Chapter 111: Star Luo Royal Academy

Soon it was afternoon, and the losers' bracket of the fifth round of the finals was about to begin, with Star Luo Royal Academy facing the Heaven Dou Royal Academy Shrek Team.

The crowd's heads swayed one by one; after all these years the Two Great Empires had never been so unfriendly, making this battle truly a clash of spear tip against wheat awn.

Yu Xiaogang, after some deliberation, actually kept the lineup used against the New Divine Wind Team, which is the defensive formation Yang Xiong devised.

Yang Xiong was also speechless; this formation might work against the New Divine Wind Team because that team has strong burst power but lacks premium support like Ning Rongrong and Ye Lingling, making its endurance relatively poorer.

But Star Luo Royal Academy was the opposite: not only were its attacks fierce, its formation was very balanced, and it wasn't even afraid of consumption, since the opponent had two Soul Grandmasters above Level 45.

The Shrek Team's lineup remained Yang Xiong, Yu Tianheng, Tang San, Dai Mubai, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, and Ye Lingling.

Meanwhile, Star Luo Royal Academy actually made some adjustments to its formation.

Captain Dai Weisi, martial soul White Tiger, Level 49 Strong Attack System Soul Ancestor.

Deputy Captain Zhu Zhuyun, martial soul Netherworld Spirit Cat, Level 47 Agility Attack System Soul Ancestor.

Team member Lin Yao, martial soul Fire Eagle, Level 39 Agility Attack System Soul Elder.

Team member Ying Wei, martial soul Swollen Water Buffalo, Level 44 Strong Attack System Battle Soul Ancestor.

Team member Tang Hongning, martial soul Fierce Thunder Leopard, Level 43 Agility Attack System Battle Soul Ancestor.

Team members Shangshan Ruoshui Sisters, martial soul Shangshan Ruoshui, Level 40 Support System Battle Soul Ancestor.

Yang Xiong found the opposing lineup odd; normally they would have a Soul Ancestor, but unexpectedly they sent a high‑rank Fire Attribute Soul Elder, apparently to target them.

Yang Xiong was speechless again at both sides' formations: the opponent had as many as three Agility Attack System Soul Grandmasters, yet not a single Defense System Soul Grandmaster.

In contrast, the Shrek Team had no Agility Attack System Soul Grandmaster at all, making Yang Xiong only half a team; the overall formation's speed gap was huge.

Nevertheless, even so, Star Luo Royal Academy's average Soul Power Level was still much higher than the Shrek Team's, because the Shrek Team actually had two Soul Elders.

When the referee gave the order, everyone on both sides summoned their martial souls and Soul Rings, and the match officially began.

Star Luo Royal Academy launched the first attack, with Dai Weisi charging ahead like a massive ferocious tiger, apparently intending to break through the Shrek Team's formation with sheer force.

Beside Dai Weisi stood the Soul Ancestor Ying Wei, whose martial soul was the Swollen Water Buffalo, also at Level 44 Soul Power.

Besides the two strong‑attack members, the team simultaneously launched three arrows, with three Agility Attack System Soul Grandmasters moving at extreme speed, forming a pincer formation.

Star Luo Royal Academy's tactic worked very well; ordinary teams simply couldn't withstand attacks of this caliber.

The Shrek Team, which had intended to adopt a defensive stance, heard Tang San's grim voice shout, "Scatter!"

The group that had been together broke apart, showing Tang San's reaction was indeed swift; if they had truly solid defense, they'd eventually have had their formation broken by the opponent.

The Shi Brothers reacted extremely quickly, dashing forward to confront the two Soul Ancestors Dai Weisi and Ying Wei, while Yu Tianheng and Dai Mubai also reacted swiftly, protecting the Shi Brothers on one side and dealing with multiple Agility Attack System Soul Grandmasters on the other; both of them possessed very strong combat qualities, capable of holding their own against the Agility Attack System Soul Grandmasters, otherwise the Shi Brothers' agility would have made them easy prey.

