Another Kind of Genius

Not even needing to think it over, Ru Shenqi replied, "Suyin."

Curious, Liao Suyin asked, "Why me?"

"Your fourth spirit skill can control Feng Changzhi. If you can entangle him in a web before he can take flight, it will be beneficial to you. Your second spirit skill can increase all of your attributes, which will also help you against my cousin since he's one spirit level above you. If he attacks you, your full body jade armor can protect you well, which is essential. Tarantula Bite's attack prowess also cannot be ignored. Therefore, if there's a chance of anyone being able to hold their own against him, it's you."

"I understand your idea, Xiao Shen. I'll do my best not to let everyone down tomorrow."

"How you want to battle him is up to you. But you know yourself better than anyone else. You know what you can do and what your strengths and weaknesses are."

Liao Suyin nodded in agreement. "Xiao Shen, I'll listen to you."

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The next day, all ten members of the Shrek Battle Team and the Golden Iron Triangle left their school's tent and headed to the palace courtyard for the next Ranking Round battle. They took their place under the tent on the right side of the stage. On the left sat the School of Four Elements Battle Team plus Huo Wu and Feng Xiaotian.

Two pairs of eyes locked. Feng Changzhi and Ru Shenqi glared coldly at each other.

He called out, "Little cousin! I hope we can meet today. I wish to teach you a lesson!"

She scoffed and spat back, "You have no qualification to compete with me now! If you want to fight me, make it to the finals!"

After having battled the Shrek Seven Devils, her spirit power had risen two ranks. Ru Shenqi was now a sixty sixth ranked Spirit Emperor. Indeed, a forty third ranked Spirit Ancestor would surely lose to a Spirit Emperor. The difference in spirit power was too great.

Feng Changzhi snarled before Feng Xiaotian called him back. Liao Suyin turned to look at her teammate.

"Xiao Shen, I'll do my best to remember your advice."

Yu Xiaogang stepped forward. "Today will be a challenging match. Based on Xiao Shen's recommendation, I will have Liao Suyin go up first. Suyin."

"Yes, Grandmaster?"

"Give it your all. If you can defeat Feng Changzhi, then I will send out Han Niansui to take care of the Lei Ting students. If need be, Shanxin, you will fight the Chi Huo and Tian Shui students."

"Yes, Grandmaster," everyone acknowledged.

Zhou Wuting approached from near the VIP balcony. With a microphone in hand, he called out, "Welcome back everyone! For the first battle of the Ranking Round today, we will see the undefeated Shrek Academy compete against the School of Four Elements. In the group battle during the Preliminary Round, we saw Shrek Academy display amazing cooperation and teamwork to defeat the School of Four Elements. But how will they do in these individual matches? Today, we see a different lineup that yesterday. Starting on the School of Four Elements' side is the forty third ranked Spirit Ancestor, Feng Changzhi. On Shrek Academy's side, we see the forty second ranked Spirit Ancestor, Liao Suyin."

The two competitors climbed up onto the stage as their names were called. Liao Suyin took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. Feng Changzhi's eyes narrowed.

"Do you all think you can make a fool of me? I will not forget this transgression! Today, I will defeat you all!"

His spirit rings descended; two yellow and two purple rings glowed brightly. Liao Suyin's spirit rings matched.

Zhou Wuting announced, "Begin!"

Immediately, Liao Suyin cried, "Fourth spirit skill, Tarantula Web!"

A silky, milky white web shot out and enveloped Feng Changzhi. Launching her second spirit skill, boosting her attributes, she shot forward. She launched her third spirit skill and protected herself from attack. It also radiated an aura of supreme authority, suppressing him. As she got close, she was about to activate her first spirit skill, but Feng Changzhi broke free from her web.

"First spirit skill, Wind Blade Burst!"

Just like his father, his first spirit skill created ten half-crescent wind blades that shot from his cyan blue wings. Thanks to her third spirit skill, Liao Suyin was uninjured despite the proximity to him. Feng Changzhi launched his second spirit skill and increased his attack, defense, and speed by fifty percent. His eyes blazed as his wings spread.

"Third spirit skill, Stormwind Wings!"

He lifted off and soared into the air. Liao Suyin leapt up, lightening her weight as much as she could. She drew close to him and activated her first spirit skill, Tarantula Bite. Her jade legs stretched out and attempted to prick him. But she wasn't able to. He flew higher up, out of her reach. She launched her fourth spirit ability again, but he cut right through it.

How can I win this battle? Liao Suyin thought. This is getting trickier the longer it goes on.

Feng Changzhi activated his fourth spirit skill. Three one and a half chi long blades protruded from his knuckles. He swiped his hands, distorting the air and making it as sharp as blades. Liao Suyin felt the pressure on her armor and launched her third spirit skill again to strengthen her armor and fight back with her oppressive aura.

Deciding she needed to distract him, she called out, "This is all you've got? Xiao Shen is right. You're nowhere near being her equal. Do you really think you can beat her?"

He gritted his teeth. "I can beat that little cousin of mine. She's only twelve. How powerful can she be?"

"You've seen her spirit rings. She may be twelve, but she's already a Spirit Ancestor!"

The spectators murmured amongst themselves.

"When did that white-haired girl advance?"

"She only had three rings before!"

"One of them was only a ten year white one! Can she really be a Spirit Ancestor already?!"

"Does Shrek have a full Spirit Ancestor team this time around?"

"I've heard Shrek has ten team members this year. But we've only seen nine. We don't even know what the eighth and ninth person's spirit skills are! The boy they introduced never used any spirit skills, and we don't know the spirit skills that the little white-haired girl has either."

