On the arena for the top 16 to top 8 elimination round, Zhu Ziyang faced the seven members of the Douling Academy team alone, yet it was the opposing side that felt fear.
As Zhu Ziyang revealed his 100,000-year spirit ring, the outcome of this match became meaningless, because no matter who won or lost, the ultimate victor would inevitably be Shrek Academy.
If the Douling team won, unless they could severely injure Zhu Ziyang, preventing him from participating in subsequent matches, otherwise, in tomorrow's individual competition, Zhu Ziyang and Ma Xiaotao could easily defeat them.
They really wanted to do that, but severely injuring a Spirit Emperor with a 100,000-year spirit ring was not something a group of Spirit Kings could easily achieve; they would at least have to pay the price of three to four of their own members being similarly severely injured. Three to four severely injured members—how was that any different from a loss?
"Captain, what should we do?" The control system Spirit King Xiaofeng of the Douling team asked with a solemn expression.
"There's no choice left, let's go!" Guzhu Jian hardened his heart and said, "We can lose the match, but we absolutely cannot lose our dignity!"
With the plan decided, the Douling team's fighting Spirit immediately ignited. However, this had no effect on Zhu Ziyang.
Before the Douling team could even make a move, he had already acted. Under everyone's gaze, he leaped into the air, his eyes emitting a silver glow, which instantly froze the bewildered Douling team members in place. Then, a rich Light Attribute aura instantly filled the entire arena, even spreading through the stands to the audience.
The audience in the front rows felt a warm, spring-like aura, and their faces immediately showed expressions of intoxication.
This was unrelated to Zhu Ziyang. Zhu Ziyang gripped the Pacifying Life-Reaping Scythe with both hands and drew a massive arc in front of him. The Light Attribute energy between heaven and earth instantly surged towards the arc like a swarm of bees attracted to a flower. Under countless gazes, it condensed into a golden crescent moon, radiating a magnificent and awe-inspiring presence.
With the appearance of the crescent moon, the Light Attribute energy on the arena instantly dissipated, replaced by an overwhelming heavenly pressure that felt invincible. This pressure carried both the compassionate holiness of a benevolent deity and the supreme authority of an Emperor, causing the faces of the front-row spectators to immediately turn pale. A sense of submission rose from deep within them, as if they were facing a supreme Emperor who commanded the heavens.
Zhu Ziyang swung both hands down, and the golden crescent moon plummeted with an imposing force, as if a real moon had descended from the sky. This caused despair in the hearts of the Douling team members who faced the golden crescent moon directly. Their bodies, which had just barely broken free from the restraint, wanted to move but dared not, and they could only stare blankly as the golden crescent moon fell before them, engulfing them in a golden ocean.
A figure instantly rushed onto the arena, his face anxious, his eyes heavy with concern. It was the referee for this match. At this moment, the referee felt as if a thousand alpacas were stampeding in his heart, and he could only silently pray, 'Please, no one die! If someone dies, then I'm finished!'
He now deeply regretted being assigned as the referee for this match. The joy he had felt before the match, because it was a Shrek Academy match, had now completely transformed into indignation and sorrow. He truly had not expected Shrek Academy to pull such a big stunt on him!
The golden light gradually dissipated, revealing the figures of the submerged Douling team members. The referee glanced at them and couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. It was good that no one had died; as long as no one had died, then everything had nothing to do with him.
Zhu Ziyang looked at the members of the Douling team, a hint of surprise in his eyes. He had indeed held back; otherwise, he would have used the Moon of the Mourner, not Emperor Moon.
Half-Waning Mourning Moon Style — Emperor Moon, a skill formed by Zhu Ziyang's Ultimate Light combined with the aura of Reign Over The World.
The Douling team took a full Emperor Moon head-on, and yet some people were still able to stand. This surprised Zhu Ziyang. Although Emperor Moon was a bit weaker than the Moon of the Mourner, its power shouldn't have been so disappointing. It only severely injured five of the opponents, with two still standing.
This shouldn't be the case, Zhu Ziyang narrowed his eyes, observing the two remaining members of the Douling team. One was a defense system Spirit King, Heng Yu, whose Spirit was the Adamantine Great Shield, and the other was an attack system Spirit King, Qian Yuan, whose Spirit was the Terrorclaw Bear. That these two could withstand the attack of Emperor Moon, while surprising Zhu Ziyang, no longer astonished him as much.
Chi Hengyu and Qian Yuan's faces were very pale. They looked at their teammates collapsed behind them, then at their own disheveled state, and gave a bitter smile, shouting loudly, "We surrender!"
Hearing the Douling team surrender, the referee immediately announced, "The first team battle of the top 16 to top 8 elimination round, Shrek Academy wins!"
In fact, this was no longer a matter of the team battle's outcome, but rather the entire competition. With five main team members injured, this meant that in tomorrow's individual competition, the Douling team had only one path: to surrender.
Everyone understood that Shrek Academy had advanced to the top eight!
The audience erupted in an astonishing roar: "Shrek! Shrek! Shrek!"
