Zhu Lu had long anticipated Dai Huabin's visit. He had previously come looking for her at the Zhu family suite, but she had declined to meet under the pretense of being unavailable and had others in the family brush him off.
But Zhu Lu knew Dai Huabin wouldn't give up that easily. A face-to-face meeting was inevitable, and she had long since mentally prepared herself for it.
As the outside world speculated, the Zhu family did intend to break away from the Dai family—and that idea wasn't recent.
Their confidence didn't rest solely on Zhu Lu's mutated martial soul. Rather, many female clan members had mutated martial souls, the male members experienced martial soul enhancement, and their cultivation had accelerated thanks to the secret technique Nethergold Mystic Art.
The Zhu family now had an abundance of top-tier martial souls and had even produced Titled Douluo. They were fully capable of standing on their own.
Moreover, Huo Yuhao was now the true master behind the Zhu family. Even the slowest thinkers among their higher-ups realized someone was maneuvering the family through Zhu Lu. Yet, even upon discovering this, they were powerless to resist. At least, the changes Huo Yuhao brought were far more valuable than anything the Dai family could offer.
It wasn't that the Zhu family lacked loyalty. They had sacrificed a great deal for the Dai family over the years. Because of the Dai family's cruel ancestral rules, countless talented Zhu clan members had been lost for millennia.
Only after the Dai family abdicated the throne did things improve—at least the Zhu members who lost in succession struggles could die with dignity.
Even so, every time the White Tiger Duke's forces marched to war, the Zhu clan's strongest warriors would follow. One could say that the current prestige and glory of the White Tiger Duchy owed a large debt to the Zhu family.
The White Tiger Duke's trump card was the Nether White Tiger fusion skill—something only the Zhu family could provide. It was a power the Dai family could never discard.
Now that the Zhu family had the strength and potential to go independent, the Dai family had become a burden. Why should they continue to follow?
Internally, the Zhu family leadership had little faith in Dai Huabin.
He was simply too young. With his father and older brother gone early, the White Tiger Duchy now obeyed the Duchess, a royal appointee. How much affection she might still hold for the Zhu family was uncertain.
Perhaps in the Duchess's eyes, the Zhu family was merely a vassal of the Dai clan, and Zhu Lu nothing more than a tool for securing Dai Huabin's inheritance.
Even if they maintained a forced alliance, with the Zhu family's martial soul mutations and evolutions increasing by the day, it was only a matter of time—perhaps within three generations—before the Nether Spirit Cat martial soul became a thing of the past. Along with it would go the Nether White Tiger fusion technique. The two families were destined to drift apart.
The Dai family, sensing this, might even resort to dark or extreme methods to preserve the Nether Spirit Cat bloodline.
Thus, during a recent clan assembly, the Zhu family finally decided to stop pretending. They laid their cards on the table. Starting with this Soul Master Tournament, they would formally sever ties with the Dai family.
Conveniently, the tournament allowed clan-based participation. As long as the Zhu family didn't stand beside the Dai clan, everyone would understand where they stood.
And sure enough, that's exactly what happened.
All the major powers on the continent had already caught wind of this.
As for the Dai family's response, the Zhu clan didn't particularly care. If the remaining Titled Douluo from the Dai family showed up, they'd see if the Zhu family's new Titled Douluo could handle them.
That's right—Zhu family now had Titled Douluo. More than one.
Several members had long been stuck at the Soul Douluo level. With the aid of the new technique, five years had been enough for them to break through to the Titled Douluo stage.
And if the Dai family did anything too extreme, they would simply ask Huo Yuhao for help. Zhu Lu had already confirmed that the one pulling the strings behind the Zhu family had the ability to control not just the Dai clan, but even the Star Luo royal family.
Some Zhu family members speculated in secret that the person backing Zhu Lu might be from Shrek. After all, only a handful of forces on the continent could dominate both the Dai family and the Star Luo monarchy.
It was telling that five years ago, following a conflict between Shrek, the Dai clan, and the Star Luo royal family during the last tournament, the mysterious technique suddenly appeared within the Zhu family.
Wasn't this Shrek's revenge?
If Shrek really had drawn the Zhu family to its side, it would be a massive blow to the Dai family—and the Star Luo Empire would find itself with a disloyal ducal house, practically a dagger in the imperial eye.
…
Staring at Dai Huabin, who stood before her with sincere eyes, Zhu Lu could feel his genuine emotions. But perhaps because he'd been in the army too long, his display of affection came off awkward and stiff—neither here nor there.
When a hardened man shows his softer side, what woman wouldn't be moved?
Zhu Lu.
Because her heart had long been shattered by Huo Yuhao.
According to the clan's plan, she was to firmly reject Dai Huabin, cutting ties with the Dai family once and for all.
