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Shrek Academy.
Sea God's Pavilion.
The lights were bright.
The Sea God Pavilion meeting, which was rarely convened in past years, was being held for the umpteenth time.
But this time, the atmosphere carried a sense of heaviness.
Su Wen had vanished within the Star Dou Forest. The Auspicious Beast was missing. Di Tian, in his fury, threatened to unleash a beast tide if Shrek failed to locate the beast within three days. Each matter weighed heavily on the Elders, leaving them breathless.
"Xuanzi, are you certain those people were Evil Soul Masters?"
Mu En tapped the armrest of his wheelchair and asked softly.
"I am certain!" Xuanzi quickly nodded.
"On our return, we happened to encounter the Myriad Demon King slaughtering them. Among them were Evil Soul Masters of Soul Saint and Soul Douluo levels, and we even ran into two Titled Douluo. Their resistance revealed sinister energy—either manipulating souls or advancing by devouring human flesh and blood."
"Titled Douluo…" Mu En's expression grew increasingly grave.
"Combined with what Shao Zhe sensed a few days ago, everything aligns. The Auspicious Beast was likely captured by their scheme. As for Xiao Wen… sigh, it's highly probable as well. Who would have thought that after all these years of Shrek's suppression of the Evil Soul Masters, they weren't eradicated but merely driven elsewhere, even banding together to become a genuine threat?"
To be able to arrange an effective space-sealing barrier and to dare set their sights on the Auspicious Beast showed just how deep this faction's foundation ran.
"Evil Soul Masters… have become an organization?!!"
The Elders were stunned.
The mission of the Monitoring Corps was to hunt down Evil Soul Masters across the continent, yet who could have imagined these wretches, who should have been skulking in the shadows, now banding together and even gaining momentum!
"Teacher, are you suggesting…the Sun Moon Empire?" Yan Shaozhe's face darkened.
The more he thought, the more likely it seemed. The other three nations lay under Shrek Academy's close watch. Even if they dared to shelter Evil Soul Masters, it would only be a handful, never enough to form a true force. That left only the Sun Moon Empire.
"Elder Mu, what about Xiao Wen!"
Elder Song asked anxiously.
Su Wen was the foundation of Shrek Academy. This unprecedented prodigy was practically the pillar that could ensure Shrek's flourishing for another two hundred years. Even now, he already showed the potential to reach the Limit Douluo realm, not to mention what lay ahead…
"It seems I must go personally this time."
Mu En spoke softly.
"These old bones of mine still have a reason to leave the Academy once again." He sighed quietly, then said firmly: "Rest assured, everyone. Su Wen is the Academy's future. Even if it costs my life, I will bring him back. Xuanzi, you'll guard the Academy. Song Yunzhi, Xian Lin'er, Yan Shaozhe… you will come with me to the Sun Moon Empire."
"Yes!"
"Wait, Elder Mu, there's one more matter…"
Xuanzi hesitated.
"That spatial barrier created by those people—it wasn't detected by Di Tian nor dispelled by themselves. Rather, it was broken from within by someone else… no, more like unraveled with precision, using subtle force to dissolve it." Xuanzi strained to recall the sensation.
The gray pillar of light seemed imposing, but it gave him a sense of hollowness. Breaking the barrier was like opening a lock with the proper key, not forcing it open with brute strength.
"You're certain?!!"
Mu En's eyes gleamed sharply as he turned toward Xuanzi.
"Y-Yes." Xuanzi nodded.
"And once the barrier was broken, those Evil Soul Masters had no chance to escape. Corpses littered the ground, slaughtered by the fierce beasts of the core region. If they had opened it themselves, that would have been far too foolish."
The Elders fell into silence.
This was indeed strange.
It seemed even the Holy Spirit Cult's plot had backfired, leaving them worse off than before. But that gray pillar of light… who exactly had unleashed such a phenomenon? That was the true question.
"Xuanzi."
Mu En paused, his fingers tapping the wooden armrest.
"I'm here," Xuanzi quickly responded.
"Go once more to the Star Dou Forest. Tell Di Tian that our Academy's child is missing too—his importance no less than your forest's Auspicious Beast. And since he disappeared within your territory, we demand an explanation," Mu En's tone was calm.
"Elder Mu, your meaning is…" Yan Shaozhe was stunned.
"Xiao Wen may not have been taken by the Holy Spirit Cult." Mu En nodded.
"Xuanzi, head to the Star Dou Forest. When you return, we depart for the Sun Moon Empire."
"Yes!"
…
"Fine, but don't go too far," Di Tian said indifferently.
"Of course." Su Wen smiled.
"My first condition: I want a ladle of the Lake of Life's water."
The Golden Essence of Life was too precious—Di Tian would almost certainly not grant it, not even a fragment the size of a fingernail. So Su Wen asked instead for a scoop of the lake's water. It still contained dense vitality, enough to temporarily help Elder Yi stabilize her fragmented divine sense. The Life Engraving Knife would come later.
"Agreed," Di Tian answered without hesitation.
"From the core region," Su Wen added.
Di Tian: "…Fine."
Even if the vitality there was denser, what did it matter? The true source was the Golden Essence of Life. As long as the boy didn't ask for that, Di Tian could oblige.
"Sigh, you should be asking for the Golden Essence of Life, the treasure hidden deep beneath the lake. Is my life worth only a single ladle of water?" the Auspicious Beast muttered unhappily at the side.
Di Tian: "…"
His chest ached.
Bi Ji covered her mouth with a laugh, clearly amused at the betrayal.
Though not related by blood, Di Tian and the Auspicious Beast were more like father and daughter.
An old, stubborn father… and a rebellious daughter determined to run off with some punk.
"Boy, what's your second request?" Di Tian snorted coldly.
"I want her…"
Su Wen pointed at Bi Ji.
In an instant, the air froze.
The other fierce beasts were shocked, staring wide-eyed. They never imagined a human would dare such audacity. Did he truly understand what Bi Ji represented?
Di Tian's expression turned pitch-black, on the verge of erupting.
But Bi Ji only smiled sweetly. "You want me?"
"No, I want one of your Emerald Swan kin. A cultivation level of ten thousand years will do—even several tens of thousands," Su Wen shook his head.
"…"
The tension eased.
Di Tian's mouth twitched as he glared at Su Wen.
He hated nothing more than people who spoke half their thoughts, leaving him hanging.
"You saved the Auspicious Beast, and for that, you indeed have our gratitude. But… forgive me, I will not offer my kin's life as your reward," Bi Ji shook her head firmly, her beautiful eyes resolute.
"What if they volunteer?" Su Wen asked with a smile.
"Volunteer?" Bi Ji was taken aback.
She could hardly imagine any of her kin willingly becoming a human's spirit ring.
"Why not give it a try?"
(End of Chapter)