At that moment, two teams stepped onto the arena under the gaze of thousands.
Representing the Tianhai Alliance was last year's Youth Division champion squad—seven elite students from Tianhai Academy.
Now over twenty years old, they'd aged into the Advanced Division, dressed in silver uniforms, radiating disciplined prowess—five men, two women, movements synchronized, eyes blazing with competitive fire.
Opposite them, Shrek Academy's seven students entered in green athletic gear.
They looked barely fourteen or fifteen—youthful faces contrasting with unnerving composure.
Xie Xie recognized the last two instantly.
"That chubby kid and that girl—they're from Shrek Academy?!" he gasped, disbelief cracking his voice.
Tang Wulin nodded grimly. "Seems so."
"We're the same age… how can the gap be this wide?" Zhang Yangzi muttered, envy thick in his tone.
Wang Jinxi said nothing, but his gaze never left the arena.
Fang Yang, Gu Yue, and Xu Xiaoyan watched silently.
Shrek Academy's entrance ignited the crowd.
Teenagers facing Tianhai's adult elites?
The sheer audacity stunned the stadium.
Tianhai's champions scowled—losing to children would shatter their honor.
"Begin!" the referee's voice boomed.
Shrek's team moved instantly.
The chubby Xu Lizhi activated two yellow rings, launching steaming buns to his teammates, who devoured them without hesitation.
At the center, a girl's voice rang out—
Two yellow, one purple rings flared.
A seven-layered, crystal-clear Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda materialized in her palm, radiant with light.
"Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda!" someone shrieked in the stands.
The pagoda's first three layers blazed—three beams of light struck the frontmost youth.
"ROOOAR!"
He bellowed—a dragon's cry.
His body swelled, muscles bulging, dragon scales erupting—claws replacing hands.
Yellow, yellow, purple, black rings ascended—the final black ring triggering gasps.
"T-Ten-thousand-year ring?!" spectators screamed.
His second ring ignited—he vanished.
BOOOOM!
A blue explosion ripped the arena's center, energy waves shredding the air.
Simultaneously, Shrek's other members unleashed soul skills—a storm of light engulfing the Tianhai team.
Tianhai's elites fumbled defenses—but it was futile.
They were roadkill, consumed by blue lightning.
One minute later—the match ended.
Tianhai's seven lay unconscious.
Shrek's team stood pristine in formation—Xu Lizhi and Ye Xinglan smirking at the rear.
Silence choked the arena.
This was Shrek Academy?
Power beyond reckoning!
"Shrek Academy's Invitational Team… wins!" the referee announced, voice trembling.
Shrek's leader bowed slightly, then led his team off, leaving a massacre in their wake.
"That's… Shrek Academy?" Zhang Yangzi's voice cracked.
Wang Jinxi remained silent, but clenched fists betrayed his awe.
"They're… too strong…" Xu Xiaoyan whispered.
"Their levels match ours," Tang Wulin analyzed gravely, "but their coordination… their explosive power—unreal."
Xie Xie nodded fervently.
Fang Yang said nothing.
Shrek's strength? Mere insects before his might.
Wu Zhangkong turned to them. "Fang Yang, Gu Yue—your thoughts?"
"Mediocre," Gu Yue stated flatly.
Fang Yang spoke slowly, voice calm:
"At the end of the soul path—who stands at the peak?
One glimpse of Fang Yang… and all paths turn to void."
The group froze in eerie silence.
If Gu Yue's words were arrogant, Fang Yang's were apocalyptic hubris!
"Wha—?" Xu Xiaoyan gaped.
"Fang Yang, you—" Xie Xie stammered.
But Tang Wulin nodded firmly. "Fang Yang—I believe you."
Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi exchanged wary glances, eyes fixed on Fang Yang.
"Good," Wu Zhangkong approved, sanctioning their audacity.
Had Tang Wulin or Xie Xie boasted thus, he'd have scolded them.
But these two? They had the right to speak.
"Teacher Wu—who are these Shrek students?" Tang Wulin asked, awed.
Wu Zhangkong's voice turned glacial.
"Just Shrek's Outer Court."
"Outer Court?!"
All but Fang Yang and Gu Yue stared, stunned.
If the Outer Court was this monstrous… what of the Inner Court?
"Yes. Outer Court. They're your greatest rivals ahead," Wu Zhangkong declared.
"Forget why Class Zero exists? To enter Shrek Academy!"
Xie Xie suddenly realized—"Teacher Wu… did you… fail to enter the Inner Court?"
Wu Zhangkong's eyes darkened with old pain.
"I entered… but never graduated."
Long Bing—his one true love—lost forever.
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