Chapter 47: The Evolution Path of the Seraphim (I)

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The continuous clashing of blade and sword echoed throughout the Spirit Dueling Arena.

The high speeds brought by the angelic wings and the Spirit Guidance Thruster turned both figures into blurs. Each sword light and blade ray they unleashed was like the brilliance of stars and moon, dazzling everyone's eyes. Sparks flew as their weapons collided, resembling a splendid display of fireworks. If the items they wielded were mere ordinary weapons, they would have long shattered under such immense power struggles.

Crack—

A crisp sound of metal fracturing suddenly rang out, and the two blurred figures simultaneously came to a halt.

One gold, one black; one above, one below.

Ling Bai firmly occupied the higher position. The Angel Sword had carved a jagged notch into the dark red battle blade, and as the stalemate persisted, the notch showed signs of spreading further.

"..."

Qian Fufu gripped the battle blade with both hands, straining to hold it up. The Spirit Guidance Thruster on his back roared thunderously. On the surface, it seemed they were evenly matched, but he knew in his heart that his painstakingly crafted Spirit Guidance Device was simply no match for the Angel Sword. With every collision, he could hear the wailing of his blade!

"How were you able to cut through the Directional High-Explosive Shell without triggering an explosion?"

Qian Fufu barely managed to ask. Ling Bai's thighs weren't even as thick as his arms, and he appeared as delicate as a vase. Where did this monstrous strength, akin to that of a humanoid spirit beast, come from?

In contrast to Qian Fufu's strenuous struggle, Ling Bai appeared at ease. He replied calmly, "It can't be helped. The purifying effect of the holy attribute is essentially a form of dissolution. The moment the Directional High-Explosive Shell was cut by the Angel Sword, its core array was already purified, so naturally, it wouldn't explode."

"That works too?!"

Qian Fufu squeezed out these three words through gritted teeth.

Before he could think further, golden light erupted from the Angel Sword. The Class 5 Spirit Guidance Battle Blade was cleaved in two with a single strike. In the next second, Ling Bai's left fist heavily smashed into the center of Qian Fufu's chest, which was broad like a double-door refrigerator.

"Aaargh!"

A miserable cry accompanied the flying body as Qian Fufu's mind went blank.

What just happened?

As this thought formed in his mind, his body had already made intimate contact with the wall at the edge of the Spirit Dueling Arena.

Qian Fufu was embedded in the wall with a resounding boom, his limbs splayed out in a swastika shape.

By now, the small-scale duels that had been taking place separately were ending one after another. Rainbow Dragon Gongyang Mo hurriedly ran over to pry Qian Fufu off the wall, looking at Ling Bai with eyes as if he were gazing at a monster.

The spirit battle concluded, and the results were as follows:

Ling Bai utterly crushed Qian Fufu; Ma Xiaotao defeated Dai Yueheng; Dugu Lin triumphed over Ling Luochen; Xi Xi suppressed Chu Qingtian; Yao Haoxuan and Gongyang Mo thrashed Zhou Sen and Pan Tao; Tai Xing was toyed with by Chen Zifeng.

The current Shrek Seven Monsters and the challengers had mixed feelings. Although this didn't represent the final elimination results, they already understood one thing.

This generation of the Shrek Seven Monsters was about to undergo a significant change!

Seraphim Ling Bai and Evil Fire Phoenix Ma Xiaotao were virtually guaranteed to be selected as part of the Shrek Seven Monsters!

Dugu Lin relied on the potent toxicity of her Five Poisons as One: Jade Phosphor Absolute Poison to overcome Ling Luochen despite the 1-ringed gap between them. However, the disparity between the two was not insurmountable, and over the next six months, the outcome could very well be reversed.

The remaining four challengers showed little promise and were likely to end up as mere also-rans.

After the battle, most people's moods became heavy. Especially the Soulchasing Sword Chen Zifeng, who kept rubbing his face. Defeating Tai Xing was utterly meaningless; whether Ling Bai or Ma Xiaotao ultimately chose him, he doubted he could win!

"Six months from now, I will regain the position of captain fair and square."

Dai Yueheng's masculine, handsome face was charred by the phoenix flames, and a large portion of his uniform had been burned away. Yet his double-pupil eyes shone brightly. He left these words to Ma Xiaotao before turning to leave, heading toward the Mimesis Training Ground.

