Frost spread across Tang San's skin. His complexion turned pale. Ice crystals formed on his brows and cheeks. His eyes, looking at Su Wen, were full of disbelief.
But the halted beat of his heart, and the lifeless weakness flooding his body, told him clearly—this body was going to die.
All of his divine sense had been used as "material" to mold this flesh. No backdoor remained. His true body in the God Realm had never imagined this wisp of divine sense would be snuffed out so easily.
Among the Snow Empress's three ultimate techniques, Empress Palm was one of the strongest single-target burst skills—the mid-game trump card for Huo Yuhao. No doubt about it. And what Su Wen used now wasn't the "half-baked" version he'd learned himself, but the Snow Empress's own skill…
With the Snow Empress's near-100,000-year soul beast might—even if Su Wen could only bring out two-thirds of its power—it was terrifying.
Time, briefly frozen, resumed its flow.
Su Wen's hand was pressed to Tang San's chest; on his back, countless ice spikes sprouted, surging outward and backward. Tang San's life-force was utterly severed.
"Lord!!!"
Tang Ju's eyes went bloodshot. He shook off Ma Xiaotao's entanglement and lunged toward Tang San.
This was the God Realm's honored envoy!
If something truly happened, the Clear Sky Sect couldn't bear it!
But he was a step too late.
Tang San's engorged pupils slowly closed. His arms fell limp. The conical ice spikes at his back's end melted away, turning to wisps of white mist in the air. When Tang Ju's hand touched him, as if contagious, Tang San's body dissolved into white mist too—leaving Tang Ju clutching at nothing.
"No!!!"
Tang Ju roared.
Like a brother cut down by an enemy, he howled in grief.
At the same time,
a thunderous bellow from outside shook the heavens.
Rumble!
A black shadow hurtled at the arena's soul tool barrier. On contact, ripples spread in perfect circles. Yet even a barrier formed by 108 metal pillars shattered on impact. The 108 soul masters maintaining it spat blood and fell unconscious together.
That figure then shot straight at Su Wen, hovering midair.
"Careful!" Ma Xiaotao's pupils shrank.
But the enemy was too fast—even she could only shout a warning.
The next second,
that figure was blocked by a yellow-brown silhouette rising from below. The terrifying collision thundered across the arena; shockwaves rippled outward, swatting several Soul Ancestors from the field.
Even Ma Xiaotao had to fully defend to barely hold on.
Two rank-98 Super Douluo—without even going all-out—their stray shockwaves alone could level the entire Star Luo imperial capital.
"A bet's a bet. Clear Sky Sect, this is beneath you!" Xuan Zi stood before Su Wen, cold gaze fixed on the hulking man who'd retreated a few steps, floating in the air.
"A bet's a bet—but that doesn't mean Shrek gets to kill!" Er Ming was grief-stricken, eyes filled with hatred for Su Wen.
"Tang San was our sect's foremost core disciple. Today he's killed by you—what face does the Clear Sky Sect have left on the continent? How do I explain this to the sect when we return?"
"…"
Facing the sudden turn, Su Wen wasn't surprised. His expression remained calm—if slightly frowning.
Tang San had been crushed into white mist—dead beyond dead. But Er Ming's timing for the "rescue" had been slow to the point of absurdity. Even just before dying, Tang San's eyes had held a hint of disbelief—as if he too was surprised Er Ming hadn't moved sooner.
Unless…
Su Wen shot a doubtful glance at the grief-torn Er Ming. You thick-browed, big-eyed guy—your acting's pretty good, huh?
"I don't give a damn how you explain it—explain it however you like—it has nothing to do with Shrek Academy. Those are the rules. If Clear Sky Sect isn't as good and someone died by accident, accept it! And Xu Jiawei! What are you doing hiding in the back like nothing happened? If I start a real fight, I'll flatten your Star Luo capital first!" Xuan Zi glared, going full throttle.
"Ahem."
Called out in public, Xu Jiawei's mouth twitched.
But he knew Xuan Zi was right. This was the Star Luo capital—if two top powerhouses really went all-out, he'd be the one crying. Also—being a turtle now would only offend both sides. No upside.
He stood, hands clasped behind him, and said solemnly, "Esteemed Clear Sky elder, Shrek Academy has broken no rules. Deaths are allowed in the tournament—this has been a rule observed by the nations for millennia. But you broke the barrier and interfered with the match—that is against the rules!"
As his words fell,
several figures rose into the air—Title Douluo pressure palpable. The one in the lead, wrapped in a black robe, had an aura close to Er Ming and Xuan Zi.
