On the way back, the mood among the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect party was unbearably heavy. Ning Fengzhi no longer had his usual calm demeanor.
He thought about how the presence of the Spirit Hall above him made it hard to even breathe—and now, out of some backwater corner, Spark Academy had suddenly emerged.
If Spark Academy had produced just any other geniuses, Ning Fengzhi would have actually welcomed their rise, perhaps even reached out with a gesture of alliance.
But the ones nurtured by Spark Academy?
Two of them harbored deep hatred toward the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
As for such potential threats, the best thing to do was, of course, to eliminate them quickly. Yet Snow Empress's strength was so overwhelming that it suffocated the entire sect.
It felt just like this:
You see a tiger cub looking at you like it wants to eat you. Right now, it poses no threat—you could kill it with one hand.
But you can't do it.
You can only watch as it grows, step by step, until it's strong enough to devour you.
Thinking this drove Ning Fengzhi nearly mad. He grabbed at his hair in frustration.
"Sect Master, we can't deal with Spark Academy ourselves—but we can use a borrowed blade," said Gu Rong viciously.
Ning Fengzhi lowered his hands, a clump of fallen hair in his palm. Without caring, he tossed it aside and asked:
"Whose blade?"
Snow Empress's strength was unfathomable. Even Sword Douluo couldn't see her limits.
Who on this entire continent could possibly pose a threat to her?
"Tang Hao, and the Spirit Hall. Don't forget—among the seven members of the Spark Team, there's one with the Angel Martial Soul, and one with the Clear Sky Hammer."
Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi's eyes lit up.
"Yes! Why didn't I think of that?"
"However…" Chen Xin (Sword Douluo) interjected, "that Angel Martial Soul doesn't seem quite the same as the one passed down through the Spirit Hall's Qian Clan."
"Who cares?" Gu Rong sneered. "As long as it's angel versus angel, we can manufacture conflict."
"It'd be best if the Spirit Hall clashed head-on with Spark Academy," Chen Xin said cautiously. "But the people in charge at the Spirit Hall aren't likely to be that stupid."
"That's why we have a backup—Tang Hao," Gu Rong added. "Even though the Clear Sky Clan has declined, and Tang Chen has gone missing, Tang Hao is still out there on the Douluo Continent."
"Given Tang Hao's personality—if he finds out someone in the Spark Team has the Clear Sky Hammer, then for the sake of the clan, he will strike, even if he's been expelled from it."
Gu Rong continued:
"Before Tang Hao became a Titled Douluo, he had already killed two rank-95 Titled Douluo. Years have passed since then. He's definitely not stagnant. His strength now must be terrifying."
"If he's willing to act, I don't think even Snow Empress can stop him."
Ning Fengzhi nodded:
"Good. Let's do it. Borrow a blade to kill."
Thanks to Gu Rong's "outstretched arm," the Spark Team's journey back to the Far North was relatively quiet. Assassins from the Star Luo Empire and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had withdrawn.
Though they were itching to kill off these "wolf pups" in a so-called "honor kill"—to prevent their noble martial soul bloodlines from leaking into the world—they didn't dare risk angering a peak-level Douluo like Snow Empress.
Thus, the Spark Team entered the Far North and eventually vanished—more on that later.
Meanwhile, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect began sowing discord.
On one hand, they bribed insiders in the Spirit Hall, aiming to inform the Angel Clan that an Angel Martial Soul had fallen into the hands of outsiders.
On the other, they widely spread stories of the Spark Team's exploits throughout the continent, hoping to draw out Tang Hao from hiding.
So what was Tang Hao doing?
Unlike in his previous life, this version of Tang Hao had hope. He hadn't exiled himself—and he also felt a strong sense of crisis.
He knew that his Shura God cheat code had been sealed, so if he wanted to protect his son in the future, it would have to be with his own strength.
After escorting Tang San to Shrek Academy, Tang Hao found a secluded place to retreat into deep cultivation.
