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"Let's end this!"
Tang San roared as the Hao Tian Hammer soared into the air, smashing directly toward the position of the Kaleidoscope Dazzling Butterfly.
Defense had never been the Yu Die sisters' strong suit.
Using his 'Controlling Crane, Capturing Dragon' technique to leverage minimal force for maximum effect, Tang San swung the Hao Tian Hammer with incredible speed, leaving them no room to evade.
"Fifth Soul Skill: Earth-Shaking Strike!" Ning Tianchen hurled the Seven Kill Sword.
The dragon-engraved Seven Kill Sword landed before the two sisters.
Its sword energy erupted, significantly slowing down the descent of the Hao Tian Hammer's attack.
Ning Tianchen didn't activate a second wave of attacks.
The Hao Tian Hammer's inherent durability was immense—there was no need to waste soul power.
Next, the sword emitted countless spectral blades, forming a barrier of sword qi.
This was the effect of his second soul skill, but when Ning Tianchen released it, there was no visible soul ring glowing beneath his feet.
Clearly, this was a self-created soul skill!
---
"Old Ke, why are you so tense?" Below the arena, Dugu Bo asked leisurely.
Seeing Dugu Bo's carefree expression, Ke Jie couldn't help but retort, "We had two opportunities to directly eliminate Shrek Academy, but we gave them up both times. If we lose this match, I'll be the one to blame as the principal."
Dugu Bo wasn't worried at all, sipping his tea calmly. "No rush, no rush. The kid always has a way to break through. Besides, martial soul fusion techniques aren't invincible."
Ke Jie didn't share his relaxed mindset and simply dismissed his words as idle chatter.
On the stage, Ning Tianchen swiftly moved in front of the Kaleidoscope Dazzling Butterfly. Behind him, a pair of silver wings emerged, spreading wide. Each feather blade became duller but thicker, acting like two shields in front of him.
"An external soul bone—what good luck," Bibi Dong said impassively, her face revealing no emotion.
The Winged Sword external soul bone was one of Ning Tianchen's trump cards, granting flight capabilities while also serving as a sword or shield.
Its first appearance left many astonished.
Boom!
The Hao Tian Hammer came crashing down.
But under Ning Tianchen's full defense, the impact ended up being more bark than bite.
"The weakness of the martial soul fusion technique lies in the soul masters themselves. Yu Die, Zhuqing, I'll hold Tang San back—you two go after Yu Tianheng and the others. Xiaotian, disrupt their backline."
As he spoke, Ning Tianchen's arms trembled uncontrollably.
The shockwave from that last strike was no joke—even with various defensive measures, it still left him feeling drained.
The Seven Treasures team was highly disciplined, each member clear on their objectives as they quickly dispersed.
Oscar and Ning Rongrong retreated to the edge of the stage. Without protection, if the enemy broke through to the backline, they would voluntarily withdraw from the arena.
"Xiao San, the target of the Kaleidoscope Dazzling Butterfly is me," Dai Mubai said hurriedly, unsure why he was drawing aggro.
He wanted to end the martial soul fusion technique and dodge the incoming attack, but he found himself unable to move. Tang San was like a blood pump, continuously draining his soul power.
Yu Xiaogang's five-person martial soul fusion technique placed its control entirely in Tang San's hands. Once the fusion was complete, only Tang San could decide when to release it. Unless their soul power was completely drained, there was no way out.
Fortunately, Tang San reacted quickly, blocking the Kaleidoscope Dazzling Butterfly's attack. Otherwise, Dai Mubai would have had nowhere to cry.
---
While the martial soul fusion technique was undeniably powerful, it had a significant drawback—it reduced the number of active combatants on the field.
With five people fused into one, only Tang San could fight. Facing enemies attacking from all directions, he clearly struggled to keep up.
Once Tang San was pinned down, Feng Xiaotian's objective became clear—he bypassed the frontline and charged straight for Shrek Academy's backline.
As an Agility-Attack System Soul King, bolstered by the full support of Ning Rongrong and Oscar, two auxiliary-type soul masters, his strength approached that of a high-level Soul King. Xiao Wu alone stood no chance against him.
He swung his wolf claw, creating a gust of wind that grew stronger with each swing. Xiao Wu was forced to use teleportation to dodge, but Jiang Zhu wasn't so lucky—she was blown right out of the arena.
Shrek Academy's team, despite possessing the five-person martial soul fusion technique and the true form of the Hao Tian Hammer, had already lost a member.
The audience immediately sat up straight, their earlier confidence in Shrek Academy's victory rapidly fading.