Yang Xiong's speed was extremely fast; he sprinted toward Zhu Zhuyun, and with Zhu Zhuyun's Level 47 strength, the whole team could keep up with Yang Xiong's speed.

However, Dai Weisi's power was even more exaggerated than imagined; he transformed into a massive White Tiger and slapped the Xuanwu Turtle of Shi Mo, causing Shi Mo to recoil several meters. In terms of combat power and martial soul, Dai Weisi likely already possessed Soul King‑level strength, and his attack and defense should not be inferior to Yan of the Spirit Hall team.

Dai Mubai pivoted and immediately stood before Dai Weisi, clearly filled with resentment toward him.

Dai Weisi laughed, "My good little brother, you've been away from home for so many years; I wonder if you've made any progress all this time."

Both simultaneously activated the Third Soul Skill White Tiger Diamond Transformation, instantly becoming immensely muscular, their bodies swelling with muscle.

Yet after only one exchange, Dai Weisi remained completely still, while Dai Mubai was knocked back several meters; the gap between them was clearly huge. Purely in terms of strength, Dai Weisi was five levels higher than Feng Xiaotian, and his power was considerably stronger.

Ye Lingling reacted extremely quickly; Nine-Star Begonia instantly emitted two beams of light that infused Dai Mubai and Shi Mo, instantly restoring their conditions.

Compared with the brutal clash between Dai Mubai and Dai Weisi, Yang Xiong and Zhu Zhuyun displayed ultimate speed; the Netherworld Spirit Cat truly lived up to being a top‑tier Agility Attack System martial soul, its speed far surpassing any Soul Ancestor Yang Xiong had ever seen, even faster than Feng Xiaotian.

But Yang Xiong was undaunted, pushing his speed to the limit, his hands turning into silver claws reaching for Zhu Zhuyun.

Yet Zhu Zhuyun's speed was even more exaggerated than Yang Xiong imagined; each movement was more nimble than expected, her hands like two daggers slashing at Yang Xiong's hands, but before he could exert force, she instantly retreated, appearing almost weightless.

Yang Xiong was startled; Zhu Zhuyun displayed not just speed but keen combat ability, especially the Netherworld Spirit Cat's exaggerated reaction speed.

Yang Xiong considered his speed unrivaled among Soul Ancestors, yet Zhu Zhuyun was slippery, essentially maximizing the Agility Attack System's combat prowess; if a strike missed, she immediately vanished, never truly matching Yang Xiong's combat power.

Thus Yang Xiong became intrigued; Zhu Zhuyun's fighting style resembled Tang San's bizarre maneuvers, no wonder the Netherworld Spirit Cat is touted as the fastest‑reacting martial soul.

Yang Xiong's speed surged again, and his feet adopted a certain gait—derived from years of battling Tang San and from Tai Chi research, a footwork Yang Xiong calls the Eight Trigrams Step, based on Tai Chi.

As the saying goes, Tai Chi gives rise to the two forms, the two forms to the four symbols, the four symbols to the eight trigrams; the Eight Trigrams Step was gradually developed from Tai Chi's yin‑yang, and while it may not achieve ultimate speed, each step embodies the principles of the eight trigrams, encompassing all things.

Although Zhu Zhuyun's reaction speed was extreme, after repeatedly attacking Yang Xiong she ran out of luck; at the moment of her strike, Yang Xiong's hands were flat on his chest, forming a circular shape. Zhu Zhuyun felt as if she hit cotton, while Yang Xiong's previously slow palms suddenly accelerated visibly, striking Zhu Zhuyun's abdomen with such force that she was blown away.

Tai Chi, famed for overcoming hardness with softness and slowing the fast, seemed inevitable in that instant.

Zhu Zhuyun's face showed surprise as she immediately activated her First Soul Skill: Nether Thrust, her five fingers instantly extending claws, the attack speed doubling, a supreme close‑range single‑target skill.

Yang Xiong felt a chill, his entire body instantly hardening like a thick armor, his self‑created defensive soul technique: Steel Reinforced Iron Bones.

