Chapter 526: The New King Ascends, the Old Emperor Fades · Part Ten
There's a saying called Murphy's Law, meaning that whatever you hope won't happen is likely to happen.
Seeing the final draw for the match, the expressions on Shrek's team darkened.
Wang Yan rubbed his forehead in frustration. "This is troublesome."
Though last night he'd prepared Ma Xiaotao as thoroughly as possible for facing Huo Yu'er, he still wasn't entirely confident. Both of them wielded extreme attributes, but if Huo Yu'er, with her slightly higher soul power, unleashed her Extreme Ice, it could potentially suppress Ma Xiaotao's Extreme Fire.
(PS: The relationship between ice and fire, like that of water and fire, isn't absolute; it depends on which one is stronger.)
But as a teacher, he couldn't let his worries affect the students. Adjusting his attitude and expression, Wang Yan looked at Ma Xiaotao and said seriously, "Go for it!"
Ma Xiaotao nodded without further words and stepped onto the arena.
Tianxing Academy's representative had yet to arrive, but Ma Xiaotao was already radiating fierce fighting intent. Her fiery soul power surged, ready to erupt at any moment.
However, when she saw her opponent, she froze, her expression breaking with shock. "It's you!?"
Up stepped Jiang Nannan, a gorgeous woman with golden hair that flowed down her back, and legs so long and shapely they drew many eyes from the spectators.
In the Shrek viewing area, Xu Sanshi leaned over the edge, completely entranced. "Nannan~"
His behavior was so shameless that even Bei Bei looked away in embarrassment, covering his face as he dragged Xu Sanshi back down.
Throughout the process, Xu Sanshi remained unashamed, writhing and calling out, "Nannan, Nannan, I love you! You can do it!" His enthusiasm was nauseating.
However, Jiang Nannan had long since moved past him.
She'd known sorrow and pain, but time had taught her to embrace a brighter future. Tossing her beautiful hair, she spoke confidently. "Why shouldn't it be me, Senior Ma?"
The referee shouted for them to prepare. Although the two women, each a stunning beauty, were ready to face off, this had little to do with the small time referee's interests. All he knew was that any distraction could cost him his job.
In an instant, both women entered their martial soul possession states.
Ma Xiaotao's flame red hair blazed behind her like fire, with two massive wings stretching out five meters from her back, emitting intense waves of heat.
By contrast, Jiang Nannan's martial soul possession seemed rather modest. A flash of light and a pinkish armor wrapped around her long legs, making her appear even taller. But what truly caught people's attention were her soft pink ears and the little bunny tail at her lower back. They almost begged to be pulled.
Yet, just as the referee was about to start the match, Ma Xiaotao's expression changed.
She saw Jiang Nannan pull a familiar circular disc from her collar and fit it into a device on her wrist.
"That's !" Ma Xiaotao's shock froze her, and the referee's call to begin snapped her back. Abandoning her hesitation, Ma Xiaotao flared her wings, surging forward like a streak of red light aimed directly at Jiang Nannan.
But it was too late. While Ma Xiaotao's attribute was Extreme Fire, her speed couldn't match that. In that brief moment, Jiang Nannan had already fitted the disc into her wristband.
"Henshin!"
By the time Ma Xiaotao closed in, her fire laden fist struck against a barrier surrounding Jiang Nannan.
Ma Xiaotao's face fell. Yesterday, Wang Yan had thoroughly analyzed Huo Yu'er's techniques, focusing heavily on her soul armor. He'd made one thing clear: if given a chance, she had to interrupt her opponent from placing the disc into the wrist device. Once completed, they'd fully armor up.
That brief, awkward gesture was essential, as it activated a barrier Wang Yan thought comparable to an invincible shield.
But now, it was too late, and Ma Xiaotao knew it was her own momentary hesitation that cost her.
Jiang Nannan's transformation was swift and elegant, each movement of her legs reminiscent of a flowing dance. With a series of backward flips, she widened the distance between them. Landing in a graceful split, her armor transformation completed.
"Ultimate."
