The Shrek Seven Devils Fell Apart Ahead of Time

The Original Work never mentioned Oscar and Ma Hongjun's backgrounds. The only clear detail was that Oscar was two years older than Little Fatty, which made the search considerably more difficult.

Still, perseverance paid off. After several hours of "strenuous effort," Oscar's record was finally found.

"Oscar, male, Spirit Food Village attached to Suotuo City, Balak Kingdom. Orphan. Tool Spirit: Sausage. Innate Full Soul Power."

Just as I expected, Xia Tianling thought to himself.

The personnel responsible for awakenings in the villages around Suotuo City had seriously neglected their duties. They must have cut corners and failed to properly inspect Little Fatty's Spirit. They had also neglected to report Oscar's Sausage Spirit and Innate Full Soul Power.

But logically speaking, even a food Spirit with only Level One Soul Power should have been considered a treasure. What on earth had that person been doing back then? How could he let such a peerless genius drift among commoners?

Once he exposed Oscar's case, it would set off a chain reaction. The entire faction at the Suotuo City Spirit Hall Branch Hall would likely be brought down.

Still, they deserved it. After the awakening personnel brought back the files, the Branch Hall Master and Vice Hall Master were supposed to conduct a second review and a final inspection. Those two had probably cut corners as well, sending everything straight to Spirit City without even looking.

Thinking this, Xia Tianling took the scrolls containing the two records and walked to the entrance of the Archives Room.

"Uncle, may I temporarily borrow these two scrolls?"

"Huh? Your Highness? Of course. You only need to sign your name in the register here."

The guard Spirit Master had been dozing off, but when he saw that the visitor was the Pope's disciple, he immediately made things easy for him, hoping to leave a favorable impression.

"Alright, thank you, Uncle."

Being Bibi Dong's disciple was really convenient. Not bad at all.

It was already deep into the night. The brightly lit corridors were silent, with only the occasional patrolling Spirit Master passing through. Before long, Xia Tianling arrived outside Bibi Dong's chambers.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Teacher, are you resting?"

Xia Tianling gently knocked three times. He was certain Bibi Dong was in the middle of her routine cultivation. At the Titled Douluo level, while one still needed food, sleep was no longer necessary. Meditation had long since replaced it.

Creak.

"Come in."

The two doors automatically swung outward. Hearing her response, Xia Tianling stepped inside.

"Why have you come looking for me in the middle of the night instead of cultivating?"

Bibi Dong had initially been somewhat irritated at having her cultivation interrupted, but when she saw that it was her disciple, she suppressed her temper.

"Teacher, please look at this. I happened to find it while going through the Archives Room tonight."

For the sake of his plan, Xia Tianling communicated with the system as he spoke and directly activated Mind Interference.

Bibi Dong took the scrolls and opened them. Upon seeing the two records, she flew into a rage, nearly crushing the scrolls in her hand to pieces.

"Good, very good! What capable subordinates!" Bibi Dong gritted her teeth. "A Mutated Grass Chicken with Level Nine Innate Spirit Power? An unprecedented Food System Spirit Master with Innate Full Soul Power, yet it was never reported? What nerve!"

"Guards!" Bibi Dong roared, and two attendants hurried inside.

"Inform Elder Ghost. Have him take my Pope's Token and depart immediately for Suotuo City in the Balak Kingdom. Execute those who neglected their duties on the spot! No matter what, bring those two geniuses back to Spirit Hall! Especially the Spirit Master with the Sausage Spirit!"

"Tianling, you discovered this matter. Would you make the trip with Elder Ghost on my behalf?"

"This disciple will naturally share Teacher's burdens." This was exactly what Xia Tianling wanted. He had been wondering how to bring up going with them. If he did not go, how could he easily turn Oscar and Ma Hongjun into the foundation of his future faction?

The following morning, Ghost Douluo brought Xia Tianling to the Third-Class Main Hall of Spirit Hall in Suotuo City.

Xia Tianling walked in front while Ghost Douluo followed behind. The two swaggered toward the main entrance of the Branch Hall. They had discussed this on the way there. The former needed a chance to show off openly, while the latter wanted to temper the younger generation's abilities.

"Who are you two? Please restrain yourselves. No insolence is permitted before Spirit Hall!" A guard stepped forward to stop them. It was not that he refused to let them enter; Xia Tianling simply walked with such an arrogant air that he looked like he deserved a beating.

This was exactly the effect Xia Tianling wanted. If the guard did not speak up, how could the script he had prepared proceed?

Still, he did not make things difficult for the guard. The man had not offended him. He merely took out the Pope's Token Bibi Dong had given him before he left from his ring.

He said coldly, "Tell your Hall Master and Vice Hall Master to get out here and see me immediately."

The Pope's Token!

When the Pope's Token appeared, it was as though the Pope herself had arrived!

