Shrek Academy.
The Shrek Seven Monsters and their reserve members, who had just finished the five-yearly Great Soul Fighting Competition, finally returned to the academy.
Although they had won the championship, it could be said to be the most humiliating championship in Shrek's history. They had departed with fourteen people, but only eleven returned, some of whom had been crippled by rogue Soul Masters. Whether it was the current generation or the next, their lineups were suddenly incomplete.
One must know that originally, after this battle, Mu En had planned to bestow the title of lifelong Shrek Seven Monsters upon Huo Yuhao and the others. But now, they couldn't even gather seven people; how could there be Seven Monsters?
Mu En did not blame them. Instead, he led everyone as usual to the academy gate to welcome the victorious team. Only then did Huo Yuhao and the others realize that the old man who had always stayed under the dormitory building sunbathing was actually the legendary Dragon God Douluo.
"Elder Mu, I'm sorry!" Xuan Zi came before Mu En and bowed, admitting his mistake. This time, it was again his error. He hadn't known that Yuwen Tuo would unexpectedly betray them on the spot, nor did he know when Yuwen Tuo had established ties with the Heavenly Soul Empire.
On the way back, Su Yunlang and Ma Sinuo had already explained why they helped Yuwen Tuo: their families were in Princess Vina's hands; how could they not obey her? What puzzled Xuan Zi even more was why Princess Vina would so strongly favor Yuwen Tuo. Could it be because of his handsome appearance, that she was smitten with him? But a princess of a nation shouldn't be so consumed by romance, logically. Princess Vina had always been known for her wisdom.
This was the power of intelligence. Xuan Zi didn't know that Vina had twin martial souls, and that her second martial soul was the Body Sect's martial soul, the Brain. He only knew her identity as the Heavenly Soul Empire's princess, but not her identity as a disciple of the Body Sect.
The secret that the Body Sect was now the Heavenly Soul Empire's guardian sect had not yet been revealed to the entire continent. With so much missing information, how could he have guessed Yuwen Tuo's entire plan?
"No, Elder Xuan, it's my fault. If I hadn't attracted the Body Sect, Elder Xuan wouldn't have been so passive." Huo Yuhao voluntarily stepped forward to take the blame, genuinely believing that the trouble with the Body Sect was caused by him.
Indeed, if the Body Sect hadn't intervened, things wouldn't have been so difficult. If not for Poison Douluo suppressing Xuan Zi, Xuan Zi could have used his overwhelming power to forcibly take Yuwen Tuo.
"This is not your fault. Yuwen Tuo is deep in schemes; this whole affair is like a meticulously planned trap. How he contacted the Heavenly Soul Empire, why the Heavenly Soul Empire went to such great lengths, even risking offending our Shrek Academy, to help him, and the sudden appearance of the Body Sect—too many mysteries need to be unraveled," Mu En pondered.
How he contacted the Heavenly Soul Empire, he could somewhat guess: Yuwen Tuo might have, with the help of Xiao Xiao, who had gone to Star Luo City ahead of time, approached the Dio Academy when the Shrek monitoring team went to deal with the rogue Soul Masters, asking this royal academy of the Heavenly Soul Empire for help.
But the subsequent questions remained unanswered: was one Yuwen Tuo worth such a massive mobilization? He simply couldn't imagine that Yuwen Tuo had attracted the Body Sect, because from his perspective, Yuwen Tuo and the Body Sect had no connection whatsoever. His martial soul was fire element, a hundred thousand miles removed from the Body martial soul in nature.
Unless he also had twin martial souls, and his second martial soul happened to be a Body martial soul. But this was merely a low-probability guess, after all, Shrek had already welcomed three twin martial soul users this year: Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and the already departed Xiao Xiao. Twin martial souls were said to be a rarity seen only once in a century; they shouldn't be so common, right?
Moreover, if Yuwen Tuo had twin martial souls, why didn't he reveal them seven years ago? If he had told them then, they might not have allowed Ma Xiaotao to cripple him, as a twin martial soul genius still held great cultivation value.
