"Back then, when I brought Yue Er into Shrek City, I specifically spoke with your teacher. He readily agreed to look after my disciple. Yet today, you've sent back a cold corpse!"
"Today, you, a junior, dare to shift the blame to my poor disciple right in front of me, and bully her orphaned child! Yan Shaozhe, you've gone too far!"
Xu Xiaoyun, clutching the Dark Gold Black Tortoise Shield, resembled a terrifying, peerless beast. His Soul Rings, seemingly burning with rage, rose slowly, eliciting a mix of surprise and fear from Yan Shaozhe.
Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black, Red! Red!
Nine Soul Rings, exceeding the generally accepted optimal configuration for Soul Masters, appeared. Xu Xiaoyun's eyes were as sharp as blades, his body grew a full size larger, and his aged face became younger, as if he had returned to his youth. His eyes sparkled like shooting stars, and the massive Dark Gold Black Tortoise Shield firmly protected Xu Tianxi behind him.
The air in the huge room solidified, and water elements fluctuated violently. Xu Tianxi and the other two felt as if they could hear the roar of ocean waves.
"Senior, Senior Xu, you are a renowned and esteemed figure in the Soul Master world. Please don't stoop to our level as juniors…"
Yan Shaozhe was directly enveloped by Xu Xiaoyun's immense aura, experiencing a suffocating fear, as if drowning. He broke out in a cold sweat and could barely speak coherently.
At this moment, he was astonished to find that the opponent's aura was even stronger than Old Xuan's, and the pressure he felt was second only to his teacher's.
This meant the opponent was a Level Ninety-Seven Super Douluo! And, their strength was likely not inferior to Old Xuan's!
But how was this possible? Although the opponent was of the same generation as his teacher, none of the prodigious figures who made a name for themselves alongside his teacher back then were this person!
Although Old Xuan was a generation younger than his teacher, he was only about ten years younger and came from Shrek. His profound cultivation was definitely at the peak of Level Ninety-Seven. This Old Monster Xu wasn't from the Body Sect, nor was he the Dark Sacred Dragon, who was as famous as his teacher. How could he possess strength not inferior to Old Xuan's?
One must know, the Dark Sacred Dragon had even spent some time training at Shrek and received guidance from their Grandmaster. This person shouldn't have entered the academy!
Zhang Lexuan's mouth hung open in astonishment. Xu Xiaoyun's aura gave her a sense of unreality. This was definitively a Super Douluo with incredibly deep cultivation, beyond her comprehension.
Xu Xiaoyun intentionally controlled his Soul Power suppression, so she didn't feel any danger. Yet, the strength he displayed seemed no less than Old Xuan's. Even Dean Yan, whose cultivation was as high as Level Ninety-Five, was suppressed to the point of gasping for breath.
At the Super Douluo level, even a single level difference was a world apart. However, to completely incapacitate Dean Yan, a Level Ninety-Five Super Douluo from Shrek, with mere pressure, even a Level Ninety-Seven powerhouse couldn't achieve it. One would have to reach Old Xuan's realm.
"Xi Yue-jie had already met the graduation requirements for Inner Courtyard disciples, and with such a teacher, she wouldn't have to worry about cultivation even if she left the academy. If it weren't to hunt a Soul Ring for me, how could she have died at the hands of that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast?"
Looking at Xu Xiaoyun's Hundred Thousand Year Eighth Ring, Zhang Lexuan recalled the nightmare in the Star Dou Great Forest.
In that critical moment, Kong Xiyue, as the most cultivated person present, selflessly protected all of them.
That Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast was a lightning-fast Dark Hunter. If Xi Yue-jie hadn't fought desperately, none of their group of twelve might have survived.
After seven companions tragically died, they finally saw the light of victory, but the Soul Beast launched its final counterattack. She and another Inner Courtyard disciple were its targets.
It was Xi Yue-jie who saved them by sacrificing her Martial Soul, but she herself…
Thinking about it now, if Xi Yue-jie had left the Inner Courtyard earlier, with this senior protecting her, how could she have ended up like this?
Surely not all top powerhouses are like Old Xuan, right? Hehe…
Xu Tianxi was also full of surprise, somewhat astonished by the strength of his temporary Grandmaster.
No wonder he dared to let him speak freely; he possessed absolute strength, and it was formidable.
However, in the original work, the Black Tortoise Shield Martial Soul was comparable to an Ultimate Martial Soul, and Xu Sanshi's destructive power was also extremely strong. The Xuanming Sect was also a major seller of Elixirs, so it wasn't surprising to have such an ancestor holding down the fort.
