Aside from Meng Hongchen's gaze, Huo Yuhao sensed another pair of eyes fixed on him.
Turning his head slightly, he met the stare of Princess Xu Jiujiu, who stood beside Xu Jiawei.
Ever since her defeat at Huo Yuhao's hands, the princess had taken a keen interest in him.
Originally, her brother, Xu Jiawei, had also participated in the previous battle against Shrek, providing support with soul tools.
Through that team battle, they had intended to send a clear message to Shrek: Times had changed.
Blindly pursuing martial soul strength was outdated. Only the fusion of soul masters and soul tools represented the true path forward.
This philosophy was fully reflected in the current Continental Elite Young Soul Master Tournament.
Only a small, stubborn faction led by Shrek still clung to tradition, insisting that ancestral laws could not be altered.
Though they had lost the team battle, Xu Jiawei's original goal had still been achieved.
For the finals, Shrek had—for the first time—contacted the Starlight Auction House to purchase Invincible Barriers and Bottle-Type Soul Tools.
Xu Jiawei was pleased by this development.
Xu Jiujiu, however, remained somewhat resentful.
In the history of the Star Crown Clan, it was unprecedented for the Star Barrier of the Star Crown Martial Soul to be shattered by brute force—especially by a mere Soul Ancestor.
The incident had left her in shock for an entire day.
Even if Huo Yuhao possessed Ultimate Ice, a twin martial soul, and at least a 70,000-year-old Ice Jade Scorpion left arm bone…
…such overwhelming physical strength still defied reason.
It was absurd.
This wasn't a soul master—this was a monster!
Huo Yuhao had completely overturned Xu Jiujiu's long-held beliefs.
Naturally, her curiosity toward him grew.
If Huo Yuhao knew her thoughts, he would only say: Nothing special—just diligent training.
With the aid of Strength Gu, Huo Yuhao had gained near-perfect control over his body. He could concentrate his strength at will, unleashing explosive power with pinpoint precision.
Even without relying on Gu, his Ice Soul Body Martial Soul, combined with the Ice Empress's Claw, allowed him to overwhelm skill with sheer force, effortlessly breaking through the Star Barrier.
If the Spirit Eyes Martial Soul was considered a top-tier body-type martial soul, then the Ice Soul Body was nothing less than a god-tier one—far surpassing even elite body-type martial souls like Dubu Si's.
This was the might of divine physical power—something those without a body-type martial soul could never comprehend!
Of course, while Huo Yuhao was naturally gifted and aided by Gu, his achievements were ultimately the result of relentless day-and-night training and tireless grinding.
Success is 10% talent and 90% hard work.
With talent as the foundation, every drop of sweat he shed had transformed into solid accumulation.
Especially with Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix Evil Fire tempering his body through alternating cycles of ice and flame, his physical prowess had far outpaced his soul power cultivation.
Even Huo Yuhao himself had noticed—Ma Xiaotao's evil fire outbreaks seemed to be growing more frequent and intense.
But since it benefited them both, he chose not to mention it.
Beside Xu Jiawei stood a middle-aged man clad in golden armor, his sharp features marked by distinctive double pupils.
This was Dai Hao, the White Tiger Duke—now merely a Titled Douluo, incapable of withstanding even Huo Yuhao's soul explosion.
However, grievances had their perpetrators, and debts had their debtors.
With Huo Yuhao's interference—like the flap of a butterfly's wings—he no longer felt the need to pursue certain events from the original timeline.
Huo Yuhao was no devil.
That said, he would never forget the vengeance owed to Huo Yun'er.
The Duchess was already dead—not even the Sea God could save her.
As for Dai Hao?
Though Huo Yuhao believed such a scoundrel deserved death, the man had also contributed to resisting the Sun Moon Empire.
Let him live—repentance was a fate worse than death.
Sometimes, for certain people, death was mercy, an escape.
Seeing that the final teams were in position, Xu Jiawei nodded to Dai Hao.
