The atmosphere in the stands changed abruptly the moment the referee announced that the game would be switched to team play.
The audience from the Star Luo Empire cheered even louder—team battles were the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's forte; they had the Hell White Tiger and the advantage of level suppression.
The audience in the Heaven Dou Division also tensed up. Star Luo Royal Academy was one of the highest-level teams in this qualifying tournament, and this match would be anything but easy for Shrek.
The seven members of Shrek stepped onto the arena. Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing stood side by side at the front, with Tang San behind them, the Blue Silver Grass spreading silently.
Ma Hongjun and Xiao Wu took their places in turn, while Oscar and Ning Rongrong stood at the very back. Ning Rongrong's palms still retained the warmth of the Soul-Fortifying Pill, and the light of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda flowed within her body.
On the opposite side, Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun stood at the very front, while Xu Chen stood at the back with his arms crossed, about half an arm's length away from the others.
Dai Weisi tilted his head slightly, Xu Chen remained expressionless, raising his hand to form a seal in front of his chest. A crown formed from starlight appeared above his head, its silver light cascading down and enveloping every member of the Star Luo Royal Academy.
Dai Weisi's aura rose steadily, the White Tiger's phantom behind him became more solid, and a layer of silver halo appeared in his purple eyes.
"What kind of Martial Soul is that?" Ma Hongjun's eyes widened.
No one from Shrek Academy could answer. Yu Xiaogang frowned on the sidelines, flipping through two pages of his tactical notebook, his expression growing increasingly grim.
"That's Star Crown." Ning Rongrong's voice came from the back row, steady and calming, allowing people to listen to her slowly explain.
" Star Crown is the inherited Martial Soul of the Star Crown Sect in the Star Luo Empire. It amplifies all attributes and can also purify negative statuses."
Among the auxiliary Martial Soul on the mainland, it is second only to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and the Nine Heart Begonia. I never expected the Star Crown Sect to appear here.
Dai Weisi's lips curled into a cold smile, "The little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is quite knowledgeable. You should also know which is better for team battles, the Star Crown or the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."
Before he finished speaking, the phantom images of the White Tiger and the Hell Spirit Cat rose up simultaneously behind him and Zhu Zhuyun.
Two forces of the Netherworld merged under the amplification of the Star Crown, and a gigantic Hell White Tiger, far larger than an ordinary White Tiger, took shape on the arena. Silver-purple flames burned in its pupils, and every step it took left charred footprints on the bluestone slabs.
Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing followed closely behind, simultaneously releasing their Martial Soul. Another Hell White Tiger rose up at the other end of the arena, smaller in size but more solid.
Ning Rongrong formed a mudra with her hands in front of her chest, and the light in her palms changed from seven colors to nine colors.
The moment the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda appeared before her, the light of the Star Crown visibly paused for a moment— Xu Chen's pupils contracted slightly, and he stared at the nine-colored light for several seconds before his lips twitched, as if he were talking to himself.
" The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda... I see."
Dai Weisi saw it too, frowned slightly, and then sneered, " The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has been hiding its strength well. But even if it evolves into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, it won't change Star Crown's advantage in team battles."
Ning Rongrong did not respond. Four beams of amplifying light simultaneously fell on Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, Tang San, and Xiao Wu. The effect of the Soul-Fortifying Pill manifested at this moment—the flow of Soul Power was completely unimpeded.
"We're on." Dai Mubai said in a low voice.
Two pairs of Hell White Tiger clashed in the center of the arena. The Hell White Tiger controlled by Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing were forced back two steps, but they held on tenaciously.
Under the blessing of the Star Crown, the Hell White Tiger controlled by Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun became increasingly ferocious, each claw leaving a silver-purple afterimage.
Teammates from both sides attacked simultaneously. Three members of the Star Luo Royal Academy bypassed the collision zone of the Hell White Tiger and went straight for Shrek's back row—their first target was Ning Rongrong.
Tang San's Blue Silver Grass instantly spread out, blocking two people, while the third person was intercepted by Xiao Wu's Teleportation. Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fire Line forced back a Star Luo Empire team member who was trying to flank. Oscar's Sausage kept flying out, landing precisely in the hands of each of his teammates.
Taking advantage of the moment when Tang San's Blue Silver Grass was distracted, the fourth member of the Star Luo Empire team broke through the defenses and headed straight for Ning Rongrong. Ning Rongrong did not retreat; the light of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda gathered in her palm—
Then a figure blocked her way.
It's the Oscar.
He had no Soul Fighting skills; he simply spread his arms and used his body to shield Ning Rongrong. But Ning Rongrong saw it— Oscar's right hand was tightly gripping a Flying Mushroom Sausage, his knuckles white.
Oscar didn't leave himself a way out, but he paved the way for Ning Rongrong. If things got too bad, he would immediately stuff this Mushroom Sausage into Ning Rongrong's hand and send her flying into the sky.
