Above the Sky Screen, light and shadow flow.
After the auction, the Shrek Team returned to the hotel. Huo Yuhao went back to his room and took out the Soul of Life Blade from his spirit tool storage — Electrolux had specifically instructed him to bid on it before the auction. Electrolux only said that the carving knife would be useful to him, and Huo Yuhao did as he was told; as for why it would be useful or what its purpose was, he had no idea.
"Teacher, I've brought the carving knife back." Huo Yuhao thought to himself.
[A moment later, a grayish -white phantom emerged from his body— Electrolux. He looked at the emerald green carving knife and nodded slightly: "Not bad. This carving knife is forged from gold of life and contains powerful life force. It has a miraculous effect on the recovery of a Spirit Master's body, and it also has a great nourishing effect on a Soul fragment like myself."]
A withered hand pressed against the blade, its emerald light intertwining with the greyish-white aura of death. A moment later, a portion of the life force on the carving knife was stripped away, transforming into a wisp of pure Soul -nourishing energy that merged into the Electrolux's phantom. The carving knife's own light dimmed slightly, but remained a jade-green hue.
"Alright." Electrolux's voice was clearer than before as he handed the carving knife back to Huo Yuhao. "This carving knife itself is a treasure; you can keep it. I took a portion of my life force, enough to recover for a while. The rest is sufficient for you to use when you open up the Second Sea of Consciousness."
Huo Yuhao took the carving knife and nodded. He didn't fully understand what his teacher meant by " the second Sea of Consciousness," but he knew that his teacher wouldn't harm him. If the carving knife was useful to his teacher, that was enough.
...
Black World, Douluo Continent.
Inside the tavern, the people watched the Sky Screen and discussed it animatedly.
" A carving knife forged from gold of life? What is that?"
"Just from the name, you know Dao is a good thing. It contains vitality and has a nourishing effect on the Soul. No wonder Electrolux asked Huo Yuhao to buy it."
" Huo Yuhao himself doesn't seem to know what's going on? Did Electrolux ask him to take the photos?"
"Probably. He's a second ring." " Spirit Master, what do you know about the gold of life or the second sea of consciousness? He just took pictures because the teacher told him to."
Some people exclaimed about Dao: "Having a good teacher makes all the difference. Everything is arranged clearly for you. Although Electrolux is just a remnant soul, his knowledge is still there."
...
Shrek City, Inner Court.
Yan Shaozhe gazed at the Sky Screen and whispered, " Gold of life... what is that? We on the Douluo Continent don't seem to have any records of it!"
Xuan Zi nodded: "That carving knife is indeed very useful for Electrolux's recovery. It must have been something he had his eye on beforehand."
Qian Duoduo sighed, "Our Huo Yuhao is still asleep. Electrolux is dormant. A small difference can lead to a huge error."
...
One night, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had an accident while culturing. Their mental forces merged in resonance, and Huo Yuhao's consciousness unintentionally touched a barrier deep within Wang Dong's spiritual sea.
[The instant he touched that barrier— ]
[A terrifying force suddenly rebounded! Huo Yuhao felt his mind go blank, his soul as if struck by a ten-thousand-ton hammer, and he instantly lost consciousness!]
["Kid!" Heavenly Dream Ice Worm's exclamation exploded within his Sea of Consciousness. The mental force of the Million-Year Soul Beast unleashed its full power, forcibly stabilizing Huo Yuhao's collapsing consciousness and simultaneously isolating him from the backlash.]
[ The phantom of Electrolux also appeared at the same time, its grayish-white aura of death enveloping Huo Yuhao's sea of consciousness, protecting his most core Soul fragment.]
[After an unknown amount of time, Huo Yuhao slowly awoke. His head throbbed with pain, as if he had been repeatedly struck with a hammer. Wang Dong remained in Cultivate, completely unaware of what had just transpired. Her spiritual sea was as calm as ever, the Dao barrier still slumbering quietly in its depths, as if nothing had happened.]
"What...what was that just now?" Huo Yuhao's voice was hoarse.
[ Heavenly Dream Ice Worm's voice carried an unusual solemnity: "I don't know, Dao. But that thing is not something you can touch. If Elder Yi and I hadn't intervened, your spiritual sea would have been shattered."]
The phantom of Electrolux remained silent for a moment, then slowly said: " That..." Seal's level far surpasses that of my prime. With your current strength, even approaching it would be suicide. From now on, Cultivate, stay away from it.
Huo Yuhao nodded, not trying to be brave. He looked at Wang Dong's quiet profile, countless questions welling up in his mind. That Dao What is Seal? Who placed it in her sea of consciousness? Why? But he knew Dao, now was not the time to seek the answers.
...
Black World, Douluo Continent.
The atmosphere in the tavern became heavy.
" There is a Dao in Wang Dong's spiritual sea" Seal? Huo Yuhao was attacked after just one touch?
