Chapter 128: Phantom Beast vs. White Tiger
In the Nine Stars Academy resting area, Xiao Yu's lips curled into a knowing smile as he saw Io easily defeat Ma Hongjun.
Xiao Yu had intentionally sent Io out first to face Ma Hongjun. Without the Phoenix Cockscomb, Ma Hongjun's flames were far from reaching the level of Ultimate Fire.
Moreover, Io, with his Sea General background, naturally had resistance to fire. Additionally, Nine Stars Academy boasted two soul masters with Ultimate Fire martial spirits, Cang Mo and Yi Hui. Io had often sparred with them and built up significant fire resistance through exposure to their flames.
The impure evil fire of Ma Hongjun was nothing more than a drizzle to Io at this point.
On Shrek's side, the fourth competitor, Dai Mubai, stood up.
Seeing Ma Hongjun being carried back, Tang San glared viciously at Io, who had returned to his human form on stage. He turned to Dai Mubai and said, "Boss Dai, do your best and avenge Fatty!"
In truth, Huang Yuan, the second contestant, had sustained injuries far worse than Ma Hongjun, as he had taken a direct hit from Io's bear form. When it came to raw attack power, the bear was certainly stronger than the bat. Adding to that, Huang Yuan's lower spirit power made the impact even greater. But favoritism had always been a hallmark of Tang San's character.
Huang Yuan, in his twenties and barely at level 35, was insignificant in Tang San's eyes. Ma Hongjun, however, was one of the Shrek Seven Devils, already close to Soul Elder level before turning fifteen. His future was bright, making him a valuable ally for Tang San. Naturally, Tang San treated him like a brother.
"I will, Xiao San!" Dai Mubai clenched his fists, the cracking of his knuckles audible as a cold gleam flashed in his evil eyes. He stared intently at Io, his opponent on the stage.
His bond with Ma Hongjun was deeper than that of Tang San. Dai Mubai had entered Shrek Academy at the age of twelve, and now at seventeen, he had spent five years with Ma Hongjun. The two of them, both troublemakers, had grown inseparable over the years. Their camaraderie was unmatched.
"Mubai, keep your cool!"
Flender, seeing the series of defeats, felt compelled to remind Dai Mubai as he walked onto the stage. "Your opponent's spirit power is only one level higher than yours. But after battling Jing Ling, Huang Yuan, and Ma Hongjun, he's already used his second, third, and fourth soul skills. His spirit power must be heavily drained. If you stay calm and strategic, your chances of winning are still good."
"I will, Dean!" Dai Mubai nodded heavily at Flender's words. Then he cast a glance at Yu Xiaogang, who was sitting silently, head down like an ostrich hiding from the world. A flash of disdain crossed Dai Mubai's eyes, though it was so subtle that no one noticed.
Unlike Ma Hongjun and Oscar, Dai Mubai, who hailed from royalty, saw the world differently. The fight for the throne in the Star Luo Empire was ruthless, and growing up in such a treacherous environment had made Dai Mubai far more mature than his peers.
Among Shrek's three elders, Oscar and Ma Hongjun were easily captivated by Yu Xiaogang's manipulative teachings, but Dai Mubai had long seen through him. To Dai Mubai, Yu Xiaogang was a weak and self-important man, full of pride despite being a failure.
The only reason Dai Mubai continued to humor Yu Xiaogang, occasionally praising him alongside the other young, naïve students, was for Tang San and Flender's sake. Tang San's talent meant that as long as nothing unexpected happened, he would undoubtedly become a Titled Douluo in the future. Such a powerhouse was worth befriending.
As for Flender, he was Dai Mubai's current shield.
His father, the emperor of the Star Luo Empire, was a Soul Douluo with a life expectancy of another 30 to 50 years. As long as his father remained alive, the royal guards and experts of the Star Luo Empire wouldn't obey his brother Davis. If Davis ever tried to make a move against him, the strongest fighters he could summon would be at most Soul Saints, and with Flender by his side, Dai Mubai had little to fear for his safety.
Thus, the fleeting look of contempt in Dai Mubai's eyes came and went quickly, unnoticed by anyone else.
"You will pay for your actions!"
Dai Mubai stood not far from Io on the stage, his gaze icy as he coldly declared.
Io snorted dismissively. "If you've got the skills, then show me! Empty words don't prepare you for a fight!"
"Alright, you've got guts!"
Dai Mubai let out a cold snort and, at the referee's signal, swiftly summoned his martial spirit. Under the possession of the White Tiger Spirit, his body surged in size, and two yellow and two purple spirit rings appeared around him.
At the same time, the hovering announcer seized the opportunity to inform the watching teams, "After losing three Soul Elders in a row, Shrek Academy has now sent out their captain, Dai Mubai, with the White Tiger martial spirit. He is a level 43 strong attack system Battle Soul Master. Can he turn the tide for Shrek Academy?"
As soon as the announcer's words fell, Dai Mubai had already started striding toward Io, charging with great speed.
"First Soul Skill: White Tiger Barrier!"
"Third Soul Skill: White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"
Fully aware of Io's strength, Dai Mubai went all out right from the start, activating both his first and third soul skills. White light enveloped his entire body, and his muscles bulged like small hills. With the two soul skills' amplification, the aura Dai Mubai exuded surpassed that of a level 45 Soul Master.
"Third Soul Skill: Grizzly Bear Strike!"
Facing the charging tiger, Io immediately transformed into a massive grizzly bear. His enormous paws, carrying powerful gusts of wind, slammed down from above, aiming straight for Dai Mubai's vital points.
Dai Mubai raised his tiger claws to meet Io's bear paws head-on. His punches whistled through the air, each one fiercer than the last.
Tiger and bear clashed fiercely, exchanging more than twenty blows. Just as Flender had predicted, Io, having fought Jing Ling, Huang Yuan, and Ma Hongjun in succession and used his second, third, and fourth soul skills, was indeed running low on spirit power compared to Dai Mubai.
After more than twenty fierce exchanges, Io's stamina began to show signs of faltering.
Seeing this, Dai Mubai was elated. Seizing the opportunity, he launched a powerful kick, sweeping his leg across like a heavy whip, striking Io hard in the waist.
Io winced in pain, staggering backward.
"Die!"
Dai Mubai roared, pouncing forward with the intent to finish Io off and avenge his good brother, Ma Hongjun, with a few decisive blows.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Blood Bat Bite!"
Stumbling back, Io quickly steadied himself. Seeing Dai Mubai charging at him again, he immediately activated his fourth soul skill, transforming into a giant blood-red bat. He soared into the air, avoiding Dai Mubai's attack and buying himself time to recover his strength.
"Not a chance!"
Seeing Io trying to regain his strength, Dai Mubai shouted furiously. There was no way he would give Io the chance to recover.
(End of the Chapter)
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