The match did not last long.
Yet, in terms of sheer intensity, this team battle was undoubtedly the most thrilling since the start of the competition.
First, Soul Saint Ma Xiaotao took the field and instantly eliminated Huang Heyun, the former captain of Star Luo Royal Academy.
Then, Xu Jiu Jiu used a soul tool to suppress Ma Xiaotao, deploying the formidable Star Barrier to split the battlefield. The tides turned abruptly, and the rhythm of the match fell entirely under her control.
Finally, Huo Yuhao revealed his true power—shattering the barrier with a single punch and sweeping aside his opponents with overwhelming strength.
The entire battle was a heart-pounding rollercoaster, filled with twists and electrifying moments.
Especially for Dai Yuheng, who had been suppressed throughout, the lingering fear remained even after the match ended.
The audience erupted in tsunami-like cheers.
Meanwhile, the other teams in the rest area watched with solemn expressions.
Shrek Academy's strength had far exceeded their expectations.
Though Ma Xiaotao's appearance in this match was fleeting, she had displayed the full might of a Soul Saint.
Had it not been for that million-gold soul tool, Ma Xiaotao might have single-handedly swept through Star Luo Royal Academy.
A Soul Saint under the age of twenty.
Such terrifying cultivation speed. Such a formidable martial soul.
Absolutely monstrous!
And then there was Huo Yuhao.
Knowledgeable soul masters had already recognized his second martial soul—The Ice Jade Scorpion.
Not only did Huo Yuhao possess twin martial souls, but his second was also a top-tier Ultimate Ice attribute!
"How is this possible?!" Xiao Hongchen's eyes burned red as he gritted his teeth.
Even someone as prideful as him had to admit—Huo Yuhao's talent was so overwhelming that it invoked sheer envy.
Meng Hongchen's ice-blue eyes shimmered with delight.
"It really is Ultimate Ice..."
Ma Rulong stared at Ma Xiaotao on the field, his expression grave as if facing a dire threat.
A Soul Saint's cultivation, paired with the supreme beast martial soul—Evil Fire Phoenix—how could they possibly defeat her?
As the captain of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy's team, Ma Rulong was no weakling. Though his talent in soul tools paled in comparison to Xiao Hongchen's, he was still a leading figure in the academy.
Currently a Soul Emperor, he could already craft Class 7 soul tools. Moreover, all six of his soul rings enhanced his soul power, allowing him to activate a Class 7 soul tool despite his cultivation.
If not for the competition's restrictions, he would already qualify as a Class 7 Soul Engineer.
Yet even so, facing Ma Xiaotao, Ma Rulong felt utterly outmatched.
And that wasn't even considering Huo Yuhao.
Though Ma Rulong couldn't discern how Huo Yuhao had broken the Star Barrier, his previous performances alone proved he possessed at least Soul Emperor-level combat power—if not Soul Saint!
"The first semifinal match—team battle—Shrek Academy defeats Star Luo Royal Academy." The cold, lifeless voice of Heavenfiend Douluo rang out, marking the end of the morning's battle.
Under the crowd's watchful eyes, the Shrek team returned to their hotel.
"Teacher Wang, we won't be attending the afternoon match. After my breakthrough to Soul Saint, my Evil Fire seems to have flared up again."
Under the others' complicated gazes—filled with envy, jealousy, and curiosity—Ma Xiaotao swiftly whisked Huo Yuhao away.
With Ling Luochen and Xu Sanshi's explanations, those unaware of the situation finally understood the connection between Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao—the Phoenix Evil Fire and Ultimate Ice.
"I never knew Senior Sister Xiaotao had such a past..." Xiao Xiao murmured, finally grasping the full story.
"Back then, being dragged in as her 'coolie' was pure suffering."
Xu Sanshi sighed at the unbearable memories before continuing, "Now that Senior Sister Ma has broken through to Soul Saint, I can't even imagine how powerful her flames have become."
Due to the difference in soul power, the taste of Evil Fire was sheer torture—even for someone with Xuanwu bloodline like him.
"Will Yuhao be alright?" Xiao Xiao asked worriedly.
"He has Ultimate Ice. He'll be fine," Wang Dong'er reassured, though inwardly, she felt a pang of envy.
Because of this martial soul defect, Ma Xiaotao could openly rely on Huo Yuhao for dual cultivation.
Even though Wang Dong'er and Huo Yuhao possessed Martial Soul Fusion, it didn't accelerate cultivation speed—so what was the point?
She couldn't help but wonder, 'Wasn't it said that a man and woman with Martial Soul Fusion would naturally grow close?'
'Then why does it feel like there's been zero progress?'
Wang Dong'er blamed the gap in their strengths. Even after fusing the Golden Light Left Arm Soul Bone, her soul power often fell short during fusion, resulting in an underwhelming combined attack—barely reaching Soul Emperor-level power.
'What's the difference between that and Huo Yuhao fighting alone?'
'For now, I can only focus on training harder.'
Meanwhile, Ling Luochen's expression darkened.
'Evil Fire.'
'Was it really just suppression?'
'And why was it happening so often?'
After recent "developments" in her relationship with Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen had even volunteered to help suppress the Evil Fire—only to be brutally rejected.
"If it's not Ultimate Ice, don't bother." was her answer.
'Damn old woman!'
This was also why Ling Luochen was so desperate for the Deep Blue Glory Skull—she needed every advantage she could get.
…
Bang!
Ma Xiaotao practically hurled Huo Yuhao into her room, slamming the door shut and locking it.
True to her words, the signs of Evil Fire eruption were already showing.
Since the start of the tournament, she hadn't had Huo Yuhao suppress her Evil Fire for quite some time.
