Chapter 54 – The Shadows of the Qualifiers
While the Martial Soul Hall Team (Lakan's Team) was granted an automatic seed into the Finals in Wuhun City, the rest of the continent had to bleed for their spot.
The Headmistress of Tianshui Academy–an elegant woman who knew the tides of power–arrived at the Supreme Pontiff's palace. She wasn't there to demand, but to request. "Holy Son," she bowed deeply to Lakan. "Tianshui was founded by the Shui ancestors. To enter the tournament without a Shui in our ranks feels like a betrayal of our history. I ask to borrow the sisters for the Qualifiers."
Lakan, sitting beside Shui Bing'er, nodded. "Honor must be upheld. Bing'er will remain with me to perfect our fusion, but Shui Yue'er will go. At Level 45, she is more than enough to anchor your team."
Shui Yue'er stood, her blue hair shimmering. She had grown into a formidable Spirit Ancestor, her agility now bolstered by the Kusa-Step basics Lakan had taught her. She would serve as the Vice-Captain. The Captaincy was handed to Xue Haiyang, a cold and disciplined Spirit Master whose "Ice-Shatter" martial soul made her the strongest in the academy after the sisters.
"Go, Yue'er," Lakan said, his voice calm. "Show them that even the 'branch' of the Sovereign's tree is enough to overshadow their 'Monsters.'"
••••••••••••••
Days before the Qualifiers, Tang San stood beside Ning Fengzhi in the VIP booth of the Heaven Dou Auction House. Below them, a young girl with cat-like features – a victim of human trafficking and noble depravity - was being displayed like a piece of meat.
Tang San's hands trembled with "righteous" fury. "This empire is rotting, Uncle Ning. To think such a thing is legal here."
Ning Fengzhi smiled gracefully, his voice the epitome of calm nobility. "The world has its shadows, Little San. But we can bring a little light." With a casual wave of his hand, Ning Fengzhi spent a fortune to "save" the girl, eventually handing her a pouch of gold and her freedom.
Tang San watched her leave, feeling a surge of pride. In his mind, he had struck a blow against evil. He didn't ask how she would survive alone in a city of predators, nor did he wonder if the Auction House—which relied on the Empire's laws—would simply take her back.
"The Martial Soul Hall claims to be the protector of the commoner," Tang San sneered to himself later. "But they are far worse than these nobles. At least the nobles are honest about their greed. The Hall hides its tyranny behind 'faith.' I will dismantle them first, then I'll deal with these slave traders."
He had already convinced himself that the Martial Soul Hall was the "Greater Evil," a convenient excuse that allowed him to ignore the actual slaves serving his tea at the imperial banquets.
Unknown to the "Hero," the moment the cat-girl stepped into the alleyways of Heaven Dou City, four masked men from the Auction House, commissioned to "restock" the inventory, closed in on her.
"Easy money," one laughed, reaching for her. "The Sect Master buys them, and we take them back. It's a perfect cycle."
Before his hand could touch her, a silver feather hissed through the air, pinning his sleeve to the stone wall. From the shadows, two Spirit Hall Enforcers stepped out, their Rank 50 auras crushing the kidnappers' breath.
"The Holy Son sent a message," the Enforcer said coldly. "In Wuhun City, we do not 'buy' freedom. We enforce it. This girl is now under the protection of the Hall. Anyone who follows her will find their head on a spike at the city gates."
As the girl was led toward a safe house run by the Spirit Hall, the "Hero" Tang San was already busy bragging to Scumgang about his "good deed," never realizing that his "Uncle Ning's" money had nearly just funded the very men who were going to kidnap her again.
••••••••••••
The first match was a slaughter. Shrek faced the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's Second Team. Without Lakan or the original Tianshui sisters to stop them, Tang San and Dai Mubai unleashed two years of pent-up frustration. Tang San used his Blue Silver Prison (now a dark, thorny violet) to trap the entire team, while Dai Mubai's White Tiger Meteor Shower decimated them.
They won in less than sixty seconds. The crowd roared, but Tang San didn't look at the crowd. He looked at the VIP booth, his eyes searching for a silver-haired boy who wasn't there.
The second major hurdle arrived: The Elephant Armored Academy.
With his ego bolstered by his "heroism," Tang San led the Shrek team into their second match against the Elephant Armored Academy.
In the canon, this team was formidable but beatable. However, the Butterfly Effect of the Martial Soul Hall's rising influence had reached the Diamond Mammoth Clan. Under the secret guidance of Bishop Salas, the Elephant Team had been pushed to their physical limits.
Their Captain, Hu Yanli, stood nearly eight feet tall, his muscles like slabs of granite. He was already a Level 48 Spirit Ancestor, and behind him were three more Ancestors. They were the "Tank" of the tournament.
"Shrek?" Hu Yanli grunted as the two teams stood on the platform. "The Bishop says you're loud-mouthed brats. We are the shield that breaks the hammer. Let's see if your grass can tickle our skin."
"Begin!"
Tang San immediately launched his Blue Silver Grass to bind the seven giants. "Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, go!"
The match was a disaster of overconfidence. Without the Immortal Herbs, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass lacked the "Tenacity" needed to restrain the Diamond Mammoth martial souls. Hu Yanli and his team didn't just resist the grass; they trampled it.
"Your grass is as weak as your convictions, Shrek!" Hu Yanli roared.
Tang San watched in horror as his teammates were systematically pushed toward the edge of the ring. Dai Mubai's tiger claws couldn't draw blood, and Ma Hongjun's flames were being snuffed out by the sheer pressure of the Mammoths' earth-attribute soul power.
"Teacher's theories... they aren't working!" Ma Hongjun yelled, his Phoenix fire failing to penetrate the thick, earth-attribute soul power of the Mammoths.
"Don't panic!" Scumgang shouted from the sidelines, his brow sweating. "Use the 'Spiral Drill' formation! Focus on one point!"
Tang San gritted his teeth. He used his Purple Demon Eye to find a weakness in Hu Yanli's defense, but the Mammoth's skin was too thick. Without the Ice and Fire refinement, Tang San's senses were sharp, but not "Divine."
The match became a grueling, ugly war of attrition. Shrek was faster, but the Elephant Team was an unstoppable wall. Every time Dai Mubai struck, he felt like he was hitting a mountain. The shockwaves of his own attacks traveled back into his arms, numbing his bones.
"Xiao Wu, now!" Tang San signaled.
Xiao Wu used her Teleportation to get behind Hu Yanli, attempting her Waist Bow. In the canon, her physical strength was enough to flip the giant. But here, without the Full Moon Musk herb to stabilize her beast-essence, her physical limit was hit early.
She grabbed Hu Yanli's neck, but he didn't budge. He grabbed her arm with a hand the size of a dinner plate.
"Little rabbit," Hu Yanli sneered. "Go back to the field."
He slammed her into the ground.
"XIAO WU!" Tang San's eyes turned blood-red.
In a fit of murderous rage, Tang San did the one thing he was told not to do so early: He manifested the Clear Sky Hammer.
He didn't use rings. He used the pure weight of the world's number one tool spirit. With a desperate Disorder Wind Splitting Hammer technique, he managed to strike Hu Yanli's shoulder. The sound of breaking bone echoed through the arena.
The Elephant Team stumbled. The momentum of the giants was broken. Shrek eventually won the match, but at a terrible cost, Xiao Wu was bruised, Dai Mubai's hands were trembling with micro-fractures, and Tang San had revealed his "hidden" martial soul to the entire world.