Zang Xin stayed silent, fists tightly clenched under the table.
This was basically the "end of days" for Tang Sect.
No arms dealing. No accepting missions. How was Tang Sect supposed to maintain its wealth?
How would so many brothers feed themselves?
"What about Cao Dezhi?" Su Wen interrupted the endlessly ranting Chen Nian.
"Cao Dezhi... should face the highest-level military tribunal. But in reality, his crime doesn't even need a trial; he can be directly sentenced… to death! He let Abyssal Creatures into the continent, resulting in unthinkable casualties." Chen Nian's voice was righteous and solemn.
At the mention of 'death sentence', Zang Xin shuddered, his eyes bloodshot.
He couldn't hold it in any longer.
"On what grounds!"
"He's guarded the Blood God Legion for so many years. If he doesn't have achievements, he has at least worked hard and suffered. He's fended off countless Abyssal invasions. How can you execute him just for one mistake—"
"You call this a mistake?" En Ci cut him off coldly.
"Putting aside that Zhang Huanyun was forcibly suppressed, Blood Two to Blood Nine never made a move, allowing billions of Abyssal Creatures to pour out…"
"Do you know how many people died this time?!"
"Just from my Star Lou Empire's military, over a thousand! Because there was no time for defenses, eleven cities along the way were slaughtered! Not a single bone left behind."
"How dare your Blood God Legion even claim you're guarding the Abyss… Oh, and Blood Division One—one thousand elite warriors, utterly annihilated by Abyssal Creatures with no backup. While all this happened… Cao Dezhi just stood there and watched!"
"…"
Zang Xin turned his face away. He knew it really was Cao Dezhi's fault.
Speechless.
But… that was, after all, his beloved.
"I'm willing to use Tang Sect—" Zang Xin struggled feebly.
"You have no right to bargain with me."
Su Wen shook his head.
"If Tang Sect refuses punishment, I don't mind personally making a move."
"And one more thing—Shrek Academy…"
He looked at Zhuo Shi's corpse, smiling. "Someone pass on my words: from this moment, Shrek Academy may no longer enroll new students, and all income-generating assets are to be absorbed by the Federation to help fund the military front. You no longer control Shrek City…"
If Tang Sect was a troublemaker, Shrek was its talent factory—supplying fresh blood.
A nest of snakes and rats, nothing good between them.
"Well, everyone, that's all for today's meeting."
"Until we meet again."
Spirit Pagoda Headquarters
Top floor.
Qian Gu Lincheng knelt before Qian Gu Dongfeng, his face swollen as if stuffed with half a bun, but still shivering, not daring to speak.
"Father, Chen Xinjie—was it really him who beat him within an inch of his life?"
"Of course!!"
Qian Gu Dongfeng fumed, "From today, everything will change across the continent. I practically groveled like a dog before him just to keep our Spirit Pagoda base intact, and you dare provoke him?!"
"It was my first time meeting him…" Qian Gu Lincheng felt like crying. "And he seemed so gentle, not like a bloodthirsty killer at all."
Just thinking about it now left him frightened.
Those two went to Shrek City exuding killing intent. Luckily, Wu Zhangkong was there to remind him, or the first to bear the brunt wouldn't have been Shrek—it would've been them.
"Forget it." Qian Gu Dongfeng squinted.
"Reached Ghost Emperor yet? Where's that old bastard now?"
"He says he's resting, and won't show up until you finish that twelve-level fixed-installed soul guidance cannon." Qian Gu Lincheng answered.
"Heh…" The heavy mood suddenly changed as Qian Gu Dongfeng chuckled, "That sly dog. I've warned him countless times, but he just insists on dancing in front of 'that one'. He's lucky to even keep half his life—only because 'that one' allows it."
"In that case…"
"Let's commence the plan."
Qian Gu Dongfeng peered toward the distant Shrek Academy, a trace of cruelty in his eyes.
The Far North
A deep, icy cavern.
Purple light flickered dimly.
At the center of a gloomy pool, a black-robed woman suddenly coughed up blood, her delicate features appearing even paler in the reflection.
"Damn it…"
A cold female voice. The Demon Empress' gaze was vicious, clutching her abdomen—her waist pierced by a horrifying wound that refused to heal.
That purple Godly Bamboo's destructive thunder was too terrifying, constantly suppressing her self-recovery.
How could it be so strong?
So terrifying…
No wonder the Plane's Will pushed her out first—waiting here to ambush.
In the end, with the Dragon God's revival, she was blocked by the purple bamboo and beaten half-dead, while the ragtag Holy Spirit Cult members were fully eliminated…
Just who is this monster!?
"Demon Empress."
Suddenly, a voice echoed in the cavern.
"You!!"
Eyes wide with terror, the Demon Empress shrank backward, glaring hatefully at Su Wen as he slowly appeared. "Who are you!?"
She thought it was all over—one full day and night had passed…
But here he was, right at her lair.
"Want to see who this is?" Su Wen clapped his hands.
A deep-sea Demon Whale thousands of years old surfaced in the pool. Though its 30-40 meter body was huge, the cavern was spacious—so it swam around, seemingly happy and unburdened.
"That's…" The Demon Empress' eyes went dull as a familiar feeling surged inside.
It was her lover!
Once killed by Tang San, the legendary Deep Sea Demon Whale King—her only emotional support all these years.
"Rooaaar!"
Unable to speak yet, the whale let out a long, excited call, bursting with joy.
Su Wen smiled gently.
He couldn't help it; at present, his third spirit was vacant. Mythic beasts that had turned human could appear in human form even after capture but could only transform into soul beast form in the end...
Currently at level 31, equaling a soul beast of 8-9 thousand years—having just entered its second form:
Deep Sea Demon Whale King → Boundless Sea Demon Whale King
The first evolutionary stage was usually small for now—only a minor bloodline advance.
This left the whale somewhat dejected, even thinking he'd been cheated…
But now, even after thousands of years—
To see her lover again.
"Why?!"
The Demon Empress was in disbelief, suspecting it was an illusion.
"Why did you take over the Holy Spirit Cult?" Su Wen asked with a smile.
"Because…"
"Because he was killed by Tang San. Ever since, you hated all of humanity, wanted them all dead, right?"
"You even sided with the Abyss, because your life or death didn't matter. As long as humanity died—right?"
"Yes." She answered coldly.
"Then what if I said…" Su Wen smiled, "Our enemy is the same?"
The Demon Empress looked lost and confused.
So all these years—hunting the wrong enemy?
....