Crushing Tang San!

Xiao Wu raised both hands, trying to use her soft skill to deflect the vines.

The thin vines had barely wrapped around her wrists when she used their force to fling them aside.

But the vine split apart in midair.

Three shadows of Dark Blue Grass fell simultaneously from different directions.

Xiao Wu could only keep flipping backward.

One of the vines grazed her shoulder.

Her clothes tore open.

After landing, Xiao Wu immediately rushed to Tang San's side.

"Brother, can you still hold on?"

"I can."

Tang San's Eight Spider Lances spread outward once more.

Ultimate Fire had already covered the bases of the spider lances.

Ultimate Ice sealed off the space behind them.

Tang San gritted his teeth and mobilized all his Soul Power.

The Eight Spider Lances thrust out at once.

Boom!

A large swath of Dark Blue Vines was forcibly pushed aside.

Tang San and Xiao Wu charged forward.

But they had only just left their original positions.

When Soul Power fluctuations rose from the ground.

Nine thick vines surged up at the same time.

The phantom of the Blue Silver Illusion Slaughter Array faded away as the true Destruction Vines closed in from beneath the ground.

Tang San raised the Eight Spider Lances.

All eight lances blocked before him at once.

The first vine crashed into the spider lances.

The second immediately pressed down after it.

The third wrapped around the joints of the Eight Spider Lances from the side.

More vines followed one after another.

Dark-purple destructive power erupted in full.

Crack!

The Eight Spider Lances' defense was forcibly torn apart.

Tang San staggered backward as a Destruction Vine coiled around his right arm.

A second locked onto his left shoulder.

The remaining vines tightened around his waist, abdomen, and legs at the same time.

Tang San raised his left hand.

The last hidden weapons in his sleeve flew out, the Godly Zhuge Crossbow's bolts shooting toward Tang Feng.

Dragon Beard Needles followed close behind.

Tang Feng stood in the air, shifting his body sideways.

All the hidden weapons missed again.

The next moment.

Two icy-blue vines rose behind Tang San.

Tang San tried to turn around.

But the Eight Spider Lances were already pinned down by three Destruction Vines, while the Ultimate Ice cold sealed off his retreat.

Tang San looked upward.

Tang Feng's figure entered his sight.

He still wanted to mobilize his Soul Power.

But dark-purple power had already entered his meridians through the vines.

The Soul Power he had just gathered scattered on the spot.

"Brother!"

Xiao Wu charged toward Tang San.

Her body had just leaped into the air.

When a crimson vine lashed at her from the side.

Xiao Wu twisted her body midair, avoiding the frontal attack.

Another Dark Blue Vine was already waiting where she would land.

Xiao Wu could only force herself to change direction.

The instant she landed, the stone slabs beneath her feet cracked apart.

A mass of thin vines burst out from the fissures.

Xiao Wu was forced to retreat.

Dai Mubai also broke through the ice at that moment.

Only a thin layer of White Tiger Soul Power remained around his body.

"Let go of Tang San!"

Dai Mubai raised his tiger claws and slashed straight at the vines binding Tang San.

Tang Feng pressed his five fingers downward.

Two Destruction Vines rose from the ground, blocking Dai Mubai's path.

The tiger claws shredded the grass leaves again and again.

The severed vines split apart once more.

Dai Mubai had barely taken a step when thin vines wrapped around both his legs.

His body pitched forward.

Bang!

Dai Mubai smashed heavily onto the stone slabs.

The White Tiger Soul Power dispersed from his body.

Tang Feng did not continue attacking him.

All the Destruction Vines' power remained focused on Tang San.

The final vine slowly moved forward.

Its serrated grass leaves stopped before Tang San's chest.

Tang San lifted his head.

The Eight Spider Lances could no longer hold up.

His arms and body were also completely restrained.

He still wanted to mobilize his Soul Power.

The dark-purple star patterns on the vines suddenly lit up.

[Vampiric Habit triggered!]

The expenditure from the prolonged clash was rapidly replenished.

The Soul Power Tang Feng had expended began to recover.

The power of the Ruination Blue Silver Emperor rose once more.

Tang San's protective Soul Power instantly shattered.

The final vine thrust forward.

The next moment.

Tang Feng abruptly clenched his five fingers.

"Explode."

Boom!

Dark-purple destructive power exploded before Tang San's chest.

Tang San was sent flying backward.

Several of the Eight Spider Lances snapped at the same time.

His body crashed onto the Spirit Battle Platform, shattering large sections of stone slabs.

Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Tang San struggled to raise a hand, but he could no longer gather any Soul Power.

Xiao Wu immediately rushed to his side.

"Brother!"

She supported Tang San by the shoulder.

Tang San's face had gone pale, his chest rising and falling continuously.

He glanced at Tang Feng in the distance, then finally closed his eyes.

The referee quickly stepped onto the Spirit Battle Platform.

After confirming that Tang San had lost the ability to continue fighting, he immediately raised an arm.

"Imperial Fighting Team's Tang Feng wins!"

The entire venue fell silent.

The exchange match was over.

The Dark Blue Vines on the Spirit Battle Platform gradually dissipated, leaving only faint marks amid the shattered stone slabs.