What she didn't expect, though, was that Huo Yuhao would happen to be present at that very moment.
Though the trio hadn't yet revealed themselves, they weren't making any effort to hide either. Through her soul's resonance, Zhu Lu immediately sensed Huo Yuhao's arrival—and his exact position.
This was a symptom of a high martial soul fusion rate.
Through ongoing dual cultivation, Zhu Lu's martial soul had evolved to better match Huo Yuhao's. Inside and out, body and soul, she had fully become "shaped" by him.
As for Dai Huabin, whether he could even use a fusion technique with Zhu Lu anymore was uncertain. She was no longer the same person, and she could no longer accept him emotionally.
Even now, standing just a step apart, Zhu Lu felt no soul resonance with Dai Huabin.
Yet Dai Huabin hadn't realized this. He thought their bond had merely weakened due to time and distance. More interaction would fix it, he assumed.
By this point, their exchange had drawn some onlookers. A few who recognized them began whispering with eager gossip in their eyes.
Seeing the woman he'd yearned for, Dai Huabin couldn't help stepping forward, reaching to grab Zhu Lu's arm.
Zhu Lu instinctively sidestepped, then retreated two full steps, widening the distance between them.
Dai Huabin's expression froze.
Even a half-step retreat could wound a man deeply—two steps was devastating.
Zhu clan members immediately stepped up—not to attack him, but to physically block Dai Huabin, preventing him from getting any closer.
Zhu Lu was committed to following the clan's plan regarding Dai Huabin. But with Huo Yuhao watching, she couldn't resist stirring the pot a little.
"Sorry, Huabin…" she said softly from behind her clanmates. Lowering her gaze, she dared not meet his eyes, her voice full of guilt—as if she were being forced, wronged beyond words.
The Zhu family members blinked in confusion. What kind of performance is our young mistress putting on now?
Still, they said nothing. Zhu Lu's authority in the clan was now second only to the patriarch and a few Titled Douluo.
Dai Huabin, however, immediately picked up on the falseness in her tone. Furious, he glared at the two clan members blocking his path and barked, "Step aside!"
The two Soul Emperors only sneered and stood their ground. With strength matching his, and the clan's full backing, they had no fear.
"You—!" Dai Huabin, shaking with anger, released his martial soul and prepared to fight.
He didn't expect a black shadow to strike first—instantly pinning him to the ground.
Lying on the floor in shock, Dai Huabin stared up to find that it was Zhu Lu who had subdued him.
A Soul Sage suppressing a Soul Emperor—just that simple.
He'd come alone, with no allies.
Zhu Lu calmly released him and stepped back. With one final glance, she turned and walked away with her clanmates.
The others sneered but said nothing more, trailing after her.
Dai Huabin didn't stop them. After a moment of silence, he left in embarrassed defeat.
Huo Yuhao, however, wore a peculiar expression. He had noticed that when Zhu Lu pinned Dai Huabin, she whispered an address in his ear.
Not just for Dai Huabin—but for him too. She'd even glanced ever so subtly in his direction as she left.
"Well now," Huo Yuhao mused, "this is shaping up to be a real show. Hope Dai Huabin can handle it—Kitty's full of wicked ideas~"
With a shrug, he turned to the two women beside him. "Yao-jie, Ming-jie, looks like we'll have to try again next time."
The two women didn't object. They understood that now wasn't the right time to contact the Zhu family. But one thing was clear:
The Zhu family had definitely broken away from the Dai family.
And it wouldn't change.
Among the crowd, a certain figure smiled with interest.
"So it's true—the Dai and Zhu families really have split. Heh… how amusing."
This figure was none other than the Star Luo princess—Xu Jiujiu.
The Zhu family's defection meant the Dai family was weakened—a good thing for the Sun-Moon Empire.
Xu Jiujiu's eyes glinted as she turned and followed the direction Zhu Lu had gone.
After all, the Sun-Moon Empire couldn't not take advantage of this opening~
On her way back to the hotel, Zhu Lu separated from the other members of the Zhu family. With her current status and influence, no one dared to question her actions. Nor was there any need to worry about her safety—specifically for her protection, the Zhu family had arranged for a Titled Douluo skilled in concealment to secretly shadow her.
Zhu Lu then arrived at a secluded courtyard on the outskirts of Mingdu.
Although Mingdu was overflowing with people at the moment—not only were hotels fully booked, but even fringe courtyards were hard to come by—some far-sighted factions had long since anticipated this and acted in advance. They had secretly rented or outright purchased hotel rooms and courtyard houses well before the current rush.
Of course, these purchases were made under concealed identities, often using locals from the Sun Moon Empire.
Their intent was to use these properties as safehouses.