After all, apart from the Golden Tree, Shrek didn't have unique resources. Generations of top powerhouses were the result of a snowball effect, and their Elixir quality might not even compare to the Xuanming Sect, which could mass-produce Mystic Water Pills and Black Tortoise Divine Pills.
That Taotie, Xuan Zi, whose "merits" were enough to be a Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Church, was taught by Mu En. But without the Cosmos Creation Pill given by Yuhao, he might not have broken through the ultimate barrier even in a hundred years.
As Xu Tianxi recalled various aspects of Shrek from the original work, Xu Xiaoyun's pressure continued to increase. Yan Shaozhe suddenly felt his throat gripped by immense force, as if he were in deep, heavy water. He couldn't even release his Martial Soul, and his face turned crimson.
"Senior Xu, Senior Xu, Shaozhe misspoke. Please forgive this old man… Shaozhe apologizes here, to you, old senior…"
Xu Xiaoyun cast a cold, sidelong glance at Yan Shaozhe and said coldly:
"Apologize? What were you doing just now? Now that my anger has flared, you want to smooth things over? Too late!"
With that, he let out a low huff, then turned his gaze to Xu Tianxi, who was still a bit dazed, and a kind smile appeared on his face as he said gently:
"Child, what you just said was very good. These Shrek people have gone too far. They only care about their so-called glory, completely disregarding your mother's life.
Since that's the case, you don't need to be polite. Get up first and give this old fellow a few slaps! Consider it avenging your mother!"
Hearing this, Xu Tianxi's eyes widened. He pointed a finger at himself, then at Yan Shaozhe, whose face had turned liver-red, and asked, as if confirming:
"You mean I should slap him, not you?"
Me, a child who hasn't even awakened his Martial Soul yet, hitting the Dean of Shrek Academy? Is this old ancestor playing too big a game?
Putting everything else aside, Yan Shaozhe, as a Super Douluo, probably had a face thicker than a city wall. If he hit him, Yan Shaozhe might not even feel it, but his own hand would likely hurt for a long time.
The kind smile remained on Xu Xiaoyun's face, and he nodded in affirmation:
"Exactly, you do it. Slap him, the Dean of Shrek Academy. He insulted your mother. It's only right and proper for a son to avenge his mother!"
"Senior, that's going too far! I am a Super Douluo, the Dean of Shrek Academy! How can you let a child…"
Yan Shaozhe roared in anger, but Xu Xiaoyun didn't give him a chance to speak. The blood-red Eighth Soul Ring lit up, and a giant beast's phantom suddenly rose behind him, plunging into Xu Xiaoyun's body. A six-pointed black light immediately flared on his right index finger, which he slowly pointed towards Yan Shaozhe's Dantian.
Yan Shaozhe's terrified eyes widened. He desperately tried to summon his Martial Soul to protect himself.
With a crisp phoenix cry, the shimmering image of a Light Phoenix, ready to take flight, appeared behind him. The optimal Soul Ring configuration of two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red followed, showcasing his Level Ninety-Five cultivation to its fullest.
But! In front of a Level Ninety-Eight powerhouse, he still had no power to resist. Yan Shaozhe couldn't even move, only able to watch as the black light on the finger grew larger and larger in his vision.
Finally, it touched his Dantian!
"With this level of cultivation, you dare to get so close to me? Junior, you think too highly of yourself! Even Mu En, over two hundred years ago, wouldn't dare to underestimate me so much!"
Xu Xiaoyun spoke with disdain, the six-pointed star formation at his fingertip suddenly releasing a terrifying surge of Soul Power. It coursed through Yan Shaozhe's Meridians like ten thousand years of glacial ice, or endless heavy water, crushing Yan Shaozhe's self-proclaimed pure Light Soul Power.
Finally, it sealed his Dantian's Soul Core!
Feeling the sudden change in his Soul Power, Yan Shaozhe's pupils constricted in shock. He felt his cultivation being sealed, and even his Soul Core was covered by a terrifying mass of heavy water!
What happened next was beyond Zhang Lexuan's comprehension. She clearly sensed Yan Shaozhe's Super Douluo cultivation rapidly fading, quickly dropping to Titled Douluo, Soul Douluo… It only slowed down once it had fallen to the Soul Elder level.
"You have a top-tier Martial Soul like Light Phoenix and a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, yet you're nearly a hundred years old and haven't broken through Level Ninety-Six. It seems you've been quite slack. Go back and cultivate diligently for a few decades before seeking me out again."
After finishing his scolding, Xu Xiaoyun followed up by pressing a palm to Yan Shaozhe's chest, pushing him in front of Xu Tianxi.
