Chapter 187 The news spread throughout the continent, and Shrek Academy lost all face!
And at this moment.
The air on the tree-lined avenue seemed to freeze.
Poison Undying's large foot, covered with a dark green keratin layer, was still firmly planted on Old Song's left wrist, even exerting slight force and producing a soft friction sound.
"Yan Shaozhe, this is your last chance." Du Busi's voice was as cold and hard as iron.
"Do you want these hard bones, or do you want to save the remaining limbs of your old comrade?"
"Stop! I'll give it to you! I'll give it to you, okay?!"
Yan Shaozhe let out a mournful roar, his once meticulously styled hair now hanging messily over his forehead.
With trembling right hand, he reached for the storage soul tool at his waist. A flash of white light appeared, and three pure white jade boxes, emanating a faint chill, appeared in his palm.
Each box had three gold seals affixed to it, and even through the boxes, everyone present could feel the rich life force emanating from them.
The primal energy fluctuations belonging to a 100,000-year-old soul beast caused the previously withered vegetation to show signs of revival in an instant.
"This is what you wanted." Yan Shaozhe gritted his teeth and tossed the jade box in his hand toward Du Busi.
With a wave of his hand, Du Busi sent a stream of emerald green soul power that transformed into soft tendrils, catching the three jade boxes steadily.
He casually tore open a seal, and after seeing one of the soul bones emitting a pale blue light, an extremely smug and arrogant smile appeared on his face.
"As expected of Shrek Academy's millennia-old heritage, such a treasure can be found with just a casual pull." Poison Immortal directly put the soul bone into his pocket, loosened his grip slightly, and finally released the almost unconscious Old Song.
He turned around and waved to the three disheveled men as if shooing away a few annoying flies: "Alright, now that we have the goods, I'm not the kind of person who goes back on his word."
"Get out of here before I change my mind. Take your pitiful dignity and get out of the Heavenly Soul Imperial City!"
Yan Shaozhe remained silent, his eyes filled with extreme humiliation and murderous intent.
He staggered forward and, together with Xian Lin'er, helped up Old Song, whose limbs were severely broken. The three of them didn't utter another word, transforming into three extremely unstable, dim streaks of light, disappearing hastily and pathetically into the horizon under the heavy, blood-red sunset.
As the aura of the Super Douluo dissipated, Princess Vina waved her hand, and the previously tense Imperial Guards began to retreat to their camp in an orderly manner. However, the shattered blue bricks and broken tree-lined paths still told the story of the one-sided and brutal battle that had just taken place.
Liu Yuan slowly walked forward. He stood beside Du Busi, looking in the direction where Yan Shaozhe and the others had disappeared, a cold smile curving his lips.
"Master, breaking their bones is only the first step."
"To make Shrek truly feel the pain, we must tear down their 'holy land' shell from the root."
Liu Yuan turned his head and looked at Princess Vina who was walking over. He said directly, "Vina, I need to trouble you with something. Immediately mobilize all the propaganda agencies of the Heavenly Soul Empire and send out the most elite spies and storytellers to spread the news of what happened tonight throughout the entire Douluo Continent without missing a single word."
Vina, who was directing the soldiers to clean up the scene, paused slightly upon hearing this and asked hesitantly, "Liu Yuan, do you want to completely break ties? If word gets out about this, Shrek Academy might become mortal enemies with us."
Liu Yuan remained calm, his three pupils gleaming with a deep, unfathomable purple-gold light: "If we don't pass it on, what do you think Yan Shaozhe will say when he gets back? He'll definitely say that the Heavenly Soul Empire broke the alliance and imprisoned Fan Yu, and he might even portray himself as a hero who was injured while saving his colleague."
"When it comes to public opinion, whoever speaks first gains the upper hand."
"We must strike first and expose their shameful deeds of storming the palace, kidnapping important officials, and ultimately being defeated and forced to pay reparations."
Looking at Liu Yuan's composed demeanor, Vina couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "You're not only strong, but you're also incredibly wicked. You're going to smother Shrek Academy's reputation built up over thousands of years."
Despite saying that, Vina acted extremely quickly.
As a princess of a nation, she was all too aware of the importance of this kind of political battle, and immediately nodded in agreement.
...
In just one night, the news spread like wildfire through various soul communication channels and secret routes, reaching major cities across the Douluo Continent.
[Shocking! The three elders of Shrek Academy sneaked into the Heavenly Soul Imperial Palace in the dead of night, intending to forcibly seize the Empire's First-Class Earl!]
[Shrek Academy Dean Yan Shaozhe was defeated and immediately offered up three 100,000-year-old soul bones to save his life!]
[The myth of the eternal holy land is shattered? The true form of Douluo Dalu single-handedly suppresses the three giants of Shrek Academy!]
Across the continent, whether in taverns or Soul Master guilds, people were talking about it like crazy.
"Really? Dean Yan Shaozhe is a level 97 Super Douluo, and he actually got beaten up and had to apologize?"
"Is this even true? The Heavenly Soul Empire has issued an official announcement, and it is said that tens of thousands of troops witnessed it firsthand."
"Shrek is indeed in the wrong this time. They've already gone through the resignation process, and you're still trying to take it away. That's a bit too domineering."
"But I really didn't expect the Body Sect to be this powerful. Even Yan Shaozhe, Xian Lin'er, and Elder Song from Shrek Academy couldn't defeat him..."
Various voices mingled together. Although some long-time followers of Shrek Academy tried their best to refute the claims, Shrek Academy's reputation suffered its most severe blow in ten thousand years in the face of undeniable results and the Heavenly Soul Empire's tough stance.
...
Meanwhile, at Shrek Academy, at the Sea God Pavilion.
Inside the pavilion, the faint scent of the golden tree remained strong. Xuanzi was sitting at an exquisite long wooden table, with several plates of glistening roasted chicken legs in front of him.
He's been in a terrible mood lately.
Just yesterday, he failed again in his attempt to break through to level 99, the Limit Douluo level. That barrier called "God level" was like an insurmountable mountain, making it hard for him to breathe.
"Alas, another failure. Elder Mu, is there truly no hope for me in this lifetime?"
Xuanzi sighed, grabbed a chicken leg, and took a big bite, trying to use the greasy aroma to dispel the depression in his heart.
This method of relieving anxiety through eating has become a habit for him over the years.
Just as he was about to take his second bite, the door of the Sea God Pavilion made a dull thud.
A staff member in charge of external liaison practically tumbled in. Overwhelmed by panic, he slipped and fell to his knees before Xuanzi's desk, his voice trembling with sobs as he cried out:
"Elder Xuan! Something terrible has happened! Dean Yan and the others... something has happened to them in the Heavenly Soul Empire!"
(End of chapter)