Yu Xiaogang's detailed explanation earned the approval of many of the little monsters present, further solidifying their trust in the master's arrangements.
Chen Xuan, however, was left utterly puzzled. Wasn't Yu Xiaogang's speech practically an admission of his own selfish motives?
Yet, reality is often stark. Tyrone, Huang Yuan, and Jing Ling had not the slightest doubt about the master's words. On the contrary, they felt as though they had suddenly gained enlightenment. Their confidence gradually returned, believing that losing due to counter-restriction was not shameful.
"What the heck?"
Chen Xuan was speechless, feeling an overwhelming sense of disbelief. The three had been eliminated yet continued to trust Yu Xiaogang wholeheartedly. What kind of miraculous thought process was this?
He began to question whether the trio was genuinely foolish or if some sort of invisible "intelligence-dampening aura" was at play, causing him to give up any desire to argue.
In the preliminary rounds, Ma Hongjun hadn't participated in a single match. After being suppressed for more than two months, he finally had his chance to shine.
Fire inherently counters plants, not to mention Ma Hongjun's evolved Evil Fire Phoenix. The Botany Academy didn't stand a chance against him.
It was as if the timeline had corrected itself, and Ma Hongjun single-handedly defeated all five members of the Botany Academy, achieving the remarkable feat of a one-on-five victory.
As for the last two opponents, Ma Hongjun, running low on soul power, handed them over to Dai Mubai.
"I declare, Shrek Academy versus Botany Academy, the victor is Shrek Academy!" the host announced loudly.
"Boss Dai, Third Brother, wasn't I amazing? Aren't I incredibly handsome and dashing?" After his five consecutive victories, Ma Hongjun's confidence soared, and he immediately sought praise upon returning to the rest area.
With a serious expression on his face, Ma Hongjun's demeanor was a clear invitation for others to compliment his bravery and might.
Tang San chuckled, patting the chubby boy's shoulder. "Lose some of that fat, and you might get a little closer to being called handsome."
"You were great, great. Satisfied?" Dai Mubai casually praised to brush him off.
Ma Hongjun was not pleased. "What do you mean 'satisfied'? If you don't know how to talk, you might as well keep quiet."
"You're really asking for it. Come on, let's spar!" Dai Mubai, provoked, felt his authority as captain challenged.
And so, amid their playful bickering, the Shrek group returned to their quarters.
The results of the new round of pairings came out earlier than expected. For the third round, Shrek Academy would face an old rival—Blazing Academy.
That night, Yu Xiaogang had already arranged the battle lineup in advance. The chosen participants were Tang San, Ma Hongjun, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Dai Mubai, and Chen Xuan.
"Master, why am I not going first? Isn't it always the power-attack types leading the charge?" Dai Mubai asked, eager to take the lead.
However, Yu Xiaogang gave him no chance, firmly deciding the lineup without room for change.
Tang San, being a control type, with his Blue Silver Grass possessing fire immunity, was a natural counter to Blazing Academy.
How could the seven monsters, with only a decade of experience, possibly fathom Yu Xiaogang's thoughts? With such a natural advantage, his disciple had a good chance of defeating all seven opponents, potentially becoming the first to achieve this feat in the qualification rounds.
By then, Tang San would undoubtedly shine brightly, capturing the attention of major forces and academies alike.
And as the master who taught such an outstanding student, Yu Xiaogang would finally prove himself and earn the recognition of the world, no longer underestimated.
By defeating Blazing Academy under his disciple's name, Yu Xiaogang would achieve self-fulfillment.
Yu Xiaogang felt no psychological burden. After all, when Tang San had first acknowledged him as his master at Nuoding Academy, he had promised to dedicate his life to proving that his teacher was not the "useless master" people called him.
As for Blazing Academy, being defeated seven-to-none would surely tarnish their reputation, making them the laughingstock of the elemental academies. But in a competition, the fighters were expected to give their all. If their strength was insufficient, they could blame no one but themselves. Could they truly expect their opponents to hold back?
---
**On the third day,**
In addition to Emperor Xue Ye, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, Prince Xue Beng, and Prince Xue Xing were present to watch the match.
Shrek Academy's battle lineup still consisted of six people, with Chen Xuan placed last, almost as though he didn't exist.
The battle between Blazing Academy and Shrek began, with Blazing Academy's captain Huo Wushuang taking the stage first.
Huo Wushuang's soul power was at level 42, only one level higher than Tang San's. But the outcome was inevitable; Tang San's fire immunity and control-type advantage swept everything aside.
The battle progressed exactly as Yu Xiaogang had envisioned. Tang San charged ahead with unstoppable momentum, defeating six members of Blazing Academy within half an hour, completing a six-man streak.
Blazing Academy had only one person left—Vice Captain Huo Wu. If she were to lose, Tang San would achieve the first-ever seven-man victory streak, while Blazing Academy would lose face, unable to hold their heads high among the Five Elemental Academies.
Yu Xiaogang remained expressionless, but inside, he was elated. His disciple had defeated six opponents. How could he not be proud or happy?
Unfortunately, man proposes, but heaven disposes. In the final match, Tang San lost. Though not a complete defeat, he still fell to Huo Wu.
At the last moment, as Huo Wu's Blazing Sun attack descended, about to strike them both, Tang San shielded Huo Wu with his own body, taking a direct hit from the massive fireball.
Had it not been for his fire immunity, the injury would have been far worse, and he might not have made it off the field alive.
After this incident, Huo Wu developed feelings for Tang San, born from her previous resentment.
One thing remained uncertain—whether Tang San had acted intentionally. There was no answer.
"Where is that young man from Shrek with the ten-thousand-year spirit ring? It's been a while since I've seen him," Emperor Xue Ye remarked casually.
Ning Fengzhi, ever calm, speculated, "Your Majesty, perhaps this young Chen brother encountered some difficulties and is unwilling to compete."
Emperor Xue Ye, with his sharp instincts, quickly sensed that there might be some hidden truth behind this.
---
**On the fifth day,**
Shrek Academy drew another old opponent—Tianshui Academy, an all-female team known for their strength. In the preliminaries, had it not been for Tang San's dual fire-and-ice immunity, Shrek would have surely lost.
"Chen, it's your turn this time," Flender said, approaching from a distance.
Chen Xuan yawned, not even considering going down.
It wasn't that he disrespected Flender; he'd simply heard the same words so many times that he was tired of it. Every time it ended with Yu Xiaogang sending him back.
"Chen, you're first on today's battle list. Hongjun is second. This was decided after discussions with the master," Flender explained once again.
Chen Xuan was shocked. Could this be true? Was Yu Xiaogang really being so kind?
He glanced over at Yu Xiaogang, standing with his hands behind his back, still exuding the aura of a master, showing no reaction. It seemed to be tacit approval.
"Brother Chen, are you going or not? If you're not, I'll go," Ma Hongjun said impatiently, eager to get on the field.
Among the crowd, Zhu Zhuqing's eyes shone, silently watching him.
"Fatty, you can forget about going up today," Chen Xuan said as he leapt over the railing, jumping down from a height of about twenty to thirty meters.
As soon as he appeared, he immediately attracted attention. Almost everyone's gaze was fixed on him.
"A new face. Does Shrek have someone like this?" Many spectators questioned, unfamiliar with the young man.
The teachers responsible for gathering information on various talents didn't recognize Chen Xuan either.
Only a small group of people, aware of the truth, paid close attention.
"He's finally here. Let's see what makes him so special," Xue Qinghe murmured.
The woman who had set her sights on him had been waiting to see if he was truly a dragon among men or simply someone with an impressive exterior. The answer would be revealed after this battle.
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