Late update. My wi-fi was dying the entire day.
Ahhh—"
Another round of Pegasus Meteor Fist, and Huang Yuan followed in the footsteps of the previous two. With this, the trio of cannon fodder had all been dragged off the stage.
"Ye Hao wins. Please, the Shrek Academy side, send out your next participant," the referee called out tirelessly. In his experience of this tournament, this was by far the smoothest match he had seen.
On the Shrek Academy side, everyone's faces were ashen, and silence hung heavy in the air.
When the referee's words reached the Shrek Academy team, everyone shivered involuntarily. Ye Hao was here to collect lives...
With Huang Yuan's defeat, it was now time for...
"Fatty, it's your turn," Xiao Wu said with glee. She was all too eager to see Ma Hongjun get beaten to a pulp.
Standing in the corner, Ma Hongjun shuddered. His steps faltered as he looked at Ye Hao standing on the stage. A feeling of dread washed over him—he really didn't want to go up there!
"..."
"Can... can I not go?" Ma Hongjun trembled, his legs already giving out.
"No!" everyone shouted in unison.
The match had already begun, and Shrek Academy had sent out three participants, all of whom had been defeated. But there was no turning back now. Ma Hongjun had no choice but to step up.
"Please, Shrek Academy, quickly send out your next participant," the referee urged impatiently.
"No! I won't go!"
The audience, seeing Shrek Academy's hesitation, erupted into murmurs.
"Is Shrek Academy scared?"
"They must be. The first three participants all left with serious injuries."
"Even Shrek Academy has its moments of fear. Weren't they boasting just a few days ago about making Ye Hao pay? Why are they cowering now?"
"Truly ignorant and shameless, a bunch of disgraceful people!"
"..."
The crowd buzzed with discussion, and even Flender, the academy dean, didn't look too good.
To be honest, Flender hadn't placed much hope in the trio of cannon fodder—Tai Long, Jing Ling, and Huang Yuan. He had only hoped they could hold out a bit longer to tire Ye Hao out.
Who would have thought that Ye Hao would defeat all three in less than a minute?
"Ma Hongjun, it's your turn!" Yu Xiaogang urged impatiently.
Finally, under Dai Mubai's forceful pushing and pulling, Ma Hongjun was shoved onto the stage.
"Fatty!" Ye Hao said coldly.
Ma Hongjun felt a chill run down his spine. He looked at Ye Hao with trembling legs, his heart pounding. He knew exactly how this match would end.
The state of Tai Long, Jing Ling, and Huang Yuan was a clear preview of what awaited him.
"Grandmaster, you've doomed me!" Ma Hongjun wailed.
Meanwhile, Yu Xiaogang, sitting in the audience, looked even more displeased. He had taught these students, so how could he have doomed them? This was a baseless accusation. And last night, Ma Hongjun had openly disrespected him. It was as if they didn't see him as a person at all.
Afterward, Yu Xiaogang had discussed with Flender about teaching Ma Hongjun a lesson.
But Flender's response left Yu Xiaogang speechless.
"Hongjun is my disciple. No one can teach him a lesson."
Yu Xiaogang: "..."
On the stage, Ma Hongjun was already disheartened. He glanced at Ye Hao, who was cracking his knuckles, and sighed deeply. Whether he died early or late, he was going to die anyway. Might as well go all out!
"Phoenix, possession!"
Ma Hongjun's three soul rings lit up, and a fiery phoenix phantom appeared behind him. His entire body was bathed in flames as his first and second soul rings activated simultaneously.
"First Soul Skill, Phoenix Fire Line!"
"Second Soul Skill, Bathing Fire Phoenix!"
Ma Hongjun spewed flames from his mouth, and with the boost from his second soul skill, the power of the phoenix flames increased steadily.
Seeing this, Ye Hao smirked and directly charged through Ma Hongjun's phoenix flames.
Instantly, the flames clung to Ye Hao's clothes, and in the next second, they engulfed his entire body. A raging fire erupted, and the temperature of the arena rose significantly.
But those who knew better understood that Ye Hao was immune to fire. Ordinary flames had no effect on him, not even the flames from Blazing Academy.
Just as Ma Hongjun was about to celebrate, Ye Hao casually brushed off the flames, and they dissipated instantly.
