In an instant, the tide of battle shifted dramatically again, and Shrek Academy was plunged into dire straits.

Ma Xiaotao was already countered by Firefly, and to make matters worse, Robin timely unleashed her fifth soul skill—Fugue of the Stars.

This soul skill was incredibly powerful, forcibly raising Firefly's soul power to the Soul Emperor level.

As a result, even though Ma Xiaotao was in her Martial Soul True Body state, she was still completely suppressed by Firefly, unable to fight back at all.

March 7th's restraint over Ling Luocheng was even more apparent. Not only could she instantaneously move using the ice released by Ling Luocheng, catching opponents off guard, but her ultimate ice soul power could instantly incapacitate Ling Luocheng, freezing her solid.

Jinhsi, Castorice, and Gu Yue immediately unleashed their powerful abilities, successfully suppressing Dai Yaoheng, Bei Bei, and Xu Sanshi.

Although the Shrek Academy team fought desperately, under the fierce assault from Saint Freya Academy, they fell into a hopeless situation.

At this moment, the outcome was clear. Everyone could see that Shrek's loss seemed inevitable.

Saint Freya Academy demonstrated overwhelming strength in all aspects. Whether male or female, each member was extraordinary—there was not a single weakling.

Even Robin, the support, was far from defenseless, and her boosting soul skills greatly empowered her entire team.

Despite Dai Yaoheng and the others struggling fiercely, anyone with a discerning eye could foresee the match's outcome.

On the main viewing platform, Xu Jiujiu was so excited she nearly jumped up.

But as a princess, she had to remain composed, so she forced herself to sit with poise, though she couldn't conceal the joy sparkling in her eyes.

Dai Hao, however, frowned slightly and shook his head.

With his experience, he could clearly see that Shrek Academy was beyond saving.

Shrek's originally strongest member, Ma Xiaotao, had most of her power drained at the start by Lu Jingming's hundred-thousand-year soul skill, and was then restrained by Firefly, leaving her unable to showcase her Soul Sage-level strength at all. It was truly frustrating for her to have such power but nowhere to use it.

"Boom!"

A loud explosion erupted, flames soaring skyward like a fully-bloomed fiery flower.

A massive Fire Phoenix let out a wail of unwillingness; as the flames scattered like fireworks, the Phoenix's form faded, finally dissipating into the air, exposing Ma Xiaotao's true body.

"Bang!"

Ma Xiaotao instinctively crossed her arms in front of her, trying to block the attack.

However, she was at her limits and could not resist Firefly's fierce assault.

Firefly landed a heavy kick on Ma Xiaotao, sending her flying in a long arc.

Relentless, Firefly gave chase, delivering another punch midair.

The punch whistled through the air, threatening to tear it apart.

Ma Xiaotao, like a cannonball, crashed into the ground, shattering the hard surface and leaving a shocking trench, a testament to Firefly's power.

"I can't take this anymore!" Ma Xiaotao was at her breaking point.

In terms of soul power, she was more than ten levels above Firefly. In age, she was also several years older.

Yet now, she was being beaten helplessly by a girl not yet fifteen.

Her pride and dignity were deeply hurt.

And now the match was nearing its end—if she didn't change something, Shrek's defeat was certain.

"Come out! Phoenix Armor!" Ma Xiaotao roared to the sky, her voice filled with resolve.

Instantly, a golden-red radiance lit her body, as dazzling as a blazing sun.

A set of magnificent Phoenix battle armor slowly appeared, enveloping her.

"Stop, Ma Xiaotao!" In the Shrek rest area, Wang Yan's face turned ashen as he cried out.

He knew the dangers of forcibly using the Phoenix Armor and what Ma Xiaotao's action signified.

But Ma Xiaotao was determined to turn things around for Shrek and couldn't hear Wang Yan's shout.

Even if she could, she wouldn't care.

To her, sacrificing something for Shrek's glory was worthwhile.

"Foolish!" Wang Yan sighed helplessly as Ma Xiaotao's aura soared in her flaming armor.

Phoenix Armor was a peak-level Rank 9 soul tool, terrifying in its power.

If fully utilized, it could rival a Titled Douluo, possessing both Titled Douluo-level defense and Super Douluo-level speed.

However, the minimum requirement to wear it was a Soul Douluo.

