The Great Master stood quietly in the Shrek Academy competitor's area, watching the two fighters about to begin their match, his expression calm. Though Dai Mubai was not Shrek Academy's final participant today, for him, this was the last battle he would fight.
Just as Platinum Bishop Salas of Spirit Hall had said, the reason Shrek Academy could face their opponents so comfortably in this match came down to two things: their own strength, and the Great Master's nearly perfect arrangement.
The clash between the two finally began. Serpentine lightning surged as Yu Tianxin let out a sharp cry, his body leaping into the air as he lunged straight at Dai Mubai.
In terms of fighting style, Yu Tianxin, who possessed the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, was—just like Dai Mubai—an overwhelming offensive force on top of overwhelming offense. In the veins of every direct-line descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family, aggressive blood ran hot. Offense was the best defense; only through attacking could one shatter an opponent in the most direct fashion.
The Blue Lightning Dragon Claw erupted simultaneously. What Yu Tianxin unleashed was a double blast of dragon claw force. This was the terrifying aspect of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul: with each rank of advancement, its imposing pressure grew stronger. The same soul skill, when wielded at a higher level, received a greater boost from the martial soul itself. As an apex martial soul, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon undeniably held this advantage.
Dai Mubai did not dodge. In a battle between fighters of their caliber, the one who dodged first had already lost. So not only did he refuse to evade, he charged forward with even greater ferocity.
He, too, unleashed his first soul skill. Under the effect of the White Tiger Protective Barrier, white light surged as razor-sharp claws extended from his tiger paws. The dragon and tiger palms collided violently in midair.
BOOM—
Both figures flew backward almost simultaneously. Serpentine lightning crackled around Dai Mubai's body, and his golden long hair whipped about wildly under the stimulation of the electricity. The white tiger fur on his arms bristled, every strand standing on end.
The lightning element of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul was nothing like what a Lightning Spider could produce. Having taken the Blue Lightning Dragon Claw head-on, Dai Mubai's body was enduring a fierce bombardment of electrical force.
But his opponent was far from comfortable either. On both of Yu Tianxin's dragon-scale-covered palms, five deep white gouges had been carved, the scales above them already cracked. The sharpness and dominance of the White Tiger's claws had left their mark just as decisively.
From the very first exchange, the two were dead even.
A faint golden glow surfaced from beneath the white tiger fur. The Diamond Indestructible defense granted by the Marvellous Mushroom Reaching Heaven quickly neutralized the harm caused by the lightning. The instant both fighters' feet touched the ground, they bounced back up and charged at each other once more.
Dai Mubai had expended only a slight amount of Soul Power in the previous match, and his rank was two levels higher than Yu Tianxin's. At this point, their Soul Power was essentially equal. This battle would come down to their martial souls and soul skills. Whoever possessed the stronger real combat ability and the more dominant martial soul would claim victory.
Neither side hesitated. The Evil-Eyed White Tiger's third soul skill—White Tiger Diamond Transformation—activated.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's third soul skill—Wrath of the Thunder God—activated.
The dense white light turned gold. Dai Mubai's body swelled dramatically, the white fur covering his entire form transforming into brilliant gold, leaving only the black "King" character marking on his forehead clearly visible. His tensed muscles bristled with explosive power. This time, even the blades on his tiger claws had been suffused with gold. His offensive power had been pushed to its absolute limit. Under the effect of the White Tiger Diamond Transformation, Dai Mubai's strength was now amplified to its most terrifying degree.
Yu Tianxin's Wrath of the Thunder God was remarkably similar in function to Dai Mubai's White Tiger Diamond Transformation—lightning power doubled, Soul Power doubled. The dominance of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul was on full display. The intense blue light shifted entirely to blue-purple, coating him like a suit of armor forged from lightning. His dragon claws grew noticeably larger, and every crack left by the tiger claws earlier had vanished completely.
In this moment, both fighters' Soul Power had been raised to their absolute peaks. The true collision was about to begin.
Outside the arena, whether they were students from the various academies or members of the Royal Knights, every pair of eyes was locked on this match. This was a clash between true powerhouses—the real spectacle.
Although both combatants possessed only Soul Power in the forties, their formidable martial souls and their savage gazes left no doubt about the terror they represented. Even the powerful Soul Masters on the VIP platform, whose Soul Power far exceeded theirs, couldn't help but be moved. Whether it was Yu Tianxin or Dai Mubai, their unwavering belief in victory was infectious, gripping every spectator present.
"Wrath of the Thunder God."
"White Tiger Blazing Light Wave."
The second soul skill, bolstered by the third, erupted. A dense golden sphere of light shot forth, and racing to meet it was a volley of countless blue-purple lightning arrows.