"Don't you know I'm immune to fire?" Ye Hao said coldly.
At this point, Ma Hongjun lost all will to fight. After all, aside from his flames, he had no other notable offensive abilities.
"Run!"
That was all Ma Hongjun could think of now. His third soul ring lit up.
"Third Soul Skill, Phoenix Wings Soar!"
A pair of fiery phoenix wings sprouted from Ma Hongjun's back. His goal was clear.
"Run away!"
Instantly, the audience realized Ma Hongjun's intention, and they burst into laughter.
In the history of the tournament, participants had either lost standing or surrendered outright. Ma Hongjun choosing to run away was a first.
At this moment, the entire Shrek Academy team looked as if they had been struck by lightning. They never expected Ma Hongjun to choose to flee. How would Shrek Academy maintain its reputation in Heaven Dou City after this?
Seeing Ma Hongjun fly into the air, Ye Hao simply smiled. Six purple-gold wings appeared on his back, and his figure transformed into a purple lightning bolt, instantly appearing above Ma Hongjun.
At this moment, Ma Hongjun's face turned purple with panic. He was completely stunned.
Ye Hao slowly raised his fist, which seemed to gleam under the sunlight.
Ye Hao swung his fist down, landing a heavy blow on Ma Hongjun's right cheek. Instantly, Ma Hongjun's right cheek swelled up. He looked panicked, spitting out two blood-stained teeth. And this was just the first hit. What about the next...
Ye Hao flashed again, appearing below Ma Hongjun. He delivered a Thunderous Double Kick, sending Ma Hongjun flying high into the air.
Then, accompanied by a series of miserable screams, some of the audience members couldn't bear to watch. It was too brutal.
On the spectator seats, Tang San smiled as he watched Ma Hongjun being beaten so thoroughly by Ye Hao. The anger in his heart subsided significantly.
"I'll let you off this time," Tang San thought to himself. "But if you dare to insult Xiao Wu again, I won't hesitate to take matters into my own hands."
Dai Mubai's expression shifted between gloomy and uncertain. He couldn't bear to watch anymore. Ye Hao had a way of beating people that avoided the most critical parts of the body, focusing instead on the face. And Ma Hongjun's face, as thick as a city wall, took the brunt of it.
"Beat him good!" Xiao Wu cheered, overjoyed to see Ma Hongjun in such a state.
"Ahhh—"
Ma Hongjun let out a final scream as his body plummeted from the sky. His entire body was covered in bruises, and his face was swollen into a giant pig's head. He lay on the ground, watching Ye Hao approach, his heart sinking. What now? Was this never going to end?
"I surrender! I surrender!" Ma Hongjun was on the verge of tears, shouting repeatedly.
Hearing Ma Hongjun yell "surrender," Ye Hao finally stopped. He wiped the blood off his fists.
"If you had just said that earlier, you could've avoided this beating. Why did you have to run? I really can't understand you," Ye Hao said, exasperated.
Ma Hongjun's eyes widened in shock and horror. Yes, if he had just surrendered earlier, he wouldn't have had to endure this.
His eyes were vacant, the pain in his body etched deeply into his memory. He swore to himself, "I'll never act recklessly again. Never again."
Soon after, Ma Hongjun was dragged off the stage by the staff.
With this, the fourth member of Shrek Academy had been defeated. Like the others, he was severely injured, though fortunately, it was only superficial. With the help of a healing-type soul master, he would recover in a few days.
"Ye Hao wins. Please, Shrek Academy, quickly send out your next participant," the referee said cheerfully. At this rate, he would be off work soon.
On the Shrek Academy side, Dai Mubai stood up with a grim expression. He strode confidently toward the stage.
Unlike the previous four, Dai Mubai walked with steady steps, his fists clenched and his face calm. He stepped onto the stage with an imposing aura.
As the captain of Shrek Academy, he couldn't afford to lose face for the academy. With four members already defeated, Dai Mubai didn't expect to defeat Ye Hao. His only hope was to drain Ye Hao's soul power as much as possible, laying the groundwork for Tang San, who would come after him.
This way, the chances of Ye Hao being defeated would increase significantly.
"Dai Mubai? Are you serious?" Ye Hao looked at the Shrek Academy team with a confident smile, his eyes scanning the group.
