Justsky Academy realized that this wasn't Shrek Academy's strongest pair. Even so, they still represented Shrek Academy. As long as they could defeat them, that would make them the first team to defeat Shrek Academy in the last few thousand years! Such a victory and its glory would be invaluable to Justsky Academy's.
This was why Justsky Academy had worked hard to prepare for this match. The circumstances motivating them and making them determined to win this match.
When Yu Mengdi saw that Shrek had only deployed two Soul Ancestors with four soul rings, she calmed down. From her point of view, they already had this match in the bag. It was a match with Soul Kings against Soul Ancestors, additionally. she had her powerful Angel soul. She had absolute confidence in her abilities!
Yu Mengdi flapped her wings, suddenly increasing her speed. Her movement reminiscent of a golden meteor as she shot straight at Xu Sanshi. Simultaneously, Yang Yifan, who clearly seemed to be well coordinated with her, also moved. His body flashed as he pounced towards Xu Sanshi from another direction. They acted as though they didn't see Jiang Nannan at all, making it clear that their target was Xu Sanshi. From the looks of it, they wanted to end this match with just one attack.
Xu Sanshi didn't panic even as the two powerhouses simultaneously attacked him. He slowed down and lowered his voice, "Nannan, you don't have to interfere. Just wait for my signal." The Shield of the Xuanwu Turtle in his hands as he spoke.
Yu Mengdi and Yang Yifan were extremely well-coordinated with each other. Yang Yifan's dagger seemed to approach Xu Sanshi from the side at nearly the same time that Yu Mengdi landed right in front of him. The two of them instantly and simultaneously released their soul skills.
Yu Mengdi's first soul ring was already glowing as she released her golden swords. Her second soul ring subsequently lit up as well, and her pair of golden swords immediately formed a perfect cross in the sky. She spread her wings out, releasing golden rays of light into the cross.
A beautiful and melodious singing voice rang out from the cross. Bright rays of golden light accompanied by a holy aura pressed in Xu Sanshi's direction.
Yu Mengdi revealed how superior her Angel was with just this attack. Her first soul skill was a peculiar weapon-type skill called Divine Dualsword. After equipping this soul skill, any other soul skill she used would be released through her first soul skill.
Ordinary soul masters had to be very skilled in order to release stacked soul skills. The more soul skills that were stacked atop one another, the more difficult it was.. Not only did the user have to skillfully control the soul skills but the soul skills themselves also needed to coordinate with each other. This was a high-end technique even for Shrek's inner courtyard disciples. Yu Mengdi's martial soul had the advantage of naturally being able to release at least one more soul skill along with her first soul skill.
Sacredglory Crucifix. That was the attack she was using now. It was an attack that possessed all the effects of a holy attack. It was not only a powerful attack but was also one that burned with a persistent holy flame. Her Angel really was the best martial soul to restrain evil soul masters.
Yang Yifan's attack wasn't weak either. As an agility-type soul master, his strength shone through in his powerful attacks. His second soul ring lit up as a two-meter long sword-shaped glow extended out from his dagger, piercing toward Xu Sanshi's ribs like lightning.
Everyone had always paid attention to Shrek Academy during the tournament. They'd all watched Xu Sanshi's previous matches, and his strong defensive abilities paired with his Shield of the Xuanwu Turtle had left a lasting impression on every single one of them.
This was why the pair had commenced their attack on a strong note in an attempt to destroy Xu Sanshi's defense in the shortest time possible. Naturally, Jiang Nannan was of little importance to them, as she'd shown herself to be a mediocre contestant throughout the tournament.
Xu Sanshi didn't seem to be panicking at all when faced with their attacks. Instead, he abruptly stopped in his tracks, quickly dispelling their attacks with a very simple move.
His fourth soul ring glowed, signaling that he had activated his Mysterious Underworld Displacement.
In the blink of an eye, Xu Sanshi switched positions with Yang Yifan. Yang Yifan was originally stabbing his dagger at Xu Sanshi but was now stabbing Yu Mengdi. On the other hand, Yu Mengdi's Sacredglory Crucifix was falling straight on Yang Yifan.
