Word Count: 2,761 Words
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"Yes, Captain!"
The four Class 5 Spirit Guidance Masters answered in unison. They were death warriors specially selected by the Sun Moon Imperial Academy, and their sole purpose for entering the arena was to serve as living batteries for the Death Lances. The demon spiders on their backs greedily drained their blood and spirit power. Despite the excruciating pain wracking their bodies, their faces were alight with manic excitement!
The Sun Moon Imperial Academy had endured Shrek Academy's dominance for far too long. This year presented a once-in-a-millennium opportunity. To personally shatter Shrek's ten-thousand-year reign of glory was an irresistible temptation for every citizen of the Sun Moon Empire. It was an honor worthy of its own dedicated page in their ancestral records!
Ling Bai's possession of a Class 8 Spirit Barrier had certainly caught them off guard. The Sun Moon team immediately adjusted their strategy, abandoning their attack on the well-prepared Ling Bai. Of the seven remaining Death Lances, six now locked onto the other members of Shrek Academy. Apart from the Class 5 Spirit Guidance Master who had first thrown a lance, the other three roared fiercely. Six Death Lances tore through the air, their piercing shrieks aimed directly at their respective targets.
The Death Lances, enshrouded in an aura of death, bore down on the Shrek members. Faced with Class 8 Spirit Guidance Devices designed primarily for killing, expressions of terror involuntarily appeared on their faces.
"Screech—"
A deep, hoarse phoenix cry suddenly rang out. Ma Xiaotao's pink eyes instantly turned a dark red as an ominous, crimson flame surged around her. This was her Phoenix Evil Fire unleashed without any reservation.
In the past, whether cultivating or battling, she had to dedicate a portion of her concentration to suppress the Phoenix Evil Fire, lest the evil flames consume her sanity. This changed only after Ling Bai used Holy Purification to help her freely wield her Phoenix flames for a year. Now, with her life threatened, she cast aside all caution. The Phoenix Evil Fire was the true manifestation of the Evil Fire Phoenix!
Her sixth spirit ring blazed with intense light. Dark red meteors, several times larger than before, plummeted from the sky. The acrid smell of smoke and sulfur filled the competition stage as the Phoenix Meteor Shower bombarded the incoming Death Lance!
"Nannan!"
Realizing Jiang Nannan was in mortal danger, Xu Sanshi immediately activated his Divine Beast Xuanwu bloodline. A large, dark green serpent emerged from the heavy Mystic Deep Turtle Shield, its eyes like glistening red rubies.
He charged toward Jiang Nannan without regard for anything else. All four of his spirit rings—two yellow and two purple—lit up simultaneously as the evolved Xuanwu Shield erupted with an intense, dark green radiance!
Ling Luochen shook off her initial terror and pointed her Ice Staff forward. Layer upon layer of Ultimate Ice formed a shield wall, giving it an air of impregnability.
Ning Tian deployed her Class 7 Rechargeable Spirit Barrier. After instantly completing her Spirit Rings Fusion, two beams of grayish-white light shot from her eyes. It was her 10,000-year spirit bone skill, Medusa's Gaze!
"Wait… you guys… huh?"
Huo Yuhao looked left and right and was instantly dumbfounded. Good heavens, everyone had a trump card, so what was he supposed to do!
"Brother Skydream, save me!"
The Death Lance was almost upon him, and he could not help but cry out in his heart.
Brilliant golden light suddenly flashed from the sky. Seven golden points of light appeared above, then extended into radiant golden pillars that connected one after another. In an instant, a golden Big Dipper formation materialized high above!
Ding… Ding… Ding…
Seven distinct bell-like chimes, reminiscent of cathedral bells, rang out as golden star arrays emerged at each node of the seven-star formation. The grand array hovered in the sky above Ning Tian, slowly rotating like a wheel of fate!
Third Spirit Skill, Holy Heart!
Innate Domain, Angelic Domain!
