When Gong Changlong and the others arrived and saw the gruesome scene before them, they all gasped in shock and quickly rushed to Yan Shaozhe's side, urgently questioning him.
"Shaozhe, what happened here? Where's the enemy? Where are Elder Song and the others?"
Cough cough… Yan Shaozhe came to his senses, weakly coughing up two mouthfuls of blood. With the help of an elder, he stood up. But instead of answering their questions right away, he said, "Honored Elders, allow me to explain later. For now, please guard the Academy and activate the soul device shield to defend against those who would exploit our vulnerability."
Previously, they hadn't activated the soul shield or used soul cannons against the Death God Envoy because the enemy and the horde of zombies had already infiltrated the Academy. Attacking from within would have only caused more destruction.
But now, that had changed.
Gong Changlong and the others did not object. They immediately began organizing defenses and treating the wounded.
As for Han Ruoruo and the other girls, they were still absorbing spirit rings within the Beast Enclosure, protected by other senior figures for the time being.
Two elders, upon learning that Elder Song and the others had gone to pursue the Death God Envoy, also set off to provide support.
Yan Shaozhe, disregarding his injuries, sat atop the city wall, gazing into the distance with hope glimmering in his eyes.
"Old Qian… You must succeed!"
Meanwhile, as everyone in Shrek Academy focused their attention on the Death God Envoy, five figures emerged from the depths of Sea God Lake at the island's edge.
They were zombies—five of them.
Having hidden at the lake's bottom, they escaped destruction and now had the chance to continue their mission.
Their task was simple: while Sea God Island was left vulnerable, they were to attack the Golden Ancient Tree and test whether Tang Godking had left any protective measures inside it.
Following their orders without hesitation, the five zombies charged straight toward the Golden Ancient Tree, unleashing all their corpse aura to enhance their speed and strength.
In truth, the island wasn't entirely defenseless—one elder with Super Douluo-level power had stayed behind.
The moment he sensed the zombies' corpse aura, the elder bolted from the Sea God Pavilion and spotted the five zombies already at the tree's base, attempting to destroy it.
"How dare you! Courting death!" the elder shouted, activating his martial soul. Nine soul rings lit up as he struck at the intruders, trying to drive them back.
But these weren't ordinary zombies. These five were the strongest of their kind, dispatched specifically to test Tang Godking's defenses. Each possessed the physical strength of a Title Douluo and terrifyingly powerful soul skills.
Three zombies split off to hold the elder at bay, using their burst of corpse aura to counter his attacks, while the other two continued assaulting the scars on the Golden Ancient Tree.
Those scars had been made long ago by Di Tian's Dragon God Claws—they weren't easy to heal.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!!!" the elder roared in fury.
It was as if he were watching his beloved goddess about to be defiled—while being forced to witness it live.
But the three zombies worked in perfect sync and managed to hold him off.
They howled like beasts, their eyes glowing red as their corpse aura took on a crimson hue. Their claws and fangs extended and grew sharper—they had activated an even stronger ability.
This was the mutated zombies' special soul skill, a powerful enhancement technique named Frenzied Corpse Art, given by the Death God Envoy. It doubled their power for a short period.
Terrifying and mighty.
While the elder was held back, the remaining two zombies unleashed all their corpse aura on the Golden Ancient Tree, gnawing and tearing at its wounds, trying to pollute it with corpse poison.
In response, the tree instinctively emitted a golden light. A thick wave of life essence surged forth, blanketing the two zombies.
The life force felt like poison to them—they writhed in pain.
The elder breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this. Bathed in the life essence, his own power even increased.
With this advantage, he believed he had a chance to turn the tide!
But then, the two zombies closest to the Golden Ancient Tree suddenly let out crazed red glows from their eyes—their bodies began to swell as they rushed directly into the tree's interior.
This wasn't Frenzied Corpse Art.
This was Corpse Explosion Art, a technique planted within them by the Death God Envoy long ago.
By the time the elder realized something was wrong, it was already too late.
BOOM! BOOM!
Two terrifying explosions ripped through the area, as if detonated in the elder's own heart. For a moment, it felt like his heart had stopped beating.
The Golden Ancient Tree erupted in a blinding golden light that pierced the heavens.
Amidst that brilliance, an ominous sea-blue hue stirred faintly.
Elsewhere, the Death God Envoy and Elder Song's group had fled deep into a remote wilderness.
The other zombies had been ordered to disperse and flee—not because the Death God Envoy valued them, but because they would be of no use in the fight.
Only his undead dragon steed remained with him. But the dragon had been wounded by the previous holy light and was now significantly weakened, putting all the pressure back on the Death God Envoy.
But don't assume that made him easy to deal with.
The Death God Envoy wasn't a typical spellcaster—he was a berserker who knew magic!
