Nightfall.
The jubilance of Xu Tiancheng's enthronement ceremony earlier that day still lingered; the entire Mingdu remained immersed in celebration.
Xu Tiancheng's ascension to the throne marked a pivotal moment in the history of the Sun Moon Empire.
It wasn't just because of his immense power—his enthronement had the full backing of the empire, and the event had even drawn congratulations from across the entire continent.
Of course, whether those congratulations were heartfelt or coerced didn't matter—representatives had shown up. Even members of royalty and official envoys from the other three great empires were present.
The festive cheer was amplified by another major cause for celebration: the Sun Moon Empire's victory over Shrek Academy in the Soul Master Tournament, finally claiming the championship. It was a moment of pride and vindication for the empire.
This wave of joy seemed like it would last for a long time.
Every citizen of the Sun Moon Empire felt honored and proud.
But beneath the surface of celebration, a storm was brewing.
For those from the other three nations, this was no time for rejoicing. Many delegates were deeply anxious. Some were already preparing to return to their homelands, unwilling to remain any longer within the borders of the Sun Moon Empire.
The empire's overwhelming strength had made one thing clear: war might now be inevitable. And the Star Luo Empire, in particular, might no longer be able to resist the might of the Sun Moon Empire.
Many felt the urgency to return home and report the situation, to prepare as early as possible.
Previously, Xu Tiancheng hadn't been the one steering the Sun Moon Empire, so a delicate balance had been possible. But now, with him firmly at the helm, the empire had evolved from a mere warship into an unstoppable skyborne battleship.
Some groups even chose to flee during the night.
Take the Dai family of the Star Luo Empire, for instance. They were one of the few forces that had not publicly congratulated Xu Tiancheng. National and personal grievances made it impossible for them to offer any form of celebration.
Fearing the empire might target Dai Huabin after the tournament, the Dai family seized a moment of opportunity after the enthronement ceremony to slip away under the cover of night.
Why hadn't they left earlier? Not because they didn't want to.
The truth was, they had been closely watched. Only now, amid the nation-wide celebrations, did their watchers lower their guard, giving the Dai family a chance to flee.
As they departed Mingdu, Dai Huabin turned back to gaze at the brilliantly lit capital, his expression complex.
"Huo Yuhao is no longer a threat. It's a pity I didn't get to finish him myself, but he's crippled now.
Next, I'll face the Sun Moon Empire—and its Emperor…
I will return to Mingdu one day, but then it will be as the head of the army!
Ultimate Douluo? Who says I can't become one?
Our Dai family once produced a god!"
With this inner resolve, Dai Huabin left under heavy guard, not looking back again.
But what they didn't know was—ever since leaving Mingdu, their every move had been watched.
All intelligence regarding the Dai family was delivered straight to Juzi's desk. She glanced at it briefly and casually tossed it aside.
Letting the Dai family go had been Xu Tiancheng's order.
Juzi didn't understand the reason, but she followed orders loyally. Still, she had already collected plenty of intel on the Dai family, especially Dai Huabin.
"Now that Dai Hao is dead, the debt of the father will be repaid by the son. Dai Huabin—one day I'll cut you down myself on the battlefield."
Just then, new intel arrived—this time about other groups that had tried to leave the city tonight. Unlike the Dai family, Xu Tiancheng had given no orders to spare these groups.
"Deploy the White Lotus Army. Leave no one alive. Capture them if possible," Juzi ordered coldly.
In truth, only a handful of minor powers attempted to leave that night. Most were not strong forces—they were bait.
Bait used by the major powers to probe the Sun Moon Empire's response.
Xu Tiancheng had only guaranteed the safety of tournament participants during the event. Now that the tournament and his enthronement were over, what happened next was no longer his concern.
The three empires understood this well. None of them would risk the lives of their own elites to gamble on the benevolence of Xu Tiancheng and the Sun Moon Empire.
To believe the empire had no plan to ambush and eliminate foreign talent would be laughable—even dogs wouldn't believe it. Especially now, when the empire was making no attempt to hide its power.
The real question was: how far would they go?
Juzi's eyes gleamed with ambition. She had no intention of letting any foreign force escape—especially with the Holy Spirit Church available to take the blame.
"All that's left is to wait for news from the Holy Spirit Church."
Inside Mingdu.
