The night was deep.
On the military camp's drill ground, several towering bonfires blazed fiercely, illuminating the area as brightly as day.
Several healing-type Soul Masters dressed in white robes surrounded a few hastily assembled stretchers. Soft streams of soul power flowed from their hands as they worked at full capacity to treat the severely injured students of Shrek Academy.
To the side stood the Duke of White Tiger, Marshal Dai Hao. His sharp, hawk-like gaze calmly swept across the scene.
As his eyes passed over each injured Shrek student, the sense of speechlessness in his heart grew heavier.
It felt like a max-level main character leading a group of low-level accounts with top-tier equipment into a beginner area to crush mobs—only for the low-level accounts to nearly be wiped out, while the main character came back crying for help.
The absurdity of it all was almost comical.
Yet as a seasoned commander, Marshal Dai Hao's composure was flawless. Not only did he show not the slightest trace of disdain, he even wore a solemn and concerned expression, personally ordering his guards to deliver soul power recovery potions to the healing Soul Masters.
"Put everything you have into it!" his authoritative voice echoed across the drill ground. "These are elite students of Shrek Academy—the future of the Empire! If anything goes wrong, you will be held accountable!"
His words gave Xuan Zi plenty of face.
About half an hour later, the lead elderly military physician wiped the sweat from his brow and hurried over to Xuan Zi and Marshal Dai Hao, bowing respectfully.
"Reporting to the Marshal, reporting to Elder Xuan," he said.
"The treatment has been completed."
"The injured have all been stabilized. Though their injuries varied in severity, they are now out of immediate danger under our care. Please rest assured."
Hearing this, Xuan Zi—who had been pacing back and forth like an ant on a hot pan—suddenly stopped.
A chrysanthemum-like smile instantly bloomed across his wrinkled face.
"Good! Good! Good!"
"That's wonderful!"
He let out a long sigh, the massive weight pressing on his chest finally lifting.
"As long as they're fine, that's all that matters! As long as they're fine!"
If no one had died, then this incident could still be glossed over.
When the time came, Shrek's team would still be able to participate in the tournament at full strength.
The championship was still within reach!
The more Xuan Zi thought about it, the better his mood became. The fear brought on by his negligence had already dissipated by more than half.
Turning around, he patted Marshal Dai Hao on the shoulder, his expression full of gratitude.
"Many thanks for the Duke's assistance. I will remember this favor—and Shrek Academy will remember it as well!"
Marshal Dai Hao smiled faintly and returned the gesture.
"Elder Xuan is too courteous. The Shrek Supervision Team suffered this ordeal for the safety of my Star Luo Empire. This is only what I should do."
After the polite exchange, Marshal Dai Hao's tone subtly shifted. With a trace of inquiry in his eyes, he asked casually:
"However, Elder Xuan, there is one matter that has been troubling me. I wonder if I may ask."
Xuan Zi was in high spirits and waved his hand.
"Duke, feel free."
Marshal Dai Hao nodded and lowered his voice.
"As far as I know, although that bandit group in the Ming Dou Mountain Range was somewhat unusual, their strongest member was only a Soul King."
"With your strength, Elder Xuan, you could wipe them out with a snap of your fingers."
"And with these outstanding talents from your academy… how did things end up like this?"
"Could it be…" he paused slightly, then probed, "that something unexpected happened? Or perhaps there was someone even stronger behind that Evil Soul Master?"
The question was perfectly phrased—expressing confusion while conveniently giving Xuan Zi a way out.
But what he truly wanted to ask was: Where the hell were you, a Level 98 Super Douluo, at the time?
Xuan Zi's smile stiffened for a split second.
Only a split second.
As a hundred-year-old fox, Xuan Zi had long mastered the art of shamelessness. He had already prepared his excuse.
He sighed softly, his face filled with an expression that said "it's hard to explain" and "deeply painful."
"Sigh… the Duke doesn't know."
"Originally, this truly was just a simple bandit suppression mission."