That's why Tang Hao had "gone offline."
Because of his isolation, Tang Hao was completely unaware of the rumors spread by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
As for the Spirit Hall, the sect kept a close eye on its movements. Ning Fengzhi personally hoped the Spirit Hall would take action and help him eliminate the future threat that was Spark Academy.
Both Tang Hao and the Spirit Hall were deadly threats in Ning Fengzhi's eyes.
The best outcome would be for them to fight each other, letting him benefit as the fisherman in a battle between two tigers.
That night, Ning Fengzhi tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
The pressures facing the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect from all sides left his head spinning. He once again clawed at his scalp, pulling out more hair.
The next morning, the first thing Ning Fengzhi did after getting out of bed was ask the sect's intelligence personnel:
"Any movement from the Spirit Hall?"
The intel officer replied honestly:
"Reporting, Sect Master—there's been no indication that the Spirit Hall has made any move against Spark Academy."
Upon hearing this, blood vessels bulged in Ning Fengzhi's eyes. He yanked at his hair again and shouted in disbelief:
"No?! Why?! Doesn't the Spirit Hall care that one of their Angel bloodline has fallen into an outsider's hands? I don't understand—this doesn't make sense!"
He then asked about Tang Hao.
The result? Tang Hao was completely missing, with zero traces.
Ning Fengzhi could only collapse into a chair, his hands falling limply, pulling out even more hair as they dropped.
Meanwhile…
Outside news had not yet reached Shrek Academy.
After returning, Flender closed the academy, and everyone set out toward Heaven Dou City.
Right before they left, Xiao Wu approached Tang San, holding out her hand:
"San-gege, where's Xiao Wu's money for the month? Hand it over."
Tang San obediently gave her the money he had earned from blacksmithing in his spare time:
"Here you go, little Xiao Wu."
"Mhm."
Taking the money as if it were only right, Xiao Wu then headed to Soto City's Rose Hotel.
As the door opened, a man with a slightly crooked but sexy smile (at least in Xiao Wu's eyes) leapt forward and hugged her tightly.
"Xiao Wu, you finally came to see me again!"
They embraced and kissed passionately, soon tumbling onto the bed.
About an hour and a half later...
The man lay fast asleep.
Xiao Wu looked at him with reluctant affection, then picked up a pen and paper to write:
A-Le,
By the time you read this letter, I will already be gone. Don't try to find me.
I carry a hatred deep in my heart—my enemy is unimaginably powerful.
You are the one I've truly loved, but I can't drag you into my danger. Your strength still isn't enough.
I can't help you much—but this is the Xuantian Treasure Manual. It contains the valuable Xuantian Skill, along with its ultimate techniques.
If you can master it, you might defy fate itself.
Xiao Wu hopes to one day see you standing at the peak of the continent.
Finishing the letter, Xiao Wu took out the manual, which Tang San had painstakingly copied over several months, from her soul guide.
She also left a few bags of copper soul coins she had gotten from Tang San, placing them by the man's bedside.
Then, she turned and walked away.
The next day, Bu Le awoke in bed and found that the person who had been beside him was gone. Alarmed, he got up to search, only to find a note left beside the bed.
Reading Xiao Wu's message, Bu Le panicked. He hastily packed his things while calling out anxiously, "Xiao Wu, Xiao Wu!"
After gathering his belongings, he left the hotel and went straight to Shrek Academy—only to find it completely deserted.
At the sight, tears rolled down from Bu Le's eyes.
"Xiao Wu... No, my Xiao Wu..."
He recalled the moment he first met her.
His name was Bu Le. He was a soul master, with some measure of strength. He often relied on that strength to prey on respectable women—a notorious scoundrel, committing every imaginable misdeed.
One day, he heard that two pretty female soul masters had come to Soto City. Bu Le decided to tail them, hoping for a romantic conquest.
