On the soul master tournament stage—an arena brimming with blood-boiling tension and passion—the atmosphere was drawn taut like a bowstring, ready to snap and unleash unimaginable power at any moment.
Xuanzi stood quietly, deep in thought. Countless emotions and calculations surged within his heart like waves, as if he were seeking clarity and calm in the midst of chaos.
Suddenly, without warning, a sharp, resounding phoenix cry pierced the sky. The sound was clear and majestic, soaring high into the heavens as if to tear through the clouds themselves. It struck the ears of every spectator like a shockwave.
All eyes turned toward the source. On the stage, the flames of Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix spirit blazed to life once more, writhing up her right arm like serpentine tongues of living fire. The searing heat radiated outward, forcing those nearby to instinctively recoil.
In the blink of an eye, a massive fire phoenix phantom materialized behind her. Crimson light engulfed her figure, and in that moment she seemed like the Fire God descended upon the mortal world—radiant, terrible, divine.
"You helped my martial soul achieve sublimation," Ma Xiaotao's voice rang out cold and steady, clear even amid the chaos of the arena. "By rights, I should thank you…"
Her gaze sharpened, however, and her tone hardened with fury and pain. "But this Judgment Sword reminds me of a past I'd rather forget."
A glimmer of anguish flashed through her eyes. Gripping the blade of the Judgment Sword bare-handed, the fiery cloud markings of her phoenix bloodline flared across her cheeks, mirroring the turmoil in her heart.
Her phoenix flames surged to their peak—an inferno of pure fury. Fire raced wildly along the sword, its heat so intense that the very air sizzled and warped with each crackling sound.
In the next instant, that overwhelming flame wrapped itself entirely around Ma Rulong's left arm.
"AAAHHHHHHHH!!!"
A bone-chilling scream tore from his throat, echoing across the arena. In an instant, his left arm was reduced to ashes, leaving behind only charred flesh and the acrid stench of burnt flesh that turned stomachs.
Calmly, Ma Xiaotao raised her hand. The raging flames obeyed her like a loyal child, swirling neatly around the Judgment Sword and the five storage soul tool rings that once adorned Ma Rulong's hand. With effortless grace, she withdrew them all into her own storage device.
Then, with quiet composure, she looked down at the convulsing Ma Rulong writhing on the ground and said softly, "Apologies. My martial soul lost control."
"Rulong!!!"
Below the stage, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy's leader, Elder Ma, roared with fury, eyes bloodshot and wild like a maddened beast.
Eight soul rings erupted from his body, their glow flooding the area in violent waves of soul power. Consumed by rage, he charged toward the stage with blinding speed—
—but before he could even touch the shimmering protective barrier surrounding the platform, a beam of starlight struck him squarely, blasting him backward.
The starlight formed a radiant shield, immovable and absolute. Its rebound force sent Elder Ma stumbling several steps before he could steady himself.
When he looked up, Huang Jinxu stood before him. His face was expressionless, cold as winter ice, his eyes brimming with the authority of a Titled Douluo.
"Non-participants are strictly forbidden from interfering in the match," Huang Jinxu said in a voice like thunder. "If you try that again—your academy will be disqualified immediately."
Moments ago, Huang Jinxu had admired Ma Xiaotao's fiery awakening. Now, his voice carried the full, unquestionable weight of a judge.
Elder Ma's face turned red with fury. "Shrek Academy deliberately crippled a competitor! That's a violation!"
Huang Jinxu gave him a dismissive glance. "Whether it's a violation or not, I will decide that. Are you the referee—or am I? Step. Down."
Nine soul rings rose from Huang Jinxu's body—two yellow, two purple, and five black. His overwhelming soul power flooded the air, the pressure so immense it froze the very atmosphere.
Elder Ma, despite his fury, could barely breathe under that crushing might. His body trembled involuntarily.
"Shrek… Shrek!" he spat through clenched teeth, eyes filled with venom.
The spectators, meanwhile, whispered among themselves.
To them, this was nothing more than another brutal turn in the competition. Wounds and losses were inevitable in soul battles. Few felt sympathy for Ma Rulong—a rising prodigy from the Sun Moon Empire who, if allowed to grow, could one day lead their armies against the other nations.
Let Shrek bear the blame. Let the Sun Moon Empire seethe in resentment. No one else minded.
Onstage, Zhou Sichen advanced slowly, his steps steady and deliberate, until he stood before the Hongchen siblings.
The Adaptive Core in his hands transformed into two gleaming white crystalline arms, which reached out and seized the pair with ease.
Before Zhou Sichen could make another move, Elder Ma's bitter voice echoed across the field, hoarse and trembling:
"Surrender! The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy concedes the team battle!"
Immediately, streaks of starlight appeared above the stage, forming protective barriers around the Sun Moon team members.
Huang Jinxu's amplified voice followed:
"The first team battle of the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament finals—victory goes to Shrek Academy!"
His declaration reverberated throughout the stadium.
As the words faded, Zhou Sichen released the Hongchen siblings, smiling faintly. "What a pity," he murmured—his tone a blend of respect and lingering excitement for a worthy match.
Elder Ma, now freed from Huang Jinxu's suppression, rushed to the stage like a madman and knelt beside Ma Rulong.
"Rulong! Speak to me!"
Seeing the charred stump of an arm, his eyes went wide with horror. "Healers! Get the healers here, NOW!"
Several Healing-type Soul Masters ran up at once, hands glowing as they poured restorative energy into Ma Rulong's mangled body. Yet his arm—reduced to nothing but ashes—was beyond salvation.