It was in situations like this that the Mysterious Underworld Displacement could showcase its true power. The ability to change the course of any battle at the most crucial moment.
However, this wasn't the first time Xu Sanshi had used this move in this tournament. How could his opponents not prepare for it when he had used this powerful soul skill numerous times?
Yu Mengdi had a disdainful look on her face when Xu Sanshi used the Mysterious Underworld Displacement. She raised the holy sword in her hands and the Sacredglory Crucifix flew past Yang Yifan's head, heading straight for Jiang Nannan, who was now exposed after Xu Sanshi's dodge. Yang Yifan didn't withdraw his dagger either, but rather, seized the opportunity to flop on his back to avoid Yu Mengdi's attack. The reflection from the dagger carved a crescent moon across the sky as he slashed towards Jiang Nannan, who was now behind him. The teamwork between them both could be said to be impeccable in every aspect, whether it was adapting to changes or their control over their techniques.
The joint attacks initially directed at Xu Sanshi were redirected to Jiang Nannan.
The only thing they found a little strange was that Jiang Nannan didn't move an inch from where she was standing when faced with their joint attack. But it definitely wasn't because she was shocked to the bone. Her gaze fell on Xu Sanshi at this moment, a mocking expression on her exquisitely stunning face. She seemed to be asking Xu Sanshi whether this was his way of protecting her.
Xu Sanshi had never expected their opponents to be so perfectly in sync with one another. Even though he had guessed that they would take countermeasures against the Mysterious Underworld Displacement, he assumed that they would at least be flustered since they were already attacking him. However, he'd had the tables turned on him as the pair managed to beat him at his own game.
The mockery in Jiang Nannan's eyes seemed to light a fire within Xu Sanshi and his eyes immediately reddened.
"Scram!" A crazy roar burst forth from Xu Sanshi as he smashed the Shield of the Xuanwu Turtle into the ground. A powerful black halo instantly extended from the shield, forming a dome that enveloped spanning more than ten square meters. As this occurred, a rumbling sound could be heard.
A powerful tremor sent Jiang Nannan's body flying out of the dome and at the same time enveloped her opponents within the dome. Yang Yifan's dagger failed to strike its target, but Yu Mengdi's Sacredglory Crucifix was still emitting an intense golden light. It seemed as though it was about to break through the enclosure.
But it was also at this very moment that the Shield of the Xuanwu Turtle in Xu Sanshi's hands lit up the whole stage. A strange light started warping the surface of the shield. The feeling it exuded was one that resembled the movement of a human's muscles. After that, the whole surface of the shield changed.
A dark green snake with red eyes appeared on the thick, intricately-designed shield. Following its appearance, the Mysterious Underworld Quake that was originally black suddenly turned dark green. An intense blast that sounded just like a huge explosion had occurred rang out in the enclosed area. The Sacredglory Crucifix that was originally going to break through the enclosure was swallowed up in the blink of an eye. And that wasn't the end. Yang Yifan bore the brunt of the attack; his whole body shook violently till he fell on the ground.
Yu Mengdi was a Soul King and was much stronger than Yang Yifan. Even so, she lost her balance and fell from the sky. She crossed the Divine Dualswords in front of her chest and released her third soul skill. The angel wings on her back curled around her body protectively, turning into an oval light cocoon. Only then was she able to block that dark green light.
Offstage, Wang Yan's mouth dropped open as he watched this scene. "T-this is…" he squeaked out.
Bei Bei smiled and said, "Although he doesn't have an Ultimate martial soul, his martial soul far transcends regular martial souls. If there is one person amongst the seven of us who can compare to junior brother's Ultimate martial soul, it'd be Sanshi. However, his martial soul is sealed and he can't break the seal on his own without a strong stimulus. Luckily, he seems to have succeeded this time. But this means that definitely can't participate in the next match. After all, he won't be able to understand the true meaning of his martial soul before he gains seven soul rings."
Surprised, Huo Yuhao asked, "Senior brother, just what is Big Brother Xu's martial soul?"
Bei Bei's eyes shone as he said, "The bloodline of a Godbeast, Xuanwu. His Godbeast bloodline is even purer than Senior Sister Xiaotao's Evil Phoenix. Normally his martial soul is sealed and only ever bursts out when he's in an extremely dangerous situation. This is when he is at his strongest and all of his soul skills will bear the Godbeast stigma."
