Chapter 101: The One-on-One Showdown
"Shrek will win!"
With the soul guide Elder Xuan had acquired from the Xingluo Empire, Shrek no longer feared the intense light-based tactics Xiao Qiang had used previously. Although they only had two such soul guides, they were sufficient for one-on-one and two-on-one situations.
"It seems Shrek is quite confident," Jing Hongchen commented, noticing the renewed fighting spirit surging among the Shrek team.
"Well, none of their core members—two Soul Emperors and one Soul King—were fatally injured. Once Ma Xiaotao recovers, it makes sense they'd be confident heading into the final two-two-three format," Xiao Qiang said calmly, analyzing the situation.
"As for that formation…" he added with a slight pause.
"It's fine. We'll win the last three matches. As for the two pairs before that, I can guarantee victory."
"Xiao Qiang, you're our trump card for the next competition. There's no need to reveal too much this early. Save your strength," Jing Hongchen warned, his tone light but firm.
"Don't worry, teacher," Xiao Qiang replied with a faint smile. "Even without revealing much, I can still defeat a Soul Emperor."
Xiao Hongchen: "…"
Wait… shouldn't I be the number one genius in the Sun and Moon Empire? When did Xiao Qiang become our trump card?!
Ever since Xiao Hongchen discovered the Hongchen family's true status hadn't declined, the calm front he had maintained began to crumble, revealing his former fiery personality once more.
Jing Hongchen, sensing the tension, waved it off. "It's good that you're confident. But don't overexert yourself. It's just a tournament where Shrek's been cheating repeatedly anyway."
He didn't say anything more to Xiao Qiang and turned his attention to arranging the upcoming matches.
"For the next one-on-one match… Meng, you're up first."
Meng Hongchen stuck out her tongue playfully. "Leave it to me, Grandpa."
Xiao Qiang turned his gaze toward the Shrek team, his mind recalling how things had unfolded in the original timeline.
"Senior Meng, when fighting them, be cautious. Don't act recklessly—especially not in front of Dai Yueheng, the Six-Ring Soul Emperor."
"Aww, are you worried about me, junior brother?" Meng Hongchen teased. "Don't worry, I'm not like your precious little nephew."
"You brat! Do you have a death wish?!"
Xiao Hongchen's face turned red with fury. It's fine when Xiao Qiang calls me his nephew, but why are you calling me that too?!
"Hey hey!" Meng Hongchen laughed and quickly skipped off before Xiao Hongchen could chase after her.
She arrived at the competition grounds, facing off against Shrek's first representative: Ling Luochen.
Shrek Academy was fully aware that they were at a disadvantage in the one-on-one rounds against the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. Still, they needed to display their pride and tenacity, so they sent in Ling Luochen, their only Soul King, to fight first.
Unfortunately, it took less than three minutes for Ling Luochen to be utterly defeated.
She was overwhelmed from start to finish by Meng Hongchen, unable to gain the upper hand even once. The defeat was swift and brutal.
Gasps and murmurs erupted throughout the stadium.
"Did Shrek just lose like that?"
"That girl from Sun Moon is only a reserve member, and she crushed a Soul King from Shrek?"
"Isn't Shrek supposed to be undefeated at the same level? She lost to someone five years younger!"
Thanks to the actions of Elder Xuan and Yan Shaozhe earlier in the competition, the public's impression of Shrek had already soured. This loss only made things worse.
Yan Shaozhe's face darkened, but he couldn't retort. Unlike Elder Xuan, he couldn't suppress the crowd with sheer pressure.
Silently, he handed He Caitou a piece of detoxifying mint chocolate—crafted by an eight-ring Soul Douluo-level food-type Soul Master, it was their second soul skill. While it was only hundred-year grade, it was just enough to suppress the poison from a five-ring Soul King for a time.
Due to Elder Xuan's overwhelming presence, they could rely on his influence to "ignore" a few rules. The only downside was the chocolate's limited supply—Yan Shaozhe had brought just five pieces.
Two had already been allocated to Jiang Nannan and He Caitou to help them last longer. The remaining three were used on Ling Luochen, Dai Yueheng, and another core member.
As Ning Tian wouldn't participate in the one-on-one matches, the others would need to delay and endure as best they could until reinforcements came.
Still, despite their efforts, Meng Hongchen quickly defeated Jiang Nannan, He Caitou, and Dai Huabin.
Soon, only Ning Tian, Dai Yueheng, and the resting Ma Xiaotao remained.
Ning Tian clearly stood no chance against Meng Hongchen, and Ma Xiaotao was still recovering. Thus, the burden of buying time fell solely on Dai Yueheng.
Unfortunately, he had to face off against a poison-type Soul Master.
"Both sides, report your names!"
"Shrek Academy, Dai Yueheng."
"Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, Meng Hongchen."
"Begin!"
As soon as the referee gave the signal, Meng Hongchen immediately began releasing her signature cold poison. Dai Yueheng activated his first, third, and fifth soul skills to hold off the poison, relying on one piece of detoxifying chocolate. He saved the second piece for later use.
If the detoxifying chocolate had been a ten-thousand-year soul skill, he wouldn't have worried. But it was only hundred-year grade—barely enough to neutralize the poison of a five-ring Soul King like Meng Hongchen. Had she been a seven-ring Soul Sage, this chocolate would have been useless.
Even with it, Dai Yueheng would eventually hit his limit.
As he faltered, unsteady on his feet, Meng Hongchen launched her final attack—convinced victory was already hers. Her fifth soul ring gleamed as she unleashed a blow strong enough to rival a six-ring Soul Emperor.
But it was a trap.
Dai Yueheng had baited her in. Just as her strike came down, his right arm glowed—revealing the soul bone embedded there.
An impenetrable defense activated.
His previous White Tiger Destruction Kill had been a feint. This was his true finishing move.
The force of Dai Yueheng's counterattack shattered Meng Hongchen's soul tool armor. For the first time in her life, she felt the breath of death at such close range.
"I warned you to be cautious, Senior Meng."
Just as the finishing blow was about to land, Xiao Qiang's voice echoed in Meng Hongchen's ears. In the next instant, a massive force yanked her away from the deadly strike.
Dai Yueheng's claw still came down—but a golden figure stepped between them, absorbing the full impact.
"What are you doing?!" Dai Yueheng shouted, stunned.
Xiao Qiang stood calmly between them, the glow of Invincible Golden Body and Gravity Control fading around him.
"Relax. You won this match. But I figured, since our referee here doesn't know when to intervene, I might as well do it myself."
Then he turned and glanced toward Tiansha Douluo, the blind referee.
"Referee, you're not going to disqualify the entire Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy just because I stepped in to stop the fight, are you?" he asked mockingly. "After all, when Shrek's teachers tried to kill people, you didn't disqualify them either."
Tiansha Douluo clenched his teeth, knowing full well Xiao Qiang was baiting him. But he had no grounds to object.
"Of course not," the referee said reluctantly. "This was a one-on-one match between Dai Yueheng and Meng Hongchen. Meng Hongchen has lost. The remaining members of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy are still eligible to compete."
Xiao Qiang gave a satisfied nod. "Good. As long as you're consistent."