"Roar!"
A deafening, furious dragon's roar rang out.
The gigantic Radiant Holy Dragon, its draconic eyes burning with rage and its body emanating terrifying might, charged straight at Jiang Jue. The sound of it tearing through the sky echoed, and the originally dim night seemed to be lit up in an instant.
"Mu En!"
With a low shout, Long Xiaoyao appeared in front of Jiang Jue out of thin air. Endless dark power surged and condensed into a steel-like barrier, forcibly blocking the Radiant Holy Dragon.
"Long Xiaoyao! How could you treat Xuan Zi like this?!"
Mu En's furious bellow shook the sky as he looked upon Xuan Zi's miserable state, flames of anger surging in his chest.
Xuan Zi might be stupid, reckless, and always causing trouble…
But he was also the strongest of Shrek Academy apart from Mu En himself, a vital foundation of the academy's heritage.
For him to be beaten like this by Long Xiaoyao, and to have his arm destroyed by Jiang Jue—how could Mu En not be enraged?
But when he saw the barrier formed of Long Xiaoyao's dark soul power, Mu En still stopped in place.
Long Xiaoyao's gaze fell on Mu En, and an indescribable emotion flickered briefly in his eyes before vanishing, leaving only calm.
Meanwhile, Jiang Jue, watching the tense standoff, flicked his soul power. With a wave, Xuan Zi's severed arm was pulled over. A flash of white light followed, and he tossed it into the Soul Refining Banner as if nothing unusual had happened, then looked at the two elders with a sharp gleam in his eyes.
He knew all too well—Mu En and Long Xiaoyao's relationship was twisted.
When they were young, both were brilliant, dazzling prodigies. During the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament, after meeting Ye Xishui, the three of them roamed the continent together.
But both men fell in love with Ye Xishui. A classic triangle. They agreed to pursue her openly, letting her decide, and whoever was chosen would receive the other's blessing.
Yet in the end, Ye Xishui did not choose Long Xiaoyao—she chose Mu En.
Long Xiaoyao could tell from her gaze that Ye Xishui actually liked him. Why she chose Mu En, he never understood. But from that moment, his Dao heart cracked. He fled.
Bless him? Impossible. His beloved woman together with his sworn brother—how could he accept that?
When Long Xiaoyao returned, he fought Mu En in frustration, but after his decline, he wasn't even Mu En's match.
Afterward, to comfort him, Mu En invited Long Xiaoyao for a drink. That night, both got drunk…
And that night, Long Xiaoyao did something unforgivable to Mu En.
When Mu En learned the truth, he was devastated. His own brother had betrayed him. Just like his ancestor from ten thousand years ago, he chose escape.
Neither of them knew then that both Black and White Twin Holy Dragons had been toyed with by Ye Xishui all along. It had been her plan from the start.
Long Xiaoyao had guessed one thing right—Ye Xishui truly loved him.
After that, Ye Xishui forced the two into a ten-year pact: every decade, they had to duel. But in truth, both men were just putting on an act for her.
Ye Xishui eventually saw through it. During the final duel, she decreed: only one of them could live.
Yet, in that final battle, neither Mu En nor Long Xiaoyao died. Instead, Du Bisi perished…
Afterward, Long Xiaoyao, to atone for what he owed Ye Xishui, stayed by her side always, becoming the Holy Spirit Cult's Chief Worshipper. Whatever she did, he accompanied her.
The rest of his life belonged to Ye Xishui.
Now, the entire space was deathly silent.
Mu En and Long Xiaoyao locked eyes. In the Radiant Holy Dragon's gaze, there was fury, sorrow, and faint release.
Long Xiaoyao's gaze was the same. He couldn't claim he felt no guilt—it was true, he had wronged Mu En deeply, planting a heavy crown of shame upon him.
But then, Mu En's gaze shifted past him to Jiang Jue. His voice sank:
"Did you not hear me order you to stop just now?!"
Jiang Jue looked at Mu En, a cold smile tugging at his lips.