As opposed to the joy on the Shrek Academy's end, the students from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy were staring blankly at the stage. Xiao Hongchen, who had been arrogant up till this point, also widened his eyes in shock. "No, this is impossible. How can he possibly have a Godbeast bloodline that's comparable to mine? Aren't Godbeast bloodlines supposed to be so diluted and rare that they're about to disappear? Even in my case, it'd be impossible for me to have the aura of a Godbeast if not for my martial soul mutation. And this bloodline… is this Xuanwu?"
Having broken through the seal on his martial soul, Xu Sanshi flew across the stage and stood in front on Jiang Nannan again as he released his Xuanwu in front of him.
After breaking the seal on his martial soul, Xu Sanshi's body had gone through some slight changes. He was taller and bigger than before; his physique similar to that of an adult's. On top of that, there seemed to be a faint jade light coming from his short hair. His muscles had swelled up, giving him the aura of an immovable mountain as he stood there.
"I told you I'd protect you." Xu Sanshi's deep voice had dropped a few octaves and the somewhat frivolous feeling his voice used to have was now replaced with a magnetic charm.
Expecting to have to defend herself, Jiang Nannan's third soul ring was originally shining but even she was shocked by such a sudden change. She never knew this shameless scoundrel was actually hiding such strength in him. Even though he was still a Soul Ancestor, the aura surrounding the present Xu Sanshi was far beyond his rank.
The effect of the Mysterious Underworld Quake had just completely disappeared. Yang Yifan, who had actually collapsed to the ground, was completely dazed. At this moment, he couldn't crawl up no matter how hard he tried.
Xu Sanshi let out a roar towards the sky, causing the Shield of the Xuanwu Turtle in his hands to shine with a jade light. The light resonated with his body, enlarging his entire body to the point where his jacket began to rupture due to his sturdy muscles. An intense dark green light burst forth, causing the air within the tournament stage to turn viscous. Following that, his third soul ring lit up. The current him was no longer like a soul master, but a savage soul beast.
His third soul skill, Mysterious Underworld Force, caused the strength of his body to instantly double after being amplified by his Xuanwu bloodline. Furthermore, the Mysterious Underworld Force he activated within his current state didn't just strengthen his own body; it even affected a very large area around him. The wave-like viscosity that made it seem as though one was trapped within a wave was precisely because his Mysterious Underworld Force had instantly gathered a large amount of the water elements around him.
Yang Yifan momentarily lost all of his combat strength, but Yu Mengdi didn't. She immediately felt that something was wrong after the effects of the Mysterious Underworld Quake dissipated. This wasn't the strength that a four-ringed Soul Ancestor should possess, and this was especially evident after she witnessed the enormous changes that had occurred to Xu Sanshi's body. Although she didn't fully understand what was going on, she made a prompt decision and immediately chose the correct answer to the situation–and that was to attack!
She needed to give Yang Yifan a moment to recover. The original self-confidence she possessed had already been greatly reduced, and she couldn't guarantee the outcome of this battle if her opponents were working together.
With her Divine Dualswords held above her head, her third soul ring lit up. A golden flare of light quickly rose above her body, and the image of a six-winged Angel faintly appeared behind her. Her body was instantly dyed gold following the appearance of this Angel–this was her third soul skill, Angelic Protection. This would double the attack power of her next attack.
Right after that, her fifth soul ring lit up. The black soul ring that represented the strength of ten thousand years instantly lit up, causing the distant audience to involuntarily hold in their breaths and widen their eyes. This was the first appearance of a ten thousand year soul skill during this tournament, and everybody wanted to see just how strong it would be.
"Angelic… Godsealing Slash!" A charming voice rang out from Yu Mengdi's voice. This wasn't just a simple calling out of one's own skill. Every single one of the words she called out contained different musical notes, and her Divine Dualswords emitted a clear buzzing with each note. When she yelled out the word 'slash', the Divine Dualswords merged into one and formed a sharp sword light ten meters long and three meters wide that slashed towards Xu Sanshi.
