Ma Xiaotao stepped onto the stage, instantly drawing everyone's attention. After all, Ma Xiaotao was the only official team member of Shrek Academy appearing in plain view. Emperor Xu Jiawei, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, Star Luo Academy, Diao Academy, and Dou Spirit Academy were all watching her closely.
"So they've finally sent out a main team member?" Xu Jiawei murmured softly.
"Let me witness the bearing of Shrek's main team captain."
As the emperor, Xu Jiawei naturally knew the structure of each academy's team, so it was no surprise that he knew Ma Xiaotao was the captain of Shrek's official team.
In the Sun Moon Academy's rest area, Ma Rulong's gaze grew serious as he looked at the stunning woman on stage. He muttered in a low voice, "Ma Xiaotao... five years have passed. Just how strong have you become?"
The other three academies also had members showing curious expressions.
The first participant from Righteous Heaven Academy was Yu Mengdi, a Rank 55 assault-type Soul King possessing the Angel Martial Soul.
The two girls immediately locked eyes. Ma Xiaotao's gaze was full of arrogance and indifference, while Yu Mengdi's burned with fighting spirit and defiance. Without even waiting for the referee, they declared war with their names.
"Righteous Heaven Academy, Yu Mengdi!"
"Shrek Academy, Ma Xiaotao!"
The referee had no choice but to announce, "Battle start!"
At the referee's call, both girls released their martial souls at once. Two completely different wings appeared on the stage — one pair was radiant white wings shining with golden light, while the other was a pair of crimson phoenix wings engulfed in blazing fire. Yu Mengdi was enveloped in a faint golden glow, exuding a divine aura. In contrast, Ma Xiaotao's body was wrapped in intense flames, emanating a suffocating heat.
One side had two yellow, two purple, and one black soul ring — five in total. The other side had two yellow, two purple, and two black soul rings — six in total.
As soon as Ma Xiaotao revealed her six soul rings, the crowd erupted into cheers and gasps. Soul Emperor — this was undoubtedly a true Soul Emperor. No one questioned if this was another of Shrek's tricks. It was impossible. Both her age and her soul rings confirmed it — she truly was a Soul Emperor!
In the Righteous Heaven Academy rest area, the atmosphere was tense. Captain Ye Wuqing didn't take his eyes off Ma Xiaotao for even a second. Though he already knew Shrek wasn't to be taken lightly, the appearance of a Soul Emperor still shocked his heart. He could only hope Yu Mengdi could hold out for a while longer.
On the stage, Yu Mengdi cleared her mind of all thoughts except battle. With a flap of her wings, her speed suddenly soared. Like a golden meteor, she lunged at Ma Xiaotao. Her first soul ring lit up, and two golden swords appeared in her hands — her first soul skill: Holy Twin Swords.
With the swords in hand, her aura became sharp and aggressive. Then her second soul ring lit up, and the swords crossed in the air, forming a golden cross that radiated dazzling light. The power of light gathered within it.
Second soul skill — Sacred Radiance Cross Slash.
Facing Yu Mengdi's aggressive assault, Ma Xiaotao remained expressionless. Her phoenix wings flapped violently, lifting her into the sky. Then she unleashed her second soul skill — Phoenix Rebirth in Flames — while also breathing out her first soul skill — Phoenix Fire Line. Blazing flames formed into a proud phoenix that circled her fiery ray of attack.
Although Sacred Radiance Cross Slash was formidable and especially effective against evil beings, it still struggled against the intensity of Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix Fire Line. The flaming phoenix pierced through the cross's center and burned it to ashes.
The Phoenix Fire Line, having destroyed its target, continued forward fiercely. Yu Mengdi's expression turned grim. She quickly unleashed her fourth soul skill — her angelic wings crossed in front of her, forming an elliptical cocoon of light that blocked the phoenix flame. Still, she was forced back dozens of steps before she barely stabilized herself.
On the other side, Ma Xiaotao showed no mercy. Her fourth soul ring lit up. She raised her slender neck and let out a crisp phoenix cry. Her phoenix wings spread wide, radiating intense flames. Then, dense fire elements surged from the ground beneath her. After a brief gathering, a massive pillar of fire erupted from the stage.
The place it burst from was exactly where Yu Mengdi stood. Though Yu Mengdi reacted swiftly and took to the air, the five-meter-tall pillar of fire still scorched her angelic wings black, causing her to lose the ability to fly.