In the Sun Moon Academy's resting area, everyone's faces were gloomy. Ma Rulong said, "I saw it. Guzhu Jian and the others had fragments of an invincible shield on them! What this means, I presume everyone understands!"
"Invincible Shield, a Level 5 spirit tool!" Xiao Hongchen said with a dark expression, "Shattering an invincible shield with one strike, truly powerful, hehe, Zhu Ziyang!"
On the Imperial City tower, Emperor Xu Jiawei's expression was as usual, but his tightly clenched hands indicated his inner turmoil. He said, "It seems that Shrek Academy will still be the champion of this competition. Zhu Ziyang, such a hero, why isn't he from my Star Luo Empire?"
"Haha, I feel like it doesn't matter if we came or not!" In the audience, Gongyang Mo awkwardly said to Ling Luochen.
"Old Lin never intended for us to participate in the first place!" Ling Luochen said in a cold tone, a hint of unusualness flashing deep in her eyes.
Zhu Ziyang returned to the resting area, and everyone immediately gathered around him.
"Zhu Ziyang, you were so handsome just now!" Tang Ya shouted, her face filled with excitement.
"Exactly, exactly!" Huo Yuhao also nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of admiration, saying, "Brother Ziyang, that strike of yours just now was truly magnificent, it felt like you cleaved the moon from the sky with one blow!"
"Hehe, now you understand why Teacher Wang Yan has always kept Zhu Ziyang from participating, right?" Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi said simultaneously, their tones wistful, "Because as soon as he steps onto the stage, there's no suspense left in the match!"
"Honestly, didn't you guys see Ziyang in action at the Academy? Why are you all so surprised?" Ma Xiaotao and Jiang Nannan were the only two students still sitting on the sofa. Zhu Ziyang's performance was very normal for them.
"Hehe, we thought you senior sisters were going easy on us back then, we never thought you really couldn't beat him!" Tang Ya said innocently, but her words made Ma Xiaotao really want to hit someone.
"Alright, let's head back." Wang Yan said with a beaming smile, "Thanks to Ziyang's efforts, we might not even have to fight in tomorrow's individual competition. We'll get an extra day of rest, which is a good thing!"
Everyone surrounded Zhu Ziyang and left Star Luo Plaza. Everyone in Star Luo Plaza watched them leave until their figures were no longer visible.
—
The next day, the Douling team, due to insufficient members, directly forfeited the individual competition, and Shrek Academy smoothly entered the top eight.
After confirming their entry into the top eight, the Shrek Academy team chose to rest at the hotel, waiting only for the top eight to top four competition to begin two days later.
In Zhu Ziyang's room, Old Lin and Old Song arrived together.
"Old Lin, Old Song, why are you here?" Zhu Ziyang felt a little surprised and asked.
"Haha, Ziyang, your performance yesterday was excellent, you truly showed the might of our Shrek Academy!" Old Lin first praised Zhu Ziyang's performance yesterday, and then revealed her purpose, saying, "The two of us came to see you because a worshipper of the Star Luo Royal Family found us last night and, on behalf of the Star Luo Empire Royal Family, gave the Academy something."
"What is it?" Zhu Ziyang asked, his expression immediately showing curiosity.
"An engraving knife!" Old Song said, then took out a black brocade pouch from her storage spirit tool. The brocade pouch itself was also a storage spirit tool. Old Song took out an exquisite wooden box from it, handed it to Zhu Ziyang, and said, "You might have heard of this engraving knife."
Zhu Ziyang was startled, then opened the wooden box. A pitch-black engraving knife appeared before him, and he was immediately stunned, exclaiming, "Spirit Devouring Engraving Knife!"
The Star Luo Royal Family actually gave the Spirit Devouring Engraving Knife to Shrek Academy. Was this a gift or an act of enmity? Zhu Ziyang was a bit confused and bewildered, looking at Old Lin and Old Song with questions.
Old Lin and Old Song looked at Zhu Ziyang's expression and couldn't help but smile, saying, "Ziyang, it seems you've also heard of the Spirit Devouring Engraving Knife's notorious reputation, but you don't need to worry, because for you, this Spirit Devouring Engraving Knife is just an ordinary engraving knife. The malevolent and evil energy it carries is simply a joke to your Ultimate Light!"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Ziyang's heart stirred, and he thought of something, saying, "Old Lin, so the Star Luo Royal Family knows that I possess Ultimate Light?"
"It couldn't be hidden!" Old Lin smiled and said, "The Light Attribute you displayed yesterday was already very powerful, and coupled with the Star Luo Royal Family's chief worshipper also being a Super Douluo with the Light Attribute, he naturally could tell that you possess the Ultimate Light Attribute."
"Therefore, they would give this Spirit Devouring Engraving Knife, whose actual value is no less than any engraving knife among the top thirty on the engraving knife list, to the Academy," Old Song also said. "To put it plainly, they are showing goodwill towards you and the Academy. No one dares to underestimate an Ultimate Light possessor!"