Despair rose in the hearts of the Shrek team! If struck by this attack, they would likely be completely annihilated!
In the VIP seats, Emperor Xue Ye had already stood up, while Ning Fengzhi gripped the armrests tightly. Below the stage, Grandmaster, Flender, and the others felt their hearts leap to their throats!
At this critical moment, a flash of determination appeared in Tang San's eyes. He glanced at Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing, and their gazes met, instantly understanding each other's thoughts! This was their only chance!
"Mubai! Zhuqing!" Tang San shouted loudly!
Without hesitation, Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing charged toward each other simultaneously! As they sprinted, their bodies began emitting strange black and white lights, their auras merging as seamlessly as milk and water!
"This is... a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?!" Ning Fengzhi exclaimed in shock from the VIP seats! Emperor Xue Ye also showed astonishment! Bishop Salas's pupils contracted violently!
Under the astonished gazes of everyone, Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing's figures completely merged within the dazzling black and white radiance! An ear-splitting tiger roar, as if from ancient primordial times, resounded throughout the entire Great Spirit Arena! As the light faded, a giant tiger over eight meters long, with a translucent body, white fur and black stripes, enormous wings on its back, and a terrifying pressure emanating from the massive "king" character on its forehead, appeared on the Soul Duel Stage!
Netherworld White Tiger!
The fused Netherworld White Tiger's aura had astonishingly reached the Soul King level! Its icy eyes, like two cold stars, instantly locked onto Huo Wu, who was gathering her Fire Dance Sun! The terrifying pressure seemed to freeze the very air!
Huo Wu's face instantly turned as pale as paper, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief and fear! She never expected the opponent to still possess such a legendary trump card as a Martial Soul Fusion Skill! And with such a powerful aura!
Huo Wushuang's eyes nearly burst with rage, wanting to step forward and block, but he was forced back repeatedly by the mere shockwave from the Netherworld White Tiger's casual swipe, his blood and energy churning violently!
"Roar!" The Netherworld White Tiger let out a roar, the sound waves impacting the protective barrier as if solid! With a flap of its wings, it transformed into a black-and-white intertwined lightning bolt, charging toward Huo Wu with unparalleled speed and power! Wherever it passed, the fire elements in the air scattered, and the temperature plummeted abruptly!
"No!"Huo Wu gritted her teeth, a flash of madness in her eyes, as she pushed the not-yet-fully-gathered but could wait no longer Fire Dance Sun toward the rapidly approaching Netherworld White Tiger!" "Explode!"
Boom——!!!!!!!!!
A earth-shattering explosion erupted! It was as if the sun had exploded on the Soul Duel Stage! Blinding white light and crimson flames shot into the sky, instantly devouring half of the Soul Duel Stage! A terrifying energy storm swept outward like a tsunami! The sturdy protective barrier emitted an overwhelmed hum, twisting violently as if it might shatter at any moment! The scorching heat waves, even through the barrier, made the front-row audience feel a stinging pain on their skin!
The entire Great Spirit Arena fell into dead silence! Everyone was stunned by this terrifying collision!
The radiance lasted for several seconds before gradually fading away. At the center of the Soul Duel Stage appeared a massive charred crater, surrounded by spider web-like cracks. The Netherworld White Tiger stood proudly at the crater's edge, wisps of black smoke curling around its body. Its white fur was slightly charred and curled, clearly having suffered some impact, but its icy gaze and overwhelming Domain Momentum remained awe-inspiring! Meanwhile, Huo Wu had been violently thrown back by the terrifying shockwave of the explosion, crashing against the distant protective barrier like a ragdoll before sliding limply to the ground. Blood continuously gushed from her mouth as she fell unconscious. Huo Jun was also knocked out by the blast.
The Netherworld White Tiger raised its head and let out a triumphant roar, declaring its might! Then, black and white light flickered as the massive form dissipated, transforming back into the pale-faced Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing. They leaned on each other for support, barely able to stand, their Soul Power and Mental Power nearly completely drained from executing the Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
The referee stood stunned for a moment before snapping out of his extreme astonishment and loudly announcing: "All members of Blazing Academy have lost combat ability! The winners are Shrek Academy!"
The entire arena fell silent for three full seconds before erupting into mountain-like cheers and tsunami-like applause! This match, full of twists and turns, fiercely intense, and ultimately reversed by a legendary Martial Soul Fusion Skill, would surely be recorded in the tournament's history!
The remaining four members of Shrek Academy stood on the devastated Soul Duel Stage, looking at their unconscious opponents and the cheering audience. Exchanging glances, they all saw relief at having survived the ordeal and joy at their victory in each other's eyes. They had won - with great difficulty and at heavy cost - but they had ultimately prevailed. Tang San stepped forward to help up the barely conscious Ma Hongjun. The five figures appeared somewhat battered under the lights, yet stood exceptionally tall and straight.
In the VIP seats, Ning Fengzhi let out a long sigh of relief, revealing a gratified smile. Bishop Salas maintained a calm expression, but his eyes flickered with unreadable meaning deep within. Emperor Xue Ye nodded slightly, showing approval for Shrek Academy's performance.