Radiant Spirit Array: Guard!
The Death Lance was a Class 8 Spirit Guidance Device crafted from the spider lance of a 50,000‐year Death Spider Emperor and augmented with rare metals and core arrays. A single strike could pierce a Class 8 Spirit Barrier; it was far beyond what Medusa's Gaze or a Class 7 Spirit Barrier could withstand. The Radiant Spirit Array: Guard, amplified by the Angelic Domain and Holy Heart, was Ling Bai's strongest defensive spirit skill. He could only save one person, and that person had to be Ning Tian!
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom—
Six tremendous explosions thundered in succession. Terrifying shockwaves reverberated across the entire competition stage as purple-black mushroom clouds rose. Everyone in Star Luo Plaza stared wide-eyed, waiting for the smoke to clear and reveal Shrek Academy's fate.
"Cough... cough..."
Ma Xiaotao fell to one knee, nearly half of her dark red flame wings shattered. With her spirit power at Rank 68 and her Phoenix Evil Fire unsealed, that Phoenix Meteor Shower was comparable to a Spirit Saint's full-powered attack. It had dissipated most of the Death Lance's energy, leaving her with only a significant drain on her spirit power and minor injuries.
Ning Tian, under Ling Bai's protection and with her Class 7 Spirit Barrier, was unharmed, although her spirit power was completely depleted from activating Spirit Rings Fusion. She patted her chest, fear still lingering.
Seeing Ning Tian safe, Shadow Dragon Douluo Xie Qin, in the Shrek rest area below the stage, slumped back onto the sofa, sighing inwardly with relief.
Ling Luochen's injuries were quite severe. She was only a Spirit King after all. The Death Lance managed to penetrate the layers of Ultimate Ice she had summoned and pierce her right shoulder. Death energy now coursed through her body, draining the color from her lips as her delicate body trembled in obvious agony.
Comparatively, Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan were in the worst state. Originally, it was one Death Lance per person, but Xu Sanshi blocking in front of Jiang Nannan meant he faced double the Death Lances. The defense of the Divine Beast Xuanwu was naturally formidable; however, it could not withstand the power of a Class 8 Spirit Guidance Device. Xu Sanshi's Xuanwu Awakening had already faded, and he lay on the ground, drawing shallow, labored breaths.
Jiang Nannan had fainted beside him. In fact, she deserved half the credit for his survival. When the Xuanwu Shield was breached, she had first used her Invincible Golden Body to block the initial blast of the Death Lance, but she was also severely injured by the subsequent impact.
Huo Yuhao, who had the lowest spirit power on the field, was not much better off. Although Skydream was a 1,000,000-year spirit beast, with so many Titled Douluo present, it dared not use much of its origin power. It had already done its utmost just to keep Huo Yuhao alive.
Four were heavily injured, and one was lightly injured. The Death Lances had made Shrek's already scarce numbers even more precarious.
"Not a single one died?!"
The Class 4 Spirit Guidance Master beside Ma Rulong frowned. The Sun Moon Imperial Academy and Shrek Academy had a long-standing feud. For thousands of years, both teams had shed each other's blood in the tournament. This time, they used the Death Lances specifically to kill Shrek Academy's geniuses. One reason was to win the Spirit Master Tournament championship, and the other was to remove future threats ahead of the coming war.
"It's fine. They have eleven members in total. Severely injuring several is enough."
Ma Rulong said calmly, "The Seraphim's strength is unfathomable; the Death Lance couldn't critically wound him. We'll deal with him in the individual matches or the 2-2-3 battle. The last Death Lance, target the Evil Fire Phoenix, Ma Xiaotao."
"Understood!"
The Class 5 Spirit Guidance Master who had first attacked Ling Bai gave a savage grin. In just a few short minutes, the twenty-year-old youth's hair had become streaked with white. The demon spider had drained a massive amount of his life force, and he would undoubtedly not live past thirty. Yet for the glory of defeating Shrek Academy, he considered everything worthwhile!