He was now a Hairy Zombie—a level above Green Zombies. Impervious to blades, resilient against light and fire, he was faster, stronger, and deadlier than before.
Not a single Super Douluo among the elders had been able to take a direct punch from him unscathed.
This only deepened their understanding of how fearsome and full of potential he truly was.
And it strengthened their resolve to destroy him.
But… that didn't mean they could.
Floating in the sky, encircled by the elders, the Death God Envoy remained unfazed. He grinned savagely and said:
"People of Shrek Academy, how does it feel to reap what you've sown?"
"Reap what we've sown? What kind of nonsense is that?!" Qian Duoduo barked back angrily.
"You don't know, do you? The true source of the plague of evil soul masters on the continent?" the Death God Envoy said, grinning wider.
Elder Song responded coldly, "Of course. It's because people like you—born evil—keep appearing, slaughtering innocent lives! That's why Shrek Academy must remain strong, as the continent's top academy, to eliminate scum like you!"
The Death God Envoy laughed louder. Then, he began to tell a story.
"Once, the Angel God earned the people's belief by eradicating evil soul masters and ascended to godhood. The Spirit Hall, created by the Angel God, even though it later lost its way, still upheld the duty to capture and suppress evil soul masters."
"But back then, they weren't called 'evil soul masters.' They were called 'the Fallen.' A soul master's nature wasn't judged by their martial soul or cultivation path, but by their actions."
"Spirit Hall would imprison all the Fallen in a place called the Slaughter City, where they would be trapped forever, unable to pass on their wicked bloodlines, maintaining peace and order."
"But everything changed ten thousand years ago. Someone destroyed Slaughter City, leaving no place to confine the Fallen. Their evil bloodlines spread unchecked. The Spirit Hall was also destroyed, with no organization rising to take its place. The Fallen spread across the land with no restraints."
"In truth, the current prosperity of all evil soul masters, even the existence of evil Title Douluo and Limit Douluo within the Holy Spirit Cult—like myself—are all thanks to the destruction of Slaughter City and Spirit Hall!"
Qian Duoduo and the others suddenly had a sinking feeling.
Sure enough, in the next moment, the Death God Envoy pointed at all the Shrek members and shouted:
"The one who destroyed both Spirit Hall and Slaughter City without making any reparations—was your so-called ancestor, Sea God Tang San!"
"Shut your mouth!!" Elder Song shouted in fury. She would never allow their ancestor's legacy to be tarnished or slandered.
But at that very moment…
A golden light suddenly shot into the sky from the direction of Shrek Academy. Even from this far away, it could be clearly seen.
Everyone from Shrek turned pale.
"HAHAHAHA!!!!"
The Death God Envoy burst into maniacal laughter.
Then he spoke with mockery:
"I was just buying time—what were you waiting for?"
"!!!"
The Death God Envoy unleashed his power again. His ninth soul ring—a 100,000-year ring—flared brightly.
"Ninth Soul Skill: Touch of Death!"
From his body erupted a swarm of corpse aura tentacles, like distorted octopus arms, blotting out the sky as they swept toward the group.
The ninth soul ring of the Death God Envoy came from a hundred-thousand-year-old sea soul beast—an enormous Blue-Ringed Demon Octopus known for its overwhelming strength and a drop of deadly poison.
The soul skill brought by this ninth ring inherited the traits of the Blue-Ringed Demon Octopus. Moreover, it also amplified the corpse poison already possessed by the Death God Envoy.
Touch of Death was the result of the fusion between corpse aura and death aura within the Death God Envoy. When wielded, it carried immense power. Once it struck a target, the corpse aura and death aura would entangle them, causing continuous damage.
Its area of effect was massive—wherever the Death God Envoy's corpse aura could reach, Touch of Death could be summoned.
With the Death God Envoy's strength, the corpse aura he released was enough to cover the area of an entire large city.
Countless octopus-like death tentacles twisted and coiled together as if they were trying to envelop the heavens and earth.
Everyone from Shrek Academy was caught in it and separated from each other, subjected to its attacks.
The weakest among them, Qian Duoduo, was holding up his Black Dragon Shield, activating his all-around defense. While he couldn't counterattack, he could still ensure his own safety.
But surrounded on all sides by pitch-black tentacles with no gaps in sight and no idea how the others were faring, Qian Duoduo couldn't help but feel uneasy.
At that moment, a hand wearing a human-skin glove silently pressed against his defense. A wave of sinister corpse poison spread out, corroding his defenses in an instant and infiltrating inside, releasing a toxic mist.
Just as the poison tried to spread further, a triggered defensive barrier on Qian Duoduo's body automatically activated, blocking the poison. However, the barrier hissed and crackled as it was corroded.
