Humiliation of the Reserve Team, the Terrifying Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion

In the hotel conference room.

"Chi Hong! Zhengtian Academy has three Soul Kings and four Soul Ancestors! We drew a seven-person team battle, and you still want to go in alone? It's too risky!"

Wang Yan pressed both hands against the table and shouted anxiously.

Chi Hong folded his arms, his expression calm.

"Teacher Wang Yan, I told you, anyone else on the field would only get in my way. As for Zhengtian Academy, they're just a stepping stone on the road to the championship."

A team battle against three Soul Kings and four Soul Ancestors was perfect for drawing out Greninja's potential. He couldn't let anyone else spoil it.

Wang Yan hesitated.

"This... Taking on seven people alone is still too much. Why not let a few others support you? They can hold back at first."

His teaching career had been nothing but trouble. First, the starting team had been injured and couldn't compete. Now his Reserve Team was at odds and refused to work together.

Dai Huabin finally lost patience. No one wanted to fight more than he did.

He turned to Chi Hong.

"You selfish bastard! You want all the glory and cheers for yourself, and you don't care about the academy's honor. Are you even fit to be a Shrek student?"

"Huabin, don't talk like that."

The injured Dai Yueheng frowned.

Though he stopped his brother aloud, he still wanted him to compete. That way, Huabin could take his place and win some honor for the White Tiger Duke's household.

Beibei stepped forward to smooth things over.

"We're comrades fighting side by side. Let's not quarrel."

He smiled at Chi Hong.

"Chi Hong, maybe you should trust us for once. Trust your teammates, and we'll go farther together."

Chi Hong glanced around. The others said nothing, but their expressions made it clear they wanted to fight.

After all, Shrek's honor was all they could think about.

"Phew—"

Chi Hong breathed out softly, ignored them all, and walked toward the door.

With every step he took, the temperature in the conference room plunged.

"Wait, Chi Hong, at least hear what we—"

Wang Yan reached out, only to shudder violently from the cold. His throat turned unbearably dry, and breathing became rapid and difficult.

"Wh-what's... happening?"

Wang Yan's teeth chattered.

He looked around and found everyone else in the same state.

Wang Dong hugged his arms against the cold.

"That's strange. Why did it suddenly get so cold?"

A few seconds later, the temperature dropped further.

Ice crystals formed on the walls, and tiny flakes of frost drifted through the air.

Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luocheng both recognized where that familiar aura came from. But the cold had grown so powerful that neither of them even wanted to release her Martial Soul.

"It's you!"

Beibei realized what was happening and pointed a trembling finger at Chi Hong.

Everyone looked over. With each step Chi Hong took, a sheet of ice spread beneath his feet, rapidly covering the conference room.

"Ultimate Ice. You have Ultimate Ice too?"

Dai Yueheng's eyes widened, but his body had gone stiff. Even with his cultivation, he could barely circulate his Soul Power.

The rest of the Reserve Team fared even worse.

Zhu Lu dropped to her knees from the cold and instinctively reached for her fiancé beside her.

Dai Huabin struggled to stay upright. The cold seemed to target him deliberately, and his legs shook uncontrollably.

When Zhu Lu steadied him, he finally gave out. His knees buckled, and he fell beside her.

Dai Huabin's eyes reddened as he roared.

"Who told you to touch me, bitch?"

Kneeling again brought back painful memories, and he lost control of his emotions.

Xu Sanshi and Beibei released their Martial Souls and gritted their teeth as they resisted. The Black Tortoise and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon struggled desperately.

But this cold held not only the ultimate power of ice. It also carried the savage might of a beast.

Chi Hong stepped through the doorway and looked back. Nothing but indifference remained in his jade-green eyes.

"If you want to fight, follow me."

It was only a faint glance.

Yet everyone's heart seemed to seize up, stopping for an instant before pounding wildly.

In that moment, they all saw that terrifying jade-green figure.

The undisputed ruler at the top of the food chain looked down silently on them like a swarm of ants.

"The Ice... Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion."

Frost coated Wang Yan's glasses, but he still recognized it.

"Wh-what was that?"

Beibei braced himself against the table to keep from falling, lingering dread filling his heart.

"The Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, second among the Three Heavenly Kings of the Far North. A four-hundred-thousand-year-old Ferocious Beast ranked eighth! I never imagined Chi Hong had Twin Martial Souls!"

Wang Yan felt both joy and worry.

He was glad Chi Hong was even stronger than he had thought. But would this utterly crush the Reserve Team's confidence?

After all, what Chi Hong had done was humiliating.

"Damn it."

Dai Huabin slammed his fist into the floor. Tears of humiliation welled in his eyes, but they froze the moment they appeared, sticking to his eyes and making him feel even worse.

He wasn't alone. Every member of the Reserve Team had been shaken. They had thought they could help Chi Hong.

Instead, they couldn't even walk onto the Soul Arena.

For these once-favored prodigies who had already tasted defeat, it was another crushing blow.

In the Soul Arena.

Chi Hong stood at the front with his hands behind his back.

Greninja and Lucario stood on either side of him.

Ye Wuqing, captain of Zhengtian Academy's team, frowned.

"Chi Hong, even against a team with three Soul Kings, Shrek sends only you? That's arrogance beyond belief!"

Chi Hong smiled faintly.

"Enough talk. All of you, come at me together."

Ye Wuqing's expression turned cold.

"Hmph. Today, Shrek will fall to Zhengtian Academy. Everyone, release your Martial Souls!"

The entire Zhengtai Team released their Martial Souls. The auras of three Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings spread across the arena, fierce and overwhelming.

"Wow, another one-against-seven fight. Is this guy really that bold? Even you couldn't do that, could you, Brother?"

Curiosity flashed in Meng Hongchen's eyes.

"Hah. He's just relying on his Martial Soul advantage. I'll prove I'm the greatest genius on the entire continent!"

Xiao Hongchen's mouth twitched, but he refused to back down.

Chi Hong swept out a hand and called.

"Lucario, stack Swords Dance. Greninja, use Double Team and keep them busy."

"Greninja!"

Greninja answered as he sprinted forward. His hands flashed through signs, and several illusory copies appeared beside him, all charging together.

"Child's play."

Shangguan Can sneered. As a spiritual-type support Soul Master, he could clear away illusions like these with a single sweep.

But when his broad Spiritual Shock passed through all seven figures, his Inner Focus gave him no response at all.

"Shangguan, have you found the real one?"

Ye Wuqing called out, scanning the field, ready to lock on to the target.

"No! It's immune to my Inner Focus! I can't find the real one!"

Shangguan Can cried out.

By then, Greninja had surrounded all seven of them by himself.

"The usual opener. Smokescreen."