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As the Shrek team turned to leave the standby zone, Chen Junting suddenly halted, his gaze fixed on the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy's section—and a faint, knowing smile curled at the corner of his lips.
Ning Tian noticed and stopped beside him.
Following his gaze, she asked, puzzled:
"Brother Junting, what are you looking at?"
"I'm thinking about the thoughts of those from Sun Moon," he replied. "This should be the stage for their main team. Yet here we are—sending out Outer Academy students one after another, and each one performing brilliantly. They'll be lying awake tonight."
He let out a quiet chuckle, then turned back to the group waiting for them.
"Xiao Tian, let's go."
And on the Sun Moon side, things unfolded precisely as Chen Junting had predicted. There was unease—yes—but not sleeplessness.
"You'll have a hard time next year," Ma Rulong said bluntly to Xiao Hongchen.
Xiao Hongchen stared at the retreating Shrek team without speaking. Since Chen Junting first stepped onto the platform, he had wondered if he could withstand that attack. Now, with Xu Sanshi's emergence, he was calculating whether he could break through the Black Tortoise's defense.
"Xiao," even Meng Hongchen, who often teased her brother, now looked at him with unmistakable concern.
But the proud always possess unshakable confidence.
"Meng, I'm fine," Xiao Hongchen said, his silence broken, his arrogance returning. "I want to see if that man's attacks can pierce my Invincible Shield. And if that turtle's defense is so strong—how many cannon volleys can it withstand? Shrek has divine beast bloodlines? So do I. Shrek uses soul guidance devices? Fine. But ours are superior. More advanced. More dominant."
"Excellent," came Ma Lao's voice, laced with approval.
"Xiao Hongchen speaks truth. Our advantage lies in soul guidance devices. Since we cannot match Shrek in soul mastery, we crush them with soul guidance devices."
"The future belongs to soul guidance devices."
—
The next day, a light rain drizzled from the gray sky.
Yet Star Luo Plaza was packed.
From the misty haze in the distance, the Shrek team emerged—steps light, drawing every eye.
For the first time, the front of the procession was no longer Chen Junting.
Instead, a man and a woman.
The man was broad-shouldered, his golden hair flowing, his demeanor calm—yet when anyone met his gaze, an undeniable aura of dominance rose unbidden. Beside him stood a woman with fiery red hair, her school uniform failing to conceal her striking figure. Her phoenix eyes swept the crowd with disdain, radiating a fiery temperament and an unyielding arrogance that dismissed every other academy as beneath notice.
They were Dai Yueheng and Ma Xiaotao.
After full recovery, they were healed.
Today was their debut.
"That's the two captains of Shrek's main team."
On the Sun Moon side, every eye locked onto Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng.
Ma Rulong stood rigid, expression grave.
Because these two were his opponents.
—
Meanwhile, on Shrek's side:
"You two are sure you want to fight together?"
Wang Yan currently looked troubled, watching Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng who had requested to fight. He hadn't expected that the first thing they would do after recovering from their injuries was to go on stage to vent their emotions.
"Of course," Ma Xiaotao nodded firmly.
"But your opponent today is Changning Advanced Soul Master Academy. They have only one Soul King. You two—Soul Emperors—up there…"
Teacher Wang left the rest unsaid.
*What right does Changning have to warrant your presence?*
"Teacher Wang," Dai Yueheng interjected, his tone gentle, almost serene. "Precisely because Changning is weak, this is the perfect chance for us to vent. We won't need to show anything substantial."
"Hmm…"
Teacher Wang hesitated, glancing toward Chen Junting and the others.
He was clearly deferring to them.
They had no objection.
After all, Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng had spent weeks cooped up in the hotel. If they didn't get to move, they'd go mad.
"Fine," Teacher Wang sighed. Seeing no resistance, he gave his approval.
When match time arrived, referee Cheng Gang stood at the center of the dueling platform—only to find that Shrek's standby zone held only two people.
The rest remained in the rest area.
As the draw concluded—revealing a team battle—
Cheng Gang frowned, voice low and serious:
"Is Shrek Academy fielding only two fighters for this team battle?"
"Yes," Ma Xiaotao nodded, her gaze fixed on the Changning team stepping onto the field. A smirk curled on her lips. "Begin."
Seeing Shrek's resolve, Cheng Gang said nothing more.
"Both teams, step back."
"Begin!"
In an instant, phoenix flames erupted around Ma Xiaotao.
She had waited too long.
Two yellow, two purple, two black—six soul rings blazed into life, their power amplified by the roaring fire, radiating raw dominance.
"ROAR!"
Dai Yueheng, unwilling to be outdone, unleashed his Soul Emperor aura.
The White Tiger martial soul manifested instantly—two yellow, two purple, two black rings circling him. His power, his presence—equally overwhelming, as if the very air trembled beneath his step.
For the first time in this year's All-Continent Senior Soul Master Academy Dueling Tournament, the two Soul Emperors of Shrek stood on the battlefield.
The Changning team had barely finished their martial soul activation.
Before them, the pressure from two Soul Emperors crushed them.
Their captain barely held his ground.
The other six trembled—legs buckling, faces pale.
The next second—
"Phoenix Meteor Shower!"
"White Tiger Meteor Shower!"
Unnumbered flames and white-glowing orbs rained down from above—blanketing all seven members of Changning Academy.
At that moment, Cheng Gang moved.
And his voice rang out, clear and final:
"Third Round, Match Three—Shrek Academy wins!"
—
In the days that followed, the round-robin continued.
Shrek had three more matches remaining.
But none came close to the strength of Zhengtian Academy.
So after their emotional release, Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng had no desire to fight again.
What followed became the triumph of those who had barely stepped onto the field.
Wang Dong, Wu Feng, and the others—those who had sat idle—now had their moment.
Under the watchful presence of the Inner Academy members, Wang Dong and Wu Feng fought with wild joy.
And the opponents? They suffered.
Dare they go all out?
No.
Not after what happened to Changning.
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