"Stop! What do you want?"
Seeing that Jiang Jue was actually about to do it for real, Mu En immediately shouted.
Right now, Xuan Zi was unconscious, his soul power sealed by Long Xiaoyao, and his body already battered beyond recognition. His defenses had dropped to rock bottom. If Jiang Jue's spear truly went down, Xuan Zi would be on his way to meet his ancestors.
If that happened, Shrek Academy would suffer a devastating loss!
The spear tip descended, stopping just a hair's breadth from piercing between Xuan Zi's brows—just a little more and it would've ended him.
Hearing Mu En's desperate shout, Jiang Jue's lips curved slightly. His voice came slow, deliberate, each word like a hammer:
"Add more soul bones."
"The number and the years both need to increase. After all, this fallen senior here is a Super Douluo."
"And I can already sense one hundred-thousand-year soul bone and three ten-thousand-year ones on him. If senior offers too little, I'll have to consider whether to dismantle this senior into parts…"
"Surely, senior doesn't want that to happen?"
Every word Jiang Jue spoke was coated in false politeness—calling Xuan Zi "senior" one moment, threatening to cut him into pieces the next.
Mu En's face was dark with shame. Even as an Extreme Douluo, Jiang Jue's words left him inwardly rattled.
Looking at Jiang Jue's youthful face and his cultivation close to Soul King, Mu En was silent.
Meanwhile, Jiang Jue's spear Luo Bai gleamed coldly, already itching for action.
He knew—Shrek Academy, with its tens of thousands of years of heritage, absolutely had no shortage of one-hundred-thousand-year soul bones.
And just moments earlier, Elder Yi had transmitted to him that Mu En's aura was unstable, as if he had just undergone a battle.
Jiang Jue was curious—who could've thrown Mu En into such disarray? Even crippled, Mu En was still an Extreme Douluo. Very few could match him.
"If things had gone the original way, Mu En should have gone to the Extreme North due to Huo Yuhao's second martial soul, then returned to watch Shrek's tournament. But the Snow Empress, the strongest being in the Extreme North, has already been subdued by me. So who could it have been?"
Right now, without the Golden Tree's support, Mu En was no match for Long Xiaoyao.
In the past, when Mu En was whole, he could have stood as Long Xiaoyao's equal. But after his failed attempt at fusing a dragon core, the backlash left him crippled. From then on, he was doomed to lose.
In another timeline, when the Holy Spirit Sect sent several Titled Douluo to abduct Ma Xiaotao, Mu En fought them but was gravely wounded, dying soon after.
And now—without the Golden Tree—he was even weaker.
"One hundred-thousand-year soul bone."
Mu En frowned, looking at the bleeding Xuan Zi, and said solemnly.
"Not enough!"
Jiang Jue shook his head, spear pressing downward again.
"One hundred-thousand-year soul bone, plus a seventy-thousand-year soul bone."
"Youngster, don't push your luck!"
Fury flickered in Mu En's eyes, his voice heavy.
"Senior, get this straight—it was he who started all this. Otherwise you wouldn't even need to save him. If he dies, then it all ends here."
Jiang Jue sneered. The initiative was in his hands now—how could he let Mu En control him?
If it weren't too suspicious, he would've asked directly for Mu En's dragon core. That was the real treasure.
"At most two one-hundred-thousand-year soul bones. Any more, and I'd rather let Xuan Zi die. You'll definitely end up on Shrek Academy's bounty list!"
"Hahaha, senior, if you had said that earlier, why waste so many words?"
"I dislike seeing blood spilled, you know."
Mu En fell silent, watching Jiang Jue's sunny smile, while even Long Xiaoyao felt some surprise.
But Mu En did not notice the flash of cunning in Jiang Jue's eyes.
What Jiang Jue had said was only about Xuan Zi's life. It didn't include his severed arm.
"Senior, one hand gives payment, one hand gives the goods."
"Fine."
Mu En thought briefly, then agreed.
Jiang Jue hooked Xuan Zi with Luo Bai and tossed him toward Mu En. With a flicker of light, Mu En revealed two soul bones:
—One, a black left leg bone, a hundred-thousand years old, radiating heavy death aura. The air itself grew stifling around it.
