After leaving the Pope's Palace, the match between the Emperor Team and Shrek was scheduled for the afternoon, so they had to return and prepare.
Jun Tianlin noticed that when Ning Rongrong left, her expression seemed conflicted. It was likely because she didn't want to fight him.
Back at their residence, Yu Xiaogang called all the Shrek Seven Devils to his room. His gaze swept across the group. "In the afternoon's match, you'll face the strongest opponent. I can confidently say that the Emperor Team's strength actually surpasses that of the Spirit Hall. Among them is the Sword Lord. Honestly, even after traveling the continent for decades and gathering information on countless soul masters, I've never encountered a genius like him."
"If not for Xiao San and Bibi Dong, the two twin spirit soul masters, he would undoubtedly have become an unshakable mountain in the soul master world, just like the two peaks from before."
"Then Master, should we just admit defeat?" Dai Mubai asked as he stepped forward. He wasn't overly concerned. The Emperor Team was a formidable opponent, one that even Xingluo Royal Academy had failed to defeat. Since he couldn't even defeat Dai Weisei, he didn't see any hope of winning.
Yu Xiaogang shook his head. "No. There's still a way to win—the Seven-in-One Fusion Skill. The key lies with Xiao San and Rongrong."
Everyone turned to look at the two of them. At this moment, Tang San wore a blank expression. No one knew what he was thinking. The reason Yu Xiaogang had chosen him was simple. Among the Shrek Seven Devils, his Clear Sky Hammer was the most powerful martial soul. It was only logical to use this martial soul as the carrier for the Seven-in-One Fusion Skill.
Ning Rongrong looked distressed. Not long ago, to ensure their victory, Yu Xiaogang had taught her the martial soul fusion theory that she had always wanted to learn. With the help of her innate fusion ring, she could almost guarantee the successful execution of the Seven-in-One Fusion Skill.
However, after learning this technique, her first opponent would be her lover. How could Ning Rongrong accept this?
"Rongrong, I know Jun Tianlin is your sweetheart, but remember, you're opponents now. This is just a game. Even if we defeat him with the Seven-in-One Fusion Skill, it won't have any real impact on him. If he resents you for such a small matter, then honestly, I'd think he's not worthy of you." Yu Xiaogang offered his advice.
This time, Yu Xiaogang was right. If Jun Tianlin were to blame Ning Rongrong for such an attack, not to mention others, he himself would be disappointed in his own pettiness.
"I understand, Master," Ning Rongrong replied, her voice tinged with hesitation.
It was clear to everyone that she still hadn't fully made up her mind, but no one blamed her. Using the Seven-in-One Fusion Skill to fight the person she loved most was a dilemma no girl would easily overcome.
Ning Rongrong still needed time to process this.
Meanwhile, Jun Tianlin found Ning Fengzhi and shared something with him. Once again, father-in-law and son-in-law were involved in something rather dubious.
Soon, afternoon arrived, and the two teams, having fought through many obstacles, stood on the competition field in front of the Pope's Palace.
"Brother Jun, I won't go easy on you today. Be prepared." Tang San declared confidently.
Seeing Tang San's confidence, coupled with Ning Rongrong's conflicted expression earlier in the morning, Jun Tianlin knew his guess was right—they were going to use the Seven-in-One Fusion Skill.
Jun Tianlin smiled indifferently. "I'm ready whenever you are. You'd better be prepared too. I won't show mercy."
The tension between the two grew stronger.
"Brother Jian, you must be careful. I..." Ning Rongrong seemed about to say something.
But Jun Tianlin interrupted her, "Rongrong, there's no need to say anything. Don't forget, we are rivals now. Revealing anything at this time would be a betrayal to your partners."
"There's only one thing you must do now: use all your strength to defeat me. Only then can you truly live up to the reputation of the next leader of the Seven Treasures Glazed Clan."
Hearing this, even Yu Xiaogang, who had a grudge against Jun Tianlin, nodded in rare agreement. Though the Sword Lord was rude at times, he was undeniably straightforward in battle.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin looked at the disciples off the field with pride. Indeed, whether winning or losing, one must uphold dignity and integrity, which is the true spirit of a swordsman.
Jun Tianlin's words were more meaningful than many others' tenfold. With his encouragement, Ning Rongrong's confusion gradually faded, and she nodded to him with newfound determination. It seemed she had finally made up her mind.
"Now, both sides, take your positions! The match begins!" The referee's announcement echoed through the stadium.
The Emperor Team immediately summoned their spirits and prepared for battle.
Yu Tianheng didn't participate today. After all, the secret of his five-ring breakthrough was exposed during his fight with Spirit Hall Academy, so he planned to save that surprise for later.
Thus, the two soul kings—Jun Tianlin and Gu Ran—stood at the front today.
The other five positioned themselves strategically, forming a traditional formation.
However, contrary to expectations, Shrek did not follow their usual formation. Instead, they formed a circle.
Ning Rongrong and Meng Yiran stood inside the circle.
Zhu Zhuqing was absent from Shrek's lineup today. For the Seven-in-One Fusion Skill, the higher the soul power of the others, the better. Meng Yiran, with her superior soul power, was a better fit for this role than Zhu Zhuqing, as she was nearly at the Soul Master level.
Aside from the two in the center, the soul power of the other five surged wildly, gathering toward the center.
What was this?
Even Pope Bibi Dong was taken aback. Even she didn't fully understand what Shrek was attempting.
On the other hand, Ning Fengzhi observed closely, silently transmitting something through his voice to Qin Ming, the teacher of the Emperor Team.
Tang San, Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar moved in unison, their steps synchronized with a special rhythm. The fluctuations of their soul power formed a unique trajectory, spreading outward from their bodies.
Inside the circle, Ning Rongrong and Meng Yiran held hands and closed their eyes. A nine-colored light emanated from Ning Rongrong's body, while a faint purple light appeared around Meng Yiran. The two beams of light intertwined and spiraled upward toward the sky.
"Change the formation!" Tang San shouted.
Shrek's formation shifted once again. This time, seven people stood in a straight line. Tang San was at the front, with Ning Rongrong and Meng Yiran at the back.
Meng Yiran gathered all the energy from the previous steps and transferred it into Ning Rongrong's body.
At the same time, Ning Rongrong activated her special talent—the fusion ring.
She continued to guide the energy into the body of the person in front, and after several layers of advancement, the immense soul power finally converged in Tang San's body.