The Eight Monsters Team Up for the First Time

Word of the special Team Battle spread quickly.

The Soto Great Soul Arena was never short of people eager for a spectacle.

A twelve-year-old Soul King was taking the stage with a group of teenagers to face a team whose average level was higher.

Just hearing about it was enough to get people excited.

In the waiting room, the Shrek Eight Monsters sat in a circle.

Flender stood by the door.

Zhao Wuji leaned against the wall, the bruises on his face not yet fully faded.

Dai Mubai laid the opponents' information on the table.

"The Ironblood Team."

"Their captain is Iron Hand, a level forty-one Power Attack Soul Ancestor. His Martial Soul is the Iron Armored Ape."

"Their vice-captain is Black Snake, a level thirty-seven Agility Attack Soul Elder. His Martial Soul is the Black-Line Snake."

"They also have two more Power Attack types, one Defense type, one Support type, and one Control type."

Xiao Wu frowned after reading it.

"They're quite a bit higher-level than us."

Ma Hongjun snorted.

"So what? We've got Yuan Yu."

Yuan Yu looked at him.

"Don't throw me out there as a shield."

Ma Hongjun grinned.

"You're sturdier."

Ning Rongrong studied the information.

"What's their support like?"

Dai Mubai said, "Level thirty-one. His Martial Soul is a War Drum. He can boost his teammates' strength for a short time."

Tang San immediately asked, "How long does it last?"

"The information says about half an incense stick."

Tang San nodded.

"Then we have to disrupt their rhythm first."

Yuan Yu glanced at Tang San.

"You make the plan."

Tang San froze.

"Me?"

"You think fast."

Yuan Yu leaned back in his chair.

"I'll handle the front. You split them up."

Dai Mubai nodded.

"Fatty and I charge the front with you?"

"Boss Dai takes the front. Fatty seals off the flank with his fire."

Ma Hongjun immediately said, "Stop calling me Fatty."

Xiao Wu raised her hand.

"What about me?"

Tang San said, "Wait for my Blue Silver Grass to give you an opening, then go after their Control Soul Master."

Zhu Zhuqing spoke up.

"I'll go for their support."

Ning Rongrong asked, "Who should I boost?"

The waiting room fell quiet for a moment.

It was the first time she had asked a question like that on her own.

Tang San looked at her.

"Start by boosting Boss Dai's and Yuan Yu's strength. On the second round, boost Zhu Zhuqing's speed. Give Xiao Wu speed when she makes her move."

Ning Rongrong nodded.

"Okay."

Oscar raised a hand.

"What about me?"

Yuan Yu said, "Stay alive."

Oscar: "..."

Yuan Yu smiled.

"Prepare your sausages at the start. If they rush the rear, you and Rongrong fall back behind my Rock Pattern."

Oscar breathed a sigh of relief.

"I can do that."

An announcement rang out.

"Next up, a special team challenge."

"The Shrek Eight Monsters versus the Ironblood Team."

Oscar took a deep breath.

"I'm a little nervous."

Ma Hongjun patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry. You've got me."

Oscar looked at him.

"That makes me more nervous."

Xiao Wu burst out laughing.

Ning Rongrong's lips curved too.

She hadn't even noticed that she no longer felt quite so tense.

The group headed toward the Dueling Platform.

The passage was long.

The cheers outside grew louder and louder.

Yuan Yu walked at the front, his Sun Wheel Blade strapped to his back.

Tang San was on his left.

Dai Mubai was on his right.

Xiao Wu walked beside Tang San.

Zhu Zhuqing's footsteps were light, her figure like a shadow.

Ma Hongjun flexed his wrists.

Ning Rongrong and Oscar brought up the rear.

The moment they emerged from the passage, bright lights fell on them.

A roar of voices surged from the stands.

"Myriad Phenomena!"

"The twelve-year-old Soul King!"

"The Shrek Eight Monsters!"

The Ironblood Team took the stage opposite them.

All seven were considerably older than the Shrek team.

Their captain, Iron Hand, was tall and powerfully built, with astonishingly thick arms.

His gaze darkened when he saw Yuan Yu.

"You're Myriad Phenomena?"

Yuan Yu nodded.

"Yes."

Iron Hand said coldly, "You brought a bunch of kids up here with you. Aren't you afraid they'll get beaten until they cry?"

"Who are you calling a kid?"

Ma Hongjun shouted too, "Fatty here isn't little!"

From behind them, Oscar muttered, "That sounds a little strange."

Ning Rongrong couldn't help glancing at him.

Tang San said nothing. He was watching the other team's formation.

Yuan Yu looked at Iron Hand.

"I am."

Iron Hand blinked.

Yuan Yu said, "That's why I'm standing in front."

Iron Hand sneered.

"We'll see how long you stay there."

The host raised a hand.

"Let the battle begin!"

The Ironblood Team's War Drum Soul Master struck his drum at once.

As the beat rang out, all seven opponents' Soul Power surged.

Iron Hand charged straight at them with two Power Attack Soul Elders.

Black Snake circled around the flank.

The Control Soul Master raised a hand, sending several Black Vines racing along the ground.

Tang San's gaze sharpened.

"Blue Silver Grass!"

