"I am a loyal subject of the Sun Moon Empire. I would rather die than surrender." Jing Hongchen sneered, turning his head away, feigning a look of unwavering loyalty.
"..."
But the atmosphere was extremely silent.
A few minutes later, Jing Hongchen awkwardly turned his head, only to discover Su Wen sitting leisurely to the side, smiling at him.
"Since Hallmaster Jing is unwilling, we won't force you. Of course, Xiao will stay at Shrek Academy. I'm fine, so he won't be targeted either. As for Meng, I'll visit her later. If she's willing, I'll bring her back to Shrek too." Su Wen patted his sleeve and sighed softly, showing regret as he got up to leave.
"Cough, cough, cough…" Jing Hongchen panicked. Why wasn't this person following the script? As the Hallmaster of Mingde Hall, he possessed the Empire's secrets and the most advanced soul tool technology. These were his trump cards. He couldn't believe Shrek Academy wouldn't be interested.
He was merely showing off a bit to win some benefits for his grandchildren.
After all, the Sun Moon Empire had tried to kill him multiple times. No matter how loyal his heart was, it had been hurt to the core. He was of the Sun Moon Empire, but not its dog. He had his pride.
But who would have thought Su Wen wouldn't even try to persuade him and would just turn to leave?
Su Wen paused, turned back with a suspicious look. "Is Hallmaster Jing not feeling well?" He tossed over a bottle of syrup. "Here, for your cough. You can take it three times a day…"
"Cough, cough!" Jing Hongchen coughed again out of embarrassment and annoyance, tossing the syrup back.
"You brat Su, you're just here to laugh at this old man, aren't you?"
"Hallmaster Jing, you're overstating it. I only entered the Sun Moon Empire at your behest, but was betrayed and besieged by Ye Xishui and the Sun Moon Empire. If not for my own tricks, your dear grandson Xiao Hongchen would already be a specimen displayed at Shrek Academy." Su Wen chuckled.
Even a Super Douluo would have been trapped in that deadlock. The fact he escaped was only thanks to hidden cards not yet revealed…
"..."
Jing Hongchen fell silent.
Having dealt with Shrek for so many years, especially as an opponent, he naturally knew their methods. If Su Wen had died mysteriously in the Sun Moon Empire, his grandson… would have been worse than dead.
"Thank you."
He glanced at Su Wen with a complicated expression.
Who would have thought? The Empire he loyally served betrayed him, but the enemy he wanted dead the most extended a helping hand when he was most helpless.
"Just mutual benefit." Su Wen smiled lightly.
"With your ability, you seem able to move in and out of prison at will. I wonder…" Jing Hongchen hesitated. "Could you rescue me after Xu Jiangliu's Royal Soul Tool Legion takes over, and fake my death in the process?"
"For your subordinates?" Su Wen raised an eyebrow.
"Sigh…" Jing Hongchen let out a long sigh.
"Even though they haven't helped me at all during my downfall, I don't blame them."
"If I break out, they'll be implicated. But if I die, everything from before is written off. They can continue serving Mingde Hall, and the Emperor won't say another word…"
"Alright." Su Wen nodded.
"But the security will be unimaginably tight at that time," Jing Hongchen reminded.
"No problem. Even in the Emperor's bedchamber, I could come and go as I please." Su Wen smiled.
"..."
Jing Hongchen's pupils narrowed. Such arrogance!
He instinctively began analyzing… but then saw the teasing look on Su Wen's face. His old face flushed red. He forgot they were no longer enemies. Occupational habit.
"I'm leaving."
Su Wen waved his hand and, under Jing Hongchen's stunned gaze, simply pushed open the door and walked out, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Wait!!"
Jing Hongchen's pupils quaked.
Only now did he realize—this entire space-time was frozen! The ripples in a teacup beside him were suspended midair, frozen like ice. Only as Su Wen walked out did time slowly resume its flow around him.
His spirit perception was much weaker with his soul power sealed, so he hadn't noticed until now.
No wonder Su Wen said he could come and go even from the Emperor's bedchamber…
Jing Hongchen slowly closed his eyes, but his heart was in turmoil.
Time!
He could control time!
He could calmly converse and stride out at his leisure. This heaven-defying power… even Shrek's city lord probably couldn't do this.
Miraculous.
It seemed… he must have obtained a time-space related soul beast?
Jing Hongchen let out a deep breath.
The future of the continent really does lie with Shrek…
This vital information only excited him briefly before he quickly returned to calm. Though the room appeared empty, he knew others were likely monitoring him via light screen projection—he couldn't reveal anything.
…
"How did it go?"
When Su Wen returned, Cai Mei'er looked at him with hope.
Jing Hongchen's value to Shrek Academy was revolutionary, especially for the Soul Tool Department… If he could be brought over, Shrek's soul tools would leap forward.
Even though she was once Vice Dean of the Martial Soul Department and had competed with the Soul Tool Department for decades, she had no selfish motives at this moment.
"It's done."
Su Wen sat on the sofa with a bright smile, sipping his tea.
"That's good." Cai Mei'er let out a long breath, visibly relaxing.
"We're already prepared to tear things apart; when do we leave?" she asked softly.
Before coming, Mu En's main instruction was to always follow Su Wen's lead. Though her talent was lower than that of Yan Shaozhe or Xian Lin'er, she had become Vice Dean because of her steadiness.
Sometimes, being reliable and steady is the most important thing.
"At the latest, three months. The Sun Moon Empire will make a move on Jing Hongchen before then…" Su Wen said quietly, "Besides, there are some debts I want to collect from the Holy Spirit Church."
"The Holy Spirit Church?" Cai Mei'er was startled, hesitating. Clearly, she'd heard some secrets from Elder Mu. "Their headquarters has two Ultimate Douluos. Don't go barging in."
"I know." Su Wen smiled. "I'm just collecting some interest…"
He really couldn't take on two Ultimate Douluos yet.
At his current seventy-third rank, with six near-ferocious beasts as main force, defeating Ye Xishui—who had exhausted her "stored" souls—wasn't hard. But Long Xiaoyao… was no pushover.
But collecting interest—for example, the three Holy Spirit Church enforcers who had besieged him, and the other branch halls outside their main headquarters—were all waiting for him.
…