"Heavenly Feet."
"Supreme Speed Power."
"Super Transformation!"
A sleek, pink armor enveloped Jiang Nannan from head to toe, even covering her soft bunny ears. Unlike Huo Yu'er's armor, which echoed ancient designs, Jiang Nannan's soul armor was more like a Kamen Rider's armor, encasing her body tightly.
Even so, it enhanced her graceful physique, highlighting the curves of her long legs, which captivated every onlooker, especially those drawn to such elegance.
"So... so powerful~" a burly spectator muttered, catching himself as he covered his mouth in embarrassment, hurrying away from the odd stares directed at him.
The transformation time finally ended, and Jiang Nannan's stance shifted to her combat ready Godspeed Mode.
People often pause before the unknown, and even Ma Xiaotao was no exception.
But she quickly refocused. This was about more than herself; she represented Shrek's honor, spanning thousands of years, and couldn't falter here!
Not knowing her opponent's full abilities, she decided to test Jiang Nannan's defenses.
"First soul skill: Phoenix Fire Line!"
A simple fire breathing skill, in Ma Xiaotao's hands, became a symbol of despair the hottest Extreme Fire, even deadly to those a level above her.
In the past, Jiang Nannan might have feared this.
But now, she was far from who she'd once been. Facing the oncoming Extreme Fire, she stayed eerily calm.
"Master taught me," she murmured, "never to try beating someone in their area of strength. Instead, use your own."
Jiang Nannan's Soft Bone Rabbit martial soul wasn't known for exceptional power. The Soft Bone Douluo of ages past, famed across the continent, wasn't limited by this martial soul's potential. After all, a 100,000 year Soft Bone Rabbit was hardly an ordinary Soft Bone Rabbit.
With a newfound understanding, Jiang Nannan had abandoned the misleading path of agility attacks and embraced her true route of pure agility.
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 527: The New King Ascends, the Old Emperor Fades · Part Eleven
A surge of flames rushed straight at Jiang Nannan, ready to consume everything in its path. But Jiang Nannan made an unusual move she turned her back on the flames. The audience looked on in confusion. She seemed ready to unleash her full strength, yet now appeared to surrender.
And then, Jiang Nannan disappeared.
Extreme martial souls are powerful, but they don't grant perfection in all areas. At least, Ma Xiaotao couldn't sense any changes beyond the flames, nor did she possess any heightened mental perception abilities. She could only rely on her combat experience and feel for soul power fluctuations to guess Jiang Nannan's next move.
As she unleashed her Phoenix Fire Line, Ma Xiaotao scanned the areas not covered by flames, trying to locate Jiang Nannan for a follow up attack.
In Shrek's waiting room, a tense Wang Yan suddenly leapt up, staring in disbelief at the arena behind Ma Xiaotao. "It's... a space type soul skill!"
Yes, Jiang Nannan had just activated her third soul skill, Teleport. Though it was a thousand year soul skill, its utility was unmatched. Turning her back initially was only a setup; Teleport had merely shifted her position, and she was preparing for her next move.
Among the extreme attributes, Extreme Fire is the most offensively oriented. When Ma Xiaotao activated her Extreme Fire, it became difficult for opponents to get close without suffering burns.
Although Ye Wen hadn't directly guided Jiang Nannan's strategy, his teachings had prepared her well. Realizing that close combat wasn't viable, she devised a plan to harass from afar, using her speed to wear Ma Xiaotao down over time.
"Tempest Kick: Cyclone Barrage!"
With her target in place, Jiang Nannan rapidly shook her right leg, sending waves of pink soul power blades slicing toward Ma Xiaotao from behind.
At that moment, Ma Xiaotao finally sensed Jiang Nannan's presence at her back. "Damn!"
Though being ambushed irritated her, Ma Xiaotao was no novice; she immediately ended her Phoenix Fire Line skill. Realizing she didn't have time to turn and counter the incoming attacks, she chose to activate her third soul skill instead.
"Third Soul Skill!"
