"All team captains, please come to the stage for the draw!"
With Heavenfiend Douluo's voice echoing through the arena, the noise was instantly suppressed.
It was as if the whole arena had been vacuumed; countless eyes fixed on the four figures leaping onto the stage. The champion of this tournament, who would go down in history, would emerge from these four.
But there could only be one champion.
Meaning three more spectacular battles.
They couldn't wait.
Su Wen, stepping on flowing wind, landed lightly in the arena.
His ability to control wind made the other three envious. In the Continental Soul Master Academy Tournament, under the eyes of millions, who wouldn't want to look this cool, gliding along on the breeze?
And it was cool… walking without moving his feet, carried by a wisp of wind.
The four gathered in the center.
Sizing each other up.
Clear Sky Academy's representative was the masked, mysterious figure. The Sun Moon Empire's captain, Ma Rulong, was thin but sharp-eyed. Imperial Mystical Academy's captain, Jiang Peng, was burly.
Clear Sky's masked man hadn't acted much, but was clearly likely a Soul Emperor.
This scene drew many exclamations—the strongest of this tournament were all here.
As for doubts about Su Wen—since his sweep of the Dou Ling team six days ago, all that had vanished. His individual strength was overwhelming…
"Why isn't Star Lou Royal Academy here?" Su Wen asked.
"I eliminated them," Tang San said coolly.
"…"
"And you are?" Su Wen raised an eyebrow.
Tang San's face twitched; he snorted and looked away, waiting to draw Shrek and then teach Su Wen a lesson.
"Clear Sky Academy, that means Clear Sky Sect," Jiang Peng whispered.
Su Wen paused—was this guy dumb or pretending?
But seeing Jiang Peng's honest face, scratching his head, Su Wen just chuckled—was he stirring the pot?
"I'll toss the balls, you four grab them. Who you get depends on your own choices…" Huang Jinxu said coldly. Even facing Su Wen, his aura was steady, not deliberately stern.
"Yes!"
The four responded.
"Begin!"
Huang Jinxu tossed four small balls into the air.
Ma Rulong and Jiang Peng leapt up, each grabbing a ball.
Tang San waved his arm, Blue Silver Grass shot up, vines snaking to catch one.
Su Wen just spread his hand—the last ball suddenly stopped rising, quivered, then shot toward him like a white meteor.
Su Wen caught it easily, opened his palm.
"One."
Beside him, Tang San pulled his ball through several layers of Blue Silver Grass, finally catching it. He frowned: "Two!"
Su Wen clasped his hands behind his back, calm.
Looks like the semifinals would be against Sun Moon or Imperial Mystical.
"Pa~"
"Pa~"
With two thuds, Ma Rulong opened his slip: "One!"
…
"Didn't expect we'd meet Sun Moon Empire in the semis," Wang Yan frowned.
In previous years, Sun Moon was always the strongest team apart from Shrek—this year was no exception. The reserves had twin Soul Kings, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, who amazed everyone at their debut. The main team were all Soul Kings, and captain Ma Rulong was rumored to be a Soul Emperor.
Most importantly, this strong team was equipped with the best soul tools from the world's top force—Mingde Hall.
"What about Clear Sky Sect?" Ma Xiaotao frowned.
"Clear Sky's not a great choice either. Ideally, we'd have Imperial Mystical Academy—their captain is a Soul Emperor, but only one, and follows the traditional path, easy to study," Wang Yan sighed.
As things stood, they could only strategize.
Compared to the teams Su Wen swept through, Sun Moon was the real tough nut. And this was only the semifinals—if they won, Clear Sky would be next.
"Who's fighting in this team match?" Wang Yan glanced at Su Wen for his arrangement.
He was increasingly impressed by the boy's calm—his actions weren't arrogance, but simply "what should be done."
He couldn't keep up with a genius's thought process—or maybe, he had never really understood Su Wen's strength.
In his eyes, even when facing Dou Ling, Su Wen must have held back.
"I…" Su Wen considered, seeing Wang Yan's worried look, then sighed, "Add Sister Tao."
Wang Yan beamed.
…
On the other side.
Sun Moon Royal Team rest area.
"Why is it Shrek!" Elder Ma frowned.
