Chapter 150: You Have a Crossbow, I Have a Shotgun

Shen An sat in the VIP lounge of the Great Spirit Arena, while Ye Lingling stared at him with resentment. She never expected to be inexplicably replaced by a cat. If Shen An had been the one to substitute her, she might have accepted it—after all, his strength spoke for itself. But being swapped out for a cat? What kind of logic was that?

Osler nudged Yu Feng with his elbow. "He replaced Lingling—aren't you going to say something? Lingling is one of our own."

Yu Feng shuddered as he recalled Shen An's domineering performance when he single-handedly defeated their entire team. His wings ached at the mere memory.

"You're talking about the guy who crushed all seven of us without breaking a sweat. What the hell am I supposed to say? Even the captain and Yanzi agreed to this," he grumbled.

Hearing the hushed whispers of the Imperial Battle Team, Shen An chuckled. "Relax, Tom won't drag you down. In fact, he might just pull off something unexpected in battle."

At that moment, the already bright golden lights of the arena flared even brighter.

"Respected members of the Imperial Battle Team, the Soul Fight is about to begin. Please proceed to the arena for preparations."

Silently, the doors on both sides of the fighting stage slid open. The two teams stepped forward simultaneously, making their way toward the center.

"Damn, why is there a cat?!" The audience erupted in shock. This was something they had never seen before.

The host's smooth, magnetic voice echoed through the arena. "This cat has been verified to possess strength equivalent to that of a sub-hundred-year soul beast. Its presence is more symbolic than combative—serving as a mascot for the Imperial Battle Team. This clearly demonstrates their confidence against the Shrek Academy Team."

"Let us all eagerly anticipate the clash between these two teams of prodigies!"

From the VIP lounge, which offered an excellent vantage point, Shen An watched intently, curious to see what kind of absurd antics Tom would pull off.

Meanwhile, in the ordinary spectator booth, Yu Xiaogang stared fixedly at Tom, who was trailing behind the team.

That cat had signed its own death warrant.

The mere thought of his prized disciple using his unique hidden weapons to shoot the cat dead filled him with glee. His lips curled into a wide, unrestrained grin.

Tai Long whispered nervously, "Third Young Master, are we really going to use those hidden weapons? Isn't the lethality a bit too much?"

As a member of the Power Clan, both he and his father had been beaten by Tang San before, and he had long since acknowledged Tang San as his master.

Tang San replied coolly, "Don't worry. The Great Spirit Arena doesn't restrict weapon usage. Besides, our target is that cat. As for the others, just aim to disable them—no need to go for fatal shots."

At that moment, the host, now hovering in the air, shouted:

"Team Soul Fight—Imperial Battle Team versus Shrek Academy Team! The battle begins now!"

As soon as the announcement rang out, the members of the Imperial Battle Team unleashed their spirits, their imposing auras surging like a stampede of warhorses.

Yu Tianheng and the others roared in unison, their voices brimming with dominance.

Not wanting to be left out, Tom quickly followed suit, baring his claws and letting out a fierce:

"Meow~"

But just then, Shen An's eyes narrowed. He had noticed the subtle movements of the Shrek team—they were pulling out what looked like ancient crossbow-like devices.

Shen An immediately turned to a staff member and asked, "Are external weapons allowed in Soul Fights?"

"Yes, sir. Weapons are permitted during battles, though most people don't use them since they're generally inferior to soul skills."

Shen An smirked. Tang San was trying to exploit his transmigrator's advantage for a crushing victory.

Well, with Tom around, let's see who's really outmatched here.

The Imperial Battle Team stared in confusion as the Shrek team refrained from summoning their martial souls. Yu Tianheng's eyes burned with anger—were they looking down on them?

Then, a strange metallic clanking sound filled the air, accompanied by a sharp hum.

Tang San commanded calmly, "Fire!"

Whoosh—

The seven members of Shrek Academy raised their crossbows simultaneously. Each crossbow had been pre-loaded before the match, and in an instant, a barrage of 112 bolts tore through the air.

"YAAAHHH—!"

Tom let out a shrill scream, leaping three feet in the air in panic.

The Imperial Battle members might not have recognized the weapon, but Tom certainly did. These were crossbow bolts—thick and deadly! If they hit him, he'd be bruised black and blue!

Frantic, Tom whipped his head around, searching for cover, only to realize there was none. Aside from his human teammates, there was nothing to shield him.

But as a kind-hearted cat, how could he let innocent humans take the hit for him?

Watching the incoming bolts, Tom's initial panic faded into resignation. There was no dodging this.

So, with a sigh, Tom stood still, tied a white cloth around his eyes, and even pulled out a cigar, taking a leisurely puff.

A wisp of smoke curled from his lips.

At this moment, he was the epitome of elegance.

Yu Tianheng had initially dismissed the threat—what weapon could possibly rival a spirit? But Tom's scream sent a foreboding chill down his spine.

It was already too late.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

A series of sickening impacts rang out as the once-cheering crowd fell dead silent.

Crimson mist bloomed across the arena like macabre flowers. Aside from Yu Feng, who had taken to the skies, and Tom, who had shielded Dugu Yan, every other member of the Imperial Battle Team had been grievously wounded.

The sight of his teammates turned into human pincushions made even the usually composed Yu Xiaogang in the spectator booth flush with excitement. His fists clenched so tightly that veins bulged as he roared:

"YES!"

Zhu Zhuqing gripped Shen An's arm tightly, her voice trembling. "Tom, it's—"

Shen An patted her reassuringly. "Don't worry. Tom won't die."

On the stage, Tang San stared in disbelief at Tom, who was now riddled with arrows from head to toe.

This wasn't right. The bolts had been fired in a straight line—how had the cat ended up completely covered?

But soon, a smirk tugged at his lips. No matter. With the force of those crossbows, that cat was as good as dead.

"Do you still want to continue?" Tang San taunted. "It's seven against two now."

Dugu Yan glanced at Tom, who lay motionless, bristling with arrows, then at her fallen comrades. Her eyes burned with fury. "Tang San, I'll kill you!"

Just then, Tom suddenly stood up, shaking his body. Every single arrow clattered to the ground.

He glared at Tang San with undisguised hostility.

A competition, and you resort to underhanded tricks?

Tom pushed the enraged Dugu Yan aside and pointed at the Shrek team, then at himself, as if to say, "Leave them to me."

Tang San's smirk froze.

How?! That cat had been turned into a sieve—how was it still standing?!

Then, Tom reached behind his back and pulled out a shotgun.

With a sharp click, he loaded a shell and took aim at Tang San.

Oh, so you're the only one who gets to use weapons, huh?

Tang San's heart lurched as he stared down the barrel of the unfamiliar firearm. A primal fear surged within him.

"Watch out for that weapon!" he shouted.

But it was too late.

BANG!

A gunshot echoed through the arena, followed by the blossoming of crimson.