Under the gaze of the audience, the fourteen members of the Blazing Academy team and the Shrek Academy team stepped onto the stage.
Blazing Academy arranged themselves in a two-two-three formation, with Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang standing at the very front.
Their eyes were sharp as blades as they locked onto the seven members of Shrek.
Unlike their previous encounter, Shrek now had two unfamiliar faces: Ning Rongrong and Oscar.
During the earlier matches, Huo Wu and her teammates had already noticed that Ning Rongrong's spirit was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, capable of providing powerful team buffs. Oscar's spirit was the Sausage, which granted various auxiliary effects.
Before stepping onto the stage, Huo Wu and her team had discussed their tactics—take down those two support-type spirit masters first, and victory would follow as naturally as it had in their last encounter.
The seven from Shrek also stared fixedly at their opponents, flames of vengeance flickering in their eyes.
They adopted a two-two-one-two formation.
Tang San and Dai Mubai stood at the front, Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu behind them. Ma Hongjun stood next, while Ning Rongrong and Oscar remained at the very back.
"This match is a top-six qualifier. The loser will be eliminated, and the winner will advance to the final three. Both sides, prepare yourselves. Release your spirits and spirit rings."
At the referee's announcement, the match officially began.
Both teams instantly released their martial spirits and spirit rings.
The Shrek Seven exchanged glances—and were the first to move.
Oscar's third spirit ring shone brightly, and after chanting his incantation, he produced six gleaming Speed-Boosting Flying Mushroom Sausages.
The Shrek team swallowed them without hesitation and shot upward into the air.
In mid-air, Xiao Wu launched the first attack.
Her bright, lively eyes shimmered with an alluring pink glow, transforming into invisible waves of spiritual energy that swept toward the five Blazing Academy members other than Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang.
This was her Charm skill, capable of momentarily delaying an opponent's actions.
It wouldn't work well against Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang—so she aimed for the others.
Tang San's Blue Silver Grass would be burned by intense flames, but he didn't hesitate. He still released it, sending it toward Huo Wu to bind her.
Huo Wu frowned slightly. What was Tang San trying to do? Something about him today felt different—his gaze was unusually fierce, as if vengeance wasn't the only thing fueling him.
Meanwhile, Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Flames erupted around him mid-air.
With a powerful flap of his wings, burning hellfire shot straight toward Huo Wushuang.
Huo Wushuang's expression changed.
"A mere three-ring Spirit Elder dares challenge me? Overestimating yourself!"
Flames roared from his body as he met Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fire head-on.
But what he didn't know was that this confrontation was only a piece of Shrek's overall plan.
While his attention was drawn to Ma Hongjun, Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing completed their Spirit Fusion.
Their figures intertwined—White Tiger and Hell Civet merging—transforming into a massive, awe-inspiring Netherworld White Tiger.
The tiger's roar shook the entire stage as it charged toward Huo Wushuang with overwhelming force.
Though powerful, Huo Wushuang was caught off guard by the sudden attack.
He had no time to dodge and punched forward directly.
Seeing this, Huo Wu finally understood.
Everything—Tang San's actions included—had been a feint. Shrek's true target was Blazing Academy's strongest attacker: Huo Wushuang.
"Boss, watch out!"
Huo Yun and Huo Yu reacted instantly, leaping into the air to support him.
The three of them collided with the Netherworld White Tiger.
"Boom!"
With a deafening crash, Huo Yun and Huo Yu were blasted off the stage instantly.
Huo Wushuang managed to remain standing, but the shockwave churned his blood violently. He spat out a mouthful of blood.
His injuries were serious—far too severe for him to continue fighting.
"Brother, are you alright?"
Huo Wu rushed to his side.
The Blazing Academy members were stunned with fear.
Never had they expected Shrek to launch such a swift and fierce assault—or that their teamwork would be so seamless.
Oscar's Speed-Boosting Flying Mushroom only lasted one minute.
After slamming into the three, the Netherworld White Tiger split back into human form.
Tang San and the others also landed.
Oscar immediately handed the prepared Recovery Sausages to Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing, who ate them right away.
Ning Rongrong's spirit rings glowed as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's light descended upon her teammates.
"Huo Wu… don't worry about me! Don't give them any chance to breathe!"
Huo Wushuang could no longer fight. Enduring the pain, he urged his sister to counterattack.
At this point, Blazing Academy had only Huo Wu, Huo Bao, and two auxiliary fire-spark spirit masters remaining.
And they faced all seven members of Shrek.
Four versus seven.
The team that had held the advantage moments ago was now the weaker side.
But Huo Wu wasn't one to give up.
Her figure flashed as she moved.
Leaping into the air, she signaled to the two auxiliary spirit masters behind her.
They instantly released fire sparks toward her, causing the flames around her to surge violently.
"Trying to use your Fusion Ring skill again? This time, I won't let you succeed."
As Tang San spoke, a small black hammer emerged in his palm.
"Xiao Wu, stop her!"
"Got it!"
Xiao Wu's fourth spirit ring lit up—Invincible Golden Body. She charged forward, immune to flames for just a few seconds.
It wasn't enough to harm Huo Wu, but it was enough to disrupt her concentration and delay her preparations for her fusion skill.
"Rongrong! Buff me!"
"Okay!"
The light of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda enveloped Tang San, boosting his spirit power.
"Third brother, catch!"
Oscar tossed a pink Excitement Sausage to Tang San.
Tang San caught it and swallowed it instantly.
This sausage increased all attributes by ten percent for five minutes.
Five minutes was more than enough for what Tang San intended.
The small black hammer in his hand grew rapidly.
Tang San began to spin, unleashing a violent wave of energy.
The two empires' noble guests and the soul masters in the stands were all shocked.
"The Clear Sky Hammer! That's the Clear Sky Hammer!"
"He has twin martial spirits—just like Pope Bibi Dong?!"
"He's from the Clear Sky Sect! He dares show up in Spirit Hall City?!"
Seeing this, Huo Wushuang tensed in fear.
Even Feng Xiaotian and Shui Bing'er, watching from the sidelines, grew nervous.
Feng Xiaotian had personally witnessed the Clear Sky Hammer's power—he knew Huo Wu couldn't withstand it.
"Stop! We surrender!"
Blazing Academy's instructor shouted desperately.
But it was already too late.
Huo Wu's fusion preparation was incomplete, while Tang San had already brought the Clear Sky Hammer crashing down toward her with unstoppable force.
If struck, Huo Wu would suffer unimaginable consequences—if not death, then crippling injury.
At that critical moment, a massive slab of granite materialized, blocking Tang San's blow.
Tang San's vision dimmed as the Clear Sky Hammer struck the granite, exploding it into fragments with a thunderous boom.
The shockwave hurled Tang San backwards—Ma Hongjun swooped in, catching him mid-air.
Almost simultaneously, a green streak of light swept across the stage, pulling Huo Wu away from the blast zone.
Now standing at the edge of the platform, Huo Wu looked at the shattered stone scattered across the ground and realized—Yan had been the one to save her.
Behind her, Feng Xiaotian was still trembling.
His beloved had nearly been killed by Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer. Rage surged within him.
" Tang San, you bastard! Were you trying to kill her?!"
Please drop some power stones support me at my
PS: Access the complete/finished chapters/series at Patreon: NanamiTL