Realizing the danger, Qian Duoduo's expression changed dramatically. Without hesitation, he used his ninth soul skill, forcefully charging backward to escape the poison zone.
After putting some distance between them, he looked at his soul barrier, which had nearly been destroyed by corrosion, and felt a lingering fear.
When he looked back to where he had been, he saw the Death God Envoy, cloaked in black, floating among the Touches of Death. On his left hand was a glove made of human skin.
This glove was a poisonous artifact forged from Huo Yuhao's own skin. Poison-type soul masters could use it to enhance their toxins to an Ultimate level.
Under the black cloak, the Death God Envoy's mismatched red and blue demonic eyes were locked onto Qian Duoduo.
Cold sweat ran down Qian Duoduo's back.
He was best at defense, and compared to the elders, his strength was lacking. Even with them, they hadn't been able to defeat the Death God Envoy. Now, facing him one-on-one, wasn't he doomed?
"Damn it, picking on the weak, huh?" Qian Duoduo cursed aloud. He tightened the soul tools on his body—only these soul tools gave him a sense of security.
But Qian Duoduo was still a Title Douluo who had made it on his own through cultivation. He had been in many battles and wouldn't lose his will to fight just because the enemy was strong.
Unlike the original Cái Mèi'er, who was too scared to act despite being a Title Douluo when threatened by three evil soul masters, Qian Duoduo, under the mounting pressure of the Death God Envoy, instead mustered the will to risk it all.
"You think I'm just an easy target? Let me tell you, don't underestimate a soul engineer!!" Qian Duoduo chose to go on the offensive.
Instead of using a soul skill, he pulled out an eighth-grade soul cannon from his back, shaped like a turtle head. It was jointly designed and crafted for him by Fan Yu and Xuan Ziwen. Though only eighth-grade, it rivaled some ninth-grade soul cannons in power.
This was its debut!
It had already been fully charged with soul power. The moment Qian Duoduo aimed it, he fired at the Death God Envoy.
The Death God Envoy didn't take the hit directly. Instead, he silently disappeared from his spot. The cannon only obliterated some of the Touches of Death—he was unharmed.
Having used his hundred-thousand-year soul skill repeatedly, even the Death God Envoy couldn't maintain Touch of Death for long. He needed to finish this quickly.
He hadn't expected Qian Duoduo's soul tools to be so troublesome—clearly upgraded. Huo Yuhao couldn't recall Qian Duoduo ever having such high-quality gear.
So the Death God Envoy had to resort to one of his trump cards.
His vanishing act had been enabled by the Three-Life Spirit Pill and the Three-Life Wolf-Ape Spirit Artifact it contained.
Wolf-Ape Artifact Spirit Skill: Spatial Movement!
"He vanished!" Qian Duoduo gasped. He couldn't dwell on the failed attack and quickly grew alert.
In the next instant, the Death God Envoy shattered the remains of Qian Duoduo's triggered soul barrier and charged at him, thick poison swirling around his left hand like wailing spirits.
"Battle Skill—Ten-Thousand-Death Corpse Poison Palm!" the Death God Envoy growled.
Qian Duoduo had been prepared. He shouted back, "Invincible Barrier!"
A golden barrier instantly rose, shielding him.
The palm collided with the barrier, causing a loud ringing like a struck gong as the two forces clashed.
This wasn't just any invincible barrier—it was a seventh-grade invincible barrier, the best money could buy. Qian Duoduo had bought two of them—one for himself and one for Xian Lin'er. It could resist even a Super Douluo's attack for three seconds.
These three seconds were the only chance Qian Duoduo had to counterattack!
The moment they passed, he activated a displacement soul skill, vanishing from the spot.
Defensive-type soul masters valued displacement skills nearly as much as defensive ones, and well-trained ones were never lacking in them.
Though Qian Duoduo had left, he left behind three activated eighth-grade stationary soul-guided shells, tied together, directly in front of the Death God Envoy.
At such close range, even a Super Douluo would be in serious trouble.
From afar, Qian Duoduo's mocking voice rang out, "Take Grandpa Qian's explosion!"
But the Death God Envoy wasn't flustered. From his body burst forth the Wolf-Ape Artifact Spirit, which bit down on the three shells and activated spatial movement again—this time, relocating the shells right in front of Qian Duoduo.
Qian Duoduo's laughter stopped abruptly. Despair filled his face as he stared at the incoming shells and the spirit beast.
In a surge of adrenaline, he raised his Black Dragon Shield and activated his strongest defensive soul skill.
In the next moment, the shells exploded violently, tearing through the surrounding Touches of Death.
The Wolf-Ape Artifact Spirit was caught in the blast, whimpered, and returned to the Death God Envoy's body in a streak of light.