The referee on the stage immediately charged over quickly the moment he saw this attack. He absolutely did not think that Xu Sanshi would be able to take this blow.
Yu Mengdi's attack could be said to be a fusion of her first, third, and fifth soul skills. Combined with the strength of her Angel soul, the might of this attack of hers was comparable to that of a Soul Emperor's! An attack like this could only be released by the very strongest of Soul Kings, even in an academy like Shrek Academy.
The pressure caused by Xu Sanshi's awakened Xuanwu made Yu Mengdi unhesitantly use her full power. No matter what, Justsky Academy wouldn't just give up this extremely rare chance to beat Shrek Academy.
"Nannan, I'll give you three seconds. Is that enough?" Wielding the Mysterious Underworld Shield that had already evolved into the Xuanwu Shield, Xu Sanshi revealed no fear at all as he faced the enormous pressure in front of him.
"That's enough." Jiang Nannan said in a low voice.
As he spoke, Xu Sanshi lifted his shield. After that, everybody could see his first three soul rings light up. More astonishingly, these three soul rings instantly merged together and formed a black soul ring that emitted a brilliant light.
The dark green snake on the Xuanwu Shield seemed to awaken. It raised its tongue slightly, and a red light began to blossom from its eyes as an enormous image of a turtle-snake rose behind Xu Sanshi's back.
This was the fusion of a godbeast bloodline and multiple soul rings.
The three soul skills that Xu Sanshi was currently using were respectively, the Mysterious Underworld Quake, Mysterious Underworld Shield, and Mysterious Underworld Force.
At this moment, his three soul skills fused into one, releasing the awesome might of a ten thousand year soul skill. However, if one were close enough to see Xu Sanshi, who was currently surrounded by jade-green light, they would discover that his face had turned incomparably white the instant his three soul skills had fused together.
The black light wreathing the Xuanwu Shield instantly enlarged to the point where it had a diameter of three meters. The enormous shield slanted forwards, blocking the might of the Angelic Godsealing Slash.
The instant the two ten thousand year soul skills collided, an ear piercing groan spread throughout the entire tournament stage. The outer protective barrier emitted a piercing bright light, causing the distant spectators to be momentarily unable to see what was going on on the stage.
Yu Mengdi would never have thought that she would encounter a situation like this. The instant her Angelic Godsealing Slash landed on the Xuanwu Shield, she felt as if her attack had been swallowed by a vast sea. After that, a violent boom rang out. Furthermore, her soul power had been greatly weakened, while her third soul skill instantly vanished.
A low roar suddenly spread throughout the entire arena at this moment. This roar that resembled the awakening of a godbeast covered an entire half of the tournament stage, and everyone–including the referee, who was a seven-ringed Soul Sage–felt their minds go blank from that terrifying roar. Their bodies seemed to have been swallowed by the most viscous swamp, rendering them unable to move.
"Nannan, now." Xu Sanshi's somewhat hoarse voice rang out by Jiang Nannan's ear.
At this moment, Jiang Nannan's body vanished. Covered by the intense light generated by the collision between the Xuanwu Shield and the Angelic Godsealing Slash, nobody was able to see how she vanished, nor how she appeared behind Yu Mengdi.
Jiang Nannan had appeared right behind Yu Mengdi. She gently leapt up, then landed a kick on Yu Mengdi's lower back.
Xu Sanshi had fused three of his soul skills into a ten thousand year one–the Xuanwu Roar. At this moment, Yu Mengdi was still paralysed as a result of that souls skill, causing her to be unable to resist Jiang Nannan. Xu Sanshi's estimation of her strength was very accurate. Three seconds, she couldn't do anything for three seconds. Even the good-hearted referee was delayed for a full second by his Xuanwu Roar before he was able to return to his senses.
After being kicked in the back by Jiang Nannan, Yu Mengdi's body was immediately thrown forward in the shape of a crescent. In battle, Jiang Nannan wasn't as kind as she looked on the outside. With her right hand pulling on Yu Mengdi's hair, Jiang Nannan locked her legs onto her neck. After that, she flipped around in midair, causing Yu Mengdi's body to fly out weightlessly and fiercely collide with the distant protective barrier before sliding to the ground and off the tournament stage. This entire process took only three seconds, and Yu Mengdi felt her entire body ache when she came to her senses. However, she was now below the stage. Furthermore, some of her important veins had been crushed, and the intense bursts of dizziness and nausea resulting from that caused her to remain on the ground for a long while before she was able to recover.