"Even Electrolux says he's far stronger than he was in his prime? How strong must he be?"
" What exactly is Wang Dong's identity? How could Shrek, an ordinary student, possess something like this?"
"Don't forget, Wang Dong's Spirit is the Light Goddess Butterfly, which is a top-tier Spirit. Its origins are probably not simple."
Someone whispered, "That Huo Yuhao knew nothing, he was just lucky to run into Heavenly Dream Ice Worm and Electrolux who saved him. If it weren't for them, he would have been finished."
...
Shrek City, Inner Court.
Xuan Zi frowned: " I've always felt that Wang Dong is no ordinary person. I never expected that she would have such a Seal in her spiritual sea."
Yan Shaozhe whispered, "Elder Xuan, should we investigate?"
"Investigate what?" Xuan Zi shook his head. "That's something from Sky Screen. How long ago was that? Wang Dong... or rather Tang Wutong, has already returned. There's nothing we can do about it!"
...
Meanwhile, somewhere in Shrek Academy, Tang Wutong stared wide-eyed at everything happening on the Sky Screen, his pupils slightly contracted:
"Was that Dad's divine force? Is Wang Dong really related to me? But I can't remember it. What exactly is Dad doing?"
...
[The round-robin continues. Shrek Team encounters Spirit Master Academy and Zhengtian Academy in succession.]
[The match against Thousand Spirits Academy was a team battle. Thousand Spirits Academy only had one Spirit King, the rest were Fourth Rings. Their main Spirit Master happened to be an Ice Spirit, and was completely suppressed by Huo Yuhao's Ultimate Ice. Shrek won the match relatively easily.]
[The real test comes from Zhengtian Academy.]
Zhengtian Academy boasts three Spirit Kings, with their captain being a level 58 powerhouse. The competition uses a 2-2-3 format, allowing Zhengtian Academy to fully leverage their strengths.
In the first match, Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan battled against two Spirit Kings. During the fight, Jiang Nannan was hit and severely injured while protecting Xu Sanshi. Xu Sanshi watched helplessly as Jiang Nannan fell, his mind suddenly going blank—the Xuanming Turtle Spirit underwent a transformation at that moment, and Bloodline... Awakening!
His eyes turned black, the Xuanming Turtle's defense surged, and he even Awakening the Domain. With the help of the Domain, he finally defeated his opponent. But the price was equally high— Bloodline. Awakening depleted a significant amount of his Origin Qi, and he collapsed from his injuries, requiring his teammates to carry him off the field.
[ Jiang Nannan lay on the stretcher, looking at Xu Sanshi, who was also seriously injured, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. "Why...why did you fight so hard?"]
[ Xu Sanshi grinned, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth: "You're injured, I can't just stand by and watch."]
[The two looked at each other, neither speaking. But everyone could see that a subtle change had occurred in their relationship at that moment.]
[In the second match, He Caitou fought against Xiao Xiao. His opponents were a Spirit King and a Fourth Ring. He Caitou's cigars gave Xiao Xiao a significant boost, but the difference in skill was ultimately insurmountable. After a hard-fought battle, He Caitou was defeated, but his opponents were also exhausted, resulting in a Pyrrhic victory.]
[In the third match, Bei Bei, Wang Dong, and Huo Yuhao competed. Their opponents were Zhengtian Academy's captain—Level 58 Spirit King —and two Fourth Ring players. In a three-on-three battle, Shrek had no advantage.]
[From the very start of the battle, Bei Bei unleashed her full power. Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's lightning raged across the arena, withstanding her opponent's attacks head-on. Wang Dong's Light Goddess Butterfly hovered in the air, searching for an opening. Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao unleashed Ice Jade Empress Scorpion's Domain for the first time in front of everyone.]
[ Ultimate Ice's chill swept across the arena, significantly weakening the opponents' speed and reaction time. Bei Bei seized the opportunity, delivering a Thunder Dragon Claw that knocked a Fourth Ring out of the ring. However, the captain-level Spirit King was simply too strong, holding off Huo Yuhao's Domain and forcing Bei Bei into a desperate situation.]
[At the crucial moment, Huo Yuhao's Ice Emperor's Claw and Wang Dong's Butterfly God's Light simultaneously struck their opponent, knocking him back. The three of them joined forces, finally forcing the last opponent off the stage.]
[A Pyrrhic victory.]
[At the edge of the arena, Teacher Wang Yan watched the three boys walk off, his eyes filled with heartache. Huo Yuhao was only at second ring; his Ice Emperor Domain, though powerful, had also consumed a great deal of energy. He was pale and could barely stand. Bei Bei was covered in injuries, and Wang Dong's spirit power was almost depleted.]
But they all won.
...
Black World, Douluo Continent.
Silence fell over the tavern.