Dai Hao's deep voice boomed: "Silence! The match is about to begin. Your Majesty, please address the assembly."
Xu Jiawei smiled faintly.
"The last time I witnessed the finals of the Continental Elite Young Soul Master Tournament in Star Luo City was twenty years ago. Back then, both I and Brother Dai Hao were mere youths."
"Time flows like a river. Now, twenty years later, I stand as the ruler of a nation, and Brother Dai Hao serves as the empire's supreme commander. Together, we shall witness this clash of the continent's strongest young talents once more!"
"The victor of this final shall receive three soul bones and one million gold soul coins. From my empire's treasury, I have personally selected ten soul bones—the champion may choose among them."
"Originally, I intended to have Brother Dai Hao preside over today's match. However, one of Shrek Academy's main combatants is his eldest son. To avoid any suspicion, the referee for this match shall remain Heavenfiend Douluo."
"Enough words—let us all bear witness to a duel destined for the annals of history!"
As his voice faded, Heavenfiend Douluo materialized at the center of the stage.
"For the finals of the Continental Elite Young Soul Master Tournament, I, Huang Jinxu, shall serve as referee. I now announce the rules..."
"Both sides, prepare! In one minute, the team battle participants shall take the stage!"
At the same time, a slovenly old man—chicken leg in one hand, wine gourd in the other—quietly appeared in Shrek Academy's resting area.
"Elder Xuan! You've come!" Wang Yan exclaimed in surprise.
Elder Xuan took a bite of his chicken leg, chewed lazily, and waved a hand.
"Do as you please. Pretend I'm not here. As long as I'm present, no one will dare act against Shrek in the shadows."
His purpose was clear—to stand guard for Shrek Academy.
After a swig of wine, he added:
"As for the soul tools? Use them freely. I'm no traditionalist. The academy will gradually integrate soul tools into the Martial Soul Department. There's no need for hesitation."
Hearing this, Wang Yan finally relaxed.
It was a relief that the academy's higher-ups recognized the importance of soul tools.
As team leader, one of his duties was to compile reports on the tournament's developments, including observations on other academies.
The widespread use of soul tools in this tournament had been a key point in his detailed writings.
Now, it seemed the academy's leadership had taken notice.
Elder Xuan's arrival was no secret.
From the titled Douluo atop the imperial city to the hidden powerhouses observing the match, all were stunned.
Taotie Douluo!
Even Team Sun Moon's Teacher Ma was shaken.
Shrek Academy was a prime surveillance target for the Sun Moon Empire, and he knew exactly how formidable Elder Xuan was.
This elder, over two hundred years old, possessed a cultivation at Level 98—the strongest known expert in Shrek Academy based on their intelligence.
However, the secrets of Shrek's Sea God Pavilion ran deep. This was the extent of their knowledge—even Elder Xuan's soul power level had been pieced together from indirect sources.
Fortunately, the 100,000-year soul beast embryo had long been returned safely to Mingde Hall. No major mishaps would occur.
A minute passed swiftly.
Wang Yan rose, his dark eyes sweeping over Shrek's team as he declared solemnly: "Proceed as planned. Shrek will win!"
"Shrek—victory is ours!"
His gaze lingered on Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng, and both nodded in acknowledgment.
This battle hinged on them—especially Ma Xiaotao. Unless absolutely necessary, she must not use her Martial Soul True Body (Avatar).
While the True Body granted thirty minutes of unrestricted soul skill usage below the seventh ring—with massively amplified power and attributes—the aftermath left the user weakened by 50% for at least seven days.
As for Huo Yuhao, he was the linchpin of their strategy.
Though Xu Sanshi's Xuanwu Replacement had long been exposed, and the Sun Moon team was undoubtedly prepared, Huo Yuhao had assured them:
"With my assistance, no amount of preparation will save them."
Wang Yan trusted him.
If all went smoothly, victory was assured.
If not, they had contingencies.
Soul master battles were unpredictable—adaptability was key.
