'Hm? This aura… and this strange resonance with my Martial Soul!'
As the distance closed, a peculiar feeling suddenly welled up in Dai Mubai's heart. His gaze toward Zhu Zhuqing was filled with shock and doubt.
'Damn it, someone actually got there before me…' An unyielding irritation surged inside him.
'But looking at her face, she seems even younger than Tang San. At such a young age, yet already soul rank 29… with talent like this, how could the Zhu family allow her to drift into the Heaven Dou Empire? Moreover, to maintain ties with the royal family, the Zhu family has never once allowed their daughters to marry outside the Star Luo Empire.'
'By tradition, with such talent, even if marriage were required, it should have been with the royal line…'
Confusion and disbelief churned within him.
As these thoughts raced, he led his teammates to the center of the arena, facing the Emperor Battle Team. His eyes fixed on Zhu Zhuqing, full of doubt and testing.
Before the host could speak, Dai Mubai suddenly barked coldly, "Do you even know your own identity?"
Dugu Yan's brows immediately furrowed. She turned her head sharply. "Zhuqing, you know this guy?"
"What?!" Dai Mubai froze, then his expression darkened instantly. His eyes turned fierce, and a surge of nameless fury rushed to his head, his face burning hot. Zhuqing… she really was Zhu Zhuqing!
And now she was with another man! Just imagining it made him feel humiliated beyond measure. He stepped forward instinctively, raised his hand to point, and roared in anger, "You slut! What do you mean by this!?"
The host, Doudou, was completely stunned by the sudden outburst. For a moment, she didn't even know if she should keep going with the announcements.
"Do they have a grudge?" In the control room, the overseer's eyes lit up. Drama like this was exactly what audiences loved. Immediately he used the soul tool microphone to whisper in Doudou's ear: "Don't interfere yet. Let it play out. Step in once it's gone far enough."
Hearing the words, Doudou instantly understood and feigned helplessness, standing frozen.
The crowd fell silent. Many faces showed eager gossiping looks, waiting for the show. Some even whistled to egg things on.
"You dare say that again!?" Dugu Yan's eyes flared coldly, killing intent flashing.
Forget Zhu Zhuqing's bond with her lifesaver Yang Yunhai — Zhu Zhuqing was her closest friend.
The rest of the team's faces all turned grim with anger. Even Yang Yunhai's brows creased slightly.
Yu Tianheng frowned deeply as well, doubt stirring in his mind.
As the direct heir of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, he was familiar with nearly every famous Martial Soul on the continent. He naturally knew of the Star Luo royal family's White Tiger Martial Soul, and the Zhu family's Hell Spirit Cat Martial Soul.
Zhu Zhuqing's Martial Soul was Hell Spirit Cat, and this man's Martial Soul was White Tiger. That coincidence was hard to ignore.
"What's going on, Boss Dai?" On Shrek's side, his teammates were confused, expressions mixed with shock and puzzlement.
'Could it be…?' Ning Rongrong had some guesses, but her face remained calm. She was content to just watch.
She hadn't forgotten that Dai Mubai once insulted her outside the Great Spirit Arena, saying he'd use her and then kill her. He even raised his hand to strike, nearly injuring her. She still remembered that well.
Frankly, she respected the talents of Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Oscar. But Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, that pair of lechers, she had no fondness for.
Especially with rumors that Dai Mubai still frequented hotels with twin sisters. As for Ma Hongjun, his lustful stares at women of any age disgusted her.
While thoughts swirled, Zhu Zhuqing finally spoke, her face calm and frosty.
"You've mistaken me for someone else."
"But the person you're talking about… I know of her. She's dead. Killed while fleeing through the Star Dou Great Forest. As for me, I am just a free Soul Master — one who chose to escape her fate, to break free from shackles, and leave that mire behind."
'So it was Yang Yunhai who saved her when she was hunted down!' The Emperor Battle Team instantly understood.
No wonder Zhu Zhuqing followed Yang Yunhai. He was her lifesaver.
A girl unable to repay such a debt — what better than offering her heart?
"You…" Dai Mubai's face reddened with anger and shame, but he was powerless to refute her.
Her words made everything clear: Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun had once tried to kill her. Since they wanted her dead, she now counted herself as truly dead to the Zhu family and the Star Luo royal house. With no ties left, she was free — a Soul Master without shackles.
In other words, whatever engagement existed between them was meaningless.
