Interesting…
"Who gave her the confidence to provoke me?"
Tang Feng stared at Shrek Academy's group—
Especially Ma Xiaotao at the very front.
She showed no signs of injury.
On the contrary—
Her aura was even stronger than a year ago.
As for the others from Shrek?
With Tang Feng's acute perception of life force—
Not a single one of them appeared injured.
Could it be that, because of Zhang Le Xuan's intervention, the Seven Devils of Shrek never went to the Ming Dou Mountain Range to eliminate evil soul masters?
Or perhaps—
With Zhang Le Xuan's meticulous nature, she had stepped in at the critical moment and blocked the Corpse Explosion.
Tang Feng's gaze shifted toward Zhang Le Xuan.
She sensed it immediately.
Their eyes met.
She revealed a gentle smile—
Just as before.
As if she had never changed.
"She's already a Soul Sage."
Gu Yuena appeared out of thin air,
Standing on Tang Feng's other side, beside Xu Jiawei.
Even so—
The Star Luo Emperor had not sensed how she appeared.
He had a strong impression of this peerless woman.
Though he did not know her true identity—
He knew one thing for certain.
Gu Yuena was not an enemy.
She was Tang Feng's protector—
At least at the level of an Ultimate Douluo.
"Does Ma Xiaotao think becoming a Soul Sage makes her my opponent?"
"I escaped alive from the pursuit of Sea God Pavilion's elders."
Tang Feng was puzzled.
Logically—
Ma Xiaotao shouldn't have reached Soul Sage yet.
A defeated opponent who had been suppressed by him with a single move—
Where did she find the courage to challenge him?
"She carries the aura of a god."
"It should be that person who ascended ten thousand years ago… casting favor upon her."
Ten thousand years ago—
Gu Yuena had awakened once.
She clearly remembered that aura—
Identical to that human from long ago.
"The power of the Phoenix God?"
"No wonder she dares to act so arrogantly."
Tang Feng's lips curled in a cold smile.
That explained the malicious amusement in Gluttonous Douluo's gaze.
So Shrek Academy had received Ma Hongjun's favor.
Was he planning to pass down the Phoenix God's divine position?
It seemed Ma Xiaotao truly was a descendant of Ma Hongjun and Bai Chenxiang—
Not merely a leftover bloodline from ages past.
"A mere second-tier god is nothing to worry about."
"But Tang San, who inherited the Asura God's position—that's the one you must be wary of."
Gu Yuena did not regard Ma Hongjun highly.
Aside from Tang San, who possessed dual godhood—
The others posed little threat.
Whether Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, Oscar, Ning Rongrong—
Or Ma Hongjun standing alone—
A second-tier god was still just a second-tier god.
The gap between them and first-tier gods was significant—
Let alone compared to a God King.
"It's fine. This may be Tang San testing me."
"He likely won't stand on Shrek Academy's side."
Tang Feng frowned slightly.
Ma Hongjun suddenly bestowing the Phoenix God's inheritance felt unreasonable.
Especially since—
Ma Xiaotao was neither a Nine-Headed Fire Phoenix nor a Ten-Headed Fire Phoenix.
She didn't even possess Ultimate Fire.
In the original trajectory, he knew—
Even after her martial soul evolved into a true Fire Phoenix and achieved Ultimate Fire—
She still had not gained Ma Hongjun's attention.
"Are these things I'm allowed to hear?"
Xu Jiujiu barely maintained her composure.
These two were discussing gods openly—
Without avoiding her at all.
Still—
She hadn't expected Ma Xiaotao to gain recognition from the ancestral Phoenix God.
"You're not treating me as an outsider either."
Xu Jiawei was both startled and delighted.
Startled—
Because Shrek Academy might produce a future inheritor of the Phoenix God.
Delighted—
Because it wasn't entirely bad news.
Tang Feng and Gu Yuena made no effort to hide their words from him or Xu Jiujiu.
Others heard nothing.
"When the finals arrive, I'll kill Ma Xiaotao on the spot."
"Let's see what consequences follow."
Originally—
Tang Feng hadn't planned to kill her personally.
But since she was seeking death—
He wouldn't be polite.
He wanted to see—
What could the Phoenix God behind her possibly do?
As for divine interference favoring Shrek—
He didn't believe otherwise for a second.
Even if Ma Xiaotao fully activated the Phoenix God's inheritance—
He would still kill her.
Did they truly think the Life Goddess and the God of Destruction were powerless in the Divine Realm?
Moreover—
Tang San had deliberately sent his daughter to his side.
Was Tang San really going to challenge a God King's disciple for Ma Hongjun's descendant?
"Do as you wish."
Gu Yuena nodded.
As Tang Feng's fiancée—
As long as he did not harm soul beasts,
She would fully support him.
After all—
Tang Feng was fusing the origins of Destruction and Life.
He aimed to become a supreme god of the Divine Realm.
That would inevitably threaten certain interests.
Obstacles would surely come.
The First Elimination Match
Shrek Academy vs. Tianling Advanced Soul Master Academy.
Shrek's lineup:
Ma Xiaotao
Dai Yueheng
Ling Luochen
Yao Haoxuan
Gongyang Mo
Chen Zifeng
Huo Yuhao
No one expected such disparity in Shrek's opening formation.
One Soul Sage.
One Soul Emperor.
Four Soul Kings.
And one Grand Soul Master.
"A white soul ring?"
Xu Jiujiu exclaimed in shock.
Before her words even finished—
The seven members of Tianling Academy were already defeated.
With Ma Xiaotao's absolute Soul Sage power—
And Huo Yuhao's "God's-eye perspective" support—
The opponent didn't even last a single round.
"What is Shrek Academy doing?"
"They actually sent a Grand Soul Master in the first match?"
Xu Jiawei was equally surprised.
If Shrek had replaced Huo Yuhao with another Soul King—
The effect might have been even stronger.
Most academies' official teams barely reached Soul Emperor level—
Many were primarily Soul Kings.
Someone like Tang Feng, a Soul Ancestor on the official team—
It was nearly unheard of.
"That's not a white soul ring."
"Look carefully—it's platinum in color."
"That's a one-million-year soul ring."
Tang Feng revealed calmly.
He wasn't envious of Huo Yuhao's ring.
Soul ring effects weren't what made him strongest.
Activating Concept-Level Traits—
That was his true power.
Especially since—
He could stack traits together,
Even without using soul skills.
"It's that Ice Silkworm that escaped from Star Dou Forest."
"It actually chose someone so weak to sacrifice itself to."
Gu Yuena found it incomprehensible.
Even Tang Feng seemed weak in her eyes—
Let alone a mere Grand Soul Master like Huo Yuhao.
"Other than me, he's probably the most likely person in ten thousand years to ascend to godhood."
Tang Feng wasn't exaggerating.
Within Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea—
Resided the Holy Necromancer, Ilex.
Perhaps—
Without Tang San's daughter interfering—
Huo Yuhao might have become a very different kind of god.
"He's the one you warned the Auspicious Beast about."
Gu Yuena immediately thought of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
If someone might harm the Auspicious Beast—
It could only be the person before them.
After all—
The Auspicious Beast enhanced the overall strength of Star Dou Forest.
Strengthening it—
Indirectly strengthened Tang Feng's foundation.
He had no reason to harm it.