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In the arena, even though Tang San had escaped from the Heavenly Thunder Net, the entire Shrek Academy team was now in a passive position.
In terms of soul power levels, the gap between the two sides was significant. The only Soul Ancestor, Dai Mubai, had already used his third and fourth soul skills consecutively. His White Tiger Meteor Shower, used to rescue Tang San, consumed a tremendous amount of soul power but only served as a distraction without inflicting substantial damage.
The rest of the team, in order to resist their opponents, had used multiple soul skills continuously, depleting at least sixty percent of their soul power. Moreover, Thunder Academy's lightning-element attacks were overwhelmingly oppressive, suppressing both the Blue Silver Grass and other martial souls.
However, after three consecutive losses, Shrek Academy could no longer afford another defeat. One more loss would likely eliminate any hope of advancing in the tournament.
At this moment, Tang San's face was resolute, his eyes burning with fierce determination. He couldn't afford to concede so easily.
Yang Xiong quickly returned to face Yu Tianxin. At this point, in terms of strength and other factors, Yang Xiong was the only one capable of matching Yu Tianxin. If they allowed the two auxiliaries to be defeated, the situation would become even more dire.
Tang San swiftly charged toward Lei Dong, the control-type soul master who had been restraining him throughout the match. Lei Dong's control abilities had consistently suppressed Tang San.
Lei Dong reacted swiftly, his massive Thunder Spider continuously spitting out webs. However, Tang San moved like a ghost, his speed extraordinary thanks to his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Steps, dodging Lei Dong's attacks with ease.
Suddenly, a vast number of Blue Silver Grass strands appeared in the arena, wrapping around all seven of Thunder Academy's soul masters to varying degrees. Even with their powerful lightning, their attacks were momentarily delayed.
At this moment, Tang San suddenly retracted the Blue Silver Grass, gripping a small black hammer in his hand. With full force, he swung it toward Lei Dong.
As an animal-soul control-type soul master, Lei Dong attempted to trap Tang San with more webs, but Tang San's elusive movements left no opportunity for him to strike. In the end, the hammer struck the massive Thunder Spider squarely. Despite its legs' desperate resistance, the spider was unable to withstand the blow, and Lei Dong's entire body was sent flying.
This marked the first time Thunder Academy found itself in a relatively passive situation—they had dominated the match from the start.
The audience erupted in astonishment. Especially Salas, the Platinum Bishop of the Spirit Hall, who stared intently at the black hammer in Tang San's hand.
The top-tier soul master guests present were utterly shocked: "The Hao Tian Hammer, so it's truly the Hao Tian Hammer! Has the Hao Tian Sect emerged?"
As the leader of the upper three sects, the Hao Tian Sect had ruled the continent for countless years. Its Hao Tian Hammer was universally recognized as the strongest Tool martial soul, instilling fear in both ordinary people and soul masters alike.
Even Emperor Xue Ye was astonished: "I never expected it to be the Hao Tian Hammer. Crown Prince, your decision to bring Tang San and the others into Tian Dou Imperial Academy was excellent."
Crown Prince Xue Qinghe smiled faintly: "Your Majesty, I merely followed your teachings and those of my mentor. Such achievements cannot be credited to me alone."
Emperor Xue Ye was clearly satisfied with Xue Qinghe's response: "Crown Prince, you must prioritize nurturing Tang San and the members of Shrek Academy. Fulfill any needs they may have. It is rare for our Tian Dou Empire to produce such talents."
Xue Qinghe chuckled: "Your Majesty, your humble servant obeys. This second team has quite a few geniuses."
Though Xue Qinghe smiled outwardly, a hint of malice flickered deep within his eyes.
Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo, however, didn't seem particularly surprised, as if they had long known about Tang San's second martial soul.
Amidst the audience's gasps of amazement, the battle on the stage continued, growing even more intense.
Tang San had transitioned from a control-type soul master to a powerhouse attacker. While his combat strength increased, his control abilities weakened significantly, especially making things difficult for the two auxiliaries.
Shrek Academy began to lose members first—Tai Long being the first casualty. Though Tai Long possessed considerable strength and his martial soul, the Vigorous Orangutan, boasted great endurance, he was overwhelmed by four Soul Ancestors. Surrounded by multiple Soul Elders, his lack of agility and limited combat experience (compared to the original eight members of Shrek Academy) ultimately led to his elimination.
With Tai Long eliminated, Thunder Academy soon began to lose members as well. Yang Xiong had consistently fought against two opponents, focusing on defense rather than defeating them. However, the other Soul Elders weren't as fortunate—one was quickly eliminated by Tang San's Hao Tian Hammer during the brief window when Lei Dong was knocked back.
As time passed, Oscar and Ning Rongrong, the two auxiliaries of Shrek Academy, found themselves in an increasingly difficult position. Without Tang San's Blue Silver Grass or Yang Xiong guarding them, and having continuously used their soul skills to support the team, their presence was crucial. Without them, the remaining five members of Shrek Academy wouldn't have lasted as long.