There was no need to even talk about Yang Yifan. Without even needing Jiang Nannan to make a move against him, Xu Sanshi had already walked up to him and kicked him straight off the tournament stage like a burlap sack. Even Yu Mengdi had been dazed for three seconds; after he was slammed into the ground by the Mysterious Underworld Quake, he didn't get back up. That was fairly tragic.
In reality, even if Xu Sanshi were able to unseal the Strength of the Xuanwu, he wouldn't be a match for Yu Mengdi in a one-on-one fight. After all, he lacked means of attacking. Furthermore, his soul power and potential would be drained at an astonishing rate after releasing the Strength of the Xuanwu. As an agility-type soul master however, Jiang Nannan was able to coordinate perfectly with him. Xu Sanshi's incomparably powerful defensive abilities perfectly complemented her speed and close-combat abilities.
In a situation where anyone with a discerning eye was able to tell that they weren't in a favourable position, they were actually able to pull off an unexpected first victory for Shrek Academy.
"We've won." Xu Sanshi's body trembled slightly, and the dark green light on his body faded away. At this moment, Jiang Nannan finally discovered that his face was as pale as a sheet of paper, and his body was tottering. Blood was even seeping from his mouth and nose.
Although he had released the Strength of the Xuanwu, how could Yu Mengdi's Angelic Godsealing Slash that was comparable to an attack released by a Soul Emperor be so easily blocked? After forcefully blocking that attack, Xu Sanshi had suffered heavy injuries. His body was swaying from side to side, and he was about to collapse on the ground.
Jiang Nannan subconsciously took a few steps forward and supported him by the arm.
"You… how are you?" Jiang Nannan whispered.
Xu Sanshi looked her in the face. Although he had an ugly expression on his face, his eyes were still filled with happiness, "I'm feeling very good. I'll always be happy fighting with you. If anyone wants to hurt you, they'll have to step over my dead body. Nannan, do you know? If it weren't for you, I would never have been able to break through the seal on my martial soul and release its true power."
At this point, his chest started to undulate violently. After letting out another muffled groan and spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, his body fell straight towards Jiang Nannan.
Startled, Jiang Nannan hurriedly helped him up. Xu Sanshi wasn't much taller than her, and so she could only put his arm over her shoulder and walk back to the waiting area.
Below the stage, Shrek Academy was already in great jubilation. They had won their first match. This meant that they had taken a sturdy step forward through an impossible pass. Only Bei Bei's mouth twitched for a moment as he whispered, "This cheap person really won't give up on a single chance!"
A certain someone who was placing his entire weight on a soft and fragrant-smelling person felt his nose itch. He felt his eyebrows move slightly, and he resisted a sneeze.
"The first round of the 2-2-3 match goes to Shrek Academy." When the referee announced the results of the competition, his voice contained a few traces of astonishment.
Right! Disregarding him, even the many high-ranking soul masters, soul engineers, and teachers present had never seen someone's martial soul in battle before! Not mention such a large increase in that person's power following said evolution. Furthermore, Xu Sanshi had actually overcome the difference between ranks! It had be realized that, even though Yi Mengdi was only Rank 53, her Angelic martial soul was strong enough to allow her to fight against peak-rank Soul Kings! Yet, she'd still lost Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan. Even though the former appeared to have suffered heavy injuries though, if this had been a true battle to the death, the outcome was questionable. However, in the end, a Soul Ancestor had actually managed to beat a Soul King in battle! This hadn't been a team fight either, but a 2v2 fight.
Everyone at Justsky Academy, from Ye Wuqing to the ordinary students, had gloomy expressions. They'd originally been filled with hope that they'd be able to beat Shrek Academy, but this loss had been akin to a bucket of ice water.
Within Shrek Academy's waiting area.
"Good. Now then, don't get too excited everyone. We've still got more predicaments to overcome." Bei Bei clapped, drawing the everyone's attention to him.