Blue Silver Grass sprang up at the Shrek team's feet, intercepting the Black Vines.

Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda lit up.

"Seven Treasure Mantra, First: Strength!"

"Second: Speed!"

Light fell over Yuan Yu, Dai Mubai, and Zhu Zhuqing.

Yuan Yu stepped forward.

Rock Patterns flared.

"Stone Breathing, First Form."

"Serpent-Pattern Rock: Dual Extremes."

Two dark-gold Rock Patterns spread from beneath his blade, stopping the first charge from Iron Hand and the other two.

Boom!

The Dueling Platform shook.

Yet Shrek's rear line held firm.

Iron Hand's expression changed.

He knew Yuan Yu was strong.

But he hadn't expected Yuan Yu to stop all three of them charging head-on at once.

Yuan Yu looked up.

"Boss Dai."

Dai Mubai had already lunged forward.

White Tiger Fierce Light Wave blasted toward Iron Hand's flank.

Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fire Line swept in after it, sealing off that side.

"Fatty, on the left!"

Yuan Yu's warning came quickly.

Black Snake had already slipped around the flank and was heading straight for Ning Rongrong.

Zhu Zhuqing was faster.

A dark figure flashed, and a swipe of her claws blocked Black Snake.

Ning Rongrong's heart raced.

It was the first time anyone had targeted her on the Dueling Platform.

In training bouts at her sect, no one had truly dared charge at her.

But this was different.

Black Snake's eyes were cold.

He genuinely meant to take her out first.

Oscar handed her a sausage.

"Don't just stand there."

Ning Rongrong took it and forced herself to eat it.

She raised her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

"Zhu Zhuqing, speed!"

The light fell.

Zhu Zhuqing picked up speed, forcing Black Snake back half a step.

Xiao Wu caught the arc of the Blue Silver Grass and leaped in from the side.

"Tang San!"

Tang San pulled back the Blue Silver Grass, drawing the opposing control Soul Master one step forward.

Xiao Wu dropped down.

Waist Bow!

The control Soul Master went flying.

Cheers erupted from the stands.

Iron Hand's face darkened.

He had thought that as long as he tied up Yuan Yu, the other kids would be easy to handle.

But once the fight began, he realized he was wrong.

Their levels were low, yet every one of them knew exactly what to do.

Yuan Yu was an even bigger problem.

He wasn't just fighting.

He was watching the whole battlefield.

Whenever something went wrong, he was there to back up his teammates.

Iron Hand roared.

His fourth Spirit Ring lit up.

The Iron Armored Ape's phantom swelled, then slammed both arms into the ground.

A violent tremor spread across the Dueling Platform.

Ning Rongrong and Oscar lost their footing.

Black Snake seized the chance and charged at the rear again.

Yuan Yu's gaze turned cold.

A Wind Pattern lit up.

"Wind Breathing: First Form."

"Dust Whirlwind: Cutting Slash!"

A blue-gold blade of wind swept out, cutting Black Snake off.

Black Snake stopped short.

Zhu Zhuqing followed close behind, driving her Hell Stab into his shoulder.

Black Snake grunted and retreated to the edge of the platform.

Iron Hand gritted his teeth.

"Take out Yuan Yu first!"

The remaining Ironblood Team members turned together.

Every attack came crashing toward Yuan Yu.

Yuan Yu smiled.

"About time."

He gripped his blade with both hands.

All Five God-given Spirit Rings lit up at once.

Tang San shouted, "Spread out!"

The Shrek team scattered.

A dark-gold Rock Pattern glowed steadily beneath Yuan Yu's feet, while red-gold flames rose along his blade.

Waterlight circled its edge.

Wind spiraled away from his feet.

Lightning Flash waited in his next step.

Iron Hand and two teammates had already reached him.

Yuan Yu swung his blade.

"Water Breathing: Third Form."

"Flowing Dance!"

He did not meet them head-on. Instead, he slipped between the three.

The waterlight deflected their punches.

The Wind Pattern opened up space.

Lightning Flash made every step a blur.

For his final strike, a Flame Pattern lit up.

"Flame Breathing: First Form."

"Unquenchable Fire!"

The back of his blade swept across the three assault Soul Masters' chests, trailing a line of fire.

All three fell back.

Iron Hand dropped to one knee, his chest tight.

The Shrek team did not let up.

Dai Mubai activated White Tiger Vajra Transformation and charged straight in.

Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fire Line blocked the escape route.

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass bound the Soul Master with the war drum.

Xiao Wu kicked him off the platform.

The drumbeat stopped.

The Ironblood Team's momentum collapsed.

Iron Hand raised his head and looked at Yuan Yu.

He knew they had lost.

But he could not accept it.

"Take one more punch from me!"

Yuan Yu nodded.

"Come on."

Iron Hand charged.

There was nothing fancy about this punch. It held only the last of his strength.

Yuan Yu held his blade across his body.

"Stone Breathing: Second Form."

"Heaven-Surface Shatter!"

The back of the blade came down.

The phantom fist shattered.

Iron Hand stumbled back three steps and fell to the ground.

The announcer shouted, "Shrek Eight Monsters win!"

Cheers drowned out the Dueling Platform.