Shrek Academy's team was defeated by Blazing Academy.
This was their first loss since the start of the qualifiers.
Everyone felt deeply unwilling to accept the result — especially Tang San.
They believed that if the full lineup of the Shrek Seven Devils had fought, the outcome might have been different.
Because of Yu Xiaogang's tactical plan, Ma Hongjun had not been given the chance to compete. Watching his teammates fall one after another, his chest burned with frustration.
Inwardly, he swore to himself that if he ever got another chance to face Blazing Academy, he would make them pay dearly.
In their next match, Shrek went up against Canghui Academy.
The two academies already had a grudge from before, and after losing to Blazing Academy, Shrek vented all their pent-up anger on the Canghui team.
Using a clever strategy, Tang San caused severe damage to the Canghui Academy team, even making it look as if they had suffered backlash from their Seven-in-One Fusion Skill.
Afterward, Shrek took the excuse of "needing rest" to forfeit the next two matches — against Thunderclap Academy and Godwind Academy — thus conceding defeats to both powerful opponents.
In the Heaven Dou Empire division of the tournament, the three academies that performed the best were Godwind Academy, Thunderclap Academy, and Tianshui Academy.
The Godwind team was made up entirely of offensive-type Spirit Masters. Under the leadership of their captain, Feng Xiaotian, they achieved a record of twenty-seven matches, twenty-six victories.
Many teams surrendered before even facing them — including Shrek Academy.
Their only loss had been to Blazing Academy, and even that was because Feng Xiaotian had deliberately gone easy on them — for Huo Wu's sake.
Thunderclap Academy, with its overwhelming lightning-based offense, also achieved an impressive twenty-six wins and one loss, their only defeat coming at the hands of Godwind Academy.
Tianshui Academy, known for their exquisite teamwork and the Martial Soul Fusion Skill "Snow Dance of Ice and Snow" performed by Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu, also earned an outstanding record.
Their only losses had been to Thunderclap and Godwind Academies.
Shrek Academy's final opponent in the qualifiers was Tianshui Academy.
They had already lost to Blazing, Thunderclap, and Godwind.
If they lost again to Tianshui, they would fall to fifth place.
But if they could defeat Tianshui, both teams would have the same record — twenty-four wins and three losses — and because of tiebreaker rules, Shrek would claim fourth place instead.
Before facing Spirit Hall's team in later rounds, Yu Xiaogang didn't want Tang San to reveal his Clear Sky Hammer spirit, nor did he wish for the team to expose their trump cards.
Tianshui Academy was strong, and defeating them would be no easy feat.
Besides, with the top three already out of reach, the difference between fourth and fifth place wasn't that meaningful.
So Yu Xiaogang decided they should forfeit this final match.
Before the battle, he gathered the team.
"Our last opponent is Tianshui Academy," he said calmly. "Regardless of the outcome, we can no longer reach the top three. But we've already secured a spot in the top five, so I suggest we sit this one out."
Tang San looked around at the others — none of them were willing to back down. Every one of them was holding in frustration from their previous defeats.
"Teacher," Tang San said firmly, "let us fight. This time, we'll win!"
On the first day they entered Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena, Ma Hongjun had argued with Huo Wu, boasting arrogantly — yet when they actually faced Blazing Academy, Shrek had been helpless against their flames, ultimately suffering defeat.
That loss was a humiliation for the entire team.
After that, they'd missed the chance to challenge the two other powerhouses — Thunderclap and Godwind.
Now, they were desperate to prove themselves.
Tianshui Academy had even defeated Blazing Academy; if Shrek could defeat Tianshui, it would wash away much of their shame.
Yu Xiaogang sighed. "Very well. But remember what I've said before — do your best, but don't overextend. Sometimes, knowing when to give up is also a form of wisdom."
He understood their resolve, and so he agreed.
Unfortunately, the result was disappointing. Shrek once again lost, this time to Tianshui Academy.
For this match, Shrek's lineup consisted of Dai Mubai, Tang San, Xiao Wu, Jing Ling, Huang Yuan, Tai Long, and Jiang Zhu.
Tianshui Academy sent Shui Bing'er, Xue Wu, Shui Yue'er, Yu Hairou, Gu Qingbo, Qiu Ruoshui, and Shen Liuyu.
Although Tianshui's lineup was composed entirely of beautiful young women, they were far from ornamental — their strength was genuine.
Their combined ice power was overwhelming, cold enough to make opponents shiver uncontrollably.
When Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu unleashed their Martial Soul Fusion Skill: Snow Dance of Ice and Snow, the freezing aura they produced was unbearable.
The entire Shrek team was suppressed from start to finish. Tang San, in particular, felt a suffocating frustration building within him — to the brink of collapse.
At one point, he was ready to reveal his Clear Sky Hammer, but Yu Xiaogang stopped him just in time.
Just as he had against Blazing Academy, Yu Xiaogang once again chose to concede, ending the match.
When the Heaven Dou Empire Division's qualifiers concluded, the top five academies were ranked as follows:
1. Godwind Academy – 26 wins, 1 loss
2. Thunderclap Academy – 26 wins, 1 loss
3. Tianshui Academy – 25 wins, 2 losses
4. Blazing Academy – 25 wins, 2 losses
5. Shrek Academy – 23 wins, 4 losses
After the qualifiers ended, the next stage — the Promotion Tournament — was scheduled.
The Promotion Tournament was focused on individual strength rather than team battles, and no academy would be eliminated. It would begin in one month.
Shrek's team returned to their branch academy in Heaven Dou City.
Originally, they had been full of confidence, but finishing only in fifth place left them dejected.
On the walk back from the Great Spirit Arena, Tang San kept replaying in his mind every detail of their losses to Blazing and Tianshui.
Losing to Blazing, missing the chance to face Godwind and Thunderclap — he had hoped to redeem himself by defeating Tianshui, to prove his worth.
But reality had not gone his way.
In the battle against Tianshui, he had been completely suppressed by Shui Bing'er.
"Damn it!" Tang San clenched his fists. "If only I had met Dugu Bo earlier... If only I'd reached the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well before that thieving flower picker — then I could have claimed the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and the Fiery Apricot Delicate for myself!"
"If I'd taken them, I could have forged a body immune to both fire and ice. My Blue Silver Grass would've gained resistance to both elements!
If that had happened, how could we possibly have lost to Blazing and Tianshui?"
He sighed bitterly.
"And who knows how many immortal herbs that flower thief plundered… If the herbs Mubai and Rongrong used had been top-grade ones instead of ordinary spirit herbs, our team's overall strength would've been far greater."
As these thoughts swirled, Tang San's resentment toward the mysterious intruder who had trespassed into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well deepened even further.
Over the next month, Tang San went into seclusion to cultivate, swearing to himself that when the Promotion Tournament began, he would defeat Godwind, Thunderclap, Tianshui, and Blazing — every one of the strong teams — and prove his strength.
During that time, the rest of the Shrek team also trained relentlessly under Yu Xiaogang's guidance.
Finally, with only two days remaining before the Promotion Tournament, Tang San emerged from seclusion.
His cultivation had advanced noticeably; the Blue Silver Grass he summoned now seemed tougher and more resilient than ever before.
Just as Tang San stepped out of his room, he ran straight into someone approaching from the opposite direction — Dugu Bo.
"Little monster, you've finally finished cultivating," the old man said with a faint smile. "There's something I've been thinking over… and I believe I should warn you."
Tang San blinked in surprise. "Warn me? About what?"
"It's about your little sister — Xiao Wu."
Tang San froze. "Xiao Wu? What about her?"
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