Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

Shrek Academy!

Chapter 383 Tactics

The Shrek Academy students were also taken aback.

“Canghui Academy?” Dai Mubai raised an eyebrow, a sharp light flashing in his evil eyes.

Ma Hongjun's chubby face twitched, and he subconsciously touched his arm, as if recalling some unpleasant experience.

Canghui College.

The others also looked up; they hadn't expected to run into this academy.

After all, they had a past grudge against this academy.

To be precise, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun had a conflict with a student from Canghui Academy.

Several years ago, on their way to hunt for spirit rings in the Star Dou Great Forest, they stopped at a hotel on the outskirts of the forest.

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun got into a fight with a female student from Canghui Academy because of a verbal argument.

As a result, the two of them were thoroughly taught a lesson by the red-haired girl named Merida and suffered quite a loss.

This incident has always been regarded as a disgrace by both of them.

Unexpectedly, we ran into each other in the first round of the qualifiers.

“Merida…” Dai Mubai murmured the name, his eyes surging with fighting spirit, but then a trace of solemnity flashed across them.

The girl's strength back then was already extraordinary, and now, several years later, she must have improved even more.

Moreover, to possess such strength in a not-so-top academy like Canghui Academy, one's talent and circumstances must be extraordinary.

Ma Hongjun also dropped his playful grin, his small eyes gleaming with a mixture of eagerness and apprehension.

Yu Xiaogang also frowned.

His original plan was to conceal his strength in the first round, sending only three main players and four substitutes onto the field.

But now the opponent is Canghui Academy, and their team may very well include Merida, who once defeated Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun...

Should we adjust our strategy?

Flander leaned in and whispered, "Xiao Gang, I remember Zhao Wuji saying that little girl from Canghui Academy is pretty formidable. Dai Mubai and the little fat guy didn't fare well against her back then. For our first match... should we play it safe?"

Liu Erlong didn't speak, but looked at Yu Xiaogang, waiting for his decision.

The other members of the Shrek Seven Devils also turned their attention to Yu Xiaogang.

Dai Mubai took a deep breath and looked at Yu Xiaogang: "Master, I want to go on stage." His voice was firm, filled with determination to wash away the shame.

Ma Hongjun nodded hurriedly, "Yes, yes, Master, let us go! The shame of that year will be avenged today!"

Yu Xiaogang remained silent, his fingers unconsciously tapping the back of the chair. His gaze behind his glasses was deep as he quickly weighed the pros and cons.

Concealing one's strength is important, but maintaining morale in the first match is equally crucial.

Moreover, showing weakness in front of an opponent with whom they have a past grudge would have a negative impact on Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun's mentality.

More importantly... just how much has Merida grown?

If the opponent's strength far exceeds expectations, but our side unexpectedly suffers a defeat due to hiding our main force, then it would be a case of losing more than we gain.

A moment later, Yu Xiaogang slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, before looking at Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing, and the others.

"The plan has been adjusted." His voice was calm and steady, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness.

"Round 1, against Canghui Academy. Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, you two will be on the field."

"Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing, you two go too."

"As for Huang Yuan, Tai Long, and Jiang Zhu, you three will remain the same."

Yu Xiaogang ultimately abandoned the more stable "three main players + four substitutes" strategy and instead adopted a stronger "four main players + three substitutes" lineup.

Among the four main members, in addition to the two absolute cores, Captain Dai Mubai and the control core Tang San, he also chose Ma Hongjun, whose attack power ranks among the top in the Seven Devils, and Zhu Zhuqing, who can use the Netherworld White Tiger with Dai Mubai.

Over the years, Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing's relationship remained cold, but when it came to their lives and future, the two of them finally managed to master the martial soul fusion skill, which symbolized the blood ties between the Star Luo royal family and the Zhu family, despite the severe pressure.

Although their teamwork is far less seamless than that of Davis and Zhu Zhuyun, at least they can be used in crucial moments.

On the other hand, the atmosphere was completely different in the preparation area of ​​Canghui Academy.

They had long forgotten the minor altercation they had at the hotel on the outskirts of the Starry Sky Forest a few years ago.

For Merida, she would settle a score on the spot. Since she had already personally taught those two foul-mouthed scumbags a lesson, the matter was over.

Why dwell on a defeated foe? Her gaze has already set on higher peaks and stronger opponents.

"Shrek Academy?" A boy with a buzz cut in the team flipped through the opponent's information in his hand, his tone relaxed.

"I haven't heard of it much. It seems to have changed its name and emerged in recent years. Before that, it was called Blue Tyrant Academy. Its strength... is about the preliminaries level."

Merida leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, her amber eyes half-closed, showing little interest in the discussion.

Today, she wore a neatly tailored, moon-white battle robe from the Canghui Academy, which made her red hair appear even more fiery. Her posture was as upright as a javelin, and just standing there, she exuded an imposing aura.

Years have passed, and her face has lost some of the naivety of a young girl, with more defined and sharp features, but her eyes still hold that wildness and pride that seems to never be extinguished.

“Our tactics are very clear.” The hoarse voice of the team leader, Shi Nian, rang out, drawing everyone’s attention back.

