Chapter 242: Crumbling Team Spirit, Tang San's Last Trump Card
The arena was silent.
Shrek's substitute members looked on with regret. They had watched their teammates tirelessly practice the Seven-in-One Fusion Technique, only to see it fail in this crucial moment. Success with the Clear Sky Avatar would have meant victory for certain, and the sense of loss was mutual.
What they didn't know, however, was that the failure of the fusion was orchestrated by Dai Yao. To them, it looked as if Ning Rongrong had simply stumbled, causing the Seven-in-One Technique to collapse.
Among the high-ranking officials and team members from Spirit Hall, many wore expressions of relief. Even now, they still felt a chill remembering the overwhelming presence of the Clear Sky Avatar.
"It looks like fate didn't favor Shrek this time," Yan remarked with a smirk as he glanced at Tang San. "They played their trump card only to self-destruct. Now they've lost any chance for a comeback."
Hu Liena's eyes gleamed with a mix of gravity and agreement. "Yes, if Shrek had been able to complete the Clear Sky Avatar, we likely would've lost. Auckland is incredibly lucky. Now, with Shrek injured by their own wild soul power, they don't stand a chance."
On the arena, the Auckland team watched the Shrek Seven struggle to recover, unsure of what to feel. The despair they felt at seeing the Clear Sky Avatar, followed by relief at its sudden failure, left their emotions swinging like a pendulum.
Dayuan Yi, still rattled by Shrek's earlier arrogance, couldn't help but mock, "What happened to all that confidence? Cat got your tongues?"
Tang San ignored the taunt, focusing on steadying his breath as he struggled to control the turbulence in his soul power. His gaze turned cold as he looked at Dayuan Yi, who shivered under Tang San's frigid glare, his words caught in his throat.
Turning back, Tang San fixed his furious gaze on Ning Rongrong. If not for her stumble, the Seven-in-One Fusion would have succeeded.
Before he could speak, Dai Mubai erupted, shouting at Ning Rongrong, "Ning Rongrong! Was this on purpose? You performed perfectly during practice, but now, on the one day that matters, you slip up? Do you have any idea how important this match is to me?"
The rest of Shrek looked at Ning Rongrong, their eyes full of confusion and disappointment. Victory had been within reach, and then she'd let them down.
Even those in the audience, including Auckland and Spirit Hall, watched the argument unfold with interest. None of the judges bothered to intervene; they were far more entertained by the drama on display. After all, this public conflict involved the heir of the Clear Sky Clan, the prince of the Star Luo Empire, and the daughter of the Seven Treasures Glazed Sect—a spectacle worthy of attention.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin, usually so composed, bristled with anger and moved to intervene, but Ning Fengzhi stopped him.
With a calm demeanor, Ning Fengzhi said, "Uncle Sword, let's not interfere. This is an important lesson for Rongrong. Winning can mask many flaws, but one day, a sudden defeat will reveal them all."
He continued, his voice thoughtful, "The Shrek team has undeniable talent, but their characters are lacking. The original trio—Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun—frequented places they shouldn't have at their age and even once beat a soul master named Bule into serious injury over a courtesan."
Ning Fengzhi paused and went on, "Then there's Tang San, with exceptional talent rarely seen in history. Building a relationship with him seemed wise. But I'm starting to reconsider…"
Chen Xin's eyes narrowed. "You're saying..."
"Yes, Uncle Sword. You've seen it too—Tang San has hardly shown any gratitude. After we saved his life during the Spirit Hall attack in Heaven Dou, we've supported him fully, even offering discounts on his hidden weapons. But he's never shown appreciation. It's only words with him, claiming we're 'friends' without offering a token of gratitude."
To Ning Fengzhi, the issue wasn't the money but the sincerity. Even a small discount would have signaled respect.
Dai Yao, in comparison, had responded with tangible gratitude by gifting the Celestial Chrysanthemum that evolved their martial spirit—an undeniable gesture of loyalty. Tang San's behavior, in contrast, was worrying.
