I Don't Want to Go to Shrek

Star Luo Empire, Luo City, Su Family.

As a hereditary count of the Star Luo Empire, the City Lord's Manor was also the Su Family's Count Manor.

Every generation of Su Family heads simultaneously served as counts of the Star Luo Empire and city lords of Luo City.

As the hereditary counts of the Star Luo Empire and the city lords of Luo City, the Su Family heads had always remained calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before them. Yet Su Lie, the current head of the Su Family, was filled with fury.

"Bastard! I knew Qin Hao was no good, but I never expected him to be such a complete scumbag!"

Upon hearing about what his younger sister Su Muyue and nephew Su Luo had gone through, Su Lie smashed the teacup in his hand with an angry slap.

If the Su Family had not currently lost its strongest combatant, a Soul Douluo, he would have wanted to lead people over and wipe out the Qin Family himself.

Of course, wiping out the Qin Family was only wishful thinking. Setting aside the fact that they currently had no Soul Douluo, even when they did, if people from the Star Luo Empire ran to the Dou Ling Empire and killed Dou Ling Empire nobles, the Su Family would never be allowed to return so long as the Dou Ling Empire's emperor was not utterly spineless. Even if the Su Family had a Title Douluo, it would be the same.

Unless the Su Family's Title Douluo was at least Rank 97, the Dou Ling Empire would never allow someone who trampled its dignity into the dirt to live.

"It's my fault too. If Father and I had been more forceful back then, perhaps this never would have happened." After smashing the teacup, Su Lie spoke with self-reproach.

Su Muyue shook her head. "Brother, this isn't your or Father's fault. Back then, I threatened to die, and you were forced to agree. It was my fault."

"I believed him when he said he would only ever love one person in his life and would never take three wives and four concubines like his father. That was why I fell for him. Who could have known he would do something like that?"

Su Lie consoled Su Muyue. "Little sister, when someone is weak, everyone seems like a good person. No one can afford three wives and four concubines. You can't just listen to what he says. You have to look at what he and his family do."

"Qin Hao's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather—every one of them had three wives and four concubines, along with a whole pile of mistresses. How could he possibly not want the same? His strength and status simply hadn't reached that point yet, so he wasn't qualified. When you two were deeply in love, you didn't notice that almost as soon as you confirmed your relationship, he had already started fooling around with other women in secret. You just wouldn't listen back then."

"The dowry we gave you before was meant to help you keep him in check, to keep him under your thumb. Only if you kept suppressing him could he remain a decent man and not dare entertain any improper thoughts. Who could have imagined that the things meant to help you would become deadly reminders that took your life?"

Su Muyue lowered her head. Her father and brother had told her many things before, whether it was that Qin Hao was no good or the risks of marrying far away across national borders. But she had been so consumed by love back then that she stubbornly refused to listen to any of it.

By the time she thought back on everything now, after coming to her senses, half of the Su Family's fortune had already been squandered by her.

Even when the Su Family had a Soul Douluo, they could not go to the Dou Ling Empire and risk their lives against the Qin Family. Much less now, when the Su Family had become a Soul Sage family. Though they might produce a Soul Douluo-level expert again in the future, they definitely did not currently have the strength to demand an explanation from the Qin Family.

A family that had fallen from the Soul Douluo level to the Soul Sage level, even if it had several Soul Sages and remained at the peak among Soul Sage families, was ultimately still a step inferior to a Soul Douluo family.

As for someone with Innate Full Soul Power, if they grew normally and encountered no accidents, becoming a Soul Douluo was the minimum, while becoming a Title Douluo was entirely normal. Under such circumstances, becoming the disciple of a Soul Douluo or even a Title Douluo was not difficult at all.

And if Qin Teng became the disciple of a Soul Douluo or Title Douluo, then that Soul Douluo's or Title Douluo's family would become the Qin Family's protective umbrella.

When the Su Family still had a Soul Douluo, there had already been nothing they could do if Qin Teng became a Title Douluo's disciple. Now that the Su Family did not even have a Soul Douluo, Qin Teng only needed to become the disciple of a Soul Douluo, and Su Muyue could forget about getting her dowry back.

This world was ultimately one where strength reigned supreme. Using an empire's backing for self-protection was one thing, but when it came to launching attacks or making the empire act in reverse—

After all, when nobles of one nation killed nobles of another, who could say it was not a test carried out in advance for an invasion?

After all, the nobles of this world were all powerful Soul Masters, genuine sources of imperial strength, not useless people who only knew how to live off others.

"Let's not talk about this anymore. It wasn't easy traveling all the way back from the Dou Ling Empire, so rest for a while first. Since Su Luo has taken the Su Family name, let him formally become a member of the Su Family. I'll write a letter of recommendation later and send Su Luo to Shrek. Su Xi happens to be at Shrek as well, so you siblings can look after each other."

"Um, Uncle, compared to Shrek, I'd actually rather go to Star Luo Royal Academy."

He definitely had to attend a Soul Master Academy, because Su Luo was not sure whether absorbing a Wood Attribute Soul Beast's Soul Ring would add a trace of wood energy to his body.

After the Su Family's Otherworld Gate Martial Soul absorbed a Soul Ring, it would become attribute-less. It was common in the Su Family for a fire-attribute Soul Ring to summon magical beasts with a wood attribute.

Therefore, Su Luo was not certain whether his fire-attribute Dou Qi came from the fire-type Soul Ring absorbed as his first Soul Ring, or whether it was naturally meant to be fire-attribute when he absorbed Dou Qi.

When he could not be sure whether Soul Rings could grant him additional attributes, Soul Bones became essential.

After all, a Soul Ring might not add an attribute, but absorbing a plant-type Soul Bone would almost certainly add one.

Even if it only added the faintest trace, the wood attribute required for alchemy was merely that tiny trace.

And academies—or rather, top academies—were an important way to obtain Soul Bones.

In the original story, Shrek Academy directly offered Soul Bones as rewards after the freshmen competition. Star Luo Royal Academy certainly could not be as lavish as Shrek Academy, but with the Star Luo Imperial Family behind it, if he performed well enough there, obtaining a Soul Bone might not be impossible.

In the original story, even Huo Yuhao from Shrek Academy had been gifted an Ice Scorpion Soul Bone comparable to a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone by the emperor of the Star Luo Empire. Though that certainly carried the intention of winning over Shrek, Su Luo did not believe that, as someone of unquestionable background who performed outstandingly at Star Luo Royal Academy, he would not receive a Soul Bone from the Star Luo Empire.

Especially since Su Luo was confident that he could replace Soul Bones later, meaning his requirements for their quality were not particularly high.

Hearing Su Luo's request, Su Lie frowned. "It's not impossible for you to attend Star Luo Royal Academy, but you'd better think it through."

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