"However, having said all that…
what exactly are we going to do?"
In the hotel lounge, everyone's gaze turned toward Bei Bei, who sat at the head of the table.
Although the crushing pressure had eased somewhat under Mu En's secret instructions and Bei Bei's rallying words, once the discussion returned to actual combat strength, the Shrek team still felt a deep sense of powerlessness. Facing the mountain named Liu Yuan from the Sun Moon Royal Team, they simply did not know where to begin.
A brief silence fell over the room.
Everyone frantically calculated possible tactical paths in their minds, yet no matter how they arranged their forces, the conclusion was always the same—everything would be crushed by Liu Yuan's overwhelming strength.
It was Xu Sanshi who broke the deadlock.
The cynicism that usually lingered on his face was gone, replaced by a rare cold seriousness. He raised his hand and tapped the tactical board heavily.
"How about I serve as the breakthrough point tomorrow and use Black Tortoise Replacement?"
At the words "Black Tortoise Replacement," Bei Bei's brows twitched slightly, signaling him to continue.
Xu Sanshi took a deep breath and spoke in a low, steady voice. "Everyone here knows this already—Liu Yuan is our greatest threat. As long as he stays on the field for even a second, we have no chance of winning."
"According to Senior Ma Xiaotao's previous combat experience, the most terrifying thing about him is his ability to continuously stack his basic attributes through spirit abilities."
"If we fail to restrain him at the very beginning, once he completes those stacks and fully activates his Soul Core, we won't even be able to clearly track his movements."
His eyes sharpened with resolve.
"So our only possible chance is right at the opening of the match."
"Before he has time to stack his abilities or fully drive his Soul Core, we must concentrate the team's maximum burst power and eliminate him instantly."
"As long as Liu Yuan is taken out, even if the remaining Sun Moon members are strong, we'll still have room to fight."
He paused briefly before laying out the plan.
"At the moment the match begins, I'll use Black Tortoise Replacement at all costs to forcibly swap Liu Yuan from the core of their formation to our side."
"During that moment, the six of you don't need to worry about me or anything else. The instant Liu Yuan lands, release your strongest control and offensive spirit abilities. Focus everything on him alone."
"I'll remain inside the Sun Moon team's formation and hold on as long as I can."
Xu Sanshi let out a short breath.
"With my defense, I probably won't last long without support. But if you can take down Liu Yuan within those few breaths, then we still have a chance."
As the plan sank in, everyone's breathing unconsciously quickened.
It was an extremely dangerous tactic—essentially sacrificing Shrek's strongest defensive core in exchange for a chance to kill the opponent's leader.
Huo Yuhao frowned, thought for a moment, then nodded. "Senior Sanshi's plan is risky, but it's the only real chance we have."
"My Spiritual Detection can help lock onto Liu Yuan's spatial position and increase the success rate of the displacement."
"At the same time, I can use Soul Shock to interfere with his judgment at that instant."
Ma Xiaotao and Wang Donger exchanged a glance and nodded as well.
At this point, conventional tactics had lost all meaning. Only such a desperate, unconventional move had any hope of creating a miracle.
For the next several hours, the Shrek team carried out intense final refinements—timing after Black Tortoise Replacement, spirit power output rhythm, coordination between control and burst attacks, and retreat routes.
By the time every detail was polished to the limit, the sky outside the window had already turned completely dark.
Time passed.
Morning arrived.
At Mingdu Plaza, the atmosphere had reached an almost frenzied level.
Although this was only the round-robin stage rather than the championship match, in the eyes of spectators across the continent, the significance of this duel already surpassed that of any previous final.
The Star Luo National Academy—once seen as a championship favorite—had already been upset and eliminated days earlier. The powerful Body Sect had also been swept aside yesterday by Liu Yuan in a godlike display.
Among the remaining sixteen teams, only Shrek Academy, bearing a thousand years of glory, could still match the Sun Moon Royal Team in reputation and theoretical strength.
To the audience, today's victor was essentially the tournament's champion in advance.
The venue was packed to the brim. Massive soul tool screens continuously replayed highlights from both sides' previous matches. Countless spectators were exhilarated, and the air itself seemed to tremble with roaring cheers.
Everyone was eager to see whether Shrek Academy could find a way to counter Liu Yuan—or whether the Sun Moon Royal Team would continue its myth of invincibility.
Amid thunderous applause, the Sun Moon Royal Team entered the arena first.
Liu Yuan walked at the very front, dressed in black martial attire. His slender figure appeared calm and composed, radiating an unfathomable depth.
The Shrek team followed shortly after.
Bei Bei, Huo Yuhao, Xu Sanshi, and the others wore solemn expressions. Each step they took was steady and grounded, carrying the dignified bearing of an ancient prestigious academy. The originally noisy venue quieted slightly in response.
Both teams took their positions in the waiting area, invisible sparks seemingly colliding in the air.
The referee strode to the center of the stage, the flag in his hand gleaming coldly under the sunlight. He swept his gaze across both sides and announced in a loud voice:
"Members of both teams, please take your positions on the stage!"
With the command given, Liu Yuan led the Sun Moon team forward at an unhurried pace.
He stepped onto the stage first, followed by Wang Qiu'er. Behind them were the familiar siblings, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.
Once everyone was in position, Liu Yuan took another step forward. His calm gaze swept across the Shrek lineup, lingering briefly on Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao. The corner of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.
On Shrek's side, Xu Sanshi stood at the very front of the formation. His left hand rested on the massive Mysterious Underworld Turtle Shield, while the spirit power within his body surged frantically along its prearranged path.
Cheers erupted once more across the stadium.
Amidst the deafening roar, the referee raised his flag and declared:
"Shrek Academy versus Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy—team match, begin!"