"Compared to Shrek, we're more willing to trust Young Master Kong, as well as the esteemed individuals from your nation who offered their help in our time of need."
As she spoke, Xu Jiujiu gave Xu Tianxi a meaningful glance, her eyes bright and captivating.
Xu Tianxi chuckled but didn't respond, his mind racing with various thoughts.
What did Star Luo mean by this? Had they given up on Shrek because it was too useless, or was this just a polite formality?
Shrek had deep foundations; they should still have around a dozen Titled Douluo, and quite a few masters had graduated from Shrek...
However, in the original story, there was no instance of Shrek rallying a large number of graduating masters. In fact, those old masters of the Sea God Pavilion preferred to let the younger generation fight to the death, rarely intervening themselves.
"It's a pity the competition couldn't be completed. So today, our three academies can freely engage in a few matches. Afterwards, we'll announce the champions, runners-up, and third-place winners. What do you all think?"
Leading the Sun Moon Battle Team to their seats, Xu Jiujiu revealed the surprise of their visit.
Xu Tianxi glanced at Xiao Hongchen, who was almost laughing out loud beside him, and smiled. "I tend to be heavy-handed, so I probably shouldn't participate, should I?"
"Young Master Kong is too humble. Compared to some who are quick to kill, you have excellent judgment."
Xu Jiujiu spoke calmly, subtly criticizing a certain vile character Xu Tianxi had eliminated.
Thinking about it now, if Shrek hadn't been so ruthless towards Mingdu Soul Engineer Academy back then, Cai Meier wouldn't have been captured, and none of the subsequent troubles would have occurred.
For Shrek to be in such a dire state today, Ma Xiaotao could certainly be credited with a significant contribution.
Xu Jiujiu thought for a moment, then continued:
"The primary reason for inviting everyone here today is to formally recognize the Sun Moon Battle Team as champions. The necessary procedures must still be followed. Also, Imperial Brother has prepared a gift for Young Master Kong, and we hope Young Master Kong won't dislike it then."
Xu Tianxi's eyebrows subtly twitched, and he politely acknowledged her.
The Star Luo Empire was an empire with over ten thousand years of heritage, possessing the deepest foundations among the original three empires. The Star Crown Sect had also once been a top-tier Hidden Sect, making it worth looking forward to.
Suddenly, Meng Hongchen interjected from beside him, "Princess, what's the arrangement for our matches tonight?"
"Mainly one-on-one. Other formats don't hold much significance," Xu Jiujiu replied.
Meng Hongchen nodded slightly, acknowledging her words.
Xu Tianxi and Xiao Hongchen noticed a subtle shift in Meng Hongchen's expression, as if battle intent was rising in her eyes.
Leading the Sun Moon Battle Team to a position second only to Xu Jiawei and the two Level 9 Soul Engineers, Xu Jiujiu bid farewell to Xu Tianxi and his group, then gracefully departed.
Not long after Xu Jiujiu left, Meng Hongchen sent a telepathic message to Xu Tianxi: "Tianxi, I don't think the Star Luo Royal Family necessarily has good intentions. You need to be careful."
Xu Tianxi raised an eyebrow. "How so?"
"I can't put my finger on it, but it just feels off. A gut feeling," Meng Hongchen said with a somewhat vexed tone.
Xu Tianxi nodded, saying nothing more.
His gaze fell upon Xu Jiawei and the others, and Xu Tianxi noticed that Dai Yueheng seemed intent on building a good relationship with Ma Rulong and the other Sun Moon Battle Team students. Xu Jiawei and Xu Jiujiu, meanwhile, had disappeared into the crowd at some point.
Is this a delaying tactic? Strange. Xu Tianxi muttered to himself, feeling it was peculiar. He then stopped thinking about it, cleared his mind, and took some fruit.
The Star Luo Empire's banquet was quite exquisite, with all the dishes laid out being beneficial for cultivation.
...
In a secret palace chamber, Xu Jiawei received a shimmering, spherical bead from his grand-uncle, a Level 97 Soul Power cultivator. "Second Grand-Uncle, our Star Crown lineage must take this gamble."
Xu Heng's gaze was solemn. "Jiawei, are we really betting this much this time? And pinning our hopes on the Sun Moon Empire's people?"
"There's no other way. The strength the Sun Moon Empire has displayed far exceeds our imagination, and Shrek is too useless. If war breaks out, I truly don't have much confidence."
Xu Jiawei sighed deeply. "Now that I think about it, this grand-nephew wants to dismiss or even punish all those idiots in the intelligence department. They actually believed the Sun Moon Empire only had a mere three Level 9 Soul Engineers."
"This time, there were over ten Level 9 Soul Engineers involved in the attack, and these ten or more are definitely not the entirety of the Sun Moon Empire's forces. The Five Great Guardian Hands are renowned; their total number of Level 9 Soul Engineers is probably upwards of thirty."
"With such strength, if war breaks out, our Star Luo Empire truly cannot withstand it. Our Titled Douluo will be slaughtered like chickens, just like Shrek's."
Recalling the great battle seven days ago, Xu Jiawei still felt a lingering fear. Not only were the Evil Soul Masters powerful, but the Sun Moon Soul Engineers were also overwhelmingly strong.
By the end of the fierce battle, the Sun Moon side had no casualties, only some injured, while Shrek was completely annihilated, from the old master to the dean. Only one Soul Tool Department dean escaped; everyone else was captured by the Sun Moon Empire.
Excluding the Hall Master, the strength of Shrek's group was not much weaker than that of Star Luo City's enshrined experts. Their complete annihilation truly shocked Xu Jiawei.
