"Xiao Tao, how could she be dead? And Mei'er, how could she be dead? And Wei Lun and the others, they were all so skilled, the elite and pride of Shrek. How could this, how could this happen—"
Yan Shaozhe leaned forward, bracing himself on the table, his expression shattered and frantic. He was about to rush forward and grab Xian Lin'er to question her.
"Shaoze, calm down, calm down—"
Old Song and another Elder quickly grabbed Yan Shaozhe by the shoulders, one on each side. Old Zhuang released his Martial Soul to heal Xian Lin'er and Bei Bei.
Bei Bei, whose emotions had already crumbled, let out a cry and fainted on the ground. Xian Lin'er swayed precariously, her loose hair falling across her forehead. Her dazed, distraught appearance was a stark contrast to her former spirited demeanor as the War Goddess. She murmured,
"Dead, they're all dead. I saw it with my own eyes. That beast from the Sun Moon Battle Team chopped off Xiao Tao's head with a saber. Xiao Tao died with her eyes open. And Mei'er and Wei Lun, they all died at the hands of that person and a terrifying Level 9 Soul Engineer from the Sun Moon Empire..."
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"Old Shi was blown to bits by Jing Hongchen, and Old Lin and Duo Duo were severely injured by a Sun Moon powerhouse who moved like Gui Mei, becoming prisoners of the Sun Moon Empire—"
"When I fled, I saw that Sun Moon powerhouse attacking Le Xuan. That beast stabbed Mei'er in the neck with a saber."
"Then why did you come back?! How did you come back?! Did you abandon them?! What was the Star Luo Empire doing at the time?!"
Yan Shaozhe roared with bloodshot eyes, his voice hoarse, as if he had expended every last ounce of strength.
"I wasn't supposed to come back, I was supposed to die. It was Long Xiaoyao, that old fellow, who saved me and Bei Bei and told me to take Bei Bei and leave—"
"At that time, a large group of Evil Soul Masters attacked Star Luo Square. The Star Luo Emperor led the Guardian Douluo in a fierce battle against the Evil Soul Masters. The Xuanming Sect and Body Sect also joined the fray, encircling and suppressing the Evil Soul Masters. No one paid attention to what was happening to us there—"
"Aside from Bei Bei, Caitou and the others might have already been captured by the Sun Moon Empire. Their fates are unknown—"
Xian Lin'er was unable to refute Yan Shaozhe's anguished questions. Her face was as blank as a wooden carving as she recounted the heartbreaking truth.
"I wanted to die then, but Long Xiaoyao told me that even if I wanted to die, I had to bring Bei Bei back. That's why I'm still alive. Now that Bei Bei is back, I truly should die. I'll go back to Star Luo City, I'll go to Mingdu, to avenge them—"
Xian Lin'er's soul light pulsed as she tremblingly rose, a dark expression spreading across her face. She turned to fly out of the Sea God Pavilion.
"Lin Er, come back!"
Old Song immediately transformed with his Azure Shadow Divine Eagle Martial Soul, nine rings appearing beneath his feet. He swiftly caught up to Xian Lin'er.
Xian Lin'er struggled weakly, "Mom, don't stop me. I have to go, I have to—"
"*Whack~!*"
Old Song struck Xian Lin'er on the back of her neck with a Palm Blade, knocking her unconscious. He carried her back and handed her to Old Zhuang: "Old Zhuang, it's all up to you..."
"Don't worry, Old Song—" Old Zhuang took Xian Lin'er. His already aged face seemed to have aged another ten years, and his spirit was dim. After comforting Xian Lin'er, Yan Shaozhe, who had just heard the devastating news of losing his disciples and wife, went berserk again. Every corner of his eyes was consumed by hysterical hatred.
"Old Song, the Sun Moon Empire killed so many of us this time, and captured so many more! We must get revenge! We must get revenge!"
With that, Yan Shaozhe, nearly a hundred years old, broke into a loud cry. The Sea God Pavilion was thrown into chaos once more.
Old Song, Old Zhuang, and the last remaining Elder, who was a Level 95, busied themselves comforting him, which finally calmed Yan Shaozhe down slightly.
"*Whack~!*"
Old Song seized the opportunity and delivered another Palm Blade, knocking Yan Shaozhe unconscious.