"But just as we arrived at the Ming Dou Mountain Range, my powerful spiritual sense suddenly detected an extremely evil and terrifying aura!"
Xuan Zi frowned deeply, fabricating the story with vivid conviction.
"That aura was extraordinarily concealed. If not for my keen perception, I might have been fooled."
"It turned out to be an eight-ring Evil Soul Master—a Spirit Douluo—lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike at my students!"
"What?!"
"An eight-ring Spirit Douluo?!"
Marshal Dai Hao was visibly startled, cooperating perfectly despite the doubts in his heart.
"That's right!" Xuan Zi nodded gravely. "To eliminate future threats, I made an immediate decision and chased after him."
"That Evil Soul Master was extremely cunning and highly skilled in escape techniques. I pursued him for over a hundred li before finally killing him with a single palm strike!"
As he spoke, Xuan Zi shifted the topic, casting a look of disappointment toward Ma Xiaotao and the others resting in the distance.
"It's just that I never expected that while I was hunting down that great demon, these little ones would lose their patience."
"They were too young, too impetuous, and too arrogant."
"They believed the enemy only had a Soul King and let down their guard, falling into the opponent's trap and being caught off guard by that strange Corpse Explosion technique."
Xuan Zi shook his head, his face filled with regret.
"This is the price of growth. I, too, bear responsibility—while focusing on completely eradicating that eight-ring Evil Soul Master, I momentarily neglected their safety."
"But fortunately, disaster was narrowly avoided. That Evil Soul Master has been eliminated, and these children have learned a valuable lesson."
He delivered the entire story smoothly, without the slightest pause, his expression righteous and sincere.
Not only did he absolve himself of abandoning his post to eat barbecue, he even painted himself as a lone hero who eradicated a great evil.
He didn't forget to conveniently shift the blame onto the "young and impetuous" students either.
After hearing this, a strange glint flashed through Marshal Dai Hao's eyes.
An eight-ring Evil Soul Master?
The Ming Dou Mountain Range lay at the border between the two great empires. If a battle involving an eight-ring powerhouse had taken place, how could the military camp's detection soul tools have shown no reaction at all?
And looking at Xuan Zi's clothes—aside from grease stains, there wasn't even a speck of dust on them. Did he really look like someone who had just fought a life-and-death battle?
Does this old man really think I'm an idiot?
But Marshal Dai Hao did not expose him.
Some things were better left unsaid.
As long as Xuan Zi provided an excuse—no matter how flimsy—it was enough to preserve Shrek Academy's dignity.
"So that's how it is!"
Marshal Dai Hao displayed a look of sudden realization and bowed respectfully.
"Elder Xuan's foresight is admirable. To eliminate such a great evil for the Empire is a deed of immeasurable merit!"
"Now that the eight-ring Evil Soul Master has been dealt with, the Ming Dou Mountain Range should finally know peace."
"As for the students' injuries…" He glanced at the sky. "It's already late, and you've just endured a fierce battle. Why not rest in the military camp tonight and depart tomorrow?"
"I'll have the best tents and meals arranged immediately."
"No."
Xuan Zi waved his hand, refusing without hesitation.
"Thank you for the Duke's kindness."
"But the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament is about to begin, and time is tight."
"We've already delayed long enough here. We must hurry to Star Luo City."
A hint of urgency flashed in his eyes.
He didn't want to stay here a second longer—both out of fear of being exposed, and because he desperately needed a tournament victory to wash away today's humiliation.
Only by winning the championship can I prove that my leadership is flawless, Xuan Zi thought grimly.
"Since that is the case, I won't insist," Marshal Dai Hao said, nodding.
"Then I wish Shrek Academy a strong start and the chance to once again defend its continental glory!"
"That goes without saying!"
Xuan Zi puffed out his chest proudly, as if he weren't the one who had just returned with a group of wounded soldiers begging for help.
"The glory of Shrek is beyond question!"
With that, he released his soul power once more and called out to the Shrek members.
"Set out! Destination—Star Luo City!"