Eventually, one of the girls ended up alone. Bu Le decided it was time to make his move.
He followed her into an alley near the city. As she turned a corner, Bu Le rushed after her—but just then, the girl turned and looked back at him. Their eyes met.
Bu Le froze.
He had played with countless women, but it was always out of base lust—never true emotion. Yet in that moment, seeing this girl, Bu Le finally understood what it meant to truly like someone from the depths of the soul.
This... this must be what they mean by "love at first sight."
The girl tilted her head and asked, "Hi, I'm Xiao Wu. Can I ask why you've been following me?"
Dazed, Bu Le responded, "H-hi... I'm Bu Le. You can call me A-Le. I... I just wanted to get to know you. Would I be lucky enough to have that honor?"
"Oh, sure. Xiao Wu loves making new friends," she replied with a face full of innocence.
From that moment, the two became close friends. What surprised Bu Le even more was that Xiao Wu's martial spirit, Soft-Boned Rabbit, could fuse with his Heavenly Net Twin Shields. Together, they could perform a Martial Spirit Fusion Technique, forming a special soul power called "Le-Wu Force", which made cultivation far more efficient.
Was this not a match made in heaven?
At that time, Bu Le dreamed of traveling the continent with Xiao Wu, sword in hand, becoming peerless masters together. But Xiao Wu told him that she had a giegie named Tang San, who kept a tight watch on her and didn't want her getting too close to others. "You're not his match yet. He can't know about our relationship."
So, Xiao Wu kept Bu Le hidden away in the Rose Hotel, visiting him secretly every month.
And Bu Le—ever since meeting Xiao Wu—lost all interest in worldly pleasures. So vulgar! So shallow! From this day forward, Bu Le was a man in love. He would love no one but Xiao Wu.
He treasured every moment with her. When she wasn't around, he trained with all his might, striving for the day he could grow strong enough to take her back from Tang San and declare proudly:
"Xiao Wu belongs to me—Bu Le!"
Their monthly meetings became Bu Le's sole source of joy.
But... he hadn't expected goodbye to come so suddenly.
Xiao Wu hadn't said where she was going. Bu Le clutched the Xuan Tian Treasure Manual tightly and declared:
"Xiao Wu, wait for me. A-Le will train hard. One day, I will stand behind you and become your strength... your aid in vengeance!"
He opened the treasure manual.
Xuan Tian Art, Jade Hand, Purple Demon Eye, Crane-Capturing Dragon-Subduing, Ghost Shadow Steps, Secret of Hidden Weapons...
These words danced before his eyes.
And so, in order to one day stand beside Xiao Wu with pride as her man, our Bu Le began a new, self-disciplined life.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wu had returned from the Rose Hotel.
She hadn't expected her martial spirit to fuse with Bu Le's.
Xiao Wu had no shortage of men around her—brawny ones like Er Ming, feminine ones like Oscar, dashing ones like Yu Tianheng, and even suave ones like Dai Mubai. But truth be told, only Bu Le had caught her eye—thanks to his cute little buckteeth.
Unfortunately, Bu Le's talent was garbage. Even the fat guy Ma Hongjun had more value than him.
Still, he could perform a fusion technique with her. In human terms, those with martial spirit fusion compatibility were inherently loyal. For Xiao Wu, that meant Bu Le was actually more useful than Tang San.
(Even though Tang San acted super obedient around her, in Xiao Wu's mind, a group of 100% loyal dogs was far more valuable.)
Thus, each month, after spending time with Dai Mubai, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Er Ming, and Yu Tianheng, Xiao Wu would spare a bit of time to visit Bu Le at the Rose Hotel.
As for where the money to support Bu Le came from?
Of course—she asked her dear Ah San giegie for it.
Before parting this time, Xiao Wu decided to make an investment. While Bu Le's talent was poor, Tang San had some heaven-defying treasures. So, she got the Xuan Tian Treasure Manual from Tang San and gave it to Bu Le.