"Tang San, you coward, aren't you going to step up? You're sending these people to their deaths just to drain my stamina and soul power, so you can swoop in and take the victory later."
"That's so like you."
Tang San was furious, his eyes locked onto Ye Hao.
"Just wait. I'll step up. I hope you'll still be smiling then," Tang San said coldly, his voice filled with killing intent.
"White Tiger, possession!"
Dai Mubai let out a low roar, instantly completing his White Tiger possession. His muscles bulged, and his bones crackled. His golden hair turned black and white, and a faint "king" character appeared on his forehead.
An innate kingly aura radiated from him!
Two yellow and two purple soul rings rose beneath his feet. The first Soul Ancestor of Shrek Academy had appeared.
As the captain of Shrek Academy, Dai Mubai's strength was considerable. His eyes burned with intense fighting spirit, and his expression was calm and composed. However, against Ye Hao, Dai Mubai didn't have full confidence.
He could only do his best and leave the rest to fate.
Ye Hao raised his middle finger at Tang San. "I despise you!"
Ignoring Tang San's murderous gaze, Ye Hao turned his attention to Dai Mubai.
As before, Ye Hao still didn't summon his martial soul. Dai Mubai's body erupted with even more power than before, clearly indicating that he was going all out from the start.
"Ye Hao, bring it on," Dai Mubai said solemnly.
Seeing that Ye Hao still hadn't summoned his martial soul, Dai Mubai's heart sank. This wasn't because Ye Hao was underestimating him.
It was because Ye Hao was completely confident in defeating him.
"Dai Mubai, let's see what you've got as the captain," Ye Hao said with a smile.
"You asked for it!" Dai Mubai roared, his fourth soul ring instantly lighting up. Using his fourth soul skill right from the start showed that Dai Mubai was going all out.
"Fourth Soul Skill, White Tiger Meteor Shower!"
Dai Mubai suddenly appeared in mid-air, his fists glowing with golden light. Countless golden fists materialized around him, raining down on Ye Hao like a meteor shower.
"White Tiger Meteor Shower?"
Ye Hao smirked. "Interesting."
The meteor shower descended like falling stars. Ye Hao narrowed his eyes, crouched slightly, and then flashed into the air, effortlessly dodging the entire barrage.
"What!" Dai Mubai was shocked.
"I'm not stupid enough to take that head-on," Ye Hao said disdainfully. "Your Shrek Academy is just trying to wear me down with a battle of attrition. But what's the result?"
"Tai Long got beaten by me, Jing Ling got beaten by me, and so did Huang Yuan and Ma Hongjun. Now it's your turn, Dai Mubai!"
Dai Mubai snorted coldly. "Do you think I'm like them? Ye Hao, don't underestimate me!"
"Third Soul Skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation!"
Dai Mubai's third soul ring lit up. As the thousand-year soul ring activated, Dai Mubai's demonic eyes turned red, and his muscles swelled to more than double their size. His blood-red eyes seemed to drip with blood, and his tiger claws grew larger, turning into a shiny silver.
This state could last for half an hour, doubling his resistance to abnormal states, as well as his attack power, defense, and strength.
"Second Soul Skill, White Tiger Light Wave!"
Dai Mubai gathered a milky-white energy ball in his mouth. With the White Tiger Vajra Transformation as the foundation, this attack was even more ferocious.
The energy ball shot out rapidly, heading straight for Ye Hao.
In response, Ye Hao crossed his arms in front of his chest, directly blocking Dai Mubai's White Tiger Light Wave.
Following the rule of "smoke without injury," Ye Hao stood unharmed on the stage, his expression calm. This made Dai Mubai even more terrified. If even this couldn't harm Ye Hao, then what chance did he have?
"I'll give it my all."
Dai Mubai descended from mid-air, his tiger claws gripping the ground as he launched a fierce tiger pounce.
His claws clenched into fists, aiming directly for Ye Hao's face.
Ye Hao smirked, catching Dai Mubai's fist with one hand. Then, with a slight exertion of his right hand, he effortlessly threw Dai Mubai into the air. What terrifying strength!
"Your strength is no match for Tai Long's. Even someone from the Strength Clan like him was beaten by me. Dai Mubai, you're nothing special!"