"Even though we've won the first match, Sanshi definitely won't be able to make it to our next match. As he's injured his vitality, I'm not sure how long he'll take to recover. Previously, he told that if anything caused him to forcefully break his seal, he'd temporarily become stronger, but that he'd heavily injure his body and drain his potential in doing so. Nannan, is it possible for you take him back to recover? This place isn't suitable."
If this was any other time, Jiang Nannan definitely would've outright rejected Bei Bei without hesitation. However, when she thought of the last few words Xu Sanshi had uttered to her, she unexpectedly nodded, put his arm over her should, and left.
What she didn't see, however, was the 'unconscious' Xu Sanshi give Bei Bei a slight thumbs up that only he was able to notice.
The corner of Bei Bei's mouth rose slightly, and he laughed while inwardly thinking, You've earned this with your own hard work.
"Will the participants of the second round please take the stage." The referee's words drew the attention of Shrek's team back to the competition, while the audience immediately tensed up again. That's right, there were still two matches left! Furthermore, their opponents still had two Soul Kings on their team, one of whom was their most powerful member and team leader.
Everyone, including Wang Yan, turned to look at Bei Bei. Shrek's first lineup had already proven Bei Bei's worth in their eyes.
Bei Bei already seemed to have a plan in mind as he whispered, "Since we won the first match, we've gained the initiative. What we're hoping for the most is that they'll impulsively send out both of their Soul Kings, or that they at least send their team leader out. Caitou, Xiao Xiao, you two are up first. You don't need to feel any pressure; just do your best to keep yourselves safe. I had originally planned for Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao to go out, but since Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao have a fusion skill, it will be key in the round that we'll win."
He Caitou's eyes met Xiao Xiao's, and they both immediately understood what Bei Bei's intentions were; he was clearly saying that he already planned to give up on their second round. The only reason they were being sent out was in order to waste their opponent's Soul Kings. Bei Bei's plan was undoubtedly spot on; the more people Shrek sent out alongside Huo Yuhao and his Spiritual Detection, the greater their chances of winning would become.
Despite this, the fighting intent in He Caitou and Xiao Xiao's hearts was no less than that of their companions! The instant that their gazes met, they were both able to see the intense unwillingness in each other's eyes.
Bei Bei grabbed He Caitou's shoulder, then placed his hand on Xiao Xiao's. He solemnly said, "I know that you two feel unresigned, but there always have to be a few people who do certain things for the sake of victory. You guys have to remember that this isn't the last round of this tournament; Sanshi can't join us for the next match anymore, so you guys had best come back healthy no matter what; we still need you for the matches after this. Understood?"
He Caitou's expression was somewhat grave as he looked Bei Bei in the eye, but he still nodded.
Xiao Xiao's response was somewhat half-hearted, but she managed to resist the urge to refute him.
"Good luck you two. Shrek's glory belongs to all of us together."
He Caitou and Xiao Xiao proceeded to walk onto the stage together. The instant that they'd left, Bei Bei turned around to face Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, then solemnly said, "The final victors of today's match will be decided in the third round. I only have one thing to say: Use every last bit of strength you have. No matter who wins, in the end, we'll have at least displayed our strength.
"Sanshi's victory in the first round was extremely dangerous. If Nannan didn't have a teleportation skill, that Soul King with the angelic martial would've instantly been able to turn the tables once she woke up. As such, we don't have any more chances. Our opponents will definitely be more careful from here on out. There's no way for us to win by a fluke now that they're fighting with all of their strength. Alright, you two need to rest up—prepare yourself for our next match."
Huo Yuhao was now inwardly afraid; the excitement he'd previously felt had been replaced by a heavy sense of pressure.
Pressure would have entirely different effects depending on the person: A weak-natured person could even collapse beneath heavy pressure and become even weaker. However, a person who was full of fighting spirit could could be willing to give his all for his glory and ideals. The great the pressure, the greater the rebound. At the same time, the driving force behind the pressure would become even more abundant.
The current Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong were just like this: Wang Dong tightly clenched his fists, a fierce flame of resolve rose in his eyes. As for Huo Yuhao, he squinted his eyes as a bright light flickered through the bottom of his eyelids. He then reached over, grabbed Wang Dong's fist, and leaned over to whisper something to him.