Chen Zifeng and the other Seven Monsters forced smiles as they bid farewell to the challengers. Then, each one rushed toward the training area/teaching building as if their lives depended on it. Their urgency further demonstrated that the challengers had indeed threatened their positions!

Just as the challengers were preparing to go their separate ways, a white figure descended before them.

"Dean Yan?"

"Teacher?"

Everyone was greatly surprised. The newcomer turned out to be Yan Shaoze, the Dean of the Martial Spirit Department.

"Ling Bai, I'm here for you," Yan Shaozhe got straight to the point. "The Pavilion Master has agreed to your request. Starting today, you can move into the Sea God Pavilion."

'Finally…'

Ling Bai felt a sense of relief as if the clouds had parted to reveal the bright moon. The Death Abyss Spider Emperor had been like a sharp blade hanging over his head, making it difficult for him to rest or eat. Now, he had finally taken the first step toward resolving this stubborn affliction!

"Residence in the Sea God Pavilion… Only the Big Senior Sister has received such an honor in the Inner Courtyard!"

"The academy truly values Ling-ge!"

"No kidding! If you were an elder, wouldn't you treasure a monster of his caliber? You'd be afraid to even hold him for fear he'd melt away!"

They whispered among themselves, all revealing envy and admiration for Ling Bai. With Shrek Academy's full support, in another five years when Ling Bai matured, the dispute over the strongest of the younger generation on the continent would be definitively settled.

"You're leaving? Is it… because of me?"

Contrasting with the others' attitudes, a hint of regret flashed in Ma Xiaotao's beautiful pink eyes. She thought that her loss of control due to the evil fire that day had left a psychological shadow on Ling Bai.

Ling Bai chuckled upon hearing this, "No need to overthink it. The Sea God Pavilion is carved within the Ancient Golden Tree and possesses the most abundant light attribute energy on the continent. It's the most suitable blessed land for my cultivation. That's why I requested Dean Yan to arrange a room for me."

"So that's how it is..."

Ma Xiaotao felt a bit more at ease.

"The Sea God Pavilion is located at the center of Sea God Island, where the elders also reside," Yan Shaozhe reminded. "Be cautious in your words and actions, and do not disturb the elders in their seclusion. Your room is on the ground floor, with your name engraved on the plaque. You can head over yourself."

"Understood, Dean Yan."

Unfurling his angelic wings, Ling Bai soared into the sky and flew toward the Ancient Golden Tree.

Yan Shaoze turned to face Chu Qingtian and the others after watching Ling Bai depart. He deliberately put on a stern expression and said, "I have something to discuss with Xiaotao. The rest of you freshmen should return and focus diligently on your cultivation. The Inner Courtyard's freshman examination will begin in three months. If you fail the examination assignments, don't blame me or the academy for not going easy on you."

At the mention of the freshman examination, the five suddenly realized that they weren't yet official Inner Courtyard students. Only by passing the examination could they establish themselves in the academy and compete for the title of Shrek Seven Monsters. Each of them bowed respectfully to Yan Shaozhe and hurriedly took their leave.

"Xiaotao, has your Phoenix Evil Fire been stabilized these past few days?" Yan Shaozhe asked Ma Xiaotao in a gentle tone.

Ma Xiaotao gave a slight nod. "Mm, more stable than ever before."

"Would you like it to remain stable forever?"

There was a subtle hint of temptation in Yan Shaozhe's tone, like the big bad wolf in a fairy tale coaxing the little white rabbit to open the door.

"Forever? Hiss~ I wouldn't even dare to dream of such a thing." Ma Xiaotao took a sharp breath.

"Bah, how unambitious! I dare to dream it!"

"Teacher, please just tell me directly what needs to be done." Ma Xiaotao adopted an obedient and attentive demeanor.

"The key to solving this lies with you and Ling Bai. This old teacher of yours has a brilliant plan. Listen carefully..."

Yan Shaozhe lowered his voice and spoke word by word.

As she listened, Ma Xiaotao's exquisitely beautiful face gradually became distorted. Her pink pupils widened, turning into saucer-like eyes...