The violent collision made the entire ring groan lamentingly, large clumps of soil bursting into the air from the intense explosions. The split second the explosions began, nobody knew whether in the end the dragon would extinguish the meteors, or the meteors would break the dragon. The full outcome emerged after several breaths.
Honghonghonghonghonghonghonghong…...
The dust from countless explosions hid the silhouettes of the two domineering men. In the ring, the blossoming earth condensed into a rising mushroom cloud. The blast wave caused by the violent spirit power forced the closest of the distant students to urge their own spirit power to resist it.
The Heaven Dou Empire flags around the ring flapped madly before this impact force.
It was over, everything was over.
As the dust settled, as all the dazzling light vanished, as dragon and tiger disappeared simultaneously, everything was already over.
The two were still standing. Two men riddled with scars and bruises, neither had collapsed. Standing there, they gazed at their opponent. Unmoving.
Yu Tian-Xin smiled, Dai Mubai also smiled. Even though their smiling expressions seemed very rigid, they were still brimming with sincerity.
“Very powerful. Even stronger than I imagined. Is this your true strength? It’s my loss.”
Even though he was unwilling, it had to be admitted. Yu Tian-Xin said this calmly.
Dai Mubai indifferently said:
“No, you didn’t lose. Even though this match is your loss. However, your heart didn’t lose to me. I look forward to the next time we collide again.”
“Fine.”
The last word slipped from Yu Tian-Xin’s mouth. The next moment, he was finally completely unable to control his body, and like a collapsing golden mountain, or toppling jade pillar he loudly smashed into the ground. The dragon scales on his arms ruptured in the same instant, blood flying in all directions.
Dai Mubai still stood, his back perfectly straight, slowly turning with difficulty, his gaze first falling on Grandmaster, afterwards on Tang San, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, this group of companions. He seemed to say to everyone, ‘I won, Shrek won.’
His evil eyes finally fell on that ample beautiful figure, and Dai Mubai finally saw her smiling face, as if a glacier had melted. The next moment, that melting glacier transformed into a line of shadow that grew in front of him.
Everything became vague, as if seen through a layer of mist. Dai Mubai did his utmost to open his eyes wide, seeing clearly that shadow growing in front of him. However, several dozen blood arrows suddenly shot out of his body, his tall and robust body slowly toppling to the ground. Just into the embrace of that swiftly dashing over silhouette.
Blood stained their bodies. Zhu Zhuqing didn’t cry, she smiled, even though right now her smile wasn’t particularly good looking.
Pulling her man in close, she helped him straighten his back once again. Because she knew that her man would never surrender on the battlefield.
Just like this, with her practically carrying his entire weight, they step by step left the ring.
Shrek Academy versus Thunderclap Academy. Shrek Academy won. Twelve successive victories.
Even though this competition was already over, nobody could forget the scene of that bitter struggle for a long, long time. This match couldn’t be said to have a true winner. Because both sides participating were still young. They still had time. Their true contest should be in who could first touch the boundary of the summit.
The day’s matches ended. Tang San carried the already conscious Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing propping up Dai Mubai, and Shrek Academy prepared to return to camp. Worth mentioning was that Zhu Zhuqing refused to let anyone help her, insisting on supporting Dai Mubai by herself. Even though she didn’t cry, and she also didn’t say anything, her especially beautiful eyes were long since completely red.
“Tang San.”
One person blocked the Shrek Academy’s path back to the camp.
Ma Hongjun frowned,
“What’s up with this? Why is it every time someone stops us?”
This time it wasn’t Huo Wu, but rather that frequently laughing, trying to worm his way into being friends man. Skywind Academy team captain, Feng Xiaotian.
Tang San handed over Xiao Wu to the others, coming over in front of Feng Xiaotian. He could confront men a lot more smoothly than he could confront Huo Wu,
“What do you want?”
At the start of the ranking competition, Feng Xiaotian had frequently come strolling over the the Shrek Academy’s side, but afterwards he hadn’t been seen again.
