All seven walked up onto the stage. They made their 3-4 formation based off of their training. Gu Xingyun, Shu Jiaxiang and Liao Suyin stood in the front, with the two girls in the center and right positions. In the back, from left to right, was Bai Shanxin, Fang Youyou, Ru Shenqi, Ming Yong.

On the other side of the stage, in a 3-1-3 formation, stood the Astral Battle Team. Each spirit master seemed to be in their late twenties, but this was due to Ru Shenqi being a Spirit Ancestor. They were fighting a fortieth ranked team.

The announcer called out, "Captains, meet!"

It had been agreed upon that Ru Shenqi would be the true captain, since she was the strongest and also their Control System spirit master, but for her to have so much spotlight wasn't a good thing. So, Gu Xingyun, as the vice-captain, stepped forward and saluted the other captain.

"Shrek Seven Tyrants?" the Astral Battle Team captain scoffed. "More like Shrek Seven Cowards."

Gu Xingyun replied calmly, "We'll see about that."

"Captains, return to your teams. Everyone, prepare your spirits."

Gu Xingyun and the other man turned away from each other. Resuming his position in the front left of their 3-4 combination, he turned his head slightly towards Ru Shenqi.

"Xiao Shen, it's up to you now."

She nodded. "I won't let everyone down."

"Let the battle begin!" the announcer cried.

The stage lit up brilliantly. Everyone released their spirits.

On the Astral Battle Team, all seven were higher than the forty-third rank. Their two yellow hundred year and one purple millennium year spirit rings danced around their feet, making twenty one spirit rings on their side. The captain had a sunray spirit, making him a Power Attack spirit master. Their vice-captain had a moonshine spirit, which made her an Agility Attack spirit master. The other five teams members all had star related spirits, so they were Power Attack and Control spirit masters.

Indeed, this was going to be a tricky battle.

But... the Shrek Seven Tyrants were little monsters. Thanks to Grandmaster's training, they were now:

Ming Yong, twenty ninth ranked Spirit System Battle Spirit Master

Ru Shenqi, forty ninth ranked Control System Battle Spirit Master

Gu Xingyun, thirty ninth ranked Power Attack System Battle Spirit Master

Liao Suyin, twenty ninth ranked Power Attack System Battle Spirit Master

Shu Jiaxiang, twenty ninth ranked Power Attack System and Agility Attack System Battle Spirit Master

Fang Youyou, twenty eighth ranked Auxiliary System Spirit Master

Bai Shanxin, twenty ninth ranked Agility Attack System Battle Spirit Master

Except for Fang Youyou, all the others were on the verge of a breakthrough to the next rank. How couldn't they hold their own against the Astral Battle Team?

On the Shrek Seven Tyrants' side, thirteen spirit rings glowed. Ru Shenqi was the only one to not show her spirit rings. Otherwise, Shrek would've displayed a brilliant seventeen spirit rings.

"What's this?" the captain of the Astral Battle team sneered. "It is really all twenty and thirty ranked spirit masters? How are they even qualified to fight us?"

But then his eyes caught on a grinning person, enveloped in red-orange flames.

"Take out their five star spirit masters first," Ru Shenqi ordered. "That'll leave the sun and moon spirit masters, who will be trickier to deal with. Get rid of the stars quickly so as to conserve spirit power... and spiritual power."

The Shrek Seven Tyrants nodded.

Shu Jiaxiang activated her first spirit ring, Shadow Cheetah Silence and disappeared. Bai Shanxin took to the air. Gu Xingyun's whole body erupted with lion fur, and he charged to the left. Jade legs appeared on Liao Suyin's back as she shot forward to the right. From the back, Ming Yong summoned his Seven Stringed Dragon Qin. Next to Ru Shenqi, Fang Youyou activated his first spirit ring.

"First spirit skill, Flowering Lotus Blossom!"

His flower spun clockwise, and bright rainbow colored petals shot from it. Each of the Shrek Seven Tyrants were immediately granted a five percent stamina boost.

