
Tang Wulin saw through his intentions instantly. His Golden Dragon Claw clenched as he flashed before the captain, dragon's might locking him down completely.
"Your last struggle is useless."
Tang Wulin's voice was calm, but it carried unquestionable force. With a light press of his Golden Dragon Claw, he completely suppressed the violently surging soul power within the other man's body. The self-destructing Soul Tool that had been about to detonate instantly lost its energy supply and dimmed.
At the same time, Xu Xiaoyan's Star Wheel exerted its power once again. The force of Star River Immobilization reached its peak, and the final two Soul Engineers fell to the ground, completely losing their ability to fight.
The smoke over the arena gradually dispersed.
Every member of the Sun Moon Team lay on the ground, their Soul Tools destroyed beyond repair. Not one of them could rise to continue fighting.
As for the Shrek Seven Monsters, aside from Yuanen Yehui, who had suffered a few minor injuries while defending, everyone else remained steady and composed. They stood tall in the center of the arena, their fighting spirit still burning.
The entire venue fell silent. Then, deafening cheers erupted, nearly lifting the roof off the arena!
The referee slowly stepped onto the field. Looking at the decided outcome, he raised his right hand high and announced in a voice that echoed throughout the venue, "All members of the Sun Moon Empire Academy Team have lost their ability to fight. I declare that the Shrek Academy Team has won this match!"
"We're champions!" Xu Lizhi was the first to cheer. He excitedly threw his arms around Yuanen Yehui beside him, his round face flushed red with joy, even his voice trembling.
"We won! We really won!" Xu Xiaoyan's eyes reddened as the Star Wheel slowly withdrew. Her little hands clenched tightly, tears sliding down her cheeks. They were tears of joy and excitement. From preparation to the finals, their countless days and nights of hard work had finally earned them this honor.
Xie Xie came to a stop and returned his twin daggers to his waist. Throwing an arm around Tang Wulin's shoulders, he grinned until his eyes curved. "I knew we'd win! Wulin, you were way too cool just now. You crippled their main Soul Tool cannon with one claw!"
Ye Xinglan sheathed her sword, and her sharp sword qi gradually receded. Even a rare smile appeared on her normally cool face. Her gaze toward her companions was filled with warmth. The bond they had forged fighting side by side moved her even more than victory itself.
Yue Zhengyu withdrew his Divine Angel martial soul, and the golden glow faded. He gently patted Yuanen Yehui's shoulder and handed her a healing pill. "Heal up first. We're champions now—we should celebrate properly." Yuanen Yehui accepted the pill and nodded, a relieved curve lifting at the corner of her lips. The exhaustion and pain from defending earlier seemed to vanish in that instant.
Gu Yue walked to Tang Wulin's side. The coldness in her eyes faded, leaving only gentleness. "We did it. We didn't let Shrek's honor down." Tang Wulin turned to look at her, then at the companions gathered around him. His golden eyes were full of warmth and determination as he lightly clenched his fist. "We did it together."
At the edge of the arena, Shrek's teachers and the elders of the Seagod Pavilion all rose to their feet, smiles of gratification on their faces. Watching the young men and women standing shoulder to shoulder onstage, the dean's eyes brimmed with approval. He murmured, "Shrek's future truly lies with them."
A short while later, the award ceremony officially began.
Ceremonial staff carried the gleaming golden championship trophy, medals of honor, and generous rewards onto the field. The trophy was forged entirely from gold and engraved with the Shrek emblem and the insignia of the All-Continent Soul Master Tournament. It was heavy in the hand, symbolizing the highest honor among young Soul Masters.
When Tang Wulin led his companions in lifting the championship trophy together, the cheers throughout the venue reached another peak. Camera flashes and soul power projections intertwined, forever preserving this glorious moment. The golden trophy was held aloft by seven pairs of hands, and the young men and women's smiling faces shone brilliantly beneath the sunlight. Sweat and tears mingled together, forming the most passionate image of youth.
After the ceremony, an elderly man dressed in Sun Moon Empire attire sat in the VIP section, watching the spirited Shrek Seven Monsters at the center of the arena—especially Tang Wulin. A profound light flickered in his eyes as his fingertips lightly tapped the armrest. He murmured, "Golden Dragon King Bloodline... and such ultimate elemental control. Interesting. It seems the continent's balance is about to change." When his words ended, the old man quietly vanished into the crowd, leaving no trace behind.
The Shrek Seven Monsters, immersed in the joy of victory, did not notice this slight abnormality. Clustered around the trophy, they chatted and laughed as they walked off the field. Sunlight spilled over them, outlining their vibrant, youthful figures.
Xu Lizhi had already made plans. "Tonight, it's on me! I'll book the academy's finest restaurant, make a huge table of delicious food, and we'll celebrate properly!"
"Alright!" everyone answered in unison. Their bright laughter echoed through the arena corridors.
This climactic battle had come to an end. The Shrek Seven Monsters had claimed the championship and been crowned in glory, but they also knew this was not the end. It was a brand-new beginning. The road ahead remained long, with more perilous challenges and more mysterious encounters awaiting them. Yet the bond they had forged fighting side by side would always remain with them as they carved through every obstacle and continued writing Shrek's legend.
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