It had definitely been injured—having reached 50,000 years of cultivation, the spirit's level might now drop.
But Qian Duoduo's condition was even more tragic.
He was blasted into the air, his defenses shattered. Even his martial soul, the Black Dragon Shield, had cracks all over it—clearly damaged.
While flying backward, blood surged and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The world went dark. Then, he saw the Death God Envoy somehow already in front of him. His left hand struck the Black Dragon Shield again.
A cracking sound followed. Already damaged, the shield shattered completely.
With his martial soul destroyed, Qian Duoduo spewed blood, his face going ghostly pale.
He could no longer hold on. As consciousness faded, the image he saw most clearly was those mismatched red and blue eyes beneath the black cloak.
"Lin'er... I think... I won't make it. Sorry..."
Meanwhile—
Mingdu, Sun Moon Empire, inside a hotel.
After a long moan, Xian Lin'er was sent over the edge by Huo Yuhao, losing consciousness completely.
That night, for reasons unknown, Xian Lin'er had been feeling inexplicably uneasy. In a daze, she sought out Huo Yuhao.
Naturally, Huo Yuhao had to provide some physical and emotional therapy for the respected elder.
And that night, he also went a step further, breaking through her deepest emotional defenses.
With a thunderous explosion, the encroaching "Touch of Death" that had enveloped the area quickly dissipated.
The Elders of the Pavilion emerged from the encirclement, battle-worn but alive.
Yet, when they searched for the Death God Envoy, they discovered that both he and the zombie dragon had vanished without a trace. Only Qian Duoduo lay on the ground, barely clinging to life.
"Duoduo!" Elder Song shouted, her voice trembling. She was the fastest to react, swooping down in urgency to check Qian Duoduo's condition.
There were no obvious wounds on Qian Duoduo, but a sinister black handprint was seared into his chest — deeply ominous and unnatural.
Though he was still breathing, his condition was dire. He was teetering on the edge of death, his life force rapidly fading.
Elder Zhuang quickly followed.
"Old Zhuang, save him!" Elder Song shouted in a panic.
"Don't worry, leave it to me!" Elder Zhuang replied with a grim expression, summoning his martial soul and beginning the healing process.
Elder Yan, Qian Duoduo, and others had grown up under their guidance. Naturally, they wouldn't stand by and watch him die. Elder Zhuang poured all his strength into treatment and diagnosis.
But the more he treated Qian Duoduo, the graver his expression became. Finally, he muttered in a low voice, "Duoduo is in critical condition. He's been poisoned — a vicious, deadly kind that's begun invading his heart meridians. If not for his instinctive use of soul power to protect his core, the poison would've already destroyed his heart and killed him."
"His situation is far from optimistic. I alone can't cure him. All I can do is sustain his condition with constant healing. We must bring him back to the Golden Ancient Tree immediately and treat him using its power."
Elder Lin gritted her teeth and looked around, frustrated and helpless. "Damn that Death God Envoy! It must have been him! If only I could tear him limb from limb!"
"But for now, saving Duoduo is the priority. You all saw the Golden Ancient Tree's eruption of power back at the Academy — something major may have happened. We can't afford any more delay," Elder Song said, using her soul power to lift Qian Duoduo and assist Elder Zhuang.
Everyone fell silent. In the end, they had no choice but to abandon the pursuit of the Death God Envoy and return to Shrek Academy.
"Damn it! Next time we see that Death God Envoy, we must grind his bones to dust to restore the honor of Shrek!" Elder Lin vowed furiously.
With heavy hearts, the group returned to the Academy, carrying the unconscious Qian Duoduo.
What they didn't know was that the Death God Envoy had already achieved his goal.
"So the Golden Ancient Tree really does contain another contingency left by Tang Shenwang. From the images relayed back by the zombies before their deaths, I could sense that sea-blue divine power."
"The Sea God's divine energy has been triggered. Tang God-king will certainly notice. I wonder how he'll respond. By critically injuring Qian Duoduo and forcing him to seek healing from the Golden Ancient Tree, I might be able to observe how Tang God-king reacts."
There were indeed no zombies left in Shrek Academy — but Huo Yuhao had eyes everywhere.
"However, Qian Duoduo's soul tools must be taken seriously. He already has eighth-grade soul tools with the destructive power of ninth-grade ones, not to mention advanced defensive and stationary soul tools. If the Shrek Soul Tool Department gets more time, they'll mass-produce high-grade soul tools and arm the Academy's upper ranks. That'll make taking them down a nightmare."
"Therefore, the Soul Tool Department must be weakened!"
The red-and-blue glow flickered in the Death God Envoy's eyes. He had decided to help Shrek Academy "cut costs and increase efficiency" — by eliminating the less competent Fan Yu.