As the Star Luo Empire team member threw a punch, Oscar gritted his teeth and closed his eyes.
But the fist didn't land on him. Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer was positioned in front of Oscar, its shaft firmly blocking the punch.
Tang San had given up the restraint at some point. The Blue Silver Grass exploded beneath his feet, and he used the force to fly backward.
"Go back."
Oscar opened his eyes, his legs went weak and he almost collapsed to the ground. He took two steps back, retreating to Ning Rongrong's side, still clutching the Flying Mushroom Sausage in his hand.
Ning Rongrong looked at his slightly trembling back, then at the Flying Mushroom Sausage in his hand, her lips moved, but she didn't say anything.
However, the light emanating from her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was even brighter than before.
The duel between the Hell White Tiger began to tilt in the ninth round. The Hell White Tiger controlled by Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing gradually weakened, their illusory forms flickering unpredictably.
Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun's Hell White Tiger shattered a large slab of stone with a single palm strike, defeating the two opponents. Their Martial Soul Fusion Skill was forced to dissipate, and Dai Mubai knelt on one knee. Zhu Zhuqing, who was standing in front of him, was knocked back several steps.
Seeing Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing defeated, Tang San knew he had to change the situation, so he put away the Blue Silver Grass and the Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his hand.
He crossed the battlefield of the Hell White Tiger and slammed his first hammer down towards the Hell White Tiger controlled by Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun.
The Hell White Tiger concentrated its defenses on its head, and the Clear Sky Hammer struck the phantom, causing it to vibrate violently— Xu Chen's Star Crown provided a crucial boost at the critical moment, and the phantom stabilized again.
"You think the Clear Sky Hammer can break through the Star Crown -enhanced defense? Come at me if you dare!"
Tang San did not answer. The second hammer struck the same spot, and a crack appeared in the afterimage. Sweat beaded on Xu Chen's forehead, and the Star Crown's light flickered erratically. When the third hammer fell, the Star Crown's light finally dimmed for a moment.
In that instant, the phantom of the Hell White Tiger exploded, and Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun were separated because their Martial Soul Fusion Skill was dispelled.
Tang San gave Dai Weisi no chance to react, and the fourth hammer slammed down. Dai Weisi staggered back several steps, and the White Tiger behind him completely collapsed.
The referee's whistle blew, " Shrek Academy wins!"
The Star Luo Empire audience was deathly silent, while the Heaven Dou Division erupted in deafening cheers.
With Zhu Zhuqing's help, Dai Mubai stood up, glanced calmly at Dai Weisi lying on the ground, and then turned to lead the team towards the rest area.
Xu Chen put away the Star Crown. A substitute player next to him said sarcastically, "They're not even familiar with each other before they're on the court. No wonder they can't win."
Xu Chen sneered and turned to leave. He was sent by the sect to help, not to be humiliated.
The coach caught up to say something, but Xu Chen, without turning his head, retorted, "I came to help, not to take the blame."
"Don't come to our Star Crown Sect for this kind of nonsense again." The light of the Star Crown flashed one last time above Xu Chen's head, and then he disappeared into the darkness of the passage.
After Xu Chen left, the coach, with a long face, quickly flipped through the schedule and saw that the next opponents were Blazing Fire Academy and Skywater Academy —the two most sought-after Heaven Dou in this qualifying tournament.
With Xu Chen, a top-tier support player, just gone, the replacement might not be up to the task. The Empire has already sent someone to inquire about the match results, their tone unfriendly. The coach remained silent for a long time before summoning his attendant.
"Go and prepare the secret medicine."
The empire's reputation is sometimes more important than the health of its members. But that's no longer Xu Chen's concern.
In the Shrek rest area, Ning Rongrong sat on a bench, watching Oscar stuff the remaining Sausage back into his belt one by one in the corner, his hands trembling slightly.
Ma Hongjun slapped him on the shoulder, Oscar almost dropped his Sausage, and everyone laughed.
Dai Mubai leaned against the wall, a smile finally appearing on his lips. Zhu Zhuqing stood beside him, as silent as ever, but her fingers gently hooked around his sleeve.
In the corner, Ning Rongrong held the empty porcelain bottle that had once contained the Soul-Fortifying Pill, her thumb gently stroking the bottle. She glanced at the Blazing Fire Academy Rest Area across the way, where Huo Wu leaned against the railing, a faint smile on her lips.
The Blazing Fire Academy figure offered no mockery, simply watching quietly—a true rival's acknowledgment of another.
Ning Rongrong suddenly thought that if one day she left Shrek, she hoped that she could be like Huo Wu, standing in a team that truly belonged to her.
Ning Rongrong withdrew her gaze, leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. The effects of the Soul-Fortifying Pill were still circulating within her body, warm and comforting, as if something was slowly melting away.
Oscar glanced at her furtively from the side, then quickly turned his head away. Ma Hongjun was about to speak when Xiao Wu glared at him, and he swallowed his words. No one spoke in the lounge, but everyone wore a smile.