In the Sun Moon Imperial Academy's pre-match plan, the primary strategy was to kill or severely injure Ling Bai. The secondary plan was to eliminate everyone else besides him, leaving him as a lone commander to be worn down in the individual and 2-2-3 battles. Ma Rulong decided to implement the second plan. The Death Lance, like an uncaged dragon, howled as it shot toward Ma Xiaotao!
Ma Xiaotao's temperament was as explosive as her flames. She spat out a scorching breath, steam rising from her body due to the intense heat. Twin pillars of flame erupted from her leg spirit bones, transforming her into a streak of dark red light that shot straight toward the Death Lance. Her second, third, and fifth spirit rings blazed simultaneously.
Bathing Fire Phoenix!
Phoenix Wing Ascension!
Phoenix Cloud Piercing Strike!
At the same time, a golden figure descended from high above. Ling Bai's pitch-black fifth spirit ring lit up as the magnificent Scorching Sun Wheel appeared before Ma Xiaotao, who now resembled a true fire phoenix. She did not dodge but plunged headfirst into it. The Scorching Sun Wheel's Angelic Holy Fire merged with the Phoenix Evil Fire. The Seraphim, in coordination with the Evil Fire Phoenix, unleashed a firestorm interwoven with holy and evil flames. It was as though the surrounding world was being consumed by fire.
The flames surged like molten lava, scorching the sky and the earth. The Evil Fire Phoenix soared and roared, releasing an astonishing amount of heat and light. The competition stage was dyed a brilliant golden-red. The Death Lance, Spirit Cannon shells, and everything else was reduced to ash under the baptism of flames.
It seemed that only flames and ruins remained on the battlefield, evoking a sense of endless desolation and fear. Yet through the roiling blaze, several silhouettes still flickered, struggling to remain upright. Their skin shone with a golden gleam as they resisted the onslaught of the Phoenix Evil Fire and Angelic Holy Fire.
Invincible Barriers!
Another CHEAT–level Spirit Guidance Device from the Sun Moon Empire!
The perpetually overcast sky finally released its burden as rain began to fall. A torrential downpour extinguished the remaining flames, revealing seven sweat-drenched Spirit Guidance Masters under their Invincible Barriers. Ma Rulong wiped the sweat from his forehead and muttered:
"So that's the Seraphim going all out… and the Evil Fire Phoenix at her most frenzied. Terrifying indeed…"
He had been recognized by Jing Hongchen, the Master of Illustrious Virtue Hall, as a quasi-Class 7 Spirit Guidance Master. Pride ran deep in his veins, and he had always thought little of Ling Bai and Ma Xiaotao, who were regarded as the tournament's top two individual fighters.
Now, he finally realized that if he were to face Ling Bai and Ma Xiaotao in a fair fight using only the Spirit Guidance Devices he had crafted himself, he would not be a match for either of them.
Ma Xiaotao's spirit power was exhausted. She stared at the relieved Sun Moon members with a look of unwillingness. Then she suddenly noticed that the puddles of water on the ground were quietly freezing over. A faint arc slowly formed at the corners of her lips.
At a glance, it seemed that Ling Bai was the last one on Shrek's side who could still fight. Ma Rulong and the two Class 4 Spirit Guidance Masters formed three mobile Spirit Fortresses and advanced. Ling Bai, however, fought while retreating, slowly luring them away from the four Class 5 Spirit Guidance Masters.
BOOOM— BOOOM—
"Ahhhhhh—!!"
A violent explosion and horrifying screams sounded almost simultaneously. Ma Rulong and his two companions had advanced several tens of meters when they still felt a tsunami-like shockwave hit them from behind. The Spirit Fortresses collapsed under the force of this shockwave, and the three of them were also swept up by it, thrown dozens of meters before crashing to the ground.