He chose Fan Yu over the more talented Xuan Ziwen because the latter was an outsider. With Qian Duoduo gravely wounded and unable to make decisions, and Xian Lin'er away, if Fan Yu were taken out, Xuan Ziwen would be left in an awkward position.
How much trust the upper ranks of Shrek would place in Xuan Ziwen was questionable. He might not even receive proper resource support — especially considering the Soul Tool Department had lost many senior combatants and needed significant resources to train replacements.
When it came to training talent, the Martial Soul Department's traditional soul masters always got priority.
"It's time for Fan Yu and Zhou Yi to be reunited," the Death God Envoy muttered.
But that task wasn't his. He was now heading with his remaining zombies toward the Douling Empire.
It was time to expand in the east. The Douling Empire had many soul masters with excellent bloodlines — perfect materials for creating elite zombies.
Though he had lost over 80% of his zombie forces in this attack, these weren't his elite troops. Not a single one of the Death God Envoy's premium zombies — either made from Title Douluo or soul masters with powerful bloodlines — had shown up tonight.
They were far too precious.
Eunuch Gao would soon arrive from the Sun Moon Empire, bringing Zhou Yi's soul, so she could be reunited with Fan Yu.
Meanwhile, the White Lotus Sect was to be handed over to Nana, the Death God Envoy's disciple. She would be joined by two others.
The three had been well-trained and were now ready to manage the sect. The Third Prince would support them from the shadows.
As the Death God Envoy headed east toward the Douling Empire, the first rays of sunlight rose over the distant horizon.
Shrek Academy, Sea God Pavilion.
Inside the meeting room, a heavy, tense silence hung in the air.
The previous night's events had hit Shrek Academy hard — a blow rivaling even the soul beast siege of the past.
Unlike the beast tide, which had brought soul beast materials and soul bones, this zombie attack targeted the upper echelons. Soul Saints and Soul Douluos with seven or eight rings had died or been severely injured. Qian Duoduo was unconscious and poisoned; Elder Zhuang had to constantly maintain his condition and couldn't leave his side. Yan Shaozhe was soul-power exhausted and temporarily out of commission.
The only relief was that the zombies hadn't significantly damaged the Golden Ancient Tree.
And that was just the visible damage.
Fighting soul beasts brought gains. But fighting zombies? It brought nothing but destruction, poisoned corpses, ruined buildings, and contaminated materials — all of which had to be handled to prevent further outbreaks.
The losses were tremendous.
Even Shrek's prestige and reputation had taken a hit.
But the Academy had no choice but to act.
"We must send a message to Elder Xuan — he needs to return and take command of the situation," Elder Lin said.
Yan Shaozhe nodded. No one objected.
Reconstruction and compensation would follow. The Academy's future plans would have to wait for Elder Xuan's return.
Yet amidst all the bad news, there was one bright spot.
Han Ruoruo, Cui Yajie, and Lulu had each received sacrifices from Beast Kings — gaining 100,000-year soul rings and soul bones.
Han Ruoruo directly advanced to Title Douluo. She had the potential to reach Super Douluo, helping fill the gap left in Shrek's leadership.
Cui Yajie and Lulu gained their seventh rings, both 100,000 years. If their eighth and ninth rings were also 100,000 years, they could reach the same level as Elder Xuan — future pillars of Shrek Academy.
The Academy had to make proper arrangements for these three.
Han Ruoruo was a longtime Shrek student, engaged to instructor Wang Yan — a loyal insider. She didn't need further coaxing, only some rewards.
Cui Yajie and Lulu were different. As inner court students, they might leave after graduation. Fortunately, Huo Yuhao's relationship with them made winning them over relatively easy.
The final decision:
Han Ruoruo would join the Sea God Pavilion.
Cui Yajie and Lulu would become disciples of the Elders: Cui Yajie under Elder Lin, Lulu under Elder Zhuang.
Lan Luoluo and Lan Susu, the twin sisters, would receive soul bones as rewards.
But the trio's soul rings also came with risk — the Star Dou Forest's fierce beasts might seek retribution.
For now, they could only rely on Elder Xuan to return and hold the line.
As for the Beast Kings' sacrifice, they'd keep it under wraps for as long as possible.
If the soul beasts came seeking answers, perhaps blaming the Death God Envoy might buy them some forgiveness.
Indeed, Shrek's leadership believed that the Death God Envoy attacked purely to target the three 100,000-year Beast Kings.
As for the future, they would rely on Huo Yuhao to rise and protect Shrek Academy.
And Huo Yuhao's value to the Academy — only continued to grow.
Morning sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, spilling into the room.
Xian Lin'er opened her eyes on the soft, plush bed, her gaze still a bit dazed. The lingering comfort and exhaustion in her body kept her from getting up right away.