Representatives from various forces, led by the three great empires, had yet to leave. Instead, they were huddled together, anxiously awaiting news.
Among them were Cai Meier and Zhang Lexuan, representing Shrek Academy, seated at the main table.
Finally, intelligence arrived.
The moment the representatives from the three empires read the report, their expressions changed drastically.
"All the factions that left earlier tonight were ambushed—none survived. The attackers remain unidentified. Only the Dai family from Star Luo Empire is unaccounted for, possibly having escaped successfully," reported Xu Jiujiu gravely.
In an instant, the room was thrown into chaos.
Bang!
Tu Xijun slammed the table, gnashing her teeth.
"Damn Sun Moon Empire! They actually dared to attack tournament participants!"
"But we have no solid proof," Ning Tian said somberly.
Xu Jiujiu turned to look at the Zhu family's delegation.
Zhu Lu sneered inwardly.
"Dai Huabin fled on his own, without informing any other factions. Such cold-bloodedness."
"Regardless, the fate of him and the White Tiger Duke's household is sealed."
Outwardly, Zhu Lu remained composed, simply stating coolly:
"Why is it that none of the others could escape, but the Dai family could?"
It was a clear attempt to sow discord.
Everyone fell silent, casting strange glances at Xu Jiujiu and Zhu Lu. This was an internal matter of the Star Luo Empire, and no one wanted to touch it.
All Xu Jiujiu could do was respond:
"I believe the White Tiger Duke's house remains loyal to the empire."
"Enough—we shouldn't sow internal discord," said Cai Meier, stepping in.
"This is clearly a Sun Moon Empire ploy. The White Tiger Duke's house would not betray us. At least when it comes to facing the Sun Moon Empire, we stand united."
"Dean Cai," asked Nan Shuishui, "given the current situation, what's the safest way for us to retreat?"
The fact that Shrek Academy held the head seat was clearly a sign they were expected to lead.
Cai Meier had already prepared a plan. She had discussed it with others before even arriving.
She took a breath and replied:
"There is a way to leave safely. Our plan is to depart openly tomorrow morning.
Yuhao's condition has stabilized enough for long-distance travel. As long as we escort him together, the Sun Moon Empire likely won't dare to attack us outright—that would be a direct challenge to the new emperor's authority."
"I never imagined... even in this state, Yuhao's name still has to shield us."
Her final words were soft, and her eyes reddened with emotion.
Some were relieved by the plan, others sorrowful.
But in the end, the proposal was unanimously accepted.
"This is our only option. Against hidden assassins, our only defense is unity," said Nan Shuishui in conclusion.
A new day dawned with clear skies and fresh air.
It was a perfect day to set off on a journey.
Though it was nearly midday, the usually bustling Mingdu was eerily quiet. The entire city seemed to have come to a halt.
It felt like the entire population had partied through the night and were now in recovery, still catching up on sleep.
Even street vendors lounged lazily in their chairs, many shops had simply decided not to open at all for the day.
The departing delegation from the Three Kingdoms, led by the people of Shrek Academy, walked through the broad streets of Mingdu, their eyes wary and alert.
The strange and silent atmosphere made the already tense group feel even more uneasy.
While the streets were wide, they were usually so packed with people that they still felt crowded. Now, with no one else around, the emptiness felt overwhelming.
Only at the very edge of Mingdu did the group encounter two figures standing in the road ahead.
It was Douluo Moying and Douluo Qingci.
"What is the meaning of this?" Cai Mei'er stepped forward on behalf of the group, her gaze sharp.
The two Douluo offered formal smiles—forced and insincere, a chilling contrast.
Moying Douluo said, "You're departing without informing us. Naturally, we can't ignore that."
Qingci Douluo added, "As a matter of imperial courtesy, His Majesty the Emperor has ordered us to see you off and wish you a safe journey."
With that, the two of them stepped aside, making way.
They did nothing to stop the Three Kingdoms' people from leaving, which came as a surprise to many.
But it only made them more vigilant.
After the incidents last night, their trust in the Sun-Moon Empire had been completely shattered.
Yet none dared question the empire openly—not with the power the Third Prince had shown.
Better to face dangers outside than provoke the beast in the palace.
As they stared at the open road ahead and the invisible boundary marking the edge of Mingdu, many felt an ominous premonition—as if leaving the city meant stepping into hell.
Still, with safety in numbers, they quickly calmed their nerves.
