Under the gaze of the entire audience, the teams from Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy walked along the red carpet to the rest area and took their positions.
In today's final, with only Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy remaining, the vast rest area felt exceptionally desolate, forming a stark contrast with the bustling Star Luo Square.
The two teams stood on the north and south sides, facing each other from a distance.
Meng Hongchen's gaze lingered on Xu Zihuang, and for a brief moment, their eyes met unintentionally.
The heart of this fourteen-year-old girl, just beginning to experience the stirrings of affection, couldn't help but flutter slightly.
"He's only twelve, two years younger than me, and a twin martial soul user…"
For some reason, ever since their first encounter in the hallway on the top floor of the Starlight Grand Hotel, Xu Zihuang's figure would inadvertently appear in her mind.
If it weren't for the strained relationship between the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy and Shrek Academy, and the fact that Xu Zihuang typically stayed in his room cultivating when there were no matches, she might have already taken the initiative to strike up a conversation.
Like Ning Tian before her, Meng Hongchen was deeply drawn to Xu Zihuang.
However, their starting points differed. Ning Tian had initially been captivated by Xu Zihuang's astonishing talent and formidable strength, while Meng Hongchen, being purely appearance-driven, was naturally first attracted to Xu Zihuang's exceptional looks.
Though the essence of their attraction wasn't vastly different, Meng Hongchen's pure and intense affection for Xu Zihuang was somewhat more genuine than Ning Tian's.
In contrast to the ripples in Meng Hongchen's heart, Xu Zihuang remained calm.
For the sake of revenge and fulfilling his ambitions, future interactions with Meng Hongchen were not out of the question.
Meng Hongchen was the granddaughter of Jing Hongchen, the hall master of the Illustrious Virtue Hall.
At this stage, Jing Hongchen had not yet allied with Xu Tianran, so while there wasn't much room to maneuver, it was still worth attempting.
Standing beside Meng Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen noticed Xu Zihuang glancing in their direction, his eyes flickering.
To him, this was a clear sign of Yu Tianhuang's nervousness.
"It seems Shrek Academy is also wary of us."
This unintentional action by Xu Zihuang boosted the confidence of Xiao Hongchen, who had been feeling battered lately.
At that moment, a deep, resonant shout, filled with commanding force, echoed across Star Luo Square.
"Silence! The match is about to begin. His Majesty will now speak."
As soon as the words fell, the over ten thousand soldiers maintaining order raised their weapons and shouted in unison.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
A chilling, murderous aura filled Star Luo Square.
The members of Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy all looked up toward the top of the imperial city wall.
Emperor Xu Jiawei of the Star Luo Empire stood at the center of the city wall, with Princess Jiujiu, who had previously lost to Shrek Academy, by his side.
To Xu Jiawei's right, the one who had issued the earlier shout was a man clad in golden armor. About thirty years old, he had long golden hair.
His features were sharp, with deep-set eyes and blue irises that gleamed with double pupils. His face appeared somewhat gaunt, but his entire being exuded a metallic quality and an iron-blooded aura.
The White Tiger Duke, Dai Hao.
Xu Zihuang recognized his identity at a glance.
In the entire Star Luo Empire, only the White Tiger Duke could command such authority within the military.
Observing all this, Xu Jiawei showed no trace of displeasure. With a smile, he stepped forward, and the entire crowd quieted under the weight of the murderous aura.
Xu Jiawei looked down at the people in Star Luo Square with a majestic yet approachable demeanor.
"The last time the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament was held in Star Luo City was twenty years ago. Back then, both I and my brother Dai Hao were mere youths. Time has passed, and now I am the ruler of a nation, while my brother Dai Hao has become the empire's foremost commander. Once again, we bear witness to the peak confrontation of the younger generation of the continent's soul master world. I am deeply moved and hope that both teams will deliver a spectacular match for all the spectators present. As per tradition, the final champion will receive three soul bones and a reward of one million gold soul coins. I have carefully selected ten soul bones from the national treasury for the champion to choose from."
"Originally, I intended for my brother Dai Hao to personally serve as the referee, but as one of the main combatants in Shrek Academy's team is his eldest son, to avoid any bias, today's match will be officiated by Senior Huang. His title is Heavenly Fiend."
A flash of golden light appeared, and at the center of the competition stage stood none other than Heavenly Fiend Douluo Huang Jinxu, who had previously intervened on Xu Zihuang's behalf.
But as he landed at the center of the stage, he cast a wary glance toward the direction behind Shrek Academy's team.
Everyone turned to look, only to see a disheveled old man with messy hair, lounging sloppily on a sofa in the rest area, happily eating a piece of meat and drinking wine.
Wasn't that Elder Xuan?
Wang Yan respectfully said, "Elder Xuan, you're here?"
Elder Xuan had arrived in Star Luo City much earlier but had only briefly told Wang Yan that with him present, there was no need to worry about the Ontology Sect before drifting off.
Thus, Wang Yan wasn't overly surprised by Elder Xuan's appearance.