Ming Yong locked in on one of the Power Attack system spirit masters and called out, "First spirit skill, Dragon Qin Vine!"

His qin string shot out and tied up one spirit master. Controlling it like a rope, he flung that spirit master off the stage and out of bounds before a spirit skill could be used. Liao Suyin released her spirit ability once she had gotten close to a Control system spirit master.

"Second spirit skill, Tarantula Fury!"

A bright purple light glowed from around her. All of her attributes were increased by another five percent. 

"First spirit skill, Tarantula Bite!"

One of her jade legs shot out and pierced by one Power Attack system spirit master. He cried out and begged for mercy. She retracted the poison and then quickly flung him off the stage as well.

Shu Jiaxiang reappeared next to another two star spirit spirit masters. Under Bai Shanxin's aid, the two spirit masters were blown closer to her. Using her second spirit skill, Shadow Cheetah Claw, she swiped at them, knocked both out of bounds.

Gu Xingyun snarled, "Second spirit skill, Heavenly Lion Thunder!"

A spherical golden light radiated from him, enhancing all of his attributes by another five percent. Immediately, he roared, "Battering Heavenly Lion!"

He rammed right at the last star attribute spirit master and knocked him out as well.

Meanwhile, the sun and moon members of the Astral Battle Team had targeted Ru Shenqi.

Big mistake, she thought.

"Does ge ge and jie jie concede defeat yet?" she asked innocently.

The other stopped and looked around. Seeing they were the only two left of their team, fury flared in their eyes. Ru Shenqi smirked and waved her hand. Seeing her signal, the others all dove off the stage. The captain and vice-captain of the Astral Battle Team scoffed.

"Does mei mei think she can defeat us all on her lonesome?"

"I don't think. I know."

Before the match, Yu Xiaogang had told her to only use her Fire Dragon Domain. If she could hide her true spirit, then all the better.

She released her innate fire domain and grinned. The others faltered; they hadn't expected her to have a fire attribute. Plus the fact that they had never seen her spirit rings gave them pause.

But that pause was just enough. 

I'm not Hell's Little Empress for nothing.

She charged forward and dared to get as close as possible to them. When she was within a close range, Ru Shenqi flicked her wrist. Guiding her golden wire, she sent fire along it to make it look like a fire whip was one of her spirit skills. Waving it at them, she kept the two at bay. Walking closer and closer, they continued to back up. After all, who would want to get burned?

She kept pressing forward until they had run out of stage. Just on the edge, she whipped her flaming wire at them, causing them to jump back in fright. Only downfall was that backwards meant off the stage. When they landed, Ru Shenqi was grinning deviously.

The announcer flew down. "What an amazing match! Shrek Seven Tyrants have defeated the top fortieth ranked Astral Battle Team in less than a minute! What a fight worthy of Shrek Academy!"

Ru Shenqi turned and walked over to her teammates. She hopped off the stage and walked with them back towards the waiting area where the Golden Iron Triangle was.

There, the Shrek Seven Tyrants cheered. Flender was brimming with pride. Liu Erlong was nodding, pleased. Yu Xiaogang cleared his throat.

"You all have done well today. Xiao Shen, it was creative of you to combine your hidden weapon with your innate fire domain. Now, everyone really will believe that you are a fire attribute spirit master."

Flender agreed. "Yes, good work everyone. I knew you all could do it! Hehehehe, now there'll be another full month of this-"

"Dean!" five voices piped up, interrupting him.

"Eh, what is it?"

"After fighting against such a strong team today, our spirit power has advanced. Before we compete again, can we go hunting for spirit beasts?"

The Golden Iron Triangle looked at each other.

Liu Erlong said, "It looks like we'll have to return to Star Dou Great Forest."

Shu Jiaxiang, Ming Yong, Bai Shanxin, and Liao Suyin had broken through to the thirtieth rank. Gu Xingyun had broken through to the fortieth. Fang Youyou found out that he had become a twenty ninth ranked spirit master. Ru Shenqi was still stuck at her level fifty bottleneck, but she didn't care. She was happy for her friends to have improved that evening.