Feng Xiaotian drew a deep breath, suppressing the emotions that threatened to burst out of his heart at any time,
“The draw ended just now. Tomorrow, we will be opponents.”
“Eh?”
Tang San attentively watched Feng Xiaotian. Just like Grandmaster had judged, Shrek Academy’s luck was bad. Just after confronting Thunderclap Academy, they would right away confront another power, and moreover very possible the most powerful opponent in this competition apart from Shrek Academy.
Feng Xiaotian fixed his eyes on Tang San, his expression long since lacking that laughing smile,
“Tang San, today you just fought Thunderclap. I don’t want to take advantage of you. Tomorrow, I will go up first. I hope you will also be first. Let the two of us decide who is the final champion of the ranking competition. If I lose, Godwind Academy will concede.”
Tang San stared blankly. From Feng Xiaotian’s manner of speaking, he clearly sensed a somewhat harsh intent. He didn’t understand why the frequently laughing fellow in front of him would suddenly become so serious. But the feeling Feng Xiaotian gave people right now was somewhat restrained.
The Shrek Academy group’s gazes all focused on Tang San, nobody speaking up.
Tang San shook his head,
“I’m sorry, I can’t agree.”
Settling the outcome in one fight didn’t have any disadvantages to Shrek Academy. Dai Mubai was injured, clearly unable to participate in tomorrow’s match. This was a huge disadvantage for Shrek Academy. But Tang San still didn’t agree.
“Don’t you dare?”
Feng Xiaotian’s gaze turned provoking in a split second.
“We are a team, I can’t make decisions for my friends by myself. I can only represent myself, I can’t represent the entire Shrek Academy team.”
Tang San calmly said.
Feng Xiaotian’s character suddenly became irascible,
“Tang San, you coward. I only want to straightforwardly fight you. Just like Dai Mubai did with Yu Tian-Xin today.”
Seeing Feng Xiaotian’s eyes gradually redden, even though Tang San didn’t know why he was like this, he also didn’t ask.
“Agree with him, little San. We trust you.”
Dai Mubai’s weak voice rose,
“Give him a battle between men. If I’m not mistaken, his reason for raising this request should be related to Huo Wu.”
In successful conquests in matters of the heart, perhaps nobody in the entire Shrek Academy could compare to Dai Mubai. With his incisive gaze, these days as spectator had already let him long since see through Feng Xiaotian’s thoughts towards Huo Wu. And Feng Xiaotian also hadn’t reappeared since that day Huo Wu came to find Tang San. Connecting all of this could very easily explain Feng Xiaotian’s conduct today.
Part 3 (TL by Bagelson)
Grandmaster also nodded to Tang San,
“Since it’s like this, let one fight settle the outcome. In tomorrow’s battle, the final result will be decided by the two of you.”
Seeing each of his comrades nod to him, Tang San again faced Feng Xiaotian.
“Fine, I accept your challenge.”
At this moment, Tang San’s gaze abruptly turned severe. The aura accumulated within him erupted like a volcano, resolutely striking Feng Xiaotian.
Feng Xiaotian subconsciously retreated a step, but very quickly stepped forward aga
in, their auras colliding violently.
“If you lose, afterwards I hope I won’t see you by Huo Wu’s side again.”
Feng Xiaotian spoke while practically gnashing his teeth.
Tang San coldly said:
“She is she, I am me. There’s no relation between us.”
Finished saying this, he held Xiao Wu and left with the Shrek Academy party without turning his head.
The smell of gunpowder on this side naturally attracted the attention of others, and this of course also included Blazing Academy.
Huo Wushuang looked at the somewhat lifeless little sister next to him,
“Is this what you wanted to see?”
Huo Wu vacantly shook her head,
“I don’t know.”
Huo Wushuang spoke with a deep meaning in his eyes.
“Then who do you hope will win tomorrow’s competition?”
Huo Wu blinked. She suddenly discovered that she didn’t really seem to thirst for beating Tang San.