He said slowly, "You two—let this end here. How about it?"
"Shattered Star Douluo?" Xuan Zi blinked. "You're still alive?"
"If you old fossil haven't croaked, I'll outlast you." The one called Shattered Star Douluo chuckled, teasing.
Clearly, he, Xuan Zi, even Wang Xian'er were from the same era and knew each other. But with the continent peaceful in recent years—no major wars—they'd all holed up in their factions, rarely showing themselves.
"Tch. If you can talk him down, Shrek has no problem." Xuan Zi picked his teeth, snorting.
"And you, Clear Sky elder?" Shattered Star Douluo turned to Er Ming, inquiring.
"Hmph! From now on, Clear Sky Sect and Shrek are strangers—each goes his own way. And you little whelp—pray you don't fall into my hands next time!"
Seeing "the tide turn," Er Ming snorted, snatched a few Clear Sky disciples from the field, and flew toward the horizon.
"Time to catch up sometime?" Shattered Star Douluo smiled.
Xuan Zi clicked his tongue. "Forget it. I've got a mission—gotta bring these kids back to the academy."
A few idle words, and they each departed.
"…"
The tournament concluded.
Shrek Academy carved a path as the undisputed number one and took the championship.
Su Wen's across-the-board domination—unprecedented and unrepeatable—burned his face into countless minds: a placid look masking bones steeped in pride.
Every tournament has its dark horses; some even have Soul Emperors.
But crushing the entire field alone is nearly impossible—it usually takes the whole team.
Which made Su Wen's gold content beyond doubt.
Turning a team battle into a personal elimination round—across ten thousand years, he stood alone.
More tantalizing: to the very end, Su Wen never seemed to show his full strength. He didn't even reveal his spirit rings. Every time he entered, a few moves ended it—clean and decisive—then he strolled away.
Such a gulf in power left debates raging: Soul Emperor, Soul Sage… some even claimed he was Soul Douluo…
…
Spectator stands.
A light rain fell. The event had ended; the crowd left, chattering, unsated.
Two figures, wrapped in black robes, stood statue-still in the rain like puppets.
"Big bro, that kid… is too freakish!" the burly one swallowed, staring at the short, big-headed middle-aged man beside him.
"If you fought him head-on, could you win?" The big-headed man narrowed his eyes. A ripple of mental force passed over them; he recalled it and asked gravely.
"Hard…"
Even the ever-confident, twice-awakened burly youth shook his head.
"He still has cards unplayed."
"Exactly."
The big-headed man nodded.
"From start to finish I watched for tension in his face—none. Same for his body language—no stiffness. That means he's extremely confident. Even when that Clear Sky powerhouse appeared, he stayed expressionless."
"That means even if Shrek's powerhouse hadn't shown up, he had absolute confidence against that Clear Sky elder."
"And just that one Empress Palm alone—neither of us could take it."
"Big bro, even you can't take it?" the burly youth blurted.
"No shit!" the big-headed youth snorted. "My martial soul isn't skin or body reinforcement. Taking that head-on? Dream on. Only Title Douluo might tank it with raw physique."
"Shrek Academy's birthed a monster."
"Let's go. We didn't get what we came for, but it wasn't a loss. At least we witnessed a top-tier powerhouse's debut…"
"…"
"Big bro, think the clan elders will punish us?"
"Why are you so dense? Was that our failure? The intel was fake! The auction didn't even put the item up—what were we supposed to bid on? Pig-brain!"
…
Elsewhere.
At a city corner in Star Luo.
A secluded spot.
Gu Yuena, still in Shrek uniform, looked calmly at Er Ming, kneeling to the side.
"The future of soul beasts is indeed bleak. No matter who you follow, I won't blame you. Today's matter—we'll call it even… From now on, no beast will call you traitor."
"…Thank you, my Lord!"
Er Ming wept.
"If Big Brother knew, he'd be happy too."
"Your big brother already guessed it. Otherwise he wouldn't have sent just your blockhead self." Gu Yuena chuckled. "Enough. Go tell Da Ming: One day, I will return in force, leading all soul beasts to reclaim our rightful place."
(Author's note: Gu Yuena only wants to reclaim what's rightfully due—soul beasts are heavily suppressed now, she wants their rightful standing back, not to overturn heaven and earth. No matter how strong she is, she's still under the protagonist. So it's just the protagonist allowing a place for soul beasts in the God Realm, nothing more. The few beast gods who ascend are the protagonist's underlings—how would soul beasts overturn anything?)