The main Soul Arena at the center, with its circular stands seating 10,000 people, was completely packed. The soundwaves almost seemed to shake the dome embedded with soul-powered lanterns. In a long white dress, her brown hair meticulously styled, the hostess—a young girl with a bright, professional smile—stood gracefully at the center of the alloy ring, holding an amplified soul guide.
"Honored guests, dear audience! I am delighted to meet you all on this passionate night! My name is Dou Dou, your host! It is my honor to preside over this focal battle!"
Her clear voice spread across every corner of the Soul Arena, momentarily subduing the roaring crowd.
"Next, let me introduce the teams!
First, the captain of the Grand Martial Team, the Ice Phoenix Soul Master, Shui Bing'er...
And on the other side, the captain of the Shrek Team, whose group has recently made their name in Suotuo City..."
"Let us officially welcome the players from both sides!"
"Grand Martial! Grand Martial! Grand Martial!"
Thunderous cheers erupted, the audience's unconditional reverence and awe spreading towards the continent's first academy and the world's number one sect behind it.
The seven members of the Grand Martial Team led the way, stepping into the dazzling light with calm steps and mountain-like composure, emitting an aura of disdain in the midst of the enthusiastic cheers.
The Shrek Seven entered next, Dai Mubai at the front, trying to project the royal dignity of the Star Luo Empire, but unable to hide the solemnity between his brows. Tang San followed closely, eyes cold as he stared across the ring, his gaze finally fixating on a boy in purple at the edge of the opponent's lineup.
Chen Yi's eyes met Tang San's, a fleeting glint of surprise and playfulness.
This Tang San...
His breath is strange.
Even the Blue Silver King and Blue Silver Emperor, with their supreme life attributes as the greatest plant spirits, should have a gentle, fresh aura of life.
But in this moment, Tang San in the ring was shrouded in a chilling aura, as if maggots had infested his bones.
Even more bizarre, this did not make Tang San appear conflicted, but rather fully integrated his somber temperament.
Like a fallen angel from the Slaughter City...
Yet, there was an odd sense of similarity as well.
Chen Yi mused inwardly—Was this a mutation of the Blue Silver Grass? Or some special training? Interesting.
When the players from both teams stood at the center of the ring, twenty meters apart, each side clearly seeing the other's lineup, even though Shrek's members were mentally prepared, the invisible pressure from the Grand Martial Team tightened their chests and made their breathing tense.
Suddenly, the Grand Martial Team's formation changed. Shui Bing'er, Xue Wu, and Ye Lingling simultaneously took a step back, walking calmly to the edge of the ring marker and gazing steadily at the sidelines.
Inside the ring, only Jiang Hongfei, Huang Bin, Yang Pojun, and Dugu Yan remained on the Grand Martial side.
Four against seven! Amazing!
The crowd instantly erupted.
Exclamations, discussions, and shouts of excitement mingled together.
"This is crazy! Incredible!"
"Grand Martial is invincible!"
The faces of the Shrek Team flushed instantly—this was blatant contempt. Tang San's eyes grew so cold they almost became tangible.
Four entered the match, three watched from the sidelines... Such arrogance would come at a price!
Yang Pojun, holding a soul-breaking black spear, swept his cold gaze across the Shrek group, finally stopping in front of Tang San.
"A member of the Clear Sky Clan?"
Tang San's eyes froze, and as their gazes met, a sneer flickered between them.
"A traitor of a Breaking clan?"
Yang Pojun's eyes flashed coldly, his spear trembling.
"Even a stray dog with a broken spine dares to bark?"
"A traitor should act like one, quietly surviving like a dog, not fighting against their former masters."
From his perspective, it was natural for the four single-attribute clans to be tied to the Clear Sky Sect. Their sacrifices for the sect were their duty, and if they were not properly accommodated afterward, it was only due to their own bad luck.
Now this one was not only "unrepentant," but had joined the Body Sect, which had a blood feud with the Clear Sky Sect—utterly ungrateful and criminal. Outsiders dared to compare themselves to the core disciples of the Clear Sky Sect—pure delusion!
"Team members from both sides—release your spirits!"
Seeing the atmosphere freeze, the host immediately called out.
Yang Pojun's body was enveloped in black light, four spirit rings—yellow, yellow, purple, black—hovered beneath his feet. The jet-black fourth spirit ring drew cheers from the audience.
His body transformed into a sharp, black, lightning-like brilliance, thrusting straight for Tang San's vital point. Though the spear hadn't reached him, the piercing pressure already stung Tang San's skin.
Tang San reacted swiftly, releasing his spirit and simultaneously tossing a recovery sausage from Oscar into his mouth. Three spirit rings—yellow, yellow, purple—rose at his feet. His Blue Silver Grass, which should have been blue-gold, was now a strange silvery black, emitting a cold aura—like countless venomous snakes erupting from the ground, encircling Yang Pojun.
At the same time, Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng also released their spirits.
Dai Mubai's White Tiger roared, opening the White Tiger Protective Barrier, his muscles bulging as he charged fiercely from the left. Yu Tianheng, crackling with blue lightning, transformed into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, his right arm wreathed in thunder as he lunged boldly from the right—targeting Huang Bin!
"Good!"
Huang Bin laughed heartily and stepped forward. His whole body surged with a magma-like, blood-red soul power, four rings—yellow, yellow, purple, black—appearing.