Chen Xin nodded thoughtfully, "So, you're saying this defeat isn't just an eye-opener for Rongrong, but also a test of Tang San's character?"
"Yes," Ning Fengzhi said, his gaze sharpening on Tang San. "Dai Yao was the cause of the fusion's collapse, though Shrek doesn't realize it. Whether it was Rongrong's fault or not, they should support her. Considering we saved their lives, they should give us some respect."
Chen Xin agreed, his usual composure returning.
Dai Mubai continued his tirade against Ning Rongrong, sneering, "What, you can't speak up now? Playing the spoiled princess again?"
His words hurt, driving his own frustration. The Seven-in-One's failure meant they were eliminated, and with it, his dream of defeating Dai Yao. For so long, Dai Yao's victories had haunted him, and this match was his one chance to triumph over his rival. Ning Rongrong's mistake had destroyed his hope.
The rest of Shrek watched, frowning at Dai Mubai's harshness but unable to deny their own curiosity.
As her teammates looked at her with suspicion, Ning Rongrong trembled, feeling their disappointment like a heavy weight. Her gaze flitted from one face to the next, tears welling up. She wasn't sure what had gone wrong herself; she had been channeling her soul power perfectly when a powerful force suddenly separated her from her teammates, disrupting the technique. But would anyone believe her?
Observing their distress, Dai Yao broke the silence, his voice calm and somewhat mocking.
"You're looking to blame someone, Dai Mubai? A true warrior takes ownership, win or lose."
"Dai Yao, don't meddle in our team's affairs!" Tang San's face darkened as he turned to face him.
Dai Yao's tone remained even. "Why not? With this public bickering, it seems anyone can 'meddle.'"
The exchange left Dai Mubai gritting his teeth as he struggled with frustration. He turned to Tang San, desperation in his eyes. "Tang San, surely you have a backup plan?"
Tang San hesitated, then nodded. He did have one last trick up his sleeve. Reaching into his sleeve, he retrieved a pouch, opening it to reveal a set of hidden weapons.
Turning to face Dai Yao, he muttered, "If the Clear Sky Avatar won't do it, then maybe these will."
Tang San's final plan was the use of his most dangerous hidden weapons, ones he had kept hidden even from his own team.
As he prepared to act, Dai Yao's calm voice echoed across the arena, "Relying on hidden weapons to win? Is that how you'll earn victory, Tang San?"
Tang San hesitated, his grip on the weapons loosening as he met Dai Yao's steady gaze. A beat of silence followed.
His last trump card felt like defeat even before he played it.
Seeing Ning Rongrong's helpless expression, Tang San's eyes blazed red with fury. His chance for vengeance had vanished, leaving him seething with frustration. As he recalled Dai Yao's strange behavior before the match—remaining calm even in the face of the Clear Sky Avatar—a thought struck him.
Dai Yao had acted as though he knew their Seven-in-One Fusion would fail.
What could have given him that confidence? Tang San's eyes narrowed, and the possibility dawned on him: wasn't the one person from Shrek with ties to Dai Yao none other than Ning Rongrong?
Could Ning Rongrong have sabotaged the fusion technique to ensure their failure?
Fueled by suspicion, his anger rose, though a sliver of caution reminded him of Ning Rongrong's status as Ning Fengzhi's daughter. Suppressing his fury, he fixed a harsh glare on her, his voice strained as he asked, "Ning Rongrong, did you sabotage the Seven-in-One Fusion on purpose…for Dai Yao?"
Everyone's thoughts immediately turned to Dai Yao's unusual confidence during the match, and suddenly it all made sense. Oscar and Ma Hongjun exchanged wary glances, and their doubtful gaze turned toward Ning Rongrong.
Stunned by her own teammates' suspicion, Ning Rongrong's face flushed red in indignation, her pale complexion showing hints of feverish anger as she snapped, "Do you really think so little of me? I'm as much a part of Shrek as any of you! Maybe I had a temper when I first joined, but it's been ages—don't you know me by now?"
Thinking of the sacrifices she'd made for her team, including ending her friendship with Dai Yao, her heart grew heavy with resentment. She glanced at Oscar, who spoke up with a slightly hesitant tone.
