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After some adjustments, the teachers and students of Shrek Academy quickly prepared to begin the soul battle competition.
Flender seemed intent on showcasing the exceptional performance of Shrek's students, so he arranged for a large arena within the academy and invited many students to watch. This would serve as encouragement for the academy's students.
Of course, due to the special identities of some students, everyone wore masks when they entered the arena.
After some discussion, the participants were Tang San, Dai Mubai, Yu Tianheng, Zhu Zhuqing, Oscar, Qin Shuang, and Ning Rongrong.
Yang Xiong, Dugu Yan, and Ma Hongjun did not participate.
When Zhao Wuji and Flender stepped onto the field, they stunned nearly everyone.
Flender's soul power was at level 83, making him a rare flying-type Soul Douluo.
But Zhao Wuji had reached an astonishing level 87, leaving everyone dumbfounded. After all, Zhao Wuji had been two levels lower than Flender back then—how had he surpassed him so significantly now?
Those in the know seemed to glance intentionally—or unintentionally—at Yang Xiong. Since that year's Soul Master Tournament, Zhao Wuji had followed Yang Xiong to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. No one expected his soul power cultivation to progress so rapidly within the sect.
Ignoring the astonished gazes, Flender explained the rules of the match: the seven members of Shrek's team needed to withstand attacks from both Zhao Wuji and Flender for the duration of three incense sticks.
As Liu Erlong announced the start of the match, Flender and Zhao Wuji immediately launched a fierce assault.
Zhao Wuji charged toward Shrek's formation like a rampaging bear.
Yu Tianheng and Dai Mubai exchanged glances, instantly transforming into a massive White Tiger and a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, respectively, to block Zhao Wuji's brutal attack.
However, Zhao Wuji's strength far exceeded their expectations. With just a few punches, Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng were instantly forced back.
Tang San reacted swiftly, summoning countless strands of Blue Silver Grass to envelop Zhao Wuji, forming a massive cage-like prison to halt his advance.
But the gap in soul power between Zhao Wuji and Tang San was immense. Tang San's Blue Silver Grass lasted less than a second before shattering completely.
Yang Xiong carefully observed Tang San's Blue Silver Grass. Compared to five years ago, its resilience had improved slightly, and its toxicity had grown somewhat stronger.
Unfortunately, Zhao Wuji's strength was overwhelming, especially in terms of defense and power. He was undoubtedly one of the top-tier Soul Douluos.
Thus, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass couldn't even penetrate Zhao Wuji's defenses.
Yang Xiong believed that Tang San should have already reached level 60, and his soul power felt much denser and more formidable than a typical newly promoted level 60 soul master.
Seeing Zhao Wuji charging recklessly, Dai Mubai and Yu Tianheng activated their enhancement-type soul skills.
Dai Mubai used his fifth soul skill, White Tiger Demon God Transformation, while Yu Tianheng employed his fourth soul skill, Blue Lightning Divine Dragon Strike.
In contrast to Zhao Wuji's brute force, Flender was even harder to deal with. As a Soul Douluo-level powerhouse with flight capabilities, his speed was unmatched, making it nearly impossible for others to counter him effectively.
The only solution was for Tang San to use his Blue Silver Grass to control Qin Shuang and Zhu Zhuqing, allowing them to barely hold their ground against Flender.
At the start of the match, Ning Rongrong quickly summoned her Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda to provide support to everyone on the field. Without her assistance, given the disparity in soul power, Shrek's seven members wouldn't have stood a chance.
One incense stick typically lasted around ten minutes, and the time for three incense sticks passed quickly.
Thanks to their strong combat instincts and the exceptional support from Oscar and Ning Rongrong, Shrek's seven managed to endure.
Especially noteworthy was Oscar, who used his Replication Mirror Sausage to simulate Tang San's Blue Silver Grass. The battlefield was soon flooded with Blue Silver Grass, regardless of soul power consumption—they simply fought with everything they had.
By the final moments of the battle, Tang San realized that relying solely on Blue Silver Grass wouldn't be enough to handle these two Soul Douluos. In the end, he unleashed his Hao Tian Hammer.
Once Tang San activated the Hao Tian Hammer, the power of each strike increased dramatically. The hammer's might was extraordinary, with every swing subtly interconnected, demonstrating incredible precision.
Shrek's seven quickly adjusted their tactics to assist Tang San in channeling the energy for his Disorderly Wind Splitting Hammer.
Ultimately, after reaching eighty-one strikes of the Disorderly Wind Splitting Hammer, the Hao Tian Hammer became incredibly heavy, brimming with boundless power, resembling a black dragon.
Even Zhao Wuji felt immense pressure and directly activated his seventh soul skill, Martial Soul True Body, transforming into a massive Vigorous Vajra Bear to withstand Tang San's attack.
...
After the time of three incense sticks had passed, although Shrek's seven showed clear signs of fatigue, they managed to hold on. Of course, there was some degree of restraint from Flender and Zhao Wuji—if they had truly gone all out, no one knew how far the battle might have escalated.
In the end, Flender declared the match a draw, and Shrek's seven finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Watching Shrek's group's performance, Yang Xiong couldn't help but sigh.