With that, Ye Hao delivered another heavy punch, sending Dai Mubai flying.
Dai Mubai felt as if his abdomen had been torn apart, a indescribable pain coursing through him. His body was sent flying, crashing onto the edge of the stage.
"Dai Mubai, still not surrendering?" Ye Hao asked coldly.
In response, Dai Mubai gritted his teeth, enduring the intense pain as he forced himself back to his feet, his face filled with defiance.
"Not a chance," Dai Mubai said, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth as he struggled to stand.
"Ye Hao, let's go again."
"Tsk tsk tsk..."
"Why bother?" Ye Hao shook his head.
Then, Ye Hao flashed in front of Dai Mubai, his fist aimed directly at Dai Mubai's face.
"Still not surrendering?"
Dai Mubai was stunned, his eyes wide. He hadn't seen anything, only a blur as Ye Hao disappeared from his original position. How had he appeared in front of him in the next second?
The massive fist carried a powerful gust of wind, causing Dai Mubai's black-and-white hair to fly backward. Even the muscles on his face ached from the force of Ye Hao's punch.
In that instant, Dai Mubai's heart sank to the depths. It was over. There was no hope.
Dai Mubai clenched his teeth, voluntarily deactivating his White Tiger possession. With a look of defeat, he waved his hand.
"I surrender. If this continues, I'll only be humiliating myself."
With that, Dai Mubai staggered off the stage.
"Ye Hao, you're strong. I admit my defeat wholeheartedly."
"You're not bad either. Keep working hard," Ye Hao said with a slight smile, then gestured to the referee to announce the result.
The referee nodded and immediately declared,
"Ye Hao wins! Please, Shrek Academy, quickly send out your next participant."
The crowd erupted in murmurs. Ye Hao had won again, and this time without even using his martial soul. Perhaps this was Ye Hao's true strength.
"Damn it!" Yu Tianxin, the captain of the Thunder Academy, looked resentful. "How is Ye Hao so strong? Did he go easy on me that day? If it were today, I would have lost long ago."
Yu Tianxin and Dai Mubai were both captains, and their combat abilities were roughly equal.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul and the White Tiger martial soul were both among the top-tier martial souls, practically equal in strength, with only a slight difference between them.
"Mu Bai, you've worked hard," Flender said with a bitter smile.
Dai Mubai shook his head with a wry smile. "I'm sorry, Dean Flender. I did my best."
At this moment, Grandmaster suddenly spoke up. "Mu Bai, you haven't lost. Why did you surrender? If you had held on a little longer, I'm sure Ye Hao would have..."
"Shut up!" Dai Mubai shouted.
"Y-you... what did you say?" Grandmaster was stunned. How dare Dai Mubai shout at him? How could he? He was their teacher!
At this moment, Tang San's expression changed again...
Dai Mubai sneered. "Grandmaster, don't talk like it's so easy. Do you know the psychological pressure I was under facing Ye Hao? Do you know how powerful that punch of his was? Do you know Ye Hao's true strength?"
"You're sure, you're sure, where do you get all this certainty from?"
"Grandmaster, it's good to be confident, but not blindly confident. I'm not interested in your theories, and I don't care for them. I only believe in fists. The stronger fist is the truth."
Immediately, Tang San's expression darkened as he looked at Dai Mubai.
"Dai Mubai, how dare you insult my teacher!"
"Insult?" Dai Mubai chuckled. "Where did I insult him?"
"This is just stating the facts, Tang San. You're neither deaf nor blind. When Tai Long and the others stepped onto the stage, didn't Grandmaster always talk confidently, saying Ye Hao couldn't withstand this or that? But the facts proved that Ye Hao is even stronger than we imagined."
"Not only did he withstand it, but he did so without even revealing his martial soul. Isn't this blind confidence from Grandmaster? What else is it?"
"Can't someone point out another person's flaws without it being called an insult? Who made that rule?"
Faced with Dai Mubai's questioning, Tang San was momentarily speechless, as if someone had grabbed him by the throat.
"I... I was just pointing out Ye Hao's weaknesses to help you all face him," Grandmaster stammered in explanation.
"That's unnecessary," Dai Mubai said seriously, looking at Grandmaster. "Grandmaster, if you just stop talking from now on, we'll be grateful."