Only after the referee announced the result did discussion resume in the spectator stands.

Tang Feng recalled his Martial Soul and turned to walk down from the Spirit Battle Platform.

Dugu Yan came forward to meet him.

She glanced at Tang San, who was still lying on the platform, then shifted her gaze to Tang Feng.

"You won that quickly. Are we still training?"

"Tomorrow as usual."

"You defeated Shrek all by yourself. Do we still need training?"

"Their loss doesn't mean we have no problems."

Dugu Yan recalled the battle from earlier.

Although Yu Feng's flight path had been smooth, he had not truly taken part in the frontal assault.

After Shi Mo and Shi Mo were separated, gaps had also appeared in their defensive range.

She and Yu Tianheng had failed to form effective coordination as well.

Dugu Yan folded her arms.

"Looks like the captain still isn't satisfied with his team."

"You still have room to improve."

"What about me?"

"Your poisoning speed needs to be faster."

Dugu Yan looked up at him.

"The match just ended, and you're already picking faults."

"These are the results of training."

She stared at Tang Feng for a while before finally raising a hand to straighten his collar.

During the battle, the collar had been blown slightly askew by the currents of Soul Power.

Dugu Yan pressed her fingers against the fabric, smoothing out its creases for him.

"At the very least, the captain's clothes can't be messy."

Tang Feng lowered his gaze to her hand.

"It has already been straightened."

"I know."

Dugu Yan did not immediately withdraw her hand.

She smoothed out the final crease beside his badge before stepping back half a pace.

Ye Lingling walked over from the side.

She held a record book in her arms, first glancing at Tang Feng before looking at Dugu Yan.

"Yan Yan, you already straightened it once just now."

"This time, I was checking it."

"Checking what?"

"Whether the badge was loose."

Dugu Yan withdrew her hand and swept the ends of her hair behind her shoulder.

Ye Lingling did not expose her.

She walked up to Tang Feng and raised her palm.

The Nine-Hearted Begonia Martial Soul bloomed in her palm.

A gentle white light fell over Tang Feng, slowly replenishing the Soul Power he had expended.

Tang Feng glanced at her Martial Soul.

"I wasn't injured."

"Soul Power expenditure needs to be restored too."

Ye Lingling withdrew the Nine-Hearted Begonia.

"And you controlled seven people at once just now. That took a considerable toll on your spiritual power."

Tang Feng nodded.

Dugu Yan looked toward the Spirit Battle Platform.

The Shrek resting area remained silent.

Dai Mubai kept his head lowered, his hands braced against his knees.

Ma Hongjun stood beside him, never looking toward the Imperial Fighting Team again.

Xiao Wu bit her lip.

She looked at Tang Feng, yet could not find anything to refute.

Tang Feng had not relied on his teammates in that battle.

He had sealed off the entire Spirit Battle Platform by himself.

Before the Shrek Seven Devils could coordinate, their formation had already been dismantled piece by piece.

After Tang San was defeated, the others had also lost the ability to continue fighting.

Dugu Yan crossed her arms and walked toward the Shrek resting area.

Ye Lingling followed at her side.

Tang Feng did not stop them.

The two arrived before the Shrek group.

Dugu Yan looked at Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun.

"You trained for so long, and this is all you've got?"

Dai Mubai raised his head, his expression grave.

He did not answer.

Ma Hongjun lowered his gaze, avoiding Dugu Yan's eyes.

After getting beaten last time, he no longer dared to provoke Tang Feng.

This time, all seven of them had attacked together, yet they still could not force Tang Feng back even a single step.

Ye Lingling stood at Dugu Yan's side.

"At least you lasted a little longer than last time."

Xiao Wu's face reddened.

She looked at Ye Lingling.

"Just because you won, you can mock people however you want?"

"I'm only stating the result."

Ye Lingling opened her record book.

"In the previous match, Tang Feng barely used any soul skills."

"This match, he used his third soul skill."

Xiao Wu immediately fell silent.

She recalled those vines that were impossible to distinguish as real or fake.

No matter which direction she moved, vines would block her landing spot in advance.

That kind of gap could no longer be covered up by a few words of protest.

Tang San sat on the bench.

The Eight Spider Lances had already been retracted into his body, but his chest still ached faintly.

He raised his head and looked at Tang Feng.

"Your third soul skill can create illusions?"

"It can alter the vines' true positions."

"And it can work with your domain?"

"It can."

Tang San lowered his head and looked at his palm.

Ordinary Blue Silver Grass drooped from between his fingers before quickly being drawn back into his body.

For the first time, he clearly admitted that the gap between them had widened.

They were both Blue Silver Grass Spirit Masters.

Tang Feng possessed the Ruination Blue Silver Emperor, the Blue Silver Domain, and dual-attribute control.

As for him, all he could rely on now was ordinary Blue Silver Grass, along with concealed weapon techniques he had yet to fully master.

Yu Xiaogang stood nearby.

His gaze fell upon the Spirit Battle Platform.

Blue Silver Domain.

Dual-attribute Blue Silver Emperor.

Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring.

Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone.

Combined with Soul Power quality and physical foundations far beyond his level.