This ability granted Ma Xiaotao flight, intensified her flames' heat, and expanded her attack range by 50%. Her flaming wings beat the air, propelling her into the sky.
Watching from the waiting area, Ye Wen couldn't help but comment to himself. Why did these flying soul masters need to reach the Soul Elder rank or gain a flying soul skill to take to the air? It was such a limitation.
Unaware of his silent critique, Ma Xiaotao looked down at Jiang Nannan with a serious gaze. Though initially relieved not to face Huo Yu'er, she realized Jiang Nannan's display of skills was worthy of her respect.
In a simple sparring match, Ma Xiaotao might have even commended her opponent. But here, carrying Shrek's honor, all she could focus on was defeating Jiang Nannan as quickly as possible.
"First Soul Skill: Phoenix Fire Line!" Though she had used this move on the ground before, the effect was different in the air. Even if Jiang Nannan could evade through some strange movement ability, Ma Xiaotao's aerial attack was broad enough to cover most of the arena.
The most basic First Soul Skill became a serious threat under the might of Extreme Fire. If it landed, any soul master at her rank would be severely wounded.
Unable to engage in her preferred close combat style, Jiang Nannan was at a disadvantage. But this didn't mean she'd stand idly by. She raised her right leg, spinning rapidly.
Ye Wen's Tempest Kick technique was based on compressing air with soul power, creating a vacuum effect that, when released, unleashed powerful air blades. The greater the initial force, the stronger the Tempest Kick.
In mere seconds, Jiang Nannan, gifted with naturally powerful legs thanks to her Soft Bone Rabbit martial soul, had built up enough force to unleash her next move.
With a shout, Jiang Nannan invoked, "Tempest Kick: Full Circle Slash!"
Jiang Nannan's mastery of Tempest Kick allowed her to perform a flawless, 360 degree strike, generating a vacuum shield against Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix Fire Line.
The specialized arena floor, durable enough to withstand attacks from Soul Douluo, now bore faint cracks. But all eyes remained fixed on the intense clash of Tempest Kick and Phoenix Fire Line.
Even the searing Extreme Fire couldn't penetrate the vacuum barrier created by Jiang Nannan's Tempest Kick, forced to remain at bay. With the threat momentarily contained, Jiang Nannan paused, contemplating her next move.
In that moment, she arrived at a new plan.
"Moon Step!"
Concentrating soul power in her feet, Jiang Nannan launched herself skyward, dashing through the air with rapid, precise footfalls to close in on Ma Xiaotao.
Although Ma Xiaotao could fly, the arena's limited space hindered her evasion, giving her little time to dodge. And Ma Xiaotao, ever prideful, refused to back down so easily.
"Tempest Kick: Full Circle Slash!" Jiang Nannan shouted, launching another air blade.
"Second Soul Skill: Phoenix's Bath," Ma Xiaotao countered, an ability that boosted her flames and flight speed.
"Fifth Soul Skill: Phoenix Piercing Strike!" As Ma Xiaotao summoned the essence of her Extreme Fire, a blazing phoenix took shape, enhanced by her previous skills. Its searing heat was now potent beyond measure as it hurtled toward Jiang Nannan.
The two powerful soul skills clashed in the air, each refusing to yield as they ground against one another.
Without additional reinforcement, Jiang Nannan's Tempest Kick lost ground. Ma Xiaotao's fire phoenix burned through it, streaking forward. Though Jiang Nannan attempted to dodge, exhaustion from repeated high energy moves took its toll.
(End of Chapter)
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Chapter 528: The New King Ascends, the Old Emperor Fades · Part Twelve
But Jiang Nannan wasn't the least bit flustered by the incoming attack.
"Second Soul Skill: Gravity Control!"
Though it was merely a century level skill with limited ability to increase or reduce gravity, it was now her lifeline. She swiftly plummeted to the ground, barely evading the Phoenix Skystrike. Hidden beneath her helmet, she winced slightly; that fall had numbed her legs.
