"You'll find out soon enough whether I'm good enough."
Tang Xiaolei's expression turned icy as he drew his bowstring a second time.
"And whose 'Grandpa' are you?!"
The second and third soul rings fused into one.
A shaft of yellow and purple energy shot forth—spinning violently as it tore through the air.
The shriek it emitted was far more piercing than the first arrow. The glowing orb at its tip, no smaller than a watermelon, radiated not only overwhelming pressure, but a crushing weight—its destructive force dwarfing the previous shot.
At that moment, Xu Sanshi's instincts screamed.
His eyes flicked to Xue Lang, still locked in combat with Jiang Nannan—and a wicked grin curled on his lips.
His fourth soul ring flared.
In an instant, he vanished from his spot.
And in his place—stood the utterly bewildered Xue Lang.
Tang Xiaolei reacted instantly. As he realized Xu Sanshi had swapped positions with his teammate, his eyes glowed violet.
He whipped his Purple Splendor Bow sideways—just enough to send the arrow grazing past Xue Lang's sweating neck—then redirected it mid-flight, homing in on Xu Sanshi once more.
Thanks to his third soul ring—derived from the Armored Ant—this was no ordinary arrow.
Power Arrow. Homing Shot.
"Damn it! This thing tracks?!"
Xu Sanshi stomped the ground hard—his third soul ring ignited.
Third Soul Skill: Xuanming Power.
His entire aura exploded outward.
The Xuanming Tortoise Shell Shield on his arm pulsed with dark energy. Thick, heavy black mist coiled around him, drawing moisture from the air and condensing it into icy vapor.
Dozens of miniature shields materialized in a straight line—perfectly aligned along the arrow's trajectory.
In a flash—
BOOM!
The entire dueling platform trembled.
The arrow tore through Xu Sanshi's defenses like paper.
The reinforced Xuanming Shield array shattered in an instant—its power obliterated before it could even register.
The shockwave rippled outward, shaking the stands.
Tang Xiaolei smiled—finished.
But as the smoke cleared, a golden figure stood before Xu Sanshi—unharmed.
Jiang Nannan.
At the critical moment, she'd used her third soul skill—teleportation—to appear directly in front of him. Without hesitation, she activated her Invincible Golden Body—and the arrow shattered against her barrier like glass against steel.
"This… isn't possible!"
Tang Xiaolei's pupils shrank to pinpricks. His two arrows—both lethal, both perfectly aimed—hadn't even scratched them. How could he accept this?
Nor could Xu Sanshi.
He was Jiang Nannan's man. He was supposed to protect her.
Yet here she was—saving him.
Even though she was unscathed—
It ignited a fire in his chest.
Not anger at her.
Anger at himself.
And just then—
Xue Lang seized his opening.
His third soul ring flared.
A blood-red energy sphere coalesced in his mouth—aimed straight at Jiang Nannan.
"F*ck off—!"
A thunderous roar erupted.
Xu Sanshi slammed his Xuanming Tortoise Shell Shield into the ground.
A massive wave of black energy exploded outward—covering over ten square meters in a dome of crushing force, blasting Xue Lang clean off his feet and hurling him backward.
Jiang Nannan didn't pause.
Her foot tapped the air—and she launched forward.
Before Xue Lang could regain his footing, her second soul skill activated: Gravity Control.
The sudden, crushing weight made him stumble.
Then—he saw a strand of hair.
Next—his neck tightened.
His body lifted.
A violent force yanked him into the air.
He tried to resist—but the world spun.
Stars flashed before his eyes.
Jiang Nannan's leg whipped through the air like a steel whip—three rapid kicks to his back.
Then—another kick, slamming into his lower spine.
Her waist arched backward—her hips thrust forward—and Xue Lang's body was flung skyward.
In a flash of teleportation, her hands locked around his waist.
Gravity Control—activate!
She slammed him into the ground with bone-jarring force.
Just as he began to black out—
His fourth soul ring flared.
His body swelled again.
BOOM!
Xue Lang crashed into the platform—bruised, battered, bleeding—but still standing.
Tang Xiaolei raised his bow—ready to fire.
"Want to save him? You've got to get past me first."
Xu Sanshi swung his shield sideways.
Before Tang Xiaolei could sneer—
The Xuanming Tortoise Shell Shield glowed.
Strange, rippling light twisted across its surface—as if the metal itself were muscles flexing.
Then, the ancient carvings changed.
A serpent—emerald green, with eyes blazing crimson—slithered from the shell's surface, coiling around the shield.
The moment it appeared, the black aura of the Xuanming Shield turned a deep, living jade.
The ground beneath them erupted in a deafening, explosive vibration—as if a mountain had split open.
Beneath the stands—
"Has he awakened the Xuan Wu bloodline?"