"Scolding a child's mother, utterly disrespectful! Insulting a teacher's disciple, utterly shameless!
My seniority is on par with your teacher's, so it's indeed not right for me to bully someone younger. But I have a junior here, and since you're making excuses for that old beast Xuan Zi, then getting a couple of slaps isn't unfair!"
After bitterly cursing these words, Xu Xiaoyun's gaze fell upon Xu Tianxi, becoming gentle and expectant.
"How about it, little Tianxi? His cultivation has been sealed by Grandmaster, and his physical strength has greatly decreased. Do you dare to give him two slaps?"
The atmosphere had reached this point; if Xu Tianxi hesitated any longer, there would be no point in him being there. He had been quite angered by Yan Shaozhe earlier too.
Getting directly out of bed and breaking free from Zhang Lexuan's embrace, Xu Tianxi raised his fair right hand, aiming it at Yan Shaozhe's old face, which was filled with anger and terror, about to slap down hard.
At this moment, Zhang Lexuan, who had been a spectator for a long time, finally reacted. Her face paled, and she urgently cried out to stop him:
"Don't, Tianxi! He is, after all, the Dean of Shrek Academy. If you hit him, Shrek Academy will never let it go! And Xu, Senior, you also need to consider Xuanming Sect!"
Having cultivated at Shrek Academy for many years, she knew too well Shrek Academy's strength. There were over a dozen Elders in the Sea God Pavilion, all of whom outranked the four Deans, as well as reserve Elders like Beast King Gong Changlong. Most of them were Titled Douluo, and there were quite a few Super Douluo.
If Yan Shaozhe were humiliated today, Zhang Lexuan dared not imagine what would happen.
"Yes, yes, yes, boy, you can't…" Yan Shaozhe also remembered his identity and cried out to Xu Tianxi with wide eyes.
Slap—
A crisp slap suddenly echoed in the room. Yan Shaozhe froze, and Zhang Lexuan froze too.
Slap, slap, slap—
Xu Tianxi used both hands, slapping Yan Shaozhe four times in a row before stopping. Each slap was louder than the last.
Shaking his small hand, which was stinging from Yan Shaozhe's thick skin, Xu Tianxi turned to Zhang Lexuan and smiled innocently, saying:
"Aunt Xuan, next time, say those words faster, or my hand won't be able to stop."
Xu Xiaoyun nodded in satisfaction, then grabbed Yan Shaozhe by the lapels of his chest and, to the latter's extreme horror, slammed him hard onto the floor.
Thud—
With a heavy sound, a human-shaped hole appeared in the ground. Although Yan Shaozhe didn't bleed, he no longer had his previous composure. His hair ornament flew off, and his long hair covered his face, making him look utterly disheveled.
Xu Xiaoyun said coldly, "I've lived for over two hundred years. I've always disliked showing off, but I will never pretend to be a coward when someone bullies me!"
"From now on, open your eyes wide. If you dare to act wild in front of me again, I don't mind teaching you a good lesson on Mu En's behalf, you ill-mannered fellow!"
"Now, get out of Xuanming Sect's territory and never let me see your hypocritical, shameless face again!"
Having said that, Xu Xiaoyun's fourth Soul Ring glowed brightly, and his Soul Skill, Black Tortoise Displacement, reappeared. The black light of the Black Tortoise Shield enveloped Yan Shaozhe. The latter, powerless to resist, was immediately teleported away.
As if still unsatisfied, Xu Xiaoyun flew up and delivered a heavy kick to Yan Shaozhe's face just as the black light was about to disappear. The latter let out a muffled groan, and a vivid splash of blood bloomed in the air.
Zhang Lexuan stared blankly at the ground where the large pit had been made, feeling an absurd sense of unreality. After a few seconds, she came back to her senses and said with a bitter smile to Xu Xiaoyun:
"Senior Xu, although Dean Yan's words were offensive, he is, after all, Mu Lao's disciple and of distinguished status. If you do this, Shrek Academy might…"
"Aunt Xuan!"
Xu Tianxi called out to Zhang Lexuan, waving his clenched fists and saying indignantly:
"What Yan Shaozhe lost today was just face, but my mother lost her life! Isn't Shrek to blame for this?
They killed my mother and slandered her. Why can't we hit him?!"
The words Zhang Lexuan was about to say suddenly caught in her throat. Her face looked stunned for a moment, and she was speechless.
Yes, this matter was originally the Academy's fault, but why did I…
Suddenly, the sacred temple in her heart seemed to develop a few cracks, covered in a layer of dust.