As the tournament progressed, each round grew fiercer than the last. This year's competition was especially brutal. By the third round, death had become a common sight. Over the four days of matches, thirty-three contestants had lost their lives—more than half of them dying on the third-round platforms. The tragedy left many spectators sighing in sorrow.
Between the third and fourth rounds, the tournament organizers granted a rare single day of rest. Every advancing team used the time to recover. Though such a break meant little to powerhouses like Shrek Academy, it was a godsend for weaker teams—one more day to adjust their state and restore their strength could mean the difference between survival and elimination.
The fourth round's match schedule had already been drawn on the day the third round ended.
This stage differed slightly from the previous ones. It was divided into two parts.
The first part followed the usual format—direct battles. Twenty-three matches would be held across two days, with the winners advancing to the group stage. The losers, however, would enter the second part, where their accumulated points would determine their final chance at qualification. The top nine among the defeated teams would also move on to the group stage.
And Shrek Academy's opponent for the fourth round? None other than the Heaven Armor Sect—the same sect that had eliminated Frand Academy.
When Jiang Nannan heard the news, her eyes immediately lit up. Excitement and battle intent surged through her; she couldn't wait to "avenge her little sister."
The fourth round began.
The first match of the day was Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy versus Tang Sect—and to everyone's astonishment, Tang Sect forfeited without even fighting.
Though no one knew what Tang Sect's true reasoning was, their decisive retreat earned both ridicule and reluctant admiration. Many called them cowards, while others praised their pragmatism.
To the citizens of the Sun Moon Empire, however, it was cause for celebration. Even though Tang Sect had declined for a thousand years, it still carried the aura of the continent's once-greatest sect. Seeing their own academy defeat Tang Sect—even without a battle—felt like a symbolic victory.
Excitement rippled through the audience, who cheered as though the Sun Moon Academy had truly conquered the Tang Sect of legend.
Soon, the day's matches reached their halfway point. The seventh match was finally called:
Shrek Academy vs. Heaven Armor Sect!
In the waiting area, Shrek's members gathered expectantly around Zhu Ziyang, awaiting his decision on the lineup.
Jiang Nannan, in particular, couldn't hide her eagerness. She clung to his arm, her large eyes glimmering with both pleading and determination—it was obvious what she wanted.
Zhu Ziyang sighed helplessly, though a fond smile tugged at his lips. "Fine, fine. Go ahead, Nannan. But remember—don't go overboard."
"Yay!" Jiang Nannan cheered, leaping up with joy. Without warning, she planted a quick kiss on Zhu Ziyang's cheek and grinned. "I promise!"
That single gesture froze the entire waiting area. Heads turned instantly toward them.
The Heaven Armor Sect team, in particular, went black-faced. Was Shrek Academy trying to insult them? Showing such affection before a match—were they implying the fight wasn't even worth taking seriously?
As for the rest of the audience, their reactions were simple: envy, admiration, and disbelief. The grown-up Jiang Nannan was breathtakingly beautiful—her charm radiant, her movements elegant. To call her "a beauty capable of toppling cities" was no exaggeration.
"Cough, cough—contestants, to the stage!" the referee announced, breaking the spell.
Jiang Nannan and the Heaven Armor Sect's fighter climbed onto the platform from opposite sides.
Her opponent was a tall, muscular young man, a textbook example of a Defense-type Soul Master. But few people even spared him a glance. The moment Jiang Nannan appeared, all eyes were drawn to her. Her ethereal grace—dignified yet gentle, radiant yet serene—captivated the entire arena.
Even Xu Tianran, seated high on the imperial dais, couldn't help but stare. His eyes gleamed with appreciation for a brief moment—but that admiration soon darkened into something else. His hands clenched into fists, and hatred flickered deep within his gaze.
On the stage, the two contestants gave their introductions.
"Shrek Academy, Jiang Nannan."
"Heaven Armor Sect, Han Yu."
Jiang Nannan's delicate face remained expressionless, her eyes cool and calm. Han Yu, however, smiled politely—perhaps hoping to make a good impression. He even nodded to her, as though they were acquaintances.
Jiang Nannan didn't react at all. Inwardly, she debated whether she should finish this match instantly or hold back a little.
"Begin!"
The referee's arm dropped, signaling the start of the match.
In that instant, Jiang Nannan's figure vanished.
A silver flash streaked across the arena like lightning. Most of the spectators saw nothing but a blur, and only a handful of top-ranked experts managed to catch her outline. Those who did were left gasping in disbelief—that speed was far beyond what a Soul King or even a Soul Emperor should possess!
Han Yu moved immediately as well, summoning his martial soul. A black, hexagonal shield appeared in his hand, gleaming ominously. Behind him, two yellow, two purple, and one black spirit rings rose in order.
To his credit, Han Yu was strong—one of the more capable participants in the entire tournament. But today, his opponent happened to be Jiang Nannan.
His martial soul, the Heaven Armor Shield, was the foundation of the Heaven Armor Sect—a quintessential defensive spirit passed down through generations. Like many traditional sects, Heaven Armor Sect was family-based, founded around a shared bloodline and martial soul. Such sects had once dominated the Soul Master world. The great clans of the past—the Clear Sky Sect, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—had all followed this model.
But as Han Yu raised his shield and looked ahead, his heart froze.
Jiang Nannan was gone. He couldn't sense her presence anywhere—not even the faintest ripple of soul power. Panic flooded him. Acting purely on instinct, he raised his shield in front of his chest—
A streak of silver light flashed before his eyes.
Boom!
A small pink fist collided squarely with his shield.
For a moment, Han Yu felt as if a giant steel beast had rammed into him. A crushing, penetrating force shot through his shield and slammed into his chest. His ribs screamed in pain.
The world spun.
He was airborne before he realized it, flying backward like a rag doll.
Boom! Boom!
Two more dull crashes followed as his body first struck the arena's protective barrier, then bounced to the floor with bone-jarring force. When he hit the ground, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted on the spot—his participation in the tournament ending in humiliating defeat.
"Next!"
From where Han Yu had stood, Jiang Nannan smiled sweetly, her soft voice echoing through the stunned silence.
The members of the Heaven Armor Sect swallowed hard, their throats dry. It wasn't her beauty that terrified them—it was the sheer, effortless power she wielded. A single punch, and a Soul King lay defeated!
None of them knew that Jiang Nannan had actually held back. That simple, "ordinary" punch of hers had only used subsonic speed. Her true limit was three times the speed of sound.
Had she attacked at full power, Han Yu's body wouldn't even have remained intact.
She had spared him—mercifully.
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