Elder Xuan took a bite of his chicken leg and mumbled, "Just pretend I'm not here. You do your thing."
Elder Ma, the team leader of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, saw Elder Xuan, and his expression shifted.
According to intelligence from the Illustrious Virtue Hall, this Taotie Douluo's soul power was at least rank 97. They hadn't expected him to personally oversee the event.
Heavenly Fiend Douluo Huang Jinxu quickly composed himself, explained the rules for the final, and then loudly announced:
"Both teams, prepare. In one minute, the team battle participants will take the stage."
As the match drew near, the atmosphere grew increasingly fervent.
Wang Yan turned to face the eleven members of Shrek Academy's team.
"Proceed according to the original plan."
Everyone nodded slightly in understanding.
The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy was very secretive, with an endless array of soul tools. Formulating a perfectly foolproof strategy was impossible, so much depended on the team's on-the-spot responses.
Thus, two days ago, Wang Yan had not assigned overly specific tactics, only providing a general approach, leveraging Yu Tianhuang's first soul skill.
The one-minute preparation time passed in an instant.
Heavenly Fiend Douluo timed it precisely, neither a second early nor late.
"Both teams, take the stage."
Seven members of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy immediately stepped forward. Leading the way was the main team captain, Ma Rulong, followed by Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, with the remaining four being level-five soul engineers from the main team.
Wang Yan had previously introduced these individuals in detail to Shrek Academy's team, and their names were known: Mika, Xiao Xiafeng, Chen Fei, and Lin Xi, all male students.
Shrek Academy followed suit. As everyone entered the preparation area, seven members also ascended the competition stage.
Shrek Academy's seven participants for the team battle were Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, Chen Zifeng, Gong Yangmo, Xu Zihuang, Beibei, and He Caitou.
In this lineup, there were four assault-type soul masters. He Caitou, a level-four soul engineer, leaned toward explosive and offensive capabilities. Then there was the control-type Xu Zihuang and the support-type Gong Yangmo.
This composition was highly aggressive.
Spectators unfamiliar with the intricacies didn't react much, but the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy team couldn't help but frown.
Atop the imperial city wall, Princess Jiujiu asked Xu Jiawei in surprise, "Brother, I recall that big dark-skinned guy is a soul engineer, right? And only a level-four soul engineer. Facing the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, he's bound to be heavily suppressed. What is Shrek Academy planning?"
"It's likely part of some tactic," Xu Jiawei replied, his gaze steady before turning to the White Tiger Duke Dai Hao beside him.
"Brother, what do you make of Shrek Academy's arrangement?"
Dai Hao pondered briefly before saying, "Having a soul engineer take the stage can only mean one thing: they're aiming for instantaneous burst damage. It seems Shrek Academy is very confident in winning this team battle."
Xu Jiawei nodded, saying meaningfully, "Let's wait and see. I believe this match will bring us surprises."
As they spoke, the teams from Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy had already taken the stage, standing on either side of Heavenly Fiend Douluo.
"Both teams, retreat. The match ends when one side is entirely incapacitated."
As they retreated, the gazes of both teams met in midair. Though the match hadn't started, sparks were already flying.
Ma Rulong locked eyes with Ma Xiaotao, while Xiao Hongchen focused on Xu Zihuang.
In this tense atmosphere, Xiao Hongchen's eyes revealed a hint of exhilaration. His personality thrived in high-pressure situations, where his combat strength surged.
Admittedly, Yu Tianhuang had brought him immense pressure and frustration, but it was precisely because of this that he was eager to defeat Yu Tianhuang to prove himself.
Both teams stopped near the edges of the competition stage.
The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy adopted a classic triangular formation, with Ma Rulong at the forefront.
Shrek Academy's formation, however, was peculiar.
Except for Gong Yangmo, the other six stood in a single line at the front.
This time, even the spectators noticed something unusual, and murmurs of discussion arose.
Both teams were in a state of heightened alertness, paying no heed to the audience.
The moment they took their positions, Heavenly Fiend Douluo Huang Jinxu let out a sudden shout.
"Match, begin!"
Instantly, every member of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy underwent a dramatic transformation, as if turning into porcupines. Metal cannon barrels extended from their bodies.
Countless orbs of light, condensed from soul power, were unleashed through these barrels, fanning out like a peacock's tail, shooting toward Shrek Academy's side at astonishing speed.
The speed was so great that the orbs emitted piercing whistles as they tore through the air.
The light orbs began to converge as they accelerated, completely locking onto Shrek Academy's seven members.
Every member of the Sun Moon team was at least a level-five soul engineer. Though many had boosted their cultivation through potions and secret techniques, lacking the foundation of traditional soul masters from the original Douluo Continent, their cultivation was undeniably real.
With Soul King-level cultivation powering these soul tools, the force was even greater than a Soul King using soul skills directly, especially with so many soul engineers attacking in unison.
The Sun Moon team's strategy was simple: overwhelm with firepower to suppress their opponents. Their semifinal opponents, Di Ao Academy, had been blasted off the stage in this manner.
