Relying on the Xuanming Turtle's defensive abilities, Xu Sanshi had intended to wear his opponent down. Instead, the longer he fought, the weaker he became, gradually falling behind until he was almost finished!
Just then, a high wall descended, and Jiang Nannan was teleported nearby. Catching sight of the situation, she shouted Li Lezi's name!
Being cuckolded right before his eyes wounded the simp deeply. Xu Sanshi's eyes reddened again, and he panted like an ox. Black water spread around him, gradually taking on the beginnings of an ultimate attribute.
This was the Martial Soul Evolution of Xuanming Sect disciples. To transform the Xuanming Turtle into the divine beast Xuanwu, they needed the stimulation of a certain ritual. That was precisely why Jiang Nannan had been traumatized by Xu Sanshi back then.
With his water briefly evolving into ultimate water, Xu Sanshi's combat strength soared. He was about to unleash his secret technique, Xuanwu's Descent, but someone objected.
Xiao Zi did indeed want his opponent to eliminate him, but that did not mean he intended to stand there and take a blow from Xuanwu head-on. In other words, Xu Sanshi was merely a shield. He did not want that simp laying so much as a finger on him.
Bang!
The Golden-Horned Giant Claw unleashed Rend Heaven and Earth. An enormous palm slammed toward Xu Sanshi, its concealed force carrying ultimate power silently into the center of his back. It pierced the defenses he was building and shattered his gathering power, interrupting Xuanwu's Descent.
Pfft!
Struck by the backlash, Xu Sanshi spat blood. Not only did the Xuanming Turtle's awakening progress bar retreat by more than half, but he also suffered severe injuries and flew backward uncontrollably.
Just as the announcement "Li Lezi has eliminated Xu Sanshi" was about to sound, Xiao Zi suddenly came down with a terrible illness and collapsed, his face as pale as gold paper, looking utterly drained. Yet the instant he lowered his head, he cast an almost imperceptible glance into the shadows.
"White Tiger Fierce Light Wave!"
A ball of white light abruptly shot toward them. Having received his instructions, Dai Huabin, who had remained hidden until now, attacked the defenseless Xu Sanshi together with Zhu Lu.
Struck by another heavy blow, Xu Sanshi lost consciousness completely. This time, he really was eliminated.
The announcement rang out: "Xu Sanshi has been eliminated by Dai Huabin!"
"What?" Huo Yuhao, Bei Bei, and the others who had teamed up were shocked. Even with the Xuanming Turtle's supreme defenses, he had failed to last until the final circle?
"Lezi, are you all right?" After defeating Xu Sanshi, Dai Huabin started forward to check on him.
Xiao Zi hurriedly shook his head, defining his own condition while dropping frantic hints: "I've exhausted my soul power. Don't worry about me. Go, hurry! You have to win!"
Dai Huabin paused. Under his master's repeated hints, he led Zhu Lu into the final circle.
Meanwhile, the Maze gradually closed in, leaving Xiao Zi outside like someone abandoned. In plain terms, he had failed to outrun the poison zone and died in it.
After his condition was assessed, the announcement sounded again: "Li Lezi has exhausted his soul power and lost the ability to fight. Forfeit assumed... eliminated!"
Xu Sanshi, who lay on the ground like a dead dog, had barely regained consciousness under a healing Soul Master's treatment when he heard this "heartening" news. Even his wounds stopped hurting, and he laughed with his limbs sprawled out.
"You tried to steal a chicken and lost your rice instead! Li Lezi, so you've finally met your match!"
Although being beaten in turn by younger, level-thirty schoolmates was a humiliating defeat, he felt immensely pleased. He did not want his opponent to have an easy time either.
"Dai Huabin?"
Hearing the announcement, Huo Yuhao, who had allied with Bei Bei, was immediately filled with shock and anger. Compared with Xu Sanshi, with whom he got along well, or even Li Lezi, with whom he was on reasonably decent terms, this Biology Bro was the last person he wanted to see triumph.
The elimination area.
