Upon hearing Yu Xiaogang's question, team captain Dai Mubai stepped forward and said,
"Master, from our observations, among the five teams advancing from the Heaven Dou City division, Blazing Academy is clearly the weakest. In their lineup, only Huo Wushuang and Huo Wu are strong. Based on today's matches, tomorrow's strategy will likely be one of them leading the charge to secure as many wins as possible, while the rest serve to wear down our strength. So I suggest I go up first, with Lin Jie closing the match. That way, we can ensure victory."
Yu Xiaogang thought for a moment, then replied,
"What you said isn't wrong, but remember—they can think the same way you do. If you can predict them, they can predict you. That's why we'll take the initiative by disrupting their rhythm. We'll change the expected pattern and keep control of the tempo. Tomorrow's lineup will be: Lin Jie, Ma Hongjun, Tai Long, Xiao Wu, and Dai Mubai."
No one from the Shrek team raised any objections. With Lin Jie, Ma Hongjun, Xiao Wu, and Dai Mubai in play, beating Blazing Academy was more than possible.
Of the five, only Ma Hongjun had yet to participate in a match. His inclusion was clearly meant to give him some much-needed battle experience.
With the roster decided, the Shrek team turned in early for the night.
The Next Morning
Under the guidance of their assigned escort, the Shrek team arrived at the competition grounds ahead of schedule.
Compared to the preliminaries, the advancement round lacked unnecessary formality, making the event progress much faster.
As Lin Jie stepped into the waiting area near the arena, he immediately felt a searing, intense gaze locked onto him.
Looking up, sure enough, it was Huo Wu.
He knew perfectly well she'd been itching to redeem herself after their last clash. The way she stared at him now made it obvious—she could hardly wait to take the stage.
Noticing Lin Jie's gaze, Huo Wu lifted her hand and pointed at him once again.
Even separated by dozens of meters, Lin Jie could see her gesture clearly. His vision had long been sharpened by training. She was unmistakably challenging him again.
Lin Jie chuckled lightly and ignored it.
Right then, the first match began.
Since Shrek Academy was scheduled for the fifth match, they had some time to wait.
Match One: Botanic Academy vs. a Duchy Team
Botanic Academy fielded only three control-type Spirit Elders, yet still managed to defeat all seven opponents. Two of them won twice; the third achieved a triple victory. Though their opponents weren't particularly strong, it was obvious that Botanic Academy possessed undisclosed power and should not be underestimated.
Match Two: Godwind Academy
Godwind Academy made quick work of their opponents from another duchy. They only needed two members to completely overwhelm the opposing team.
Match Three: Silas Academy
Silas Academy had strength comparable to the Four Elemental Academies, boasting three Spirit Ancestors. Their victory came swiftly and decisively.
Match Four: Thunderclap Academy
Their opponents were weak, and the match ended in no time.
Match Five: Shrek Academy vs. Blazing Academy
As Lin Jie stepped onto the stage for Shrek Academy, members of Blazing Academy looked on in astonishment. Their gazes then turned toward Huo Wu, who looked visibly shaken.
When Huo Wu saw Lin Jie was the first up, she abruptly rose from her seat, her chest heaving with restrained frustration as she stared at him.
If the roster order weren't already set, she would've rushed down to swap with her brother Huo Wushuang on the spot.
Blazing Academy's lineup was just as Dai Mubai predicted: Huo Wushuang first, Huo Wu last.
"Why… why are you going first?" she thought bitterly.
For the past month, she'd trained relentlessly, finally breaking through another level of Spirit Power. Her Spirit Abilities and control had both improved drastically. She had been preparing for a rematch with Lin Jie—to wash away the humiliation of her previous loss.
Yet now, he was first up.
She didn't believe he could survive all the way to face her.
How could she possibly accept this?
But for the sake of her team, she couldn't act on personal desire. She couldn't demand her brother surrender his match. No matter how unwilling, she had to endure.