The old saying goes, "A crafty rabbit has three burrows." Trusting others completely while traveling is pure folly.
Many powerful factions had started laying the groundwork long ago—not merely in preparation for the Soul Master Tournament.
Only Shrek Academy dared to operate without any real precautions.
That's why, during the last tournament, Shrek ran into trouble—yet still chose to stay at the Starlight Grand Hotel.
After the incident with Shrek, many factions began to take greater precautions, having learned from Shrek's vulnerability.
Who could guarantee that their own young elites wouldn't encounter similar problems this time?
Besides, this tournament was being hosted in the Sun Moon Empire. If the empire had any sinister intentions, these safehouses could offer a critical window of protection.
Eliminating geniuses from rival nations was a tactic all countries engaged in from the shadows. Factions likewise engaged in such covert maneuvering among themselves.
Precautions were a must.
These powerful forces were no fools.
Of course, if a supposedly secret safehouse was discovered and blocked in advance by the enemy, then nothing could be done.
As a result, no one really knew how many agents from various factions were disguised among the so-called "spectators"—a true jumble of fish and dragons.
The Sun Moon Empire was well aware of this reality. As long as these spies didn't stir up trouble, the empire didn't bother interfering—there were simply too many, and intervening would cause more chaos than it was worth.
With the Third Prince uninterested in stirring trouble, stability remained the top priority.
In fact, all these secret arrangements had inadvertently benefitted the empire—many dilapidated properties were sold off, solving urban development issues and increasing tax revenue.
Why not let it happen?
After all, they were just building a few safehouses. Unless someone had the guts to storm the imperial palace, everything else was trivial to the Third Prince.
No matter how many safehouses were built, under techniques like Qi Observation and Tracing Spells, they were ultimately meaningless.
The one overseeing this particular Zhu family safehouse in Mingdu was Zhu Lu's cousin, Zhu Min—unquestionably one of her own people. Like all Zhu family elites, Zhu Min possessed extraordinary talent and unwavering loyalty.
When she saw Zhu Lu arrive, Zhu Min asked no questions. She simply arranged everything and stepped out to keep watch.
She didn't expect, however, that the first visitor wouldn't be Huo Yuhao or Dai Huabin—but rather, Princess Xu Jiujiu, who had come knocking on their door.
"Princess Xu Jiujiu of the royal family requests an audience with the Zhu Clan's Young Mistress. I hope Sister Zhu Lu will agree to meet." Xu Jiujiu stood at the courtyard entrance, smiling gracefully at Zhu Min. Her manners were impeccable.
Yet Zhu Min's expression soured.
To dare follow their young mistress and expose the location of a safehouse—how presumptuous!
Still, she passed Xu Jiujiu's words on to Zhu Lu verbatim.
After returning to the courtyard, the voice of Nebula Douluo Man Yi, who was secretly guarding Xu Jiujiu, sounded in the princess's ear. "Jiujiu, why come at a time like this? The Zhu family's young mistress clearly has business to attend to. Showing up now might displease her and harm your chances of winning her over."
Xu Jiujiu smiled slightly and replied in a soft voice, "Granny Man Yi, you're overthinking it. I'm not here to play the role of a courteous diplomat."
"Oh?" Man Yi grew intrigued.
Xu Jiujiu explained succinctly, "It doesn't matter whether Zhu Lu likes me. As long as I'm seen at her side, the Dai family will inevitably read into it. At that point, I only need to give it a slight nudge, and the Zhu family will be forced to align with the royal family."
The Zhu family was already trying to break away from the Dai family, and there was existing tension between them. Now, with the Zhu family's young mistress standing beside a royal princess, who could claim nothing suspicious was going on?
When one's identity is involved, appearances alone can breed endless speculation—and once suspicion takes root, it's nearly impossible to eradicate.
As the saying goes, "Even if it's just mud on the pants, people will assume it's dung."
Even if the Zhu family hadn't actually been swayed by the royal family, this move would deepen the rift between them and the Dai family—still a win for the royals.
"Haha, a brilliant open scheme!" Man Yi chuckled. "Go ahead, Jiujiu—do as you please. With me watching your back, you have nothing to fear."
No matter the outcome, Xu Jiujiu was bound to offend both the Dai and Zhu families. But with Man Yi at her side, neither family would dare retaliate too harshly.
"Thank you, Granny Man Yi. Just sit back and enjoy the show," Xu Jiujiu said with a sweet smile.
From the shadows, Man Yi couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret. If only Jiujiu were a man, she thought. She would have made a fine heir to the Xu family. At worst, she could have been a prince.
Yet, precisely because Xu Jiujiu wasn't a man, her intelligence, capability, and cunning only made Xu Jiawei trust and dote on her more.
