The only way to seize even the slightest hope of victory is...
"We are withdrawing from the individual elimination rounds."
Yu Xiaogang's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the suddenly quiet square, carrying a sense of almost humiliating resolve.
In an instant, all eyes were focused on the Shrek Academy students.
Surprise, confusion, mockery, contempt... a mix of emotions mingled in the air.
"Give up?" The referee was taken aback.
" Shrek Academy, are you sure you want to forfeit the individual elimination rounds? This means you'll directly enter the loser's bracket finals this afternoon, competing for the other spot in the finals."
"We're sure." Yu Xiaogang said expressionlessly, his voice hoarse.
Flender beside him looked ashen, while Liu Erlong clenched his fists, his eyes filled with resentment, but ultimately did not refute him.
Tang San, Dai Mubai, and the others also lowered their heads, their fists clenched so tightly that their nails almost dug into their palms.
This humiliation of retreating without a fight burned their pride like a fire.
An uproar erupted in the stands.
"Just giving up?"
"That's so cowardly!"
"Knowing they can't win, they're simply conserving their strength for a final push this afternoon? That's clever."
"Heh, even if we win the loser's bracket this afternoon, we'll still get crushed in tomorrow's finals, right? What's the difference?"
"At least I can struggle a little longer and maybe even get second place?"
Various discussions and murmurs were heard without any attempt to conceal them.
On the Spirit Hall Academy Team's side, Xie Yue snorted coldly, withdrew his foot, and wore an undisguised disdain on his face.
Yan scoffed, "Trash is trash. He doesn't even have the courage to fight."
On the Imperial Fighting Team's side, Xiao Wu's eyes widened in disbelief. "They... just gave up like that? This..."
Ning Rongrong shook her head. "It's not giving up, it's making a choice."
"In the individual elimination rounds, they have no chance of winning. Whether facing us or the Spirit Hall Academy, their seven members will be defeated one by one, and may even be injured, losing their chance to compete for the second spot this afternoon. Giving up directly, although humiliating, preserves all their fighting strength for that afternoon's match."
"Moreover, when two tigers fight, one will inevitably be injured. Regardless of the outcome of this elimination round, both our teams will suffer losses. The losing team will face the full-strength Shrek Team this afternoon, which undoubtedly increases their chances of reaching the final."
Dugu Yan curled her lip. "So what if we make it to the finals? We'll still just get beaten up."
On the high platform, Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo Chen Xin exchanged a glance and both shook their heads slightly.
They could naturally see Shrek's helplessness, but this act of cowardice before the battle was ultimately a poor choice, especially when it came to Tang San, on whom high hopes were placed, which inevitably made people somewhat disappointed.
Ning Fengzhi sighed inwardly, realizing that Yu Xiaogang's strategy sometimes pursued the theoretically optimal solution too much, neglecting the sharpness that Soul Master should possess.
"Since Shrek Academy has chosen to forfeit the individual elimination rounds," the referee announced loudly, shattering the whispers in the room.
"Therefore, the individual elimination match this morning will be between the Imperial Fighting Team and the Spirit Hall Academy Team!"
The winner will advance directly to the championship final tomorrow, while the loser will face Shrek Academy in the loser's bracket final this afternoon for the other final spot!
"Please send your first member from both the Imperial Fighting Team and the Spirit Hall Academy Team!"
Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to the upcoming showdown between the two powerhouses.
Shrek Academy silently retreated to the edge of the plaza, as if in a forgotten corner, enduring the gazes, both overt and covert, as they awaited the afternoon's battle that would determine whether they could struggle their way into the finals.
Their good fortune, it seems, can only continue in this frustrating way at this moment.
The Spirit Hall Academy Team has also forfeited the individual elimination rounds.
A cool yet uniquely alluring voice rang out; it didn't come from the team leader, but from Hu Liena of the Spirit Hall Team.
As soon as she said this, the entire square in the Pope's Palace fell into a deathly silence.
If Shrek Academy's withdrawal was surprising and contemptible, then the Spirit Hall Academy Team's withdrawal was completely beyond everyone's comprehension!
