"You know, Xuan Zi is the vice-head of Shrek's damn Supervision Group, handling the day-to-day affairs. Mu En, the actual head, is just a figurehead, not really involved.
Over the years, people have died in Shrek's Inner Courtyard every year. Not long ago, he even caused the deaths of eight geniuses who were practically guaranteed to become Titled Douluo, and the remaining four were gravely injured...
This is terrifying. If he's your mole, I'll have to immediately withdraw all the disciples of my Xuanming Sect from Shrek."
"Don't worry, if it's true, I swear on my Martial Soul that I won't breathe a word of it."
Xu Xiaoyun spoke with a solemn and serious expression, listing Xuan Zi's various misdeeds during his tenure. Clearly, these weren't impulsive ramblings.
Long Xiaoyao's eyelids twitched, and he even paused his drinking. A hint of confusion appeared in his bright eyes.
Listening to Xu Xiaoyun, this old fool Xuan Zi had accomplished what many in the Holy Spirit Church could only dream of. He had actively destroyed a large number of geniuses in Shrek's Inner Courtyard, all of them top talents who, without mishap, would have advanced to Titled Douluo, greatly weakening the mainstream Soul Masters' future active forces.
In terms of merit, this guy was no worse than him, the Hall Master of the Holy Spirit Church's Hall of Worship. He'd be more than qualified to be a Supreme Elder.
If he truly was a mole, the merits of a century as a mole and his status as Mu En's successor would be enough for him to inherit his own position.
But the problem was... he really couldn't recall anyone like that in the Holy Spirit Church.
Long Xiaoyao pondered for a moment, checking through all the Holy Spirit Church powerhouses in his memory. He scrunched his eyebrows and shook his head, saying,
"It shouldn't be him. I also swear on my Martial Soul that I've never seen him in the Holy Spirit Church."
"In that case, good. It seems my Xuanming Sect disciples can stay in Shrek a bit longer."
Xu Xiaoyun let out a sigh of relief. This was good. It seemed the boy San Shi could still return to Shrek.
The intel said that San Shi had just become good friends with Mu En's great-grandson this year. With that connection, Mu En would surely pay some attention. He couldn't possibly trust even his own great-grandson to be ruined by Xuan Zi, could he?
"Grandpa Long, Grandpa Xu, the roast meat is here."
The waiter brought fragrant lamb skewers dripping with oil, succulent beef skewers, and large cuts of beef spine. The aroma, accompanied by the rising steam, wafted through the air, causing the two greatest powerhouses of the current era to silently shift their gaze and swallow.
Without a word, the two picked up their knives and forks and began to feast, continuing their conversation as they ate.
"This second matter... I want my great-grandson to come to the Sun Moon Empire to cultivate in a few years. I'm not worried about anything else, just that he'll be targeted by your Holy Spirit Church. Since I'm treating you to this meal, please keep your subordinates in check."
Xu Xiaoyun chewed on the roasted beef, cutting slices as he spoke with a fragrant sigh,
"At my age, my only concern is the safety of my children and grandchildren. Back then, when I took his mother to Shrek, I specifically spoke to Mu En, but what I got back was a cold corpse. Now, I only regret my poor judgment back then...
You, Dark Sacred Dragon, have hands and feet, and you'll probably be able to jump around for another hundred years. Don't be as unreliable as that cripple."
Long Xiaoyao chewed on a slice of meat, saying with a satisfied expression,
"Don't worry, just for the sake of this roast meat, even if the Holy Spirit Church captures your grandson, I'll personally bring him back to you safe and sound."
"Heh heh, then I'm relieved. You, Long Xiaoyao, were a man of your word back then. You shouldn't lie to an old man like me."
"What are you saying? You're the First Defense System Soul Master of this era, and your Golden Black Tortoise Martial Soul is incredibly powerful. Even I can't guarantee I could hold you back. I'm more worried about you going crazy."
"I'm old, I'm old. If I could break through to Limit Douluo, I'd dare to stand my ground against both you and Mu En. But I haven't been able to do that, sigh... It seems among our generation, Mu En passed away the earliest, then Poison Undying and me. No one will live longer than you."
"Don't your Xuanming Sect know the Turtle Breathing Technique? If you work hard, you might still live for another hundred years."
"Burying myself in the dirt and using the Turtle Breathing Technique isn't fun, and living too long is lonely. The feeling of a white-haired person burying a black-haired one is even worse...
Meeting an old friend today is the happiest day I've had in years... Heh heh, how wonderful it would be if you weren't in the Holy Spirit Church. Then I wouldn't have to send my children and grandchildren to the Sun Moon Empire."
Xu Xiaoyun spoke his true feelings in jest, his eyes filled with a sense of desolation.
Long Xiaoyao's expression stiffened, a flicker of pain in his eyes. He closed them and took a few breaths, then forced a smile and said,
"Your great-grandson is a Spiritual Soul Master, very suitable for studying Soul Guided Devices. With you, his great-grandparent, training him diligently, he should be able to become a Titled Douluo in the future. A Spiritual Titled Douluo is bound to become a Super Douluo, which is truly unique among Soul Engineers in the Sun Moon Empire."
"If he also has extraordinary talent in Soul Guided Devices, and becomes a top Level 9 Soul Engineer in the future, perhaps his strength will be powerful enough to contend with you. Your Xu Family will have a successor."