Inside the courtyard—
After hearing Zhu Min's report, Zhu Lu realized she had been followed—but she hadn't noticed a thing.
As she was still reeling from this realization, the Titled Douluo secretly guarding her sent a mental message:
"I noticed her long ago. But it's no problem—this may even be an opportunity for our Zhu family to rise."
Zhu Lu instantly understood. By "opportunity to rise," he didn't mean surrendering to the royal family—but plotting against them.
The Zhu family, even if they gave their all, couldn't rival the royal family that controlled the entire Star Luo Empire. But if they could somehow seize influence over the royal family, then grooming female clan members to raise their standing with Huo Yuhao would be far easier.
And now, the royal family's own high-ranking Princess Xu Jiujiu had come knocking.
Some Zhu family elders might still think Zhu Lu was working hard for the clan—but in truth, her loyalty had always belonged solely to Huo Yuhao. The Zhu family was merely a means to please him.
"Let her in," Zhu Lu said calmly. She didn't rise to greet the guest, nor did she reveal any particular expression. Her face remained cold and aloof.
She had already informed Dai Huabin about this courtyard's location—it was a throwaway asset, to be abandoned if exposed. Thus, she wasn't concerned about it being compromised.
What she was looking forward to, however, was seeing Xu Jiujiu's expression once Huo Yuhao arrived.
Xu Jiujiu entered the courtyard, guided by Zhu Min, and stepped into the guest room.
Zhu Lu still didn't rise. She simply poured a cup of tea and said with a slight smile, "Princess Jiujiu, long time no see. You're as radiant as ever. Please, take a seat. I hope our humble Zhu family tea is not beneath you."
Xu Jiujiu had already prepared a well-thought-out speech—but when she saw Zhu Lu's serene smile, her mind suddenly went blank.
She had anticipated every possible attitude Zhu Lu might take. But this calm, unreadable demeanor—it left her feeling unsettled.
Like a mouse that had stolen cheese… only to realize the cat had been watching it the entire time.
It didn't take long before Huo Yuhao found an opportunity to separate from Hua Yao and Wu Ming, then tracked the trail and arrived at the small courtyard.
As soon as he stepped inside, Huo Yuhao immediately sensed the presence of everyone in the courtyard, and his expression showed a hint of surprise.
Zhu Min was stationed outside, while Zhu Lu and Xu Jiujium were seated in the reception room, sipping tea. Hidden in the shadows were also two Title Douluo.
"Why is Xu Jiujium here? Is she involved in the upcoming activities?" Huo Yuhao's interest was piqued. No longer concealing his presence, he directly entered the reception room.
Upon entering, he saw Zhu Lu pulling Xu Jiujium to drink tea with her.
Inside the room, Xu Jiujium kept a composed smile as she conversed with Zhu Lu.
Zhu Lu didn't speak first, and neither did Xu Jiujium—not only because Zhu Lu hadn't given her the chance, but also because Xu Jiujium had a bad feeling about the situation and could only test the waters cautiously.
She had considered leaving, but for some reason, Zhu Lu insisted on keeping her there, chatting idly about meaningless topics as though they were truly just having casual conversation.
This behavior only intensified Xu Jiujium's sense of unease. However, knowing Man Yi was secretly guarding her, she decided to take a gamble.
The Zhu Clan had no Title Douluo. Zhu Lu was the one with the greatest potential to become one. So, in theory, with a Title Douluo as her backing, Xu Jiujium didn't need to fear any tricks Zhu Lu might pull.
Of course, just in case, Xu Jiujium never actually drank the tea—she simply held the cup and didn't sip, wary of poison.
Then, without any pretense, Huo Yuhao walked straight into the reception room, startling both Xu Jiujium and Man Yi in the shadows.
They immediately recognized who he was, and a thunderclap seemed to explode in Xu Jiujium's mind.
She understood!
Xu Jiujium's smile vanished as she put the teacup down with a crisp clink. Her sharp gaze swept over Huo Yuhao before turning to Zhu Lu. She said coldly,
"The Zhu Clan has aligned with Shrek Academy?"
"Aligned—what a fresh word," Zhu Lu responded, the smile gone from her face, replaced with a hint of meaningful sarcasm.
"As everyone knows, since ten thousand years ago, the Zhu Clan has always been closely connected to Shrek Academy. After all, we're all descendants of the original Seven Monsters of Shrek."
Her words carried a trace of mockery.
"So, it was because of Shrek Academy that the Zhu Clan betrayed the Dai Clan? No, maybe I should say—it was Shrek Academy who split the Zhu Clan as revenge against the Dai Clan! Perhaps even to provoke my Star Luo Empire! All because of what happened at the Soul Master Tournament five years ago!"