With the two Deans of Shrek unconscious, the Sea God Pavilion finally returned to quiet. However, the three remaining Elders were enveloped in a suffocating despair, as if the sky had fallen.
"What are we to do, what are we to do? Old Shi is gone, Lin Huiqun and Qian Duoduo have been captured. Half of our Titled Douluo from Shrek died there. What are we to do—"
Old Song slumped powerlessly into the Sea God Pavilion Master's seat. At this moment, she yearned for Mu En and Xuan Zi. How good it would be if they were still here?
Should I awaken the soul Mu Lao left behind? I truly don't know what to do. Looking up at the Golden Tree, lost in thought, Old Song's heart was filled with despair.
Old Zhuang lamented, "Old Song, let's prepare for Shrek to go into semi-retirement. The Supervision Group should also be disbanded. Shrek cannot afford to lose any more people, cannot afford to lose any more—"
The last remaining Elder, Old Dong, covered his tear-streaked face and shook his head repeatedly, refuting with a pained voice, "No, we can't. Shrek has been the top academy for ten thousand years, and Shrek City is the largest city among the Three Great Empires. How can we go into semi-retirement? If we do, then it truly will be over!"
"The abundant resources of Shrek City will attract countless ambitious individuals. A retreating Shrek will no longer be able to retain its title as the top academy of ten thousand years."
Old Song painfully rubbed her face, then looked up and made a decision: "Alright! I'll decide. After this crisis, we will no longer send out the Supervision Group for now. Let all the children return to the academy first. We must also save Old Lin, Duo Duo, and Le Xuan. Once Shaozhe and Lin Er awaken, we'll discuss a plan..."
Old Zhuang and Old Dong nodded, sobbing uncontrollably: "Everything was fine just a year ago. Why has Shrek undergone so many changes in such a short time?
Is Heaven truly abandoning Shrek? Mei'er, Xiao Tao, why did you leave so suddenly—"
Inside the Sea God Pavilion, the cries of the last three Elders drowned out everything.
Time flew by, and seven days passed in a flash.
The chaotic ruins within a hundred miles of Star Luo Square were gradually cleared, and the disaster relief efforts in Star Luo City were largely complete. Xu Tianxi, after a brief wash under the setting sun, found a quiet corner, pulled out a reclining chair, and dozed off.
Despite his considerable strength, a week of non-stop activity had left him deeply fatigued. An undeniable pallor covered his soft features, and his hands rested casually behind his head, showing none of the usual demeanor of a top genius.
Those with keen eyes noticed a slight upward curve at the corner of his weary mouth, a peaceful and serene smile.
Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, Ma Rulong, and others discovered Xu Tianxi's whereabouts. Instead of calling out to him, they followed suit, setting up a simple camp on the spot and lying down to rest.
Mingde Hall Master Jing Hongchen and Starry Sky Douluo Ye Yulin, each with a camera Soul Guided Device, snapped a flurry of photos of the group, their eyes filled with both heartache and contentment.
These children were truly exhausted.
After a long while, Ye Yulin sighed softly and said,
"Jing Hongchen, I never respected you before, but now I'm somewhat envious that you have such a pair of grandchildren. Your Hongchen Family has truly great fortune."
Jing Hongchen chuckled, "Of course. I've achieved quite a bit in my life, but what I'm most proud of are these three juniors."
Ye Yulin raised an eyebrow, kindly reminding him, "Don't forget, Tianxi is Old Man Kong's Guan You Sect Disciple. By seniority, he's at the same level as you."
"I don't need you to remind me. I have other intentions," Jing Hongchen said, gesturing with his eyes towards Xu Tianxi and Meng Hongchen.
Ye Yulin immediately understood, realizing, "Ah, that makes sense then. But I think my young junior brother isn't very interested in pretty girls; he's extremely obsessed with Soul Guided Devices, especially Fixed Soul Cannon Shells."
"Also, I think he has a better relationship with your grandson."
Jing Hongchen said nonchalantly, "What's wrong with that? They're young now, so it's normal for them not to understand. He'll know soon enough."
"I'm not bragging, but among the young geniuses of this generation, how many girls can compare to my granddaughter? That Soft Bone Rabbit Soul Ancestorfrom Shrek was utterly helpless against her."
