Seeing Xiao Wu eliminate another member of the Blazing Team, the battle damage ratio had now reversed—Shrek still had three members left, while the Blazing Team was down to just two.
Offstage, Tang San and Dai Mubai couldn't help but show a glimmer of hope in their eyes.
"Just a little more effort, and maybe… just maybe, we might have a chance to win?"
Mu Yang: One of life's three great illusions—I can make a comeback.
At this moment, the Blazing Team's originally designated sixth contestant, Huo Yu, was preparing to enter the arena.
"Wait!"
Huo Wu suddenly called out, stopping Huo Yu. Then, she turned to Mu Yang and said, "Xiao Yang, switch him out. Losing too much will look bad."
Huo Yu was Huo Yun's twin brother, and their strengths were nearly identical—Huo Yu was even slightly weaker. Since Huo Yun couldn't withstand Xiao Wu's three-move combo, there was no way Huo Yu would either.
Xiao Wu had already defeated Huo Jun, Huo Lie, and Huo Yun in succession.
Huo Jun wasn't much of a surprise—he had fought a battle before facing Xiao Wu, and his Fire Star Martial Soul was more of a hybrid offense-support type. Losing to Xiao Wu wasn't unexpected.
But Huo Lie and Huo Yun? No matter what tactics Xiao Wu used, both had been utterly crushed without the ability to fight back.
If Xiao Wu defeated yet another opponent, it would be a serious blow to the Blazing Academy's reputation.
"Alright then, which of you is going up?"
Mu Yang's gaze fell on Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang.
"Brother, you go."
Huo Wu nudged Huo Wushuang with her elbow while glancing at Xiao Wu on the battlefield.
"Since we both have 'Wu' in our names, I'll let you off this time."
Huo Wushuang nodded and stepped into the arena.
As the Blazing Team's "ace" entered the fight, Xiao Wu, who had been basking in her victory streak, immediately sobered up. Her expression turned serious.
Against opponents of the same level, she believed few Soul Masters on the continent could withstand her three-move combo.
But this was only true for opponents of the same level.
A five-ring Soul King like Huo Wushuang was clearly not within that category.
Before the match, her godmother, Liu Erlong, had specifically warned her—
"The three Soul Kings of the Blazing Team are not just ordinary five-ring Soul Masters. Against them, your three-move tactic won't work."
After all, the higher a Soul Master's level, the stronger their spiritual power became.
While Xiao Wu's spiritual strength surpassed most of her peers, it was nowhere near that of a five-ring Soul King.
If she attempted to use Charm against Huo Wushuang, the outcome wouldn't be him falling under her control, but rather her suffering severe spiritual backlash.
"Match, begin!"
With the referee's announcement, the battle commenced.
At the start, Huo Wushuang, now in Crimson Flame Crystal Dragon Martial Soul Possession, did not move.
Instead, he simply raised his right arm—now transformed into a crimson dragon claw—and casually curled his fingers, gesturing for Xiao Wu to attack first.
From Huo Wushuang's perspective, he was a Level 59 Soul King, while Xiao Wu was only a Level 42 Soul Ancestor.
Given that she also looked a few years younger than him, he figured he might as well let her make the first move.
But to Xiao Wu, this gesture meant something entirely different—
"You weakling. I'll give you a few free hits so no one says I bullied you."
"Damn it! A dragon stranded in shallow waters gets mocked by shrimps; a tiger fallen from its peak is harassed by dogs! Back in the day, a mere five-ring Soul King would've meant nothing to me!"
Clenching her fists, Xiao Wu was filled with frustration.
"Hmph—!"
Shaking her head, she forcefully discarded thoughts of her former strength.
With a cold snort, she pushed off the ground and shot toward Huo Wushuang like a bullet.
"Heh, Second Soul Skill—Crimson Flame Crystal Barrier!"
With a chuckle, Huo Wushuang's second soul ring lit up, radiating a crimson glow. A spherical, semi-transparent red barrier formed around his body. Crossing his arms over his chest, he calmly waited for Xiao Wu to begin her performance.
Seeing Huo Wushuang use a defensive soul skill, Xiao Wu, who was mid-charge, hesitated for a moment.
Was this fight even winnable?
Her first soul skill, Waist Bow, was a power-amplification skill that enhanced her waist strength and flexibility.
Her second soul skill, Charm, was a spiritual control skill.
Her third soul skill, Teleportation, was a spatial movement skill.
Her fourth soul skill, Invincible Golden Body, was a defensive skill.
So, while she was a four-ring Assault-type Soul Ancestor, she didn't actually have a single true offensive soul skill. Her only means of attack were basic physical strikes and her self-created soul skill—Eight Stage Drop.
Basic punches and kicks wouldn't break through Huo Wushuang's shield. Without breaking the shield, she couldn't execute Eight Stage Drop—after all, it was impossible to use grappling techniques against a massive spherical barrier.
And without Eight Stage Drop, she had no way of dealing with Huo Wushuang.
"Seriously, why would an Assault-type Soul Master with a Dragon-type Martial Soul—a Martial Soul that doesn't seem any weaker than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, just with a different attribute—bother learning a defensive soul skill? Couldn't he just stick to pure offense? Now look what's happened—your big sis Xiao Wu doesn't even know where to start!"
Despite her complaints, Xiao Wu didn't stop advancing.
After all, the match had already begun—how could she back down now?
"A head can be severed, blood can be shed, but dignity… and my hairstyle must remain intact!"
"Boom—!"
Upon reaching Huo Wushuang, Xiao Wu's long leg snapped forward in a mid-air kick, striking the surface of his crimson barrier with a dull thud.
As expected, the kick did nothing to shake the five-ring Soul King's defensive skill—it didn't even push him back.
Huo Wushuang's Sun Body Training Technique wasn't just for show. His natural physique was already formidable, and once his Crimson Flame Crystal Dragon Martial Soul was activated, his physical capabilities soared even further. He effortlessly absorbed the impact of Xiao Wu's attack.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Though her first strike failed, Xiao Wu didn't give up.
Her fair fists rained down on Huo Wushuang's crimson barrier like a storm, producing a continuous series of impacts.
"Had enough? If so, step down."
After withstanding twenty punches with a neutral expression, Huo Wushuang finally spoke.
Hearing this, Xiao Wu's body stiffened. Her expression turned awkward, and even her rabbit ears, which had been perked up in defiance, drooped slightly.
This was… an absolutely devastating blow—to both her confidence and her pride as a rabbit.
There was no doubt—
For a Soul Master, the most painful thing in battle was realizing that their attacks were nothing more than light scratches, incapable of dealing any real damage.
And against Huo Wushuang, that was exactly her situation.
After staring at Huo Wushuang for three seconds, Xiao Wu twitched the corner of her mouth, sighed, and finally lowered her head.
Turning around, she walked off the stage.
"Hmph! Foolish human, I'll let you have this one. But one day, when my soul power reaches its peak, you will bow before me and respectfully call me Big Sis Xiao Wu!"
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}
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