That overbearing, domineering aura made even Ning Fengzhi and Platinum Bishop Salas in the VIP seats unconsciously narrow their eyes.
The one who had suddenly appeared at the center of the arena was none other than Liu Erlong—the Vicious Dragon. What sort of temperament did Liu Erlong have? Fiery and explosive to a fault, and only the Great Master could ever keep her in check.
Xiao Wu was her goddaughter now. Seeing that the opponents were about to gang up on her, how could she stand for it? She couldn't care less what kind of occasion this was. She had finally found someone she could protect, so why would she hold back?
Under the crushing pressure of Liu Erlong's presence, the Balak Academy team members halted almost simultaneously. Every single one of them wore a look of shock as they stared at Liu Erlong.
Liu Erlong's dominance came not only from her Soul Power, but also from her Martial Soul and her temperament. Though she was only a Soul Saint, the aura she had erupted with in that instant was enough to give even higher-level Soul Masters pause.
"This is a match. What do you think you're doing?" A low, frigid voice rang out across the arena. If Liu Erlong's voice was the kind that seized the soul, then this voice made one's entire body go cold.
Platinum Bishop Salas had risen from the VIP seats at some point, his icy gaze fixed on the two sides below.
By now, the supervising teacher from Balak Kingdom had also stepped onto the competition field.
His Soul Power was no weaker than Liu Erlong's, yet looking at the domineering expression on her face, he felt strangely ill at ease for no clear reason.
He turned and bowed from a distance toward the VIP seats. "Platinum Bishop, please calm your anger. We merely wish to carry our student off the field. There is no other meaning behind it."
Salas replied flatly, "I suggest both parties remember your identities. Any non-participants who re-enter the arena without the referee's permission will be immediately expelled from this tournament."
The explosive confrontation that had been on the verge of erupting was thus suppressed, but the tension between Shrek Academy and Balak Academy had undoubtedly grown far more acute.
Xiao Wu remained on the field. As Tang San passed by her side, he whispered a few words of instruction before stepping off the platform.
Balak Academy had clearly been provoked. What surprised everyone at Shrek Academy was that the second opponent to step onto the stage was also a Soul Ancestor above the forty-eighth level. The moment he got on stage, before the referee had even announced the start of the match, he had already released his Martial Soul. It was a peculiar one—a flower, with a red heart and orange petals.
"Sun Orchid," Tang San murmured with a frown. Xiao Wu's second opponent was a Soul Master with a plant-type Martial Soul. The Sun Orchid was clearly far superior in quality to Blue Silver Grass. It possessed powerful restrictive abilities.
A wild Sun Orchid could release a peculiar fragrance that stripped enemies of their ability to fight—a strange mental toxin. Moreover, the Sun Orchid was as hard as iron, meaning it could serve as a weapon in its own right. It was potent in both poison and offense.
Clearly, this opponent of Xiao Wu's would not be easy to deal with.
Looking at the white, yellow, purple, and purple Soul Rings on her opponent's body, Xiao Wu's expression turned grave. Her abilities had already been displayed once, so her opponent would certainly be on guard. She knew the Sun Orchid well. Opponents with poison-based attacks were difficult to deal with, especially when their Soul Power exceeded her own.
"You're going to pay for what you did earlier." The second member of the Balak Kingdom team to take the stage was not particularly tall, but he was stocky and solid. The muscles bunching on his broad shoulders were clearly visible. It was rather odd to see a man of that build holding a delicate flower.
The referee reminded them, "Don't forget the rules. Any violation will result in disqualification from the tournament."
Xiao Wu and her opponent nodded at the same time, but neither made the slightest effort to suppress their aura.
Xiao Wu knew that the gap between herself and her opponent lay primarily in their fourth Soul Ring—their actual levels weren't that far apart. Judging from the fluctuations of her opponent's Soul Power, he had likely only just passed the fortieth level.
"Match begin."
At the referee's announcement, the first Soul Ring on the Balak Academy student lit up. The Sun Orchid in his hand swelled in the wind, instantaneously growing to a meter in diameter, its stem stretching to over three meters. In the blink of an eye, it had become a bizarre weapon.
With a single sweep of his hand, a thick cloud of yellow mist billowed from the Sun Orchid, surging directly toward Xiao Wu.
At this moment, Xiao Wu couldn't advance, so she could only retreat—striding backward in large steps. Even so, she caught a faint whiff of a delicate fragrance. Though it was only a wisp, the scent was dense, and Xiao Wu immediately felt her mind grow hazy and sluggish.