Xu Jiujium now glared directly at Huo Yuhao, who had seated himself without a care in the world, her eyes sharp and demanding an explanation from him as the heir of the opposing faction.
The situation had escalated too far—Xu Jiujium could no longer pretend to smile. She had dropped all pretenses and was ready to confront the successors of both major powers.
But Huo Yuhao only smiled slightly and asked in return,
"What do you think, Princess Jiujium~?"
Just that one sentence sent Xu Jiujium spiraling into a whirlwind of thoughts.
There had always been a fundamental conflict of interest between Shrek Academy and the royal families of the three great empires. If the Zhu Clan truly sided with Shrek Academy, Xu Jiawei wouldn't be able to sleep at night.
The political landscape of the three empires had long been divided into the "Shrek faction" and the "Imperial faction." One represented the will of Shrek Academy; the other, the will of the imperial courts.
To any centralized feudal empire, the Shrek faction was an unstable element—Shrek Academy itself a potential threat.
Even members of one's own group, the "Double-Blossom Red Rods" in her circle, could be swayed with a single phone call. If the "Crow" himself arrived, even he would be livid enough to flip the table.
Shrek Academy didn't even need to act maliciously. As long as the emperors believed they could, and that their strength wasn't hopelessly outclassed, that would be enough to raise alarms.
Even Xu Jiawei, who once admired Shrek Academy, could never compromise when it came to royal interests.
The Dai and Zhu Clans had always sent their younger generations to study at Shrek, but it was more symbolic than anything. Ultimately, their loyalty remained with the Star Luo Empire.
Even if the Dai and Zhu Clans split, they were still families within the empire.
But if the Zhu Clan truly pledged allegiance to Shrek, the interest groups they represented would also shift to Shrek's side. As an actual Duke's household with real power in the Star Luo Empire, the Zhu Clan's move could seriously disrupt national policy.
Especially now, with the Sun Moon Empire watching like a hungry tiger, the Star Luo Empire couldn't afford instability.
So does that mean they should just bow to Shrek?
What is Shrek Academy really after? What's their endgame?
Xu Jiujium's thoughts accelerated rapidly as she tried to piece together all the major events of the past five years.
Five years ago, during the last Soul Master Tournament, teachers and students from Shrek Academy encountered a "mishap" in Star Luo City—either injured or killed—which sparked tensions with the Dai Clan and the imperial court.
It was certain: back then, the Zhu Clan had no deep connection with Shrek Academy.
So their alliance must have formed within the last five years.
And in these five years, many strange things happened:
Duke White Tiger Dai Hao disappeared.
Imperial court enshrinees, Immortal Doctor Douluo Wang Xian'er and Star-Shattering Douluo, also vanished.
Though attributed to evil soul masters, no bodies were found—and they had just visited Shrek before going missing...
It all clicked!
Everything connected!
If Shrek Academy had made those moves, they certainly had the power to pull it off—and to disguise it well.
That would also explain why the Dai Clan and royal court suffered no further blows: Shrek had its own problems. At the time, Shrek Academy had faced a massive beast tide and was overwhelmed. Naturally, they had no time to deal with others.
Everything made sense!
As for Shrek's purpose—when Xu Jiujium laid eyes on Huo Yuhao, the Sea God Pavilion's Young Master, the first in Shrek's history—she finally understood the real issue.
The Sea God Pavilion had never had a young master until Huo Yuhao. He was the most gifted disciple in ten thousand years.
An ultimate-attribute spirit, a soul ring setup beyond belief, cultivation speed far exceeding the norm—and he had even used immortal herbs.
Even geniuses with twin spirits couldn't compare.
If Huo Yuhao was allowed to grow, he might just break the limits of soul masters and become a god.
Shrek Academy had produced seven deities in the past. Who was to say they hadn't left behind divine secrets to be passed down?
Huo Yuhao could very well inherit that legacy and successfully ascend to godhood in this generation.
And what happens when the most powerful force on the continent produces a god?
Look to history: when the Spirit Hall gained divine powers a millennium ago—when the Rakshasa God and Angel God emerged—they sought to eliminate all other sects and empires, to unify the continent and rule it absolutely.
Even though Spirit Hall already had enough Title Douluo and Super Douluo to crush their enemies, they didn't act until one of them became a god.
This moment… mirrors that moment!
Xu Jiujium, a student of history, understood deeply that history is a wheel—ever turning, ever repeating. Ten thousand years was more than enough time, even for soul masters.
The only two organizations that once rivaled Shrek—Mingde Hall and the Body Sect—were now either destroyed or isolated. Neither could stand against Shrek.
Having figured all this out, Xu Jiujium broke into a cold sweat. Her limbs turned icy.
Because she had already walked right into the trap.
