Three days flew by in the blink of an eye, and the final of the Continental Elite Soul Master Academy Tournament at last resumed amid fervent anticipation.
The Soul Master Arena Plaza in Heaven Dou City looked grander and more solemn than ever. The Arena Defensive Formation had been comprehensively reinforced, and the Heaven Dou Empire had deployed tens of thousands of royal soul masters to maintain constant vigilance, preventing Spirit Hall from causing trouble again. On the elevated dais, the emperors of the Two Great Empires sat side by side. The leaders of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and other powers were all present, and every gaze focused on the center of the arena.
After the battle in the Star Dou Forest, Lin Chen's name had already resounded throughout the soul master world. Emperor Grass Inheritor, Soul Beast Co-Ruler, a peerless genius who had forced a Titled Douluo to retreat—each title alone was enough to inspire awe. Today's final was no longer merely a contest for the championship. It was Lin Chen's ultimate battle to prove himself to the entire soul master world.
In the Heaven Dou Royal Team's preparation area, Lin Chen stood tall in his golden uniform, his aura steady and restrained. His cultivation as a rank-forty Soul Ancestor had fully stabilized, and his fourth soul ring gleamed faintly. After several days of recuperation, his control over the Emperor Grass Soul Skill had grown increasingly refined. His iceheart domain had also incorporated the imperial might of life, making it even more powerful than before.
Su Qingyuan, Yue Huaxi, and the others were ready to fight. Tempered by numerous tournament matches and guided by Lin Chen, they had all made breakthroughs in their cultivation. Their coordination had grown more seamless, and their eyes brimmed with resolve.
"Today is the final. Hold nothing back. Give it everything, claim the championship, and bring this tournament to an end," Lin Chen said in a low voice, his calm tone carrying unquestionable authority.
Yue Huaxi nodded gently, faint light flowing through the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in her palm. "I'll maintain maximum amplification throughout and give everyone a solid foundation." Su Qingyuan also clenched her delicate fists, ready for battle.
Meanwhile, a heavy atmosphere hung over the Shrek Team's preparation area.
Tang San stood motionless, his Purple Demon Eye active as he stared fixedly at Lin Chen across the arena, a jumble of emotions churning within him. He had wanted to defeat Lin Chen through his own strength in the final and prove himself. Yet Lin Chen's feat of driving back a Titled Douluo in the Star Dou Forest had left him with a sense of helplessness he could scarcely overcome. Still, the pride in his bones would never let him concede defeat just like that.
Yu Xiaogang looked grave as he repeatedly cautioned the team. "Lin Chen is now a Soul Ancestor, and he controls the power of emperor grass. Remember, you must not clash with him head-on. Focus on containing him, use your teamwork to your advantage, and look for an opening."
Flender, Zhao Wuji, and the others wore serious expressions. They all understood that Lin Chen was no longer the Soul Elder he had once been. Even if the Shrek Seven Devils fought with everything they had, their chances of victory were vanishingly slim.
"Both teams, enter the arena!"
The referee's loud announcement rang across the plaza, instantly igniting the atmosphere. Cheers and shouts rose in a deafening roar.
Lin Chen stepped forward first, leading the Heaven Dou Royal Team into the arena. Their golden uniforms shone brilliantly beneath the sun. His strides were measured, and his calm gaze swept across the opposing side before meeting Tang San's from afar. An invisible scent of gunpowder instantly filled the air.
Tang San entered with the Shrek Seven Devils at the same time. The seven took their positions in perfect coordination, their soul power fluctuations interweaving into a unified fighting force. Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and the others burned with fighting spirit. Even facing Lin Chen at the blazing height of his fame, they showed no sign of retreat.
The two teams faced each other across the center of the arena. The entire plaza fell silent, hundreds of thousands of spectators holding their breath as they waited for the ultimate clash to begin.
On the dais, Ning Fengzhi watched Lin Chen in the arena and smiled at Sword Douluo beside him. "After today, no one among the younger generation of the soul master world will be able to rival Lin Chen." Sword Douluo nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the arena, unwilling to miss a single detail.
In Spirit Hall's special envoy seating, several senior members wore sinister expressions, staring coldly at Lin Chen. They secretly stirred their soul power, waiting for an opportunity to act. Bibi Dong had issued an absolute order: no matter what, Lin Chen had to be eliminated today.
"Begin!"
At the referee's command, the ultimate final officially erupted!
"Oscar, Flying Sausages and Excitement Sausages!" Dai Mubai roared immediately. Oscar's hands flew, producing several sausages in an instant. All seven Shrek Seven Devils ate them, and their soul power and speed surged across the board.
"Third soul skill, White Tiger Meteor Shower!"
Dai Mubai struck first. His White Tiger Martial Soul possessed him, a savage aura spreading as his soul rings revolved. A sky full of white light rained down with violent force, bearing straight toward the Heaven Dou Royal Team.
