The tension in the air, thick with anticipation, finally began to dissipate as Bi Bidong, seated on the high platform, let out a soft sigh of relief. A subtle smile graced her lips, mirrored by the relieved expressions of Yue Guan and Gui Mei behind her. They harbored no doubt that the Shrek Academy had no chance of turning the tide.
Not far away, Ning Fengzhi’s brow furrowed slightly as his gaze swept over the somber Master, who stood with his head bowed. He couldn’t quite comprehend if the current predicament was part of the Master’s grand design.
To plunge headfirst into the opponent’s martial soul fusion skill, especially under such comprehensive weakening conditions, was certainly not a wise move. How could Rongrong and the others, already at a disadvantage in soul power levels, possibly contend with their adversaries? What astonished him even further was that despite the shortened activation time of the Yin Demon, and even though Dai Mubai had lost his initial advantage, allowing Hu Liena to rejoin her teammates, Ning Fengzhi’s speed and explosive power should have allowed him to pursue and intercept Hu Liena and Xie Yue. Yet, they had still allowed the opponents to complete their martial soul fusion skill, even penetrating deep into their soul skill domain. What was the Master truly aiming for?
Within the crimson mist, the Shrek Seven Devils distinctly felt their bodies grow heavier, their senses becoming dulled. It was as if an invisible shackle had bound their limbs, a crushing weight that dragged them down with every movement, making even raising a hand feel like a monumental effort.
"Screech—"
The sound of metal scraping against the ground reached their ears from afar, yet it seemed to be happening right beside them, making it impossible to discern their precise distance from the source. A psychological battle had commenced.
Even though all their senses and soul power were restricted, no trace of panic appeared on their faces. Oscar, as if nothing had happened, continued to chant his food-type soul incantations, tirelessly conjuring auxiliary food items. Tang Sui circulated her demon power, minimizing the oppressive effect of the red mist, though it was not entirely negated. The malevolence lingering in the air acted like a stimulant for Tang Sui, igniting an instinct for predation within her bloodline. Unexpectedly experiencing this peculiar effect, Tang Sui forcefully suppressed the urge, striving to maintain clarity of thought and consciousness.
Just as Tang Sui was battling her primal instincts, two crisp clangs echoed conspicuously within the red mist. Simultaneously, a high-pitched exclamation, impossible to discern as male or female, rang out: "How could you possibly know the trajectory of my attack?!"
Tang San, catching the spiraling moon blades with his Mystical Jade Hand and flinging them back with equal force, curved his lips into a smile. A faint understanding flickered in his dark eyes, tinged with purple. The red mist would not impede Xie Yue and Hu Liena’s vision, but neither could it obstruct his Purple Demon Eye, which had reached the subtlest realm!
Seeing the smile on Tang San’s face clearly within the red mist, the Yin Demon’s gaze darkened. He clenched his five fingers in the air, and the moon blades that had been thrown flew back into his hand. Following his forward leap, he thrust towards the red mist, targeting the one individual, Tang San, who seemed to be the only one capable of seeing. Witnessing the Yin Demon’s movement, Tang San’s arms simultaneously tensed. The Blue Silver Grass connected to his arms rippled like waves, and in the next instant, six dark figures were flung out from the red mist.
From the outside, it appeared as though Tang Sui and the others sprang from the crimson fog, landing before Yan and his four companions, who were already adopting a spectator’s stance with confident expressions.
"This is impossible!" Yan exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief. Those who had not understood why Tang San and the others had not intervened earlier, like Dugu Bo, now grasped the situation. Dugu Bo, in particular, unknotted his brows, a schadenfreudean curve gracing his lips as he chuckled, "I never imagined the young monster’s mental power had grown so formidable as to see within that red mist!" It seemed the Spirit Hall was about to gift those three millennium-old spirit bones for free!
At this juncture, Tang Sui and the others would not afford their opponents any chance to recover. A sharp tiger’s roar erupted from Dai Mubai. Though still airborne, his first soul skill, White Tiger Body Protection Barrier, and his third soul skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation, erupted simultaneously, his body rapidly expanding mid-air. As she was flung out, Zhu Zhuqing’s toes found purchase on the fox-like fur of the leopard’s head that had appeared behind her, her movement speed suddenly increasing. She instantly caught up to Dai Mubai, stealthily positioning herself behind him, awaiting the opportune moment for an assassination.
"Hoo—hoo—!" Fiery wings unfurled from Ma Hongjun’s back. Oscar, whose hands and feet were attached to Ma Hongjun, quickly released his grip, intending to retreat to Ning Rongrong, who was being shielded by Tang Sui.
Witnessing this, Bi Bidong narrowed her eyes, showing no signs of annoyance. Instead, a cold smile touched her lips. "You think this will allow you to escape my martial soul fusion skill?"
Within the red mist, the Yin Demon’s indistinguishable voice, laced with a hint of disdain, resounded. In the thermal imaging provided by the system, the Yin Demon surged forward. Having only broken free for a few seconds, the vast and dense red mist once again engulfed the Shrek Six Devils who had just unleashed their soul skills. This time, even Ma Hongjun’s scorching Phoenix wings could not affect the red mist in the slightest. The red mist emanated from the fusion of Xie Yue and Hu Liena, the Yin Demon, as its center. Seeing the Shrek Six Devils escape the range of the martial soul fusion skill, the Yin Demon immediately abandoned its pursuit of Tang San, opting to accelerate directly, using its body to propel the red mist and re-envelope them. With the assistance of auxiliary teammates, the Yin Demon’s red mist spread over a larger area this time, covering nearly three-quarters of the arena. Only the open space around Yan and his companions remained uncovered, thus safe.
— Author’s notes —
See you tomorrow~