"Whoosh—!"
When all the spectators saw the two yellow soul rings on Xiao Xiao's body, they were all struck with astonishment.
"So, it was fake from the beginning. That boy with the hundred-thousand-year soul ring was also a fake."
In front of the soul guide screen, Bibi Dong, Xue Qinghe, Ning Fengzhi, and others confirmed their suspicions.
By the eighth day of the competition, Bibi Dong and the others had learned more about the situation.
Even so, the strength of the younger generation from the opposing world still shocked them.
Not to mention the three Soul Kings and four Soul Ancestors from Just Sky Academy, the one Soul Emperor and six Soul Kings from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy were far beyond what the younger generation of their world could hope to achieve.
Even the Golden Generation from their Spirit Hall, three years later when they would be nineteen, would only be able to break through to Soul King level.
And this was already the strongest lineup their continent could offer.
But even their strongest lineup, if taken to the opposing world to participate in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Competition, might not even make it into the top eight!
Judging from the small to the large, the number of Title Douluo level experts in the opposing world must far exceed theirs.
"It seems that forming an alliance is imperative," Bibi Dong thought to herself.
She couldn't ally with the two great empires of her own world; otherwise, her ambitions and the grand plans of the Spirit Hall would be impossible to realize.
Not just the audience, but even Just Sky Academy's captain and Tang Xiaolei were stunned, their movements slowing as they stared at Xiao Xiao.
Although they had suspected that Xiao Xiao's previous six-ring cultivation was fake, they hadn't expected her to be only a two-ring Great Soul Master.
The rules of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Competition required participants to be under twenty years old.
If one hadn't broken through to three rings by the time they were close to twenty, how could they be considered an outstanding student?
This was a competition for advanced soul masters and soul engineers.
It had been countless years since a two-ring Great Soul Master had appeared on the competition stage.
Even the reserve team of Shrek Academy this year was unexpectedly weak.
In previous years, the lowest level of Shrek Academy's reserve team was at least Soul Elder level.
This was the first time they had seen a Great Soul Master.
At this moment, Xiao Xiao's two-ring cultivation gave everyone an unreal feeling.
But it was this two-ring Great Soul Master who, in this match, brought an unprecedented sense of shock to all the spectators.
He Caitou took out his Energy Gathering Soul Cannon, and Xiao Xiao, in order to buy time for He Caitou, stood alone in front of Tang Xiaolei and Xue Lang, revealing her twin souls: the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron and the Nine Phoenix Coming Ceremony Flute.
"Twin souls? Who taught her to attach soul rings to her second soul so early, and even hundred-year soul rings!"
In front of the screen, Yu Xiaogang was first shocked to see another twin soul, but then his face turned livid. What a waste of talent! What was her teacher doing?
"Stupid!"
Bibi Dong spat out two words. As a twin soul master herself, she understood the potential and advantages of twin souls.
But Xiao Xiao was wasting her potential, trading long-term strength for short-term power. It was like picking up a sesame seed but losing a watermelon.
"Is Shrek Academy serious? Is this how they nurture a twin soul master?"
Liuxing was also shocked. He too understood the advantages of twin souls.
Once one broke through to Title Douluo level, they could quickly increase their strength by attaching high-level soul rings to their second soul.
If the second soul could absorb several hundred-thousand-year soul rings, there was a high chance of breaking through to the ninety-ninth level, becoming a Limit Douluo!
In Liuxing's view, this little girl Xiao Xiao, with her twin souls, had even greater potential than Xu Sanshi, who possessed the divine beast Xuanwu bloodline, and also surpassed Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.
But such a promising twin soul master had already attached soul rings to her second soul, and they were only hundred-year soul rings!
Liuxing was speechless.
Of course, this was her own choice, and he was just an onlooker.
On the competition stage, Xiao Xiao, with her small body, used the destruction of her soul as a price to block the fierce attacks of a Soul Ancestor and a Soul King, buying enough time for He Caitou's Energy Gathering Soul Cannon.
Looking at the little girl lying on the stage, her Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron shattered and her body covered in blood, everyone fell silent.
With the strength of a two-ring Great Soul Master, she had blocked Just Sky Academy's Tang Xiaolei and Xue Lang, paying a tremendous price.
"Ah—!" He Caitou roared in anguish. Instantly, a burst of blood mist erupted from his body.
The energy gathering process, which should have taken at least five to ten seconds, was completed in an instant.
A massive white light sphere was shot out, illuminating the entire stage.
Tang Xiaolei, pale-faced, watched the incoming white light sphere and used every means to intercept it, but to no avail.
Only then did the referee finally intervene. With seven soul rings on his body, he stood in front of the white light sphere.
"Boom—!"
In the deafening explosion, the entire stage was enveloped in dazzling light.
