"As expected."
On the spectator terrace of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, Ma Rulong frowned deeply, his gaze locked unblinkingly on Gongyang Mo. He had foreseen the grim challenge they would face against Shrek Academy this year.
As captain of the previous reserve team, Ma Rulong knew nearly every member of Shrek's current roster by heart.
Gongyang Mo had always been a pure support soul master—yet now, he had undergone a transformation so profound it was almost unrecognizable. Coupled with the events of the previous round… Ma Rulong realized with chilling clarity: Shrek Academy's entire tactical philosophy had shifted at its core.
He turned slowly, scanning the faces of every member of his own team, ensuring each one understood the gravity of the situation. Then, in a low, resolute tone, he spoke:
"Everyone—Shrek Academy is no longer the Shrek we knew. They have embraced soul guidance devices as a fundamental part of their combat doctrine. If we cling to our old strategies, we will be crushed."
As he spoke, his fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest of the terrace, deep in thought.
The team sat in a tight circle, listening intently. Even Xiao Hongchen, usually brimming with arrogance, had abandoned his usual smugness. He sat quietly, eyes narrowed, absorbing every word.
Finally, Ma Rulong seemed to set aside his personal reservations. He clapped Xiao Hongchen on the shoulder, then turned to Meng Hongchen.
"Your Soul Fusion Technique is your greatest trump card—and you know better than anyone that it must be saved for the direst moments. But if the time comes… don't hesitate."
"Do you really think I need to be told that?" Xiao Hongchen stretched lazily, feigning indifference.
"Just leave it to us."
At that moment, Meng Hongchen's gaze, which had been fixed on Chen Junting, finally withdrew. From her vantage point, she could see the gravity etched into her brother's expression. Shrek had imposed a weight upon him—immense, unyielding.
And the situation… was truly dire.
—
On the dueling platform, the battle raged.
"Holy Radiance Cross Slash!"
Yu Mengdi broke away from Chen Junting's relentless pressure, creating distance between them.
As her second yellow soul ring flared to life, the twin sacred swords in her hands carved a perfect, glowing cross through the air. Beneath it, a chorus of celestial song swelled—her wings blazed with radiant golden light, pouring energy into the cross.
Then, with a sweeping motion, she thrust the cross forward.
Sunlight shattered into golden dust, illuminating the Holy Radiance Cross with divine purity—as if a spark of heaven's fire had ignited upon it, purging all darkness.
Chen Junting hovered mid-air, eyes cold and calculating. The Seven Kill Sword gleamed with lethal frost. Two yellow soul rings flashed beneath his feet.
His sword tip trembled—six colorless sword qi blades formed into the character "杀" (Kill), launched forward with a gravitational pull that siphoned the scattered holy flames into the blade itself, channeling them into the slash.
BOOM!
The crimson-gold flames exploded outward as the "Kill" character shattered the cross and surged onward.
Yu Mengdi barely raised her swords in defense—when Chen Junting moved.
He surged forward on the blade beneath his feet. His right foot stomped the air—a piercing sword qi shot out.
Then, with pinpoint precision, the tip of the Seven Kill Sword struck the very center where her twin blades crossed.
The sacred swords buckled—opening a fatal gap.
Before she could react, three movements became one: a downward slash, a horizontal cut, a rising thrust—three strikes in a single, seamless motion, aimed directly at the exposed space behind her heart.
Just as the blade neared her spine, and Cheng Gang tensed to intervene—
Yu Mengdi's third soul ring ignited.
Golden flame erupted around her, surging upward. Behind her, a spectral Six-Winged Angel flickered into being.
"Third Soul Skill—Angel's Grace."
The moment the angelic form appeared, Yu Mengdi was bathed in molten gold.
Her wings flared wide—and a torrent of holy radiance blasted backward, directly toward Chen Junting.
"Hah!"
A single cry.
The sword cleaved through the flame.
Deadly killing intent coiled around the Seven Kill Sword like serpents.
One swing.
In desperation, Yu Mengdi crossed her swords before her.
Then—
Crack—
To her disbelief, the sacred blades cracked.
Then, under Chen Junting's overwhelming pressure—
They shattered.
Splinters of golden metal rained down like broken prayer beads.
And Yu Mengdi was sent flying—her body slammed into the air, barely stabilized by frantic wingbeats.
The backlash from her shattered soul skill left her pale as ash. The wound across her chest—where the sword had pierced her golden armor—still pulsed with corrosive killing intent, eating away at her soul power.
"Little man… you're cruel."
Chen Junting's expression didn't waver.
"This is a battle. This is war."
Another slash—faster, colder.
Yu Mengdi could only parry, barely holding her ground.
Seeing her peril, Ye Wuqing knew he had to act. If he waited, he would face two opponents at once—and lose.
To save her, he needed to break Gongyang Mo's interference. The only way: feint and strike the core.
Though Gongyang Mo now wielded soul guidance devices, he was still a novice. His combat prowess could not match a peak-level Soul King.
As Ye Wuqing's first and third soul rings ignited simultaneously, his eyes turned molten gold—two golden leaves seemed to veil his vision.
Then—he unleashed.
Dozens of golden leaves erupted from his palms, forming a vast, shimmering net in midair, intercepting Gongyang Mo's barrage of soul guidance device beams.
Remembering the explosive power of those leaves, Gongyang Mo did not stop firing—but he retreated, keeping distance, wary of the coming detonations.
