"You're all too naive. This is what I've been wanting to say—you've all been trapped in a misconception from the very start."
Huo Wu's pupils contracted instantly, while Huo Wushuang's eyes went wide, filled with utter disbelief.
The white-hot flames gradually dissipated. The arena floor had even melted into a gaping hole, yet within those fading flames, a massive cocoon hung suspended in silence. No—more accurately, it was supported above the melted breach by Blue Silver Grass. Several strands of Blue Silver Grass were connected to the edges of the hole, bearing the cocoon aloft.
The entire cocoon was composed of nothing but Blue Silver Grass, though at this point the vines had turned a blazing crimson, radiating a dazzling brilliance. As the white-hot flames disappeared, they began to slowly unfurl, weaving themselves into a broad net above the hole that cradled the body within.
Tang San stood there quietly, smoothing out the wrinkles on his team uniform. His gaze was calm as it settled on the seven Blazing Fire Academy members standing not far ahead, every last one of them frozen in a stupor.
"Did you really think I wasn't using Soul Skills because I was afraid of your flames? Not all plants are afraid of fire. There are always exceptions. From the very beginning, I was the one guiding you into this misconception. You believed that your fire-attribute Martial Souls would severely restrict my abilities. That's why you attacked so recklessly, wasn't it? Unfortunately, your judgment was wrong. The fact that I wasn't using Soul Skills was precisely to keep leading you further into error. By now, your Soul Power has been drained far, far too much. Let me tell you one fact—my Blue Silver Grass is fire-immune."
BOOM—
The spectator stands erupted as though a pot had been blown open. Voices rose and fell in a cacophony—those supporting Shrek Academy were cheering, while Blazing Fire Academy's fans were shouting in fury. But none of it could change the outcome of this match anymore.
Dark light surged across Tang San's body, and his gaze fell upon Huo Wu once more, meeting her vacant stare. From start to finish, the two had been locked in a continuous contest of wits. And now, at this moment, that contest had concluded. It was over without the slightest suspense.
Seven beams of dark light surged silently. Blue Silver Prisons materialized in an instant, enveloping all seven members of Blazing Fire Academy within. Not only had they already burned through a massive amount of Soul Power, but even at full strength, breaking free of this ten-thousand-year Soul Skill would not have been easy. At the very least, it would be impossible to breach using fire alone.
The Eight-Angle Mystic Ice Herb and the Blazing Fire Apricot Delicacy—these two immortal treasures had demonstrated their power in real combat for the very first time. Thanks to the tempering they had received at the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, not only Tang San's body, but even his Martial Soul had acquired dual immunity to both ice and fire.
If not for the clothes he was wearing, Tang San wouldn't even have needed Blue Silver Grass to defend himself against that terrifying barrage of flames earlier.
When Huo Wu had been condensing her fourth Soul Skill, Tang San had already seen through it—this technique derived its offensive power entirely from searing heat, not from impact force. So what if the fire-attribute Soul Power of three people had been pooled together? What about thirty? Even the fire abilities of a Titled Douluo would find it no easy task to burn Tang San to death at this point.
The appearance of seven Blue Silver Prisons had written the final period on this match. Perhaps the students of Blazing Fire Academy still had some abilities they hadn't yet unleashed.
But the moment Tang San shattered Huo Wu's fourth Soul Skill, this match was already over. Because all seven members of Blazing Fire Academy had completely lost their will to fight. Even their captain, Huo Wushuang, was no exception.
"We… sur… render." The words of concession were practically ground out from between Huo Wu's teeth. Her silver teeth clenched tight, she continued to stare fixedly at Tang San. They were both Soul Masters of the forty-something level, yet the young man before her—who looked even younger than herself—gave her an unfathomable impression. He was like a treasure trove that could never be fully exhausted, constantly revealing his capabilities bit by bit.
And every single time, his opponent fell in the process.
Just as Dai Mubai had said, Tang San never did anything without confidence, and today was no exception. By choosing to face Blazing Fire Academy with his current lineup, he naturally had assurance. And that assurance was rooted in his own fire immunity.
In a direct clash, Shrek Academy might still have had to expend considerable effort—the gap in overall strength between the two sides was not large. But Tang San, through his clever calculations and his battle of wits against Huo Wu, had secured ultimate victory without burning through much Soul Power from himself or his teammates. He had defeated the second of the Five Elements Academies.
If the battle against the Elephant Armory Academy had made Shrek Academy famous, then this battle pushed their reputation to the very peak of the preliminaries. From this moment on, no one doubted that they were the strongest contenders for first place.
The spectators were no fools either. They clearly remembered that against the Elephant Armory Academy, Shrek Academy had fielded four Soul Ancestors above level forty. This time, they had only sent two. What did that prove? It proved they still had power in reserve.
The Blue Silver Prisons were withdrawn. As the referee took the stage, both teams lined up once more. The result of this match was settled, and not a single person had been injured. Yet the expressions on the faces of both sides had undergone an earth-shaking transformation.
The seven members of Blazing Fire Academy had lost all of their former confidence, replaced by unwillingness—especially Huo Wu. Her beautiful eyes were locked on Tang San with an intensity that looked as though she wanted to devour him whole. She was unwilling. Truly unwilling.