After a brief rest, it was already the next morning for Huo Yuhao.
Today was the second match for Shrek Academy in the round-robin stage of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul-Dueling Tournament.
Early in the morning, after Wang Yan distributed the soul tools purchased at the auction the previous night, he brought the reserve team to Xingluo Plaza ahead of time.
The other four members of the main team were still recovering at the Star Royal Hotel, and the only one not injured, Ma Xiaotao, was nowhere to be found since early morning.
Fortunately, the opponents for today had already been decided after yesterday's round of matches, so Wang Yan was able to discuss tactics with Bei Bei beforehand.
However, this time their opponent,Thousand Spirits Advanced Soul Master Academy,had a Soul King-level fighter. For Shrek's reserve team, whose strongest members were only at the Soul Ancestor level, this was far from ideal.
After the usual tidal wave of cheers from the audience when Shrek Academy appeared, the team entered the contestant passageway.
On the stage, a referee used a voice-amplifying soul tool and loudly announced, "Both sides enter the preparation zone. Team captains, please come draw lots."
Following the same method as before, the captains quickly determined the match format.
"In this match, Shrek Academy versus the Empire of Dou Ling's Thousand Spirits Advanced Soul Master Academy. The match format: Team Battle!"
The audience erupted into even greater cheers.
After all, team battles were always the most intense and spectacular to watch.
Under the referee's instruction, both teams entered from opposite sides of the arena.
Shrek's team had previously observed Thousand Spirits Academy's matches.
Although Thousand Spirits Academy had not used a team battle during the knockout round, their lineup was interesting.
Aside from their captain being a strong-attack type Soul King, their main roster consisted of two control-type soul masters and four defensive-type soul masters.
There was no doubt, the captain was the core, and the rest existed solely to protect and support the Soul King.
Before stepping onto the stage, Wang Yan reminded Bei Bei, "Be careful in the upcoming match. Their two control-types are special,one ice and one fire, and they fight using martial soul mimicry."
"Their physical combat ability is weaker than normal soul masters, but this makes their fighting style more flexible and unpredictable."
Bei Bei nodded. He had been gathering intelligence with Wang Yan for days in the stands, observing potential opponents.
He already knew something about Thousand Spirits Academy. Aside from the three strongest members Wang Yan emphasized, the four defensive soul masters were also unusual.
All four came from the same clan with a bloodline-inherited martial soul known as the Spirit-Rhinoceros Shield.
Although the Spirit-Rhinoceros Shield was not a top-tier defensive martial soul, their numbers gave them an advantage. With identical martial souls and soul ring setups, their teamwork and coordination were excellent.
Their martial souls and soul skills could even resonate with one another,not to the level of martial soul fusion, but enough to form a rock-solid, unbreakable defensive formation.
"This battle will be tough. Once we enter the field, everyone follow my commands." Though Bei Bei wore his usual smile, he was clearly tense.
The good news was that Thousand Spirits Academy did not seem to use soul tools,though they might simply be hiding their strength.
Both teams took their positions. Shrek maintained their formation from the knockout round, while the four Spirit-Rhinoceros Shield soul masters took the front for Thousand Spirits Academy as expected.
The four stood tall side by side like a wall, completely blocking their captain and the two control-type girls behind them.
"Match start!" shouted the referee.
Both teams released their martial souls, and Shrek immediately rushed toward the enemy formation.
Thousand Spirits Academy's strategy was built around defending and counterattacking. Against Shrek, waiting patiently was not shameful,if Shrek failed to break them, only Shrek would look bad.
After activating their martial souls, the four defensive soul masters' bodies changed: their skin turned dark-yellow like hardened earth, becoming rough and thick. The muscles of their strong right arms twisted into shield-like keratin plates.
Their martial soul had originally been a rhinoceros-type beast soul, but due to generations of defensive-focused soul ring choices, it mutated into a shield-type tool martial soul that surpassed the original in defensive strength.
Upon activating their first soul rings, their shields expanded and merged into a solid wall of dark-yellow light, blocking the entire front.
While still charging, Xu Sanshi spoke rapidly, "Not good. My Mysterious Underworld Displacement can't target their captain like this. Plan A won't work. Bei Bei, let's switch to Plan B,hold them off and find a chance."
Bei Bei nodded, shifting toward the right flank of the enemy, while Jiang Nannan moved to the left to outflank them from both sides.
Xu Sanshi held the center alone, while behind the group, Ning Tian's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda glowed continuously from the moment the match began, granting buffs to everyone except Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao stayed near the back in front of Ning Tian instead of charging in with Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and Bei Bei.
Behind the shield users, the enemy captain Shen Ce summoned his martial soul: Thousand-Strike Spear.
Its silver body glimmered with engraved inscriptions. It hovered before him, awaiting the right moment to strike.
Beside him, the two control-type girls transformed into beast-shaped mimics: the Ice Bear and the Blazing Tiger.
The Ice Bear rushed forward and cast its soul skill,Frost Shield. Ice crystals coated the shield wall, increasing its defense by thirty percent.
Then came its second soul skill,Ice Seal. A wave of frost spread toward Shrek's charging frontline, slowing Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and Jiang Nannan.
Ning Tian quickly removed the control effect and boosted them again, but the other control-type was already moving.
The Blazing Tiger activated her soul rings in a swift, practiced rhythm. Fiery wings grew from its back, and its flames shifted to a bluish-white, dramatically increasing its fire power.
A ring of flame surrounded Shen Ce, granting his spear enhanced fire affinity and far greater energy capacity.
Then the Blazing Tiger split off a phantom of bluish-white fire that fused into the spear, causing tiger-roars of flame to ripple along its shaft.
Shen Ce added his own third soul skill, stabilizing the raging fire energy.
With triple augmentation, Shen Ce's attack would be devastating. Huo Yuhao, via Spiritual Detection and his True Eyes, clearly observed the buildup, but the rest of Shrek could only sense the rapidly rising threat.
Bei Bei frowned,something was wrong.
Huo Yuhao, meanwhile, recorded every tactical detail for future combat application.
"Go!" Shen Ce roared, unleashing the Thousand-Strike Spear.
The two center shield users shifted their formation, opening a small gap.
Xu Sanshi saw a flash of white heat from the gap,then a cross-shaped mark of light appeared on his chest.
Shen Ce's fourth soul skill,lock-on and penetration.
Xu Sanshi immediately triggered multiple defensive skills: Mysterious Underworld Force, Mysterious Underworld Shield Array, and Mysterious Underworld Shake.
Layer after layer of dark shockwaves and defensive phantom shells shattered under the spear's power. Even so, Xu Sanshi was sent flying ten meters away. His shield cracked at the point of impact, but it held.
Shen Ce was shocked. His strongest ambush strike, fully prepared, failed to break the defenses of someone an entire rank below him.
Worse, the opening in their formation had already been exposed.
"Not good!" shouted one shield user, attempting to close the gap,
Too late.
While still falling, Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth and activated his fourth soul skill: Mysterious Underworld Displacement.
He vanished, and Shen Ce appeared where Xu Sanshi had landed.
In that moment, Shen Ce's mind went blank,Huo Yuhao's second soul ring glowed.
Bei Bei and Jiang Nannan instantly reversed course with their soul tool thrusters, closing in to surround the immobilized Shen Ce.
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