The injured were receiving aid. The healing Soul Masters worked as fast as they could, pouring healing into everyone until they finally brought them out of danger.
Having fallen victim to a scheme, Xu Sanshi was the most seriously injured. Strictly speaking, his standing was more important than Huo Yuhao's: he was a reserve mainstay for this tournament and one of the official team members for the next.
Yet this practically preselected insider had not only been defeated by Li Lezi, but had also handed Dai Huabin an enormous windfall, letting him eliminate Xu Sanshi in one stroke.
Shrek's senior leadership had mixed feelings about this unexpectedly rising second son of the White Tiger Duke. His standing was even lower than Li Lezi's, yet both of the other two had been eliminated, leaving only him behind, with Zhu Lu automatically ignored.
Cai Mei'er, vice dean of the Martial Soul Department, was also present and raised an objection. "Elder Xuan, a battle royale is certainly convenient and saves trouble, allowing us to determine the winner quickly. However, it cannot effectively reflect the students' strength, and instead gives certain opportunists an opening. Surely that wasn't Shrek's original purpose in holding these selection trials?"
Xuan Zi had originally thought the same thing, but his concern for his public image left him unable to swallow the embarrassment. Moreover, repeatedly escaping punishment after allowing accidents to befall students had gradually gone to his head. He could no longer tolerate being contradicted.
After gulping down his chicken drumstick and wine, he wiped his greasy mouth. "Everyone eliminated had their own reasons. It's no big deal. Xu Sanshi and Li Lezi are both outstanding talents, yet they fought to the death over one woman, Jiang Nannan. Is that how the strong should behave?
"Dai Huabin's character may be somewhat lacking, and he has had conflicts with Huo Yuhao, but that is no reason to discard him. In any case, I find this child quite pleasing. Who agrees, and who objects?"
In the end, to salvage his dignity, the Grand Elder began spouting nonsense, firmly backing Dai Huabin's inclusion among the Shrek Seven Devils.
With him having said so, none of those present possessed Level 98 soul power, and their standing was far beneath his. No one, including Cai Mei'er, dared refute him, and they all tacitly accepted the matter.
The conversation among Shrek's senior leadership carried clearly, with no attempt to conceal it from the contestants below. It soon reached everyone, including the "exhausted" Xiao Zi.
If Shrek's senior leadership disliked the results and wanted to replace someone, he really had no way to stop them. Fortunately, Xuan Zi, the Holy Spirit Cult's Grand Elder, performed as reliably as ever and never disappointed. With Dragon God Douluo Mu En absent, his word was an imperial decree.
In the original story, Dai Huabin had been eliminated and Xu Sanshi had advanced, successfully joining Huo Yuhao and the others to form the Shrek Seven Devils and compete in the Soul Master tournament. Now, the outcome was precisely the opposite.
Xu Sanshi had lost his place among the reserve Shrek Seven Devils, never mind protecting Jiang Nannan during the tournament and frantically winning her affection. This was not merely about tripping him up. Xiao Zi also harbored some affection for Jiang Nannan and did not want a pig rooting up such a fine cabbage.
As for Dai Huabin, who was about to become one of the new generation of Shrek Seven Devils, coming face-to-face with the strongest Soul King, the Death Messenger, would be no great problem. As his master, how could Xiao Zi possibly set him up?
When they encountered the Death Messenger, Dai Huabin would not only be unable to stay out of it, but would have to become deeply involved. He would secretly protect Ling Luochеn, Jiang Nannan, and the others on good terms with Xiao Zi, while also monitoring the movements of Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and the rest, including Xuan Zi.
Highly confident in the strength of the Holy Spirit Cult's Grand Elder, Xiao Zi firmly believed that he would not botch things. Who knew? With Xiao Zi planning behind the scenes and Dai Huabin carrying it out, Xuan Zi might even exceed his mission's goals, adding bricks and mortar to the Holy Spirit Cult's cause.
Pretending to be dejected, Xiao Zi lowered his head to hide the corners of his mouth as they curled wildly upward.