You Rooster and Mao Rabbit Appear!
But a powerful enemy might attack, and they had to return to the academy to warn it. Even getting Tang Ya her third Soul Ring would have to wait.
Bei Bei said, "This is bad. We have to get back to the academy and warn them!"
He grabbed Huo Yuhao by the wrist, lightning flashing around him, and said:
"Little Yuhao, since you've met Wu Horse, come back to Shrek with us."
Huo Yuhao nodded in a daze. Bei Bei pulled him along at a mad dash, and he could not help feeling, vaguely, that he had become caught up in an extraordinary upheaval.
As Bei Bei and Tang Ya rushed back with Huo Yuhao, they heard a piercing alarm before they even reached Shrek City.
The gates of Shrek City were already shut tight.
Atop the walls, every Defensive Soul Tool and protective light barrier had been activated.
Tang Ya froze on the spot. "What's going on?"
Seeing what looked like the prelude to a great battle, Huo Yuhao was dumbfounded too.
He happened to glance up and spotted a figure floating above Shrek Academy. Uncertainly, he asked:
"Is that a person up there?"
Hearing Huo Yuhao's question, Bei Bei and Tang Ya looked over as well.
Sure enough, a figure in black floated above Shrek, wearing a rooster mask.
Bei Bei's expression darkened as he said:
"That's You Rooster of the Zodiac Temple."
He had rushed back as fast as he could, yet he had never expected to be too late.
Sure enough, the Zodiac Temple had other plans.
Hearing that the Zodiac Temple seemed to be attacking Shrek, Huo Yuhao frowned deeply:
Could Brother Bei Bei have been right? Was the Zodiac Temple really such a fearsome force?
Meanwhile, You Rooster hovered above Shrek, the gale whipping his black robes into a flutter.
With his arms folded, he looked down at Shrek Academy through his mask.
Using his Soul Power, he called out mockingly:
"Shrek Academy, your so-called ten thousand years of glory are nothing more than a chess piece set in place by a god."
"An enemy has come to your doorstep to trample you, and you don't even dare show yourselves? In that case, feel this pain descending upon the mortal world."
The moment the words left his mouth, You Rooster flung both arms out to his sides.
"Planetary Devastation!"
Boom!
As soon as You Rooster spoke, Tang Ya, Huo Yuhao, and Bei Bei watched.
The mountains outside Shrek City were forcibly torn apart. Countless rocks, clods of earth, and trees seemed to break free of the ground's hold, converging high in the sky where You Rooster pointed.
A terrifying sphere rapidly took shape above Shrek Academy, gradually blotting out the sky and sun.
Even with Defensive Soul Tools protecting it, the entire city trembled and shook violently.
Everyone seemed to have fallen into despair. Even the many disciples who regarded Shrek Academy as a sacred land could not help panicking.
They did not know why the academy's senior elders were not taking action. Could they really be afraid of this so-called Zodiac Temple?
Only Chu Ye, still by the shore of Sea God Lake, remained perfectly calm.
"Senior Brother Chu Ye, run! What if you get hurt staying here? The teachers said to get under cover right away."
Hearing this, Chu Ye said:
"How could the mere Zodiac Temple possibly shake our Shrek Academy?"
The senior elders of Sea God Hall, who were observing the reactions of the many students, could not help sighing inwardly when they heard him: What a fine prospect.
Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er led the charge into the sky.
Several people then rose into the air, nine brilliant Soul Rings blossoming around them, and they shouted angrily:
"You Rooster of the Zodiac Temple, you dare attack Shrek alone? Do you think there's no one at Shrek to stand against you?"
You Rooster sneered. "Is that so? Just the few of you don't seem like much to look at."
At that moment, the roof of a tavern in Shrek Academy collapsed, and a furious shout rang out:
"What beast dares disturb this old man's drinking? Get down here!"
A disheveled figure shot into the sky, his face twisted with rage as he carried a wine gourd in one hand and gnawed on a chicken leg.
He took a deep swig of strong liquor, his white robes burst apart, and the phantom of a massive dark-gold beast roared.
It was Xuan Zi, a level 98 Titled Douluo.
