The match had begun—and ended.
In the eyes of most spectators, although Zhu Ziyang was astonishing and clearly the strongest individual in this year's tournament, facing the seven powerful members of the Sun Moon team alone was simply too much. To them, the outcome wasn't about if he would lose, but how he would lose. Many were already looking forward to the upcoming individual and collaborative matches.
For the seven members of the Sun Moon team, however, the start of the match was the beginning of their humiliation. No matter how elegantly they won, the world would still say they were lucky and disgraceful to defeat a lone opponent. All of this—the shame, the stain—was dealt to them by Shrek Academy.
To Zhu Ziyang, on the other hand, the time ahead was his moment to shine. Everything… was perfectly aligned.
After Huang Jinxu shouted for the match to begin, he did not leave the arena. Instead, he retreated to the edge of the platform, ready to intervene at any time. He absolutely could not allow Zhu Ziyang to die on the stage.
All eyes were locked onto the platform. Though anger surged within the seven from the Sun Moon team, they still treated the match with utmost seriousness. They arranged themselves in a conical formation, with team captain Ma Rulong in front, followed by a triangular setup with Xiao Hongchen at its apex. Each began releasing their soul tools and martial souls.
On the opposite side stood Zhu Ziyang, the focal point of the audience's gaze. He remained composed and calm, strolling toward the center of the platform at an unhurried pace. It was as if he wasn't standing on the grand final stage of the All-Continent Elite Soul Master Tournament, but walking leisurely by the lakeside path of Sea God Lake at Shrek Academy.
Zhu Ziyang's relaxed demeanor sparked a flicker of fantasy in the minds of some spectators. What if… what if this Soul Emperor with a hundred-thousand-year soul ring actually had a trump card that could defeat the seven of Sun Moon?
Among the Sun Moon team, Xiao Hongchen had been releasing his soul tools, but his eyes never left Zhu Ziyang. Rage and confusion battled in his gaze. He couldn't understand why the man he saw as his lifelong rival would act so casually, as if he lacked the heart of a true strong one. Or… was he so arrogant that he believed he could defeat all seven of them on his own—just with that hundred-thousand-year soul ring?
Zhu Ziyang couldn't read their thoughts, but he could guess them. After all, the strong were always lonely—especially when they surpassed their era by far.
A smile played on his lips as he silently chanted in his heart, 'My era… begins now!'
Under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands, Zhu Ziyang began to release his martial soul. With each step he took, his body transformed—first his arms, then chest, spine, and abdomen, until a long, agile dragon tail emerged. As the Heavenly Frost Holy Dragon martial soul possessed his body, an icy chill capable of freezing the very air swept out across the entire platform, with Zhu Ziyang at its center.
And with his transformation came the soul rings of the Heavenly Frost Holy Dragon—one red ring… two… three… four… five!
Five red soul rings shimmered with golden patterns behind him, blazing crimson like molten fire. The phantom of the Heavenly Frost Holy Dragon let out a roar that carried the majesty of a true king, then merged directly into Zhu Ziyang's body.
At that moment, the massive Star Luo Square fell deathly silent. Every soul was shaken to the core. Only Zhu Ziyang continued to move.
His second and third soul rings lit up simultaneously. In the next instant, a hundred-meter-tall jagged iceberg erupted from the ground. The bone-piercing cold broke through the protective barrier of the platform, making the first three rows of spectators shudder involuntarily. Then, in the blink of an eye, all seven members of the Sun Moon team—frozen within the ice—stood suspended in vivid, lifelike poses of shock and disbelief.
Heavenly Frost Holy Dragon second soul skill—Frost Wolf Fangs!
A massive icy white dragon phantom then appeared behind Zhu Ziyang, its gaping maw gathering torrents of ice-elemental energy like seawater. A blast of pure elemental ice erupted from its mouth in a piercing wave, striking directly at the frozen figures of the Sun Moon team.
Heavenly Frost Holy Dragon third soul skill—Frost Emperor's Wrath!
From the release of his martial soul to the completion of his attack, the entire process took less than five seconds!
Everyone was still trapped in stunned silence when the iceberg shattered and the members of the Sun Moon team collapsed onto the ground. Only then did the audience, those atop the city walls, the spectators in the stands, the members of the Sun Moon team's rest area, and referee Huang Jinxu finally regain their senses.
"Rulong!" Elder Ma, the Sun Moon team's supervisor, was the first to rush to the platform, calling urgently to the three still-standing team members.
