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Boom! Boom! Boom!
The intensity of the explosion on the Soul Dueling Arena was enough to collapse the entire arena.
This was the power of extreme fire. If Ma Xiaotao's move had landed, it would have been a blessing if the Star Luo National Academy lost only a few lives.
Although Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire had been dispelled, her naturally fiery temper couldn't be changed. Being trapped for so long by the combined technique of Absolute Defense and Star's Protection had completely enraged her.
Fortunately, at the critical moment, Douluo Tian Sha intervened in time, blocking the Phoenix Meteor Shower, thus preventing casualties.
However, Douluo Tian Sha's palm was burned black, and his upper garment was scorched by the intense flames, making him look very disheveled.
"What terrifying attack power! I, a dignified Titled Douluo, was actually burned like this, and blocking it was so difficult. As expected of extreme fire," Douluo Tian Sha said with lingering fear, looking at his palm. If he hadn't acted just now, their Star Luo National Academy might not have had many survivors.
"Team battle of the semifinals concludes. Shrek Academy wins."
As the referee's words fell, a strong roar of cheers erupted in the arena. The entire crowd chanted Shrek's name.
After ten thousand years of change, Shrek was no longer the small academy in Soto City of old, but a holy land in the hearts of many soul masters, the most magnificent and righteous existence on the continent.
Yuwen Tuo tapped his arm and murmured, "Shrek, you may celebrate as much as you like. In this tournament, I cannot stop you from winning the championship, but I will give you the most humiliating championship."
Afterward, the Star Luo National Academy forfeited the remaining single and double battles due to injuries to their main team members.
Shrek thus easily advanced to the finals.
Actually, on the Di'ao side, Wei Na also suggested that Jiang Peng forfeit, but Jiang Peng refused. His character was tenacious and decisive; even if he knew he would lose, he would not surrender without a fight.
One must know, he was also a Soul Emperor, and his martial soul was the Sky-Shaking Axe, which was said to be not much weaker than the Clear Sky Hammer among tool martial souls.
His self-created soul technique, the Eighteen Dragon Slaying Slashes, if not properly displayed in the Continental Elite Soul Master Tournament, how could it be worthy of his years of effort, and it would definitely become a lifelong regret for him.
Hearing him say so, Wei Na did not press further, only urging him not to get injured.
"Haaa!!!"
On the Soul Dueling Arena, accompanied by Jiang Peng's angry roar, the Sky-Shaking Axe swung, unleashing a powerful and wild slash.
Jiang Peng's opponent was named Mi Jia, a soul engineer skilled in guerrilla warfare using soul propulsion devices.
But before the Sky-Shaking Axe, the light spewing from the soul propulsion device was split in two. The Sky-Shaking Axe brutally struck Mi Jia's back. The next moment, a dull explosion sounded, sending Mi Jia sprawling forward.
This was Shocking Explosion, a destructive skill inherent to the Sky-Shaking Axe martial soul. Its power was considerable, and combined with the axe's weight, this strike was quite heavy.
Mi Jia's back armor was dented inward by the single strike, and he himself lay on the ground, barely clinging to life.
In this condition, he would certainly be unable to participate in the upcoming finals.
Jiang Peng had unwittingly helped Shrek.
Six soul rings, two yellow, two purple, and two black, circled Jiang Peng, his strength fully revealed. This was already the third Sun Moon team member he had defeated.
"This Jiang Peng really knows how to cause trouble. Can't he see that the Di'ao Academy can't possibly win anymore? He's still fighting like a madman, and striking so hard. It's just weakening our combat strength for nothing. What's the point besides letting Shrek benefit?" Meng Hongchen said angrily.
Look how sensible the Star Luo National Academy was; they knew they couldn't win, so they gave up.
"This is the style of the Heaven Dou Empire. They only believe in their own power, look down on soul tools, and have overbearing personalities," Old Ma commented. "Hmph, such a power is not worth worrying about. They will pay the price for their foolishness in the future. Among the original three great nations of the Douluo Continent, those simpletons are the easiest to scheme against."
"Old Ma, I'll go deal with him. If he keeps fighting like this, he'll only cause trouble for us when we face Shrek later," Ma Rulong stepped forward and said.
He was also a six-ring Soul Emperor and a sixth-tier soul engineer, having even successfully created a seventh-tier soul tool. He was absolutely confident he could defeat Jiang Peng.
Old Ma nodded, "Good, go!"
Indeed, Jiang Peng couldn't be allowed to continue fighting like this; it was pointless except for wasting their combat power.
Seeing Ma Rulong enter the arena, Yuwen Tuo knew the match was over. If Jiang Peng was at full strength, a battle against Ma Rulong, the outcome might be uncertain, but at this moment, Jiang Peng's soul power was at least 60% depleted.
As he expected, Jiang Peng ultimately lost, defeated by Ma Rulong's high-temperature soul guidance ray.
However, losing didn't matter. Jiang Peng's strength had been displayed to the fullest; he was a fierce general! Yuwen Tuo liked such simple-minded people.
What if he was brave but lacked strategy? In a team, one schemer was enough. When he arrived, he would be the one to scheme, and Jiang Peng only needed to look at the enemy he pointed to and cleave them with his Sky-Shaking Axe.
The semifinals had now completely concluded.
The two sides that would ultimately meet in the finals were the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy and Shrek Academy.
Back at their respective hotels, both sides held strategy meetings.
"Old Ma, tell us, how exactly do you plan to deal with Ma Xiaotao?" Xiao Hongchen said. Although he was extremely confident, he wasn't arrogant enough to claim he could defeat the Soul Saint-level Ma Xiaotao.
Furthermore, his original soul tools had all been stripped by the people sent by "Star Luo," which Princess Xu Jiujiu herself admitted to.
What he had now were all hastily crafted over the past few days and borrowed from other students.
With just these, his strength could at best be 80% of his peak.
"How to deal with Ma Xiaotao? Didn't Star Luo National Academy already teach us?" Old Ma said.
Ma Rulong was startled. "You mean, use Absolute Defense to seal Ma Xiaotao? But without a Star's Protection like Xu Jiujiu's to restrain her extreme fire, even a seventh-tier Absolute Defense wouldn't be able to hold Ma Xiaotao for long."
"If seventh-tier isn't enough, what about eighth-tier?" Old Ma said mysteriously.
What he had been preparing these past few days was a secret weapon to restrain Ma Xiaotao. Everyone knew that the key to defeating Shrek was how to defeat Ma Xiaotao.
This idea was indeed correct, but unfortunately, it was based on the premise that Yuwen Tuo would not participate in the competition.
Inside Shrek's meeting room.
Zhou Yi looked at Yuwen Tuo and said, "For tomorrow's match, you promised to participate. Will you use your full strength? Xiaotao will definitely be their main target tomorrow, but if you go all out, you will become the key they overlook, yet capable of breaking their battle formation."
Yuwen Tuo said, "Hmph, I either don't fight, or if I fight, I won't hold back!"
Zhou Yi nodded, "Excellent!"
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