During his recovery day, he not only pondered how so many Evil Soul Masters came to be, but also how the Xu Family could protect its elders and children once a great war began.
The most straightforward method was to surrender directly, but that would be too humiliating and unsafe, so Xu Jiawei immediately dismissed it.
The second method was to abdicate early and find a scapegoat, like the Dai Family, who would be quite suitable. However, this matter was too significant and difficult to achieve quickly, and there was also the danger of being hunted down.
The idea of escaping the Douluo Continent with his family and fleeing to sea also crossed Xu Jiawei's mind, but such a plan had too much uncertainty, and thinking about it gave Xu Jiawei a headache.
It was at this moment that the Prime Minister mentioned Xu Tianxi's charitable deeds, and Xu Jiawei immediately recalled Xu Tianxi's various remarkable feats from that day:
Bombarding two Super Douluo, consecutively slaying three important figures from Shrek, and seemingly having some discord with the Sun Moon Empire's Crown Prince...
Excellent, highly worth cultivating. Xu Jiawei knew he couldn't change the general trend, nor did he intend to. His goal had narrowed from preserving the Star Luo Empire to ensuring the safety and legacy of the Xu Family's elders and children.
And to achieve this, Xu Jiawei believed he had quite a few bargaining chips.
"Second Grand-Uncle, our Star Crown lineage has enjoyed peace for over four thousand years, and we've had enough prosperity. Sitting on this throne now, I often feel like I'm treading on thin ice, gradually losing my strength..."
Xu Jiawei smiled bitterly. "If it weren't for the fact that no one can replace me for now, I would have already given up. The old nobles in the country are deeply entrenched, Shrek is too useless, and the Xuanming Sect, though powerful, is only interested in eradicating Evil Soul Masters. I feel quite powerless as well..."
"This battle with Sun Moon has awakened us. I want to catch up, but the gap I see is already too vast. To preserve the Xu family's legacy, I must prepare for both eventualities. After all, I am not just an emperor, but also the current head of the Xu Family."
Xu Heng nodded, then worriedly added, "Even so, is he really worth such a huge price from you? This is a unique heirloom of our Star Crown lineage, and you're even asking Jiujiu to..."
Xu Jiawei closed his eyes and shook his head. "An heirloom that can't be used to its full potential is useless. As for Jiujiu... it's already hard enough to find a suitable match for someone of her status. In the Star Luo Empire, the only one worthy of her was Dai Hao's eldest son, and he's now mostly incapacitated."
"The Dou Ling Empire is out of the question, and there are no outstanding princes in this generation of the Heavenly Soul Empire. Originally, with Jiujiu's talent, it wouldn't have been bad for her to stay in the royal family her entire life. But since an unpredictable figure like Kong Tianxi emerged from Sun Moon, we have no choice but to make a decision."
As he spoke, Xu Jiawei opened his eyes, a calm smile on his face. "Besides, Jiujiu herself has no objections to this matter. Although Kong Tianxi is from the Sun Moon Empire, he isn't a pure Soul Engineer. He was willing to help save our citizens, so his character can't be problematic."
"Even if we take ten thousand steps back, if he and Jiujiu's descendants were to annex Star Luo, our Xu Family's legacy wouldn't be broken."
"You want to help him become emperor? Is that appropriate?" Xu Heng's face was filled with astonishment.
"Those are matters for later; it depends on how future interactions go. Anyway, I don't think being emperor is necessarily a good thing. If he can offer our Xu Family sufficient terms, why shouldn't I help him? A palace coup in the Sun Moon Empire is practically commonplace anyway."
Xu Jiawei smiled and waved his hand. "Uncle Grandfather, please keep a close eye on security here. Your grandnephew will go first."
Xu Heng hummed in acknowledgment.
...
Xu Jiawei returned to the main seat, and the banquet officially began.
After a speech consisting of motivational platitudes and polite formalities, the representatives from the various academies got down to business.
Not only did the geniuses from the three major academies compete, but also some talented students from other academies who hadn't been matched during the main competition.
Under Xu Jiawei's personal supervision, the atmosphere was unexpectedly harmonious.
Ma Rulong defeated the Soul Emperor captain of Dio Academy and laughed triumphantly, "Without Shrek here, the atmosphere is surprisingly relaxed."
Xiao Hongchen agreed with a smile, eager to challenge Huang Heyun, the Dark Demon Tiger battle Soul Emperor from Star Luo Royal Academy. After a fierce battle, he returned victorious.
Xu Jiujiu smiled and invited the Sun Moon Battle Team to compete. Ma Rulong accepted the challenge and, surprisingly, was defeated. The opponent's Star Crown Martial Soul was exceptionally powerful.
Meng Hongchen stepped forward. It was a fierce five-ring versus six-ring battle. Xu Jiujiu unleashed her Star Crown divine skill, Star's Protection. Without a seven-ring Soul Sage, no one could break it.
Meng Hongchen tried to break through with poison, but Xu Jiujiu was surprisingly equipped with an anti-poison Soul Guided Device. Both of them exhausted their Soul Power, and Xu Jiawei declared it a draw.
Just as Xu Tianxi was wondering if he should step up, Xu Jiawei spoke up, announcing the rankings of the three major academies and presenting the championship awards on the spot.
Xu Tianxi led the Sun Moon Battle Team onto the stage to receive their awards, and Xu Jiawei said with a smile:
"Young friend Tianxi, you've helped our Star Luo immensely this time. I've prepared a special thank-you gift for you. Would you care to take a look?"
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Translation by: randomtranslator.com
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