Within the multicolored pillar of light that shrouded the Spirit Arena, Lin Jie stood at the front of the formation, while the remaining six
Within the multicolored pillar of light that shrouded the Spirit Arena, Lin Jie stood at the front of the formation, while the remaining six members were tightly connected via Tang San's Blue Silver Grass.
As the Seven Asura Dreamland enveloped them, all of Shrek's members immediately shut their eyes—except for Lin Jie and Tang San.
What surprised Lin Jie was that Tang San showed no signs of being affected by the illusion. In fact, he could clearly observe every move made by the members of Canghui Academy.
But Tang San himself was even more surprised. When the illusion first activated, he had experienced a brief moment of disorientation. However, having cultivated the Purple Demon Eye from a young age—now at the Intermediate Peak Stage—his spiritual power already surpassed that of an ordinary Spirit King. Breaking free from the illusion was well within his capability. Moreover, the Purple Demon Eye naturally possessed illusion-piercing properties, so this Seven Asura Dreamland was ineffective against him.
What he hadn't expected… was Lin Jie.
From the moment the illusion descended, Lin Jie remained entirely unaffected. Not only did he resist its influence, but he had even walked to the front with a relaxed expression.
Tang San was stunned. He knew Lin Jie was powerful—he wouldn't even dare claim he could defeat him—but this level of spiritual resistance was far beyond his expectations. Could it be that Lin Jie also cultivated some secret technique that enhanced mental resistance or broke illusions?
Just then, the Canghui Academy team leader's voice echoed from all directions:
"You really think closing your eyes will save you? How naïve. I still remember the humiliation you gave us. We've prepared for this moment all along—this Seven Asura Dreamland was created just for you. Now, face the darkest corners of your hearts and be consumed by your own twisted nightmares. You'll break down, one by one. That… is the price for offending me!"
As his voice fell, the multicolored light around them surged even brighter.
Lin Jie turned back to look at the five with closed eyes. Clearly, they had each been pulled into different illusion realms. Only he and Tang San remained unaffected.
After murmuring a few words to Tang San, Lin Jie turned his gaze forward.
He muttered, "You really think this illusion is enough to trap us? Compared to Shi Nian's seventh spirit ability, your Seven-in-One Fusion Ability's illusion is laughable."
Though grand and dazzling in appearance, this illusion was all flash and no substance. Compared to the Nightmare ability Shi Nian once used, it was worlds apart.
At the mention of "Shi Nian," the multicolored light flickered violently—clearly shaken by the name.
"H-How do you know Teacher Shi Nian's spirit ability?! Where is he now?!" The Canghui team leader's voice trembled, his fear evident.
Lin Jie smiled faintly. "Shi Nian? He's waiting for you in hell. Why don't you go keep him company?"
His voice echoed throughout the entire illusion domain, reaching the ears of all seven Canghui team members. Each of them shuddered.
Seeing their mental state waver, Lin Jie gave a soft command: "Now."
"Understood," Tang San replied. In the blink of an eye, he leapt into the air and delivered five precise palm strikes—not toward the enemy, but directly onto his own teammates. One after another, Dai Mubai and the others coughed up a mouthful of blood. Tang San struck himself last.
At the same time, Lin Jie pressed two fingers to his forehead. A subtle glow flickered in his eyes as he suddenly opened them wide—unleashing a formless, colorless burst of spiritual force that shot straight toward the seven members of Canghui Academy.
"AAAHHHHH!!!"
Seven distinct screams echoed from the opposite side of the battlefield.
And then—the entire illusion collapsed.
The multicolored light pillar that had enveloped the Spirit Arena instantly dispersed.
Spectators only caught a brief glimpse as it faded: Shrek Academy's team, most of them collapsed in apparent exhaustion, with only Lin Jie still standing—though barely, as if drained of strength. He staggered forward, pale and unsteady.