Only after a long while did the memories of last night slowly resurface. As her senses sharpened, her eyes lost focus, and she muttered under her breath, "I went to him again… even though I told myself, back at the academy…"
She didn't know why, but ever since leaving the academy—perhaps because her nominal husband Qian Duoduo was no longer around, or maybe because she had left behind that sacred place she didn't want to taint—Xian Lin'er's body had begun stirring with urges she shouldn't have. Desires she had long suppressed began to resurface.
She had relied on sheer willpower to resist them. But last night, an inexplicable restlessness had gripped her, as if something ominous were about to happen—and in the end, she couldn't hold back. She went to Huo Yuhao.
Suddenly, Xian Lin'er sat up in bed, a flustered look on her face.
She had gone to him heedlessly—had anyone seen her? If word got out…
"Don't worry, Headmistress. No one saw you and Yuhao," came a sweet female voice near her ear.
Xian Lin'er turned her head to see Zhang Lexuan resting on the bed. A thin blanket barely covered her, revealing her flawless curves—so alluring that even a fellow woman like Xian Lin'er couldn't help but feel a slight tremor in her heart.
Judging by her disheveled state and the traces on her body, it was clear that Zhang Lexuan had joined in the affair last night. To be precise, after Xian Lin'er passed out, Zhang Lexuan had taken her place.
At first, Xian Lin'er tensed up, but then she relaxed. It wasn't the first time she and Zhang Lexuan had teamed up.
"Where's Yuhao?" she asked in a complicated tone.
"He left early. He's handling today's tasks, so we can rest a bit more. Besides, it's our turn to stay behind at the hotel today," Zhang Lexuan said calmly.
Xian Lin'er exhaled deeply, seemingly exhausted by it all. She let her mind go blank, collapsed back onto the bed, and stared emptily at the ceiling. Perhaps she wasn't thinking about anything—perhaps she just wanted to let everything go.
As someone who had already been through this, Zhang Lexuan could see it clearly. Xian Lin'er was torn—caught between morality and taboo. She had once struggled with the same conflict.
Zhang Lexuan suddenly leaned closer, which made Xian Lin'er tense again. Then Lexuan whispered softly in her ear, "Headmistress, what's done is done. We can't deny it, and we can't change it. What we should think about now… is how to move forward. Shrek Academy needs Yuhao. And so do we."
Like a demonic whisper, those words eased Xian Lin'er's tension. She slowly closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.
Perhaps because she hadn't interacted with Huo Yuhao for so long, Xian Lin'er had been especially intense last night, helping him push through a deeper barrier—until she ultimately lost consciousness.
Even after a night of cultivation, she hadn't fully recovered her strength, so she fell back into rest.
Zhang Lexuan silently watched Xian Lin'er's sleeping face, her expression unreadable. Then she gently rested her head against Xian Lin'er's neck and closed her eyes. The two women fell asleep like sisters.
Of course, how could Xian Lin'er alone withstand Huo Yuhao? That's why Zhang Lexuan had joined in as well.
But even with two Titled Douluo taking turns, they were still no match for him—and now they could only rest in bed, while Huo Yuhao was already up and about, full of energy.
Zhang Lexuan's feelings were complicated—anxious, guilty, and yet… a little thrilled. For over twenty years, she had always been a "good girl." But now, not only had she broken a taboo, she had even dragged the headmistress down with her.
She felt like she had become a bad girl. And yet… why did being a bad girl feel faintly pleasurable?
If I could drag Cai Meier into this too… would it feel even better?
That thought floated in Zhang Lexuan's mind, though she didn't act on it. She knew it was wrong—and she hadn't completely fallen just yet.
Still, thoughts that never would have surfaced before were now bubbling up in her mind.
Is Shrek Academy truly righteous? Is it always right? Is it truly worthy of my devotion?
Strangely, she recalled how Mu En had forced her into being Bei Bei's fiancée under the guise of avenging her family, and how, years ago, her classmates had died due to Xuanzi's negligence. Yet for the sake of some so-called greater good, she had been unable to hold Xuanzi accountable.
Once, Xuanzi had been irreplaceable to Shrek. But now and in the future, maybe not so much. And as for her? She now had the ability and potential to take Xuanzi's place—as long as she continued cultivating with Huo Yuhao...
Meanwhile, at a tournament venue, Huo Yuhao sat among the spectators, watching the match intently—at least on the surface—as if gathering intelligence.
In truth, he was deep in thought about Xian Lin'er and Zhang Lexuan.
"Titled Douluo really are different. Cultivating with them leads to much greater insight into the elements. But I didn't expect Zhang Lexuan to be even more compatible with the evil attribute."
Naturally, last night, he had cultivated with both of them.