Teacher Wang had known the secret of Xu Sanshi's martial soul since day one. But seeing it unleashed now, he couldn't help but sigh.
If only he'd held this back… it could've been a game-changing trump card in the next tournament.
"Teacher Wang, you're underestimating Senior Xu," Chen Junting said calmly, eyes fixed on the platform. "Do you really think that'll be his only trump card in five years time?"
Teacher Wang chuckled. "I suppose I was wrong."
—
On the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy's side, every student stared, mouths agape, glancing nervously at Xiao Hongchen.
Because the usually arrogant Xiao Hongchen no longer had his previous dismissive attitude. He was muttering in an incredulous tone.
His voice, barely above a whisper, trembled:
"No… it can't be. How can someone else possess a divine beast bloodline? Divine beast bloodlines have nearly vanished from the world! Unless… my own martial soul mutated, I wouldn't even have a trace of it…"
He stared at Xu Sanshi, eyes wide with disbelief.
"…Is that… Xuan Wu?!"
—
On the platform, Xu Sanshi had broken his seal.
His Xuan Wu martial soul had fully manifested.
His frame towered—massive, broad-shouldered, taller than most adults. His short hair shimmered with faint emerald light. His muscles bulged like carved stone. Standing there, he looked less like a human—and more like an unmovable mountain.
"Grandson," he rumbled, voice deeper, richer—thick with power. "Let's try this again."
His eyes still burned with challenge.
"Arrogant fool!"
Tang Xiaolei's gaze turned glacial.
He drew his bowstring again.
The final two soul rings dissolved.
Two purple arrows formed—linked end to end.
A gradient of violet light flowed along their shafts.
When the rings vanished, Tang Xiaolei raised his Purple Splendor Bow high—
And it melted.
The bow dissolved into twin pillars of violet flame.
The arrows themselves erupted in roaring purple fire—air warped and cracked around them, distorting space.
He meant to end this. To annihilate Xu Sanshi.
He'd seen Jiang Nannan's Invincible Golden Body. He knew she couldn't use it twice.
He'd make sure she couldn't save him.
"Watch your Grandpa block your arrows!"
Xu Sanshi roared to the heavens.
The Xuan Wu Shield blazed with jade-green light.
His first three soul rings fused into one—becoming a ten-thousand-year core.
The emerald serpent on the shield stirred.
Its tongue flicked.
Its crimson eyes blazed.
A colossal spectral tortoise and serpent rose behind him—ancient, divine, immense.
The shield itself swelled—growing in diameter to over three meters in the blink of an eye.
He lifted it like a wall of living stone—and charged headlong into the twin arrows.
BOOM!
The shockwave tore through the arena.
Even the Xuan Wu Shield groaned under the strain.
Realizing he was on the verge of collapse—
"HAAAH!"
Xu Sanshi bellowed, muscles bulging, veins standing out like cables.
He heaved upward.
The twin arrows slammed into the shield's center—leaving deep, smoking indentations—then veered violently to the side.
They screamed past him—
And pierced clean through the outer defense barrier.
Though the barrier reformed within a heartbeat, the damage was undeniable.
The power… was terrifying.
Yet Xu Sanshi had blocked it.
Unbroken.
Unshaken.
Unaware of the sweat pouring down his back—or the collective gasp from the crowd.
Everyone in the Shrek team held their breath.
They'd seen it.
One more second of pressure—and the shield would have shattered.
But the outcome was decided.
Xu Sanshi released his martial soul, panting, pale.
His eyes swept the stands—over the roaring, cheering crowd.
A wave of euphoria washed over him.
But his lips moved in a quiet, exhausted whisper:
"Alright… I've had my glory. My moment. But damn… what a price."
He swayed on his feet.
Then—Jiang Nannan was there.
She caught him from behind, her arm locking around his waist.
Before he could even smile—
She turned, eyes icy, voice like winter steel.
"You can surrender now."
Tang Xiaolei stared at her.
Then at Xu Sanshi.
Then at his empty bow.
He sighed.
He couldn't break their defense.
And with all five arrows spent, he was defenseless.
He nodded to Cheng Gang.
The referee raised his voice:
"Second match—Shrek Academy wins. Under the best-of-three format, Shrek Academy advances to the next stage of the round-robin."
The crowd erupted.
Shrek's team rushed forward, surrounding Jiang Nannan as she helped Xu Sanshi to his feet.
He looked dazed—almost reluctant to be freed.
When Bei Bei pulled out the "Nursing Bottle" to replenish his soul energy, he couldn't resist a smirk.
"So… did you get enough of that glory?"
"Got it. Got it."
Xu Sanshi nodded frantically, face twisted into a ridiculous grin.
"I won't do it again. Not only am I not as handsome as Chen Junting… I almost looked like a fool."
The entire group burst into laughter.
But this time—
He'd truly stolen the spotlight.
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)