Zao Wou-Ki turned to look at Flender, his face a mask of disbelief. While he wasn't privy to every detail of the team's strategy, he had clearly heard Flender say that Huo Feng was supposed to observe the battle first, not actively participate.
"Dean, was this your arrangement, too?" Zao Wou-Ki asked, his tone laced with bewilderment. He could never have imagined that Huo Feng's idea of "observing" would be to sit down in the middle of a fight. "Isn't this just making things harder for everyone else? Even if you want to train the others, this method is a bit extreme, don't you think?"
"Me?" Flender shook his head, his movements a little stiff. "I didn't arrange that. It seems that kid decided to challenge his own teammates."
Hearing this, Zao Wou-Ki found the situation even more incredible. Huo Feng had done this on his own. Was it a sign of his absolute trust in his teammates? Or was it a sign of his absolute trust in himself? Didn't he care about the risk of losing? A loss in a team battle like this wouldn't just be a simple defeat; the repercussions would be significant.
"It doesn't matter," Flender's nonchalant voice cut through Zao Wou-Ki's thoughts. "It's good for them. A little pressure will help them grow." Compared to his vice-dean, Flender seemed to have unshakable confidence in the students on the field.
"Fine, fine," Zao Wou-Ki sighed, clapping his hands together in helpless resignation. If the dean wasn't worried, then why should he be?
Down in the arena, the match had already exploded into action. The first to move were not the powerful assault-type masters at the front, but the crucial support-type masters in the rear.
On the Berserker team's side, a silver disk materialized in the palm of the older middle-aged man. As his white and yellow spirit rings pulsed with light, two waves of energy—one defensive, one offensive—washed over his six teammates, cloaking them in a faint, yellowish-white aura.
At the same time, Ning Rongrong's hand began to glow with a brilliant light. A magnificent, seven-colored pagoda, about a foot tall, appeared in her palm, radiating an aura of nobility. A serene smile graced her lips as the unique spirit incantation of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School rang out clearly.
"Seven Treasures are known, the first: Strength."
"Seven Treasures are known, the second: Speed."
Her two yellow spirit rings ascended, enveloping the pagoda. Fourteen rays of vibrant, multicolored light shot out, blessing herself and her five active companions. A sensation of lightness and warmth spread through their bodies as their strength and agility were instantly boosted by a staggering thirty percent. Everyone received the enhancement except for Huo Feng, who was still leisurely watching the show from the back.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was simply too famous. The moment the Berserker team saw it, their faces turned grim. The unparalleled buffs it provided were terrifying enough, but the identity of its wielder was even more intimidating. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was not a power to be trifled with.
Kuang Xi exchanged a knowing glance with the two men beside him. In that instant, their strategy shifted. Ning Rongrong, with her legendary martial soul, had just become their number one target.
The arrow was already nocked; there was no turning back now. Kuang Xi pushed all other thoughts from his mind. He did, however, make one mental note: no matter if they won or lost, he absolutely could not injure his opponents as he had in the past. Offending the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was a death sentence.
"Charge!" Kuang Xi roared.
His martial soul was the Rhinoceros. Upon its release, his body swelled in size, and a thick, armor-like layer of keratin covered his skin. The most significant change was the horn that erupted from his forehead, now over half a foot long and glowing with a brownish-yellow light. As the white light of his ten-year spirit ring flared, he charged toward Dai Mubai with unstoppable momentum.
The two Spirit Masters beside him, both with Goat martial souls, flanked him, launching their own charge in perfect coordination. As a team, their synergy was clear. The buffs from their own support master had granted them a five percent increase in defense and a ten percent increase in attack power, but it was a pitiful boost compared to the overwhelming amplification from the continent's number one support-type martial soul.
Behind the charging vanguard, two agility-type Spirit Masters moved like blurs. Their martial soul was the Monkey, and covered in yellow fur, they moved with incredible speed. They deftly skirted around Dai Mubai and the others, their target clear: Ning Rongrong in the rear.
At the same time, the enchanting woman with the optimal spirit rings made her move. She was a control-type Spirit Master, and her power was the reason she held the central position in their formation. Her martial soul was a Spider. The moment it possessed her, her entire body was bathed in a pink glow. Eight strands of her wavy hair stood up rigidly, fanning out like spider legs on either side of her head. A web symbol appeared on her forehead, and her eyes turned a solid, unnerving pink. As her first spirit ring lit up, she raised her hands, and strands of sticky silk shot out from her palms, beginning to weave a massive web in the air above them.
Dai Mubai's eyes darted across the battlefield, taking in every detail. Seeing the web forming, he knew the time was right.
"Fatty, now!" he bellowed. "Phoenix Fire Line!"
Ma Hongjun was already prepared. He opened his mouth and spewed a torrent of purplish-red flames, aiming directly for the spider web.
In that same instant, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing sprang into action, moving to intercept the two Monkey Spirit Masters that were closing in on their supports.
Seeing that Shrek's forces were now divided and Dai Mubai was the only one left to face him, Kuang Xi grinned maliciously. His second spirit ring, a yellow one, suddenly flared to life. Without hesitation, he unleashed his second spirit skill. As he charged, he threw both fists forward. Two masses of dazzling black light erupted from his knuckles, colliding in mid-air and merging into a huge, menacing wave of dark energy that surged toward Dai Mubai.
The Evil-Eyed White Tiger did not dare to be careless. His own first two yellow spirit rings lit up simultaneously. His first skill, the White Tiger Body Protection Shield, and his second skill, the White Tiger Violent Light Wave, were unleashed at the exact same time.
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