For Ma Xiaotao, just a newly advanced Soul Sage, forcing it on was gambling her life.

It was equivalent to burning her life to activate the armor, which would inflict great harm—cutting at least five years off her life, or even ten.

As a responsible teacher, Wang Yan couldn't bear to see his student throw away her future for a single match.

But it was too late; he couldn't stop her.

Seeing Ma Xiaotao recklessly burning her life, Firefly paused briefly, frowning deeply, anger flickering in her eyes—anger at Ma Xiaotao's disregard for her own life.

Firefly herself suffered from entropy-loss syndrome—a near death sentence. To survive, she would pay any price and even joined the Stellaron Hunters to live.

But during her summoning by Lu Jingming, he used the Authority Reality to cure her, freeing her from that affliction.

This was why her initial favorability for Lu Jingming was so high.

Unlike Castorice, whose death-constitution was the source of her power and could not be removed, Firefly's entropy-loss could be cured.

So for Firefly, who longed for life, Ma Xiaotao's reckless burning of her own life for a match was incomprehensible.

"Death Star Overload—Full Burn!" Firefly called out, and her third and fifth soul rings burst with light.

A fire-weakness mark appeared on Ma Xiaotao, glaring red in the sunlight.

At the same time, Firelfy's mecha was infused with wild energy, covered in red magma patterns, radiating intense heat, her aura even more explosive.

Now, she was in no way inferior to Ma Xiaotao in Phoenix Armor.

"Sigh!" Robin looked at the intense battlefield and shook her head.

Her fourth soul ring shone, black as ink.

"Fourth Soul Skill—Thousand-Tone Concerto!"

Robin sang gently, her voice melodious and ethereal, drifting across the battlefield.

As the sound reached Firefly, an astonishing change occurred—her originally black fifth soul ring slowly turned blood-red.

Before the stunned eyes of all, Robin forcibly upgraded Firefly's fifth soul ring to a hundred-thousand-year status.

The now hundred-thousand-year skill, "Full Burn," instantly pushed Firefly's battle strength to its peak.

Terrifying heat radiated outward from Firefly, warping the air, melting the ground with hissing sounds.

Even the seawater near the Eye of Abyss evaporated, shrouding the area in thick white mist.

Thankfully, the audience stands were protected by soul tool barriers, blocking most of the heat. Even so, the spectators felt like they were in a furnace.

Luckily, Herta's soul tool screens held strong, continuously broadcasting the match.

Herta had anticipated the match's intensity would impact the soul tools, so they prepared in advance.

On the field, silver-white mechas streaked with red, flames raging and warping space.

The golden-red armor burned fiercely as well; Ma Xiaotao, burning her life force, finally reached the domain of ultimate fire with the armor's boost.

Though still slightly weaker than Firefly and burdened by a fire weakness, she could finally fight on even terms.

Yet, Ma Xiaotao was enduring excruciating pain from forcibly wearing the armor.

She could feel her life force being devoured, her body tortured as if in a sea of fire.

Her pretty face twisted in pain, but her eyes shone with madness, her obsession keeping her going.

The fiery thrusters on her back flared, and she shot toward Firefly like an arrow.

Firefly met her head-on with terrifying speed.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The two flame-wreathed figures darted and clashed at incredible speeds.

The audience could only see two meteor-like fire streaks colliding, each impact like colliding stars, setting off huge fireworks.

Shockwaves and heatwaves swept the arena, letting everyone feel the battle's terror and intensity.

"Wang Dong!"

"Yuhao!"

Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao exchanged a determined glance.

They knew the side effects of using the Phoenix Armor early, but seeing Ma Xiaotao fight so desperately, how could they stand by?

"This is reckless!" Lu Jingming frowned as he watched Ma Xiaotao's near-mad battle and sighed inwardly.

He couldn't understand Ma Xiaotao's obsession with this match—why risk everything for just a competition?

Still, though he didn't understand, he chose to respect her choice.

He also guessed what Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong would do next, but made no move to stop them.

Under Lu Jingming's gaze, Wang Dong unfurled blue-gold wings, the phantom of the Bright Goddess Butterfly flickering behind him.

Huo Yuhao's clothes burst apart under a surge of soul power, revealing the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion tattoo on his back.

The pattern seemed to come alive, the crystalline yellow eyes exuding a fierce aura, as if ready to devour anyone.