Soon, Huo Yuhao, Wang Donger, and the others arrived beneath the arena.
According to the rules of this tournament's Elimination Round, the format was a one-on-one arena battle. Each side would send out one contestant at a time. As long as that person remained undefeated, they could continue fighting the opponent's next member.
The Shrek Team halted at the contestants' entrance. As captain, Bei Bei was carefully examining the Tiandu Team's lineup.
Before he could issue any instructions, Wang Donger had already stepped forward.
Sharp battle intent flashed in her eyes as she spoke decisively, "Senior Brother Bei Bei, let me go first."
"Since everyone is watching Shrek today, I'll end this match as quickly as possible."
Seeing her resolute expression, Bei Bei understood clearly. After Tang Ya's words praising Liu Yuan, Wang Donger had been holding in her emotions, eager to prove herself.
He thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, Donger. Pay attention to your spirit power consumption."
Watching her stride toward the arena, Bei Bei shook his head with a bitter smile. "Looks like the Tiandu Team is really unlucky today."
Huo Yuhao, standing nearby, looked at Wang Donger's back and said calmly, "It couldn't be helped."
"Donger has always been proud. With people outside saying Shrek is inferior to the Sun Moon Team these past few days—and Sister Tang Ya saying similar things—it's only natural that she'd feel dissatisfied."
"Now that she finally has a chance to fight, venting a bit is normal."
Bei Bei sighed softly. "Better to let her release it now than have it affect her later against stronger opponents."
…
At the same time, the Tiandu Team sent out their first contestant.
He was a burly young man whose Martial Soul was a massive long-handled battle axe.
At the referee's signal, Wang Donger activated her Martial Soul without hesitation.
Brilliant light burst forth as the wings of the Light Goddess Butterfly unfurled behind her, interwoven with dazzling gold and blue radiance. Six spirit rings—one yellow, two purple, and three black—rose and settled around her body.
The moment the opponent saw her cultivation, his face instantly went pale.
A Six-Ring Soul Emperor.
He had thought Shrek was merely sending out a probing reserve member—but instead, they had dispatched a core mainstay from the very start.
Wang Donger had no intention of showing mercy.
Her figure flickered. With a violent beat of her butterfly wings, she turned into a blur of light and appeared above the opponent's head in an instant.
Before he could even lift his battle axe, her spirit ability erupted.
A surge of pure light-attribute spirit power crashed down, blasting him straight out of the arena. He slammed heavily into the defensive barrier and slid down, unconscious.
From beginning to end, the entire exchange lasted only an instant.
Such overwhelming suppression left the remaining members of the Tiandu Team staring in shock.
Under the stunned gazes of the crowd, Wang Donger did not step off the stage. Instead, she calmly looked at the referee.
The referee paused for a moment, then loudly announced, "First bout—Shrek Academy wins! Tiandu Team, please send out your next contestant!"
The Tiandu Team hurriedly sent up their second member.
This one was a Five-Ring Spirit King. Though clearly nervous, he attempted to rely on movement techniques to evade Wang Donger's attacks.
It was useless.
Her spirit power control and battlefield awareness were perfectly synchronized. The instant he released his first spirit ability, her attack had already struck his blind spot.
Another instant defeat.
From that moment on, the match became Wang Donger's personal showcase.
One by one, the remaining five members of the Tiandu Team stepped onto the arena. Whether attack-type or defense-type, none of them could withstand even a single exchange against the crushing pressure of a Six-Ring Soul Emperor and the top-tier attributes of the Light Goddess Butterfly.
In less than ten minutes, Wang Donger completed the first true one-vs-seven sweep since the start of the East Zone matches.
When the final opponent fell from the arena, the atmosphere of Mingdu Plaza exploded.
Thunderous cheers surged from the stands. Those who had mocked Shrek's decline were forced to re-evaluate the strength of this ancient powerhouse.
"So this is Shrek's new generation? Terrifying."
"Did you notice? Wang Donger didn't even appear in the last tournament. Shrek's lineup today is completely different from five years ago."
"They hid their strength far too well."
"If everyone in Shrek is at this level, the East Zone's outcome might not be decided so easily."
"Hmph. Shrek is still worth looking forward to."
As the tide of discussion shifted in Shrek's favor, Wang Donger retracted her Martial Soul, a faint smile appearing at the corners of her lips.
She didn't step down immediately.
Instead, her gaze subconsciously turned toward a certain section of the spectator stands.
She locked onto Tang Ya's position, staring straight at her with undisguised pride and defiance in her eyes—as if saying:
Sister Tang Ya, did you see? We're already very strong. We don't need anyone to exaggerate for us.
Tang Ya naturally noticed Wang Donger's look.
Watching the radiant, valiant figure on the stage, a trace of gratification surfaced in her heart. But soon, she gently shook her head.
"Compared to five years ago, you really have grown much stronger," Tang Ya murmured softly, a complicated light flashing through her eyes.
"But Donger… you still haven't truly seen Liu Yuan's full strength."
"Compared to someone who already stands on an entirely different level, this amount of power is still far from enough."
Her gaze shifted to Liu Yuan, seated calmly not far away.
From beginning to end, he showed no emotional fluctuation whatsoever, as though Shrek's one-vs-seven sweep was nothing more than an insignificant sideshow.
Amid the deafening cheers, the Shrek Team returned to the waiting area.
Though they had won decisively, the pressure in Bei Bei's and Huo Yuhao's hearts did not lessen in the slightest after seeing Liu Yuan's completely unperturbed expression.