"Damn it, first soul skill: Waist Bow." Xiao Wu attempted to ambush Feng Xiaotian but was shocked to see him leave an afterimage in place.
Her attack hit nothing but empty air, missing completely.
"Fifth Soul Skill: Tornado Blade!"
Feng Xiaotian wasted no time, spinning rapidly on the spot. A tornado erupted around him, filled with countless sharp blades. Even a slight touch sliced through Xiao Wu's skin.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Invincible Golden Body."
Under such overwhelming power, Xiao Wu could do little but rely on her absolute defense soul skill to avoid further damage.
---
With the first wave of the Hao Tian Hammer's assault neutralized, their weaknesses were laid bare.
Even Ning Fengzhi could now see it clearly.
"Their five-person martial soul fusion technique has absolutely no mobility. To maintain the fusion, Tang San can only stand in place."
Chen Xin shook his head but didn't deny Ning Fengzhi's observation. "A minor correction—this isn't a martial soul fusion technique, just a regular fusion technique. Using a special formation as a catalyst, their combined strength is channeled into Tang San, causing his power to skyrocket. However, if the 'meat puppets' providing soul power in the formation are disrupted, Tang San won't be able to sustain the true form of his martial soul."
(T/N: I was gonna translate it to 'power bank' but 'meat puppets' is the literal text and it was funnier lol)
"I never expected that, facing such a martial soul fusion technique, that kid wouldn't panic and would respond correctly. He hasn't embarrassed me."
Ning Fengzhi was speechless.
He hadn't anticipated his own lack of insight—or rather, his severe underestimation of Seven Treasures Academy's resilience.
Of course, it wasn't entirely his fault. Auxiliary-type soul masters only needed to provide boosts; how to counter enemies wasn't their concern.
---
Ning Tianchen, Zhu Zhuqing, and the Kaleidoscope Dazzling Butterfly attacked from three directions.
While the Hao Tian Hammer's range was wide, speed was never a problem for Agility-Attack System soul masters.
If you can't fight, can't you at least dodge?
If you're going to wage guerilla warfare, you need to stick to its essence.
Ning Tianchen and the others feigned attacks on Dai Mubai and the other four, forcing Tang San to defend. If Tang San defended, they retreated. Maintaining the true form of a weapon martial soul consumed a great deal of soul power and mental energy—they could wear him down just by dragging things out.
If he didn't defend, they could break the formation.
"Xiaogang, something's wrong here," Liu Erlong tugged at Yu Xiaogang's sleeve.
Watching Shrek Academy gradually fall into a disadvantage, Yu Xiaogang couldn't snap out of his daze.
The five-person martial soul fusion technique was derived from the Golden Triangle martial soul fusion technique. The weaknesses exposed now were also their own.
Of course, not entirely.
Tang San couldn't fully master the Hao Tian Hammer, and forcibly using the martial soul fusion technique rendered his four soul skills unusable.
The hammer's immense weight made it inherently inflexible.
During gaps in the attack, enemies could easily close the distance.
Ning Tianchen had banked on this very fact to execute his strategy.
With the frontline pinned down, Shrek Academy's backline was in dire straits.
No matter how much Xiao Wu teleported, Feng Xiaotian always arrived in an instant.
By the time she used her third Invincible Golden Body, Xiao Wu was completely defenseless and thrown out of the arena.
Feng Xiaotian returned to the main battlefield, joining forces with the others to surround Tang San!
"Dugu Bro, did you figure out the weakness of this martial soul fusion technique beforehand?" Ke Jie asked suspiciously.
Dugu Bo laughed heartily. "The weakness of any martial soul fusion technique lies in the soul masters themselves. With two people, defending is relatively easy. But with five, almost every part of their body becomes a weak point. As long as you don't lose your composure, you'll definitely find an opening."
In short, someone like Ning Tianchen, with nerves of steel, was immune to visual intimidation.
Ke Jie had to admit he had underestimated Ning Tianchen. Even after the Hao Tian Hammer activated its true form, he had panicked.
After all, the title of the continent's strongest weapon martial soul wasn't just for show.
---
"The true form of a weapon martial soul consumes a tremendous amount of mental energy. Tang San won't last much longer. Brothers, the boss is crippled." Ning Tianchen laughed aloud.
Mid-movement, Feng Xiaotian couldn't help but ask, "What's a 'boss'?"
"It's a powerful enemy," Ning Tianchen explained silently.
"Brother San, if this keeps up, we'll eventually be dragged to death." Tai Long said anxiously.
He had already taken several hits, and a few more soul skills would finish him off.
But Tang San couldn't hear anything from the outside world. He needed all his focus just to maintain the true form of his weapon martial soul. As a result, he couldn't assess the situation.
