While Zhu Ziyang and Mu En were deep in conversation, two other places on the continent were also hosting important talks—both closely tied to the master and disciple of Shrek Academy.
Sun Moon Empire – A Dark Forest
"…You're injured?" A cold, emotionless female voice rang out beside him.
Long Xiaoyao didn't bother looking for the source. He knew that voice far too well. His complexion was pale, but he smiled. "Just a small accident."
"Weren't you going to repay a favor to the Heavenly Soul royal family?" the woman asked. "What—did they send you to hunt one of the Ten Great Savage Beasts?"
"Close enough." Long Xiaoyao's smile didn't fade. "They asked me to cause some trouble for Shrek Academy."
"What?!" For the first time, the woman's voice betrayed an emotional ripple. "So you went? Did Mu En injure you? Isn't he already at death's door?"
"I did see Mu En," Long Xiaoyao replied. "His condition is indeed poor—his life force is draining rapidly. I doubt he has more than five years left."
"Answer me—was it Mu En who hurt you?" There was a sharp edge of displeasure in her icy tone.
"Haha, didn't I just say? Mu En is practically dead. How could he possibly injure me?" Long Xiaoyao chuckled.
"Then? How exactly did you get hurt?" she pressed, her impatience and faint agitation bleeding into her voice.
"Well…" Long Xiaoyao hesitated, searching for the right words. "Let's just say… I was injured by a child."
"A… child?" the woman echoed in confusion.
"Yes, a child. Mu En's new disciple—around fourteen or fifteen years old. Quite an impressive little fellow," Long Xiaoyao said, recalling Zhu Ziyang with a touch of genuine admiration.
"You're telling me you were injured by Mu En's new disciple—a fourteen or fifteen-year-old brat?" Her voice was full of disbelief. She almost thought Long Xiaoyao was joking, but she knew he wasn't that kind of man. She was left momentarily speechless. "…You're really aging backwards."
"Hahahaha! I didn't expect that kid to be so strong," Long Xiaoyao admitted with another sigh. "I truly envy Mu En—right before dying, he still managed to take in a disciple with an Ultimate Light martial soul."
"What did you say? An Ultimate Light martial soul?!" The woman's voice now carried a hint of surprise. She had not left this place for many years and was unfamiliar with recent events in the outside world.
"Yes," Long Xiaoyao said. "Because of that boy, the anti-Shrek forces in the three Douluo nations were forced to make an all-out move. He's quite remarkable."
"From the way you speak, you seem to admire him a great deal," she said, her curiosity piqued. "What kind of boy is he? Ultimate Light alone shouldn't be enough to make the mighty Dragon Emperor Douluo speak like this."
"That boy—despite being only fifteen—is already a level sixty-five Spirit Emperor. Far stronger than either Mu En or I were at that age. More importantly, his sixth spirit ring is a 100,000-year ring. It's obvious Mu En has invested heavily in him. Oh, and he also has a Death attribute."
"Death attribute?" This was the most emotion she had shown so far, her voice filled with interest. "You mean… he has twin martial souls?"
"He does have twin martial souls," Long Xiaoyao replied. "But the Death attribute isn't from his second martial soul—it's part of his first, which holds both Ultimate Light and Death attributes at the same time."
"What?" The woman gasped. "A martial soul with both Ultimate Light and Death attributes? Such a thing actually exists?"
"Interested?" Long Xiaoyao's smile deepened. "Why don't we make some time to visit Shrek Academy and see him for ourselves?"
"This…" The woman hesitated, tempted—but after a long pause, she sighed. "Forget it. I have no intention of leaving the cult for now."
"…Alright." Long Xiaoyao's tone carried disappointment. He had hoped she would go out, rather than stay buried in this lightless forest. As a darkness-attribute soul master, he found the environment comfortable—but for her sake, he would have preferred it to be full of light.
"Take care of your injuries," the woman said softly, fully aware of his thoughts. Stepping out of the shadows, she revealed the face that had once captivated both Long Xiaoyao and Mu En.
Ye Xishui.
Sun Moon Empire – Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy
Inside a spacious hall, every surface was crafted in metal, the decor dominated by a soft golden hue—not lavish, but refined and substantial. Above the entrance hung a plaque inscribed with large dark-gold characters: Mingde Hall.
"Rise," came a calm command from a man seated in the central chair at the far end.
He looked to be in his forties, short and stocky with dark skin—his first impression was that of a chubby black man. His build didn't suit long hair, yet he wore his brown-red locks loose down his back, hiding his short, thick neck and lending him an oddly comical air.
Before him, a man prostrated himself. At the order, he scrambled up, relief flooding his features. "Hall Master, I led the team poorly this time—please punish me."
Now standing, his appearance was clear—it was the other supervising teacher of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy's tournament team. Despite his look of abject fear, he had already resigned himself to being the scapegoat on the journey back from Star Luo City.
In truth, that was exactly why he had been chosen as the other lead—purely to take the blame. If they won, the glory would go to Elder Ma and the students; if they lost, it would be his fault alone.
As a small, powerless teacher, that was the one role he could fill.
From the way he addressed the chubby man, it was clear—the comical-looking black fatty was none other than the famous Jing Hongchen, Hall Master of Mingde Hall.
"You've done nothing wrong," Jing Hongchen said flatly. "Sometimes, coincidences occur beyond your control."
Hearing that, the scapegoat teacher exhaled in relief and quickly bowed. "Thank you, Hall Master!"
Privately, he celebrated—just as promised, the 'designated scapegoat' for the tournament loss wouldn't be punished. He might have lost a chance at promotion, but he'd receive a generous monetary 'compensation.' With that, he could buy more rare metals, upgrade his soul engineer rank, and perhaps still earn that promotion in time. In short—he'd basically been paid for free.
Jing Hongchen's good mood was evident as he asked, "Do you know what I'm most pleased about in your results this time?"
"The information we brought back about the Shrek Academy students?" the teacher guessed.
Jing Hongchen smiled. "Correct. Three twin martial souls—one of them a twin Ultimate martial soul—and six 100,000-year spirit rings!
"Shrek Academy's investment is impressive. If that boy is allowed to grow, our Sun Moon Empire could be suppressed for centuries more. The three Douluo nations are truly useless—eight or nine Title Douluo, nearly a hundred Soul Douluo and Soul Sages, and they still couldn't take down a handful of Shrek students. Pathetic!
"Originally, Shrek Academy had agreed to an exchange program with us, but yesterday word arrived—they're postponing it due to 'internal reasons.'
"How long? They'll decide after discussion. Clearly, they're afraid we might make a move on those students. I'll admit—when it comes to finding and nurturing soul master talent, no one on the continent surpasses Shrek. A pity, really.
"Go."
"Yes, Hall Master!" The teacher bowed again and hurried out.
Once alone, Jing Hongchen clasped his hands behind his back and gazed east—toward Shrek Academy.
"…Truly, it's frustrating," he murmured.
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