She skillfully controlled the range and intensity of the storm, like an invisible hand that both shielded her teammates and cleverly tore apart the enemy's formation.
Ye Xinglan's sword flashed even more fiercely, slicing through the air as if cutting it open.
She and Tang Wulin stood on the left and right, respectively, like two deadly spinning wheels of death, carving out a clear zone amidst the chaotic battlefield.
"Don't let them surround us!" Ye Xinglan shouted clearly, pointing her sword at a group of opponents attempting to regroup.
"Understood!" Tang Wulin responded with a punch, his Golden Dragon Claw's sharpness intertwining brilliantly with Ye Xinglan's sword qi.
Xu Xiaoyan acted as an invisible weaver on the battlefield, lightly tapping her star staff. "Stillness!" "Restraint!"... One after another, absolute control rings descended precisely, creating obstacles and no-go zones that tightly restricted the enemies' movements.
"Annoying control!" someone from Wu Siduo's team roared in frustration, only to be immobilized by an invisible force.
Finally, when only about ten people remained on the platform, the melee reached its peak intensity.
Everyone was bloodthirsty, unleashing their ultimate soul skills like fireworks exploding wildly across the stage. Soul power surged violently, and energy turbulence filled the air.
Luo Guixing and others exchanged glances, but ultimately, their shallow bonds couldn't withstand the sight of Tang Wulin carrying "dead weight."
He decisively waved his hand, "Retreat! Let them handle it themselves!" Leading the remaining few, he quickly withdrew from the central combat zone.
The battlefield instantly formed a delicate balance—Tang Wulin, Gu Yue, Ye Xinglan, Xu Xiaoyan, and Xu Lizhi's five-person team faced off against Wu Siduo's group in the distance. The final showdown was imminent.
Another violent collision of energy erupted! Xu Xiaoyan had just unleashed a powerful control skill, leaving her soul power nearly depleted. Her body staggered, and a sneaky shockwave took advantage of the opening, slamming into her protective soul barrier!
"Hmm!" Xu Xiaoyan grunted, her star staff flying out of her hands. Her petite body was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, hurtling straight toward the edge of the platform.
"Xiaoyan—!" Tang Wulin's eyes bulged with desperation, his Golden Dragon Claw lashing out in an attempt to rescue her, but he was relentlessly entangled by Wu Siduo's fierce assault, unable to reach her in time.
Just as the white-dressed figure was about to fall off the platform, at the last possible moment…
"Bun incoming, catch it!" Xu Lizhi's eyes widened, unleashing a roar that belied his usually gentle appearance.
His arm muscles bulged as he used all his strength to hurl a giant "Recovery Meat Bun," glowing with intense green life energy and far larger than usual, like a cannonball toward Xu Xiaoyan.
Xu Xiaoyan twisted her body mid-air, barely managing to grab the warm bun with her fingertips just as she touched the edge of the platform.
Without hesitation, she shoved the bun, brimming with surging soul power and vitality, into her mouth.
"Mmm~" Warm and powerful energy surged through her limbs, and her soul power erupted beneath her feet.
"Hah!"
She let out a sharp cry, her white dress fluttering like a butterfly in flight. Channeling this newfound strength, she executed a daring somersault, narrowly stabilizing herself less than half a foot from the edge of the platform.
Though her face remained pale and her combat strength hadn't fully recovered, she had at least stayed on the battlefield!
"Great job, Lizhi!" Tang Wulin shouted in excitement.
"Phew… Phew… That scared me to death." Xu Lizhi wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and grinned.
This scene silenced the entire arena for a brief moment before erupting into even louder gasps. The strategic value of a food-system soul master turning the tide of battle was vividly displayed in this instant.
However, the balance was ultimately broken.
---
Unlike the original storyline, Tang Wulin and Gu Yue were now like strangers, their once seamless cooperation and trust completely gone.
Although the five-person team could suppress other opponents, they were unable to break through the terrifying fusion martial soul technique of Wu Siduo—her Netherworld Spirit Cat fused with the White Tiger, combining absolute defense and fierce attacks!
When only Tang Wulin, Gu Yue, Ye Xinglan, Wu Siduo, and Xu Lizhi remained on the platform, the intense clashes threatened to tear the stage apart.
All five were wounded, their soul power nearly depleted. Xu Lizhi's face was as pale as paper, continuously crafting high-grade buns pushing him to severe exhaustion, his body trembling slightly.
"Stop." Shen Yi's clear voice pierced through the energy blasts, carrying undeniable authority. "The selection is over."
The battle abruptly ended. The five stood in place, panting heavily, exhausted but with eyes burning with the excitement of survival and the determination of victors.
Tang Wulin's chest heaved violently, his gaze sweeping over his blood-soaked comrades—Ye Xinglan's aura remained sharp, while Gu Yue's expression was cold and distant, like ice.
Amidst his excitement, his gaze involuntarily fell on Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan below the platform, both battered and with dimmed eyes. A deep sense of confusion quietly surfaced in his eyes.
Gu Yue calmly adjusted her slightly disheveled clothes, exuding an aura that kept others at bay.
Ye Xinglan sharply sheathed her Star God Sword, her fierce presence gradually receding, but her eagle-like gaze lingered challengingly on Gu Yue.
Xu Lizhi panted heavily, looking at Ye Xinglan with a weary yet deeply satisfied smile. Though soft, his words reached her ears clearly: "Sister Xinglan, we… we won't be separated anymore."
Ye Xinglan assumed he referred to the upcoming year's class committee duties and the potential trip to the Star Luo Empire. She nodded slightly, but her gaze unconsciously returned to Gula, the challenge in her eyes unmistakable.
Whoosh—!
The stands erupted in thunderous applause and cheers. This melee, filled with twists and turns, showcased the interplay of tactics and individual strength, reaching the pinnacle of outer court battles.
Tang Wulin's team's resilient cooperation, Wu Siduo's stunning burst with the Netherworld White Tiger, and Xu Lizhi's crucial throw that turned the tide—all became hot topics of discussion.
Shen Yi waited for the noise to subside before announcing loudly, "The new first-year class committee members are: Tang Wulin, Gu Yue, Ye Xinglan, Wu Siduo, and Xu Lizhi! Additionally, your performance today will serve as an important reference for selecting representatives to join the exchange delegation to the Star Luo Empire."
Wu Zhangkong stood at the sidelines, his icy gaze sweeping over the five standing on the platform, lingering momentarily on Xu Lizhi, who was severely drained yet persisted until the end, and Tang Wulin, who fought valiantly. Beneath his perpetually icy exterior, a faint flicker of approval seemed to pass.
In his mind, he reflected, "Though Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan were eliminated, this is not the final decision. The seven-member roster still needs to compete with second-years, and the current team composition is severely imbalanced—six strong attackers. The final selection will inevitably change."
"Xu Xiaoyan, though her cultivation lags behind after her martial soul evolution, is undoubtedly the top control-type soul master in the outer court. Combined with her Tang Sect background and relatively simple family influence, this gives her an advantage within Shrek Academy. If the team requires a control core, she will be the top choice. As for Xie Xie…"
His gaze shifted to the dejected youth below the platform, and Wu Zhangkong narrowed his eyes slightly. "Being eliminated isn't a bad thing. A year will be enough for me to personally grind away his lazy and slacking habits!"
Far below the platform, Xie Xie suddenly shivered, shrinking his neck and looking around nervously:
"Hiss… Why did it suddenly get so cold?"
He looked around blankly, unaware that he had already been targeted by the "source of cold," and a brutal future known as "Wu Zhangkong's Special Hell Training" was slowly unfolding before him.
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