Huo Yuhao maintained a gentle smile as he calmly looked at Xu Jiujiao. His demeanor remained serene, yet at some unknown point, a golden gleam had surfaced deep within his eyes.
From the very moment he saw Xu Jiujiao, Huo Yuhao had silently activated the power of his Spirit Bone without any direct guidance, allowing Xu Jiujiao to act of her own accord.
And it seemed… she had conjured up some rather interesting scenarios in her own mind.
That constantly shifting pretty face was quite the show.
Even Zhu Lu's eyes revealed curiosity.
Suddenly, Xu Jiujiao sprang into action—only to leap backwards in retreat. She shouted anxiously, "Granny Manyi, take me away, now!"
Though hidden in the shadows, Manyi didn't question her orders. She didn't doubt Xu Jiujiao's judgment, assuming she must have noticed something Manyi herself hadn't.
The next instant, Manyi's figure emerged behind Xu Jiujiao, shielding her while preparing to retreat.
Yet Huo Yuhao and Zhu Lu remained completely motionless. Huo Yuhao continued sipping tea calmly, and Zhu Lu watched on with a playful glint, like a cat amused by its prey.
Before Xu Jiujiao could process anything more—
Manyi's body suddenly stiffened. She, who was about to whisk Xu Jiujiao away, froze in place, as if petrified.
"Granny Manyi?" Xu Jiujiao instantly sensed something was wrong. She spun around and was shocked speechless.
Manyi was standing motionless, disbelief frozen on her face. A slender hand rested on her shoulder, instantly restraining all her movement—even her soul power.
To achieve something like this, the attacker either had a highly specialized ability or far surpassed Manyi in power.
What was most terrifying was that Manyi hadn't even sensed the woman's presence before her hand touched her.
Chilling waves of death and dread spread through Manyi's heart.
Xu Jiujiao followed the slender, fair arm with her eyes—and saw a woman emerging slowly from the shadows behind Manyi, gradually taking shape in her vision.
The woman wore a black skin-tight bodysuit. Her expression was icy, her features mature and enchanting. Her bewitching face was exquisitely defined—top-tier, even among the beauty-filled world of soul masters.
She had long, jet-black hair that hung loosely, giving off a slightly lazy vibe. She looked to be in her thirties, and exuded a dangerously seductive aura.
Her body below the neck was fully wrapped in that black bodysuit, the contrast between it and her exposed white skin creating a stark visual split. The tight suit perfectly outlined her curvaceous figure, leaving nothing to the imagination.
Even more eye-catching—she had a pair of cat ears and a long feline tail. They looked like playful accessories, yet gave her the appearance of a sultry, seductive catwoman.
"Zhu Family's Ninth Elder… Zhu Di!" Xu Jiujiao blurted out, recognizing her identity in shock.
The royal family naturally held intel on the Zhu Family, including all nine of their elders.
In this era, where high-level soul masters were more common, every one of the Zhu Family's nine elders was at least a Soul Douluo.
Zhu Di belonged to the same generation as Dai Hao. She possessed the most refined form of the Netherworld Spirit Cat martial soul. At one point, she even attempted a martial soul fusion technique with Dai Hao, but their spirits failed to resonate. That failure allowed her to dedicate herself to training within the Zhu Family.
Zhu Di had a strong personality and trained with particular rigor. Unfortunately, her innate soul power was only Rank 7. Even as the granddaughter of a former elder and with massive resource investment, she still could only reach the Soul Douluo level.
Still, she became the youngest elder in Zhu Family history.
However, someone of her generation like Dai Hao had already become a Title Douluo and inherited the White Tiger Duke title.
Upon hearing Xu Jiujiao call out her name, a mocking smile crept onto Zhu Di's cold face. She spoke in a sweet and soft voice, "Princess Jiujiao, please address me as… the Soul-Stealing Douluo."
The next moment, Zhu Di released the majestic aura of a Title Douluo—though contained within the room. Still, it was enough for Manyi and Xu Jiujiao to feel it vividly. Two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red—nine soul rings slowly floated around her.
Zhu Di, the Ninth Elder of the Zhu Family, possessed the martial soul Soul-Stealing Demon Cat, and had reached Rank 92 Title Douluo. Her title—"Soul-Stealing."
Having finally reached the rank of Title Douluo, Zhu Di couldn't wait to announce it to the world. But due to the family's plans, she wasn't allowed to reveal her full strength openly.
Actually, Huo Yuhao hadn't strictly ordered her to keep it hidden. He simply didn't care much either way.
But now that a chance had come to flex her power, Zhu Di wouldn't let it go to waste.
After all—men aren't the only ones who like to show off.
Women love it too.
Xu Jiujiao's expression changed drastically.