"Just bad luck…" Ma Rulong coughed. He'd drawn the lot, but it was all up to fate—what could he do?
"If it were Imperial Mystical, at least we could make the finals. But Shrek's Su Wen? He alone is worth a Soul Sage, even with Martial Soul True Body." Elder Ma complained.
"…"
Ma Rulong looked bitter.
Being captain was tough—even the draw got you scolded.
"Brother, can we win?" Meng Hongchen was at a loss.
"Uh… hard to say." Xiao Hongchen sighed, eyes serious as he glanced at Shrek. "But I know one thing—next time, we're done for. Let someone else be captain, I'd rather die than do it again."
He was already thinking if there was anyone suitable to be captain in future years—Sword Maniac was strong but too young, over the age limit in five years, Lin Xi… not strong enough…
Meng Hongchen: "…"
"Deep thinking, bro."
"Is that the right phrase?" Xiao Hongchen scratched his head.
…
"First match: Shrek Academy versus Sun Moon Empire Royal Team!"
This time, Su Wen wasn't alone—a tall, fiery red-haired beauty accompanied him.
Huang Jinxu was used to Su Wen's unconventional ways. No reminders—he just signaled both teams to retreat to the edge.
"Match… begin!"
"Finally, my turn!" Ma Xiaotao laughed, her sixty-eighth-level Soul Emperor aura blazing, surrounded by red fire, a fiery phoenix behind her.
She launched at Sun Moon.
"As expected!"
Ma Rulong gritted his teeth.
This was definitely Shrek's main team captain—the trump card. That meant they couldn't afford to lose the team match! If they did, the next day's individual eliminations would require three to eliminate seven—almost impossible.
"Tighten formation!" Ma Rulong barked.
"Yes!"
Mi Jia and the others nodded. Various defensive soul tools combined to form a mini soul tool army—three thick shields sheltering them all.
"Phoenix Meteor Shower!"
Ma Xiaotao shouted.
A five-star magic circle appeared above, and countless fireballs rained down on Sun Moon.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
Explosions echoed. A full strike from a sixty-eighth-level Soul Emperor ripped open Sun Moon's defense, piercing their core—without their invincible shield, but with a hint of luring the enemy in.
Sure enough.
As Ma Xiaotao charged in, the defense reformed, seven people encircling her for a siege battle.
"Phoenix Roaring Strike!"
Ma Xiaotao targeted the Hongchen siblings.
Especially Xiao Hongchen, surrounded by a hundred cannon barrels.
"Bang!"
But with just a golden flash, Xiao Hongchen's fourth soul skill blocked it all. So many treasures on him!
"…"
Minutes later.
Ma Xiaotao exhaled, eyes filled with satisfaction. She loved reckless offense, pressing with overwhelming force.
After over a month of pent-up emotion, she finally let loose.
Though encircled, she wasn't nervous—smiling at Su Wen in the distance: "I'm done playing—finish it."
Su Wen smiled.
"All right!"
He would end it.
"Wait!"
Ma Rulong's pupils shrank, a nameless dread rising.
But Su Wen stepped forward.
In the next instant, air currents surged, the sky darkened, clouds gathered, and wild wind howled. A lead-grey tornado rose at his feet, at first thin as a snake, then swelling to a sky-reaching storm column.
Air was sucked from all directions, chilling Sun Moon to the bone.
Ma Rulong gulped, looking up at the gray tornado reaching a hundred pillars' height—the whole arena shook, and the soul tool shield showed cracks!
At the storm's core, Su Wen stood hands behind his back, within three meters around him everything was still as a painting.
The wind blades thickened into a net, enough to shred Sun Moon's defenses and turn people into blood mist. But as they tore through layers of shields and swept up the Sun Moon team, no bloody scene appeared.
Su Wen stood in the tornado's eye, Sun Moon's team slowly spinning like a slow-motion movie, Ma Rulong's horrified face reflected in his eyes.
When the wind touched his clothes, it split gently.
Standing in the tornado's center.
Around Su Wen floated fragments of shattered soul tools, and the Sun Moon team, suspended in the air, as the tornado's eye followed his steps.
[Wind Coil: Tornado]
Debuted with overwhelming force.
Enveloping the entire arena.
Nowhere to hide.
Ma Rulong despaired: "We surrender!"