Xiao Wu didn't expect A-Le to become a peerless expert—but maybe, just maybe, he could one day become a Soul Emperor or Soul Sage. That'd make him a bit more useful.
"Xiao Wu, where did you go?"
Tang San asked with concern.
Xiao Wu replied vaguely, "Oh, nowhere special. I just went to Soto City to buy some milk."
"Oh," Tang San blinked. He wasn't sure when Xiao Wu had become so into milk. Every month, she'd ask him for money to go buy some.
Considerate as always, Tang San said,
"Xiao Wu, if you want milk next time, how about Ah San giegie buys it for you?"
"No, that's okay." Xiao Wu waved her hand and said,
"The milk you buy doesn't suit my taste. I prefer the kind I get myself."
Hearing this, Tang San looked a little disheartened.
Xiao Wu smiled sweetly and said,
"But if Ah San giegie wants to help Xiao Wu, then next time I need money, could you lend me a little? Xiao Wu won't forget your kindness."
"Of course, Xiao Wu. Leave it to me."
Tang San patted his chest and swore,
"Ah San giegie won't let you run out of money."
Tang San thought of his upcoming contact with Ning Fengzhi, and the hidden weapon deal he'd soon strike. After that, money would no longer be a concern.
In the future, as his strength grew—even to the level of divine power—anything Xiao Wu wanted on this continent, he would give her.
Even if she wanted a kingdom, with a wave of his hand, he could force Xue Beng to abdicate.
Surely, by then, Xiao Wu would come to rely on her Ah San giegie just like in their past life.
Tang San smiled sweetly at the thought.
After Shrek Academy was shut down, the group made their way toward Heaven Dou City, participating in a Soul Duel Tournament in each city they passed through — but that's a story for another time.
Heaven Dou City
The aging Emperor Xue Ye sat on his throne, listening attentively to Xue Qinghe's report. He looked at Xue Qinghe with a satisfied expression.
Not long ago, this old king had suffered two heart-wrenching tragedies — the death of two of his most outstanding sons: Xue Luochuan and Xue Haizang. Both had died under mysterious circumstances.
His empire had enjoyed peace for many years, but under the surface, currents of unrest were stirring. Where this massive ship of the empire was headed remained uncertain. Thankfully, his second son Xue Qinghe had now shown he had the capability to steer it.
Looking at his second son, Emperor Xue Ye then glanced at his fourth son, Xue Beng. Instantly, disappointment flashed in his eyes — a feeling of hating iron for not becoming steel.
"All is decided — proceed as you said, Qinghe," Xue Ye waved his hand dismissively.
"Yes, Father," Xue Qinghe smiled.
"Court is dismissed," Xue Ye announced.
As Xue Qinghe was leaving the court, Xue Beng chased after him. He threw an arm around Xue Qinghe's shoulder and said:
"Brother, I'm a bit strapped for cash. Could you lend me some?"
"Sigh, there's just no dealing with you." Xue Qinghe pulled out a money pouch and handed it to him.
Xue Beng grabbed the money excitedly and hugged Xue Qinghe. "This is great! Thanks, brother!"
And before leaving, he even sneakily groped Xue Qinghe a bit.
Does Xue Beng have unusual sexual preferences?
Of course not. He had a little secret — he was a reincarnator. He remembered every detail of his previous life.
In his past life, he had three older brothers, all more capable than he was. Then something happened — his second brother was replaced by Qian Renxue, who went on to secretly assassinate his other two brothers.
Later, during Qian Renxue's coup attempt in the Heaven Dou Palace, her plans were foiled by Tang San, Dugu Bo, and Yang Wudi. Xue Beng took the chance to cling to Tang San.
No one could have imagined that, out of all Emperor Xue Ye's four sons, the least likely to become emperor — Xue Beng — would eventually ascend the throne and become the center of attention.
Having lived one life already, Xue Beng certainly wasn't lacking ambition.