Hurrying to look back, they were confronted with an extremely shocking scene. A massive crater had appeared, centered where the four Class 5 Spirit Guidance Masters had been standing. The four of them had been pulverized into fine dust by the terrifying explosive force!
50,000-year Ice Jade Scorpion Left Arm Spirit Bone Skill, Ice Explosion!
Ling Luochen, clutching the penetrative wound on her right shoulder, fell unconscious. The sudden downpour had given her Ice Element an opportunity to instantly freeze the water. Ling Bai had realized her intention and deliberately drawn the attention of Ma Rulong's group. The four Class 5 Spirit Guidance Masters had exhausted all their spirit power on the Death Lances and the Invincible Barriers, leaving them with no means to resist. Ultimately, the Ice Explosion had claimed their lives.
Ling Luochen originally had not intended to commit unnecessary killing, but the Sun Moon Imperial Academy had displayed a fight-to-the-death stance first, so she showed no mercy. Four of them were dispatched with a single Ice Explosion.
The tide of battle reversed dramatically. The sudden Ice Explosion Technique threw Ma Rulong and his two remaining companions into disarray. The golden figure that appeared before them filled them with even greater terror. Ling Bai unleashed two sword beams, cleaving the two Class 4 Spirit Guidance Masters and their Spirit Fortresses in half. The Angel Sword then thrust directly at Ma Rulong.
Just half a millimeter before the blade edge could slice Ma Rulong's throat, Ling Bai stopped his movement. A golden light had deflected the Angel Sword. A faint, enigmatic smile appeared on Ma Rulong's face:
"Heh, I still have another Invincible Barrier."
Ma Rulong met that pair of blazing, brilliant golden eyes. A blinding ray of light refracted from above and flashed into those eyes. It carried a killing intent even more ferocious than a torrential blaze.
"Just half a step more and you could have killed me," Ma Rulong sneered. Then, raising his voice, he declared, "Referee, I concede!"
Two yellow, two purple, and five black spirit rings flared brilliantly around the tall figure of Heavenfiend Douluo Huang Jinxu. With a wave of his right hand, he released an aura of lofty sublimity, and starlight formed a colossal barrier that sealed off the entire stage, isolating Ma Rulong from Ling Bai.
The expression of Heavenfiend Douluo was gloomy to the extreme. This team battle could be described as a bloodbath. Shrek Academy had four severely wounded and one lightly wounded member drained of spirit power, while the Sun Moon Imperial Academy lost six people outright. Only Captain Ma Rulong remained alive to step off the stage.
This could not entirely be blamed on Heavenfiend Douluo, for he had no way of knowing whether the two top academies had hidden trump cards. For instance, when the Death Lance targeted Ling Bai, he had been ready to intervene. Yet if he had stepped in to save him, it would have meant disqualifying him. What if the participant could have handled it? Wouldn't that be overstepping? So he hesitated, and in that hesitation, things went awry.
"No wonder the others all refused to show up..."
His expression was as somber as if he were attending a funeral. This kind of judgment call was incredibly difficult to make. Wise men like Shattered Star Douluo and Giant Hammer Douluo had long since made excuses such as "my wife is having a second child" or "I need to take my child to school" to run away. He, a solitary star, a loner, could not find such an excuse and could only swallow the bitter pill.
"The team battle between Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Imperial Academy concludes! Shrek Academy wins! Will representatives from both academies please provide their individual match rosters. The individual matches will begin in one minute!"
As soon as his voice fell, Bei Bei, Wang Dong, and the others instantly rushed up to check on Xu Sanshi, Huo Yuhao, and the others. Ling Bai and Ning Tian helped Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen up, their expressions solemn as they walked off the competition stage.
On the other side, Ma Rulong bowed deeply toward his fallen teammates, his voice low yet resolute:
"Every one of us was prepared to make sacrifices. We are not afraid to die in the finals.
Brothers, your deaths were honorable! I will carry your will, defeat Shrek Academy, and make the name of Sun Moon resound throughout the Douluo Continent!"