It's impossible that this child, at six years old, already had an innate repulsion for Shrek, preferring to be crippled rather than accept Shrek's cultivation and owe them favors, right?
"Forget it, what's done is done. Let's put this matter to rest," Mu En said. "Regardless, I must thank you children for winning the championship honor in the Great Soul Fighting Competition for Shrek."
"Yes, thank you, Elder Mu!" Huo Yuhao and the others bowed their heads in thanks, filled with unwillingness.
"Elder Mu, please rest assured. Yuwen Tuo betrayed Shrek; one day, we will capture him and make him kneel before you to apologize," Wang Dong said bitterly. She still could not forgive Yuwen Tuo's betrayal.
Indeed, Shrek had wronged him before, crippling him for six years, but that was to save someone! If they hadn't done so, Senior Sister Ma Xiaotao would eventually fall into crisis because of her martial soul.
Besides, the academy wasn't unwilling to compensate him; it had been offered many times, but he himself refused. It was one thing for him to leave, but he also took Xiao Xiao with him, and even caused Ling Luochen's departure. This debt must be settled.
"Exactly right. Traitors will never come to a good end. Elder Mu, rest assured, one day, I will make him realize how foolish it was to abandon the title of the Shrek Seven Monsters," Xu Sanshi said proudly, opening his folding fan.
The others also nodded. One must know that the name of the Shrek Seven Monsters was the dream of every student who joined Shrek Academy, but this dream was discarded by Yuwen Tuo as if it were worthless trash, which made them feel as if their own dreams had been trampled upon.
"Senior Brother Sanshi is right. Yuwen Tuo, that traitor, we will capture him one day."
"Our Shrek's ten thousand years of glory will never tolerate his slander."
"To treat the academy like this because of a small setback, he's simply an ungrateful scoundrel."
For a time, emotions ran high. The students gathered around began to insult Yuwen Tuo. Most of these were students from less powerful families, trying to show loyalty to the academy and hoping to gain its favor.
However, those from major families, like Ning Tian, had their own sense of judgment. They actually didn't need to rely too heavily on Shrek Academy. After all, as heirs to great sects, obtaining cultivation resources, soul rings, and soul bones was not difficult for them.
The reason they joined Shrek was merely a form of 'gold-plating' and to establish connections. But if it came to loyalty, they would undoubtedly be more loyal to their own families. Thus, they could evaluate this matter from an outsider's perspective. Yuwen Tuo was a victim; what was wrong with him leaving Shrek? From a righteous standpoint, those who made accusations of a 'victim's guilt' were truly laughable.
"No, it's not like that. My master, he's not..." Cao Jinxuan clenched his fists, seemingly wanting to defend Yuwen Tuo.
Just then, a hand pulled his arm. Lian Yue shook her head at him. At this moment, everyone was at their angriest. Even if he stood up and spoke for Yuwen Tuo, it would be useless. Not only would it not change anyone's mind, but it would also put himself in the path of everyone's fury.
Fortunately, Yuwen Tuo had prepared for this situation. Lian Yue whispered, "Jinxuan, actually, Yuwen-kun left a letter for you before leaving the academy. Come with me!"
Lian Yue pulled Cao Jinxuan away.
At this moment, Ma Xiaotao suddenly roared, "All of you, shut up!"
"No one is allowed to interfere in Yuwen Tuo's matter. He is mine. I will definitely bring him back to the academy, no matter the cost."
Her eyes blazed with fire, and her fists were clenched tightly. That day, she could only watch Yuwen Tuo leave. She knew it was all because she wasn't strong enough.
Then she would train diligently. If Soul Saint wasn't enough, then Soul Douluo. If Soul Douluo wasn't enough, then Title Douluo, Super Douluo, or even Ultimate Douluo. No matter what level of strength she needed to reach to bring Yuwen Tuo back, she would not give up.
Since persuasion wouldn't work, then she would use her strength to break his limbs and forcibly bring him back!
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