"This is just some sparring between children, nothing more than a bit of playful competition. I do hope it won't affect the 'friendly' relationship between our two academies."
"We can still hold activities like this in the future. Students sparring helps everyone improve, after all."
"But next time, I hope you can let us know in advance. Don't just suddenly show up like this, catching us completely unprepared."
"When friends come from afar, of course we must treat them well, not slight them," Xu Lin said seriously.
Though he spoke with a smile, every word dripped with sarcasm — polite, yet every line carried a sting.
"Hahaha, the headmaster really knows how to stab the heart with words. I bet the people from Shrek Academy are furious enough to cough blood," someone laughed loudly.
"Definitely. Maybe someone's already smashed a table by now."
"The headmaster's too ruthless. When it comes to sarcasm, I bow to him!"
The audience broke out in lively discussion, many applauding Xu Lin's words in approval.
After saying that much, Xu Lin felt it was enough and didn't continue the ridicule. Instead, he said, "There's one thing I need to make very clear: do not disturb Yun Ze."
"This child likes peace and quiet. He doesn't want to be gawked at. I hope everyone refrains from bothering him."
"Since we're here, I might as well reveal his identity to you all."
Hearing this, many perked up, curiosity showing plainly — they really wanted to know who Yun Ze was.
Xu Lin looked straight into the camera. "Yun Ze is the young master of the hidden Yun family — the current young hall master of the Dragon Phoenix Hall."
"His grandfather is said to be the one who refined the Century Life-Extending Pill."
"At the same time, he's someone whom our Sun Moon Royal Academy — even the Federation Research Institute — will devote all efforts to cultivate and protect. Whoever dares to harm him, we will make sure they pay a terrible price."
"Anyone thinking of cutting short a genius's life would do well to think twice — think whether you can withstand the wrath of Dragon Phoenix Hall, the Sun Moon Royal Academy, and the Federation Research Institute."
Xu Lin's voice was loud, audible throughout the venue, and his words were broadcast live to those not present.
He had directly laid out Yun Ze's identity and background — a warning to anyone with dangerous thoughts not to act recklessly.
Dragon Phoenix Hall was currently thriving. Known already to have two Limit Douluo, that strength alone was enough to make many hesitate.
Add in the support of the Sun Moon Royal Academy and the Federation Research Institute — there were indeed very few who would dare touch him.
"Wha—" The crowd erupted, shocked by Yun Ze's identity. The young hall master of Dragon Phoenix Hall?
"Alright, that concludes today's sparring. Please leave in an orderly fashion, don't crowd." Having said his piece, Xu Lin didn't intend to speak further and signaled for the spectators to start leaving.
People began filing out, discussing Yun Ze all the while, unable to hide their shock.
The various livestreams also closed, leaving those watching online unsatisfied, rushing to StarNet to look up related news.
Reports of the battle came out quickly. Within less than ten minutes, views had already broken the million mark.
The headlines were bold, with no concern for Shrek's feelings. Titles like:
(Six-Year-Old Two-Word Battle Armor Master Brutally Beats Five Shrek Students) — eye-catching, drawing massive attention.
Reports like this popped up like mushrooms after rain, everywhere on the StarNet forums — each title more ruthless than the last:
(Shrek Students Beaten 1v5 by a Six-Year-Old)
(Beaten 1v5 by a Six-Year-Old — Is This All Shrek Has?)
(The Continent's Number One Academy in Name Only — Students Beaten by a Child)
(On the Real Value of the Continent's Number One Academy)
Each of these reports had tens of millions of views, the numbers still rising fast, with predictions to break a hundred million.
The discussions below about Shrek Academy, Sun Moon Royal Academy, and Yun Ze were endless — with participants in the tens of millions.
The uproar caused by this battle was huge — to say it "shook the entire Federation" would not be an exaggeration.
Major media outlets swarmed the Sun Moon Royal Academy, eager to interview Yun Ze, and some sought out Wu Zhangkong and others.
After Yun Ze and Gu Yue left the arena, they had Di Tian take them back to Dragon Phoenix Hall. Finding him at the academy would be impossible now.
The media were clever — not finding him at the academy, they went straight to Dragon Phoenix Hall, while some stayed to continue interviews.
Wu Zhangkong refused the Sun Moon Royal Academy's treatment, calling the Mingdu Tang Sect branch to ask for help.
Tang Sect responded quickly — the branch's head personally came to pick up Wu Zhangkong, Tang Wulin, and the others.
Given Wu Zhangkong's status, he normally couldn't make a branch's Titled Douluo head come in person — this was clearly orchestrated by the Sea God Pavilion.
The Tang Sect and Shrek Academy had close ties — practically brother organizations. Now that Shrek was in trouble, Tang Sect would naturally not sit idly by.
They refused all interviews, leaving without a word — looking rather battered.
Outside the Sun Moon Royal Academy, six soul-guided cars bearing Tang Sect's emblem were parked. Wu Zhangkong, Tang Wulin, and the other five Shrek students got into the middle three.
Two in each car, along with Tang Sect healing soul masters, who immediately began tending to their injuries en route.
The cars were large, each able to seat up to seven, with enough space for soul masters to release martial souls for healing.
The branch head sat in the front car; the rear cars carried Tang Sect experts as guards.
The convoy pulled away from the Sun Moon Royal Academy, leaving the surrounding media behind.
Five hundred meters up in the air, a man in black tailed the cars. Though not flying particularly high, no one noticed him.
Not even the Titled Douluo-level branch head realized they were being followed.
Inside one of the soul-guided cars, Wu Zhangkong sat with Tang Wulin while a Soul Saint-level healer treated Tang Wulin's injuries.
His injuries weren't light, but not critical either — mainly abdominal burns and a broken right-hand bone.
The car was very quiet. Tang Wulin, pale and dispirited, had taken the loss hard.
He was still dazed, struggling to believe it — they'd just… lost?
Wu Zhangkong, usually cold and sparing with words, was even more silent now — he didn't know what to say, nor did he want to speak.
"Ding ding ding…" Wu Zhangkong's soul communicator rang, breaking the silence.
He glanced at it — it was from his teacher, Zhuo Shi. He hesitated, wanting to answer yet not daring to.
The communicator rang for nearly half a minute before he finally gathered the courage to pick up. "Teacher…"
…
The soul cars soon reached the Tang Sect's Mingdu branch. Everyone got out; the badly injured Xie Xie, Xu Lizhi, and Ye Xinglan were carried inside.
Tang Wulin leaned on Wu Zhangkong to walk.
Of the five, only Xu Xiaoyan was relatively unharmed. Not because Yun Ze had spared her — he had already beaten Ye Xinglan; why would he hesitate on Xu Xiaoyan?
It was simply that her turn hadn't come yet — Shrek had surrendered first.
Under the branch head's lead, Wu Zhangkong and the others entered the Tang Sect branch.
Up in the air, Di Tian hovered quietly, showing no intention of leaving, waiting for nightfall. Only then would it be convenient to act.
With his Dark Attribute, nighttime was his ocean — he could slip in and out unseen, taking the person away without a trace.
(End of chapter)