Returning to camp, everyone gathered at Dai Mubai’s side. After careful inspection, Grandmaster, Flender and the others discovered that Dai Mubai’s injuries really weren’t so serious. For the most part it was only superficial wounds, his bones were very normal. With a few days of rest he would heal naturally. Spirit Masters had much better recovery ability than ordinary people.
But the news from Thunderclap Academy’s side was completely different. Yu Tian-Xin had suffered serious injuries, and let alone recovering, whether he could at all participate in the finals was an issue. Lei Dong was even more crippled by Dai Mubai’s single move, there was no hope of recovery without several months of rest.
There indeed wasn’t much difference between Dai Mubai and Yu Tian-Xin in strength, especially after the former had consumed some spirit power in advance were the two even more evenly matched. Only Dai Mubai himself clearly understood that his victory in this fight was thanks to that Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. Vajra immortal. Not only did it help him block a lot of the damage from the lightning, it also protected his bones and energy channels. And his opponent, who should have had an advantage in defense from his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon spirit was directly put at a disadvantage.
But he didn’t express any gratitude to Tang San. Friendship between brothers needed no words.
In order to let Dai Mubai rest, just like when Tang San was injured, they specially cleared a room for him. Even though nobody said anything, Zhu Zhuqing very naturally stayed behind.
“Do you want to eat something? I’ll go get it.”
Looking at the mummified Dai Mubai, the ice chill on Zhu Zhuqing’s face had long since disappeared, the gentle gaze making her big eyes seeme even more beautiful.
“I’m not hungry. Zhuqing, come here.”
Zhu Zhuqing walked over to Dai Mubai’s bed, pulling over a chair to sit.
Dai Mubai grabbed Zhu Zhuqing’s hand,
“Didn’t you always hate me?”
Zhu Zhuqing glanced at him,
“Why would I hate you?”
Dai Mubai smiled wryly:
“Because of my improper past. If it wasn’t for these matters getting back, how would you have come to find me? Honestly, I didn’t expect that your father would actually let you come to Heaven Dou Empire.”
Zhu Zhuqing calmly said:
“You really think I came to find you and stayed cool because of those love affairs?”
Dai Mubai stared blankly,
“Don’t tell me it wasn’t?”
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head,
“No. A man’s romance isn’t wrong, as long as it isn’t vulgar. That’s no big issue. But you’re different, you’re not an ordinary person. You should understand how much cruelty there is in your future. I don’t want my man to sap his will with trifles, some day dying under a woman’s skirt. Mom told me that if I can’t marry a true man, it would be better not to marry at all.”
Radiance pulsed in Dai Mubai’s evil eyes,
“You came in order to supervise my cultivation?”
Zhu Zhuqing looked at Dai Mubai, a somewhat cold intent in her eyes,
“If you can’t fulfill my expectations, not only won’t I marry you, I’ll kill you. Then kill myself.”
Dai Mubai laughed bitterly,
“You really are worthy of being his daughter, this is just your family’s style.”
Zhu Zhuqing indifferently said:
“What’s wrong with that? If I was afraid of this, your father also wouldn’t have let me become your fiancée. That day I became your fiancée, your destiny was already changed. Destiny can’t be changed by ordinary people. The marriage between us isn’t just about the two of us, it also relates to our clans and……”
Speaking up to here, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly stopped. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to continue, but rather that she had been pulled into Dai Mubai’s fierce embrace.
Heavily kissing Zhu Zhuqing’s lips, Dai Mubai was practically wildly demanding.
Zhu Zhuqing was purely cool, she would appear to still be calm, but her trembling body in his embrace betrayed her heart.
After a long time, their lips parted. Dai Mubai released Zhu Zhuqing, the latter’s breath already ragged, her charming face flushed,
“I really doubt whether you’re only fourteen.”
Zhu Zhuqing nibbled her lip,
“You’re one to talk. Of us, who appears to be like just teenaged children? Besides Ma Hongjun the dean picked up, and Oscar from a commoner’s background, who of us five doesn’t have a story behind us? I can’t see through Tang San, and Xiao Wu is equally impenetrable. Even Rongrong isn’t as simple as she would seem on the surface.”
