Sun and Moon Royal Academy – Conference Room
Only one day remained before the finals, marking the last preparatory meeting for Sun Moon Team.
Though they had reached the finals once again, after witnessing Shrek Academy's true trump card, the faces of every team member were shadowed with gloom.
As the saying goes, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.
This year's Continental Elite Young Soul Master Tournament had been their best chance. With Shrek's main team seemingly weakened by unforeseen circumstances, the stage had been set for their triumph.
Yet now—
'Why had everything turned out like this?'
They had believed this was their most promising generation, the one that might finally end Shrek Academy's ten-thousand-year reign of glory and seize the championship.
But not only had they encountered Huo Yuhao—an unprecedented monster—they also faced Ma Xiaotao, who had broken through to the Soul Saint Realm.
Despite Shrek's limited roster, the sheer combat power of these two Soul Saints alone left the Sun Moon team feeling utterly powerless.
Xiao Hongchen's expression was grim, his usual arrogance nowhere to be seen. His sister, Meng Hongchen, couldn't help but frown.
"Xiao, are you okay? You look terrible."
"It's nothing, I just…"
Xiao Hongchen shook his head. He wanted to retort with his usual bravado, but after a long pause, he finally muttered in a low voice, "Honestly… the thought of facing Shrek tomorrow makes me nervous."
Meng Hongchen's eyebrows shot up.
She hadn't expected such an admission from her proud, face-conscious brother. For once, she found herself offering comfort.
"It's fine. If we lose tomorrow, so be it. We're used to being second best, aren't we?"
She forced a smirk.
"Besides, the next tournament will be on our home turf. Except for Huo Yuhao, Shrek's reserve team isn't anything special. Their martial souls aren't even as strong as ours."
"The future is unpredictable. You and I—we're dark horses. Smile! Remember, our greatest strength lies in soul tools!"
"...Yeah." Xiao Hongchen clenched his fists, a spark of determination reigniting in his eyes.
'Five years from now… it'll be our home ground. Victory will be ours!'
He steeled himself inwardly.
'Thirty years in Hedong, thirty years in Hexi, don't bully the young and poor!'
'Huo Yuhao, my rival… I admit I may not be your match now. But in five years, I will surpass you!'
Just as Xiao Hongchen rallied his spirits, the team captain, Ma Rulong, stood up. His voice boomed across the room as he glared at his disheartened teammates.
"What's with those expressions?! Those lifeless eyes?! Do you think you can defeat Shrek like this? Win the championship?!"
He slammed a fist against his chest.
"I remember now—the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy has never feared defeat! We lose, we learn, but we never cower!"
"Losing isn't shameful. A strong opponent isn't terrifying. But losing your spirit—that's the real disgrace!"
His voice grew fiercer.
"And besides—we might not even lose! With the soul tools we have, what's a Soul Saint-level opponent? Don't worry—I'll take the field in this final! After all our preparations, we'll make those primitive Shrek bastards understand the true might of soul tools!"
"The captain's right!"
"We'll win!"
"Sun and Moon—victory!"
…
Shrek Academy – Conference Room
Wang Yan had spent the past few days analyzing their opponents, evident from the half-meter-high stack of handwritten notes beside him and the dark circles under his eyes.
After meticulously reviewing the Sun Moon Team's capabilities, he coughed and emphasized:
"Aside from their two reserve members who haven't fought yet, the most dangerous opponent is their captain—Ma Rulong."
"Though only a class 6 soul engineer, in their last match against one academy, he effortlessly controlled two class 7 soul tools—displaying terrifying combat prowess."
"Given their backing from the Mingde Hall (Illustrious Virtue Hall), I suspect Ma Rulong might even rival Dai Yueheng and Ma Xiaotao in a one-on-one battle."
A heavy silence fell over Shrek's team.
It was true—the class 7 Defense Soul Tool used by Jiu Jiu had nearly turned the tide of battle. With the Mingde Hall's support, Ma Rulong would undoubtedly wield something even more fearsome.
Of course, Wang Yan wasn't trying to demoralize them—he was tempering their confidence with caution.
He still believed in his students.
Next, he dissected Ma Rulong's weaknesses.
In terms of foundation, Ma Rulong was no match for Shrek's inner court elites like Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng.
His soul power-boosting skills could temporarily elevate him to Soul Saint level, but they didn't increase his total reserves.
And while class 7 soul tools were devastating, they drained immense soul power.
For example, the Absolute Defense Soul Tool was a rare, pre-charged type that didn't consume the user's soul power—but most high-level offensive tools demanded heavy expenditure.
"If the battle drags on, Ma Rulong has no chance."
This was a common flaw among soul engineers—poor sustained combat ability.
Moreover, Shrek's inner court disciples were prodigies—each one destined to become a Titled Douluo if they survived.
In contrast, the Sun Moon Team relied on pills and treasures to boost their soul power.
They neglected martial soul cultivation, focusing solely on soul tool talent.
And with most of their martial souls being mediocre, their ceilings were low. Even if they somehow reached Titled Douluo, further progress was nearly impossible.
"In short, our overall strength surpasses theirs. The only threat is their soul tools—stay vigilant."