Seeing this, Bei Bei, watching from outside the city, breathed a sigh of relief and said:
"With Elder Xuan here, nothing will go wrong."
"Elder Xuan, the Taotie Douluo, is one of the continent's top experts. With his level 98 strength, that Zodiac Temple scoundrel is sure to lose."
Tang Ya also breathed a sigh of relief. As she saw it, no matter how strong the Zodiac Temple was, it could not be stronger than Shrek Academy, could it?
Meanwhile, faced with a battle between gods, Huo Yuhao could feel even the ground trembling. As a One-Ring Soul Master, he was still far too weak.
Still, although he did not know how strong You Rooster was, surely someone who dared face the continent-famous Shrek Academy alone could not be so reckless?
He felt You Rooster must have a backup plan.
Seeing that Huo Yuhao was nearly flat on the ground, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said smugly, "A mere level 98 Titled Douluo wouldn't have been a match for me at my peak either."
Electrolux glanced at Sky Dream Ice Silkworm when he heard that.
He had long since seen that this little bug had no real fighting ability.
But he was more interested in the battle, which was a good chance to learn about the strength of experts from the various worlds.
When You Rooster saw that it was Xuan Zi, he mocked him even more. "You, Xuan Zi? Send Mu En instead. You're not good enough."
Although his Soul Power was only level 98, he had the Talismans' power. A mere Xuan Zi was no match for him.
Those words sent Xuan Zi into an even greater rage.
Nine terrifying Soul Rings lit up, and Xuan Zi, his hair bristling with fury, lunged at You Rooster.
"Today, this old man will tear you apart, you mongrel rooster! Die!"
The full-power strike of a level 98 Titled Douluo seemed capable of shattering space and tearing through the clouds.
To everyone's astonishment, You Rooster did not even try to dodge Xuan Zi's fist.
"What's going on? Can't You Rooster move?"
"Just as I thought, he was bluffing."
"Before our Shrek Academy, he's nothing but a chicken and a clay dog."
Yan Shaozhe, Xian Lin'er, and the others could not help feeling pleased with themselves.
In their eyes, You Rooster was certain to die beneath Xuan Zi's blow.
But just as Xuan Zi's fist was about to reach You Rooster-
A yellow-gold light suddenly flashed, followed by a voice.
"Xuan Zi, have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
Before Xuan Zi could react, his combat instincts made the hairs all over his body stand on end.
He wanted to dodge, but he could not get away.
A kick as fast as light slammed into Xuan Zi's face, which was covered in golden markings.
Crack!
The sound of breaking bone rang out. Xuan Zi flew backward through layer upon layer of mist in the air, blasting out rings of white air.
Pfft!
Xuan Zi spat out a mouthful of blood and finally managed to steady himself.
A level 98 Taotie Douluo had actually been sent flying with one kick?
Outside Shrek City, Bei Bei felt as though he had been struck by lightning. He murmured to himself:
"Elder Xuan actually lost."
"How is that possible?"
Huo Yuhao was dumbfounded too. He had not understood what happened at all; he had only seen the Taotie Douluo, on whom Brother Bei Bei had pinned such high hopes, go flying.
In his Sea of Consciousness, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, who had been so smug just moments ago, was dumbfounded as well:
"That was way too fast!"
Electrolux's expression grew grave. He had never seen anyone move so fast.
Was this the Zodiac Temple?
Very strong!
Throughout Shrek City, all the students of Shrek Academy fell silent.
Yan Shaozhe froze in midair. He had thought You Rooster would be finished off in an instant.
Yet he had never expected the other side to have reinforcements, who had dealt Elder Xuan a heavy blow.
The reinforcement wore a white rabbit mask and a black robe over a yellow outfit, with his yellow trousers ostentatiously on display.
Those features undoubtedly matched the intelligence Shrek had obtained.
He gritted his teeth and said each word distinctly: "Zodiac Temple, Mao Rabbit."
Hearing Yan Shaozhe, Mao Rabbit's eyes held a lazy smile.
"Couldn't you just have behaved yourselves and let You Rooster make his move? I couldn't even be bothered to step in."