What threat could someone with power but no brains pose?
On the high platform, Bibi Dong's lips twitched.
She had thought the five-person martial soul fusion technique was some brilliant tactic, but it turned out to be nothing more than a mindless fighting machine.
Seeing her predicament, Ning Fengzhi added insult to injury. "Your Holiness, as you said, the outcome of this match is already decided."
Bibi Dong didn't feel embarrassed, instead laughing lightly. "Yes, I didn't say anything wrong."
"How could we possibly lose!" Yu Xiaogang exclaimed, unusually agitated.
Flender saw through the situation and held no hope for the match. "Xiaogang, it's not the kids' fault. Before the match, there wasn't enough training for the five-person martial soul fusion technique. The true form of a weapon martial soul is different from a beast martial soul—it requires a massive amount of mental energy to sustain. Xiao San's soul power was sufficient to activate the true form, but his mental energy wasn't. If he hadn't used the true form and relied on his boosted soul power to fight with the Hao Tian Hammer's soul skills, the outcome might have been different."
On the stage, Tang San had reached his limit.
With the final strike, the Hao Tian Hammer reverted to its original form, and Tang San fell backward, losing consciousness completely.
At this point, the match's outcome was sealed. Flender sighed. "The kids did their best. Let's concede."
"No, everyone hasn't lost yet!" Yu Xiaogang shouted, almost hysterically.
Without anyone conceding, the match continued.
After Tang San collapsed, the five-person martial soul fusion technique shattered, leaving Dai Mubai and the other four like lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
Ning Tianchen took on Yu Tianxin and Yu Tianheng alone, Feng Xiaotian dealt with Tai Long, and the Yu Die sisters, whose soul power was nearly depleted, ended their martial soul fusion technique early and retreated to the side.
Zhu Zhuqing faced Dai Mubai directly.
"Zhuqing, you wretched woman! I'll tear you to pieces!" Dai Mubai, with only 30% of his soul power remaining, attacked Zhu Zhuqing recklessly to save face.
...
"Weisi, will Seven Treasures Academy really help us cripple Dai Mubai?" Zhu Zhuyun couldn't help but ask.
Dai Weisi chuckled. "Zhuqing and Mubai are already like strangers. Even without their help, Mubai alone won't amount to much. However, I do think that the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect isn't one to break promises. Let's continue watching."
What they understood by "crippling" Dai Mubai meant either crippling his martial soul or ending his cultivation path—not literally castrating him.
On the stage, with only 30% of his soul power remaining, Dai Mubai was no match for Zhu Zhuqing.
Within a few exchanges, he was completely powerless to continue fighting.
But Zhu Zhuqing didn't let up. Her right hand formed a blade-like claw, which she drove downward toward Dai Mubai's groin.
A blood-curdling scream echoed across the arena as an unidentifiable object fell into Dai Mubai's pants leg. The intense pain caused him to faint, losing consciousness on the spot.
At the same time, the rest of Shrek Academy's team had also been eliminated.
The match ended, and Seven Treasures Academy advanced to the championship finals.
"You've all done well. The arena has been damaged, so the championship match will take place in five days. Both teams should prepare accordingly." Bibi Dong's tone betrayed no emotion, and she showed no concern for Dai Mubai's severe injuries.
Without explicit instructions, the referees naturally avoided getting involved in extraneous matters.
"Mubai!"
Flender's heart raced with anxiety. He wasn't sure about the extent of Dai Mubai's injuries, but judging by the bloodstains on his pants, it seemed unlikely he'd ever lead a happy life again.
Yu Xiaogang couldn't accept the reality of defeat and collapsed into unconsciousness.
Shrek Academy still owed Ning Fengzhi a favor, so Flender, with a dim expression, chose not to bring it up.
"Weisi, what just happened to Mubai…" Zhu Zhuyun hesitated uncertainly.
Dai Weisi burst out laughing. "My foolish younger brother is now forever disqualified from the throne. The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect has truly done us a favor."
"It wasn't Zhuqing?" Zhu Zhuyun countered.
Dai Weisi shook his head slightly. "Zhuqing's actions have made her position clear. Wouldn't you prefer this sister of yours to live a normal life? Remember, don't associate this with her."
Castrating a royal prince was a scandal for the imperial family, something Dai Weisi naturally wanted to keep under wraps.
Moreover, Zhu Zhuqing's martial soul was no longer the Netherworld Spirit Cat. Few in the arena likely realized she was a member of the Zhu family.
Realizing this, Zhu Zhuyun smiled and agreed.
