Remember—when you return, tell Zhao Wuji that my money is hidden in the secret chamber of the headmaster's office. Have him keep our Shrek Academy running well.
Standing at the front, Flender didn't even turn his head as he spoke solemnly.
Qin Ming thought to himself:
"The Headmaster may care about money, but he values loyalty and emotion far more."
"Boss Flender!" Liu Erlong stepped to his side, visibly moved.
"No, Headmaster. We're also a part of Shrek Academy. We're not leaving." Tang San declared firmly.
"That's right—Shrek stands together." Dai Mubai and the others echoed one after another.
"Today, all of Shrek will live or die as one!" Yu Xiaogang added, taking his place to complete a triangular formation.
The three had positioned themselves for their Tri-Person Martial Soul Fusion Technique.
"Live or die as one? Very well—I'll grant your wish. Take them down!" Bibi Dong's voice was cold as she unleashed a terrifying wave of spirit pressure.
The Spirit Hall experts around the arena surged forward in unison.
"Radiant Gold Triangle Formation!" Flender shouted, his body glowing with a faint golden light.
A golden triangle formed beneath his feet, connecting him, Yu Xiaogang, and Liu Erlong at each corner.
"Ro-San Cannon!" Yu Xiaogang roared. His spirit passed through the linked spirit ring channels of the three, transforming from an ordinary pig into a mighty golden dragon, gleaming with golden light.
This was their Martial Soul Fusion Technique: Holy Golden Dragon.
In an instant, their aura exploded outward, forcing back the surrounding Spirit Hall forces.
"Useless. Ghost, Yue Guan—go get her." Bibi Dong barked, releasing an even more terrifying aura.
All nine of her spirit rings emerged, and the last one—a blood-red 100,000-year spirit ring—hung ominously at the bottom.
Its pressure alone made Yu Xiaogang's trio unable to move.
"A hundred-thousand-year spirit ring?!" Qin Ming exclaimed in shock.
"So this is what it feels like… The pressure is suffocating." Yu Xiaogang thought, stunned by Bibi Dong's overwhelming strength.
"She's reached Rank 98… what a monster." Lin Fan muttered to himself from the sidelines.
"Little Brother Lin Xuan," Xue Qinghe approached Lin Fan and asked curiously,
"Shrek Academy is your team. Seeing their loyalty, why aren't you helping them?"
"I can't beat her. Going up would be suicide. Besides, I already helped them win the championship and didn't even take a single spirit bone. I've done my part," Lin Fan said flatly.
Then, he turned the question back:
"Your Highness, Shrek represents the honor of the Heaven Dou Empire. Shouldn't you be sending your Royal Knights to assist?"
Xue Qinghe answered calmly,
"When Spirit Hall wants something, no one can stop them. And they're acting with cause—it's a soul beast they're after. Since Shrek insists on protecting it, I can't help them, even as their imperial representative."
Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo responded to Bibi Dong's command:
"Yes, Your Holiness!" and launched another attack—this time, heading directly for Xiao Wu.
"Fengzhi, are we going to just let Spirit Hall take her?" Sword Douluo Chen Xin asked in a low voice.
"Even if it's just for that 100,000-year soul beast, we can't let them have it. If Spirit Hall gets stronger again, the balance will break," Chen Xin warned gravely.
After some hesitation, Ning Fengzhi replied seriously,
"We'll wait until they're just about to succeed, then intervene."
"Third Spirit Ability: Spider Web Restraint!"
"Fourth Spirit Ability: White Tiger Meteor Shower!"
Tang San and Dai Mubai launched their spirit abilities in an attempt to block Ghost and Chrysanthemum Douluo.
"Naïve." Yue Guan sneered. With a flick of his soul power, their attacks were shattered.
"Sixth Spirit Ability: Blazing Wolf Storm!" Qin Ming followed up with his strike.
But Chrysanthemum Douluo simply activated his spirit, instantly dispersing Qin Ming's attack.
"Thank you all… for protecting me like this. But I can't let you all die for my sake." Xiao Wu realized she had no way out.
"After becoming human, the happiest moment of my life was meeting you all. Thank you… for staying with me this long." She stepped forward, walking toward Bibi Dong.
"Xiao Wu, no—don't do it!" Tang San cried in agony, but under the suppression of spirit pressure, he could barely take a few steps.
Meanwhile, Bibi Dong—without even using her Martial Soul Avatar—sent out a surge of spirit power that shattered the Holy Golden Dragon.
"Is that all you've got?" Bibi Dong said coldly from above.
With another blow, she completely broke apart the fusion technique.
Yu Xiaogang and the others spat out blood.
"Damn it… She's far stronger than Dugu Bo!"
"I'm your target, aren't I? Let them go—I'll come with you," Xiao Wu said as she stepped beside Flender and his group, looking directly at Bibi Dong.
"You should've done that from the start." Bibi Dong sneered.
"Ghost, take her!"
"Yes!" Ghost Douluo flashed to Xiao Wu's side, reaching out with both hands.
"Where the hell is Tang Hao?! Why isn't he here yet?!" Lin Fan muttered nervously as Xiao Wu was about to be captured.
Just then, the sky split with a crack of thunder and lightning.
A massive black hammer fell from the sky, slamming down in front of Xiao Wu and blasting Ghost Douluo away.
"Sword Uncle—wait!" Ning Fengzhi quickly raised a hand to stop Sword Douluo from acting.
An overwhelming pressure followed, and a voice boomed from above:
"A ghost and a flower dare to bully my son?"
"Spirit Hall—I've come to settle the score!"
The thunderous voice belonged to Tang Hao.
He released his Martial Soul Avatar, hoisting the Clear Sky Hammer high above his head, and swung it down toward the Pope's Palace.
All three of Bibi Dong's elite protectors looked skyward as she roared,
"Tang Hao—you dare?!"
As the hammer descended toward the grand structure, the trio had no choice but to abandon Xiao Wu and confront Tang Hao. They soared upward, forming a massive soul power shield to block the strike.
BOOM!
The collision of offense and defense sent shockwaves throughout the area.
Tang San and the others were flung back, slamming into the outer wall.
Soon, cracks began to appear in Bibi Dong's defense barrier, but then, multiple waves of spirit energy surged from the back of the Pope's Palace, reinforcing it.
"Then fight me to the end!" Tang Hao bellowed, as two of his soul rings disappeared, and his aura surged again.
"Tang Hao's power does exceed mine. But this Qian Daoliu… how can he just watch? Half the Angel Statue is destroyed and the Pope's Palace is crumbling, and still—nothing?" Lin Fan was speechless.
Does Qian Daoliu not care about a 100,000-year soul beast?
Perhaps he was still holding to an old promise made to Tang Chen—or maybe he just didn't want to stoop to ganging up on a single man alongside Bibi Dong.
Whatever the reason, Lin Fan couldn't understand it.
If it were me, I'd already slapped Tang Hao to the ground.