With over a thousand soul masters, and five titled Douluo visibly present in the group, only the Third Prince himself or a full soul engineer regiment could pose a real threat to them.
"Please relay our apologies to His Majesty the Emperor. We truly have urgent matters and must take our leave," Cai Mei'er said in parting. "We hope the Sun-Moon Empire will continue working with us to preserve peace and human prosperity across the continent."
"Let's go," she ordered the group.
Moying and Qingci said nothing more, keeping their stiff smiles in place like polite hotel greeters, watching silently as the group passed.
Once the last of them had left Mingdu's borders, both Douluo dropped their smiles and vanished.
What happened beyond Mingdu was no longer their concern.
Outside the city, the large group moved quickly, heading straight for the border between the Sun-Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire without pause.
Their numbers exceeded a thousand, nearly all soul masters equipped with flying soul tools. Rough terrain and forested regions posed no threat to them.
Even the soul beasts in the forests instinctively avoided the convoy after sensing the powerful aura they carried.
Openly, five titled Douluo led the group: Xian Lin'er, Cai Mei'er, and Zhang Lexuan from Shrek Academy; Nan Shuishui from Earth Dragon Gate; and an elder from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Secretly, even more powerful individuals like Man Yi and Zhu Di were in hiding among them.
Below the titled Douluo level, the contingent also included many Soul Douluo and Soul Saints as team leaders, numbering over a hundred.
All the contestants were at least at the Soul Ancestor level.
Still, this group did not include all the participating teams.
Despite Shrek Academy's call for unified action, some teams chose to leave on their own—either due to confidence in their strength or a belief that traveling alone made them less of a target.
No one tried too hard to dissuade them. Their lives and deaths would be their own responsibility.
Notably, the Body Sect had chosen to go their own way. After dawn, they had completely vanished without a trace.
At the head of the convoy was the Shrek Academy battle team, personally escorting Huo Yuhao—still encased in an ice coffin under the protection of Zhang Lexuan.
Another black-robed figure had joined them, one whose identity many had guessed—but none dared to speak aloud at a time like this.
Behind them were the academy and royal teams from the Three Kingdoms, with people like Xu Jiujiu, Tu Xijun, and Yu Mengdi in this section.
Bringing up the rear were the sect and family teams, including Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and Nanmen Yuner from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect; Zhu Lu from the Star Luo Empire's Zhu family; Nan Shuishui and Nan Qiuqiu from the Earth Dragon Gate; Bai Bingjie from the Bai family of the Heavenly Soul Empire; and Hai Yunrui from the Dou Ling Empire's Hai family.
With titled Douluo at both the front and rear, the convoy's safety was greatly enhanced.
"At full speed, we can reach the border in just over a day. The Star Luo Empire has arranged for a legion to meet us there and ensure our safety," Xu Jiujing announced to the group.
Everyone expressed their gratitude.
The Star Luo Empire had indeed made preparations.
If all went smoothly, they could return home safely. But if anything went wrong, Star Luo troops would force their way across the border to extract them.
Given the chaos that had unfolded in the Sun-Moon Empire, everyone knew already—something had gone wrong.
The empire was stronger and more unhinged than they had imagined. It would surprise no one if they declared war on the other three nations today.
As the group left the Sun-Moon Empire behind, the lack of any pursuit or ambush calmed everyone slightly. No troops had appeared, no traps had been sprung.
They began to breathe easier.
But perhaps their attackers had been waiting for exactly that moment—when vigilance was lowered.
As the convoy entered a mountainous region and skirted its outer rim, a sudden attack descended.
A blast of fire and wind elements, infused with a dragon's roar, came crashing toward them.
The crowd instantly panicked.
Xian Lin'er and Cai Mei'er, at the front, reacted instantly.
"Azure Flame Dragon, Possession!"
"Evil-Piercing Dragon Soul Spear, Break!"
Their powers collided with the incoming attack. Together, they barely managed to fend it off.
A dragon's roar echoed from above.
Terrified, the group looked skyward—and saw the Bone Dragon King descending with Zhongli Wu in tow. Behind them came numerous evil soul masters equipped with flying soul tools—even the terrifying Nether Douluo was among them.
"Shrek Academy, and all you from the Three Kingdoms... I've waited a long time," Zhongli Wu croaked.
"I only have one demand. Hand over Huo Yuhao... and I'll let the rest of you live."