Hovering in midair, Ma Xiaotao wore a troubled expression. That attack had been her strongest soul skill. Originally, she hadn't intended to use her ten thousand year skill against someone who wasn't Huo Yu'er. After all, a ten thousand year soul skill, even for a Soul Emperor, required significant soul power, and Ma Xiaotao worried she might be drained before facing Huo Yu'er.
But there was no time to dwell on that now. Ma Xiaotao noted Jiang Nannan's momentary stiffness and saw her chance.
"A perfect opportunity!" Her eyes gleamed, her body wrapped in Extreme Fire as she dived down, intending to finish Jiang Nannan with a single blow, no soul skills needed.
In the split second before impact, Jiang Nannan raised her right hand and shouted, "I surrender!"
With lightning speed, the Heavenly Fiend Douluo, serving as the match's final referee, appeared between the two. "Match over. Cease your attack," he intoned calmly. Under his wide robe, his right hand twitched slightly he hadn't expected that the flames of a mere Soul Emperor would cause him discomfort.
Jiang Nannan deactivated her armor and elegantly flipped her slightly tousled golden hair, smiling. "Thank you for holding back, Senior. I'll be leaving the stage now."
As Jiang Nannan turned to leave, Ma Xiaotao's eye twitched. "Holding back?" she muttered, frustrated. She had gone all out, using her most powerful soul skill, yet Jiang Nannan only looked mildly fatigued, not even injured.
Infuriated, Ma Xiaotao's temper flared. But from Shrek's side of the stands came Wang Yan's serious voice. "Calm down, Ma Xiaotao! Don't let anger cloud your mind. The battle isn't over yet!"
She glanced over and, seeing Wang Yan's urgent expression, regained her composure. Right. She couldn't afford to lose control. If she did, Shrek's chances of victory would become even slimmer.
"Even if it's not Huo Yu'er, I'll use everything I've got to take you all down!"
Her eyes burned with fierce determination, and she seized the brief pause to recover her soul power. When she saw her next opponent, Ma Xiaotao narrowed her gaze.
"Another 'familiar face,' huh?"
Her second opponent was Tang Ya. Although they didn't know each other personally, Tang Ya had once been well known at Shrek. Reviewing the roster of Tianxing Academy, Ma Xiaotao had recalled Tang Ya's profile.
Knowing this, Ma Xiaotao didn't consider Tang Ya much of a threat, assuming she was just another opponent trying to wear down her soul power in a battle of attrition. Given Tang Ya's plant based martial soul, Ma Xiaotao couldn't help but smile. Surely, this girl didn't have the kind of speed that Jiang Nannan did, and her fire attribute gave her an undeniable advantage over plant based opponents.
In Shrek's waiting room, Bei Bei looked on with a complex expression as his former love took the stage, worry outweighing any other feelings. The reputation of Ma Xiaotao, the "Fire Demon" of Shrek, was legendary, and Tang Ya's Blue Silver Grass seemed far too weak in comparison. Bei Bei silently cursed Tianxing Academy for putting Tang Ya in harm's way. What if she got hurt?
The referee signaled for the competitors to prepare. Ma Xiaotao instantly activated her martial soul, determined not to give Tang Ya a chance to equip her armor. Tang Ya raised her right hand, summoning the golden tinged Blue Silver Emperor. Her bearing transformed, radiating a regal and dignified aura.
Ma Xiaotao noticed something was off.
"Why isn't Tang Ya pulling out an iron token? And that Blue Silver Grass… it looks unusual. Whatever Blue Silver Grass is just Blue Silver Grass. A bit of color won't make a difference."
But as Ma Xiaotao closed in for a fast assault after the referee's signal, she quickly regretted her arrogance.
"First Soul Skill: Vitality!"
"Second Soul Skill: Bind!"
In an instant, the rapidly spreading Blue Silver Grass blanketed Ma Xiaotao's entire field of vision. She found the strength of these vines unsettling; even when engulfed in her Extreme Fire, it took longer than expected to burn through them.