Xian Lin'er was straightforward—though her spirit was the Azure Flame Dragon, it was essentially wind-aligned. She was ideal for training wind-based techniques.
Her spirit had now advanced further, though it still hadn't fully mutated—mainly because she didn't come to him often enough.
Zhang Lexuan, on the other hand, had surprised him. With her ethereal, fairy-like presence, one would never expect her to be aligned with evil. But thinking about her brutal soul skills, it made sense—it must have been the soul rings' influence.
Now that Huo Yuhao had infused evil energy into her, her moon spirit would inevitably undergo a transformation. He was eager to see what kind of impact that change would bring.
As Shrek Academy hadn't yet received the most up-to-date news, Xuanzi and the others were still unaware of the academy's turmoil and carried on as usual.
This time, accompanying Huo Yuhao were Cai Meier, Hua Yao, and Wu Ming. The match they were watching featured the Zhu family of Star Luo.
Cai Meier and Wu Ming were focused on the battle. Hua Yao glanced at Huo Yuhao, only to find that he was also watching intently—showing no unusual behavior.
The Zhu clan's captain—and their only Soul Sage—Zhu Lu, was competing in this match.
It was a team battle.
With a Soul Sage on the field, the outcome was hardly in doubt. Zhu Lu transformed into a shadow and instantly eliminated all seven opponents.
Her astonishing speed and potent offensive abilities combined into a truly dominant display.
"I heard Zhu Lu was once a student at the outer academy, but she left because she was dragged down by the Dai family. Hmph. Damn those Dai bastards. Such an excellent talent, and they ruined her. This year's tournament—looks like the two families are competing separately. The Dai family doesn't even have a single Soul Sage!" Cai Meier said in irritation.
Her anger wasn't just about the Dai family dragging down Zhu Lu. She also hated that such a promising student had been lost to Shrek, and she still harbored resentment from the past Soul Master Tournament when the Dai family clashed with Shrek Academy.
The Dai clan? You deserve your misfortune!
Dai Hao, Dai Yueheng—they're in trouble now, aren't they? Serves them right!
---
"Something's off. I feel like Zhu Lu's martial soul is strange—doesn't seem like the standard Ghost Shadow Cat martial soul passed down in the Zhu family," Hua Yao suddenly said with a frown.
Wu Ming looked at her in confusion. "But it looks the same to me."
Hua Yao explained, "The Ghost Shadow Cat is a high-grade martial soul. Even if Zhu Lu was born with full innate soul power, her cultivation speed shouldn't be this fast. Every Soul Sage we've seen at this year's tournament wields a top-tier martial soul—or even an ultimate attribute one."
After glancing at Huo Yuhao, Hua Yao continued, "But the power Zhu Lu just displayed doesn't match what you'd expect from a high-grade martial soul user. She's almost on par with those who possess top-tier martial souls. And I sense that her dark attribute... has become even denser."
Cai Meier suddenly realized something and exclaimed, "Hua Yao, are you suggesting that Zhu Lu's martial soul has mutated or evolved—become a top-tier martial soul?"
At that, she couldn't help but glance at Huo Yuhao. After all, he was known for causing women's martial souls to mutate and evolve. Could it be that he had something to do with Zhu Lu as well?
But… that couldn't be, right?
Wasn't it common knowledge that Huo Yuhao had a falling-out with both the Dai and Zhu families?
And when would he even have had a chance to hook up with Zhu Lu?
Shaking her head, Cai Meier dismissed those thoughts, scolding herself for overthinking.
After all, not every case of martial soul mutation had to be related to Huo Yuhao.
She turned her gaze away from his confused face and looked back at Hua Yao.
Hua Yao nodded. "It's very possible. Zhu Lu's Ghost Shadow Cat may have mutated into a higher-tier form, reaching the level of a top-tier martial soul. That would explain why the Dai and Zhu families have been drifting apart. The Zhu family probably wants to preserve this new martial soul as their own heritage—to establish their own top-tier lineage."
But even as she said that, Hua Yao's mind was elsewhere.
She had noticed the way Cai Meier looked at Huo Yuhao.
*"The moment I mentioned mutation and evolution, Dean Cai instinctively looked at Huo Yuhao... Could it be that he really has a way to trigger such changes in martial souls?"*
*"Maybe those seven girls in the reserve team only experienced martial soul mutation because of Huo Yuhao."*
Over the past few days, Hua Yao had quietly investigated the seven reserve girls. They hadn't hidden anything—after all, their stories were well known within the Academy.
That's when Hua Yao was shocked to discover that at least half of the seven had martial souls that had either mutated or evolved.
And all seven of them were deeply connected to Huo Yuhao—and emotionally attached to him.
