In the arena, the Emperor Battle Team retreated to one corner, gathering around Dugu Yan. Her third spirit ring began to glow intensely, and her body emitted a radiant purple hue.
Opening her mouth, Dugu Yan unleashed a dense cloud of purple mist. The toxic vapor quickly spread across the battlefield, drifting toward the Shrek Team.
Dai Mubai inadvertently brushed his hand against the mist, and his palm's flesh immediately began to corrode. Despite channeling a large amount of spirit power, he couldn't resist the effects.
With a pained scream, Dai Mubai gritted his teeth and used his claws to scrape off the affected layer of skin, finally stopping the poison's spread.
The Shrek Team, alarmed, retreated hastily, avoiding contact with the deadly mist.
"Xiao Wu, get back here!" Meng Bei shouted, panic in his voice.
Xiao Wu, having recently taken out Ye Lingling, was still on the opposite side of the arena, dangerously close to being engulfed by the mist. Meng Bei had a way to counter the poison but couldn't act while Xiao Wu was within range. He didn't want her to get hurt.
After all, Xiao Wu was valuable to him—not just obedient and resilient, but someone he had grown fond of over time.
Thankfully, Xiao Wu didn't let him down. At the last moment, she activated her third spirit skill, Teleportation, safely returning to her team.
Now free of concerns, Meng Bei acted decisively.
"*Ice Wind Blast!*"
He poured all his remaining spirit power into his second spirit skill. Instantly, the arena was swept by a fierce, icy wind, snow swirling through the air. It was as if the harsh winter of the far north had descended upon the battlefield.
The freezing gusts quickly overwhelmed the area, dispersing Dugu Yan's poisonous mist. The deadly purple haze was driven back, unable to withstand the icy onslaught.
Dugu Yan collapsed to the ground, dazed.
Her gaze fixated on Meng Bei, filled with a mix of defeat and admiration. It wasn't the Shrek Team she had lost to—it was this one man.
"We concede!" she announced, her voice heavy with resignation.
The battle was over. The Shrek Team had emerged victorious.
Though the fight had been intense, there were no fatalities. The most severely injured were Tang San and Yu Tianheng.
Tang San, thrown with brute force by Yu Tianheng and struck by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's electricity, had several fractured bones and was unconscious.
Yu Tianheng, on the other hand, had been poisoned by Tang San's Eight Spider Lances. The venom had spread throughout his body, and even Ye Lingling's Nine Hearts Begonia couldn't heal him completely. It wasn't until Qin Ming summoned a healing Spirit Emperor from Soto City with a Holy Light Martial Soul that Yu Tianheng's condition stabilized.
---
What followed mirrored the original story.
Qin Ming, the Emperor Team's leader, recognized Flender, the Shrek Academy headmaster. The two teams bonded over friendly exchanges.
Dugu Yan, in particular, was curious about Meng Bei. During the fight, she had struck Meng Bei with her venomous fangs, but he had shown no ill effects.
She repeatedly questioned Meng Bei about his immunity to her poison. Meng Bei claimed not to know the reason, which only piqued Dugu Yan's curiosity. She even attempted to pull aside Meng Bei's clothing to examine the wound.
This provoked an immediate reaction from Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong, who glared at Dugu Yan with fiery eyes.
"That awful woman! How dare she try to steal Meng Bei from us?" they thought in unison.
Dugu Yan seemed to sense their hostility.
Turning to meet Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong's angry gazes, she smirked mischievously.
"Interesting," she muttered.
She had no intention of stealing Meng Bei—she was older than him and already had someone she cared for. However, seeing the two girls' reactions, she couldn't resist the urge to tease them.
Feigning flirtation, Dugu Yan grabbed Meng Bei's hand, pretending not to let go, insisting on inspecting his chest wound.
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong were livid, their eyes practically shooting daggers at Dugu Yan.
Meanwhile, Qin Ming observed the interaction among these spirited youths, deeply impressed by their talents.
Having experienced the broader world after graduating, Qin Ming understood the limitations of Shrek Academy. Though excellent, it lacked the resources of top-tier spirit academies.
Qin Ming didn't want these promising talents to waste their potential, so he proposed that the Shrek Team join Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.
At first, Flender refused outright.
But when Qin Ming brought up the opportunity to compete in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament, Flender wavered.
The tournament was the most prestigious event in the spirit master world. A strong performance there would benefit not only Shrek Academy but also its students, providing unparalleled opportunities.
However, as things stood, Shrek Academy didn't meet the qualifications to participate.
Faced with this reality, Flender had to acknowledge that Shrek Academy couldn't offer its students the same future that Heaven Dou Imperial Academy could. Qin Ming's proposal was clearly in the students' best interest.
Though Flender hesitated, it was evident to those who knew him that he was leaning toward agreement.
---
On the way back, Flender walked in contemplative silence.
Meng Bei and Ning Rongrong strolled together. Ning Rongrong frowned, her displeasure evident.
"Meng Bei, you're not allowed to have any contact with that Dugu Yan from now on!" she declared.
Seeing the jealousy on Ning Rongrong's face, Meng Bei couldn't help but laugh.
"Well, well, who tipped over the vinegar jar here? Let me see," he teased.
As he spoke, he gently pulled Ning Rongrong into his arms.
Ning Rongrong resisted briefly but soon surrendered, nestling against him.
"Is it here? Or here? Where's the sour smell coming from? Let me take a closer look!" Meng Bei joked as he playfully poked her sides.
Before long, Ning Rongrong was blushing furiously, laughing uncontrollably.
"You're so bad! I'm not talking to you anymore!" she pouted.
Behind them, the rest of the Shrek Seven Devils watched, their jaws dropping in astonishment.
"Wow… Meng Bei's really something," they murmured.
Xiao Wu, however, wasn't with Meng Bei.
She stayed close to Tang San and Grandmaster.
Though Tang San's injuries had been treated, he was still weak and needed time to recover. Grandmaster carried him on his back as Tang San mumbled incoherently, repeatedly calling Xiao Wu's name.
Xiao Wu stayed by his side, but her eyes constantly drifted toward Meng Bei.
Seeing Meng Bei and Ning Rongrong's sweet interaction filled Xiao Wu with jealousy.
"Hmph, that jerk. He's only sweet-talking Rongrong. Doesn't he care about me?" she thought bitterly.
"Rongrong might be great, but can she keep him company at night? Can she endure the whole night? Can she bend her legs behind her shoulders like I can? Hmph, tonight…"
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