Soul skills aren't immutable; when a martial soul evolves or mutates, the skills change accordingly. With her Blue Silver Grass transformed into Blue Silver Emperor, Tang Ya's abilities had also evolved, a process encouraged by Ye Wen himself.
As Ma Xiaotao tried to lift off in search of Tang Ya, a familiar sound reached her ears.
[Ultimate]
[Life]
[Blue Silver Emperor's Ultimate Power]
[Super Transformation!!!]
[Blue Silver Emperor Mode, GO!!!]
When the final "GO" sounded, Ma Xiaotao froze. Hadn't Wang Yan said that this kind of armor was extremely rare? How could Tianxing Academy possibly produce a third set of it?
But there was no time to dwell on that. Ma Xiaotao launched her Extreme Fire toward Tang Ya's direction once more, only to feel a force pulling her in various directions, diverting her Phoenix Fire Line from its intended path.
She was entangled. "When did this happen?" Annoyed, Ma Xiaotao activated her Extreme Fire, igniting her entire body. Surely these vines couldn't withstand the blazing power of the Phoenix.
The Blue Silver Emperor vines burned away, but Ma Xiaotao now understood how strange Tang Ya's martial soul truly was. She had encountered powerful plant type martial souls before, yet these vines were beyond anything she'd faced. According to Tang Ya's profile, her martial soul was just "Blue Silver Grass."
The title "Blue Silver Emperor" had been forgotten for so long that few remembered its significance, even with Tang San's fame. As for the distinction between Blue Silver Grass and Blue Silver Emperor, Tang Ya no longer cared.
Destined to dwell in darkness, Tang Ya had learned the value of keeping her true power hidden.
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Chapter 529: The New King Ascends, the Old Emperor Fades · Part Thirteen
The Blue Silver Grass surrounding Ma Xiaotao began to burn quickly under her powerful Extreme Fire, turning to ashes and leaving a clear white patch around her. Yet that was only a small space cleared. Gazing around, Ma Xiaotao noticed that she was somehow already surrounded by an endless growth of Blue Silver Grass.
"This is just too much!" Ma Xiaotao muttered, more surprised than alarmed.
Blue Silver Grass was known for its low energy cost. Even though it never developed strong offensive abilities, it could certainly multiply quickly. With that strange armor soul tool boosting Tang Ya's strength to the level of a Soul Sage, Ma Xiaotao couldn't say she was shocked by the extent of its reach. Although she could burn all the Blue Silver Grass to ashes with her Extreme Fire, that would cost too much soul power.
And since she suspected the opponent's plan was to exhaust her in a war of attrition, she wasn't going to fall into the trap so easily. With a flap of her fiery wings, Ma Xiaotao used her third soul skill, Phoenix Wing Ascension, and soared high into the air. While this era had the beginnings of flying soul tools, they hadn't yet reached a point where one could hover indefinitely, so a soul master who could fly still held a significant advantage until reaching the level of Title Douluo.
Yet this dynamic would change soon. After all, Ye Wen had already spread the technique for Moonwalk.
From her position in the air, Ma Xiaotao followed the direction in which the Blue Silver Grass was growing and soon locked onto Tang Ya's location. However, Tang Ya wasn't actually trying to hide within the grass, knowing that in an arena like this, finding her wouldn't be hard.
Seeing Tang Ya's armor soul tool up close, even Ma Xiaotao was momentarily taken aback by its elegance. Unlike Huo Yu'er's ancient looking armor or Jiang Nannan's knight like suit, Tang Ya's armor resembled a mage's robe. But unlike bulky traditional robes, her blue and gold armor hugged her figure, enhancing her youthful yet vibrant physique in a dignified, not seductive, manner. Suspended behind her was a large, ring shaped soul tool, intricately matched to her armor and clearly not something to be taken lightly.
In the Shrek team's waiting room, Bei Bei, who had previously scolded Xu Sanshi for ogling, now found himself equally entranced. This was his former love, and the sight of her like this only amplified her elegance and beauty, making it harder for him to let go.
Noticing Bei Bei's dazed expression, Xu Sanshi grinned mischievously and covered Bei Bei's eyes. "Hey, Bei Bei! Don't fall for her charms like I did!"