But the next moment—
The golden leaves sliced through the beams like blades through silk.
And they kept coming.
A storm of razor-edged gold descended upon him.
"Sharp leaves," Gongyang Mo murmured, grim-faced.
He raised his soul guidance device barrier instantly—each leaf shattered against it, but the barrage never ceased.
Realizing brute force wouldn't work, Ye Wuqing's body shimmered with violet light. Then, golden radiance enveloped his left hand—like a gauntlet forged of solidified sunlight.
As intricate leaf patterns surged across his skin, he thrust his hand forward—and dozens more golden leaves rained down. Hidden beneath it, his fifth soul ring—black, ancient, immense—began to glow.
Gongyang Mo tried to repeat his defense.
But the leaves didn't come straight.
They curved—bent in impossible arcs, slipping around his barrier.
He barely had time to raise a new shield.
And Ye Wuqing waited for this.
His fifth soul ring flared—black, heavy, ancient.
His entire aura shifted.
The golden-gauntleted hand lifted slowly toward the sky—as if he meant to tear open the heavens.
Tiny golden specks drifted from the black ten-thousand-year soul ring, swirling around him like stars.
In seconds, they formed a shimmering golden curtain.
Then—before Gongyang Mo's widening eyes—the specks expanded.
Not into larger leaves.
But into thousands of smaller ones—each sharp, each lethal, each humming with lethal intent.
A thousand golden leaves spun violently around Ye Wuqing, turning the entire dueling platform into a blinding sea of gold.
"Golden Leaf Dance!"
Ye Wuqing's voice was iron. He would not fail.
Whoosh…
The leaves surged upward, rising like a golden tide, sweeping toward Gongyang Mo with overwhelming force.
The newly raised soul guidance device barrier trembled—then cracked.
The torrent closed in.
Gongyang Mo prepared to activate his Invincible Shield—
Then—
A scream of tearing air.
A blade descended from the heavens.
The Seven Kill Sword plunged into the ground before him—its blade quivering, its aura a storm of pure, cutting force.
Every golden leaf—every single one—turned to dust.
But beneath the veil of the golden storm, no one noticed: the Seven Kill Sword was no longer blue.
It shimmered with silver.
Chen Junting had intervened—his Ultimate Metal essence had shattered the attack before it could reach Gongyang Mo.
But in that moment, Yu Mengdi caught her breath.
"Captain—help me!"
Ye Wuqing did not hesitate.
He poured his soul power into the technique once more.
A thousand golden leaves erupted again—this time, forming a wall between him and Chen Junting.
And then—
His fourth soul ring, never used before, ignited.
The thousand golden leaves, in front of the stunned gazes of every spectator except Zhengtian's own team, swerved—and surged toward Yu Mengdi.
Chen Junting moved to stop it—
And froze.
Because in that instant, they were moving as one.
There was no time to intervene.
"Third Soul Skill—Angel's Grace!"
"Fourth Soul Skill—Heaven's Gate!"
Yu Mengdi clasped her hands together.
Behind her, the Six-Winged Angel expanded—blazing, radiant, blinding.
Then, it dissolved.
In its place, a perfect circular halo formed.
As the golden leaves faded into mist, they merged with the halo—transforming it into a massive, circular metal gate.
Intricate carvings of paradise adorned its surface.
And then—
The gate began to turn.
Slowly.
Sacred.
As if it were opening the very threshold to heaven.
The entire arena was bathed in holy light—as if every ray of sunlight had gathered here, converging upon the gate.
Yu Mengdi's voice rang across the battlefield, solemn, divine:
"Face it… Heaven's Gate!"
With her declaration, the golden gate swung wide.
A torrent of terrifying energy erupted from within.
"Come!"
Chen Junting roared, riding his blade forward.
Gongyang Mo, without delay, raised his soul guidance device shield—then raised all five of his soul rings.
Five streams of light shot into Chen Junting's body—amplifying his five core attributes:
Strength. Soul Power. Speed. Attack. Explosive Power.
His power surged.
His sword became a blur.
He gripped the Seven Kill Sword diagonally across his chest.
The air above him twisted violently—forming a colossal vortex of wind and soul energy.
Then—
"One cup, thirteen strings, thirteen years of storm and rain—all culminate in this single sword!"
His voice tore through the heavens.
His blade pointed at the Heaven's Gate.
Thirteen azure sword qi blades—each like a falling star—shot upward, streaking across the sky.
They converged.
Merged.
Became one.
A single, radiant, blinding sword beam—so potent it seemed ready to cleave the world in two.
Yu Mengdi felt it.
The pressure was unbearable.
Even with Ye Wuqing's support, even with the Heaven's Gate's divine reinforcement—
The force was beyond her limits.
The sword beam struck.
—
BOOM!
WHOOOOOM!
The Heaven's Gate shattered.
Not cracked. Not broken.
Shattered.
It dissolved into countless fragments, scattering like ash on the wind.
Unwilling to accept defeat, Yu Mengdi emptied every last drop of her soul power.
"Angel—God-Sealing Slash!"
She screamed.
Her palms slammed together.
The sacred light coalesced into a single blade—ten meters long, three meters wide—a god-sent cleaver of pure radiance, descending like the wrath of heaven itself.
For the first time, Chen Junting's expression flickered.
"Was it necessary?"
Black light erupted.
Under the black light, a rain of swords instantly submerged Yu Mengdi.
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