No one expected the Holy Spirit Cult to intercept them.
Could the Sun Moon Empire, or Xu Tiancheng, be pulling the strings behind the cult?
Consorting with evil soul masters—Xu Tiancheng was no good!
Even more shocking, the Holy Spirit Cult's leader, Zhongli Wu, personally led the ambush, wielding Super Douluo strength.
People thought Titled Douluo-level evil soul masters were the cult's limit, but they had hidden experts.
The overwhelming aura from Zhongli Wu and the Bone Dragon King chilled many, sparking uncontrollable fear.
Zhongli Wu claimed he was after Huo Yuhao. Could surrendering Huo Yuhao spare them?
Some with weaker resolve hesitated.
Xian Lin'er roared in fury at Zhongli Wu, "Delusional!"
Cai Mei'er gripped her spear, eyes blazing with killing intent. "To touch Yuhao, you'll have to step over my corpse!"
Shrek Academy's team readied for battle.
Since when did evil soul masters dare brazenly snatch people from Shrek?
It felt like a tiger fallen to the plains, bullied by dogs—a humiliating affront.
Xu Jiujiu saw through Zhongli Wu's sinister ploy, coldly declaring, "Drop your divisive tricks! Taking Huo Yuhao is a ruse—your real goal is to sow discord and pick us off one by one, you vile evil soul master!"
Her words snapped the wavering back to reality.
Right, these were evil soul masters—could their words be trusted?
Zhongli Wu sneered dismissively, "So be it. A pity. Attack, leave none alive."
At Level 98, Zhongli Wu had the arrogance to scorn everyone present and the confidence to crush them.
His aim wasn't just division; he genuinely needed to capture Huo Yuhao, per Xu Tiancheng's orders. Zhongli Wu suspected Xu Tiancheng aimed to subdue him.
Zhongli Wu's personal involvement, despite Tang Ya's coma and Beibei's betrayal prompting him to abandon the plan, stemmed from dual orders by Xu Tiancheng and Ye Xishui.
Commands from two Limit Douluos left Zhongli Wu no choice.
At worst, he'd offend some people. Could the three nations' forces invade the Sun Moon Empire to kill the Holy Spirit Cult?
Plus, Xu Tiancheng promised protection and investment for the cult, win or lose.
Driven by threats and benefits, how could Zhongli Wu not act himself?
…
At Zhongli Wu's command, the Bone Dragon King and evil soul masters sprang into action.
The evil soul masters flanked left and right, aiming to encircle the team.
The Bone Dragon King spewed flames to incinerate everyone.
The team wouldn't go down without a fight.
Before Xian Lin'er and Cai Mei'er could counter the Bone Dragon King's assault, a low shout rang out, and a figure darted forward, blocking the flames.
"Leave him to me! Rouge Jade Dragon, possess!"
It was Nan Shuishui.
"First soul skill, Light of Annihilation!"
A pink glow with a jade-like sheen shot from her hand, clashing with the Bone Dragon King's flames. Instead of exploding, the pink light silently extinguished the fire.
Though a century-level first soul skill, it unleashed her core annihilation power, unbound by soul ring limits.
Like the Frost Centipede martial soul's first skill, Frost Centipede Poison, its potency hinged on the martial soul's inherent toxicity, with soul ring years only expanding range.
Seeing Nan Shuishui act, the team erupted in delight.
"Amazing, it's Rouge Douluo! She's a Super Douluo!" someone exclaimed, boosting morale.
Among the team's overt powerhouses, only Rouge Douluo, Nan Shuishui, could face Zhongli Wu.
Though she'd only been a Titled Douluo for a few years, later than others, she'd surged to Super Douluo.
This shocked the world, but it made sense. Her ninth soul ring was 100,000 years, paired with a 100,000-year soul bone, granting her the edge to break through—a natural outcome.
A 100,000-year soul ring or soul bone was a massive boost for soul masters. For Titled Douluos, either one was a ticket to Super Douluo.
Nan Shuishui's move convinced the team the enemy wasn't invincible.
Two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red soul ring orbited her.
That red ring became a symbol of safety in the team's eyes.
Standing at the forefront, Nan Shuishui hovered, facing Zhongli Wu.