"Wha ?! Let me go! I'm trying to watch Tang Ya!" Bei Bei protested.
Caught up in Ye Wen's calculated encouragement, Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi both believed that one day, they might still capture the hearts of their former loves. But the future would prove that they could never catch up to those they had once admired.
One by one, Ye Wen's disciples had shown off soul armor of astonishing quality, prompting those in the audience to finally sense something unusual. After all, the wearers of these Soul Sage level armors were barely over rank 50 in power. If this armor could be given to an entire army, it could mean the formation of an entire force of Soul Sages.
Every soul master in the audience with ambition considered this possibility, but none dared to speak out or harbor thoughts of forcibly acquiring these armors not in the presence of someone with Ye Wen's level of power.
Except for one man.
The Emperor of Xingluo held back his urge to approach Ye Wen directly, instead summoning a servant to quietly call for his sister, Xu Jiujiu. Knowing the intelligence of his close advisors, he trusted they would convey his message discreetly.
Xu Jiujiu quickly joined her brother, who carefully masked his eagerness as he exchanged greetings with her. The siblings, however, were both sharp minded, and the Emperor soon addressed the topic directly.
"Jiujiu, do you have any information about that soul tool?"
Xu Jiujiu, seated gracefully beside him, replied calmly, "Elder Brother, please don't worry. Our master has already agreed to give this type of soul tool to me and our senior sister in the Heavenly Soul Empire. But it feels as if our teacher is hiding something important from us. It seems he won't grant it to us outright but requires us to make a decision first."
She continued, "If we choose a deeper bond with him, he'll grant us the armor. I suspect he might even share the technique within the academy. But judging from our master's tone, even if we don't choose the bond, he still intends to spread the knowledge, just not as deeply with us. I spent last night pondering this. Now that you've brought it up, I'd like to hear your opinion."
The Emperor's brows knitted in thought. Had Xu Jiujiu been an ordinary member of a major force, bonding with a Peerless Douluo would be a precious opportunity not to be missed. But Xu Jiujiu represented the Xingluo Empire, and decisions here could not be taken lightly.
Their family had taken the throne through covert means and remained wary of outsiders. Despite this, the Emperor cherished his youngest sister, who had shown only loyalty to the empire, and valued her as an invaluable ally.
After careful consideration, the Xingluo Emperor decided to advise Xu Jiujiu to accept Ye Wen's offer of a deep bond. The Xingluo Empire held a unique position on the front lines against the Sun Moon Empire, a situation growing increasingly tense. He felt the weight of this burden constantly and, though aware of potential risks, believed the benefits of the armor outweighed them.
The Emperor mentally prepared himself for the worst case scenario Ye Wen attempting to subvert the Xingluo Empire from within, as had happened in the past. Yet as long as the Xingluo Empire could fend off the Sun Moon Empire, even a Peerless Douluo would hesitate to take the throne by force and steal the rewards of their hard won victories.
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Chapter 530: The New King Ascends, the Old Emperor Fades · Part Fourteen
As Emperor Xingluo and his sister Xu Jiujiu discussed the nuances of forming a closer alliance with Ye Wen, the battle on the tournament stage had already intensified between Ma Xiaotao and Tang Ya. Although Ma Xiaotao's Extreme Fire granted her an elemental advantage, even such flames couldn't instantly penetrate the defenses woven by the resilient Blue Silver Emperor, whose life force was nearly on par with an Extreme attribute itself. This delay allowed Tang Ya valuable time to strategize and react, all while Ma Xiaotao's irritation only grew.
The longer the battle dragged on, the more Ma Xiaotao realized that she was being worn down as part of her opponent's plan. Frustrated, she inwardly fumed but couldn't find a way to bypass Tang Ya's relentless defenses. She felt as though she had fallen completely into a trap of attrition.