"Shrek Academy is being mysterious this time."

"Will they win the Advanced Spirit Master Grand Competition again?"

Hearing the spectators' words, Feng Changzhi snarled, "See how I beat you!"

With a roar, he launched his first and fourth spirit skills in succession. Liao Suyin's eyes widened. She activated her third spirit skill and jumped up. This time, her legs scratched his arms as she used Tarantula Bite. The poison quickly entered his system. As it targeted his central nervous system, he coughed up blood and began to fall towards the ground. She landed nimbly on her feet, but he landed with a thud. 

Huo Wu's eyes widened. Feng Xiaotian shook his head.

"Changzhi, admit defeat!" he called. "She has defeated you fair and square."

"No, Dad! I can prove that I-"

Feng Changzhi was interrupted by another spat of blood. Liao Suyin was breathing heavily.

Huo Wu cried to Zhou Wuting, "We concede this one!"

With nothing else to say, Zhou Wuting announced, "One victory for Shrek Academy!"

"NO! I won't accept this!" Feng Changzhi cried.

Rolling her eyes, Liao Suyin walked over to him. She used two of her tarantula legs to withdraw the poison. Once she had absorbed it, she returned to her side of the stage. The two Tian Shui students walked forward and pulled a struggling Feng Changzhi back to their area.

Liao Suyin watched as Qing Junji¹青均迹 - given name meaning "Equal Vestige", a forty first ranked Spirit Ancestor stepped up onto the stage. She swallowed and called out, "I admit defeat!"

Qing Junji tilted his head. All of the School of Four Elements Battle Team were confused.

Huo Wu leaned over to Feng Xiaotian. "What is their Grandmaster planning?"

"How are you so sure it's him? Don't you remember the battle between the Shrek Seven Tyrants and the Seven Tiled Glazed Pagoda's Spirit Douluo? Even Sword Douluo admitted defeat to them. But it was Xiao Shen who led their team. She oddly takes after Tang San a lot."

Huo Wu nodded in realization. "So my niece has it all figured out. No wonder. And she's not even fighting until the finals, but the ranking rounds have been strategized by her."

After Liao Suyin returned to Shrek's side, Han Niansui stepped up onto the stage. Qing Junji inwardly winced.

Everyone knew how tyrannical Han Niansui's first spirit skill was. No one wanted to have to be trapped in it, especially alone.

Han Niansui's two yellow and two purple spirit rings descended. Qing Junji revealed one white, two yellow, and one purple spirit rings. As their spirits released, Han Niansui became enveloped in a dark wraith. Qing Junji grew fur with purple streaks. His spirit was the beast spirit, Thunder Lion.

"Begin!"

Han Niansui launched his third spirit skill and second spirit skill in succession. After boosting his attributes, he copied his spirit. With the enhancement, he launched his Dark Cover. Qing Junji launched his second spirit skill, Blue Defense. A layer of blue lightning surrounded him, protecting him from attacks. Within the Dark Cover, Han Niansui lunged forward and activated his fourth spirit skill, Dark Quill. His blade-like quills tried to chop at Qing Junji, but to no avail.

Everyone heard a roar, "Blue Wave!"

A burst of blue lightning burst forth from Qing Junji's mouth. It aimed straight for Han Niansui. Dodging out of the way, Han Niansui swept around behind his opponent. He swiped his blades out again and finally hit his mark. But he also fell into Qin Junji's trap.

Once Qing Junji knew where his opponent was, he launched his fourth spirit skill: Blue Shock Blast. A ball of blue lightning suddenly surrounded Han Niansui and created a shockwave, stunning him. Qing Junji launched his third spirit ability again and blue lighting burst out from his mouth. Under the shock and pressure from the lightning, Han Niansui's spirit retracted. When his Dark Cover lifted, hew threw out his blades one last time.

Unfortunately, Qing Junji had used up too much of his spirit power and couldn't dodge. The small blades cut at him, and he dropped to his knees. He coughed out blood just as Han Niansui began to sway on his feet. Neither one, though, was willing to admit defeat.

Finally, Qing Junji passed out from his injuries. With that, Zhou Wuting declared it as Shrek's victory.

Han Niansui stayed on stage, and the other Lei Ting student joined him.

"Begin!"

After the start of the battle, Han Niansui immediately cloned himself. Launching his fourth spirit skill, eight bodies with two blades each lunged for the Lei Ting student. But this Lei Ting student had the Lighting Phoenix beast spirit.

A wave of lighting washed over her as her wings made of crackling lightning flapped. She launched her first spirit skill, and a wave of fiery lighting shot out all around her like a wildfire. Han Niansui's clones easily disappeared, and he got thrown backwards, almost off of the stage. Looking up, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

I must hold out as long as I can. Bai Shanxin cannot out fly lightning, and her being in the air isn't a good idea. I need to get rid of this last Lei Ting student.

He closed his eyes and summoned his first spirit skill. The whole stage became covered in darkness.

The Lei Ting student looked around, but couldn't see anything. She launched her third spirit skill and protected herself with a barrier of crackling lightning. Han Niansui's blades bounced off of her lightning. Though he was two ranks above her in spirit power, the difference wasn't great enough that he could break through her third spirit skill.

Suddenly, he heard a high-pitched, young voice echo in his ear, "Recall your Dark Cover. But as your doing so, launch your second spirit skill. Once that girl can see again, she won't know which one is the real you. Wait for her to attack first. Then dodge and counter. Use your blades wisely."