Chapter 276: Mu En's Wrath
Ten Thousand Souls Douluo was in utter disbelief. "Zhang Peng, do you even realize what you're saying? That boy is a Shrek genius! The Sect Master himself gave a direct order all these geniuses must die! Yet you not only let one go but even attacked your own allies. What are you thinking?!"
Zhang Peng replied coldly, "For one, I owe a debt. For another… I must consider Senior Long's feelings. If any of you have the guts to face his wrath, go ahead kill this boy, Bei Bei. But don't expect me to stop Senior Long from coming for your corpses afterward."
At the mere mention of Senior Long, both Ten Thousand Souls Douluo and Hatred Douluo immediately fell silent.
After all, Senior Long was an Ultimate Douluo, on par with the Grand Elders of the Holy Spirit Cult. And none of them had the courage to provoke such a being.
In the world of soul masters, an Ultimate Douluo was an absolute force. Even the Holy Spirit Cult's leader, Zhongli Wu, had to treat Senior Long with utmost respect.
Zhongli Wu himself was only a Rank 98 Super Douluo still a long way from reaching the Ultimate realm. If Senior Long ever wished to eliminate him, there would be no escape.
"Fine, we're leaving." Ten Thousand Souls Douluo backed down.
Hatred Douluo, who had fought alongside him for years, understood his intent immediately. Without hesitation, he too agreed to retreat.
Zhang Peng quickly rushed back and shielded Ten Thousand Souls Douluo from Xian Lin'er's attacks, then led the group away into the distance.
"You think you can escape?!"
Xian Lin'er was about to give chase, but Yan Shaozhe stopped her.
"Lin'er, there's no point in pursuing them. They all have Rank 9 defensive soul tools. Even if we catch up, we won't be able to kill them in a short time."
"Besides, Bei Bei is still here. He needs our protection. If something happens to him, I don't even know how I'd face Elder Mu."
Xian Lin'er reluctantly halted, frustration burning in her chest. She glared at the retreating figures of the evil soul masters, feeling an unbearable sense of rage and helplessness.
She let out a long sigh. "I don't know who this Senior Long they mentioned is, but it seems like he holds a very high status among them."
"It doesn't matter who he is," Yan Shaozhe said, deep in thought.
"From the way they spoke, it's clear that this Senior Long holds great influence over the evil soul masters and he must be incredibly powerful."
"But… Zhang Peng's words made it seem like Senior Long values Bei Bei's safety."
"Could it be that Senior Long is somehow connected to Elder Mu?"
Suddenly, a trembling voice echoed from the sky.
"Shaozhe… what happened here? Why is Bei Bei the only one still alive?!"
A moment later, a figure holding a chicken leg and a wine flask appeared.
It was Xuanzi.
"Elder Xuan!" Yan Shaozhe looked at him, his face full of frustration and helplessness.
Without wasting time, he explained everything that had happened.
When Xuanzi finished listening, his eyes turned red, and his face twisted in agony.
He looked around at the countless lifeless bodies, his voice shaking as he spoke:
"This is my fault… I was too late… If I had arrived earlier, none of these students would have died!"
"Again… I have to witness this again… So many students, dead… Why does this keep happening?!"
He clutched his head with both hands, tears streaming down his face, his entire body trembling.
Xuanzi was overwhelmed with pain and regret.
He had only left briefly to ambush the Sun Moon Empire's exchange students but when he returned, all he found were corpses.
And they had been slaughtered by evil soul masters was this their revenge on him?
Xian Lin'er's patience snapped.
"Elder Xuan!" she yelled, furious.
"This is the third time you've failed as a leader! What does student safety even mean to you?!"
"You promised me and Shaozhe that you would be hiding in the shadows, protecting the exchange students."
"And THIS is your protection?!"
Xian Lin'er's anger exploded.
She had always had a short temper, and now that the Soul Tool Department had lost its most promising talents, her rage had reached a boiling point.
At first, she had believed in Xuanzi's change of heart.
After all, he had seemed more responsible lately.
But now, she realized it was just wishful thinking.
Xuanzi remained silent.
No matter what he said, no excuse could erase the brutal reality Shrek had suffered a massive loss.
Yan Shaozhe knew the truth.
Xuanzi had left to ambush the Sun Moon students.
That was why he was so late.
But Shaozhe had no intention of revealing that information this was Xuanzi's secret.
Unless Xuanzi himself was willing to admit it, Shaozhe would never expose him.
Instead, he tried to mediate.
"Enough, Lin'er. What's done is done."
"The dead can't be brought back. We have to move forward."
"The rest… we'll discuss at the Sea God Pavilion meeting."
Sea God Pavilion.
Mu En sat in silence, his face dark with fury.
His gaze swept across the assembled elders.
"Only Bei Bei survived…"
"Xuanzi, you were in charge. Explain yourself."
"This is the third time you've failed as a leader."
"I simply cannot understand why are you incapable of protecting the students?"
The loss was devastating for Shrek Academy.
When Mu En approved the exchange program, he had done so hoping to strengthen Shrek's Soul Tool development.
He believed that soul tools were the future, and any force that ignored their advancement would fall behind.
Qian Duoduo, his eyes bloodshot, glared at Xuanzi.
At first, he had full faith in Xuanzi.
After all, Xuanzi was one of the strongest Super Douluo alive.
Yet now all eight of his most promising students were dead.
The Soul Tool Department had suffered a crippling blow.
Xuanzi hesitated.
Then he looked straight at Mu En and confessed:
"I left to ambush the Sun Moon exchange students."
"If they were dead, it would have been a huge advantage for Shrek."
"But… I didn't expect them to have so many precautions in place."
"I was stopped before I could act."
The room fell deathly silent.
Every single elder stared at him in shock.
Even Yan Shaozhe who already knew the truth pretended to be stunned to avoid suspicion.
Mu En's anger erupted.
"So you abandoned the students… to carry out such a despicable act?!"
(End of chapter.)
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