After these words were spoken, the group headed outside together. Relying on Tang San's earlier battle against Zhao Wuji, they all felt quite confident. Besides, challenging a stronger opponent was clearly beneficial for improving one's own strength.
Ning Rongrong was the last one walking. Suddenly, a low voice reached her ears, "If you want everyone to recognize you, prove it with your actions — show them that you belong to Shrek."
When Ning Rongrong looked up, she saw Oscar — whose beard had already grown back — smiling at her. For some reason, her eyes suddenly grew a bit red. She gave Oscar a firm nod.
Before long, the group arrived outside the small town. Perhaps because the five Soul Rings on Ye Zhiqiu's body were so conspicuous, their group had drawn quite a crowd of spectators out of the town.
During the process of walking out of the small town, Ye Zhiqiu's mind had cooled down somewhat. Seeing the seven youths who had come out, he said in a deep voice, "I'll give you one more chance. It's still not too late to admit your mistakes now."
Dai Mubai flashed a sinister grin. "Mistakes? What's a mistake and what's right? Whoever has the bigger fist — that's what's right. Try beating us first before you talk."
At this point, Ye Zhiqiu could no longer hold back. He let out an angry snort. "Come at me all at once then. I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your academy — teach you how to behave."
The fatty chuckled. "Remember, we're not people. We're monsters."
Before Ye Zhiqiu could make his move, Dai Mubai had already launched into action. The second ring on his body blazed with brilliant light as intense white energy condensed into a sphere. A round ball of light erupted from his mouth — it was the Evil-Eyed White Tiger's second Soul Ring skill, the White Tiger Blazing Light Wave.
At the same instant Dai Mubai unleashed the White Tiger Blazing Light Wave, Zhu Zhuqing's body angled sharply to the side. She accelerated instantly, circling toward Ye Zhiqiu's flank. Tang San moved simultaneously, charging at Ye Zhiqiu from yet another direction.
The fatty's Mohawk-style hair trembled as his first Soul Ring blazed to life, and a streak of purplish-red Phoenix Fire Line shot forth from his mouth.
The four of them attacked almost simultaneously, without the slightest fear of facing a Soul King above the fiftieth rank.
Facing the combined assault of all four, Ye Zhiqiu's entire body erupted with black light. He let out a low roar, and his first and second Soul Rings lit up at the same time. His body spun half a turn, revealing the turtle shell on his back, as a stream of black light resembling flowing water unfurled outward, carrying a bone-piercing chill.
The battle had barely begun before Ye Zhiqiu had already unleashed two of his Soul Ring skills — one was the Mystic Turtle Body Shield, and the other was the Mystic Water Freeze. His objective was simple: take down these youths as quickly as possible, give them a lesson they'd never forget, vent his frustration, and demonstrate the strength of Canghui Academy.
Although the students of Shrek Academy were talented, they were still young, and their Soul Power was far inferior to his own. Ye Zhiqiu was confident that the Mystic Water Freeze, released at the power of his fifty-third rank Soul Power, would be enough to freeze them all solid.
The White Tiger Blazing Light Wave exploded against Ye Zhiqiu's back, but just as Tang San had predicted, the Mystic Turtle's defensive power ranked among the highest of all beast-type Martial Souls. His Soul Power also far exceeded Dai Mubai's, and the attack produced no effect whatsoever — Ye Zhiqiu's body hadn't even shifted.
By now, Tang San had already closed the distance to Ye Zhiqiu's body. Being closest to his opponent, he could distinctly feel an intense wave of freezing cold rushing toward him, as though every drop of blood in his veins was about to freeze solid. Alarmed, he immediately drove the Mysterious Heaven Skill within his body to circulate at full speed to resist the cold. His charging body ground to an abrupt halt, but his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul spread rapidly outward, reaching toward Ye Zhiqiu from every direction to ensnare him.
Water and fire were merciless — whether cold or scorching, both exerted a natural restraining effect on plant-type Martial Souls. The speed at which the Blue Silver Grass advanced was noticeably sluggish under the influence of the Mystic Water Freeze.
Just then, the fatty's Phoenix Fire Line reached Ye Zhiqiu's turtle shell.
Although the searing heat of the fatty's Phoenix flames had been significantly weakened by the Mystic Water Freeze, the same was true in reverse — the chill of the Mystic Water Freeze had likewise diminished considerably with the arrival of the Phoenix Fire Line.
The purplish-red flames clung to the turtle shell. Though they couldn't burn through, they refused to extinguish, sticking to the surface as if coated with adhesive.
Ma Hongjun's Martial Soul was a mutated variant, so its flames were far from ordinary. Ye Zhiqiu felt a wave of scorching heat on his back and was startled.
Seizing this split-second opportunity, the Blue Silver Grass had already coiled around him, clinging tightly to his body. Zhu Zhuqing's phantom-like figure appeared silently at the blind spot behind and to the side of Ye Zhiqiu. Her first Soul Ring skill — Netherworld Thrust — activated, its target aimed squarely at Ye Zhiqiu's neck.
Suddenly, Ye Zhiqiu retracted his neck. A bizarre sight appeared — his entire head actually shrank back into his chest cavity, perfectly evading Zhu Zhuqing's sharp claws. His third Soul Ring lit up, and a mist of water sprayed from his mouth, spreading over the Phoenix flames on his back.