"No, Rongrong… I mean, maybe if you just explained? You've never made a mistake practicing this before. But here, in the finals, a blunder like this… it's hard for us to understand. We just need some kind of answer."
Ning Rongrong pressed her lips together in silence, the pang of isolation flooding her with familiar bitterness. It reminded her all too well of when she'd first joined and the others had shunned her. Her defiance only deepened their suspicions— even Xiao Wu shot her an uncertain look.
Xiao Wu called out angrily, "Dai Yao, don't you have anything to say?"
In that instant, the accusation fell squarely on him, and Dai Yao, who had been quietly observing the conflict, looked on in mild shock. This discord was unexpected—Shrek had always been united, even in the original timeline.
Now even the Spirit Hall's high-ranking officials were watching with renewed interest. Seeing Shrek's internal dispute, their curious glances turned toward Dai Yao, murmurs buzzing through the crowd.
Dayuan Yi approached with a mischievous grin. "Dai Yao, it looks like your charms run deep. No wonder you were so calm—you've got an inside ally at Shrek!"
Dai Yao's eyes narrowed. "Watch your words."
Sweeping a dispassionate gaze over Shrek Academy, he finally said, "What's there to explain? First, this is your issue, not mine. Second—who are you to demand answers from me?"
His tone, calm and filled with contempt, only fanned Shrek's anger. Tang San clenched his fists, his suspicions all but confirmed. Dai Yao's involvement seemed undeniable; this failure had to be connected to him somehow.
He turned a furious glare toward Ning Rongrong, his voice barely above a whisper, "Ning Rongrong, can you honestly claim you've had no contact with Dai Yao?"
Ning Rongrong straightened, her voice clear and resolute. "None whatsoever."
Tang San's rage overflowed. He could no longer contain it, his voice erupting as he stared at her, his breathing heavy. "Don't lie to me, Ning Rongrong! Dai Yao was completely unfazed—even when I unleashed the Clear Sky Avatar, he didn't bat an eye. Do you know what that means? It means he was confident he could counter it! And then you slip up, causing the Seven-in-One Fusion to collapse! Tell me—how am I not supposed to doubt you?"
Ning Rongrong froze. Dai Yao's earlier behavior, combined with Tang San's accusation, made everything painfully clear. The strange force she'd felt must have come from him—likely the power of his second martial soul. After all, the fusion technique relied on her perfect execution of the fusion ring. Any error on her part would indeed ruin the whole technique.
Her gaze turned complex as she looked at Dai Yao. Struggling with a mix of loyalty, confusion, and resentment, she bit her lip. She had promised to keep Dai Yao's dual martial soul a secret, yet now she was bearing the brunt of her teammates' scorn.
The frigid looks of her teammates weighed heavily on her. Her heart tightened with a painful sense of isolation, and as her bitterness grew, her head spun. The exhaustion she had been hiding took its toll. She swayed, coughed up blood, and collapsed to the ground.
The sight of Ning Rongrong spitting blood and fainting jolted Dai Yao, and he spoke up, his tone edged with warning. "Tang San, she's your teammate. What you're doing is going too far."
"Stay out of it, Dai Yao!" Tang San yelled, breathing heavily, his chest heaving with barely restrained fury. After a tense pause, he lifted his head, a cold smile tugging at his lips as he faced Dai Yao.
"Don't think this is over, Dai Yao. We haven't lost yet—and I still have a score to settle with you!" Turning to his teammates, he shouted, "Everyone, get your Zhuge Divine Crossbows ready!"
In a flash, Tang San produced a black box in his hand; Xiao Wu followed suit without hesitation, raising her own crossbow. After a brief hesitation, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun also drew out their weapons.
With the exception of the unconscious Ning Rongrong, the Shrek Six all wielded identical black boxes. The audience, seeing this sudden change, stared in bewilderment, whispering to each other. What could those black boxes do? Could they actually turn the tide of the match?
Dai Yao's eyes widened, his heart pounding.
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