Dai Mubai frowned,
“What are you saying this for, no matter what their backgrounds are, as long as you remember that we will forever be comrades, that’s enough.”
Zhu Zhuqing didn’t refute it, but rather quietly nodded. Being together through life and death several times, commonly resisting powerful enemies, even though the Shrek Seven Devils all had their secrets, that would influence their feelings for each other.
Regardless of how many wounds he had reopened from the previous exertion, Dai Mubai once again pulled Zhu Zhuqing into his embrace,
“Tell me, do you want to be my wife right now?”
Zhu Zhuqing went blank, raising her head to look at Dai Mubai’s penetrating gaze, silently nodding.
Dai Mubai suddenly smiled,
“I remember that you just said that a man’s romance isn’t wrong. As long as it isn’t vulgar. Right. You’re forteen, so I can’t do anything to you. I’ve already held back for very long.”
Zhu Zhuqing’s gaze suddenly turned severe, grabbing a pair of scissors used for bandages to the side, gesturing a few times towards Dai Mubai’s lower body,
“Try it. I don’t care about what you did before I recognized you as my fiancé, but now you’re my man, you can only be mine alone. If I learn you’ve gone out to do bad things, unable to keep track of that thing of yours below, I’ll help you get rid of it.”
“Eh……”
The rotten smile on Dai Mubai’s face froze. Looking at Zhu Zhuqing, regarding this girl’s heart, he really didn’t know whether it was love or hate.
……
The thirteenth round of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament was about to begin. To the majority of the participating academies, the final ranking as already settled and had already begun to throw the final few matches, ensuring as far as possible that their participating students wouldn’t be injured, starting to prepare for the finals. But, two academies still had a mood of swords drawn and bows bent. Those were Shrek Academy and Godwind Academy with twelve successive victories.
Each academy had to fight in fourteen rounds. Shrek Academy and Godwind Academy’s final round opponents weren’t powerful, and victory was practically without question. Therefore, deciding who would become the first ranked academy in Heaven Dou Empire w
ould depend on this match today. A collision between two completely victorious teams.
And this match, since Feng Xiaotian’s challenge to Tang San yesterday, had already become a battle between two people.
The previous six matches of the day had already ended. As the highlight of the day, the Shrek Academy versus Godwind Academy battle had been moved last.
Godwind Academy’s team members stood in a line, Feng Xiaotian standing in front of them.
“Brothers, do you trust me?”
Feng Xiaotian asked in a low voice.
These team members capable of participating in the tournament were all the Godwind Academy’s elite students on the verge of graduating, they hadn’t been together with Feng Xiaotian for just a day or two. But this was the first time they had seen him make this kind of expression.
The leftmost team member said without the slightest hesitation:
“Captain, go. No matter the outcome, we will all support you. If you can’t defeat this Tang San, then it’s still impossible for us to win this ranking match. You’re our captain, you’re also our core. I support you.”
The others also nodded in succession.
Feng Xiaotian sighed,
“Tang San’s words yesterday made me think very deeply. Before, I always considered our team to be my own. But I was wrong, the team consists of all of us. Brothers, thank you for your support. No matter what, I will exhaust all I have in this match.”
“Captain, no matter the outcome, we will back you.”
When Tang San and Feng Xiaotian walked out from different directions, all the spectating academies were already in an uproar. They clearly hadn’t expected both Shrek Academy and Godwind Academy to dispatch their strongest members first.
Godwind Academy team captain Feng Xiao Tian, forty fourth ranked power attack system Battle Spirit Ancestor, spirit: Stormwind Doubleheaded Wolf[2].
Shrek Academy team vice captain Tang San, forty second ranked control system Battle Spirit Ancestor, spirit: Blue Silver Grass.
* * *
[1] (蓝点神龙疾) Not too sure on the translation here.
[2] (疾风双头狼)
Douluo Dalu - Volume 17 - Arrival Of The Phoenix Page 7