Zhu Di had broken through? And her ninth ring was a hundred-thousand-year one? Then what about the other elders of the Zhu Family?
However, Manyi realized that Zhu Di's actual strength wasn't higher than hers. That meant Zhu Di's sudden control over her came from a special ability.
So she began to struggle—after all, even if it was a special ability, it might be broken through if there was a large enough power gap.
Zhu Di noticed Manyi's resistance and let out a cold chuckle. Her sixth soul ring lit up, and a strange cat-like soul surged from her body, diving into Manyi's body.
Manyi trembled violently and immediately lost control over her body—unable to resist any further.
When Zhu Di finally let go, Manyi's body crumpled to the floor like a rag doll, but Xu Jiujiao quickly caught her.
"Granny Manyi!" Xu Jiujiao cried out in concern.
"Cough, cough… Jiujiao, I—I can't feel my body or my soul power…" Manyi said in terror.
Xu Jiujiao raised her head and glared angrily at Zhu Di. Her worry for Manyi suppressed her fear. She demanded, "What did you do to her?"
Zhu Di smiled softly and began to explain, "My sixth soul skill allows me to strip a target's control over their body. Since she was being difficult, I thought I'd give her a taste of helplessness."
Due to her martial soul's mutation, Zhu Di's soul skills had changed as well. Her new sixth skill, Soul-Stealing Cat Possession, did exactly what she said. However, it only worked once the target had already lost the ability to resist.
While this soul skill might seem a bit situational, when combined with her mutated martial soul's innate powers, it became highly effective.
This was Zhu Di's first time showing off since breaking through to Title Douluo—and she got to do it in front of a fellow Title Douluo and a royal princess. Naturally, she was ecstatic. She couldn't stop smiling.
In fact, she was so carried away that she even casually revealed the effect of her soul skill.
Even Zhu Lu found her aunt's behavior a bit exasperating.
Still, considering Zhu Di had been focused on cultivation within the family for so long and rarely interacted with others, being… a bit straightforward was only natural.
Everything Zhu Di had now stemmed from Huo Yuhao. She had not only practiced the Netherworld Golden Flower Art he gave her, but also trained with exceptional dedication.
When Zhu Lu brought Zhu Di before Huo Yuhao, he noticed she had already reached Rank 89 and had a large reserve of blood and flesh essence within her body—just waiting for him to unlock the final seal.
This meant Zhu Di had secretly done her share of killing and used the flesh to refine the Netherworld Golden Flower Art.
Perhaps because of that, her martial soul evolved especially well with evil attributes, ultimately transforming into the Soul-Stealing Demon Cat.
The transformed Soul-Stealing Demon Cat martial soul was undoubtedly a top-tier martial soul—its quality even surpassed that of the White Tiger martial soul.
This was because the Soul-Stealing Demon Cat possessed a gifted ability called "Soul Seizure."
This ability allowed its user to actively harvest the soul of an enemy after killing them and store it for later use. These stored souls could then be consumed to unleash various auxiliary effects, such as concealing oneself, restricting opponents, or increasing speed.
As long as enough souls were harvested, it was effectively equivalent to having a personal support-type soul master built-in.
According to the classifications of the Douluo Continent, Zhu Di's martial soul was an outright evil martial soul—she was the textbook definition of an evil soul master.
However, after cultivating the Nethergold Radiance Technique, Zhu Di no longer emitted the malevolent aura typical of evil soul masters. Her energy simply became deeper and more shadowy.
Compared to the other Zhu family women, Zhu Di was more difficult to tame—Huo Yuhao had to subdue her by force before she was willing to yield.
After all, while Huo Yuhao had embedded a hidden control method into the Nethergold Radiance Technique, it didn't have the intense brainwashing effects of the Jade Nourishment Technique.
Naturally, when suppressing Zhu Di, Huo Yuhao didn't even need to activate his hidden tricks. A casual strike was already beyond what she could endure—it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he crushed her with a flick of his hand.
This was also why Zhu Di's loyalty now rivaled Zhu Lu's.
She felt that following a powerhouse like Huo Yuhao was far better than being manipulated by weaklings. She had seen Huo Yuhao's methods and knew he could lead her to greater heights—perhaps even help her attain godhood, just like their ancestor, Zhu Zhuqing!
If Zhu Lu had once submitted to Huo Yuhao for reasons such as self-preservation, desire for status, or sheer thrill-seeking—then Zhu Di's submission was purely for the pursuit of strength.
After Huo Yuhao helped her break through, Zhu Di's power jumped straight to level 92—but not because of any 100,000-year spirit ring. Her 100,000-year ring had been bestowed by Huo Yuhao through divine means, which didn't directly increase spirit power levels.