And really, wasn't she right? If your family sends assassins after you, you don't walk back and present your neck to the knife.
But Dai Mubai's pride seethed. His nominal fiancée now stood beside another man. He couldn't bear it. His voice turned icy. "Who is it?"
"Right here." Yang Yunhai stepped forward and nodded calmly.
"You…" Dai Mubai's killing intent exploded. His glare locked on Yang Yunhai, cold fury in every line of his face.
Standing before him so openly — it felt like a public slap in the face.
"Boy, I'll remember you. Be careful — soul skills have no eyes." He spat the words through clenched teeth, filled with murderous intent.
'Where does this fool get his courage?' Yu Feng and Oslo both stiffened slightly, reassessing Dai Mubai.
"If you have the strength, then try," Yang Yunhai said with a faint smile. "But remember — you're not in the Star Luo Empire anymore."
His eyes slid toward Ning Rongrong. "Showing uncontrolled anger before an unknown opponent… that's not a wise move."
"Cowards never dare stir trouble. But fools who stir trouble blindly… always pay the price."
"And you may not always escape unscathed."
Of course, he wouldn't kill Dai Mubai outright here. If Dai Mubai died openly in the Heaven Dou Empire, Davis could exploit it — shifting blame to external enemies, consolidating power, and winning hearts. That would make Yang Yunhai the Star Luo Empire's sworn enemy, complicating Spirit Hall's plans.
It wasn't worth it. Dai Mubai wasn't worth that much.
But in the shadows… that was another matter entirely.
Yang Yunhai's eyes glinted coldly. 'Dai Mubai, I'll have plenty of chances to play with you.'
Dai Mubai only sneered. "Let's hope your strength matches your mouth."
Yang Yunhai nodded calmly. "You'll see soon enough."
'Truly a fool with no sense.'
In the stands, Flender's face twisted into a bitter smile.
He had recognized Yang Yunhai and Zhu Zhuqing the instant they stepped onto the stage. If they'd come to Shrek, things would have been… complicated. Enemies with Dai Mubai? The academy would have been in chaos. But letting them slip away also meant losing two prodigies.
From the looks of it, though, they were never going to join Shrek. Yang Yunhai's words alone showed he'd already investigated Shrek and dismissed it.
"Still, with him there, maybe the Emperor Battle Team won't go too far," Flender muttered. He glanced at Qin Ming in the stands across the way and grew uneasy. Then he leaned toward Zhao Wuji. "Zhao Wuji, look — do you see who that is?"
Zhao Wuji's eyes went wide. "How could it be him?"
"You know the opposing team's leader?" Yu Xiaogang asked, suspicious.
Flender only gave a small nod. "Keep it quiet. We'll speak after the match."
Then his face darkened. "Xiaogang, the tension down there is real. Honestly… I'm worried the Emperor Battle Team might go for the kill. The safety of our kids—"
"Don't worry. Nothing will happen," Yu Xiaogang said lightly. He rose to his feet, moving to the edge of the stands, his eyes fixed firmly on Yu Tianheng, his nephew.
On the stage, the two teams stood tense and silent, murderous intent heavy in the air.
"Fight! Fight!" the crowd began chanting.
"Evil-Eyed White Tiger! Don't cower! Be a man and fight!" others hollered, fanning the flames.
Seizing the moment, the host Doudou finally raised her voice.
"Attention, all competitors! You have one minute to summon your Martial Souls. When I announce the start, you may begin attacking. Victory will be decided when one side is fully down or knocked off the stage."
As her words fell, both sides instantly moved into formation.
The Shrek team adopted a 2-2-3 formation: Ning Rongrong and Oscar in the back, Tang San and Xiao Wu in the middle, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Tie Long at the front.
The Emperor Battle Team spread into a 1-2-2-2: Ye Lingling at the rear, Yang Yunhai and Dugu Yan slightly forward, Zhu Zhuqing and Yu Feng ahead of them, and at the front, Yu Tianheng with Oslo.
Soul rings lit the ground, every one a perfect configuration, drawing wild cheers from the stands.
But in the back rows, Dugu Bo's eyes suddenly flew wide.
Through distance and noise, he felt it clearly — the aura of Xiao Wu's Martial Soul as she entered her possession state. That peculiar, terrifying power…
"Impossible… that's the aura of a transformed 100,000-year soul beast!"
His heart lurched violently in shock.
(End of Chapter)
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