In contrast, the Canghui Academy team had been thrown in all directions. Each of the seven convulsed violently on the ground, foaming at the mouth, their eyes rolled back in their sockets as if suffering from seizures.
Though Lin Jie appeared weakened, his determined gaze said otherwise—declaring to the world that Shrek Academy was victorious.
The entire arena erupted into chaos.
"What just happened? How did they win like that?!"
"Wasn't that the Seven-in-One Spirit Fusion Abiliy? Then why did they lose?"
"Did you see anything?!"
"How would I know?! I wasn't in there!"
Many Spirit Masters who believed Canghui had used the legendary Seven-in-One Spirit Fusion Abiliy were stunned into silence. They had thought the outcome was a foregone conclusion. Yet, Shrek had won.
As for the supporters of Shrek Academy, their cheers thundered across the arena:
"Shrek! Shrek! Shrek!"
"Twelve wins in a row!"
"Undefeated champions!"
Among the crowd, countless young women looked dreamily toward the Shrek team, their eyes filled with admiration and infatuation.
Once again, Shrek Academy had pulled off the impossible.
In the VIP section, Emperor Xue Ye shook his head and chuckled wryly.
Ning Fengzhi smiled deeply as he watched the team leave the stage. His gaze landed on Lin Jie, and he gave an approving nod.
After examination by certified Spirit Masters, it was concluded that the Canghui team had suffered spirit backlash. Since the tournament forbade harming opponents, but didn't prohibit self-inflicted damage, the result stood.
Even the referee's voice trembled as he announced:
"In the twelfth round of the qualifiers—Shrek Academy is victorious!"
Canghui's team was stretchered off the stage in disgrace.
As soon as the announcement was made, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and the others rushed down from the stands. Seeing their friends coughing blood, Ning Rongrong instinctively raised her hand to heal them—but was stopped by a look from Lin Jie.
None of them were truly injured. Their blood was self-inflicted, and they were only pretending to be seriously wounded. Supporting one another, they slowly made their way off the stage.
As they descended, a deafening wave of applause and cheers washed over them.
Once backstage, Dai Mubai let out a breath. "Lin Jie… that was brutal."
Supported by Ma Hongjun, he pretended to stumble weakly—though it was all for show.
Xiao Wu, leaning on Ning Rongrong, pouted. "Dai-ge, what are you talking about? That blood was our own doing! What's it got to do with Lin Jie?"
Dai Mubai lifted his head and looked straight at Lin Jie. "I wasn't talking about us. I meant them."
The image of the Canghui team writhing on the ground flashed through their minds, sending chills down Huang Yuan and Tai Long's spines.
"Brutal?" Lin Jie's tone was mild, his smile calm. "They were never going to be allies. That makes them enemies. And you eliminate enemies—completely."
For a moment, the Shrek team collectively felt a shiver. It was the first time they had seen this side of Lin Jie.
Normally, his demeanor was warm, refined, and elegant. But now, that same calm smile felt… terrifying.
During the match, Lin Jie had laid out the entire plan—how they would feign injuries, how Tang San would act, and when to strike. Then, he triggered them emotionally with news of Shi Nian's death and unleashed a devastating spiritual attack.
The Canghui team never expected Lin Jie to possess a direct mind-assault ability. The result? Seven Spirit Masters left in a vegetative state.
Tang San was speechless. He too had spiritual attacks—but compared to Lin Jie's, his felt lacking.
After a long silence, Tang San finally spoke:
"You're right. When it's clear they can't be our allies, it's better to cut off the threat at the root. 'Wildfire can't destroy the weeds; the spring wind will make them grow again.'"
Lin Jie blinked. He nearly followed up with the next line.
Ma Hongjun chimed in with a grin, "Exactly! We're with you, Lin Jie. Showing mercy to enemies is cruelty to ourselves."
The team all nodded in agreement. In their hearts, they had already accepted Lin Jie's judgment as absolute.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin