Shrek Academy.
Sea God Pavilion.
Brilliantly lit.
The Sea God Pavilion meeting, which was rarely held in past years, was once again convened.
But this time, there was a heavy atmosphere.
Su Wen had vanished within the Star Dou Great Forest. The Auspicious Beast was missing. Di Tian was enraged, threatening that if Shrek failed to find the Auspicious Beast within three days, he would unleash a beast tide. One matter after another pressed down, leaving many elders gasping for breath.
"Xuan Zi, are you sure that group were Evil Soul Masters?"
Mu En tapped the wooden armrest of his wheelchair, asking softly.
"I'm certain!" Xuan Zi nodded quickly.
"When we were returning, we happened to encounter the Myriad Demon King slaughtering them. Among them were Evil Soul Masters at the Soul Sage and Soul Douluo levels, and even two Titled Douluo. Their powers revealed gloomy, sinister energy — manipulating souls, or advancing by devouring human flesh."
"Titled Douluo…" Mu En's face grew heavier.
"Combined with what Shaozhe sensed days ago, it all fits. The Auspicious Beast was likely captured by them, and Xiao Wen… sigh, most likely too. After all these years, though the Academy has worked to suppress Evil Soul Masters, we failed to eradicate them. Instead, they regrouped elsewhere and even formed an organization."
To set up a powerful spatial blockade, and to dare target the Auspicious Beast — that showed just how deep their foundation ran!
"Evil Soul Masters… organized?!"
The elders were shocked.
The Shrek Guardians' mission was to kill Evil Soul Masters across the continent, but who could have imagined that these people, who should have been skulking in the shadows, had banded together and grown into a real force?
"Teacher, do you mean… the Sun Moon Empire?" Yan Shaozhe asked grimly.
It seemed increasingly likely. The other three nations were under Shrek's watchful eyes; at most they might hide a few small fry. Only the Sun Moon Empire could foster such a force.
"Elder Mu, what about Xiao Wen?!" Elder Song asked anxiously.
Su Wen was the very root of Shrek Academy, a once-in-millennia genius — practically a pillar that could sustain the Academy's prosperity for the next two hundred years. He already had the potential to reach Ultimate Douluo…
"It seems I must personally make a trip."
Mu En spoke softly.
"My old bones… yet I still must step out once more." He sighed gently. "Do not worry, everyone. Su Wen is Shrek's future. Even if it costs my life, I will bring him back. Xuan Zi, you guard the Academy. Song Yunzhi, Xian Lin'er, Yan Shaozhe — you come with me to the Sun Moon Empire."
"Yes!"
"Wait, Elder Mu, there's more…" Xuan Zi hesitated.
"That spatial blockade — it wasn't discovered by Di Tian, nor undone by the Evil Soul Masters themselves. It was broken from within… no, more like dissolved with a subtle force, like a key unlocking a lock, not brute force."
"You're sure?!" Mu En's eyes flashed as he looked sharply at Xuan Zi.
"Yes." Xuan Zi nodded.
"And once the blockade broke, the Evil Soul Masters had no time to escape. Corpses littered the ground, slaughtered by the core-area beasts. If they had broken it themselves, that would have been ridiculous."
The elders fell silent.
The matter was truly bizarre.
It seemed even the Holy Spirit Cult had suffered losses — failing to steal the chicken and instead losing the rice. But that gray pillar of light… who unleashed it? That was the key question.
"Xuan Zi."
Mu En's tapping hand paused.
"I'm here." Xuan Zi bowed.
"Return to the Star Dou Forest. Tell Di Tian that our Academy's child is missing as well — as important as their Auspicious Beast, and he disappeared within their forest. We demand an explanation."
"Elder Mu, you mean…" Yan Shaozhe was stunned.
"Xiao Wen may not have been captured by the Holy Spirit Cult." Mu En nodded.
"Go, Xuan Zi. Once you return, we depart for the Sun Moon Empire."
"Yes!"
…
…
Star Dou Forest.
"Agreed — but don't push too far." Di Tian said calmly.
"Of course." Su Wen smiled.
"My first condition: I want a ladle of water from the Lake of Life."
The Golden Essence of Life was too precious; Di Tian would never give him even a fingernail-sized fragment. But a ladle of the water — infused with rich vitality — would suffice to stabilize Senior Yi's fractured spirit. The real treasure he sought later was the Essence itself.
"Agreed." Di Tian nodded without hesitation.
"From the very core." Su Wen added.
Di Tian: "…Agreed."
The vitality was stronger at the core, but so what? What truly mattered was the Golden Essence at the lakebed. As long as this brat didn't demand that, anything else was bearable.
"Sigh, you should have asked for the Golden Essence itself! That's the treasure hidden at the lake's heart. Is my life worth only a ladle of water?" The Auspicious Beast complained from the side.
Di Tian: "…."
His chest hurt a little.
Bi Ji giggled softly, clearly entertained by this scene.
Di Tian and the Auspicious Beast had no blood ties, yet their bond was more like that of father and daughter — the old, stern father and the rebellious daughter chasing after a yellow-haired youth.
"Brat, what's your second demand?" Di Tian snorted.
"I want her…" Su Wen pointed at Bi Ji.
At once, the air froze.
The other fierce beasts were stunned, wide-eyed. Did this human truly know what Bi Ji represented?
Di Tian's face darkened completely, his aura almost exploding.
But Bi Ji smiled gracefully. "You want me?"
"No, I want a member of your Emerald Swan clan. A cultivation of ten thousand years is enough." Su Wen shook his head.
"…."
The tension eased.
Di Tian twitched, glaring at Su Wen in annoyance. He hated vague words the most.
"You saved the Auspicious Beast, and you indeed have done our kind a favor. But… forgive me, I will not sacrifice a clansman's life as your reward." Bi Ji shook her head, eyes firm.
"What if they volunteered?" Su Wen smiled.
"Volunteer?" Bi Ji was startled.
She could hardly imagine any clansman willingly becoming a human's soul ring.
"Why not give it a try?"
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