Unlike Xu Jiawei, who was filled with righteous indignation and looked ready to drag Mu En and Shrek Academy down with him even if it meant mutual destruction, the nobles present were all exchanging uneasy glances, hesitating over what they should do.
They didn't want to go to war with the Sun Moon Empire. What they wanted was to surrender as quickly as possible.
After all, they had long since established secret contact with the Sun Moon Empire, already negotiating what status and treatment they would receive after defecting.
If they abandoned this path because of Shrek Academy, then once the Sun Moon Empire unified the continent, their fate would undoubtedly be miserable beyond words.
But at the same time, the thought of defying the orders of Mu En—a level-99 Ultimate Douluo—filled them with terror.
Mu En saw their hesitation and spoke gently, a trace of benevolence on his face.
"You should give up the idea of surrendering to the Sun Moon Empire. As long as you are willing to cooperate with Shrek Academy in resisting them, I swear in the name of the Sea God Pavilion Master that I will absolutely not harm you."
Before the nobles could even react, Xu Jiawei spoke sharply.
"Mu En's words have no credibility. You'd better not believe his so-called oath!"
"Even if he doesn't strike you down personally, once the war with the Sun Moon Empire begins, he will definitely push you onto the front lines!"
"He'll use the lives of your families to wear down the Sun Moon Empire's military forces and soul tools!"
"When that time comes, not only will you have no way left to surrender to the Sun Moon Empire, even Mu En and Shrek Academy will force you to march to your deaths!"
Xu Jiawei tore straight through Mu En's true intentions. It irritated Mu En, yet at the same time made him sigh inwardly.
Why didn't Shrek Academy have people like Xu Jiawei?
They all looked clever enough, but when it came to actually doing things, they were no different from Xuanzi—brainless idiots, every last one of them.
If it weren't for the repeated idiotic actions of Xuanzi, Yan Shaozhe, and the rest, how could Shrek Academy have fallen to this state?
After Xu Jiawei laid everything bare, the nobles finally noticed the loopholes in Mu En's oath. Any lingering hope vanished instantly, and they no longer held even the slightest expectation toward Mu En or Shrek Academy.
How could they still not learn their lesson?
Why did they keep trusting these people from Shrek Academy?
They were willing to collaborate with the Holy Spirit Cult—what couldn't they do?
With all wishful thinking gone, the nobles ultimately chose to stand with Xu Jiawei and jointly oppose Mu En and Shrek Academy.
Xu Jiawei stared at Mu En and said in a low voice:
"Mu En, you see it clearly now. The Star Luo Empire is united from top to bottom. No one here objects to surrendering to the Sun Moon Empire."
"The affairs of our Star Luo Empire do not require Shrek Academy's interference."
"But if you insist on interfering anyway, then don't blame us for rising up and resisting!"
Mu En shook his head slightly and let out a sigh.
"Why go this far? I truly didn't wish to act. But since you insist on being stubborn, then we'll have no choice but to first settle Star Luo's internal affairs before dealing with the Sun Moon Empire."
As his words fell, Mu En waved his hand. Yan Shaozhe, Qian Duoduo, Dai Hao, and the others behind him erupted into action, launching their attacks on Xu Jiawei and the nobles without hesitation.
Knowing there was no retreat left, Xu Jiawei and the nobles didn't sit and wait for death. They fought back fiercely.
But Xu Jiawei also knew that with Mu En—an Ultimate Douluo—present, their fate was already sealed.
Thinking of this, Xu Jiawei instructed the consecrated guardian beside him:
"Take Jiujiu and the rest of the imperial family and leave immediately. Head straight for the Sun Moon Empire. Tell them everything that has happened here—let them know that Shrek Academy has already begun to move!"
The guardian's expression changed.
"But Your Majesty, what about you?"
Xu Jiawei shook his head, his face calm and devoid of sorrow or joy.
"I can't escape. Neither Mu En nor Dai Hao will ever let me go."
"I only hope the Sun Moon Empire won't go back on its word, and that the bloodline of my Xu family can continue. That will be enough."
Xu Jiawei knew he was doomed. Rather than waste time and energy, it was better to pin Mu En and Shrek Academy down here and buy enough time for Xu Jiujiu and the others to escape.
Seeing that Xu Jiawei had made up his mind, the guardian shot Mu En and the members of Shrek Academy a look filled with rage and hatred, then gritted his teeth and rushed out of the palace.
He sped toward where Xu Jiujiu and the rest of the imperial family were located.
Without even waiting for Xu Jiujiu to ask what had happened, the guardian used his soul power to lift everyone up—along with Xu Jiujiu's protector—and flew at full speed toward the outskirts of the city.
After hearing the guardian's account of everything that had taken place inside the palace, both Xu Jiujiu and Zhu Lu—standing among the group—were stricken pale.
None of them had expected Shrek Academy to have gone completely insane.
Mu En, Yan Shaozhe, and the others were clearly planning to slaughter Xu Jiawei and all of Star Luo's nobles, then install Dai Hao as the new ruler!
"Damn it… are these people insane?!"
Whether Mu En and Shrek Academy were insane or not, Zhu Lu didn't know—but she herself was on the verge of losing it.
This was supposed to be nothing more than Xu Jiujiu inviting her to the palace, representing the Zhu family, to strengthen ties with the Xu family's younger generation.
That way, once they defected to the Sun Moon Empire, they could look out for each other.
Yet halfway through the banquet, something like this happened.
Out of nowhere, she was swept away by a consecrated guardian and forced to flee toward the Sun Moon Empire alongside Xu Jiujiu.
But what about the Zhu family?
Her father was still inside the palace—one of the nobles Shrek Academy was targeting.
If her father died at Shrek Academy's hands, how many members of the Zhu family could successfully escape Star Luo?
While others were stunned, panicking, shouting, or even crying, Xu Jiujiu had already calmed herself.
She knew her imperial brother had sacrificed himself for the continuation of the Xu family's bloodline. She absolutely could not go back to die and waste his efforts.
Only by living well, ensuring the Xu family's legacy endured, and borrowing the power of the Sun Moon Empire to avenge her brother—that was what she truly needed to do.
With that thought, Xu Jiujiu took a deep breath, scanned the crowd, and shouted loudly at the variously reacting faces before her:
"Everyone, shut up!"
"What's the use of crying? Right now, you have two choices!"
"Either follow me to the Sun Moon Empire and prepare for future revenge—"
"Or jump down and go back to Star Luo to die alongside your elders!"
"Crying is the most useless thing you can do!"
.....................
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