"I, Jing Hongchen, am also one of the most prominent figures on the entire continent, don't you agree?"
Ye Yulin nodded in agreement. Although Jing Hongchen being the Mingde Hall Master didn't mean Mingde Hall belonged to him, being the Hall Master was a clear path to success. Even if Jing Hongchen were to retire to the Hall of Worship in the future, his former students and associates would form an incredibly powerful force, just like Old Man Kong in his time.
Looking around at the Star Luo Empire rescue team who had returned their Detection Glasses before leaving, Ye Yulin suddenly asked, "By the way, regarding those Detection Glasses, you must have left some countermeasures, right?"
"Of course!" Jing Hongchen patted his chest and laughed:
"Good things from my Sun Moon Empire aren't that easy to get. All the Detection Glasses I, the Hall Master, personally made have countermeasures, and also self-destruct mechanisms. If they try to dismantle them, they'll only get a pile of scrap metal."
"Hmph! The Star Luo Empire somehow managed to get quite a few good things from my Mingde Hall, including a top-tier Level 8 Soul Guided Device, the Heaven Opening Earth Splitting Cannon, and a Ninth Level Soul Guided Device, the God Sealing Platform. How could I, the Hall Master, not have left a trick up my sleeve?"
"What did you say? The Heaven Opening Earth Splitting Cannon and the Ninth Level God Sealing Platform? Which scoundrel sold them those?"
Ye Yulin frowned deeply upon hearing this. The Heaven Opening Earth Splitting Cannon was the highest-grade Level 8 Soul Guided Device, and there weren't many Level 8 Soul Engineers in the entire Sun Moon Empire who could make it. As for the God Sealing Platform, it went without saying that almost every Ninth Level Soul Guided Device was unique and bore the distinctive technique of a Level 9 Soul Engineer.
"I can't be certain yet, but I think it must have been those good-for-nothing fools who secretly sold them," Jing Hongchen said with a cold expression, laughing sinisterly. "Previously, when those bastards caused trouble, I could turn a blind eye. But this time, they dared to smuggle out my Mingde Hall's Level 8 Soul Guided Device and twelve Level 6 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells. I absolutely cannot allow them to continue their mischief!"
"I've already found some clues based on the Tyrant Tiger Soul Refining Blade and the Heaven Opening Earth Splitting Cannon. Following this trail and looking for traces of the God Sealing Platform, I'll definitely catch that big rat!"
Ye Yulin went through the names of the most notorious individuals in the Level 9 Soul Engineer circle, his brow furrowed in thought:
"I can probably guess who did it. Either a Level 9 Soul Engineer among the Evil Soul Masters, or those freeloaders in the Imperial Family. None of them are people who like to make moves."
"They may not like to make moves, but I, Jing Hongchen, am not to be trifled with. This time, I personally bought so much physical evidence; I don't believe I can't take him down!" Jing Hongchen said with murderous intent, determined to eliminate that traitorous bastard.
"Mm, this matter indeed has a huge impact. If there's any resistance, I won't stand idly by."
Ye Yulin also deeply detested these corrupt individuals who engaged in secret smuggling. He knew how many people were involved in the intricate web of interests behind it. The three major underground forces in Mingdu represented the dark hands of three different interest groups, permeating the upper echelons of the Sun Moon Empire.
The Imperial Family, Evil Soul Masters, the military, the great nobles — it was a situation where a single move could affect everything.
But the academy faction represented by Jing Hongchen was not to be underestimated either. That bastard even dared to smuggle a Ninth Level Soul Guided Device this time. Who knew what he might dare to smuggle next? If he secretly sent out a few Level 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells, it would be a huge problem.
"Then thank you. After we go back, let's peel the skin off those bastards together!" Jing Hongchen chuckled.
Just as the two top Level 9 Soul Engineers made up their minds to return and thoroughly investigate,
A starlit figure suddenly streaked across the sky, landing before them, holding a stack of invitations.
Ye Yulin's eyebrows shot up, "Star Shattering Douluo, what brings you here?"
"On behalf of His Majesty, our emperor, I'm here to extend invitations to both Level 9 Masters and the members of the Sun Moon Battle Team. His Majesty wishes to host a banquet to express gratitude to everyone from the Sun Moon Empire." Star Shattering Douluo smiled faintly.
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