Marco quietly watched the Shrek members supporting each other below the stage, observing Tang San who appeared weak yet whose eyes shone brightly, and taking in the cheering crowd. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly as he murmured in a voice only he could hear:
"They won... but without the ice and fire immunity of Blue Silver Grass, facing elemental counters proved so powerless. Without the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, this battle would have been lost without doubt. The current Tang San is truly... much weaker compared to the original control system Soul Master who countered Blazing Academy with ice and fire Blue Silver Grass and displayed countless clever strategies."
His gaze grew profound, as if seeing through the present victory to glimpse more trajectories altered by his "butterfly effect." And Shrek Academy - having lost certain crucial opportunities - where would their path lead now? Marco continued watching quietly below the stage.
After Shrek Academy's victory, the joy on their faces was quickly replaced by worry. Without stopping to accept the audience's cheers, they immediately rushed down from the Soul Duel Stage and gathered around Ma Hongjun, who still lay by the stage's edge, his entire body charred black and his breathing faint.
"Fatty! How are you, fatty?" Dai Mubai called out anxiously, carefully helping Ma Hongjun up.
Oscar had already quickly produced Recovery Sausages, stuffing them into Ma Hongjun's mouth: "Eat these quickly, fatty!"
Ning Rongrong also rushed over, tears glistening in her eyes as the radiance of her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda enveloped Ma Hongjun, doing her utmost to heal him.
Tang San crouched down and carefully examined Ma Hongjun's injuries, his Purple Demon Eyes flickering with light. After a moment, he breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at the others. "Fortunately, the injuries aren't too severe. It's mainly Soul Power exhaustion and flame burns, with some internal organ shock, but no life-threatening danger. With rest, combined with Oscar's sausages and Jiangzhu's treatment, he should recover."
Hearing this, everyone finally let out a long sigh of relief. Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and Zhao Wuji also arrived and, upon hearing Tang San's assessment, their expressions eased considerably.
"However," Tang San frowned slightly and added, "Fatty's meridians were severely burned by Blazing Academy's fusion skill. I'm afraid he won't be able to participate in the next two matches. We'll need to adjust our lineup."
Everyone nodded. Though somewhat regretful, they considered it fortunate that they had won this tough battle and that Ma Hongjun was not seriously injured. They helped Ma Hongjun up and slowly made their way toward the rest area.
Meanwhile, an atmosphere of frustration and resentment permeated Blazing Academy's area. Huo Wu had regained consciousness and, supported by her teammates, stood up. Her face was pale as paper, with traces of blood at the corner of her mouth, and her beautiful eyes were filled with humiliation and fury. She stared fixedly at the retreating backs of the Shrek Academy members, her fists clenched so tightly her nails nearly dug into her palms. She never imagined that her strongest move, Fire Dance Sun, would be forcibly shattered by her opponents' Martial Soul Fusion Skill, leading to their crushing defeat.
Huo Wushuang stood beside his sister, his expression equally grim. He patted Huo Wu's shoulder and said solemnly, "Don't take it too hard, little sister. Victory and defeat are common in battle. They only won because their Martial Soul Fusion Skill caught us by surprise." Despite his words, the unwillingness in his eyes was equally evident.
Just then, a figure hurried over—it was Feng Xiaotian from Divine Wind Academy. Wearing a concerned and somewhat ingratiating smile, he approached Huo Wu and said gently, "Sister Huo Wu, are you alright? How serious are your injuries? I have some excellent healing medicine here..."
Huo Wu, already furious, grew even angrier at the sight of Feng Xiaotian's demeanor. She snorted coldly, turned her head away, and completely ignored him. "Mind your own business! Who asked for your fake concern!"
Feng Xiaotian, though rebuffed, showed no sign of annoyance. Still wearing a flattering smile, he vowed earnestly, "Sister Huo Wu, don't be angry. This time, Shrek Academy just got lucky! Don't worry, the next time we encounter them, our Divine Wind Academy will definitely teach them a harsh lesson and avenge you!"
Hearing this, Huo Wu stamped her foot in rage and glared fiercely at Feng Xiaotian. "Who asked you to meddle! I'll settle my own scores! Get lost!" With that, supported by Huo Wushuang, she walked away without looking back.
Huo Wushuang gave Feng Xiaotian a helpless look, shaking his head to signal him not to cause more trouble, then helped his sister leave.
Feng Xiaotian stood in place, watching Huo Wu's retreating figure. He rubbed his nose, a infatuated smile appearing on his face as he muttered to himself, "Even when she's angry, Sister Huo Wu is still so beautiful... Shrek Academy, just you wait!"
From the VIP seats, Marco took in the entire scene, a faint curve forming at the corner of his lips. Feng Xiaotian's infatuation with Huo Wu remained unchanged, just as in the "original work." He withdrew his gaze, no longer paying attention to the commotion below, and quietly rose to leave the VIP section. The outcome of the match between Shrek and Blazing Fire Academy was already decided, and there seemed to be nothing worth his attention in the subsequent battles.