For any Soul Master, losing a limb was a near-crippling tragedy. For a Soul Engineer like Ma Rulong, the loss of his dominant arm meant permanent limitations in his craft and combat. His future, once dazzling, now dimmed.
After Ma Rulong was carried off, Elder Ma's gaze turned icy. His voice dropped low and cold as he fixed it on Ma Xiaotao.
"Return the Judgment Sword. It was forged by Mingde Hall itself—an eighth-tier soul tool, priceless and irreplaceable."
The fiery cloud marks flickered once again along Ma Xiaotao's face. Meeting his glare head-on, she answered firmly, "Once my martial soul stabilizes, I'll return it. But if you intend to take it by force from a Shrek student…"
She let her words trail off intentionally, the unspoken threat heavier than steel.
Elder Ma's expression darkened, his jaw tightening as he turned away with a sharp flick of his sleeve, concealing his helpless rage.
He glanced at the Hongchen siblings instead, just as Zhou Sichen gently set them down.
Zhou's eyes were kind and calm. "You both have remarkable talent. But your Martial Soul Fusion Skill still lacks refinement. Shrek has vast experience in this field—perhaps we could offer some guidance."
Blood still streaked Xiao Hongchen's face, but he managed a weak, grateful smile. "I'll… consider it."
Meng Hongchen looked at Ma Xiaotao's retreating figure, a chill running down her spine at the memory of that ruthless strike. Turning to Zhou Sichen, she smiled softly. "You're very strong. I know you held back—otherwise my brother and I…"
She didn't finish the sentence, but everyone understood.
Zhou Sichen's smile was warm, gentle. "After all, we're not truly enemies, are we?"
Xiao Hongchen recalled their night at the underground tavern—two rivals sharing drinks and mutual respect. A flicker of hope crossed his mind. Perhaps they could one day stand as comrades rather than opponents.
He coughed lightly and said hoarsely, "I'll remember your mercy today."
Zhou Sichen waved off the thanks with an easy smile just as Elder Ma approached again, supporting the injured siblings.
"Xiao, Meng—are you two all right?"
"We're fine," Xiao Hongchen replied weakly. "Our fusion skill was broken, and our soul power's exhausted. We won't be able to use our Martial Souls for at least a week."
Elder Ma exhaled in relief. "Good. If either of you were seriously hurt, I'd have no way to answer to the Hall Master."
Then, turning to Zhou Sichen, his tone stiffened. "Regardless, I appreciate your restraint. However, Ma Xiaotao crippled one of our students and has taken a Mingde Hall soul tool. I expect Shrek Academy to give us an explanation."
He paused, eyes narrowing. "As your team's captain and acting leader, I trust you'll see to that personally."
Zhou Sichen met his gaze calmly. Elder Ma's words carried courtesy, but his heart was anything but calm.
A five-ringed Soul King defeating a pair of Fusion Skill users—and winning—was something that defied common sense. Such talent, coupled with his mysterious Martial Soul, could one day rival even the legends—perhaps another Dragon God Douluo in the making.
Elder Ma's politeness was only surface deep. Beneath it, dark intentions were already stirring.
Zhou Sichen, however, stood serenely, undisturbed. His clear eyes reflected quiet confidence as he replied, "I'll investigate, and Shrek will provide a fair answer."
He gave a polite nod, then turned and walked away with unhurried grace—his tall figure exuding strength and composure.
Ma Xiaotao exhaled softly, retracting her Martial Soul. The flames withdrew into her body, fading into faint embers before vanishing entirely.
Ye Guyi landed gracefully beside her like a butterfly descending from the air, while Dai Yueheng dismissed his White Tiger spirit, still radiating battle fervor as he followed Zhou Sichen.
Elsewhere, Chen Fei stood frozen in a crystalline prison of ice and venom—the combined might of Ling Luochen's Ice Prison and Dugu Xianmeng's Five Venoms. His aura was faint, his body trembling, close to collapse.
If not treated soon, the fusion of frost and toxin might destroy him from within.
By contrast, Lin Xi, Xiao Xiafeng, and Li Yan were in better condition, though Li Yan had been gravely wounded when Dai Yueheng's sixth soul skill, White Tiger Annihilation Strike, had torn through his Flame Demon form. Only his soul tool fusion armor had saved his life.
Ling Luochen and Dugu Xianmeng both retracted their spirits, the latter pouting in frustration. "Tch. I still had so many tricks left. They fell apart too soon—how boring."
Gongyang Mo landed beside Zhou Sichen with a teasing grin. "Captain, you do realize you stole everyone's spotlight, right? Boneyi and Xiaotao didn't even get to show off!"
Zhou Sichen sighed lightly. "The team battle's over. For the individual rounds, you all can do as you please. I'm sitting them out."
Dugu Xianmeng's eyes lit up. "Heh, then I'm going first!" she said eagerly.
Dai Yueheng flexed his hands, excitement gleaming in his eyes. "Good. I've still got plenty of cards left. Time to test out my Dominating Tiger Soul Blade in battle."
Ma Xiaotao and Ye Guyi exchanged a knowing glance but remained silent.
They both understood Zhou Sichen's intent. This match wasn't about winning—it was about drawing the world's attention.
And he had succeeded.
Even the mighty Sun Moon Empire had been utterly defeated before the full might of Shrek.
****
If you want to support me or read advanced chapters (26+), consider checking out my Kof.
ko-fi.com/shax07