Countless gazes instantly focused on Hu Liena, filled with disbelief.
Even the members of the Spirit Hall Academy Team, such as Xie Yue and Yan, were instantly filled with astonishment and confusion. They looked up at Hu Liena and then subconsciously glanced at the Pope on the high platform.
Bibi Dong remained seated, her face shrouded in golden light, obscuring her expression. She neither spoke to stop her nor made any other statement, as if tacitly approving of Hu Liena's declaration.
The referee stood on the platform, speechless for a long time.
The final of this competition was absolutely bizarre.
Finally, he could only swallow hard and announce loudly, his voice slightly unsteady. "Given that... both Shrek Academy and Spirit Hall Academy Team have forfeited their individual elimination matches... according to the rules, the Imperial Fighting Team wins directly and advances to tomorrow's championship final!"
"This afternoon, the Shrek Academy Team and the Spirit Hall Academy Team will compete in the loser's bracket final. The winner will secure the other spot in the final!"
As the referee's announcement faded, the eerie silence in the square was broken by a cacophony of suppressed chatter.
All eyes darted back and forth between the Emperor Dou who advanced directly, the Spirit Hall who voluntarily withdrew, and Shrek who were forced to "abandon" them, their gazes filled with complex emotions.
Yu Xiaogang stood frozen in place, the muscles on his face twitching slightly.
His composure, which he had barely maintained by finding the "optimal solution," shattered completely at this moment, leaving only incredulous astonishment and a hint of embarrassment at being seen through and manipulated.
He had planned everything perfectly.
In the individual elimination rounds, the two powerhouses, Emperor Dou and Spirit Hall, will clash. Regardless of who wins or loses, it will inevitably be a fierce battle of attrition.
The winner will advance to the finals, but will inevitably be severely weakened, and there may even be player losses.
The losers, exhausted and injured, will face the fully-rested and healthy Shrek in the afternoon.
This was the only glimmer of hope he could bring Shrek Academy into the finals—a case of the snipe and the clam fighting, while the fisherman benefits.
He had even planned out his strategy for the afternoon match against the exhausted Spirit Hall Team, including how to utilize Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer and Oscar's Recovery Sausage to fight for a spot in the finals.
But... even the Spirit Hall gave up?!
How dare they? How could they?!
They are the biggest favorites to win the championship, the face of the Spirit Hall!
Don't they have any shame? Aren't they afraid of being ridiculed by the world?
" Nana, why?"
After stepping down from the plaza, Xie Yue couldn't help but ask.
They hadn't seen Xuan Ming since he left Spirit City. Although they had heard news of him often over the years, they had always wanted to experience Xuan Ming's strength for themselves.
This knockout stage presents the perfect opportunity!
Even if they weren't a match, how could they simply give up on them, given their status as the face of the Spirit Hall?
"This is what the teacher wants," Hu Liena said softly.
" Your His Holiness the Pope?" Xie Yue was taken aback.
"Why?"
"I can handle the afternoon's competition by myself," Hu Liena said.
"You all get some rest and prepare for tomorrow's match."
In the afternoon, the sun was still blazing, but it seemed unable to dispel the somber atmosphere in the square in the Pope's Palace.
After the two bizarre forfeit games that morning, everyone's curiosity was piqued to its peak.
The Shrek Academy students were already standing on one side of the arena, each with an unusually solemn expression.
Yu Xiaogang frowned, repeatedly giving instructions on tactics, but the unease deep in his eyes was hard to hide.
The Spirit Hall's decision to withdraw disrupted all his plans.
Now, it all depends on whether this final Seven-in-One Fusion Skill can give us the upper hand.
Tang San stood at the front of the group, his gaze calm, but his clenched fists revealed the turmoil within him.
He knew that the battle that afternoon would be many times more difficult than he had anticipated.
Just then, from the direction of the Spirit Hall Academy Team, only one figure slowly walked out.
It was Hu Liena.
She was still wearing that white team uniform, which accentuated her slender figure. Her beautiful face carried a hint of languor and indifference, as if the upcoming match was not a crucial one that would determine a spot in the finals, but rather a trivial game.