The guard who had stepped forward felt his throat go dry. He hurriedly saluted and replied tremblingly, "M-My lords, please wait a moment. P-Please come inside and rest first."

The other quick-witted guard had already saluted the moment Xia Tianling revealed the Pope's Token. After receiving a nod of approval from his gaze, he hurried off to fetch someone.

"Mm."

Xia Tianling gave a nasal grunt and strode inside, perfectly maintaining that outrageously arrogant demeanor.

Not long after he sat down in the reception room, two middle-aged men rushed inside in a fluster and hurriedly bowed to Xia Tianling, who was enjoying a glass of juice.

The Hall Master and Vice Hall Master had been bragging in their office when they heard that two important figures carrying the Pope's Token had arrived. Terrified, they rushed downstairs without even bothering to compose themselves.

As for suspecting the Pope's Token was forged? Who would dare forge a Pope's Token? That would be courting death. If someone forged it in the morning, a group of Spirit Hall Imperial Guards would be charging through his door by nightfall.

Besides, this person's tone was so domineering. He had directly ordered the two of them to roll downstairs. This could not possibly be good news!

"M-My lord, this subordinate is the Hall Master of Suotuo City's Third-Class Main Hall. May I ask..." The Branch Hall Master remained bowed as he cautiously asked.

"Easy enough. My teacher is the current Pope, Her Majesty Bibi Dong." Xia Tianling slowly said as he swirled the exquisite silver cup in his hand.

It was not wine, so no one knew what he was swirling it around for. Still, that display only made the Hall Master and Vice Hall Master even more terrified.

"Your Highness, then your visit this time is...?"

"Who was responsible for the awakening work in Sichen Village this year and Spirit Food Village two years ago? Tell him to get over here and see me immediately!" Xia Tianling slammed the empty silver cup onto the table. Though his tone had not changed, the bone-deep chill in his words made the Hall Master and Vice Hall Master feel as if they had fallen into an icy abyss.

"..."

"T-That was this subordinate." After a moment of silence, the Vice Hall Master at the side carefully spoke.

"Oh? That was you?" Xia Tianling rose to his feet with a stern expression, then put all his strength into a kick that struck the bent-over Vice Hall Master's face. He sent him sprawling, then followed up with several more kicks.

He cursed loudly as he did so. "A Mutated Grass Chicken with Level Nine Innate Spirit Power, huh! A Food System Spirit Master with Innate Full Soul Power, huh! Why didn't you report them! Think you're pretty capable, do you! Do you know how great a loss you nearly caused Spirit Hall! I'll teach you to neglect your duties!"

The Vice Hall Master did not dare fight back, nor did he dare use Soul Power to protect his body. He clutched his head as he was kicked until his face was bruised and swollen, with two teeth knocked out.

Back when Xia Tianling had lain in bed reading the novel, the more he thought about it, the more absurd this had seemed. A Food System Spirit Master with unprecedented Innate Full Soul Power! And one with a clean background and no backing at that! Yet Spirit Hall had failed to recruit such a civilian genius!

Damn it, this beating felt good.

After venting to his satisfaction, he called out to Ghost Douluo, who was still behind him drinking tea and watching the show.

"Elder Ghost, please cripple this man's Soul Power, then take this damn fool with us as we head for the two villages."

E-Elder Ghost... Could he be Ghost Douluo? That was a Titled Douluo!

The Hall Master trembled like a sieve, not even daring to breathe loudly.

The instant Xia Tianling mentioned a food Spirit Master with Innate Full Soul Power, he knew he was finished. This was a disaster of the highest order. He had cut corners and failed to look through the awakening records submitted by the Vice Hall Master, causing them to miss such a genius. This was severe dereliction of duty!

Forget a mere Third-Class Main Hall Master like himself—even Platinum Bishop Salas would have to kneel if he were here. This damned Vice Hall Master had truly dragged him into ruin.

"As for this Hall Master, you are stripped of your position. Your punishment is to conduct awakenings for eligible children in the surrounding area for twenty years, and your salary for those twenty years will be withheld. Do you have any objections?"

How could the Hall Master dare object? He hurriedly thanked Xia Tianling for sparing his life. After such an enormous blunder, surviving at all was already a blessing from his ancestors. As for salary, wealth was merely an external possession. As long as he was alive, would he have to worry about money? As the former Hall Master of a Spirit Hall Branch Hall, he had some assets after all.

The Vice Hall Master, meanwhile, had already been trembling like a sieve when Ghost Douluo approached. A large patch of his robe below the waist was soaked through. When Ghost Douluo struck and shattered all the Meridians in his body, the pain made him pass out.

Xia Tianling ordered his men to lock the crippled Vice Hall Master in a small cage and tie it behind a carriage to drag along. Then, with a group of guards escorting the carriage, they set off in grand procession.