Qi Han sat beside Yue Lengxin.
Although it wasn't the first time, he still couldn't help but feel his heartbeat quicken, even fumbling a bit in how he was petting Pururu.
"Meow~"
Pururu twisted its body in dissatisfaction, showing its disapproval of Qi Han's distracted attention.
Human, your skills are slipping!
Sitting next to Qi Han, Yue Lengxin also felt a bit strange.
She tried to keep her expression calm, but her eyes, which occasionally darted to the other side, betrayed her unease.
Fortunately, the awkward atmosphere between the two didn't last long, as the match between Shrek Academy and Star Luo Royal Academy soon began amidst the overwhelming cheers of the audience.
Both Qi Han and Yue Lengxin quickly shifted their attention to the vast thousand-meter arena at the center of the stadium.
The first match of the competition was a one-on-one, and as soon as the first participants stepped onto the stage, a murmur of surprise rippled through the crowd.
The reason was simple—the stark contrast in the two contestants' appearances.
On the side of Star Luo Royal Academy, the participant was a towering male player, standing over two meters tall.
Despite just standing still, he exuded mountainous pressure.
In contrast, the first participant from Shrek Academy was a petite girl, standing less than 1.6 meters tall.
She had long, silver twin tails, and her big light-purple eyes twinkled adorably. If she weren't wearing Shrek Academy's green uniform, people might have mistaken her for a lost child.
"Yun Xi?"
Qi Han was surprised. He hadn't expected Yun Xi to be the first one up.
Of course, Qi Han knew all of Shrek's team members.
This girl was one of the core members and a disciple of the Shrek Academy inner court.
Though she looked younger than Fu Ya, she was actually already nineteen years old.
What surprised Qi Han was that, in his impression, Yun Xi didn't seem particularly strong.
She often called the other team members "Big Boss," as if she were the weakest among them, making Qi Han always assume she was the least powerful in the main team.
But if she was weak, why was she the first one up in such an important match?
Qi Han turned slightly and caught Yue Lengxin's smile. "You probably don't know this, but Yun Xi is the vice-captain of the main team."
Huh? Vice-captain? This twin-tailed loli is that strong?
Qi Han glanced at Yun Xi again.
The weakest among them?
I don't believe that at all!
Despite her appearance as a cute twin-tailed girl, the Star Luo Royal Academy contestant didn't relax in the slightest. His eyes were full of caution.
After all, standing in front of him was the only Shrek team member who had yet to make a move in any previous matches.
Even though Shrek Academy's captain, Sun Changhao, had already displayed his strength as a six-ring Spirit Emperor in the previous match, this girl had yet to show her hand.
When it came to Shrek Academy, being cautious was always the safest bet.
As the referee signaled the start of the match, Chu Chao, the Star Luo Academy contestant, let out a loud shout, his already impressive body swelling even more, reaching almost three meters tall.
A pair of sharp, gleaming horns emerged from his forehead, and his skin turned a deep greenish-black.
Spirit possession: Mighty Bull Demon!
Five spirit rings materialized around him, glowing softly.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black!
Naturally, anyone who made it into Star Luo Royal Academy was talented, and the best spirit ring combinations were common among them.
Chu Chao was a five-ring Power Attack Spirit King, and judging by the intensity of his spirit power, he wasn't a newly advanced one either.
His spirit possession was completed in an instant, and the massive giant charged ferociously toward the much smaller twin-tailed girl.
The sight was so intense that it drew gasps from the audience.
Chu Chao blocked out all the surrounding noise. His greenish-black skin made his expression difficult to discern, but his eyes were full of seriousness.
Such a petite figure must be an agility-type spirit master.
Upon seeing Yun Xi for the first time, Chu Chao made a quick, professional assessment.
Since he's facing an agility-type spirit master, he couldn't allow her to create distance!
However, as Chu Chao rushed forward with fierce momentum, the twin-tailed girl didn't move at all. She even waved towards the Shrek team's viewing area and made a playful face.
Did she lose her mind?
No, she must be underestimating me!
Chu Chao secretly rejoiced, assuming that Shrek Academy's long-standing reputation had made the girl overconfident. If he could get close to her, this match would be over in no time…
But just as Chu Chao was strategizing about how to finish the fight after closing the distance, his expression suddenly froze.
It wasn't just him. Every audience member had the same dumbfounded expression on their face.
By now, there were only about two meters left between Chu Chao and the girl—a distance Chu Chao could close in a single step. But at that very moment, the small, twin-tailed girl pulled out a massive, three-meter-tall hammer from who knows where, with five spirit rings floating around it.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black.
This girl was also a five-ringed spirit master, and judging by her spirit power, she might even be stronger than Chu Chao.
Her weapon was a hammer.
Although it wasn't the legendary Clear Sky Hammer, it was clear now that this girl wasn't an agility-type spirit master.
She was a formidable Power Attack Spirit King.
Chu Chao had only just processed this when he instinctively tried to back away, but the momentum of his forward charge made it impossible to retreat immediately. At that moment, the third spirit ring on the girl's hammer lit up.
Crap!
Chu Chao roared in panic, his fourth spirit ring activating in response.
Mighty Bull King Guard!
A layer of greenish-black energy formed a shield around him, capable of absorbing 40% of physical attacks and 30% of energy attacks, his strongest defensive spirit skill.
Despite his swift reaction, it was already too late.
The girl's third spirit ring lit up, and with a swing of her hammer, she smashed through the protective barrier, sending Chu Chao flying hundreds of meters away.
Azure Hammer Strike: Collapse!
It's not about the strength, it's about the impact!
Chu Chao felt the world spinning around him as he was violently launched into the air, completely unable to control his body. He only stopped when he crashed to the ground, seeing stars.
He struggled to get up, shaking his head to regain his bearings, but Yun Xi didn't give him the chance.
After her first hammer strike, she glanced in the direction he'd flown, then swung her hammer in a circle, slamming it into the arena's floor.
Her third spirit ring lit up again, but unlike Chu Chao, the battle stage was too solid to be blown away.
A blue glow flickered, and instead of her opponent, it was Yun Xi's hammer that flew up.
She grabbed the handle, letting the hammer's momentum lift her petite body off the ground as she flew in a wide arc toward Chu Chao.
Her body gracefully adjusted mid-air, and the dark light of her black ten-thousand-year spirit ring gleamed ominously on the hammer.
Just as Chu Chao stood up, he looked up to see her descending on him, hammer raised high.
"Stop! We surrender!" shouted someone from the Star Luo Royal Academy's side.
The referee instantly teleported Chu Chao out of the way.
Boom!
Yun Xi's hammer collided with the stage, leaving a ten-meter-wide spiderweb of cracks where it landed.
Crimson Hammer Strike: Shatter!
Chu Chao stood beside the referee, looking dazed. His spirit possession had been deactivated, and he had returned to his regular two-meter height.
Seeing the ten-meter-wide cracks, he swallowed nervously.
If the referee hadn't intervened, I'd probably be dead right now...
"Boring!" Yun Xi shot the referee a glare before making her hammer disappear, her face returning to its previous adorable expression. She pouted slightly, her hands clasped behind her back.
"Next!"
<+>
if you want to see more chapters of this story and don't mind playing $5 per month to see my latest update, please go to my Patreon[1]
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/collection/67255?view=condensed[2]
Latest Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 345: This Boy—He Must Not Be Allowed To Live![3]
Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/131359207[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/67255?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/collection/67255?view=condensed
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/131359207
[4] https://www.patreon.com/posts/131359207