Thus, Huo Yuhao bore a heavy burden. He was the primary commander of this team battle, with Ling Luochen as his deputy.
"Competitors from both sides, step forward!" Heavenfiend Douluo's voice rang out precisely.
Shrek's seven took the stage.
Opposite them stood the Sun Moon team—Ma Rulong at the helm, followed closely by the Hongchen siblings, then their four core members: Mi Jia, Xiao Xiafeng, Chen Fei, and Lin Xi—all Class 5 soul engineers.
Notably, Lin Xi was the unfortunate soul engineer who, in the original timeline, had been reduced to ashes by Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix Evil Fire.
It hadn't been intentional—Lin Xi had tried to trap Ma Xiaotao with dual-layered barriers, only for the evil fire's temperature to skyrocket, vaporizing him instantly.
A stark reminder: blind faith in soul tools was folly.
Amid the roaring crowd, the two teams faced off.
Ma Xiaotao's eyes narrowed, her Soul Saint-level pressure radiating outward.
She had learned from past mistakes—no more recklessness.
Ma Rulong inhaled deeply, steadying himself under the Soul Saint's aura before locking onto Huo Yuhao.
His mission was to suppress Ma Xiaotao, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that the real threat was this mere Soul Ancestor.
Despite sensing no pressure from Huo Yuhao, the boy's friendly smile sent a chill down his spine.
Even wielding the class 8 soul tool—Sword of Judgment, Ma Rulong felt no confidence.
What other trump cards did this Soul Ancestor hide?
No matter. The Hongchen siblings would handle him.
Surely, Huo Yuhao couldn't possibly…
"Both sides, retreat! The match begins now! It ends when one side can no longer fight!"
As the teams withdrew, even the usually arrogant Xiao Hongchen betrayed a hint of nervousness—though it only fueled his excitement.
True competitors thrived under pressure.
Meng Hongchen, meanwhile, never took her eyes off Huo Yuhao.
This was their first true battle—she would hold nothing back. That was her respect.
The Sun Moon team assumed a triangular formation, Ma Rulong at the forefront.
Shrek's arrangement, however, was unconventional—Xu Sanshi led the vanguard, with Huo Yuhao and Ma Xiaotao behind him.
Ling Luochen and Tang Ya stood further back, followed by Wang Dong'er and He Caitou.
A defensive soul master at the front? This was not Shrek's usual style.
The audience was puzzled.
But the Sun Moon team understood immediately.
"Hah! Trying to use Xuanwu Replacement for a one-for-one trade?"
They had countermeasures ready.
Yet Shrek remained unfazed.
They trusted Huo Yuhao.
Originally, Wang Yan had planned to field Jiang Nannan in place of Wang Dong'er.
Xu Sanshi had sworn that his Xuanwu Awakening would provide massive team support.
But Huo Yuhao had vetoed it.
"An agile attacker in a frontal assault? That's just feeding the enemy."
Times had changed.
Against a team of Class 5 soul engineers, each armed with an Invincible Barrier, agile attackers were useless.
Cigars clenched between their teeth, the Shrek team exuded dominance.
Xu Sanshi, in particular, wore an insolent smirk, his intentions blatantly obvious.
A dignified trap—one the Sun Moon team had to respect.
If Xuanwu Replacement succeeded, disaster would strike—no matter who was replaced.
Both sides stood poised, killing intent thick in the air.
"BEGIN!" With Heavenfiend Douluo's command, the final battle erupted.
Martial souls flared. Soul tools activated.
Shrek held formation—Xu Sanshi at the front.
Sun Moon instantly shifted, Lin Xi stepping forward to deploy a barrier soul tool, enveloping his team in a two-meter barrier.
But Xuanwu Replacement was not so easily countered.
Not when—Huo Yuhao's eyes blazed gold.
A tidal wave of spiritual force surged.
Black light flashed and in the next instant, Ma Rulong stood alone, encircled by Shrek's team, sword in hand, utterly bewildered.
"What the—?!"
Is he cheating?
…
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