Chapter 546 - Conceding

Compared to the previous duels, Tang Wulin and Gu Yue secured a wholly different sort of victory for this two-on-two, down to the very fiber. Rather than winning by the skin of their teeth, they blasted through to victory.

At the beginning of the match, the Li twins had tried to play it safe, carefully sounding out their opponents’ strength. But in the end, they were blitzed. They hadn’t even had a chance to unleash their soul fusion skill before getting eliminated. Devastating to the core.

The twins stared at Tang Wulin and Gu Yue, faces pale and eyes wide like saucers. This wasn’t just the product of their injuries, but the fear that Tang Wulin’s draconic roar had struck into their hearts. Their instincts were clear: any attempt to go against this monarch would prove futile.

Clad in golden scales and surrounded by a pair of golden soul rings, Tang Wulin was a majestic knight of shining gold. Even without the use of his battle armor, he had annihilated a pair of soul masters with superior cultivation levels and five pieces of battle armor each. While twins couldn’t accept that they lost despite having so many advantages, subconsciously they had long since given up.

Tang Wulin’s scales quietly withdrew into himself and he returned to his normal form. Basking in the cheers of the first and second grades, he showed no signs of leaving the stage. Up next, the team battle.

Tang Wulin and Gu Yue had decided on such domineering tactics for this match in order to set the tone for the team battle. They wanted to fire up their teammates and instill fear into the hearts of their opponents, whom they had been certain would also participate in the team battles.

From the first and second grade teams’ waiting area, Yuanen Yehui, Yue Zhengyu, Xu Xiaoyan, Xie Xie, and Xu Lizhi ascended the stage one by one. They convened at Tang Wulin and Gu Yue’s sides, putting up a united front.

Since Ye Xinglan was unfit for battle, Xu Lizhi had been chosen to take her place. Face sullen, he handed Tang Wulin a bunch of recovery buns.

All seven of them stood there in solidarity. An immense wave of pressure filled the arena.

Faced with these mighty juniors of theirs, the third grade team sat frozen in silence. Moments later, Li Qiankun alone rose from his seat and made for the stage. Before he reached it, Song Lin raised a hand. “Please wait a moment.”

Li Qiankun turned back and looked at her in confusion.

Song Ling screwed her eyes shut and let out a long sigh. When she opened them again, they were filled with resolution. She walked onto the stage. “Excuse me, Elder Cai.” Her voice rang low but steady. “We’re withdrawing from the team battle. We concede.”

The entire arena went silent, the only sounds heard being the whirring of the gears within everyone’s brains as they processed what they had heard. They’re conceding? The third grade is surrendering? No way. They still have a one-word battle armor master! The strongest of the third grade, Li Qiankun, hasn’t even gone up yet! How could they give up?

“Teacher Song, why?” Li Qiankun exclaimed.

Song Lin turned back to face him, then cracked a bitter smile. She shook her head. “Look at your teammates. See what state they’re in. We don’t have any chance in the team battle like this.”

Li Qiankun gaped. After shaking himself out of his stupor, he finally directed his gaze at his teammates.

And he then understood how true his teacher’s words were.

Mo Jue slumped over a seat in the corner like a zombie. When Li Qiankun’s gaze chanced upon Ye Wu, he could clearly make out the dead fish feel of his teammate’s eyes. Even more demotivating was Ye Wu’s fearful stare and gulping whenever caught a glance of Tang Wulin. Sighing, Li Qiankun turned back to the stage to observe the Li twins. The two were holding each other for comfort, obviously afraid of their opponents, and if observed long enough, slightly shaking. Finally, he turned to get a good look at his companions who had yet to battle. Or tried to, anyway. Whenever he met their eyes, they would avert their gazes and lower their heads.

All of their confidence was shattered by their juniors.

“Teacher Song, I want to fight in this match. Even if it’s one against seven, I want to do it,” Li Qiankun said, his fists clenched tight.

Song Lin shook her head again. “I don’t want you to end up like Mo Jue. My decision is final.”

Li Qiankun’s breathing went ragged as he once more turned to the stage, this time to study the team of seven. It wasn’t until he saw the fire in their eyes that he realized he truly was no match. After bellowing in frustration, he withdrew.

This marked the defeat of the third grade, the class that was supposed to be the strongest in the outer court. It was an utterly disgraceful defeat, so much so that not even the final match had been fought in fear of earning more shame.

Although the third grade still had the one-word battle armor master Li Qiankun in reserve, he was the only one left in his team that was fit to fight. While he thirsted for battle with these seven mighty opponents, the rest had fear and shame struck into their hearts. Taking this into consideration, Song Lin had made the right choice. If she had let them go up and suffer another defeat, she feared that not even Li Qiankun was resilient enough to weather such a setback. She didn’t want to see her students fall any further than they already had.

Upon the stage, Tang Wulin stood at the front and center of his team, the rest flanking him on either side. All seven carried themselves as valorous young men and women. They exuded confidence and a will to prove themselves burned within. Every student of the outer court stared at them in awe.

“These kids are excellent,” said Yali. She had struggled to keep her voice low in the elders’ viewing platform.

Tang Wulin and his teammates did not cower before the sea of gazes. They stood with their backs straight and chests puffed with pride.

After having spent a little over a year in Shrek Academy, Tang Wulin and his friends in the first grade had grown to a point incomparable with before. In addition to their peerless talent, they fostered a conviction that victory was certain. They would not grow timid even before a full team of battle armor masters. This was the courage of youth, the fruits of their efforts, and their strength.

Zhuo Shi glanced at Feng Wuyu just as Feng Wuyu happened to glance at him. They stared at each other for a moment and nodded in agreement for once. Both of them smiled as they watched Tang Wulin, their hearts bursting with pride. They were also satisfied with the other kids on his team. Zhuo Shi and Feng Wuyu were certain that once those kids turned eighteen or nineteen, they would become central figures in Shrek Academy, and lead it into a shining new era.

“The Pavilion Master was right. What kids that are as talented as them need is experience,” muttered Zhuo Shi.

“Well shit. I agree,” Feng Wuyu said.

Having ascended into the air, Elder Cai declared, “The third grade has conceded. The first and second grade team wins.”

A crescendo of cheers erupted across the stadium as the audience snapped out of their stupor. The loudest claps and stomps came from the first grade. They were the proudest of them all! As newcomers to Shrek Academy, they had finally established their place and cemented their position today with a feat deemed nigh impossible. They had defeated the third grade, the greatest of the outer court, to now stand at a new peak. The chances of a class appearing in the next few years to dethrone them was zero

While Tang Wulin pumped his fists into the air and cheered with his teammates, Xu Lizhi was all smiles as he ran off-stage, arms outstretched to a newly awake Ye Xinglan. She yelped when he scooped her up into his arms and ran back on stage.

“We’re the best!” Xu Lizhi grinned.

Ye Xinglan blushed crimson. “L-let me down!” Her body was still too weak to put up a resistance.

“Huh? What did you say?” Xu Lizhi shouted back at her, his voice nearly drowned out in the cheering.

“I said let me down!” Ye Xinglan glared at him.

“Huh? Are you afraid I’ll drop you? Don’t worry, I’ll hold you tight!” Xu Lizhi said, tightening his arms around her.

“You damned fatty!” Ye Xinglan pinched his arm. It made Xu Lizhi look down, facing her with a goofy grin.

In a dour mood, Li Qiankun led the third grade out of the arena. They didn’t belong in this scene of glory.

But before the the of seven could bask in their glory for longer, Elder Cai spoke again in a booming voice. “I have something to announce.” Her aura flared with a hint of the strength a Titled Douluo held, silencing the arena in an instant.