Chapter 54

"Quick, dodge," Dai Yueheng shouted.

But Chen Qiye still stood in place, while ice began spreading beneath his feet.

The Fragmented Sword instantly released a sword aura from Chen Qiye, and where it passed, ice spikes rose.

And that soul-guided cannon line was directly split open by this sword aura.

And at that moment, the Sun and Moon Team was suddenly blinded by a dazzling flash, unable to open their eyes instantly.

"What's happening?"

Meanwhile, Lin Xi and Mi Jia, who were tangled with Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng, suffered; both went blind, and Ma Xiaotao directly used Phoenix Fire Line to knock Lin Xi out of the arena.

Mi Jia fared even worse, hit entirely by Dai Yueheng's White Tiger Meteor Rain; the soul-guided device on his body instantly fell apart, and if it weren't for Tian Sha Douluo intervening, he would likely have died from that blow.

Lin Xi severely injured, Mi Jia severely injured, both eliminated!

When the rest of the Sun and Moon Team finally reacted, they realized the ice spikes were created by Chen Qiye.

The sunlight, after reflecting off the ice spikes multiple times, accurately reflected into the eyes of the seven of them.

When the glare faded, the Sun and Moon Team finally realized that in a brief encounter they had already lost two members! For Ma Rulong, what is this? A disgrace, eliminated two before a full fight! Yet his pupils suddenly dilated.

Five vividly blood‑red soul rings flickered rhythmically beneath Chen Qiye's feet.

"No, that must be fake." That was his first reaction.

But Chen Qiye quickly gave him an answer.

Chen Qiye instantly, like a sharp sword, thrust the Fragmented Sword into a relatively weak spot, then the soul‑guided shield showed an unnoticed crack; as soul power was injected, the shield exploded.

In an instant, Xiao Hongchen, defenseless, was exposed before everyone; this bizarre scene instantly startled Ma Rulong, as the soul‑guided shield from Mingde Hall shattered! "Xu Sanshi, quickly use Xuanming Transposition!"

Chen Qiye acted decisively, transmitting a voice through the linked soul‑guided device to Xu Sanshi. Xu Sanshi, looking at the still stunned Xiao Hongchen, said nothing and immediately moved him to a spot not far from Ling Luocheng.

"Damn, block them quickly!"

The Sun and Moon Team, which had originally held the initiative, was now clearly on the defensive, completely outpaced by the Shrek Academy crowd. Because Lin Xi and Mi Jia were eliminated, the team could not act to suppress the two Soul Emperors of Shrek.

Moreover, Ling Luocheng was still pressuring from range, and Chen Qiye, like a phantom, could only see sparks generated where shield and sword clashed.

Most of their attacks were blocked by Xu Sanshi, and the battle turned against them.

………

"He is darkness, condemning heresy." Ma Rulong grasped his great sword with both hands, pointed toward Ma Xiaotao, turning the black side of the blade toward her.

Instantly, a black flash flickered in the air and vanished.

Ma Xiaotao's whole body blazed with fire, but when the black flash reached her, all her defenses were useless; the black light merged into her body with a single flash.

Instantly, Ma Xiaotao felt her body change; the previously scarlet Phoenix flames turned black in an instant, a dark, chilling sensation spread throughout her. Even the suppressed evil energy inside surged out, merging with the black flames, feeling on the verge of losing control.

"What kind of soul‑guided device is this?" Ma Xiaotao was truly shocked; it was her first time seeing such a bizarre situation, wondering if the opponent's device attack was undefendable. At that moment, Ma Rulong's great sword flipped, its white side erupted with intense white heat, and the golden blade flash shone to its peak. The bright aura instantly swept the arena.

Ma Xiaotao let out a wail; the black flames on her body began to vaporize in large clouds, and she felt as if the bright power would disintegrate her. The internal Phoenix flames completely dispersed, as if trying to escape her body.

A hint of smugness appeared on Ma Rulong's face; the scheme he had set up finally succeeded.

In his previous match against Jiang Peng, he had said that as a soul guide, only he truly knows himself, so all the soul‑guided devices he uses are self‑made. That statement wasn't meant for Jiang Peng, but for the Shrek Academy spectators.

In fact, the Judgement Sword in his hand could not have been made by him, as it is a genuine eighth‑grade close‑type soul‑guided device, and a pinnacle among eighth‑grade devices.

The Judgement Sword combines darkness and light, capable of instantly merging dark power into an opponent's soul power, turning them into uncontrollable dark attribute, while its own strong light attribute judges the foe. Against weaker enemies, it can instantly shatter their soul power, even completely annihilating them under the sword's bright aura.

Ma Rulong is only a sixth‑grade soul guide; wielding this eighth‑grade Judgement Sword demands a huge price. What Ma Xiaotao cannot see is that behind Ma Rulong, a blood‑red core formation flickers at his chest, with dense blood flames burning.

It is the power of a seventh‑grade soul‑guided device called the Memorial Chapter, using Ma Rulong's own life force and potential as sacrifice, instantly boosting his physical and soul power strength to support the Judgement Sword. He cannot sustain it long, but defeating Ma Xiaotao is enough.

Ma Rulong knew that even if he and Xiao Xiafeng lost to Ma Xiaotao, the Xiao Hongchen siblings could still win the match later. Yet, like Dai Yueheng, he refused to let teammates decide the outcome; after all, he is the captain of the Sun and Moon Team.

Chen Qiye saw trouble, "No, how did I forget this??"

Hearing Ma Xiaotao's wail, Ma Rulong felt everything he had done was worth it, an indescribable thrill instantly coursed through his body.

His belief in victory reached its peak; Ma Rulong suddenly stepped forward, and the Judgement Sword in his hand boldly slashed toward Ma Xiaotao.

But Chen Qiye suddenly appeared, directly parrying the Judgement Sword with a thrust, and with a punch sent Ma Rulong flying off the stage.

Chen Qiye stopped it, yet on the other side Ma Xiaotao underwent a transformation.

The Phoenix flames turned entirely black, and the evil fire inside Ma Xiaotao surged, guided by the dark power. The Phoenix flames, previously suppressed by extreme ice, instantly became dark flames raging within her.

Ma Xiaotao could no longer control it.

Outside, an intense bright aura pressed wildly, causing her own dark flames to continuously disperse, while inside, the combined evil fire and darkness raged wildly.

Ma Xiaotao's body instantly reached the brink of collapse.

……h。

"Xiaotao, calm down," Xuan Lao's deep voice sounded.

Ma Xiaotao seemed to shiver, then her body trembled rapidly, as if enduring immense pain.

Xuan Lao raised his hand and slapped toward her neck side; Ma Xiaotao's hands moved as if to block, but she never raised them, allowing Xuan Lao to knock her down with a palm.

Xuan Lao then embraced her delicate body; intense yellow light burst from him, enveloping Ma Xiaotao, yet the black flames on her surface continued to surge violently, resisting the yellow soul power Xuan Lao released, refusing to be suppressed.

(End of chapter)