---
"Zhuqing, are you sure you didn't miss?" Ning Rongrong asked, blinking innocently.
Zhu Zhuqing's expression remained cold. "I didn't miss."
"Hahaha, let's see how Dai Mubai plays around with women now! From now on, let's call him Eunuch Dai!" Ning Rongrong burst into laughter.
Ning Tianchen sighed helplessly. "Everyone's exhausted from the match. Let's head back and rest early. Starting tomorrow, we need to fully prepare for the championship match."
To his surprise, Bibi Dong hadn't taken any action against Seven Treasures Academy despite Dai Mubai's severe injuries.
Even Flender remained calm and collected after the match.
From this perspective, Dai Mubai did seem rather "pitiful."
"Hee hee hee," Ning Rongrong stuck out her tongue. "I just can't stand Dai Mubai. Seeing him like this makes me happy."
"There are herbs in the world capable of regenerating lost limbs. Don't celebrate too soon," Ning Tianchen reminded her.
Feng Xiaotian patted his shoulder. "Captain, since we won the match, let Rongrong laugh it off. It's harmless."
Ning Tianchen stopped dwelling on it.
Reflecting on the match, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.
It was fortunate that Tang San had been overwhelmed by his own immense power. If he had kept a cool head, the outcome of this match would have been uncertain.
He had thought Tang San was just showing off, but instead, he dropped a bombshell!
The true form of a weapon martial soul was indeed powerful, but only if used correctly.
---
Inside Shrek Academy's room.
Flender carried the injured members to their beds.
With Yu Xiaogang unconscious and Liu Erlong focused solely on him, Flender was left to handle moving the wounded alone.
Still, securing third place was more than enough for Shrek Academy.
While it lacked the prestige of being champions, it guaranteed smooth recruitment for the coming year.
Just as Flender was about to leave to find a healing-type soul master, he opened the door and saw the Plant Academy members waiting outside. His heart leapt with hope. "Are you here to treat Mubai?"
The female captain of the Plant Academy nodded and led the healing-type soul master into the room.
After treatment, Dai Mubai's wound had healed, but...
"My abilities are limited. That part probably won't grow back," the healing-type soul master said with a bitter smile.
Upon hearing this, the Plant Academy's female captain immediately pulled down Dai Mubai's pants.
Where there had once been flesh, there was now nothing but emptiness. The severed object slid out as she pulled down his pants and landed on the floor.
Seeing the sight, the Plant Academy's female captain grew furious. She stomped on the fallen object, grinding it into pulp, and spat, "Worthless! Absolutely worthless!"
With that, she and the healing-type soul master turned and left the room without another glance.
Looking at the mangled flesh on the ground, Flender couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
If it hadn't been crushed, perhaps it could have been reattached, allowing him to remain a man. Now, however, he was thoroughly emasculated.
---
Inside the Pope's Palace, the atmosphere was tense.
Seven Treasures Academy's performance today had been genuinely frightening.
They had even managed to exploit the sole weakness of the five-person martial soul fusion technique—a terrifying ability to seize opportunities.
"Teacher, could it be possible that Poison Douluo, Sky Dome Douluo, or Sword Douluo secretly whispered hints to him?" Hu Liena proposed a theory.
Ke Jie and Dugu Bo were under Bibi Dong's constant surveillance, so they wouldn't have whispered to Ning Tianchen. As for Sword Douluo, while his actions might have been difficult for Bibi Dong to detect, his subsequent comments clearly indicated surprise at Ning Tianchen's performance.
Therefore, Bibi Dong believed that even if Sword Douluo had whispered something, it wouldn't have been about Tang San's weaknesses.
Chrysanthemum Douluo remarked, "Ning Tianchen has a profound understanding of battlefield dynamics—he's an exceptional talent. Lina, in your match against them, you absolutely cannot afford any mistakes. Otherwise, they'll seize the opportunity and potentially cost you the match."
Ghost Douluo countered, "Liena rarely makes mistakes. The key lies with the other four members of the team."
Ignoring their discussion, Bibi Dong turned and asked, "If you faced Shrek Academy today, how long do you think you could last?"
The presence of the Hao Tian Hammer was truly intimidating, especially for the Spirit Hall—it was a form of bloodline suppression.
Thus, she didn't believe the Spirit Hall team could defeat Shrek Academy.
"If I don't take any preemptive measures at the start, I'd probably lose within a minute," Hu Liena conservatively estimated.
However, at the beginning of every match, she planned to use her mental-type soul skills to disrupt their formation setup speed. By sheer luck, she might even prevent Shrek Academy from executing their martial soul fusion technique.
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