Xu Xiaoyun thought to himself, Contend with me? He'll be able to beat you down with ease, but he said somewhat unconvinced,
"I'm not a good-for-nothing like Xuan Zi. Besides that Kong Deming you mentioned, is there anyone else in the Sun Moon Empire who can fight me one-on-one?"
Long Xiaoyao thought for a moment, then pointed to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy in the distance, which occupied an area no smaller than a medium-sized city, and said,
"Yes, the dean of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, the current Mingde Hall Master Jing Hongchen, is one. He won't be your match in a prolonged battle, but he has a chance to contend with you for a while.
If Xuan Zi were to encounter him and keep his distance, it's really hard to say who would win.
Of course, there aren't many people like that in the Sun Moon Empire. Besides him, the Starry Sky Douluo Ye Yulin is another. After that, there's pretty much no one else."
"Oh? So capable?" A sharp glint flashed in Xu Xiaoyun's eyes, and a strong interest arose in his heart.
If Tian Xi came to the Sun Moon Empire, he would naturally cultivate at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. If this Mingde Hall Master had the strength to deal with Xuan Zi, then he really shouldn't be underestimated.
"Why would I lie to you? The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy just started its term. If you don't believe me, go see for yourself," Long Xiaoyao said with a smile, eating the last bite of roast meat with his fork.
"You have a point. I'll go check out the excitement, consider it a digestive walk." Xu Xiaoyun left a Gold Soul Card and stood up, striding out of the roast meat restaurant.
"Hey? You're not taking your Gold Soul Card?"
"No, consider it my treat for the roast meat. I, Xu Xiaoyun, am always generous to my brothers."
In his seat, a flicker of surprise crossed Long Xiaoyao's bright eyes, followed by a deep sigh as he murmured,
"Even you are sending your descendants to the Sun Moon Empire. It seems my choice truly brought catastrophic disaster to the three nations...
But I couldn't help it. The sins I committed back then were too deep and too heavy, so heavy that I can only forever sink into this hellish abyss with Xi Shui..."
At the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, a group of young men and women strolled and chatted on the sports field, gossiping amongst themselves.
"Hey, hey, did you hear? Our Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy just got two absolute geniuses! They broke through to level twenty at just eight years old, and they're a brother and sister pair—the boy is handsome, the girl is beautiful, with flowing silver hair! Much better looking than those dark-skinned ones!"
"Who doesn't know already? I heard it from Senior Li SanShui, the biggest gossip in the academy. Those two unparalleled geniuses have a huge background; apparently, they're the grandchildren of our Dean!"
"Huh? The Dean looks so… 'endearingly simple,' how could he have such beautiful grandchildren?"
A female student who had seen Dean Jing Hongchen's esteemed face racked her brain, finally managing to swap "short, stout, and serious" for "endearingly simple."
Her companion leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "Don't forget the names of those two unparalleled geniuses: Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen. Just hearing their names, you know they're from the Hongchen Family. How could they not be related to the Dean?"
"And are you still doubting what Senior Li SanShui said? I heard he's already suggested replacing the thousand-year Blue Silver Grass at the top of the School Hunk Ranking with Young Master Xiao Hongchen, and the thousand-year Silver Wolf at the top of the School Beauty Ranking is temporarily making way for Miss Meng Hongchen."
"Oh, oh, then I believe it." The female student nodded in profound agreement.
Normally, some idle students at the academy would vote for the school hotties, and the ones who made it to the rankings were often some strange creatures, like Senior Cat and Senior Dog.
The top spot on the School Hunk Ranking truly belonged to the Blue Silver Grass, because it was too weak for anyone to hunt it for a Soul Ring; the top spot on the School Beauty Ranking was held by a Senior Silver Wolf who had witnessed countless students come and go, rumored to be a pet of a former Dean.
The idlest among those students was named Li SanShui. Due to his special Martial Soul, which had the ability to predict good and bad fortune, he could wander between various laboratories and loved to spread gossip.
Even if these gossipmongers took it seriously, Young Master Xiao Hongchen and Miss Meng Hongchen were probably indeed descendants of the Dean.
"I'm telling you, the talent they displayed in the entrance physical exam was terrifying! They say that all their physical indicators, scanned by the Soul Guidance Physical Testing Device and the Strength Testing Device, reached the level of a Soul Elder!"
"That's truly impressive. In the future, they might even become a Super Douluo, a rare sight in our Sun Moon Empire for a thousand years…"
Deep within the sports field, Xu Xiaoyun's ears twitched, and his eyes lit up. "Soul Guidance Physical Testing Device and Strength Testing Device? Good stuff. Tian Xi could really use them."
"Breaking through to level twenty at eight years old, even if they took Elixirs, their talent is clearly extraordinary. Chang Feng said that the Hongchen Family is a top-tier power in the Sun Moon Empire. They would be a very suitable partner…"
Half an hour later, Dean Jing Hongchen's office door was burst open by the anxious Dean of Education, Lin Jiayi.
"It's bad, Dean! Our academy has been robbed!"
"Pfft—"
Dean Jing Hongchen, who had been leisurely sipping tea at his desk and pondering the teaching plans for his grandchildren, spat a mouthful of tea onto Lin Jiayi's face, then slammed his hand on the desk and stood up in a furious rage.
"What did you say? How dare that thief!"