Clenching his fists, the veins beneath his skin writhed like snakes, his energy and blood boiling.
"Blood Art: Blood Transforms Yin and Yang!"
With a low roar, both fists swung out, and he responded head-on.
Jiang Hongfei glanced sideways, and in the next moment, the two Shrek members shuddered.
The third spirit ability—both are suppressed!
"Arrogant!"
Yu Tianheng and Dai Mubai both roared, their dragon claws and white tiger's fierce light smashing into Huang Bin's fists.
A muffled explosion echoed—thunder and deep crimson blood collided and vanished, burning white light waves and crimson fists clashing and shattering.
The shockwave surged. Huang Bin's figure wavered slightly, while Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng's advance was halted, each forced back a step!
"What?!"
Soon, Ning Rongrong rushed over to help.
"Seven Treasures Glaze, first: Strength! Second: Spirit!"
Brilliant light enveloped Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Yu Tianheng.
Dugu Yan stepped forward, turquoise light shining. The massive Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor phantom appeared, its cold snake eyes scanning the field, surrounded by yellow, yellow, purple, and black rings. Strangely, faint golden flame lines could be seen on her white skin. With a wave, she conjured a deadly poisonous mist from her fingertips.
"First spirit ability: Jade Phosphor Violet Poison!"
Dense violet poison mist spewed out, rapidly spreading to envelop Ma Hongjun and Zhu Zhuqing at the rear of the Shrek team. As the mist passed, the alloy floor made a faint corroding sound.
"Just poison mist? Watch as this young master burns it away!"
Ma Hongjun sneered, his first spirit ring shining as a Phoenix Fireline blasted into the poison mist. But the golden fire only dispersed the front edge of the mist slightly, and the poison surged forward even more fiercely.
The fire's suppression was minimal!
"What the—?! Damn!"
Ma Hongjun cried, spreading his wings to dodge, as Zhu Zhuqing skirted the edge of the mist at extreme speed, her beautiful face turning slightly pale.
Grand Martial: Four vs. Seven, total suppression!
Huang Bin tangled with Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng, slightly disadvantaged but holding both at bay.
Dugu Yan's poison mist forced Ma Hongjun and Zhu Zhuqing to split up. Up front, even with Ning Rongrong's buffs, Tang San was hard-pressed by Yang Pojun's sharp spear. The Blue Silver King was tough and poisonous, but often smashed apart in one blow by the Soul Breaking Spear before any effect could be exerted, and Tang San had no chance to close the gap for his hidden weapons.
"Hmph!"
Unable to break through, Tang San's eyes flashed coldly. As Yang Pojun stabbed upward, Tang San's second spirit ring shone!
"Second spirit ability: Parasite!"
Fragments and seeds of Blue Silver Grass scattered from the previous exchanges suddenly exploded in growth. Countless slender, silvery-black vines wrapped like festering maggots around Yang Pojun's legs, waist, and arms, tightening.
"Huh?"
Yang Pojun swung his arm, trying to break the vines, but frowned—they were tougher than expected and hard to remove for the moment.
Looking up, he saw Tang San's hand turn jade green, his Mysterious Jade Hand maintaining maximum control.
"Carving skill!"
Yang Pojun snorted, his eyes flashing. His qi and blood surged under his sect's secret art, filling his limbs with overpowering strength.
"Break!"
With a low shout, his whole body flashed with blood, his spear-wielding arm trembling violently, qi and blood bursting out.
The tough silver-black vines shattered almost all at once. At his feet, the second spirit ring shone, and the Soul Breaking Spear's black light condensed at its tip, emitting a deep, dark glow.
"Second spirit ability: Destruction!"
A nearly invisible black line shot straight for Tang San's forehead, the tip of the spear shrieking through the air.
Tang San's pupils shrank—this strike was too fast and fierce. His Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track was too late, the Mysterious Jade Hand couldn't catch it in time.
In this life-or-death moment, his eyes flashed with fierce resolve.
His robe burst apart at the back, and eight sharp, purple-black spider legs erupted from his body.
A sharp metallic symphony rang out.
The eight spider lances crossed in front of him, clashing against the jet-black spear tip. Sparks flew, soul power flared, and the arena floor cracked beneath the force.
Tang San's face paled. Under the terrifying power, his feet left the ground, flung backward to slam into the edge of the ring. He dropped to one knee, his eight spider lances stabbing deep into the floor to stabilize him.
Cough... cough...
Tang San knelt, supported by his Eight Spider Lances, spitting out blood-tinged saliva and suppressing the sickly sweetness in his throat.
He glanced quickly around—his heart sank.
On the left, Yu Tianheng and Dai Mubai were being pressed back repeatedly by Huang Bin and Jiang Hongfei's tacit teamwork. The thunder on Yu Tianheng's dragon arm was fading, the White Tiger Barrier crumbling.
On the right, things were even worse.
Dugu Yan, controlling both Zhu Zhuqing and Ma Hongjun alone, wielded poison mist that had grown far more corrosive after her mutation. It lashed out like living tentacles, putting both Shrek members in grave danger. Ma Hongjun's phoenix flame barely worked, and Zhu Zhuqing's speed was severely curtailed under the poisonous blockade.
At the front, Yang Pojun's Soul Breaking Spear was a constant, deadly threat—like maggots gnawing at their bones.
…