With all those abilities stacked together, ordinary tactics could no longer make up the difference.

Yu Xiaogang did not propose any new tactics.

Tang San did not continue asking questions either.

Tang Feng turned and left the resting area.

Zhu Zhuqing stood behind the Shrek team.

As she watched Tang Feng walk away, her fingers brushed the waterskin at her thigh.

The black waterskin swayed gently.

Tang Feng seemed to sense her gaze. His footsteps paused for an instant, but he did not turn around.

Dugu Yan returned to the Imperial Fighting Team.

She glanced at Zhu Zhuqing, then caught up to Tang Feng.

On the high platform of the Spirit Battle Arena.

Xue Qinghe had been watching Tang Feng's retreating back.

Only after that figure disappeared at the end of the passage did he withdraw his gaze.

An attendant came to his side.

"Your Highness, Shrek Academy has lost."

"I saw it."

Xue Qinghe lifted his teacup.

The tea inside was still warm.

"Tang Feng is stronger than the intelligence reports indicated."

The attendant lowered his head. "Should we continue sending resources to him?"

"Continue."

Xue Qinghe set down his teacup.

"No matter the cost, we must win him over."

"Even if he is unwilling to pledge allegiance to the Heaven Dou Empire, we cannot allow him to join another faction."

The attendant bowed in acknowledgment.

Xue Qinghe gave the Spirit Battle Platform one final look.

Several dark-blue traces remained there.

"A genius like this cannot be left to the academy alone."

That night.

The Shrek residence.

The lights in the rooms gradually went out.

Dai Mubai sat alone on a bench, the bandages on his arms having already been changed.

Ma Hongjun lay on the other side, unusually silent about the harsh training.

Xiao Wu sat by the window.

She watched the night outside and did not speak.

Tang San sat cross-legged on the bed.

The Mysterious Heaven Skill circulated slowly, and the injury in his chest gradually recovered under the nourishment of Soul Power.

Yu Xiaogang stood beside the table, holding the reorganized tactical notes.

"Rest tonight."

"Training continues tomorrow."

Xiao Wu turned around.

"We're still continuing?"

"You lost to Tang Feng not because you ran out of Soul Power."

Yu Xiaogang looked at them.

"You lost the initiative from the very beginning."

"If we cannot solve that problem, no amount of training days will have any meaning."

No one in the room argued.

Tang San opened his eyes.

"Teacher, the range of his domain is too large."

"Then find a way to restrict the domain."

Yu Xiaogang put away the notes.

"You do not yet have the ability to do that."

"So improve yourselves first."

Everyone returned to their rooms.

The Shrek residence became quiet again.

Zhao Wuji walked out of his room alone.

He came to the courtyard and raised his head toward Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Night covered the distant mountain range.

Zhao Wuji clasped his hands behind his back, his brow deeply furrowed.

Tang Feng's figure kept appearing in his mind.

Thirty-third-level Soul Power.

Yet he could suppress seven Spirit Masters of the same rank with the Ruination Blue Silver Emperor.

The Blue Silver Domain rendered every encirclement useless.

Those two Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings and the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone gave his fighting style even more variations.

Zhao Wuji looked at his palm.

Soul Saint-level Soul Power quietly circulated.

"If this continues, that brat will become their inner demon."

Dai Mubai had already lost to Tang Feng repeatedly.

Ma Hongjun lost his will to fight whenever he saw Tang Feng.

Tang San had lasted the longest today, but he had still been defeated in public.

Xiao Wu had not touched Tang Feng even once either.

If Tang Feng were allowed to keep growing, the Shrek Seven Devils would lose their momentum before fighting him in the future.

Zhao Wuji withdrew his Soul Power.

He glanced at the residence behind him.

No one followed him out.

"We must find an opportunity."

"When he's alone."

Zhao Wuji turned and walked beyond the residence.

Soul Saint-level Soul Power quietly circulated.

He decided to remove this obstacle in advance.

Night.

Heaven Dou City.

After the exchange match ended, Tang Feng did not immediately return to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

He entered the city alone and stopped before a tavern.

The wooden door stood half-open.

Warm yellow light spilled through the gap.

Quite a few Spirit Masters sat inside the tavern.

News of the exchange match had already spread, and Tang Feng was the name most often discussed around him.

"One person suppressed all seven from Shrek."

"Two Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings."

"And a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone."

"Tang Feng is only nine years old, right?"

Tang Feng entered the tavern.

Several guests at the tables near the door were still chatting, and no one recognized him after he had changed out of his combat uniform.

Tang Feng wore a simple black outfit.

His silver captain's badge had been left at the academy.

He swept his gaze across the hall. Only one empty table remained in the corner.

Tang Feng walked over and sat down.

A tavern waiter hurried over to the table.

"What would you like, sir?"

"A pot of wine."

"Strong liquor or fruit wine?"

"Strong liquor."

The waiter quickly brought over a wine pot and a cup.

Tang Feng filled the cup.

The clear liquor reflected the lamplight, its surface glimmering faintly.

He raised the cup and took a sip.

It was fiery on the tongue.

After the liquor settled in his stomach, warmth spread through his meridians.