How should one describe a cliff? For a protagonist, it's basically no different from a fast-track recommendation for postgraduate studies. You either survive the disaster and learn god-like techniques, meet a world-shaking old master who passes on their teachings, or reincarnate to sweep through an otherworldly realm—like a certain San.
If you aren't the protagonist... whether you live or die is hard to say. However, for the Death God Envoy, who achieved such unprecedented and heaven-defying battle results against the strongest Soul King, calling him the true protagonist—aside from Huo Yuhao—wouldn't be an exaggeration at all.
...
"Sister Xiaotao, are you feeling better?"
As Ma Xiaotao tiredly opened her eyes, she heard Huo Yuhao's gentle voice by her ear.
"Yuhao! You—why are you here? Are you hurt?"
Huo Yuhao felt a warmth in his heart and shook his head with a smile. "What could possibly happen to me?"
The injuries sustained by Ning Tian, He Caitou, and the others weren't heavy. After being treated by Huo Yuhao, they had already woken up and were able to walk on the ground.
Those with more severe injuries, like Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi, were still lying down, unable to get up. Especially Bei Bei; usually strong, even he was whimpering, leaving the lightly injured Jiang Nannan with the trouble of looking after him.
By the way, Lan Xuanyu was currently lying on Wang Dong's lap, eyes tightly shut, his face a shade of green.
A silently weeping Xuan Zi emerged from the mountain cave, holding three boxes in his hands.
Yao Haoxuan's body was gone; Xuan Zi could only scrape a bit of flesh and blood from the walls, unsure of who it belonged to. Chen Zifeng at least had a head left. As for Xi Xi...
The good news: she didn't turn into "Xi Xi-sauce." The bad news: her grave had been robbed...
This one was truly miserable.
Xuan Zi swallowed hard and spoke with a raspy voice, "Wang Yan, I've brought back the remains of Chen Zifeng and the others. Take the members with lighter injuries to Star Net City to compete first. I will take the wounded back to the Academy for treatment now."
Wang Yan kept a stiff, expressionless face, focused solely on carefully applying medicine to Xu Sanshi, completely ignoring Xuan Zi.
Xuan Zi knew he was making a fool of himself. He stood there awkwardly, fiddling with his flying soul tool, preparing to take the seriously injured back to Shrek.
Huo Yuhao looked at Xuan Zi, gave a heavy snort through his nose, tucked the jacket covering Ma Xiaotao more securely, and stood up.
"Hey, Yuhao."
Ma Xiaotao failed to grab Huo Yuhao's sleeve, but her voice drew everyone's gaze.
They watched as Huo Yuhao strode toward Xuan Zi, his gaze so cold it seemed capable of freezing the soul.
At that moment, Xuan Zi's eyes flickered and dodged. He realized his Taotie Divine Bull martial soul was actually trembling, as if afraid of something, and he subconsciously took two steps back.
A dignified Level 98 Super Douluo was forced back by a Level 43 Soul Ancestor, even suppressed in terms of aura.
Slap!
Huo Yuhao directly swung his hand, fiercely slapping Xuan Zi across the face. The sound echoed loudly through the silent mountain ridge.
There was no "respecting the elderly." This old thing in front of him wasn't worth anyone's respect.
To be old and not die is to be a thief—this saying was perfectly proven by Xuan Zi.
This time, he used the maximum strength he could muster. Even with the powerful physique of a Super Douluo, a clearly visible palm print was left on Xuan Zi's face.
The force of this slap exceeded Xuan Zi's expectations. His head was still ringing, and he even had a bit of tinnitus.
Huo Yuhao's lip twitched. Luckily, he had protected his palm with soul power beforehand so it didn't touch the old man's face, otherwise...
"You..."
"A Super Douluo couldn't even outplay a Soul King... May I ask if you can be any more of a waste? Elder... Xuan? No! Mr. Evil Soul Master Slaughter Machine!"
"...I."
Tears streamed down from Xuan Zi's eyes, looking like a lonely old man being kicked out of his hometown by his children.
He was filled with incomparable remorse—remorse for his own slackness and inaction.
Huo Yuhao continued: "Or perhaps... you, this Taotie Douluo, were originally an undercover agent planted in Shrek Academy by the Evil Soul Masters, just waiting for the day you could send these vibrant, promising genius students one by one to the Evil Soul Masters' butcher knife?"