When their soul power was finally depleted, they voluntarily stepped off the stage. Remaining in the arena would have only made them liabilities. Thunder Academy's members occasionally launched ranged soul skill attacks against these two auxiliaries, further restricting their actions.
The battle quickly turned into a four-on-four matchup. On Shrek Academy's side, only Yang Xiong, Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Xiao Wu remained. Thunder Academy had four Soul Ancestors left, but the most troublesome matchups were Lei Dong versus Xiao Wu.
Lei Dong, who had previously controlled the battlefield, was now facing Tang San's newly unleashed Hao Tian Hammer, combined with his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Steps and various self-developed soul skills. He had just endured a direct hit from Tang San's hammer, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wu, a Soul Elder fighting against a Soul Ancestor with an agility-type martial soul, was at a clear disadvantage.
Yu Tianxin now understood the danger of the situation—this could very well be Thunder Academy's first defeat. He became even more ferocious, especially when confronting Yang Xiong, the man who had restricted him throughout the match.
Yu Tianxin's fourth soul ring flashed, and his body erupted with lightning. His right arm swelled once again, tearing through his clothing. His speed surged, and he moved like lightning, launching a swift attack toward Yang Xiong—his fourth soul skill: Blue Divine Dragon Envy.
Most geniuses of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family possessed this fourth soul skill, Blue Divine Dragon Envy. It was not only part of their heritage but also a technique used to train their Dragonization ability. It was considered the most suitable soul skill for their family.
Seeing the immense power of Yu Tianxin's soul skill, Yang Xiong extended his claw-like fingers, forming a deep blue sphere in his silver hand, and charged forward with full force.
Rasengan vs. Blue Divine Dragon Envy.
Yu Tianxin's right hand, resembling a dragon's claw, collided with the Rasengan, generating a terrifying explosion-like force. Yang Xiong was pushed back several meters.
However, Yu Tianxin fared far worse. His entire right arm was covered in blood, trembling uncontrollably. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, clearly gravely injured by the Rasengan.
Had the rules not prohibited killing or maiming opponents, Yang Xiong's Rasengan would have been even more devastating. And this was merely an ordinary Rasengan.
The audience erupted once more. No one expected Yu Tianxin, widely regarded as one of the strongest fighters in the Tian Dou region, to be injured by Yang Xiong. Just how strong was Yang Xiong?
Seeing Yu Tianxin injured, the others tried to rush to his aid. Vice-Captain Lei Dong, in particular, used his Heavenly Thunder Net again, attempting to slow Yang Xiong's attacks.
But someone else reacted just as quickly—Lei Mie, who had been battling Xiao Wu. Taking advantage of the distraction, he intensified his assault, knocking Xiao Wu off the stage.
Tang San's strategic vision shone at this moment. Rather than assisting Yang Xiong, he attacked Lei Dong. With a mighty swing of his Hao Tian Hammer, he struck Lei Dong, whose soul power was nearly depleted and who had been under continuous assault. Lei Dong was sent flying off the stage with a single blow.
Now, the battle was truly three-on-three. On Shrek Academy's side: Yang Xiong, Tang San, and Dai Mubai. On Thunder Academy's side: three Soul Ancestors, including the heavily injured Yu Tianxin.
After a grueling battle, Yu Tianxin reluctantly collapsed onto the stage. Both Tang San and Dai Mubai were gasping for breath, their bodies battered and bruised.
When the referee announced Shrek Academy's victory, Tang San and Dai Mubai nearly collapsed. This had been a brutal head-on clash—a fierce war of attrition. Nearly everyone on both teams was injured, and aside from Yang Xiong, almost everyone's soul power was completely depleted.
Shrek Academy finally ended their three-match losing streak, while Thunder Academy suffered their first defeat.
However, Tang San's exposure of the Hao Tian Hammer raised questions—whether this was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.
As for Yang Xiong, he cared little about winning or losing. For him, the entire match was merely practice. Fighting against lightning-attribute soul masters seemed to benefit his body, despite the process being somewhat painful. Occasionally enduring electric shocks wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Before Yang Xiong could leave the stage, Yu Tianxin staggered to his feet. "Yang Xiong, what kind of monster are you? Why can't I defeat you even after using all my strength? You're still just a Soul Elder!"
Yang Xiong shrugged casually. "Yu Tianxin, if you want to know about my strength, you can ask your brother Yu Tianheng. I've fought him many times."
Without saying anything further, Yang Xiong and the others left the arena amidst cheers.
The teachers and students of Shrek Academy were overjoyed. Though the battle had been brutal, they had emerged victorious—especially against the undefeated Thunder Academy, which greatly boosted morale.
Both Yu Xiaogang and Flender looked as if they had won the championship.
In the eyes of the audience, Tian Dou Imperial Academy's Shrek Academy team seemed poised to rewrite history. In recent years, teams advancing from the Tian Dou region were often the Five Elements Academies—the longstanding powerhouses. Yet here was Tian Dou Imperial Academy's second team, once considered a pushover, emerging like a dark horse, defeating two Elemental Academy teams. Perhaps they truly could become the biggest surprise of this Soul Master Competition.
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