Ma Hongjun followed close behind. His Phoenix Martial Soul spread its wings, flames sweeping across the arena as Phoenix Meteor Shower poured down, joining Dai Mubai's attack in a two-pronged assault.
Zhu Zhuqing became a black shadow, unleashing Hell Stab at full power as she charged straight at Yue Huaxi, seeking to destroy the Heaven Dou Royal Team's support core first. Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda blazed with light as she amplified every member of Shrek with all her strength, pitting her support power against Yue Huaxi's from afar.
Tang San stood at the rear of the team, forming seals with both hands. His Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul instantly possessed him, four soul rings—two yellow, one purple, and one black—arranged in perfect order. He had already broken through to become a rank-forty Soul Ancestor! His fourth soul skill, Blue Silver Tyrant Shield, unfurled instantly. At the same time, he sent blue silver grass flooding across the arena, seeking to seize control of the battlefield first and seal off Lin Chen's movements.
For a moment, all seven Shrek Seven Devils unleashed their power, their soul skills erupting together. Offense and defense became one, their assault ferocious and swift, displaying the full mettle of these dark horses.
"Yue Huaxi, amplify the whole team! Qingyuan, contain Zhu Zhuqing! Everyone else, block them head-on!"
Lin Chen remained unruffled in the face of danger, issuing his orders at once.
"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile, all-attribute amplification, defense amplification, resistance amplification!"
The light of Yue Huaxi's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda surged. Four layers of amplification halos enveloped the entire team, sending the Heaven Dou Royal Team's strength soaring. Golden soul power shields condensed around them, firmly withstanding the Shrek Seven Devils' first wave of attacks.
Su Qingyuan darted forward, nimble as a swallow. Unleashing her Soft Bone Soul Skill, she engaged Zhu Zhuqing, overcoming hardness with softness and locking down her opponent's agility-based assault, refusing to let her get anywhere near Yue Huaxi.
Facing Tang San's overwhelming blue silver grass and the two-pronged assault of soul skills, Lin Chen's gaze remained calm. Soul power slowly blossomed around him, and four soul rings—two yellow, one purple, and one black—rose into the air. He revealed the full extent of his rank-forty Soul Ancestor cultivation without holding anything back!
"Tang San, today, we settle our contest once and for all."
Lin Chen spoke softly. Within his dantian, his life blue silver grass martial soul erupted, and his Life Iceheart Domain spread at full power!
Rainbow, emerald, and icy-white light interwove, instantly covering the entire arena. The utmost iceheart chill merged with vast life force, forming an unparalleled suppressive power that swept across the battlefield!
The moment Tang San's blue silver grass touched the domain's power, it froze layer by layer. Its leaves yellowed, its vitality vanished, and its assault came to an abrupt halt. The Shrek Seven Devils also felt a bone-piercing chill envelop them. The circulation of soul power within their bodies became sluggish, their movements slowed, and the strength of their attacks plummeted.
Though both were blue silver grass, Lin Chen's life blue silver emperor grass exerted absolute bloodline suppression over Tang San's ordinary blue silver grass!
"So this is the power of the emperor grass domain..." Tang San's expression changed sharply, towering waves crashing through his heart. He could clearly feel his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul trembling, utterly unable to resist.
"Your blue silver grass has no chance against me."
Lin Chen flashed forward, taking the offensive as his fourth soul skill, Emperor Grass Ice Seal, erupted!
Countless rainbow ice vines burst from the ground like flood dragons surging out of the sea. They avoided the frontal assault and shot straight toward Tang San, winding in to bind him with such extreme speed that they were impossible to guard against.
Tang San's gaze sharpened. Not daring to hold anything back, he abruptly raised his left hand, and his Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul appeared in an instant. His black fourth soul ring lit up as he unleashed his fourth soul skill, Titan's Hammer, at full power. A heavy hammer wind swept outward as he smashed fiercely toward the emperor grass ice vines.
The Clear Sky Hammer, the world's foremost assault-type tool martial soul, possessed boundless power!
But Lin Chen had already prepared for it. With a slight shift of his thoughts, the emperor grass ice vines nimbly dodged. At the same time, his domain's power surged once more, its iceheart chill driving straight at Tang San and freezing his footwork.
"What does it matter if you have the Clear Sky Hammer? Today, I'll use emperor grass to break both your martial souls!"
Lin Chen barked fiercely, his soul power surging. He brought his hands together, merging life force with iceheart power as he gathered his strongest strike.
In the arena, the clash of two titans reached a fever pitch!
On the dais, killing intent lay bare in the eyes of Spirit Hall's special envoys as they quietly prepared to strike. An assassination targeting Lin Chen was about to erupt in the arena!
But Lin Chen was wholly absorbed in the duel, unaware that a deadly crisis was silently drawing near...
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