Alone, she walked onto the wide arena and stood opposite the Shrek Team.
"What? She's all alone?"
"This is a complete disregard for Shrek Academy!"
The stands erupted in chaos, filled with exclamations and skepticism.
Even the Imperial Fighting Team showed expressions of astonishment.
"She's all alone?" Dugu Yan looked at Xuan Ming in disbelief.
Even if the other members of the Shrek Team are only average in strength, Tang San, Dai Mubai, Yu Tianheng, these three main players, are anything but ordinary!
At least she didn't have the ability to face an attack from several people all by herself.
Xuan Ming's eyes flickered slightly. "More than enough."
The referee was also taken aback for a moment, then confirmed, " The Spirit Hall Academy Team... you're only sending one person to fight?"
Hu Liena nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over the Shrek Team opposite her, who looked as if facing a formidable enemy. Her red lips parted slightly, her voice carrying a hint of alluring magnetism. "To deal with you, I alone am enough."
"Arrogant!" Dai Mubai roared, his evil eyes burning with fury.
To be so disrespected by a woman is the greatest insult they could ever receive!
Tang San's heart sank suddenly, and an extremely dangerous feeling instantly enveloped him.
He instinctively shouted sharply, "Everyone be careful! Stay calm!"
However, it was too late.
Hu Liena gave them no time to react or devise tactics.
On her body, five perfectly matched Soul Ring —two yellow, two purple, and one black—instantly rose up, especially the jet-black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, which emitted a heart-palpitating aura.
But all of this pales in comparison to the illusory figure that quietly appeared behind her.
That was no longer her previous form as Demon Fox Martial Soul, but a giant fox that was more noble, more mysterious, and more alluring to all beings!
Its entire body seemed to be shrouded in a hazy halo, with nine enormous fox tail phantoms swaying gently behind it. Every single hair seemed to shimmer with a dreamlike luster, and its pair of fox eyes were as deep as the starry sky, as if they could devour a person's soul.
It is the evolved, top-tier Martial Soul — the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox!
Chapter 286 On the Verge of Eruption
"Fifth Soul Skill." Hu Liena's voice became ethereal and otherworldly, as if it were echoing from all directions simultaneously, " Dazzling Illusory Realm."
Her Fifth Soul Ring, that jet-black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, suddenly shone brightly!
There was no earth-shattering energy burst, nor any dazzling light and shadow effects.
Only an invisible and intangible yet immensely powerful mental fluctuation, like mercury spilling onto the ground or a monstrous wave, instantly swept across the entire arena and completely engulfed the seven Shrek students!
"Well!"
Standing at the very front, Dai Mubai was the first to be hit. He felt the scene before him suddenly change. He was no longer in the square in the Pope's Palace, but back in the Star Luo Empire. He saw Dai Weisi's mocking face and the cold eyes of the family elders... He roared and wanted to pounce on them, but found that he could not move and his consciousness was rapidly sinking.
The anger on Ma Hongjun's face froze. He felt as if he had fallen into an endless fiery hell, and at the same time, he seemed to see countless beautiful women beckoning to him. The illusion of extreme heat and ecstasy intertwined, causing him to lose himself in an instant.
Oscar imagined himself creating countless exquisite sausages, becoming the world's number one Food System Soul Master, with Rongrong gazing at him with admiration... He was immersed in this beautiful fantasy, grinning foolishly as he lost consciousness.
The other Shrek members were the same; they saw what they most desired or most feared, and their minds were instantly thrown off balance.
Even Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and others at the edge of the arena were affected by the faint mental fluctuations emanating from them, and experienced a moment of disorientation!
Only Tang San!
The moment Hu Liena unleashed her Soul Skill, the purple-gold light in his eyes surged to its peak!
" Purple Demon Eye!" he roared inwardly, his Divine Power surging wildly as he tried to resist the all-pervasive allure and illusionary power.
His vision shook and distorted violently, and countless illusions tried to invade his mind, but thanks to the power of the Purple Demon Eye to preserve his true self and the strong Divine Power gained from two lifetimes, he managed to withstand the first wave of impact!