—The other, a golden right arm bone, also one hundred-thousand years old, its metallic sharpness so strong it seemed to cut the very space around it.
Two mighty soul bones—one death, one metal.
Carried by radiant power, they floated to Jiang Jue. Meanwhile, Mu En caught Xuan Zi.
Immediately, he poured pure light power into Xuan Zi, dispelling the dark aura, sealing his bleeding wounds, and reinforcing his meridians.
By then, the sinister black-purple energy in Xuan Zi's body had already vanished without trace.
Mu En took out a golden branch tipped with fresh green shoots and pressed it into Xuan Zi's chest.
After that, Xuan Zi's complexion visibly improved.
"Young man—what about Xuan Zi's arm?"
Mu En's gaze fixed on Jiang Jue, voice sharp.
"Senior, these two soul bones are merely the price for saving this senior's life. His arm is… another matter."
"The arm costs extra."
Jiang Jue smiled faintly, clutching the two soul bones.
"You!"
Mu En trembled with rage. After so many years, he'd been outmaneuvered like this!
But if Xuan Zi's arm were lost, his cultivation would plummet. After all, a soul bone was embedded there.
As long as the arm was recovered, Mu En could reattach it, and after recuperation, Xuan Zi would recover to full strength.
"What do you want?"
Jiang Jue lifted one finger.
"One more one-hundred-thousand-year soul bone."
"No! I only carry two on me!"
Mu En's brows knit tightly.
"That's fine, senior. You can bring it later. I'm in no rush. Once you have it, just come to Star Emperor Hotel, 7th floor, room 236, to find me."
"Old Dragon, let's go."
Jiang Jue turned to Long Xiaoyao, not bothering to press further.
He figured Mu En already carrying two soul bones was plenty. The last one—if Mu En wanted to redeem the arm, he'd come. If not, Jiang Jue lost nothing.
Long Xiaoyao nodded slightly. Dark soul power surged as he prepared to leave with Jiang Jue.
"Wait! I'll give it!"
Mu En's eyes blazed, unable to suppress his fury any longer. His teeth ground as he spat the words.
Jiang Jue might not be in a rush—but he was. If Xuan Zi's arm wasn't reattached quickly, his foundation would suffer. Breaking through to Extreme Douluo in the future would become nearly impossible.
And Mu En couldn't allow Xuan Zi's strength to weaken. One day, when he himself was gone, Xuan Zi would be the next Pavilion Master of the Sea God's Pavilion.
Shrek Academy's and the Pavilion's future rested on Xuan Zi.
With his ninety-eighth rank, only Xuan Zi could command respect.
Jiang Jue turned back, pretending to be surprised.
He hadn't thought Mu En truly carried a third soul bone. A daring thought flickered through Jiang Jue's mind.
"Senior, didn't you just say you didn't have one?"
"Old man suddenly remembered—seems I do."
Mu En's face turned dark. This brat had to say it aloud, deliberately embarrassing him.
Long Xiaoyao chuckled silently. Mu En had always been steady and mature—yet here, a mere teenager had gotten under his skin.
"Take it!"
An dark-red soul bone shot toward Jiang Jue.
Snap!
Jiang Jue caught it firmly, ice-blue soul power shimmering in his palm.
"Many thanks for your generous gifts, senior. This junior will never forget."
Jiang Jue smiled, tossing Mu En a severed arm from the Soul Refining Banner—the "enhanced edition."
Mu En quickly wrapped the arm in his soul power, preventing its vitality from fading. He didn't notice anything strange.
Because earlier, after Nangong Wan infused it with dark power, Jiang Jue had asked Elder Yi to cover it with a light-attribute seal.
As the exchange ended and Jiang Jue and Long Xiaoyao prepared to leave—
"Wait!"
Mu En called out, sending a sound transmission into Long Xiaoyao's ears.
Long Xiaoyao's face darkened upon hearing it. Without turning back, he took Jiang Jue away.
Jiang Jue's cultivation couldn't catch Mu En's words—but Elder Yi could.
And after Elder Yi relayed the message, Jiang Jue's eyes glimmered with chilling light.
For in Mu En's secret transmission… was information concerning his master, Zhongli Wu.
(End of Chapter)