Breaking through to Soul Saint and absorbing a 60,000-year Red Flame Golden Phoenix Left Arm Bone had only intensified the flames—and with it, the Evil Fire's resurgence.
Ma Xiaotao's first reaction?
Absolute delight.
Do you know how hard it was to accumulate Evil Fire nowadays?
Initially, Huo Yuhao's suppression could last a full month.
But as his soul power grew, the suppression time shortened, while the intervals between outbreaks lengthened.
Now that Huo Yuhao had reached Soul Ancestor, he could keep the Evil Fire at bay for three months.
That might sound like a good thing—but permanent suppression?
Absolutely unacceptable!
To maintain a legitimate reason to approach Yuhao—ahem—to help temper her body and boost her strength, Ma Xiaotao needed to cultivate more Phoenix Evil Fire.
Back at Shrek, she'd visit Huo Yuhao for suppression every two or three weeks—proof of her relentless training.
Her meteoric rise to Soul Saint was a testament to her insane dedication.
Of course, training wasn't her only method.
There were countless ways to nurture Evil Fire—one of which was indulging in wicked thoughts about Huo Yuhao.
Highly effective, but with disastrous side effects—like uncontrollable urges.
Though she seemed carefree, Ma Xiaotao was actually quite delicate when it came to matters of the heart—this was her first love, after all.
To counter the side effects, she'd even mastered silent water magic.
Despite her personal motives, she genuinely wanted to help Huo Yuhao.
As an occasional pillow companion, she'd witnessed his relentless training and burning desire for power.
So, for his sake, she was willing to endure these hardships.
'…Ahem. I got carried away.'
In any case, due to the tournament, Ma Xiaotao had temporarily halted her indulgent thoughts about Huo Yuhao, slowing the Evil Fire's growth.
But after breaking through to Soul Saint and fusing the Red Flame Golden Phoenix Left Arm Bone, the Evil Fire had grown restless.
Following past habits, she hadn't rushed to Huo Yuhao for suppression—preferring to stockpile it and release it all after the tournament.
Until today.
In her haste to end the battle quickly, she'd carelessly fallen into the soul tool trap.
To break free, she'd ignited the Evil Fire within her, pushing her Phoenix Flames to terrifying heights.
Now, suppression was no longer optional.
Ma Xiaotao's fair skin glowed a faint pink, her dark red eyes smoldering with intensity, her crimson hair so vivid it seemed to drip blood.
Cupping Huo Yuhao's face with both hands—gentle yet inescapable—she leaned in.
Huo Yuhao, long accustomed to this, cooperated fully.
Her scorching lips met his, the heat like liquid flame—intoxicating, irresistible.
With practiced ease, Huo Yuhao channeled his Ultimate Ice to suppress the Evil Fire.
A mist of cold vapor swirled around them, veiling Ma Xiaotao's face in an ethereal haze.
The icy relief made her sigh in bliss.
Once it was over, Huo Yuhao smiled faintly.
"Senior Sister Xiaotao, you must be more careful in the future. No matter the opponent, we can't afford recklessness."
Ma Xiaotao's overconfidence was a glaring weakness—just like in the original timeline, where Xu Jiu Jiu's absolute defense soul tool had trapped her.
Back then, Huo Yuhao could have saved her—but chose not to.
A little humility now would prevent greater losses later.
Ma Xiaotao nodded in agreement.
Since breaking through to Soul Saint, she had grown somewhat arrogant.
"You're right, Yuhao. After reaching Soul Saint, I've been..."
…
Afternoon
The second semifinal proceeded smoothly—Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy vs. Di Ao Academy.
All of Shrek Academy except Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao attended to observe.
Though not as thrilling as Shrek's match, Sun Moon's display of overwhelming firepower was staggering.
Under Ma Rulong's leadership, they dominated.
No dazzling soul skill clashes—just an endless barrage of soul tool rays blanketing the arena.
Ma Rulong alone, wielding two Class 7 soul tools, suppressed the entire Di Ao team, while his six teammates unleashed brutal soul tool artillery tactics.
Despite Di Ao's lineup—one Soul Emperor and six Soul Kings—they were blasted off the stage before they could mount a proper offense.
As Wang Yan noted, this year's Sun Moon team was the strongest in history, with unparalleled tactical versatility.
From the first match onward, they never repeated tactics, especially in team battles—each game was a new strategy.
Factoring in the hidden Hongchen siblings and the potential return of Gong Yangmo and Chen Zifeng, Huo Yuhao knew—without Ma Xiaotao's Soul Saint breakthrough, Shrek would've faced an uphill battle.
…
After some self-reflection, Ma Xiaotao approached Wang Yan, vowing to follow tactics strictly next time.
Though hot-tempered, she wasn't unreasonable—especially when the advice came from Huo Yuhao.
Wang Yan simply nodded.
Tactically, Ma Xiaotao hadn't actually made mistakes—no one could've predicted Xu Jiu Jiu's absolute defense soul tool.
In the end, he encouraged her to lead the individual elimination round against Star Luo the next day.
But Ma Xiaotao never got the chance.
At dinner, news arrived—Xu Jiu Jiu had conceded.
Knowing they stood no chance against Shrek in the individual rounds, Star Luo forfeited, handing Shrek a direct ticket to the finals.
With four full days to recuperate, Shrek's injured—Dai Yuheng and Beibei—would recover fully.
Wang Yan immediately began strategizing for the ultimate clash—Shrek vs. Sun and Moon Team.
The next day, Sun Moon crushed Di Ao Academy, securing their finals spot.
The stage was set.
The entire continent awaited—the clash between the number one soul master academy and the number one soul engineering academy.
The finals were approaching.
…
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