Already youthful for a Titled Douluo, appearing around thirty, martial soul possession enhanced her allure. Her figure became more striking, with delicate pink scales on her neck and wrists, exuding an exotic charm. Her pink hair flowed without wind.
A jade-like glow cloaked her, lending a hint of sanctity.
The Rouge Jade Dragon martial soul's beauty rivaled the Rainbow Dragon, famed as the most stunning dragon martial soul.
It blended allure with danger.
Possessed, Nan Shuishui's aura matched the Bone Dragon King's draconic might, even surpassing it with fiercer, deadlier intensity.
Her Rouge Jade Dragon was evolving toward a true dragon, its annihilation attribute shifting toward destruction, massively boosting her strength.
Zhongli Wu sensed danger from her, narrowing his eyes, growing serious.
He'd thought the Bone Dragon King could easily crush the team, but now it seemed he'd need more effort.
Even among Super Douluos, gaps existed—Nan Shuishui was only Level 96.
"Earth Dragon Sect's Rouge Douluo? I know you. Didn't expect you to be a Super Douluo. Looks like my Holy Spirit Cult will claim a Super Douluo corpse today," Zhongli Wu sneered.
He revealed his soul rings: six black, three red—a despairing sight.
Since surviving attacks from the Death Envoy and Eunuch Gao, Zhongli Wu had significantly boosted his strength.
"How is that possible?"
"What kind of soul ring setup is that?"
Many gasped.
But Nan Shuishui was unfazed. "You evil soul masters talk too much. Want my life? Come take it!"
"Seventh soul skill, Rouge Jade Dragon True Body!"
"Sixth soul skill, Star of Annihilation!"
She unleashed her martial soul true body, transforming into a five-meter Rouge Jade Dragon. Soaring skyward, she circled, swiftly forming a pink orb that plummeted like a meteor toward Zhongli Wu and the Bone Dragon King.
Though obedient as a puppy before Huo Yuhao, Nan Shuishui, with her dangerous annihilation attribute, was no pushover.
Zhongli Wu sneered, tapping the Bone Dragon King with his staff. The dragon gathered wind element power, spewing it at the falling Star of Annihilation.
While awaiting the team, the Bone Dragon King had prepped, now effortlessly wielding wind and fire elements.The power of the wind element erupted from the Bone Dragon King's mouth, launching upward to collide with the Star of Annihilation.
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion rang out in midair!
But just then, Zhongli Wu's expression changed subtly — after the blast, he could sense an even more surging wave of soul power coming from Nan Shuishui.
As the explosion cleared, the true form of the Rouge Jade Dragon emerged, now radiating a dazzling pink glow. Her red ninth soul ring was shining brightly!
"Ninth Soul Skill: Annihilation Storm!"
Her sixth soul skill had only been a decoy to lure the enemy; the real goal was to charge up her 100,000-year ninth soul skill.
Nan Shuishui's 100,000-year ninth soul ring granted her two abilities — one for single-target attacks and the other for area-of-effect.
Annihilation Storm was the area-of-effect skill.
Pink light erupted in a storm-like surge, sweeping across the surroundings — and its target was the Evil Soul Masters encircling the team.
None of the Evil Soul Masters had expected that Nan Shuishui, while fighting their cult leader, would suddenly disregard appearances and strike at them, the small fry.
Caught off guard, many of them suffered greatly.
The pink storm might've looked girly and beautiful, but it was laced with deadly annihilation energy.
All Evil Soul Masters below the level of Soul Sage were instantly wiped out; those above Soul Sage but below Titled Douluo were severely injured; only Titled-level fighters could barely escape.
But even among them, only the Nether Douluo managed to retreat completely unscathed — the only Titled Douluo among the Evil Soul Masters besides Zhongli Wu.
"Retreat!" Nan Shuishui's voice rang out to the teams below.
The others in the team, though slow to react, had no objections. They quickly chose to flee.
After all, who wants to die if they can run?
Among those teams was the one from Earth Dragon Gate. Before Nan Shuishui made her move, she had already told Nan Qiuqiu to seize any chance to escape — and to stay close to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan during the retreat.
Even though Nan Qiuqiu was worried, she gritted her teeth and led the team away. She couldn't let her mother's efforts go to waste.
The loss of so many Evil Soul Masters made Zhongli Wu's face look as if it were dripping blood from rage.
Many of these Evil Soul Masters weren't just elite forces from the cult — some had originally belonged to Tang Ya. Zhongli Wu had planned to use this mission to fully bring them under his control. Now, more than half were gone.