In that instant, Zhu Zhuyun's strike seemed to hit steel; her fingers could not advance a single inch.

Before she could react, Yang Xiong's hands, swift as lightning, seized Zhu Zhuyun, instantly carving five long bloodstreaks across her body, even tearing a large piece of her clothing.

Zhu Zhuyun shouted angrily, "Rascal!"

Zhu Zhuyun again attacked Yang Xiong with renewed speed, while Yang Xiong was speechless, thinking he was merely participating in a Spirit Battle competition—how could he be called a rascal? Do these female Soul Masters lack such resolve when they step onto the arena?

Compared to Yang Xiong's ability to suppress Zhu Zhuyun with speed, the others' situation was far less favorable.

Dai Mubai was clearly not a match for Dai Weisi, and Yu Tianheng could not suppress Ying Wei either, since a Level 44 Swollen Water Buffalo is still viable; meanwhile, the Shi brothers' slower traits began to show, and facing three Agility Attack System Soul Grandmasters left them somewhat overwhelmed.

Tang San commanded Blue Silver Grass to control the field, but Star Luo Royal Academy's team was clearly prepared; the Soul Elder with the Fire Eagle martial soul was specifically targeting Tang San's Blue Silver Grass, especially since that person moved extremely fast and did not attack others, focusing solely on the Blue Silver Grass.

The Fire Eagle is also a top‑tier martial soul, not only extremely fast but also capable of flight, with decent strength; although Lin Yao is only a Soul Elder, he holds absolute advantage in the sky, and the Shrek members have no way to counter him.

As time passed, both sides fell into a war of attrition like the Shrek versus Shenfeng Academy match, but the Shrek Team clearly slipped into disadvantage; Star Luo Royal Academy's attacks grew even more rapid and domineering, especially since they also had two premium Support Soul Masters.

The Shangshan Ruoshui Sisters are named Dong Hui and Yang Mingxi, two Support members of Star Luo Royal Academy; their martial soul Shangshan Ruoshui provides excellent healing and amplification, a top‑tier Water Attribute martial soul.

However, compared to others, Zhu Zhuyun seemed rather unfortunate; she lagged behind Yang Xiong in speed and even more so in strength. After repeated attacks from Yang Xiong, she bore multiple wounds and appeared completely suppressed; had she not been so fast, she would likely have been knocked off the arena by Yang Xiong.

The Shangshan Ruoshui Sisters also swiftly healed Zhu Zhuyun; the effect was indeed exaggerated, leading Yang Xiong to wonder if two Support System Soul Masters healing simultaneously might produce a greater‑than‑sum effect.

Seeing Zhu Zhuyun repeatedly injured, Dai Weisi directly activated his Second Soul Skill White Tiger Fierce Light Wave; Dai Mubai also launched White Tiger Fierce Light Wave but was completely suppressed, forced back several meters.

Then Dai Weisi's form shifted, and the White Tiger Fierce Light Wave suddenly changed, becoming a rapid cutting beam that sliced toward Yang Xiong, appearing quite powerful.

Moreover, Zhu Zhuyun and Dai Weisi seemed in sync; at that instant Zhu Zhuyun activated her Second Soul Skill Nether Hundred Claws against Yang Xiong, as if coordinated, leaving Yang Xiong unable to evade.

Yet Yang Xiong only let out a cold laugh, his hands turning into silver dragon claws; his left hand seized the White Tiger Fierce Light Wave from Dai Weisi, while his right hand grabbed at Zhu Zhuyun's myriad claw attacks.

Under the strain of multitasking, both the White Tiger Fierce Light Wave and the Nether Hundred Claws were shattered in that instant, and Zhu Zhuyun was knocked several meters away again.

Given Yang Xiong's current strength, he's not afraid if Zhu Zhuyun doesn't attack; he only worries that she might rely on her powerful speed and agility to dodge, and at the very least he cannot let her attack the rest of our side.

(End of chapter)