Facing the stronger Shrek Academy, they employed the same strategy, aiming not necessarily to injure but to suppress and keep their opponents at bay.
Distance was critical for soul engineers. Maintaining it allowed them to fully leverage their advantages.
Once traditional soul masters closed in, soul engineers, inferior in martial soul quality, soul power quality, and foundation, would be at a disadvantage.
The dense barrage of light orbs covered the entire stage, an awe-inspiring sight.
Shrek's team, having released their martial souls, responded in kind.
Gong Yangmo waved his colorful wings behind him, his second and fifth soul rings flashing in succession. An orange ring of soul power amplification and a cyan ring of attribute enhancement precisely landed on the other six.
Xu Zihuang also used his first soul skill, revealed for the first time in this All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament.
A translucent white whale phantom circled around him, and amid ethereal chanting, everyone's aura surged.
The most noticeable changes were in Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and Beibei, whose martial souls gained a ten percent attribute boost.
Ma Xiaotao and Beibei needed no explanation—their Evil Fire Phoenix and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial souls already reflected their attributes in their names. As for Dai Yueheng, his White Tiger martial soul carried the light attribute.
His second soul skill, White Tiger Fierce Light Wave, and fourth soul skill, White Tiger Meteor Shower, were light-attribute ranged attack skills.
Ma Xiaotao's martial soul attribute was elevated to the level of ultimate fire, with scorching golden-red waves distorting the surrounding space. The temperature soared, and the area was bathed in golden-red light.
A resonant phoenix cry rang out, and a massive fire phoenix phantom appeared behind her. This was a true fire phoenix, not the evil-tainted Evil Fire Phoenix.
The fire phoenix phantom spread its golden-red wings, its aura leaving Xiao Hongchen's eyes filled with disbelief.
"Divine beast bloodline, Fire Phoenix?!"
His own martial soul, even after mutation, only carried a trace of divine beast aura. Yet Ma Xiaotao's divine beast bloodline was clearly purer.
But what followed left not only Xiao Hongchen but also Ma Rulong and the entire Sun Moon team with constricted pupils.
Around Ma Xiaotao, two yellow, two purple, and two black soul rings—six in the optimal configuration—pulsed rapidly. Her deep sixth soul ring suddenly lit up.
She had activated her sixth soul skill immediately.
Massive fire meteors, each over five meters in diameter, descended from the sky, dense and powerful.
The air above the stage became almost entirely distorted. The 108 Soul Kings maintaining the soul tool barrier let out a collective grunt, forced to channel their soul power fully to stabilize it.
Ma Rulong's brows twitched, his eyes filled with shock as he roared:
"Full attack!"
Another wave of light beams, orbs, and projectiles soared into the air, faster, more numerous, and denser than the first. The two waves of ranged soul tool attacks soon merged.
Shrek's team didn't rely solely on Ma Xiaotao. Dai Yueheng, Chen Zifeng, and Beibei each unleashed their most powerful area-of-effect soul skills.
A white light shot up from behind Dai Yueheng, forming a crescent moon in the air before transforming into countless white light clusters raining down on the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy.
Fourth soul skill, White Tiger Meteor Shower.
Chen Zifeng's blood-red Soul Chasing Sword also shot into the air, a strange blood-red array forming at its tip, from which countless blood-red sword shadows surged.
Fifth soul skill, Soul Chasing Sword Array.
Beibei unleashed his strongest fourth soul skill, condensing a massive thunder dragon head that roared forth. Amplified by Xu Zihuang's first soul skill, White Whale Chant, by ten percent, the thunder dragon head was deep purple.
It brimmed with violent thunder attribute energy, crackling with deep purple lightning.
He Caitou's transformation mirrored the Sun Moon team's, with over fifty metal cannon barrels emitting dazzling white light. His body seemed to become a blazing sun-like orb.
With Gong Yangmo's sixty percent soul power amplification, He Caitou's destructive power was no less than that of any level-five soul engineer on the Sun Moon team.
Finally, Xu Zihuang used his fourth soul skill to replicate Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix Meteor Shower. Though lacking the Fire Phoenix bloodline and unable to wield ultimate fire, it was still a formidable ten-thousand-year soul skill.
His fourth soul ring had a limit of 35,000 years, comparable to Ma Xiaotao's sixth soul ring.
With the boost from Xu Zihuang's first soul skill, Shrek's overall strength surpassed the Sun Moon team. With Gong Yangmo and Xu Zihuang's support, Ma Xiaotao was effectively equivalent to a Soul Sage with ultimate fire.
In that case, a direct overwhelm was the strategy. This was the approach Wang Yan had provided from the start.
How could an ultimate fire ten-thousand-year sixth soul skill be easily blocked?
Combined with the full-force eruption of the others, even if someone from the Sun Moon team survived this attack, their remaining soul power would likely be negligible.
There was no need to drag out a close fight—it was a clear domination. With Ma Xiaotao, nearly at Soul Sage level with ultimate fire, it felt like she alone could take on the entire opposing team. The tournament would wrap up in two days, opening a new storyline.
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