"You're strong… but not strong enough."
Facing the blazing, crimson-gold radiance of the Three-Legged Golden Toad's breath attack, Zhou Sicheng's lips curved upward into a faint, disdainful smile.
That smile exuded dominance and absolute confidence, as though declaring to everyone watching that this seemingly unstoppable assault was nothing more than a trivial trick in his eyes.
A vast surge of soul power erupted around him—boundless and deep like an ocean in turmoil. Raising his right hand slowly, his fingers curled into a dragon claw. Every motion carried overwhelming might, as if he was moving the very laws of heaven and earth.
In that casual motion, an unfathomable force burst forth—crushing the fiery beam of light spat out by the Three-Legged Golden Toad with a single squeeze!
The moment the breath attack collapsed, the unleashed power surged back like a flood breaking through a dam, raging wildly along its original trajectory. It rushed directly into the gaping maw of the crimson-golden toad, and in the blink of an eye, that devastating force spread throughout its massive body.
The enormous toad staggered backward, as if struck by a hammer. Its once-proud form trembled violently, and its black pupils dilated in disbelief and shock.
The audience beneath the stage watched in stunned silence. The power of that Martial Soul Fusion Technique attack was said to rival a full-force strike from a Soul Emperor-level expert!
Yet Zhou Sicheng had not only blocked it with ease, but even forced the massive Three-Legged Golden Toad into retreat and injury.
Such an outcome completely shattered their understanding of strength.
After shattering the golden beam, the radiant dragon claw covering Zhou Sicheng's right hand dimmed slightly, yet the oppressive aura it exuded remained terrifyingly potent.
Behind him, the faint shadow of the Light Saint Dragon flickered in and out of existence. With unstoppable momentum, the golden dragon claw descended once more, aiming to completely crush the arrogant beast before it.
The towering Three-Legged Golden Toad—five meters tall—staggered back two steps under the immense pressure.
Struggling to steady itself, its enormous mouth suddenly opened wide, generating a tremendous suction force. The air twisted violently, forming countless small whirlwinds as it devoured everything around it.
Facing the oncoming dragon claw, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen's expressions turned deathly serious.
They knew this was the decisive moment—life or death. There was no time for shock or hesitation. They unleashed every ounce of their soul power and energy in a desperate counterattack.
In the next instant, the crimson-golden toad's mouth spat out a massive sphere of intertwined gold, red, and blue light.
The orb pulsed with overwhelming energy—a terrifying mixture of metallic frenzy, frozen venom, and scorching flame. Just looking at it made one's soul tremble, as if it would be devoured entirely.
As the Hongchen siblings poured everything into their combined assault, the arena became a battlefield between gods and demons.
Above the stage, the phantom of the Light Saint Dragon and that of the Three-Legged Golden Toad faced one another, each biting onto the enormous tri-colored "Dragon Pearl" between them. Neither would yield—the orb trembled violently between their jaws, the key to deciding victory.
From within the toad's phantom came the fused voices of the Hongchen siblings:
"You are indeed strong, but our Martial Soul Fusion Technique is not something you can block so easily!"
Their tone carried unwillingness—but also fierce confidence in their own fusion skill.
Golden light flickered within Zhou Sicheng's eyes as he chuckled lowly, brimming with pride and boldness.
"Then let me see the limits of your power."
The Light Saint Dragon and the Three-Legged Golden Toad continued their struggle, energy surging like a tempest. Waves of force radiated outward from the arena, distorting the very air and space itself.
But soon, both sides reached their limits.
The shining dragon and the towering toad trembled violently, as though straining against a weight too great to bear.
Then—
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion split the air. The tri-colored Dragon Pearl between them could no longer endure the immense pressure and detonated, releasing a blinding flash that engulfed the entire arena.
The radiance was so intense that the spectators were forced to shield their eyes.
Both the Light Saint Dragon and the Three-Legged Golden Toad phantoms disintegrated under the force of the blast.
When the light finally faded, Zhou Sicheng's figure reappeared—blood trailing from the corner of his lips.
Across the stage, the crimson-golden toad convulsed once before its glow shattered completely, revealing the pale, exhausted figures of Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.
Their eyes were filled with despair and unwillingness as their bodies fell from the air like dimmed stars.
Their Martial Soul Fusion Technique had been broken.
Two Soul Kings had combined their strength, yet their fusion skill had been destroyed by another Soul King—alone!
The entire Sun and Moon team, as well as the hundreds of thousands of spectators, stared in disbelief.
Their jaws dropped, their eyes wide in pure shock.
They had known Zhou Sicheng was strong—after all, he was Shrek Academy's team captain, the leader of this generation's Shrek Seven Monsters.
But to singlehandedly shatter the Hongchen siblings' fusion technique… If they hadn't witnessed it themselves, they'd have dismissed it as sheer fantasy.
Atop the city walls, Xu Jiawei murmured under his breath, his voice trembling:
"That technique just now… could it be one of the famed moves of that Shrek expert?"
His expression was filled with awe and confusion. As one of the few who knew of the mystical nature of Zhou Sicheng's Book of Contracts Martial Soul, seeing him defeat the Hongchen siblings using only the Light Saint Dragon's power sent waves through his heart.