Huang Jinxu also dashed forward, checking the condition of the four who had fallen. Only after confirming that they were still alive did he finally breathe a sigh of relief. They were alive. That was enough.
After the unconscious were carried off the platform, Huang Jinxu turned back to look at Zhu Ziyang—his gaze now filled with awe and admiration. But the moment his eyes shifted to the four seated Super Douluo below the stage, all his excitement was extinguished in an instant.
Now he understood—he finally understood why Shrek Academy had dispatched four Super Douluo!
And he wasn't alone. Xu Jiawei, Dai Hao, Xu Luo, and the others on the imperial tower also understood now.
"Brother… pinch me. Am I dreaming?" Xu Jiawei muttered, his face filled with disbelief.
"Your Majesty, I think we both are," Dai Hao murmured.
"I should've realized sooner," Xu Luo was the first to regain clarity, wearing a bitter smile. "Ultimate light plus ultimate ice—twin ultimate martial souls. Only that kind of talent could justify Shrek Academy sending out four Super Douluo."
"Ultimate ice?!" Xu Jiawei looked at Xu Luo with a trembling voice. "Elder Luo, are you saying that the dragon-type martial soul Zhu Ziyang revealed—with five red rings—is an ultimate ice attribute?"
"Yes!" Xu Luo nodded with difficulty. "Your Majesty, it seems we truly need to consider forging deeper ties with Shrek Academy. With Zhu Ziyang around, no one will be able to shake Shrek's status for the next five hundred years. He may even reach… that realm… just like the legendary Shrek Seven Devils from ten thousand years ago!"
"Elder Luo… does that mean… he could become a god, just like the ancestor of the Dai Clan?"
"Very likely!" Xu Luo nodded, both envious and awestruck. "I believe Dai Hao here knows that better than anyone."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Dai Hao responded solemnly. "According to my clan's records, at age fifteen, our ancestor Dai Mubai had not achieved what Zhu Ziyang has. Not even the Sea God Tang San was on par with him at this age!"
"I see!" Xu Jiawei nodded solemnly. "Yes, it's time we deepen our alliance with Shrek Academy."
As he spoke, his gaze landed on Xu Jiujiu—who was staring blankly at Zhu Ziyang's silhouette. For some reason, a trace of longing stirred in his heart.
On the stage, Zhu Ziyang looked at the pale-faced Ma Rulong and the Hongchen siblings who were barely standing, and offered an approving smile.
"You're Ma Rulong, right? Not bad. To take my third soul skill head-on and remain standing… you're worthy of being captain."
Indeed, Ma Rulong had stood at the front of his team and took the full brunt of Zhu Ziyang's Frost Emperor's Wrath. While the back row had been knocked unconscious, he remained upright. That alone earned Zhu Ziyang's respect.
However, in Ma Rulong's ears—who was relying solely on a shred of willpower to stay conscious—Zhu Ziyang's praise felt like cruel mockery. His pride and effort now seemed meaningless.
Overwhelmed, Ma Rulong coughed up blood and collapsed with a heavy thud.
"Big Brother Ma!" Xiao Hongchen cried out the words with sincerity for the first time, though it came amidst such disgrace. His pride—always his driving force—had been shattered. Compared to Zhu Ziyang, he was… nothing.
He and Meng Hongchen struggled to lift Ma Rulong, their vacant eyes fixed on Zhu Ziyang.
"You should admit defeat. I don't want to keep fighting," Zhu Ziyang said quietly.
"You…"
"Sun Moon team concedes!" Elder Ma shouted from below, cutting off whatever Meng Hongchen had wanted to say. His face was ashen, filled with worry as he yelled from the audience.
Seeing this, Meng Hongchen said no more. She simply nodded.
"In the first round of the All-Continent Elite Soul Master Tournament finals—Team Battle—Shrek Academy wins!" Huang Jinxu announced.
"No, we concede the remaining matches as well," Elder Ma said bitterly.
Huang Jinxu wasn't surprised. With a monster like Zhu Ziyang around, whether they fought or not didn't matter—the result would be the same. Admitting defeat now preserved what little dignity they had left.
He raised his voice.
"The Sun Moon team forfeits the remaining matches. I hereby declare: Shrek Academy wins the finals of the All-Continent Elite Soul Master Tournament!"
"The final champion—Shrek Academy!"
(End of Chapter)
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