"Courting death! Bone Dragon King — tear her apart!"
The Bone Dragon King soared skyward, lunging at the Rouge Jade Dragon's true form.
Zhongli Wu turned toward the remaining Evil Soul Masters, including the Nether Douluo.
"What are you waiting for? Go after them!" Zhongli Wu bellowed. "Don't let the Shrek Academy people escape!"
With no choice, the Nether Douluo had to lead the pursuit.
Fortunately, Zhongli Wu hadn't ordered them to capture or kill Shrek's people outright — otherwise, the Nether Douluo would've had no confidence fighting multiple Titled Douluo alone. As long as they could keep track of Shrek's group, it was enough.
Zhongli Wu stayed behind. He was going to kill Nan Shuishui as quickly as possible.
Hovering above the battlefield, the Rouge Jade Dragon's eyes looked down indifferently at the charging Bone Dragon King.
With no one else around, Nan Shuishui whispered to herself:
"Let me show you the power granted to me by the Bright King!"
"Jade Dragon Clone!"
As the advanced form of Jade Maiden Scripture, the Jade Nurturing Art could only be practiced by Titled Douluo — and it wasn't just for dual cultivation. In battle, it granted potent powers as well.
Her dragon form shimmered, and suddenly, a white jade dragon clone emerged, identical in appearance to her true form — as if carved from pure jade.
This clone had formed from jade energy absorbed during her cultivation. It was incredibly tough — harder than iron, nearly unbreakable — and possessed tremendous strength.
The jade dragon clone dove down to clash with the Bone Dragon King.
Jade vs. bone — the two dragons began to brawl.
Surprisingly, the clone held its ground. The Bone Dragon King couldn't crush it, nor overpower it with brute force.
With the clone holding the line, Nan Shuishui's true form remained in the rear, dancing gracefully in midair as she activated her eighth soul skill.
"Eighth Soul Skill: Annihilation Dragon Dance."
This technique, a special performance-based enhancement, strengthened her across the board. Though it took time to cast, the resulting boost was substantial — comparable to a 100,000-year soul skill.
Seeing his Bone Dragon King held at bay and Nan Shuishui still powering up, Zhongli Wu personally charged in. He flew past the clone, aiming straight for her.
"Eighth Soul Skill: Reaper's Scythe!"
His staff morphed into a scythe, slashing at the dragon form like a soul-reaping blade.
As a 100,000-year soul skill, Reaper's Scythe was incredibly destructive.
But Nan Shuishui had already finished her enhancement.
Facing the scythe, she showed no fear — instead, she reached out with her dragon claws to grab it.
"Jade-Absorbing Technique!"
Clang!!
The Reaper's Scythe hit the dragon claw but couldn't cut through it. Worse yet, its power failed to manifest — it was caught.
Zhongli Wu's expression changed dramatically. He clearly sensed that the moment his scythe touched her claw, a strange suction force activated. It absorbed the attack's power and started draining his soul power through the weapon!
"No... Not just my soul power—my blood and soul are being pulled too!" he gasped in horror.
Panicking, he detonated energy to forcefully break free, even injuring himself to tear the scythe away from her grasp.
Nan Shuishui muttered, disappointed.
The Jade-Absorbing Technique, developed from jade energy absorption methods, could absorb enemy attacks for defense and even siphon their soul power, blood, and soul. At its peak, it could drain targets from a distance.
Had she mastered it fully, she was confident she could have drained Zhongli Wu dry on the spot.
But she had only just achieved success in using the technique — full mastery was still far off. Otherwise, Zhongli Wu wouldn't have escaped.
Moreover, the energy she absorbed from him wasn't jade-based. If she absorbed it into her body, it would contaminate her inner jade essence and possibly ruin her cultivation.
So instead, the Rouge Jade Dragon's claw shook, and the stolen power was returned — blasted outward.
"Floral Jade Reversal!"
"Take it back!"
Watching Nan Shuishui redirect his own attack at him, Zhongli Wu's face twisted with rage.
No words could express his fury. He wanted to tear Nan Shuishui to shreds.
That's right — he was seeing red.
"I'll kill you!"
"Martial Soul True Body — Reaper Demon Puppet!"
His dark soul power erupted, and the battle intensified.
