After ascending Sea God Island, everyone's pace quickened considerably, and Du Weilun no longer introduced the academy's features to Xu Jiujiu.
A moment later, everyone arrived in a conference hall, where a disheveled old man was already seated at the head of the table. Only after seeing them enter did he wipe his greasy hands on his clothes and sit up a little straighter.
This was Xuan Zi, the 98th-Rank Super Douluo, publicly declared as Shrek Academy's strongest.
Xu Jiujiu's smile remained unchanged upon seeing him, and she even bowed slightly, greeting Xuan Zi at the head of the table, "Greetings, Senior Taotie."
On the Douluo Continent, Titled Douluo titles are far more widely known than their names.
"Sit down, little girl. I'm a rough man and don't understand the intricacies of you royals. Just speak plainly."
Xuan Zi then looked at Suixing Douluo behind Xu Jiujiu. "You don't need to be so nervous. The fact that you were allowed to come to Sea God Island means we bear no ill will towards you. Besides, if we truly had other intentions, it's not something you alone could stop."
Xuan Zi spoke very impolitely. Or rather, as Shrek's strongest on the surface, he shouldn't appear overly close to any of the great Empires.
Suixing Douluo made no extra movements, simply continuing to stand behind Xu Jiujiu.
Seeing that his persuasion was futile, Xuan Zi said no more.
"Senior Taotie, I have come regarding the Sun Moon Empire's affairs." At this, Xu Jiujiu looked at Zhang Lexuan and Wang Nan.
"Your Highness need not worry," Yan Shaozhe explained. "One of these disciples is Shrek Academy's chief disciple, and the other is the one who personally experienced that incident. There's no need to conceal the details."
Only then did Wang Nan realize there were other reasons for his presence here.
"Then I'll speak directly." Xu Jiujiu nodded and said, "According to our investigations over the past year, the Sun Moon Empire is indeed closely related to the Holy Spirit Cult. Whether it's the imperial family or the Mingde Hall of the Sun Moon Soul Master Academy, people have been seen there who are suspected to be from the Holy Spirit Cult."
Xu Jiujiu was not old, but she was quite capable and highly valued by Xu Jiawei, always secretly helping him with intelligence-related matters. Using unknown means, she had established secret contact with a ninth-Rank Soul Master, and the news from the Sun Moon Empire came through him.
"If it was just to deliver a message, your Emperor brother shouldn't have sent you here. What else do you have to say? Just say it all at once."
"I dare not conceal anything from Senior Taotie. The Sun Moon Empire has been restless in recent years, and now it has been confirmed that they are colluding with the Evil Soul Master organization, the Holy Spirit Cult. I fear that within a few years, the Douluo Continent will face another disaster."
"Over four thousand years ago, it was the Seniors of Shrek Academy who stood up to resist the Sun Moon Empire's invasion. I have come this time hoping to cooperate with Shrek Academy..."
Xuan Zi waved his hand, interrupting Xu Jiujiu. "To deal with Evil Soul Masters, both this old man and all the disciples of Shrek Academy are duty-bound, but Shrek Academy has always maintained neutrality. Please do not mention supporting your Star Luo Empire again."
Xu Jiujiu's words were interrupted, but her expression remained unchanged, as if she had been prepared. She merely glanced at Suixing Douluo behind her.
Suixing Douluo stepped forward and placed a white tray before everyone.
On the tray was a wooden base, inlaid with hundreds of various gems. Above the wooden base, a stream of energy condensed without dispersing, faintly rushing left and right, but each time it was blocked by a layer of faint golden light.
The moment the tray was taken out, Wang Nan's gaze fell upon it. His expression remained unchanged, but his heart was greatly shocked.
If he wasn't mistaken, this inconspicuous stream of energy before him was none other than the Snow Empress, the head of the Three Heavenly Kings of the Far North and the third-ranked Vicious Beast. And this tray was the ninth-Rank spirit tool, the Sealing God Platform.
"Since that is the case, Jiujiu dares not break Shrek Academy's long-standing rules. However, I have another request for this visit. We recently obtained a supreme treasure. Although we have guesses, we cannot confirm its function. The Seniors of Shrek Academy are all knowledgeable, so we specifically brought it to ask for your help in identifying it."
Although she said that, Xu Jiujiu actually knew what was inside. Asking for help with identification was false; giving a gift to Shrek Academy was the truth.
When Xu Jiawei first obtained this spirit tool, he had considered selling it to Mingde Hall through an auction during the Soul Duel Tournament. This would not only earn a large amount of wealth but also cause trouble for Mingde Hall by spreading news of this supreme treasure.
However, in recent years, the Holy Spirit Cult had gradually surfaced. A few years ago, the Star Luo Empire also received news that a Super Douluo had appeared in Shrek Academy, and now it seemed very likely that he was a member of the Holy Spirit Cult.
Not long ago, news also came of the Holy Spirit Cult colluding with Mingde Hall. If this item fell into their hands, no one would be able to retrieve it. With the strange methods of Evil Soul Masters, they might truly succeed.
At that time, if the ninth-Rank Soul Master was discovered, it would be a minor matter. But if an Evil Soul Master with twin spirits was created, then Xu Jiawei would become a sinner of the entire Douluo Continent.
With war imminent, since he couldn't use it himself, he might as well give it to Shrek Academy, hoping to gain Shrek's support.
The Sealing God Platform was placed before them, and even the knowledgeable Xuan Zi couldn't immediately make sense of it. Only after careful sensing did he detect the aura of a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast.
"Is a Spirit Beast sealed inside?"
"Senior Taotie has excellent insight, seeing its origin at a glance." Xu Jiujiu spoke, giving him due respect. "After we obtained it, we conducted multiple studies before we could even guess its function."
"As you all know, when Spirit Beasts reach a hundred thousand years, they have an opportunity to cultivate into human form. They transform into our most primitive human form, then gradually cultivate and raise their cultivation until they reach seven rings and become a true human."
"This stream of energy before you is precisely a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast that chose to cultivate into human form, but was captured by a Spirit Master during the transformation process and confined within the ninth-Rank spirit tool, Sealing God Platform."
Upon hearing this, Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe's expressions did not change much. At their rank, a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast, though rare, was not that precious. For them and Shrek, the ninth-Rank spirit tool was actually more important.
After all, in the current Douluo Continent, only the Sun Moon Empire had ninth-Rank Soul Masters who could create spirit tools of this rank.
Xu Jiujiu smiled slightly. "Forgive me for not revealing the name of that Spirit Master, but he once told us that by utilizing the power of this ninth-Rank spirit tool, the Sealing God Platform, there is a chance to grant a Spirit Master a new Spirit."