Three days later, Zhang Le Xuan finally gave her answer—she had decided to go through with Mu En and Zhu Ziyang's plan.
The very next day, during a Sea God Pavilion meeting, a plan named Empress' Descent was officially designated as Shrek Academy's top-secret project, granted the authority to mobilize all of the Academy's resources. For the next ten to twenty years, this plan would remain one of Shrek Academy's highest priorities.
After the plan's establishment, Shrek did not rush into action. Instead, they began by gathering intelligence. Information was always one of the decisive factors in success, and for this plan to work, the Academy needed to investigate and verify a great deal—especially since most of Shrek's intelligence network within the Sun Moon Empire was focused on soul tools. Their knowledge of the Empire's internal political environment was minimal, and correcting that would take time.
Since Empress' Descent was still in its preparatory stage, Zhu Ziyang stayed in the Academy for only a week before setting out to complete the Death God's Fourth Trial.
Using the Academy's intelligence network, he identified four Evil Soul Masters with the death attribute who had emerged within the past six months. Whether they were truly guilty of sin was yet to be determined—he would have to see them in person to decide.
His first stop: Mount Yibo, an unremarkable peak within the Dou Ling Empire. Four months ago, an Evil Soul Master calling himself the "Grand Duke of Hell" had massacred an entire village of over a hundred people, shaking the Dou Ling Empire's soul master world and drawing Shrek Academy's attention. Recent reports placed him near Mount Yibo.
Upon arriving, Zhu Ziyang went to the only town within the mountain's territory—Yibo Town—to investigate. It didn't take him long to learn that the Grand Duke of Hell was believed to have a lair somewhere on the mountain.
Without hesitation, Zhu Ziyang began climbing. Midway up, in the forest, he found signs of a recent battle.
"Residual traces of a light-element soul skill," he murmured, noting the faint glow lingering on a severed tree. "Over there."
In an instant, he locked onto the location of the fight. With a flash of speed, he arrived to find two figures clashing fiercely—one of them was indeed his target.
The Grand Duke of Hell had six spirit rings—three purple and three black—emanating a sinister aura. His body was massive, roughly three meters tall and wide, with black clawed limbs, a single horn on his head, and a mouth full of fangs. His martial soul resembled a Dark Demon Bear, but far more malevolent and violent.
The Other Shore Flower mark on Zhu Ziyang's forehead pulsed three times in quick succession. That meant the Grand Duke of Hell met the Death God's Fourth Trial's criteria. Zhu Ziyang didn't yet know the exact sin, but once confirmed, the man was already a corpse in his eyes.
The person fighting him was a young girl, no more than fifteen or sixteen, with flowing golden hair and strikingly beautiful features. White angelic wings spread from her back, her five spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, and one black—glowing brightly. She wielded a holy sword, radiating an aura of sacred inviolability.
"It's her!" Zhu Ziyang recognized her instantly, even after three or four years. The holy martial soul of the Angel Clan, a descendant of the Qian family—it could only be Qian Lingyi, whom he'd once met briefly.
Despite being only a Soul King, Qian Lingyi was holding her own against the Soul Emperor–level Grand Duke of Hell, even pressing him back at times, thanks to the Angel martial soul's natural restraint against evil.
Neither combatant noticed Zhu Ziyang's arrival—and he was perfectly content to remain unnoticed. He was here to take the kill.
Qian Lingyi's fifth ring lit up, her holy sword growing larger and more brilliant as it emanated a powerful aura of judgment.
"Haaah!" she cried, slashing down toward the Grand Duke of Hell's head.
In response, the Grand Duke activated his sixth skill—his massive claws surging with dense death energy as he caught the holy sword with uncanny precision. Light and darkness clashed in a deadlock, each trying to overpower the other.
It became a brutal test of endurance. The moment one side faltered, the other would strike to kill.
Zhu Ziyang seized the opportunity. The Reaper's Eternal Scythe appeared in his hand, its blade retracting into a circular ring that expanded and shifted to the center. In its place, a golden scepter materialized. Raising it high, he unleashed his second soul skill—Judgment Prayer.
From the ring at the scepter's tip, countless blinding beams of light burst forth, like the sun breaking through storm clouds, pouring warmth and searing radiance into the darkened battlefield.
The sudden brilliance flooded over both fighters. Qian Lingyi felt a rush of strength, all fatigue and depletion swept away. The Grand Duke of Hell, however, felt as though he'd been hurled into the heart of the sun—his flesh melting, soul power dissipating, spirit wailing in agony.
It happened so fast he didn't even realize what had struck him. In an instant, his body and spirit were utterly purified by extreme light, dissolving into wisps of smoke. Only his tattered clothes remained as proof he had ever existed.
Zhu Ziyang sensed a faint return of light energy—his soul power increased, albeit by only a tenth of a level. Still, it was his hard-earned payment. Others killed Evil Soul Masters for justice; light-attribute soul masters did it as part of the job.
"Heh." He chuckled softly, dismissing his scythe, and turned to leave without a word.
"Wait!" Qian Lingyi, having recovered, quickly flew after him, cutting off his path. "What's with you, showing up like that and leaving without even a hello? Afraid I'll make you pay me back for stealing my kill?"
"I don't think we're that familiar," Zhu Ziyang said with a faint smile. He wasn't sure if she remembered him.
"We can always fix that," Qian Lingyi replied with a dazzling grin. "I'm Ye Guyi. And you are?"
Ah. So she didn't recognize him—and she was using a false name. How amusing. Zhu Ziyang's lips curved into a playful smile. "Ye Guyi? Funny, I could've sworn your name was Qian Lingyi."
"...!" Her face changed instantly, and she backed up several steps, eyes wary. "Who are you? How do you know my real name?"
"Hahaha, relax," Zhu Ziyang said with a laugh. "Looks like you really don't remember me. How tragic."
"Don't remember you?" she frowned, studying him closely. "You do look familiar… Where have I seen you before?"
A few seconds of thought—and then her eyes lit up. "I remember! You're that guy I met in the Tianhui Grand Canyon! Your name was… Zhu Ziyang, right?"
"Haha, that's me," he confirmed.
"Ah!" she gasped suddenly. "You're that Zhu Ziyang? From Shrek Academy? Don't tell me it's really you!"
"Didn't know my reputation reached even you," he said with a hint of pride. "Guess I really am famous."
"You really are that Zhu Ziyang?!" Her face was a mixture of joy, excitement, curiosity, and admiration. "Do you really have five hundred-thousand-year spirit rings?"
"Do you believe that?" he asked instead of answering.
She shook her head. "Nope!"
"Then there's your answer," he said with a grin.
"I knew it! No way anyone has five hundred-thousand-year rings, especially a young man from the Tournament!" she said smugly. "Rumors really do get out of hand."
"So, did you stop me for anything else? If not, I'll be on my way," Zhu Ziyang said.
"Hey, what's the rush?" She grabbed his arm. "Got something urgent?"
"Not especially," he admitted—though her fresh, clean scent made him change his wording. "So… are you suggesting we travel together?"
"Mhm! You're traveling the continent, right? Me too. We could team up! You've seen my strength—I won't slow you down. Plus, isn't it better to journey with a beautiful girl than alone?" she said with a bright smile.
"That's not impossible," he said after a moment's thought. "But I'll need to head back to the Academy in a while. You'd come too?"
"Of course! I've always wanted to see the number-one Academy in the world," she answered without hesitation. In truth, she was deeply curious about Shrek—and even more about Zhu Ziyang himself. There was something about him that drew her in, a quality that made her want to stay close.
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