Wang Yan then outlined the finals' rules:
"The format resembles the semifinals—team battle, individual battle, and 2-2-3 battle—best of three. The key difference is that all three rounds proceed with minimal breaks, testing a team's depth."
"Our weakness is our lack of two main members. So, my strategy is—
1. Team Battle: Secure victory while exhausting the enemy.
2. Individual Battle: Wear them down further.
3. 2-2-3 Battle: Finish them off decisively."
"As for the team Battle Lineup: Ma Xiaotao, Huo Yuhao, Ling Luochen, Tang Ya, He Caitou, Xu Sanshi, Wang Dong'er."
"Individual & 2-2-3 Lineup: Ma Xiaotao, Huo Yuhao, Dai Yueheng, Ling Luochen, Xi Xi, Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi."
Wang Yan considered this the optimal arrangement.
Similar to their match against the Star Luo team, they'd employ the dual-layered Ice-Fire tactic.
He Caitou, a food-type soul master, would provide long-range support and soul power replenishment.
Wang Dong'er's inclusion was for her martial soul fusion skill with Huo Yuhao—a guaranteed trump card in team battles.
Victory in the team battle was all but assured.
For the individual rounds, Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao would prioritize recovery while Dai Yueheng led the charge to cripple opponents one by one.
If all went well, they'd crush Sun and Moon 2-0.
If not, Dai Yueheng would serve as the tool man, draining the enemy for the final 2-2-3 showdown—where Ma Xiaotao and Huo Yuhao would deliver the finishing blows.
Most agreed—except Dai Yueheng.
As a main-team member and a peak Soul Emperor, he felt overshadowed by Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao—even Ling Luochen had her moment of glory, single-handedly annihilating an entire team.
Meanwhile, Dai Yueheng had been humiliated in the Star Luo match—chased down by four Soul Kings.
For the proud heir of the White Tiger Duke, this was unbearable.
Beneath his calm facade, he'd been simmering with fury, eager to redeem himself in the finals.
Yet now, he was relegated to a support role?
He wanted to protest—but Wang Yan's strategy was undeniably sound.
'Fine. If team battles aren't my forte, I'll crush them in the individual rounds!'
Dai Yueheng clenched his fists.
'I'll wipe out the entire Sun Moon Team myself—no need for a 2-2-3!'
…
Star Luo City
As the capital of the Star Luo Empire, Star Luo City had been packed for days.
From the moment the semifinals ended, crowds had swarmed Star Luo Plaza, some camping for two nights just to witness Shrek vs. Sun and Moon.
To maintain order, the empire deployed 10,000 elite soldiers and diverted resources from neighboring cities to accommodate the influx.
The economic boom from this event was incalculable.
On the day of the finals, the skies were overcast—a light drizzle casting a chill over the city.
But neither rain nor cold could dampen the crowd's fervor.
Today, the ultimate battle would unfold!
As the two teams marched toward the plaza, armored soldiers lined the streets, holding back throngs of spectators.
Chants of "Shrek! Shrek!" drowned out the scattered cheers for Sun and Moon.
Ling Luochen walked calmly, her lips curling slightly as she glanced at the sky.
'Humid weather? Perfect for an ice-element martial soul.'
She spared no concern for Ma Xiaotao's dampened flames.
Huo Yuhao remained as composed as ever.
The others, however, couldn't hide their nerves—most were first-time finalists, after all.
Yet compared to Shrek's quiet tension, the Sun Moon Team was far more anxious.
Just yesterday, the Mingde Hall's master had sent a batch of high-rank soul tools to compensate for the lost soul beast embryo auction—boosting their chances dramatically.
With Ma Rulong and the Hongchen siblings—the brightest geniuses in Sun and Moon's history—they had their best shot yet.
Shrek's lineup was incomplete.
Heaven, earth, and manpower—they had two of three.
This was their closest brush with victory in ten thousand years.
If Ma Rulong could stall Ma Xiaotao, and the Hongchen duo handled Huo Yuhao, the rest would fall easily.
Their strategy? No retreat—full assault in the team battle!
Win that, and the championship was theirs.
Coincidentally, Wang Yan had the same thought: "The team battle decides everything."
…
Star Luo Plaza – Imperial Viewing Platform
Emperor Xu Jiawei of Star Luo stood atop the plaza with his queen, Princess Xu Jiu Jiu, and the empire's officials.
Even Dai Hao, the White Tiger Duke guarding the western border, had returned for the finals.
When Dai Yueheng spotted his father, his fighting spirit ignited.
"I bear the White Tiger's name—I cannot lose!"
As the teams entered their rest areas, Meng Hongchen's gaze lingered on Huo Yuhao.
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she stole glances at him.
'Tall, jade-like skin, perfect features…'
'And those eyes—so deep, so blue… just like mine.'
'He's only twelve… two years younger than me…'
Her heart fluttered.
Ever since their first encounter during registration, she'd been inexplicably drawn to him.
Xiao Hongchen noticed and nearly facepalmed.
"This match is doomed." He sighed.
"Meng, we're fighting Shrek. Get your head in the tournament!"
Meng Hongchen wiped her lips and nodded seriously.
"Don't worry, brother."
Her eyes sharpened.
"Once we're on that stage—I won't hold back!"
…
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