So Hua Yao came up with a bold, almost unbelievable hypothesis:
**Huo Yuhao can help soul masters mutate or evolve their martial souls.**
If that were true, then Huo Yuhao's value couldn't even be measured in words. No wonder the Sea God's Pavilion bypassed Zhang Lexuan and named him the next candidate for Pavilion Master.
This kind of ability would be invaluable to any organization—especially given Huo Yuhao's already extraordinary talent.
*"If my Lotus martial soul could mutate or evolve, my combat power would skyrocket. My cultivation speed would also rise dramatically. Then, I could seek vengeance for Gufan even sooner!"*
A fire ignited in Hua Yao's heart.
Her Lotus martial soul was a control-type battle soul, but it still fell short of the strongest top-tier martial souls, lacking destructive power. She needed Wu Ming to coordinate with her to maximize her strength.
But she didn't want Wu Ming, her closest friend, to get dragged into her personal revenge. The more Wu Ming cared for her, the more she didn't want to put her in danger.
If she could, she wanted to rely on her own power to avenge Gufan—even if it meant dying with the enemy.
She had secretly loved Gufan for years.
But before the Sea God's Fate event, he was killed by an evil soul master.
That wound had become a thorn in her heart, buried deep and festering.
Now, she was desperate for any opportunity—any possibility—to grow stronger and get revenge.
Suddenly, Wu Ming pulled her into a hug and burst out laughing. "No surprise there—Hua Yao's always been sharp-eyed. You figured out that little girl's secret in one glance!"
The hug and teasing words brought Hua Yao back to her senses. She masked her inner thoughts and smiled humbly.
"What a shame, though," Cai Meier sighed.
But Huo Yuhao grinned. "Dean Cai, no need to sigh. Now that cracks are forming between the Dai and Zhu families—and the Dai family remains dominant—the Zhu clan might be looking for allies. Our Shrek Academy might have a chance."
Cai Meier's eyes immediately lit up. She smiled and praised him, "Haha! What a great way to put it—'might have a chance.' That strategic mind of yours is as sharp as your strength and talent!"
"It's all thanks to the Academy's guidance," Huo Yuhao replied modestly.
Then Cai Meier's eyes shifted slyly, and she suddenly gave an order. "Good. Then this matter is yours, Yuhao. I'll assign Hua Yao and Wu Ming to assist you. You'll have access to dean-level resources and authority. I'll explain the rest to the Sea God's Pavilion."
"Huh? Me?" Huo Yuhao pointed to himself in surprise.
"Hehe, the key target is Zhu Lu. Wouldn't it be easier for young people like you to connect?" Cai Meier said with a teasing smile, her words seeming to carry a deeper meaning.
Whether young people found it easy to "connect," Cai Meier didn't know—but what she *did* know was that Huo Yuhao had absolutely no trouble connecting with young women.
The guy had practically started a public harem in the Academy—he *was* the "Shrek Incubus."
Winning over a girl in need of support? That'd be a cakewalk.
"Alright then," Huo Yuhao agreed with a bitter smile. "I already have a feud with the Dai family. If I really pull the Zhu family to our side, they might treat me as a mortal enemy."
Wu Ming suddenly grabbed him and started ruffling his soft blue hair. The cool, silky texture felt amazing in her hands. She couldn't help but chuckle. "Yuhao, sounds like you're pretty confident, huh? You haven't even talked to the Zhu family yet, and you're already worried about how the Dai family might react?"
"Ming-jiejie, let go of me!" Huo Yuhao struggled to pull his head out of Wu Ming's plush chest, finally freeing himself and ducking away from her next playful pounce.
He raised his hands in mock surrender and said helplessly, "Even if I fail, just the *attempt* to win over the Zhu family will be enough to earn me the Dai family's wrath."
Cai Meier, Hua Yao, and Wu Ming all burst into cheerful laughter.
Seeing Huo Yuhao—usually so righteous and formidable on the battlefield—display such a boyish, flustered side was endlessly entertaining to them.
Naturally, neither Hua Yao nor Wu Ming objected to Cai Meier's plan. They were more than happy for Shrek Academy to gain a new ally.
As veteran students of the Academy, they had long disliked the Dai family—ever since the original conflict with Shrek years ago.
---
After the Zhu family's match ended, Huo Yuhao wasted no time. He took Hua Yao and Wu Ming with him to make contact with the Zhu family.
Cai Meier, on the other hand, didn't go along.
She wasn't the appropriate person to show up—the Zhu family's juniors wouldn't be able to receive her, and it'd come off as coercion if she appeared in person. Conversations at her level were meant for Zhu family elders.
But just as Huo Yuhao and the others arrived, they saw someone had already intercepted the Zhu team.
It was Dai Huabin!
He stood there, gazing tenderly at the now more mature Zhu Lu and said softly,
"Zhu Lu, I'm back!"