"It looks like Sky poison Ivy, But different" someone in the audience whispered, stunned.
Even from the Shrek team, Zhu Zhuqing frowned. "That's not a Sky Poison Ivy Martial Spirit…"
Tang San narrowed his eyes. "No—it's a mutated poison-type. And from the looks of it, it is mutated in good direction"
Yu Xiaogang's expression turned serious. "That's not just a powerful poison spirit… that's one of the most lethal variations in the continent. Sky Poison ivy is already an top grade martial spirit and if it have muated in good direction, then its toxicity most likely is even more enhanced."
Ma Hongjun's grin faltered slightly.
Mu Qing stepped into place, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "If you're worried about getting hurt… you can still bow out."
Flames sparked around Ma Hongjun's body.
"Sorry," he grunted, "but I've never backed down from a fight. Especially not when someone insults my fire."
"Then I'll be sure to extinguish it."
The referee, sensing the tension, raised his hand. "Fourth match—begin!"
The instant the referee's hand dropped, Ma Hongjun's Spirit Power surged, flames erupting around his body like a furnace bursting open. His Martial Spirit—the Evil Fire Phoenix—roared into form behind him, its crimson wings fanning the battlefield with intense heat.
"First Spirit Skill: Phoenix Fire Line!"
With a sharp sweep of his arm, a fiery beam shot toward Mu Qing like a whip of flame, burning hot enough to warp the air itself.
But Mu Qing didn't dodge.
She raised her hand lazily. Her first spirit ring, yellow and glowing, flared beneath her.
"First Spirit Skill: Poison Mist Veil."
A fine, greenish mist burst forth from her Ivy tendrils and wrapped around her form. The Phoenix Fire Line slammed into it—and hissed, steam exploding out as fire met toxin. The flame fizzled out, failing to penetrate the poisonous field entirely.
The crowd gasped.
"She countered his fire?!"
"She neutralized the Phoenix flame with… mist?!"
Ma Hongjun's eyes widened. "What the—?! That shouldn't be possible!"
Mu Qing's calm voice drifted through the toxic haze. "Your flames are strong… but impure. Poison eats away at impurities."
Before he could react, she raised her other hand. Her second ring, also yellow, lit up.
"Second Spirit Skill: Viper Thorn Bind!"
From the mist, glowing green tendrils shot out, laced with thin violet thorns. They darted like snakes, homing in on Ma Hongjun's legs.
"Hell no—!"
He jumped back instinctively, but the tendrils changed course mid-air, pursuing him like sentient serpents.
"Second Spirit Skill: Phoenix Wings Shield!"
His wings flared open, forming a barrier of spinning flame. The ivy tendrils hit the fire—hissssss!—but instead of burning away, they began to wrap around it, the tips turning black from the scorching heat but refusing to melt.
"Still coming?" he muttered, sweating.
One tendril slipped through and nicked his arm.
Almost instantly, his body staggered.
"Ugh—what is this…?" he hissed, feeling a numb burn spreading from the wound outward.
Mu Qing smiled faintly. "A slow venom. Nothing fatal. But I wouldn't let it spread."
Ma Hongjun grit his teeth. "I didn't want to go this far… but you asked for it."
His third Spirit Ring—the purple one—flared brightly.
"Third Spirit Skill: Phoenix Fire Explosion!"
His entire body ignited in a pillar of fire, the flames expanding outward in a blazing nova. The heat was intense, the platform beneath him blackening instantly.
The poison mist burned away under the surge, and Mu Qing's vines were pushed back.
"Got you now!" he shouted, charging through the haze with fire erupting from every limb.
But Mu Qing's third ring pulsed just as he reached her.
"Third Spirit Skill: Heaven's Bane Bloom."
The ground beneath her feet shimmered—and in an instant, vines exploded from the stone in a circular pattern, each tipped with a pulsing flower bulb. As Ma Hongjun neared, the bulbs burst open—releasing a thick, vibrant purple cloud of hallucinogenic toxin.
"Crap—!"
He tried to shield his mouth, but it was too late. He inhaled mid-charge.
His vision twisted—Mu Qing's figure blurred and doubled. The vines seemed to come alive, writhing like phantom snakes.
"Poison… illusion…?" he murmured.
Mu Qing stepped aside smoothly, one leg gliding back in a dancer's motion, avoiding his now-wild swing. Her hand touched his shoulder lightly.
A single thorn from her ivy pricked into his back.
His entire body froze.
Ma Hongjun fell to one knee, fire flickering out as his Spirit Power dropped sharply.
"I… I can't feel my legs…"
The referee immediately stepped in.
"Stop! Fighter is immobilized. Winner: Mu Qing of Barak Academy!"
The crowd erupted.
"Another win?!"
"Barak's new team members are monsters!"
From the Shrek side, Xiao Wu bit her lip. "That poison… she's terrifying."
Tang San narrowed his eyes. "Those weren't ordinary toxins. Her control is precise—she didn't even aim to cripple. Just enough to shut him down."
Max gave Mu Qing a light clap as she returned to the bench, brushing some imaginary dust off her sleeves.
"Well?" he asked.
Mu Qing smirked. "Barely a warm-up. He talks more than he hits."
With three consecutive wins under Barak Academy's belt and only four members remaining on Shrek's side, tension crackled through the arena like static before a storm.
Tang San's eyes narrowed in thought, calculating the risks.
Before he could speak, Xiao Wu stepped forward.
"I'm going now," she said softly, already moving toward the stage.
Tang San instinctively reached out. "Wait—Xiao Wu—"
But a hand stopped him.
Yu Xiaogang, calm but firm, placed his palm on Tang San's shoulder. "Let her go. If she fails, then you can step in."
Tang San hesitated, but then slowly nodded. "Alright."
Across the field, Mu Qing was already stretching languidly, a subtle smile playing at the corners of her lips.
"Oh? The bunny girl's next," she murmured with amusement. "How fluffy."
Xiao Wu's steps were light as air as she reached the stage. Her pink eyes were calm, her demeanor graceful—but Max, watching from the benches, immediately noticed the coiled power beneath her delicate movements.
"She's not weak," Max said quietly, leaning forward.
Lan Xue nodded, still recovering beside him. "She hides her killing intent well… but she's a real close-combat monster."
The referee glanced at both fighters. "Next match—Xiao Wu versus Mu Qing. Begin!"
***
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