Copying other Martial Souls was already monstrous—but even replicating renowned ultimate techniques? That defied comprehension.
Among the countless spectators, some were hidden powerhouses or spies from other factions.
Anyone who had ever heard of the Dragon God Douluo's legendary might instantly recognized the essence of that skill.
To them, Zhou Sicheng at that moment was like a golden dragon slumbering in the depths—one destined to soar into the heavens someday. When that happened, Shrek Academy might just give birth to another Dragon God Douluo.
At a less noticeable corner of the stands, an old man holding a wine gourd in one hand and a chicken leg in the other chuckled as he watched.
"Heh… this kid's got more presence than Mu did in his youth. And this—this isn't even close to his full power. I'd like to see what he can really do when he stops holding back."
Though Red Dust's Devotion had been shattered, the tri-colored orb's explosion unleashed chaos.
The violent mixture of molten metal energy, the Frost Toad's toxic chill, and the clash of ice and fire erupted outward like volcanic fury.
The ground split apart, molten cracks spreading across the stage—it was like the earth itself was crying out in agony.
The explosion's aftermath was uncontrollable.
Within thirty meters, the battlefield turned into a blazing inferno.
The Sun and Moon team was forced to activate their single-use Level 5 Invincible Barriers to survive.
Lin Xi and Xiao Xiafeng were blown away, tumbling through the air like severed kites. If not for the protective barrier, the blast would've erased them entirely.
Terror and relief mingled on their faces—they had truly brushed past death.
Even Li Yan and Dai Yueheng, who were farther away, were sent flying again, crashing into the ground before quickly regaining their footing and locking eyes with renewed resolve.
Captain Ma Rulong, protected by his own Invincible Barrier, was also thrown back by the force.
But before the explosion reached its peak, he had already unleashed a High-Temperature Ray, aimed directly at Zhou Sicheng.
A scarlet beam of burning heat shot forth like lightning.
Zhou Sicheng had just expended nearly all his soul power to break Red Dust's Devotion. Without invoking the power of the Book of Contracts or borrowing energy from his spirit beasts, he relied solely on his Light Saint Dragon's strength.
He wanted to test himself—to see how far he could go as a "normal genius" against opponents like the Hongchen siblings.
And though he was anything but ordinary, his accomplishment was astounding nonetheless.
But in his drained state, he instantly sensed the searing ray darting toward him like a bolt of death.
An overwhelming sense of danger engulfed him—his instincts screamed that this was fatal.
Yet, instead of panic, the sensation only sharpened his focus.
Without even turning around, a tearing sound split the air as the back of his shirt burst open.
In an instant, crystalline nanostructures—his Adaptive Core—assembled at blinding speed, forming a circular energy shield behind him.
Zzzzt!
The high-temperature ray struck the shield, producing a piercing hiss as energy and flame clashed violently.
But the beam—strong enough to pierce the defenses of even top-tier Soul Emperors—was completely stopped.
Ma Rulong, still recovering from the blast, had been smirking in confidence, certain of his hit.
That smirk froze on his face as he watched Zhou Sicheng emerge unscathed, his crystalline armor reflecting the light.
His eyes widened.
"A… Level 7 Soul Tool?! A full-body armor that intricate? Impossible! Even my grandfather couldn't craft something that refined! How could a mere Soul King possess it?!"
His disbelief grew with every word.
"Even Hallmaster Hongchen couldn't make something like this—and Shrek? Not a chance!" he muttered in shock, utterly unable to comprehend it.
Meanwhile, Zhou Sicheng—now fully encased in gleaming, silver-white crystalline armor—strode forward, each step echoing with quiet, unstoppable power.
Behind him, the phantom of the Light Saint Dragon shimmered faintly, its majestic presence filling the air.
The Hongchen siblings struggled to stand, their bodies trembling from exhaustion.
When they saw Zhou Sicheng approaching, radiant and unyielding, dread filled their hearts. They wanted to summon their Martial Souls again—but their energy was completely drained.
Seeing this, Ma Rulong roared in desperation:
"Save them!"
His shout boomed across the arena.
But before anyone could move, a radiant light array bloomed overhead—the Light Purification Field—expanding once more and suppressing all of the Sun and Moon team's movement.
Then—a sharp phoenix cry pierced the heavens.
Everyone looked up to see a massive Fire Phoenix spreading its blazing wings across the sky, exuding immense heat.
"Holy Spirit Slash!"
"Phoenix Piercing the Clouds!"
Ye Guyi and Ma Xiaotao unleashed their ultimate techniques simultaneously.
Ye Guyi's Holy Spirit Sword gleamed like lightning as it sliced downward, while Ma Xiaotao, in her phoenix form, dove from above wreathed in flames.
The two Soul Emperors' full-powered assault rained down like a divine storm.
The Sun and Moon team's Invincible Barriers had just expired—they had no defense left.
Already weakened and drained, they could only stare up in horror as the twin attacks descended.
But Ma Rulong refused to surrender.
He knew that if they lost this team battle, they'd have no hope left in the upcoming individual matches.
For the Sun and Moon team, this was a fight for survival—
and they had to win.
****
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