"That's terrible..." Xu Sanshi Bloodline Awakening, Jiang Nannan was seriously injured, He Caitou lost, and Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao also fought to their limits.
"But they won. Shrek won."
" Zhengtian Academy has three Spirit Kings, and Shrek didn't win a single one. They just won by sheer willpower. These kids are incredibly tough."
Some people exclaimed to Dao: "After this battle, who would dare to underestimate Shrek's reserve team?"
"Whether you underestimate them or not, the key is that their strength has already been exposed. Huo Yuhao is only in the second ring, and everyone knows that. In the following matches, the opponents will target him."
" So what if they know Dao? Can they really target Ultimate Ice's Domain?"
" Shrek Team's reserve players are all injured, what will they do for the next game?"
"After this match, the other groups will have their matches, and Shrek Team will have a day or two of rest. By then, their starting players will probably be recovered!"
...
After the match, Teacher Wang Yan did not leave immediately. Standing on the ring, facing the audience and media, he slowly began to speak:
"I know, Dao, many people are questioning why Shrek sent the reserve team to the competition." His voice was a little hoarse. "Now, I'll tell you the reason."
["Our main team members were ambushed by the Evil Soul Master while on a surveillance mission in the Ming Dou Mountain Range. Three were killed and four were seriously injured."]
[The audience erupted in uproar.]
"They're still recovering from their injuries and can't come. So, we can only send our reserve team." Teacher Wang Yan's voice was soft, yet it carried clearly to every corner. "These kids, the oldest is fourteen, the youngest is twelve. They shouldn't be standing on this stage. But they came, and they won game after game."
"Please give them the respect they deserve."
[He stepped off the ring, and behind him, silence reigned. Then, thunderous applause erupted.]
Those who had once doubted Shrek, those who had mocked his arrogance, were now silent. They looked at the group of battered and bruised youths with nothing but respect in their eyes.
...
The people of both worlds listened to Teacher Wang Yan's words, and although they had previously read about Shrek Team's experiences, they were still filled with emotion.
...
However, the danger was not over. That night, while Huo Yuhao was recuperating in his hotel room, a powerful mental force silently swept across his room. It was a Titled Douluo -level detector.
Huo Yuhao froze. Heavenly Dream Ice Worm's voice echoed in his Sea of Consciousness: "Kid, Titled Douluo is spying on you. Don't move, don't release any information."
As Heavenly Dream Ice Worm was speaking, a burly figure appeared before Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong. After personally examining Huo Yuhao's body in Cultivate's room and confirming that Huo Yuhao was not a reincarnated Spirit Beast, he left dejectedly.
[However, he hadn't gone far when a voice called out to him, and that person was none other than Xuan Zi.]
"You dare touch my men?" Xuan Zi's voice was icy cold.
The old man's expression changed, and he tried to break free, but found the hand like an iron clamp, completely immovable. The next moment, a terrifying force lifted him up and slammed him into the face!
"This punch was for those children."
[Another punch.]
"This punch was for Shrek."
[Third punch.]
["This punch… was one I wanted to deliver."]
[After three punches, the old man, bruised and battered, collapsed to the ground. Xuan Zi snorted coldly, turned, and disappeared into the night.]
The old man struggled to his feet, his eyes filled with terror. He hadn't even seen his attacker's face before being beaten to a pulp. A level 98 Super Douluo … Shrek, not someone to mess with.
...
Black World, Douluo Continent.
Inside the tavern, the people burst into laughter.
"Serves him right! A dignified Titled Douluo, bullying a child, got beaten up like this, what a disgrace!"
" Xuan Zi's three punches were so satisfying! "
"That Titled Douluo is blind too. Huo Yuhao has Hyotei and Tenmu on him, how could he be Spirit Beast?"
"Even if he is the Spirit Beast, do you dare to touch Shrek's people? Xuan Zi will slap you to death!"
...
After Ling Luochen returned from injury, Shrek Team's strength increased significantly. In the next match, they drew a team fight scenario. However, Ling Luochen made a bold decision—to only send herself and Huo Yuhao onto the field.
[The audience erupted in uproar.]
"Two people against seven? Has Shrek gone mad?"
[Match begins. Ling Luochen unleashes his full Ice-type Spirit, Huo Yuhao unleashes Ultimate Ice.] With the Domain buff, her Ice Spirit Ability increased several times over. Together, the entire arena transformed into a frozen wasteland. Opponents couldn't even get close before being frozen out of the ring.
[Complete crushing. Absolute crushing.]
After this battle, no one dared to underestimate the Shrek Team anymore.
[In the following matches, Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and others recovered from their injuries and returned to the team. Shrek's strength returned to Peak. Ultimately, Shrek Team advanced to the round of 16 as the top seed in their group.]
[Meanwhile, in another world, Huo Yuhao has begun his round of 16 battle.]