In the distant mountains…
Huo Yuhao sat quietly, holding an egg, watching the battle unfold with satisfaction.
"Of the women who trained in the Jade Maiden Scripture, Nan Shuishui has progressed the most. She's done the technique justice."
"It's a pity though… If I didn't need a scapegoat, I could've killed Zhongli Wu here and now. But he's got potential — maybe even enough to surpass the Titled Douluo limit. Perhaps I should give him a push…"
"But first, failure will teach him to value what comes next."
"In the meantime… I'll keep hatching this egg~"
He was referring to the Holy Spirit Feathered Serpent Egg. After injecting it with the serpent's bloodline, he discovered it required vast amounts of spiritual energy to incubate.
Currently, only Huo Yuhao had the spiritual power to sustain it. To hatch it, he had to stay near and avoid battle.
Thankfully, it only consumed his spiritual energy — it didn't reduce his overall capacity. The consumed energy could regenerate.
And this method of rapid spiritual depletion followed by recovery was something Huo Yuhao had never tried — it was the perfect chance to temper his mind.
"Yare yare… such a hungry little vixen~"
—
On the other side.
The Shrek Academy group was leading a large force on a detour escape.
That's right — a detour retreat.
But they weren't retreating toward the Sun-Moon Empire. Instead, they had pre-planned escape routes and could at any moment switch direction to flee toward the Star Luo Empire.
Don't underestimate the years of covert infiltration by the other three nations into the Sun-Moon Empire.
For instance, the Star Luo Empire had already mapped out three full evacuation routes before even arriving for the tournament.
As a result, their forces didn't scatter — they remained orderly and moved swiftly.
The Holy Spirit Cult only tailed them from a distance and didn't dare launch a full assault, which spared the fleeing group from further trouble.
But still, no one dared relax.
In the convoy...
"Qiuqiu, don't worry. Rouge Douluo is strong. Even if she's outmatched, the enemy won't easily capture her. She'll come back safely." Ning Tian comforted Nan Qiuqiu.
Because they were of similar age and both prodigies from sects under the Dou Ling Empire, their relationship had grown quite close during the tournament — especially with Ning Tian intentionally befriending her.
Nan Qiuqiu forced a smile. "I'll take your word for it."
Thanks to Nan Shuishui's instructions, Nan Qiuqiu was leading the Earth Dragon Sect's team in coordination with the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
Looking at Nan Qiuqiu's expression, Ning Tian sighed inwardly — not all the ignorant can remain carefree.
Sometimes, knowing just enough leads to more anxiety.
If not for her prior team-up with Nan Shuishui, she might've had thoughts of seizing the opportunity — for instance, drawing the Earth Dragon Sect to her side while they were vulnerable.
Nan Shuishui had stayed stationed in Shrek City for quite some time. During this period, many of the girls who had "in-depth exchanges" with Huo Yuhao had done matchmaking training with Nan Shuishui — and even received guidance from her.
Not everyone was totally in the dark about Huo Yuhao's plans either.
Ning Tian and Zhu Lu, for instance, had both received information from Huo Yuhao, sooner or later, and had been instructed accordingly — including the fact that Huo Yuhao had only faked his death.
Knowing parts of the plan, Ning Tian was well aware that Nan Shuishui wouldn't go down so easily — and Zhongli Wu was just a pawn being used.
Scanning the convoy, Ning Tian sighed to herself:
"How many of us will make it out of the Sun-Moon Empire alive?
But once this is over, the entire continent will fall into chaos."
"Maybe... I can follow in the footsteps of my ancestors, chase a powerhouse, and reach rank 100..."
"No — with Huo Yuhao, I'll surpass my ancestors!"
Ning Tian had staked everything — including her sect — on Huo Yuhao. And wherever his gaze reached, she would follow.
—
Meanwhile, Nether Douluo led the remaining Evil Soul Masters and tailed the group from a distance — purely tracking, without trying to engage.
After all, although Nan Shuishui was no longer with the group, four Title Douluo still remained. Not exactly an easy target.
But while the Evil Soul Masters had no intention to strike, others had plans for them.
As Nether Douluo led his team in pursuit, suddenly — a bombardment erupted from the nearby forest. Soul tool cannons launched in rapid succession — even a few Level 7 stationary soul cannon shells were mixed in!
The target? Nether Douluo and the Evil Soul Masters.