You tell me to stop, I stop? That'd make me look obedient and stupid.
"This senior, why not listen to this recording before you speak further?"
Jiang Jue's tone was cool as white light flashed in his hand, revealing a small Soul Tool.
Jiang Jue never left openings. Upon Elder Yi's reminder, the instant he saw Xuan Zi, he allowed the Soul Refining Banner to transmit sound outward and had Wang Gengyin use the Soul Tool to record every word.
Now, with a surge of soul power, the recording replayed Xuan Zi's voice.
Mu En, initially puzzled, grew darker the more he listened. When Xuan Zi's words, "Be a good boy and come with me," echoed, his face turned pitch black.
How could that possibly be something a Shrek Academy teacher would say?
When the playback ended, Jiang Jue's sharp gaze locked on Mu En.
If this were the Holy Spirit Cult, no one would care—some might even praise the recording. They had no reputation left to protect.
But Shrek Academy was different. They were the number-one academy in the eyes of soul masters, the embodiment of light and righteousness, even creating the Shrek Supervisory Corps to hunt down evil soul masters.
If this recording spread, Shrek Academy's name would… collapse.
"Long Xiaoyao, give me some face. Release Xuan Zi."
Mu En's face was dark as he turned to Long Xiaoyao. His body shifted, and the Radiant Holy Dragon shrank back into the form of an aged man. He wore a gray robe, his eyelids drooping, exhaustion etched deep into his wrinkled face. He sat upon a golden wooden chair radiating faint holy light, mysterious and majestic.
Long Xiaoyao's eyes flickered with struggle, but he met Mu En's gaze and spoke.
"This matter—Xuan Zi was at fault first. I cannot allow my junior to suffer unjustly."
"Your junior?"
Mu En frowned, turning his eyes to Jiang Jue, carefully studying his features.
"This boy… could it be…"
Meanwhile, inside the Soul Refining Banner—
"Awroo! Awroo!"
"Shut up, you dumb tiger!"
Nangong Wan held Xuan Zi's severed arm, injecting streams of ashen-gray energy into the soul bone within. That gray aura was the banner's sinister power.
Little Tiger stood beside him, waving his tail like a cheerleader.
But when scolded, his tail drooped, and he slunk aside silently, his huge tiger eyes filled with sorrow.
"Tiger Tiger… when will I finally stand up again?"
"Eh! I did it!"
Nangong Wan shouted in surprise. Deep within the soul bone of the severed arm, a flicker of ashen-gray light appeared before vanishing into the dull yellow bone, leaving no trace.
"Shrek really is rich. Just a left arm bone, and its age is eighty thousand years."
"But Xuan Zi, old man, let me add a little something extra for you—make you feel real good!"
"Jie jie jie!"
Nangong Wan cackled. As an elder of the Holy Spirit Cult, he of course knew who Xuan Zi was. And everything he did was by Jiang Jue's instructions.
Outside.
"Young man, tell me—what do you want?"
Mu En looked at Jiang Jue, then at the unconscious Xuan Zi, and sighed inwardly.
If he were gone one day, what would become of Shrek Academy? And worse—he had just returned from the Extreme North, where he'd encountered something beyond belief…
"Senior, tell me—if someone breaks into your room at night, threatens you, what would you do?"
"…"
Mu En fell silent.
"This fallen elder's actions have placed me in a difficult position. My very life was threatened."
"And my mind—terrorized. Senior, how do you think this should be handled?"
Of course, Mu En understood Jiang Jue's meaning. After a pause, he said:
"This time, Xuan Zi was in the wrong. I'll apologize on his behalf. I'll also offer you a soul bone over seventy thousand years old as compensation. Will that suffice?"
"One piece? Seventy thousand years?"
"Senior, if that's all… then we won't be able to resolve anything!"
Jiang Jue's brow furrowed, voice sharp with displeasure. Silver light burst from Luo Bai in his hand, aiming directly for the unconscious Xuan Zi—
This time, at his head.
(End of Chapter)