"Damn it! Shrek Academy is really making history here!"
"No rule says they can't, so I guess they can!"
Team battles allowed a maximum of seven participants per side, and traditionally, everyone fielded seven.
But today, Shrek Academy had only sent three. This wasn't just unusual—it was blatant disrespect toward Canghui Academy.
And it was received as such.
The previously confident and smiling members of Canghui Academy now stood fuming, their faces dark with rage.
Thus far, they had only lost two matches, both of which were intentional, designed to conceal their full strength.
And now this—being so openly looked down upon.
Teeth clenched and fists tightened, their eyes burned with murderous intent.
"Don't overthink this," Dai Mubai said loudly, his tone calm as he waved his hand.
"As Shrek's captain, it's my job to allocate our resources wisely. Tang San alone is more than enough to crush you. Fatty and I are just here to make up the numbers."
"???"
His earnest delivery made it sound like he was telling the truth.
"Tang San, is it? Fine!" the Canghui team captain growled, his voice icy and his expression dark.
Tang San's face twitched, and his eyelid fluttered involuntarily. Still, he said nothing.
With his strength, taking on Canghui Academy's seven members wouldn't be difficult.
"You'll pay for your arrogance!"
Had Shrek fielded their two Soul Kings alongside their full lineup, Canghui's odds would have been slim—around 60% at best. After all, Soul Kings possessed mental power that far exceeded Soul Elders, making victory uncertain.
But now, with only one Soul King on the field and a total of three participants, Canghui's confidence soared. Their chances of winning were practically guaranteed.
VIP Section
"This Shrek Academy is certainly interesting. What do you think, Sect Master Ning? Can they win again?"
Heaven Dou Emperor Xue Ye spoke nonchalantly, his gaze flickering as if deep in thought.
As Emperor, Xue Ye was no simple figure. His combat ability might not have been impressive, but his mind was exceptionally sharp.
Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly and, after a moment of contemplation, replied,
"Your Majesty, Tang San is the son of my old acquaintance Tang Hao. His second martial soul, the Clear Sky Hammer, has already absorbed four thousand-year spirit rings. His strength among the younger generation is unquestionably exceptional.
"As for Dai Mubai, as the captain of Shrek Academy…"
Xue Ye simply watched Ning Fengzhi with quiet amusement.
A surname like "Dai," combined with a "Zhu" girl on the team—it wasn't hard to deduce their origins.
And let's not forget that Ning Fengzhi's own daughter was involved with a Star Luo imperial family member, and even Dugu Bo's granddaughter, Dugu Yan, seemed tangled up in the mix!
Really now? All of them leaning toward Star Luo?
Xue Ye saw the situation with perfect clarity but chose not to speak on it. After all, none of these individuals had officially defected to Star Luo. Accusing them prematurely might inadvertently push them away.
If it were merely about marriage alliances, Xue Ye thought he could handle it. Why not have a princess marry one of them to strengthen ties? That way, no one could complain.
Nearby, Spirit Hall's Platinum Bishop Salas frowned.
He alternated glances between Ning Fengzhi and Xue Ye, deeply troubled.
His thoughts were in turmoil: Who exactly is Spirit Hall's enemy in all of this?
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan? Probably not.
Star Luo Empire? Once Dai Mubai ascended the throne, it wouldn't be them either.
Salas had long since guessed Dai Mubai's identity as the wielder of the Grand Worship Token. While Dai Mubai's appearance had changed slightly, his voice had not. Salas wasn't foolish enough to overlook that.
Looking at the people surrounding Dai Mubai—the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and possibly even the Star Luo Empire—neither seemed hostile to Spirit Hall. Heaven Dou Empire? With their Crown Prince close to Spirit Hall, that didn't seem likely either.
Then who? Who is Spirit Hall's true enemy?
Feeling utterly exasperated, Salas rubbed his temples.
At this rate, in another decade or two, Spirit Hall might have no enemies left!
"Wait… Clear Sky Clan! Tang San! Yes, they're the ones!"
Light returned to Salas's eyes as clarity struck him.
Although his methods were sometimes questionable, Salas was wholly devoted to Spirit Hall's cause. Eradicating obstacles was his life's mission.
Sitting beside Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin noticed Salas's shifting expressions and found it odd.
Salas, known for frequently opposing Ning Fengzhi, had recently grown uncharacteristically quiet. Occasionally, he even seemed to agree with Ning Fengzhi's proposals, giving the impression of camaraderie.
This perplexed Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin alike. Was Salas plotting something, or had he genuinely changed?
Arena Floor
"Both teams are ready. Let the match begin!"
With Dou Dou's announcement, the match officially started.
As Canghui Academy's seven members released their martial souls, the spectators were stunned.
All seven wielded gemstone-type martial souls—rubies, emeralds, sapphires—each in unique shapes, from polished stones to droplet-like forms.
Gemstone martial souls were versatile and could develop into various spirit master paths: assault, agility, defense, healing, support, or control. The specific path depended on the spirit rings absorbed.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was technically a gemstone martial soul that had evolved into its tower form, focusing solely on support. It was considered a superior martial soul within this category.
Ordinary gemstone martial souls, even those developed into support paths, could never match the amplifying effects of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
However, this evolution came with a limit—Pagoda spirit masters couldn't surpass Rank 79 unless their martial souls underwent further evolution.
"Where did Canghui Academy find so many gemstone martial soul users?"
"This feels ominous. I've got a bad feeling about this."
On the Shrek side, both Ma Hongjun and Tang San froze the moment they released their martial souls.
Having studied under Yu Xiaogang and Flender, they had a solid understanding of martial souls. For Tang San especially, a sense of foreboding loomed.
Canghui's spirit power levels weren't particularly high, but the pressure they exuded surpassed that of even Tianshui Academy.
Bang!
Without warning, Dai Mubai delivered a powerful kick, sending Ma Hongjun flying off the stage.
"Fatty, this isn't a place for you!" Dai Mubai said flatly.
(End of Chapter)