Around the stage, the soul masters responsible for operating the soul guide barrier looked grave, pouring all their strength into maintaining the barrier.
The entire stage was now covered in white and purple light.
The white was from He Caitou's Super Energy Gathering Soul Cannon, and the purple was from the Soul Sage level referee.
The entire stage was severely damaged by the eruption of these two terrifying forces. The ear-splitting noise could be heard far beyond Star Luo Plaza.
As the light on the stage gradually subsided, everyone could see the situation on the field.
The stage now had a fan-shaped destruction area forty meters wide. The most severely damaged center area even had a crater five meters deep.
The entire stage was cracked, showing the terrifying destructive power of the Super Energy Gathering Soul Cannon.
This was the power of a soul engineer. Given enough time to prepare, they could unleash even greater destruction.
But such a powerful attack came at a cost. After firing this shot, He Caitou was also severely injured and unable to rise.
The referee had blocked the attack for Tang Xiaolei. According to the rules, Tang Xiaolei was eliminated.
But Just Sky Academy still had one member left. He wasn't directly hit by the Super Energy Gathering Soul Cannon but was covered by the shockwave. The referee hadn't protected him.
Xue Lang climbed out of a pile of rubble, staring in shock at the devastation on the stage.
Looking at the standing Xue Lang, He Caitou, severely injured and covered in blood, his vision blurring, felt a strong sense of bitterness.
Xiao Xiao had paid such a high price, but he hadn't been able to bring her victory.
"This match, Just Sky Academy wins."
The referee glanced at Xue Lang, then at the Shrek Academy members who had rushed onto the stage to Xiao Xiao and He Caitou's side, and announced the result in a low voice.
Although Xiao Xiao and He Caitou's fearless, blood-soaked fighting spirit had moved him, in the elimination rounds, there were even students who had died. They were all fighting for glory!
After the referee announced the result, the audience was silent for a moment, then began to applaud.
Although Shrek Academy had lost, they had lost with honor. A two-ring Great Soul
Master and a Soul Ancestor had almost defeated a Soul King and a Soul Ancestor. They had done more than enough.
Although they didn't understand why Shrek Academy had sent a two-ring Great Soul Master girl onto the stage, that didn't stop them from giving their applause to the brave little girl.
Even Xiao Hongchen, who usually looked down on Shrek Academy, gave a round of applause.
Opponents were opponents, but respectable opponents deserved their respect.
The fearless little girl, who had fought until her soul was shattered at the age of twelve, deserved their admiration.
Xue Lang and Tang Xiaolei exchanged helpless glances. Although they had won, they knew the applause wasn't for them. Then, they too looked at Xiao Xiao with respect.
For this little girl who had single-handedly blocked them, they felt genuine admiration.
The destruction of her soul had damaged her foundation. Without proper treatment, it could affect her future potential.
Fortunately, the Star Luo Empire had prepared the best healing soul masters, so there was no need to worry about lasting consequences.
The stage also needed repairs, so the third match would have to wait.
The Shrek Academy team was now fired up by Xiao Xiao's performance.
"We must not lose, even if it means burning our last drop of blood," Beibei said, his eyes flashing with electricity, his face resolute.
Wang Dong coldly added, "Even if we die on this stage, we must not lose."
Hu Yuhao didn't speak, but his spirit eyes also glowed with a faint golden light.
"Brother Tianmeng, Ice Empress, help me. I cannot lose."
"Go for it."
Tianmeng and the Ice Empress didn't try to dissuade him. They could only silently offer their support. After all, they had chosen Hu Yuhao.
Wang Yan didn't say anything either. In this situation, how could he tell them to give up? He couldn't bring himself to do it.
The stage was quickly repaired by earth attribute soul masters, and the referee stepped onto the stage again.
Everyone focused their attention on the stage, watching the final match.
Beibei, Hu Yuhao, and Wang Dong strode onto the stage, their fighting spirit soaring.
Just Sky Academy's remaining three members, Ye Wuqing, Shangguan Can, and Yan'er, also stepped onto the stage.
Although they too were shocked by Xiao Xiao's performance, that didn't stop them from wanting to win.
One Soul King and two Soul Ancestors faced off against one Soul Ancestor, one Soul Elder, and one Great Soul Master.
For both sides, this was a battle they couldn't lose. One side sought glory, the other sought to defend it. Neither could back down.
Although this was another match with a disparity in strength, hadn't Shrek Academy been at a disadvantage in the previous two matches as well?
No one knew if Shrek Academy would pull off another upset.
As Liuxing would say, of course they would. For the main characters, pulling off a miracle was just standard procedure.
As for the outcome of this match, Liuxing already had a good idea. With the main characters making their move, how could they possibly lose?