"Ambush!" Nether Douluo shouted, quickly organizing a defense.
But that was all he could do.
Not every Evil Soul Master reacted in time.
Who would've thought that someone would dare ambush them?
After the heavy bombardment, the Evil Soul Master team took more losses — and the survivors sustained new injuries.
Most crucially, once the dust settled and Nether Douluo looked again toward the fleeing Shrek Academy forces — they were gone.
Charging into the ambushing forest yielded nothing — only traces that someone had been there.
No doubt about it — they had lost the trail.
Nether Douluo couldn't fathom how such a large group vanished so quickly — but he knew that when Zhongli Wu asked, he'd be in serious trouble.
His face darkened — nearly black with rage.
The Evil Soul Masters searched in vain, then reluctantly pressed on in hopes of catching the trail farther out.
—
Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain...
Underground.
The "missing" main force had taken shelter here. They were currently filing in orderly through a tunnel toward an exit on the other side.
New figures had joined Shrek Academy's group — namely, Fan Yu and other soul tool department teachers and students who had been missing, as well as soul engineers from the three empires.
Everyone wore smiles.
"All this prep paid off. That's what it means to be prepared!" Fan Yu said cheerfully.
It turned out a stealth team had been sent ahead to lay the groundwork and provide a smokescreen for the main group.
"How did you dig such a huge underground space and tunnel so fast?" Xu Jiujiu asked curiously.
Anyone could see how strategically valuable this tunnel was.
But the point wasn't just that a tunnel was dug — it was how quickly such a massive space had been carved out. Even with advance notice, the stealth team didn't have much time.
Fan Yu pulled out a three-meter-long soul tool, shaped somewhat like a centipede, and explained:
"This was developed by mimicking Yuhao's mutated Frost Centipede martial soul — a digging-type soul tool. It can quickly excavate underground spaces and tunnels. This tunnel tactic was pioneered by Yuhao himself."
After Xian Lin'er, Zhang Lexuan, and Huo Yuhao returned to Shrek Academy, Xian Lin'er had shared their adventures with the high council — including Huo Yuhao's tunnel warfare tactics.
This piqued the interest of the soul tool department. With Xian Lin'er's encouragement, and the joint efforts of Xuan Ziwen, Qian Duoduo, and Fan Yu, they developed the digging soul tool.
It combined traits of mutated Frost Centipede and other excavation-capable soul beasts. The tool even had a detachable tail for easy dirt removal.
A single digging tool could only excavate so much — but with dozens or hundreds working in tandem, carving out a massive space for an army wasn't hard.
Xu Jiujiu's eyes lit up when she heard it was a soul tool.
"Senior Fan Yu, is this digging soul tool available for sale?" she asked bluntly.
Fan Yu shook his head. "Sorry, it's still in testing. Not for sale yet."
"I see. Well, if it ever goes on sale, please contact the Star Luo Empire first. Price is negotiable," Xu Jiujiu said, a bit disappointed.
But everyone knew — Fan Yu's reason was an excuse. If it were truly unfinished, they wouldn't be using it now. Shrek Academy clearly understood the strategic importance of the tool and had no intention of letting it spread.
Had the tool not been exposed due to the involvement of other empire soul engineers, Fan Yu might not have explained anything at all.
"We of the Heaven Soul Empire are also interested in purchasing," another representative added.
"The Dou Ling Empire as well," said Tu Xijun — she wasn't giving up on this tool either.
Clearly, Xu Jiujiu wasn't the only smart one.
Fan Yu just kept smiling politely.
Even among Shrek Academy's own members, there were gasps of admiration.
"As expected of the Academy," Wang Dong said with a sigh.
She didn't like soul tools personally, but that didn't mean she couldn't see their value.
At that moment, Cai Meier felt a gaze on her. She turned and saw Xian Lin'er's smug expression — immediately rolling her eyes.
Xian Lin'er was clearly gloating that the soul tool department had made a breakthrough.
"So childish," Cai Meier thought, speechless, choosing to ignore her.
Xian Lin'er, however, was thoroughly pleased.
Yet no matter how stealthy they were, their movements didn't escape the notice of those watching from the shadows.
—
In the forest shadows...
Eunuch Gao hid beneath the shade, watching the ground below with a grin.
"That Fan Yu really is something. Already dug himself a grave~"
"Time to reunite the husband and wife."