"..."
Xuan Zi's lips convulsed as he whispered tremulously, "No... I'm not..."
Huo Yuhao pointed forcefully at the tragic scene around them and roared, "You're not?! Then how do you explain the sight before us? Mr. Evil Soul Master Slaughtering Machine?!"
It was only then that Xuan Zi realized that all the students—whether it was his grand-disciple Wang Yan, or Gong Yangmo and Ling Luochen who had received his guidance, or the likes of Wang Dong and Bei Bei—looked at him with a hatred so thick it couldn't be dissolved. There wasn't a hint of lingering affection.
Originally, several of them should have been perfectly fine, but because of this old thing Xuan Zi's "bull roar," they had suffered along with the rest. It would be strange if they gave Xuan Zi a good look.
"...Children, I... I have failed you!"
Xuan Zi's knees went weak, and he knelt heavily on the ground. Facing the dead and heavily injured members of the Inner Court, he kowtowed forcefully, wailing loudly as he did so.
Dignity? Was that more important than eating meat and drinking wine?
He'd wait until he got back to say he was willing to resign from his position as Vice Commander of the Inspection Squad. Yan Shaozhe and the others would then urge him to stay, and Xuan Zi was already well-practiced in the game of "three-refusals-then-acceptance."
Besides, only three Inner Court members died this time. It wasn't like last time when everyone died except for Zhang Lexuan. Wasn't that progress?!
Huo Yuhao directly interrupted Xuan Zi's farcical performance, saying mercilessly, "If you're truly guilty, then commit suicide."
"!!!"
Ignoring the shocked stares of Xuan Zi and those around him, Huo Yuhao's voice remained cold and indifferent. "A debt of money is repaid with cash; a debt of life is repaid with life. Those three seniors died because of your arrogance. These people who shouldn't have been injured are hurt because of you."
"I finally understand why the Shrek Inspection Squad suffers such heavy casualties. With a leader like you, it's a wonder everyone isn't dead yet!"
"Or are you... kneeling and crying here, feeling very guilty, and then deciding you've done enough for these tragically killed Inner Court disciples?"
"Are you thinking in your heart, 'I already know I was wrong, what more do you want from me?'"
Xuan Zi stopped crying and instantly jumped up from the ground in a rage. "Do you know what you are saying?!"
Huo Yuhao gave him a contemptuous glance and turned to leave.
Looking at the crowd sitting and lying scattered on the ground, Huo Yuhao spoke calmly.
"Do you still want to follow this old thing back to Shrek?"
As expected, everyone, including Wang Dong, subconsciously shook their heads. Their gazes toward Xuan Zi even held a bit of fear.
God knows if this old thing would abandon them again on the way back to Shrek to go drink and eat meat. They were already covered in wounds; why seek out more suffering?
They had all seen with their own eyes how Xi Xi died...
Huo Yuhao nodded. "Those who can move, help those who can't. We're going to Star Net City ourselves."
No time was to be lost. Everyone obediently followed Huo Yuhao's arrangements, helping each other up to prepare for the walk to Star Net City.
Xuan Zi stood there, unable to sit or stand, not daring to offer to escort them. He could only keep his head down low.
Wang Yan's lip twitched. He looked at Xuan Zi, then at Huo Yuhao, feeling immense regret in his heart.
Had he known this trip would be so dangerous and difficult to handle, he never would have waded into these muddy waters.
Wang Yan sighed, leaned in close to Huo Yuhao, and whispered, "Is saying this a bit too hurtful to him?"
"Hurtful my ass!"
To his surprise, the one who snapped back was Ma Xiaotao.
"...Sigh."
Wang Yan shook his head helplessly and turned toward Xuan Zi with a stern face. "It will take at least a day to get to Star Net City from here. Lan Xuanyu, Bei Bei, and Xu Sanshi have the most serious injuries; there's no time to lose. Take them back to Shrek, and then have another Elder come to Star Net City to meet us."
"If anything else happens on the road, you know the consequences."
Xuan Zi gave a bitter smile and nodded repeatedly, not bothering to take offense at Wang Yan's resentful tone. He knew Wang Yan was giving him a way out.
"It's been hard on you this time, Little Wang."