Compared to the original storyline, the strength of the Shrek Seven Monsters had severely diminished for almost everyone, except for Oscar and Ning Rongrong, who were slightly stronger than in the original.
Tang San's combat ability was indeed impressive, and purely in terms of soul power, he was much stronger than in the original.
In the original, Tang San was only at level 59, but judging by the current situation, he should have long since reached level 60. He likely hadn't obtained a soul ring yet after breaking through, choosing instead to focus on cultivation for a while. It was estimated that he planned to obtain a soul ring after this gathering, and his true soul power level was likely around 61.
Moreover, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass hadn't undergone a second awakening into the Blue Silver Emperor, so its resilience was ultimately lacking.
Most critically, Tang San hadn't awakened the Blue Silver Domain or obtained the Killing God Domain—this was the true gap.
Aside from Tang San, the others had suffered significant setbacks.
Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing were only at the Soul King level, a full realm lower than in the original. Even their combat talent was weaker compared to the original.
As for Ma Hongjun, it was unclear if he would ever reach the advanced soul master level in his lifetime. Without the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, the demonic flames within Ma Hongjun were clearly more uncontrollable, even affecting his mental state.
Of course, Yang Xiong and Ma Hongjun weren't particularly close, so there was no way he would give him the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower.
Compared to Shrek's seven, Yu Xiaogang appeared extremely pleased. Tang San had performed exceptionally well in this match, showcasing outstanding combat ability.
Especially notable was the terrifying power and mastery of Tang San's Hao Tian Hammer, which was key to their ability to last through the three incense sticks.
...
After the match ended, everyone gathered around Oscar, looking at him as though he were a monster.
Dai Mubai and Oscar were the closest, having joined Shrek Academy together and spent the most time together.
Dai Mubai draped his arm over Oscar's shoulder, visibly excited: "Little Ao, impressive! After just five years, you've really surprised us. Not only has your cultivation speed increased significantly, but you've also gained actual combat abilities. You could really become a battle-type soul master now."
Oscar smiled broadly: "Boss Dai, you flatter me. No matter how hard I try to grow stronger, I'm still far behind you battle-type soul masters."
Tang San seemed puzzled: "Oscar, your sixth soul skill is quite impressive. I've read many books about soul masters, but I've never seen a food-based soul master with a similar skill."
Oscar didn't dwell on it: "This was all thanks to Little Bear's analysis."
"After I graduated, Little Bear reviewed a vast amount of materials from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and helped me devise a cultivation plan. Over the past few years, I trained with Qin Shuang and another friend outside."
"My sixth soul ring was also suggested by Little Bear—it came from a twenty-thousand-year-old Mirror Image Beast, which grants the ability to replicate other soul masters' powers."
Upon hearing this, everyone was astonished. They had never heard of such a soul beast.
Beside them, Yu Xiaogang's expression turned serious: "Oscar, did your sixth soul ring really come from a Mirror Image Beast?"
Oscar nodded, his face beaming with joy: "Yes, it did. I was lucky—I happened to find one with a suitable age."
Tang San asked Yu Xiaogang, puzzled: "Teacher, is the Mirror Image Beast special? I don't recall ever hearing you mention it."
Yu Xiaogang's face revealed a hint of bitterness: "Xiao San, I've only seen it in records. The Mirror Image Beast is extremely rare and only found in the Extreme North."
"You should know how dangerous the Extreme North is. Its temperatures are extremely low, and ordinary soul masters can't withstand the cold. The entire Extreme North is essentially a life-forbidden zone, its dangers comparable to those of the Star Dou Great Forest."
"Mirror Image Beasts usually grant replication-type soul skills. I never imagined that a food-based soul master absorbing a Mirror Image Beast's soul ring would gain such a skill. It seems Oscar got very lucky."
Everyone was amazed upon hearing this. Looking at Oscar's face and physique, he had clearly aged and grown stronger compared to five years ago. It was evident that he had undergone extremely harsh training, filled with danger.
After the match, everyone gathered to chat, sharing stories of their experiences over the past years. Each person had their own journey, and their lives seemed incredibly colorful.
Dugu Yan and Yu Tianheng were preparing to get married. Their union was not only a love match but also a merger of two powerful families.
It was clear that they were very happy. In the world of soul masters, finding a partner whose talents and family background matched so perfectly was exceedingly rare.
Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing also appeared very close. It seemed they too would soon tie the knot. After abandoning his struggle for the throne, Dai Mubai exuded a heroic aura.
Zhu Zhuqing looked much happier than she had five years ago, with less melancholy in her eyes.
The group teased Oscar and Qin Shuang about when they would get together, leaving Qin Shuang visibly embarrassed, while Oscar wore a confident grin.
The girls whispered among themselves, giggling nonstop. Ning Rongrong, in particular, looked at Yang Xiong with a disapproving expression, leaving him speechless.
Of course, everyone deeply missed Xiao Wu, who had left. Especially the girls—Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu had been as close as sisters back then.
Dai Mubai, seemingly wanting to tease Oscar, pulled him into an arm-wrestling match to test their strength.
Oscar used a drop of Yang Xiong's blood, transforming into a crimson giant. With multiple enhancement-type soul skills in effect, even Dai Mubai struggled to keep up.
The others grew even more excited, and several men began comparing their strength shirtless.
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