Furious, Yu Mengdi let out a sharp cry and simultaneously activated her third and fifth soul skills. A six-winged angel phantom appeared behind her, cloaked in divine golden fire that engulfed her. Her Holy Twin Swords merged into one and became a massive holy sword in the angel's hands.
"Angel — Godsealing Slash!" Yu Mengdi shouted.
The six-winged angel phantom slashed its giant sword downward, releasing a colossal light blade over ten meters long and three meters wide, slashing toward Ma Xiaotao in the air. The speed and force of the attack were terrifying — even a typical Soul Emperor would struggle against it.
But Ma Xiaotao wasn't just any Soul Emperor.
She didn't hesitate. Her fifth soul ring lit up, and crimson flames surged. Suddenly, a deep-blue phoenix burst out of the flames — still composed entirely of searing fire.
Fifth soul skill — Phoenix Azure Flame!
The blue phoenix collided with the enormous light blade. A deafening explosion followed, and thick smoke filled the stage, obscuring everyone's view.
But less than a second later, the blue phoenix burst out of the smoke like a swift swallow piercing through clouds and dove straight at Yu Mengdi.
Yu Mengdi froze. She hadn't expected her strongest attack to be dismantled so easily.
Could the gap between them really be this massive?
She had no time to understand. The Phoenix Azure Flame struck her directly. Even the referee didn't react in time — she was blasted off the stage, gravely wounded and unconscious.
Righteous Heaven Academy's team rushed up to carry her down. The crowd had already gone wild. No one expected the very first match to feature such intense collisions between ten-thousand-year soul skills. It was thrilling!
Yu Mengdi's defeat forced Righteous Heaven Academy to send up their second contestant — a Rank 43 agility-type Soul Ancestor named Yang Yifan. But if even a Soul King like Yu Mengdi couldn't handle Ma Xiaotao, how could a mere Soul Ancestor stand a chance?
Ma Xiaotao ended the battle in a single move.
Captain Ye Wuqing sent out the third member, a power-type Soul Ancestor.
Same result — one move, done.
Then came the fourth and fifth members. Also Soul Ancestors. Except for the fifth contestant — whose special martial soul, the Soul-Calming Bell, forced Ma Xiaotao to use a second move — everyone else was defeated with just one strike.
The crowd didn't understand why Righteous Heaven Academy kept sending out Soul Ancestors, but the other teams watching understood — they were trying to drain Ma Xiaotao's soul power.
But they completely ignored the gap in strength — all they were doing was giving Ma Xiaotao achievements.
Finally, Righteous Heaven Academy sent out their sixth member — Tang Xiaolei, a Rank 53 long-range assault-type Soul King with the Purple Radiance Bow martial soul.
He immediately launched his assault, firing five soul rings as five different arrows, each with a unique effect. The arrows shot forward like blazing meteors. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but he grinned with satisfaction.
Faced with this, Ma Xiaotao grew serious. Her phoenix wings folded in front of her, and a towering wall of fire formed before her.
Four of the arrows were blocked. But one arrow pierced through the wall and struck her wing, nearly penetrating it.
Surprised and furious, Ma Xiaotao prepared to retaliate — only to see Tang Xiaolei step down from the stage voluntarily. He was self-aware — with all five soul skills spent, staying would only mean a beating. Why waste time?
Now only one contestant remained — their captain, Rank 58 assault-type Soul King Ye Wuqing, with the Golden Leaf martial soul.
The Golden Leaf was a rare plant-type soul, both tough and sharp — almost like a tool soul. Ye Wuqing relied on it to secure his position as team captain.
If he had faced any other Soul Emperor, he might have had a chance.
But against Ma Xiaotao, wielder of Ultimate Fire?
Normally, fire restrains plant-types — and Ye Wuqing knew this. But he still placed himself last, confident because his Golden Leaf soul had high fire resistance. Not fire immunity, but close.
He believed Ma Xiaotao's flames wouldn't affect him much.
Reality, however, crushed that belief. When the leaves formed by his first soul skill were instantly ignited by her fire, his heart sank. A terrible thought surfaced in his mind, and he spoke it with difficulty: "You… you wield Ultimate Fire!"
"Hmph!" Ma Xiaotao snorted coldly. "You can still surrender now."
"I…" Ye Wuqing's face twisted in inner conflict. After a long struggle, all his pride faded into a sigh.
"I surrender."
With that, Ma Xiaotao achieved a 1v7 sweep — the first contestant to do so in this tournament.
"Shrek! Shrek! Shrek!" The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers.
(End of Chapter)
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