A light smile appeared on Bei Bei's face when he saw this. The reason that he'd allowed them to shoulder an even greater amount of pressure was because he was so familiar with his junior brothers. They were the kind of people that would squeeze out even more of their potential under great pressure.
Wang Yan watched from the sidelines as this happened. He was filled with gratification as he watched Bei Bei's calm leadership, and suddenly felt that losing today wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. At the very least, the psychological trauma he'd been worried about wouldn't appear with a team leader like Bei Bei.
Even though the awakened Xu Sanshi was stronger than Bei Bei in terms of overall strength, but there was a large gap between him and Bei Bei in terms of their ability to look at the big picture and take command. It seems that Bei Bei is even more than I am to lead everyone here. I'll just let them do as they wish. Maybe these kids really can create a miracle for Shrek.
Bei Bei gradually furrowed his brows as he stared at the tournament stage. His face grew increasingly grave, for he'd just discovered that their opponents would be tougher than he'd imagined; the leader of Justsky Academy hadn't appeared during the second round.
It had to be known that Justsky Academy would lose the match if they were to lose their second round. In a situation like this, Ye Wuqing had actually managed to remain patient, which definitely exceeded Bei Bei's predictions. This meant that Shrek Academy would have an even harder time in the third round if they lost the second round.
He Caitou and Xiao Xiao slowly made their way up onto the stage. The straightforward Caitou immediately did the same thing that Xu Sanshi had done, and loudly said to the two members of Justsky Academy in front of him, "Shrek Academy, He Caitou."
Xiao Xiao immediately followed up, "Xiao Xiao."
The two students from Justsky Academy had peculiar expressions when they saw He Caitou—his dark skin was normally only seen in the Sun Moon Empire. However, a person like him had appeared on Shrek's team. Despite this, He Caitou's suppression of the Soul King-ranked Shen Ce with a soul tool fort was still fresh in everyone's minds.
"Justsky Academy, Tang Xiaolei."
"Justsky Academy, Xue Lang."
The two students immediately replied with their own names. Tang Xiaolei had a tall and straight figure, but he wasn't too muscular. However, his eyes were extraordinarily lively, and a purple light seemed to flicker through them. This was the first contestant that He Caitou had seen besides Huo Yuhao who possessed such a solid pair of eyes.
Xue Lang was slightly shorter than Tang Xiaolei, but he was much sturdier; the width of his shoulders and the thickness of his arms were comparable to He Caitou's. Of course, this was a comparison between the twenty year-old Tang Xiaolei and the fifteen year-old He Caitou.
Tang Xiaolei and Xue Lang were only slightly flabbergasted when they looked at He Caitou, but they weren't simply astonished when their gazes landed on Xiao Xiao.
They'd both seen Xiao Xiao's previous matches while they were in the rest area. However, she hadn't done much during either of the two occasions that she'd appeared. Thus, nobody knew what her true abilities were.
Xiao Xiao wasn't even twelve yet; she was only a few days older than Huo Yuhao. Combined with her how small she was, she looked like a small child; a few people would've believed that she wasn't even ten yet. The juxtaposition between the two was simply too strong.
Even though Tang Xiaolei and Xu Leng were anxious to obtain victory in this match, they couldn't help but feel that something was off when they saw Xiao Xiao. Their eyes then simultaneously landed on He Caitou's body. As for the six soul rings that Xiao Xiao had previously revealed, the two only felt disdain in their hearts. If a small girl like her was truly a Soul Emperor, then they could just go directly commit suicide.
The two of them had forgotten a single thing, however: Despite Xiao Xiao's extremely baffling appearance, and no matter how old she looked, she was still a student from Shrek Academy—she was still somebody that Shrek had chosen to send to this tournament.
The referee felt somewhat unwilling when he saw Xiao Xiao, but the competition was still a competition. He motioned both parties to their respective sides of the arena, then raised his right hand and shouted, "Match, start!"
Both parties instantly released their martial souls, and Xiao Xiao's two yellow hundred year soul rings finally appeared on the tournament stage spectated by over ten thousand people.