On the Stage
Huo Wushuang was just as surprised. He had expected their opponent to lead with Xiao Wu, the Spirit Ancestor who won yesterday by default.
But instead, it was Lin Jie.
The impression Lin Jie had left on him was too strong—formidable strength, a ten-thousand-year fourth Spirit Ring, and no one had yet forced him to use his fourth ability. Knowing this, a crack began to form in Huo Wushuang's previously unshakable confidence.
He took the field and stood across from Lin Jie.
Lin Jie looked calm as always, even flashing a faint smile—his habitual way of facing all opponents.
Seeing that both sides were ready, the referee stepped forward and announced,
"Battle start!"
Lin Jie extended a polite hand. "After you."
In an instant, both unleashed their Martial Souls.
A flash of lightning burst from Lin Jie's right hand—blue arcs crackling with high-pitched zings—while four Spirit Rings appeared beneath him: yellow, yellow, purple, black.
The appearance of a ten-thousand-year fourth Spirit Ring caused another wave of disbelief among the kingdom and duchy team members.
In the Beast Spirit Academy area, Meng Yiran had been watching closely. When she saw Lin Jie's Spirit Rings, she exclaimed,
"He's a Spirit Ancestor… and his fourth ring is ten-thousand years? That's impossible!"
She fell into silence, recalling her grandfather's cryptic warnings. Her expression turned contemplative.
Meanwhile, Huo Wushuang's body was covered in crimson scales. Flames ignited across him, forming a blazing red aura. As it engulfed him, a three-inch-long crimson horn extended from his forehead—his Martial Soul, One Horned Fire Dragon.
Lin Jie narrowed his eyes slightly. He remembered that Huo Wushuang's flame energy used to be wild and unstable. But now, after a month, it had become focused and condensed. Clearly, he too had undergone serious training.
All eyes from the stands locked onto the two of them—Shrek's Lin Jie, wielder of a black Spirit Ring, and Blazing Academy's captain Huo Wushuang. Both Spirit Ancestors. This promised to be a match to remember.
Huo Wushuang frowned slightly as Lin Jie made no move to attack.
"Then I'll make the first move!"
His first Spirit Ring lit up, and the crimson scales covering him grew brighter and more crystalline—like a full-body flame armor.
He brought both hands together. Dark red light gathered in his palms, forming a compressed energy orb.
Unlike before, the heat wasn't radiating outward. The fiery energy was tightly sealed within the orb, a sign of much greater control.
Huo Wushuang dashed forward, closing the gap quickly. With a powerful shout, he hurled the orb directly at Lin Jie.
At the same time, Lin Jie had already begun condensing his own energy. A sphere of lightning formed in his palm, buzzing with destructive power.
With a flick of his wrist, the lightning orb shot forward, colliding with the incoming fireball.
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion erupted mid-air.
Even before the smoke cleared, Lin Jie was already charging forward. Lightning cloaked his fists as he swung a punch at Huo Wushuang.
Seeing Lin Jie go on the offensive, Huo Wushuang smirked.
His crimson scales lit up again as he channeled Spirit Power into his arms. He threw a punch of his own, flaming energy concentrated at his fist.
"Come on!" he growled.
BOOM! BOOM!
Red flame met blue lightning—power clashing in a dazzling explosion.
But to the audience's surprise, Lin Jie stood firm, completely unshaken.
Huo Wushuang, on the other hand, was blasted backward several steps.
He managed to steady himself, gritting his teeth as he shook out his numb arm.
His expression grew grim.
He had used eighty percent of his strength in that strike.
His fire-infused punch was meant to detonate on impact.
And yet… Lin Jie had effortlessly overpowered him.
"How strong is he, really?" Huo Wushuang thought grimly.
Purely in terms of Spirit Power, Lin Jie was already at rank 46, while Huo Wushuang was only at rank 42. The gap was obvious.
But Spirit Power alone wasn't the whole story. Lin Jie's combat intuition, control, and explosive force were all on another level.