"Merida will be the main attacker, and the six of you will provide support. If you cannot win, use the Martial Soul Fusion Skill to concentrate the fused power into her."

This is a tactic we've been preparing for a long time; in our first battle, we must make a strong impression.

Upon hearing this, another Soul Master in the group, a young man with a sharp face and a "Golden Pattern Gem" Martial Soul, had a glint of eagerness in his eyes.

"Teacher, since we want to make a strong impression, why don't we use the Martial Soul Fusion Technique right from the start? We can catch them off guard, finish the battle quickly, and intimidate the other academies."

His thin, aged fingers rubbed his chin, and his cloudy eyes rolled around.

A swift and decisive approach certainly suits his style and can best conceal Merida's true personal abilities and other changes within the team.

He glanced at Merida.

Merida finally raised her eyelids, a cold smile curving her lips: "I have no objection."

Finish the game early so you can rest, or... observe other noteworthy opponents.

This Shrek is clearly not at the top of her list of things to watch.

Shi Nian nodded: "Okay. Let's do as Shi Mo said. At the start, let's use the Martial Soul Fusion Skill to give our first battle a great start."

Soon, the emcee's loud voice, amplified by the soul-guided loudspeaker, resounded throughout the entire Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena:

"First round of the preliminary rounds, Canghui Academy versus Shrek Academy! Team members, please enter the arena!"

Beneath the enormous dome, the roar of 80,000 spectators surged like a tsunami. Spotlights shone brightly on the entrance passages on both sides.

Chapter 384 Martial Soul Fusion Technique

On Shrek Academy's side, Dai Mubai took the lead, his evil eyes flashing with a cold light as he stared intently at the passage opposite.

Ma Hongjun stood beside him, his chubby face devoid of its usual playful smile, his small eyes burning with fighting spirit.

Tang San stood in the center, his steps steady, his eyes calmly scanning the arena and his opponent.

Zhu Zhuqing trailed behind, like a cold shadow, her cat-like eyes lowered, avoiding any eye contact with Dai Mubai.

Huang Yuan, Tai Long, and Jiang Zhu, the three substitutes, followed closely behind, their expressions a mix of tension and excitement.

Meanwhile, seven students from Canghui Academy filed out. Their uniform moon-white robes gave them an air of academic discipline as they walked.

Merida walked at the front, her red hair like burning flames under the lights. She slightly raised her chin and looked straight ahead, her posture more like that of someone inspecting the area than someone competing.

Beside her were the other six members of the Canghui Academy team.

The two stood in the center of the ring, twenty meters apart.

The referee, a tall and imposing Soul Emperor with a commanding presence, swept his gaze sternly over both sides: "Both sides bow. This is not a fight to the death; stop when you've made your move. Ready?"

Dai Mubai stared at Merida and squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Merida, do you remember me?"

Merida stared at Dai Mubai for a couple of seconds, a genuine look of bewilderment flashing in her amber eyes.

This face... looks familiar, but she can't quite place where she's seen it before.

In recent years, she has been either cultivating or fighting, or being forced by that old guy Shi Nian to figure out so-called tactics. She has seen countless people, so why would she bother to remember a defeated opponent?

She frowned slightly, her expression less like she was recalling something and more like she was trying to identify something unimportant.

Seeing the confusion in Merida's eyes, Dai Mubai felt a surge of anger that had been building up in his chest for years, which suddenly rose to his throat and made his vision turn red.

I've held this grudge for years! I've been feeling so frustrated for years! I've been determined to redeem myself in a formal setting! But the other person... the other person doesn't even have a damn thing about me?!

This is even more humiliating than being defeated on the spot back then! When has Dai Mubai ever been so completely ignored!

"You!" Dai Mubai was so angry that he almost released his martial soul on the spot, and a vein throbbed on his forehead.

Just then, the referee swung his raised arm down heavily: "The match begins!"

Before the last syllable of "beginning" had faded, seven beams of soul power shot into the sky from the Canghui Academy!

Besides Merida's hand, where a longbow, seemingly carved from the purest crystal, appeared with a "hum," her six teammates behind her simultaneously summoned gemstone martial spirits of various shapes.

There are sharp-edged rhombus-shaped rubies, structurally stable triangular sapphires, and warm, translucent teardrop-shaped emeralds...

The various colors complemented each other, like a miniature rainbow blooming in their hands.

The moment the martial spirit appeared, a strange resonance emanated from the seven people.

Suddenly, a layer of colorful light emanated from their bodies, spreading rapidly like a living tide, instantly enveloping the seven figures and forming a perfectly round sphere of colorful light.

Immediately after

boom!

A massive, seven-colored beam of light, over three meters in diameter, erupted from the colorful sphere like a sleeping dragon awakening, shooting straight up to the towering dome of the Heavenly Battle Arena. The beam was solid and dazzling, extending a full ten meters beyond.

The beam of light suddenly expanded as it rose, like an inverted, seven-colored giant bowl, completely engulfing the seven people who had originally formed a tight formation.

Just as the dazzling, mesmerizing light began to stabilize, a bizarre scene unfolded on the stage.

On the Canghui Academy team's side, where there were originally seven people standing, only the huge, sky-reaching, seven-colored pillar of light was now slowly rotating and surging.