In his past life, he had not only become emperor, but had also eliminated the massive threat of Spirit Hall. With the ceasefire between the Heaven Dou and Star Luo empires, his long-suppressed desires were unleashed. He indulged himself fully in pleasure and luxury.
But after savoring all the delights of the mortal world, one day, he saw his master and the other six Shrek monsters ascending to the Divine Realm.
Tang San and the others were still young and radiant. But he — now old and withered — had even contracted syphilis.
In that moment, Xue Beng understood something:
Royal power is not eternal. Everyone must face death.
Only divine power can endure for thousands of years.
After that, he pursued what every emperor dreamed of: eternal life. But in the end, he still died in agony on the dragon throne, ravaged by illness.
Given a second chance at life, Xue Beng no longer desired the throne — he longed for immortality.
But he quickly realized that even with the memories of his past life, he was now facing a hellish opening.
In his previous life, although he had to survive under Qian Renxue's nose, at least he had backing from Dugu Bo before Tang San arrived.
With Dugu Bo's support, Prince Xue Xing and Xue Qinghe had been able to oppose each other in court, giving Xue Beng some breathing room.
But in this life, for some reason, his uncle never established ties with Dugu Bo, and his plans to obtain a celestial herb were completely dashed.
With Prince Xue Xing in decline and Emperor Xue Ye growing weaker, the entire court was now dominated by Xue Qinghe but since Xue Bing was reborn he knew it was Qian Renxue — she controlled everything.
Under these conditions, Xue Beng had no choice but to play the fool — to act the role of a pleasure-obsessed wastrel.
Even his golden years for cultivation were slipping by, and currently, he was just a Rank 29 Soul Master.
The possibility of achieving immortality on his own?
Let's just say it was as realistic as daydreaming.
So, Xue Beng activated Plan B.
In his past life, his master had paid him no attention — clearly, he hadn't flattered him hard enough. This time, he would work twice as hard. He would butter up Tang San with everything he had.
If he could make Tang San feel good enough, then surely, when Tang San ascended to godhood, he wouldn't forget about his "beloved disciple."
Days passed. Xue Beng waited and waited… and finally — the day came.
Shrek Academy was coming to face the Royal Heaven Dou Battle Team.
This time, Xue Beng didn't gather a bunch of noble brats from the academy.
He went alone — to personally greet his future master. He wanted to make a good impression.
Patiently waiting, he finally saw the Seven Shrek Monsters appear at the gates of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Xue Beng smiled slightly and started walking toward them.
Suddenly, his steps halted. A tremor shook his heart.
He followed the feeling — and saw a mesmerizing pink figure.
It was his Master's wife — Xiao Wu.
She looked back at him, curious.
Why… why do I have a Martial Soul Fusion resonance with Master's wife?!
A question mark formed in Xue Beng's brain.
And for some reason — Master's wife was so beautiful.
Xiao Wu really was stunning. In his past life, only Qian Renxue in her later years could rival her beauty.
Back then, Xue Beng had once lusted after Qian Renxue, but failed — a regret he carried.
But Xiao Wu? He had never dared entertain a thought — she was his master's forbidden fruit.
Yet… the moment that feeling surged up, Xue Beng's mind was filled with one vivid image:
Holding Master's wife in his arms, breathing in her sweet fragrance.
This was his master's wife!
Just thinking of her soft, supple figure stirred something inside him. But then he forced himself to suppress it.
Inside his mind, two versions of Xue Beng began to argue:
One said:
"No, Xue Beng! Are you insane?! Fantasizing about Master's wife? She's off-limits! If Master finds out, forget immortality — you'll be on his death list!"
The other said:
"But… it's Master's wife! Just imagine holding her. So thrilling!
If I can't even be with her, what's the point of chasing immortality?"
To the others — Tang San and the rest — Xue Beng simply looked like a lovesick pig, drooling as he stared at Xiao Wu.