NOVEL WEB Chapter 152: Chapter 152
Shrek Academy's opponent in this match was Balak Academy. Like the Elephant Armored Clan, they also had three Spirit Masters, but their levels were slightly lower, ranging from level 40 to 41.
On the Shrek side, their team activated their martial spirits, but this time, Tang San did not draw much attention. After all, his was just a small Blue Silver Grass, and with a spirit power level of only thirty-nine, no one paid him much mind.
Almost everyone's gaze, however, was fixed on Ma Hongjun.
"This is the Fire Phoenix, a top-tier martial spirit second only to god-level spirits, and he has already broken through to Spirit Ancestor. For a small academy like Shrek to produce such a prodigy..." Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and the others exclaimed in surprise.
Unlike in the original timeline, since Shrek Academy didn't attempt to joined Heaven Dou's Imperial Academy, its team members were relatively unknown.
Emperor Xue Ye was also focused on Ma Hongjun. The Swan Martial Spirit passed down through the royal family was considered an excellent flying beast martial spirit among ordinary ones, yet it paled in comparison to the Fire Phoenix.
"I wonder where this young man hails from?" Salas muttered, his interest evident.
At this moment, Ning Fengzhi, seated beside them, smiled and said, "Your Majesty, Bishop Salas, Hongjun is from my Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, as is the food-type Spirit Master. Additionally, my daughter is also currently studying at Shrek, though she isn't participating in this match."
"Oh? So Shrek Academy is secretly supported by your clan?" Emperor Xue Ye chuckled. Though it was a pity that Ma Hongjun was already affiliated with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan and could not be recruited, it was still preferable than to having such a genius fall into the hands of the Spirit Hall.
On the other hand, Salas's expression darkened. Ning Fengzhi had subtly made it clear that neither Ma Hongjun nor Oscar could be touched, as they belonged to his clan.
In response to Emperor Xue Ye's question, Ning Fengzhi smiled and replied "Not at all, Your Majesty. Shrek Academy has no direct ties to my Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan. My daughter is simply strong-willed. She had a disagreement with Xiao Tian before, so she ran away from home and joined an academy at random. As luck would have it, she encountered a few geniuses there and invited them to join the clan."
Ning Fengzhi spoke casually, but those present could not help feeling envious. Even after running away from home, Ning Rongrong had still managed to stumble upon such exceptional talents. Not to mention Ma Hongjun—Oscar, too, was remarkable. Given the difficulty of cultivating as a food-type Spirit Master, reaching level 39 at his age made his talent comparable to the Spirit Hall's Golden Generation.
Emperor Xue Ye exchanged a glance with his younger brother, Prince Xue Xing, a meaningful expression in his eyes. The prince understood immediately—he had arranged for Princess Xue Ke to leave home on a similar mission, with instructions to find and recruit three future Titled Douluo-level talents.
Could it be that her luck would not match Ning Rongrong's?
Prince Xue Xing gave a slight nod "Understood, elder brother. I will make the necessary arrangements immediately."
Meanwhile, the match began in the arena.
"Everyone, one-hit tactic! Get ready!" Dai Mubai commanded
Unlike the Elephant Armored Clan, Shrek Academy had pre-planned their strategies. Each tactic had a designated name, allowing them to communicate efficiently in battle. It was a stark contrast to the Elephant Armored Clan's approach, where they openly discussed their moves in front of their opponents—an almost pitiful lack of strategy.
"Second spirit skill, Healing Array!" Jiangzhu struck the ground with her scepter, spreading a healing field across the arena.
"This Shrek team is quite arrogant—they're even healing their opponents." Gu Rong observed. With his keen eyesight, he immediately noticed that Jiangzhu's spirit skill had targeted Purple Star Academy.
Were they afraid of injuring their opponents too severely, potentially disqualifying them from the tournament? It seemed they were supremely confident in their so-called one-hit tactic.
"Third spirit skill, I Have a Mushroom Sausage!" Oscar swiftly produced two mushroom sausages, handing them to Dai Mubai and Tang San. Though primarily used for flight, this time, their purpose was acceleration.
Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu, one already possessing immense speed and the other capable of teleportation, had no need for them.
"So fast!" The members of Purple Star Academy barely had time to react before the Shrek team was upon them.
"Second spirit skill, Charm!"
"Third spirit skill, Netherworld Slash!"
"Fourth spirit skill, White Tiger Meteor Shower!"
Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Wu attacked in unison. Dai Mubai's wide-range offensive skill enveloped five opponents at once, while Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu swiftly dealt with two others—one was knocked aside, and the other fell under Xiao Wu's charm.
To avoid the White Tiger Meteor Shower, the five remaining Purple Star members instinctively retreated. At that moment, Tang San saw his opening.
"Blue Silver Grass, Entangle!"
With their movement restricted, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass formed a massive net, binding them all at once
"So that's their plan." Jun Tianlin observed with keen interest 'Since Tang San doesn't have the Blue Silver Cage skill in this timeline, he has to manipulate the enemy's positioning to control them effectively.'
The essence of their "one-hit tactic" wasn't a literal single strike but rather a decisive, overwhelming blow—one that would come from their strongest explosive force, Ma Hongjun.
"Second spirit skill, Phoenix Rising from the Ashes. Third spirit skill, Phoenix Wings Ascend."
As expected, Ma Hongjun began gathering power. Phoenix Rising provided full-body defense while boosting his flame's intensity by 30%. Meanwhile, Phoenix Wings Ascend increased his flight ability and doubled the power of his next attack while expanding its range by 50%.
"Fourth spirit skill, Phoenix Roaring Sky Strike!"
The final move was unleashed. Phoenix Roaring Sky Strike was devastating but lacked a targeting mechanism, necessitating precise coordination. In just under two seconds, the seven trapped members of Purple Star Academy broke free from Tang San's entanglement.
'Binding seven opponents at once is still too much...' Tang San noted. 'But two seconds was all we needed.'
In that instant, Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Roaring Sky Strike erupted. A stunning explosion of fire and molten magma surged forth, amplified by Phoenix Wings Ascend. The entire area was engulfed in searing flames, completely overwhelming Purple Star Academy.
In mere moments, all seven of them were blasted off their feet and collapsed, defeated.
Had it not been for Jiangzhu's continuous healing, they would have been gravely injured—perhaps even permanently crippled. As it was, they would fully recover in a few months.
Seven opponents felled in a single move—this was the essence of the one-hit tactic. Having consumed the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, Ma Hongjun's explosive power had become truly terrifying.
Qin Ming's eyes gleamed with admiration "What a pity! This kid is already the dean's disciple. Otherwise, I would have fought to take him under my wing. His cultivation path mirrors mine, and we both possess fire attributes—we are truly kindred spirits."