There was only one day left before the advancement rounds began, and today was the last time the Shrek Seven Devils would face Liu Erlong in their intensive training.
Without a moment's hesitation, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun simultaneously charged in from both sides, physically blocking themselves in front of Tang San.
Dai Mubai's body had swollen to its absolute limit, both the White Tiger Protective Barrier and the White Tiger Diamond Transformation activated at once. From Ma Hongjun's body erupted the Fire Phoenix Immersion and Phoenix Wings Soaring to Heaven, his plump frame rising into the air. One high, one low, with their Soul Power fully unleashed, the two of them managed to weather Liu Erlong's attack head-on, buying Tang San precious time.
At the same time, the others weren't idle either. Three streaks of light bloomed simultaneously—two of them fell upon Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, releasing the aura of defense, while the third landed on Xiao Wu, amplifying her speed. The one channeling all three streams of light was none other than Ning Rongrong. The Nine-Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in her hands blazed with radiance, releasing optimal support at the most Soul Power–efficient level possible.
Xiao Wu's body was already airborne, lunging straight at Liu Erlong. Yet Liu Erlong acted as if she didn't even see her—her hands swept outward, and two torrents of fire dragon force knocked aside the flank assault from Zhu Zhuqing.
It was at that exact moment that a figure leaped high into the air, invisible wings beating behind his back. It was Tang San.
He had consumed a Flight Mushroom Sausage. With one minute of high-speed flight, he rose rapidly to a lofty height.
Liu Erlong nearly instinctively turned her gaze toward Tang San—but what greeted her were two beams of violet-gold radiance.
Even though Liu Erlong was a Soul Saint, she still shuddered under the force of that powerful mental assault. A Soul Skill she had been about to unleash was instantly interrupted. And in that moment, Xiao Wu was only five meters away from her.
Soft Bone Enchanting Rabbit's second Soul Skill—Charm—activated.
Under normal circumstances, Xiao Wu's Charm would have been plainly ineffective against Liu Erlong; worse, it would have rebounded off Liu Erlong's mental strength and injured Xiao Wu herself. But now things were different. Having been struck by Tang San's Purple Extreme Demon Eye mental shock, Liu Erlong was in the most vulnerable state her mind could be in. Xiao Wu's Charm Skill immediately took effect, extending Liu Erlong's moment of immobilization by a full two seconds.
Not sparing a drop of her Soul Power, Xiao Wu's third Soul Skill—Teleport—activated the very next instant. Her body materialized behind Liu Erlong in a flash, dodging the frontal attack Liu Erlong had instinctively launched. Her legs coiled around Liu Erlong's waist, and her Waist Bow kicked in.
Liu Erlong's Soul Power was simply too overwhelming. Although Xiao Wu's Waist Bow could double her strength in an instant, it still wasn't enough to throw Liu Erlong to the ground. But this brief stalemate meant Liu Erlong still couldn't regain her footing. Soul Power erupted within her body, ready to blast Xiao Wu away.
Yet Xiao Wu's flexibility was nothing short of extraordinary. Even with Liu Erlong's overwhelming power, shaking her off in the short term was far from easy. Facing her own goddaughter, Liu Erlong couldn't bring herself to unleash her full flame attack and risk hurting Xiao Wu.
Only those who had been grappled at close range truly understood how fearsome Xiao Wu's Soft Technique was.
Her attack style clung to the opponent like a maggot burrowing into bone—giving the enemy absolutely no opening to counterattack. Once the distance closed, in terms of sheer application of force, no member of the Shrek Seven Devils could match Xiao Wu. Though she couldn't throw Liu Erlong down, Liu Erlong had unquestionably lost all her mobility.
Zhu Zhuqing's retreating body came to an abrupt halt. Her lithe frame flickered, splitting into three—the fourth Soul Skill, Nether Shadow Clone. At the same time, her third Soul Ring flared to life. Three figures raised their razor-sharp claws in unison as Nether Slash erupted.
Zhu Zhuqing's Nether Shadow Clones were nothing like the afterimages Xiao Wu created with sheer speed. Each clone possessed real offensive power for a brief window.
Combined with her third Soul Skill, Nether Slash, this was essentially three Nether Slashes striking in the same direction simultaneously.
The coordination of her fourth and third Soul Skills amplified her destructive power geometrically.
It was right at this moment that Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai struck as well.
Both had already been maintaining two Soul Skills at once. The White Tiger Protective Barrier and White Tiger Diamond Transformation had pushed Dai Mubai's power to its peak, and the Fatty's phoenix flames, amplified by both Phoenix Wings Soaring to Heaven and Fire Phoenix Immersion, had likewise risen to their zenith.
Under these conditions, the two of them shifted from defense to offense in an instant. Blazing white meteors rained down from the sky, converging on Liu Erlong. Ma Hongjun's body had already shot forward at blinding speed, arriving right in front of Liu Erlong under the effect of Phoenix Wings Soaring to Heaven.
Xiao Wu leaped gracefully backward. Her task was complete. And in the very instant she retreated, Tang San's Web Bind, launched from high above, landed squarely on Liu Erlong.