Her two-level boost had come entirely from the accumulated essence of blood and flesh she had absorbed previously.
With the dual threat of Huo Yuhao and Zhu Lu pressing from the front, and Zhu Di forcing from behind, plus Man Yi having lost her ability to fight—
Xu Jiujiu's only remaining leverage was her identity as a princess of the imperial family.
"Are you really going to go that far? If Grandma Man Yi and I go missing, the accompanying enshrined guardians from the Star Luo Empire will never let this go! It'll surely trigger a conflict between the Sun-Moon and Star Luo Empires, plunging the continent into chaos. You'll be the ones to blame for all the suffering that follows!"
Starting with grand threats of dire consequences, Zhu Di merely licked her lips—she enjoyed watching the world burn.
"Besides, I've already left behind clues before coming here. If word gets out that Shrek Academy laid hands on royalty, and the four great empires of Douluo find out about your ambitions, it might very well lead to a joint siege of Shrek Academy!"
Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow—Shrek Academy's ambitions? This was news to him. But the idea of the four great empires uniting to attack Shrek... now that was interesting.
Wait—was she threatening him?
Finally, Xu Jiujiu took a deep breath and turned to Huo Yuhao and Zhu Lu, speaking seriously: "If possible, the Star Luo royal family would be willing to join forces with Shrek Academy and the Zhu family. In the future, we would entrust everything to Shrek. I believe I can persuade my imperial brother. As for the White Tiger Duke's household—they've long been a thorn in our side. The royal family would be glad to move against them as well."
Man Yi looked at Xu Jiujiu in utter disbelief and shouted, "Jiujiu! This is inviting the wolf into the house! Selling out your country for personal gain!"
If she weren't paralyzed, Man Yi would've already sprung up to stop her. What Xu Jiujiu just said was practically high treason—and Man Yi was a die-hard imperial loyalist.
"Grandma Man Yi, please trust me," Xu Jiujiu said earnestly.
In the end, Man Yi could only fall silent, but her hatred for Shrek Academy and the Zhu family reached a boiling point.
"If I survive today," Man Yi swore in her heart, "I will make them pay!"
As for Xu Jiujiu, she believed the girl had been tricked or forced into this.
But Xu Jiujiu was more clear-headed than ever.
If she couldn't win, her only option was to join.
And it wasn't just about survival for herself and Man Yi—there was historical precedent.
Ten thousand years ago, the Heaven Dou Empire only survived for so long because Prince Xue Beng became the disciple of the Sea God.
Otherwise, the Heaven Dou royal family would've died out, leaving only the useless Xue Beng behind. Prince Xue Xing was growing old, and without powerful allies, the royal line would have perished.
If not for their internal corruption and division, the Heaven Dou Empire could've lasted just like the Star Luo Empire.
Just like the Dai family. Didn't they lose the throne to the Xu family during the war with the Sun-Moon Empire due to a lack of talent?
They had no top-tier powerhouse to support them.
Even the god-ascended Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing could no longer watch over mortal family affairs—generations had passed, and emotional ties had likely faded.
Besides, was the Star Luo Empire really that important?
To Xu Jiujiu, what truly mattered was the Xu family's legacy.
Often, the royal family is the greatest noble family.
As long as the Xu family line endured, who cared about the Star Luo Empire? Selling out national interests meant nothing—especially since the empire had never truly belonged to the Xu family. The Dai family would one day reclaim the throne, whether through war or intrigue.
Zhu Lu looked to Huo Yuhao—only he could make the final call.
Zhu Di did the same.
Huo Yuhao rubbed his chin and smiled at Xu Jiujiu. "Just now you mentioned the four empires uniting to siege Shrek Academy... I'm interested. Tell me in detail—how would that work?"
Xu Jiujiu froze, blinking in surprise, momentarily unable to respond. "Huh?"
"If done properly, that kind of thing won't happen," she thought Huo Yuhao was worried.
"No," Huo Yuhao said, still smiling. "I meant—I want that to happen. How do we make it happen?"
Man Yi was completely lost at this point.
After a moment of silence, Xu Jiujiu looked seriously at Huo Yuhao and asked, "Huo Yuhao... who exactly are you?"
"Well, isn't it obvious? I'm Huo Yuhao~" he replied with a bright smile. "But... I have an irreconcilable conflict with Shrek Academy."
"What kind of conflict?"
Huo Yuhao's smile vanished. He spoke seriously:
"I want to disband Shrek Academy—but Shrek Academy disagrees."
Xu Jiujiu suddenly had no idea what to say.
Wait—Shrek Academy doesn't even do background checks anymore? They let someone who hates the academy become the young master of their pavilion?
Suddenly, Man Yi felt like Huo Yuhao wasn't so bad after all.