But Ye Wen's strategy had a different focus than Ma Xiaotao had assumed. He hadn't intended a mere endurance battle to drain her power; instead, he saw Ma Xiaotao as a valuable opportunity for his disciples to practice against a rare and powerful opponent with an Extreme attribute. He wanted them to hone their skills in this rare situation, pushing each to their limits while maintaining restraint. After all, the opponent they faced was one of Shrek Academy's best, an Extreme attribute soul master meticulously trained by the academy.
After several failed attempts to break through, Ma Xiaotao abandoned any notion of conventional tactics. She glanced at her fifth soul ring, considering whether to unleash her most powerful soul skill in a decisive gambit. But remembering Tang Ya's multiple layers of defenses, she doubted she could land a single strike without excessive energy loss a risk not worth taking.
Resolving to go all in, Ma Xiaotao took a deep breath, feeling the remaining eighty percent of her soul power. She was ready for a final, all or nothing assault.
On the other side of the stage, Tang Ya was pleased with the resilience of her Blue Silver Emperor. If her martial spirit could hold against a soul master with a directly opposing attribute, it would certainly prove its worth in future battles.
"One day, I'll repay the Tang Sect's betrayal," Tang Ya silently vowed, her spirit bolstered by her new strength.
But at that moment, she sensed a surge of oppressive soul power and looked up to see Ma Xiaotao preparing an ominous technique.
"What kind of power is this?" Tang Ya wondered, wary but confident in her defenses.
Ma Xiaotao's flames looked oddly faint, as if a breeze could extinguish them. However, those who recognized true power understood that she was channeling immense soul energy. Watching her closely, Ye Wen's eyes showed a hint of surprise.
"So, Shrek Academy does share self created soul skills with its core disciples after all. But…" A hint of disdain flickered across his lips. Ma Xiaotao's technique was crude, relying on spiritual force to forcibly compress soul power at certain nodes a rudimentary approach with limited potential.
In truth, Ma Xiaotao was indeed using a self created skill unique to Shrek Academy, bluntly named "Compression." While simple, it allowed her to harness power far beyond her typical capabilities. She compressed her Extreme Fire, then amplified it further using her second soul skill, Bathing Phoenix. Finally, she drew power from a right arm soul bone, and a sinister dark red flame began to coalesce in her hands.
Even though Tang Ya felt an arrogant confidence from her newfound strength, she instinctively sensed the danger and reacted swiftly. Her first move was to surround herself in a thick cocoon of Blue Silver Emperor vines, hoping they would buffer her against Ma Xiaotao's impending attack.
Ma Xiaotao, observing this from above, sneered. Despite being only at rank 67, her Extreme Fire allowed her to bridge the gap between herself and a typical Soul Sage, even to match Soul Douluo level opponents. With this Compression skill, her fire's potency had risen even higher.
She was sure her next move could even pierce through Soul Douluo defenses. Given the opponent's lack of experience, she believed that not even a powerful soul armor or shield would be able to protect them. Ignoring any potential fallout, Ma Xiaotao let her ambition for Shrek's glory overtake her reservations. To her, nothing else mattered in that moment.
"Burn!" She hurled the compressed flames forward, her most powerful single target skill, Phoenix Sky Strike, channeling the full fury of her Extreme Fire.
The audience gasped, feeling the terrifying heat from afar. Though Tang Ya was the disciple of a Peerless Douluo, Ma Xiaotao's ferocious attack seemed reckless in a tournament setting. This wasn't just a game anymore.
Even Shrek's own team, watching from the sidelines, was taken aback. Bei Bei, especially, could only watch in horror, unable to intervene as the flames closed in on Tang Ya. He feared for her life, closing his eyes in helplessness as the blazing fire burned everything in its path, leaving only charred remnants of the Blue Silver Emperor cocoon.
The arena fell silent as the audience struggled to comprehend the scene. Had Tang Ya survived? Would her master, the Peerless Douluo Ye Wen, overlook such an attack on his disciple? All eyes shifted toward him, wondering if he'd react with anger.
Ye Wen, however, remained seated calmly, watching the unfolding scene without a hint of disturbance, as if he had long anticipated the outcome.
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