What Did You Mean, "If Spirit Hall Were Still Around"?

At that moment, deep within the forest, Lu Jing was being chased by Bei Bei and the man in black, with nowhere to flee above or below. Bei Bei's Lightning Dragon Claw nearly grazed his back, shattering an ancient tree; the man in black's Wind Blades followed like a shadow, forcing him to weave through the gaps between the trees.

"Tian Meng! If you don't come up with something soon, we're done for!" Lu Jing's throat was raw with panic.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice carried a hint of madness. "Coming, coming! Even if it damages my Spiritual Power, I'll hit them hard one more time!"

Just then, a golden figure streaked overhead like a meteor, carrying a mountain-like pressure that instantly engulfed the entire forest.

The three people fighting froze at the same time.

It was a sense of oppression that came from the depths of the soul, as though they were facing the laws of heaven and earth themselves.

Lu Jing looked up and saw a golden-haired man and a girl standing atop the trees. Their gray robes snapped in the wind, and their calm gazes swept over the group, yet he did not even have the strength to move a finger.

"What... what is that?" Lu Jing was completely dumbfounded. Was I cursed today or something? I just got away from two lunatics, and now someone even worse has shown up?

Bei Bei and the man in black were no better off. Their faces had turned pale as they stared at Qian Daoliu. The Soul Power throughout their bodies seemed frozen, making even breathing difficult.

Qian Daoliu's gaze fell upon Lu Jing—or rather, upon the faintly visible World-Annihilating Black Lotus above his head. One brow rose slightly. "A Dark Spirit? Interesting."

His voice was not loud, yet it reached everyone's ears with unquestionable authority.

Qian Daoliu's pressure hung over them like storm clouds, and the air in the forest seemed to have solidified into iron.

Bei Bei was the first to break free from his shock. He glared at Lu Jing, his voice trembling with fury. "Senior! This boy is a Spirit Master of Evil! His spirit is exceptionally sinister and can release corrosive power. He has already killed someone! Please act and suppress him with us. We absolutely cannot allow him to bring disaster upon the world!"

He deliberately emphasized the words "Spirit Master of Evil," his eyes filled with certainty. In his view, anyone with a spirit like the World-Annihilating Black Lotus could never be good. If Lu Jing was not eliminated today, he would certainly become a grave threat in the future.

As a student of Shrek Academy, a symbol of justice, he had to eliminate such an existence before it became a problem.

Standing beside Qian Daoliu, Qian Renxue studied Lu Jing curiously with her galaxy-like purple eyes.

Although the young man looked disheveled, his eyes were startlingly bright. The black lotus floating above his head gave off an eerie air, yet she could not sense even a trace of bloodthirsty evil from it. No matter how she looked at him, he did not resemble the Spirit Masters of Evil said to delight in killing. Unable to help herself, she whispered, "Grandfather, he... doesn't look like a bad person."

Qian Daoliu ignored his granddaughter's words. His gaze shifted between Lu Jing and Bei Bei as he frowned slightly. "Tell me exactly what happened."

At that moment, Yu Yuanzhen arrived with Yu Tianheng. Seeing the confrontation before him and then the World-Annihilating Black Lotus above Lu Jing's head, a trace of gravity flashed through his eyes. Without drawing attention to himself, he moved to stand beside Qian Daoliu.

Bei Bei took a deep breath and explained rapidly, "Senior, this brat's spirit is the World-Annihilating Black Lotus, a dark and evil-type spirit that can release corrosive black mist. He is undoubtedly a Spirit Master of Evil! He just killed one of our companions in the forest by brutal means. If we do not eliminate him in time, he will surely become a terrible scourge in the future!"

Lu Jing was so furious that he snapped before Qian Daoliu could speak. "Bullshit!"

He pointed at Bei Bei's nose, his voice full of anger. "Have you got no shame? I only awakened my spirit not long ago and have absorbed just one soul ring, yet you're already slapping the label of Spirit Master of Evil on me? As for the person I killed, he was one of your lot. He tried to kill me first, and I fought back. Was I wrong? So it's only natural for you to kill me, but unforgivable for me to resist?"

"You!"

Bei Bei was left speechless, his face flushing red. "An evil spirit is an evil spirit! That is an unchangeable fact!"

"Heh, you're just twisting logic. You only dare bully me because I have no backing and no strength."

Lu Jing sneered and asked, "By your logic, the Evil Fire Phoenix is overbearing and vicious, impossible to suppress. The moment it loses control, it becomes a Spirit Master of Evil completely. Why don't you call Ma Xiaotao a Spirit Master of Evil?"

The two argued back and forth without end. Yu Yuanzhen was utterly confused and quietly leaned toward Qian Daoliu, asking in a low voice, "Great Enshrined Elder, what should we do about this?"

Qian Daoliu did not answer directly. He turned his gaze to Bei Bei and spoke indifferently. "What faction are you from?"

It was as if Bei Bei had found his backbone. He straightened his chest and declared, "This junior is a student of Shrek Academy, and also the great-grandson of Dragon God Douluo Mu En!"

He deliberately raised his voice, a barely noticeable hint of pride in his eyes. In his view, Mu En's name was enough to intimidate everyone present. Once he invoked his ancestor, this man before him would surely help him eliminate Lu Jing without hesitation.

However, the moment his words fell, Qian Daoliu and Yu Yuanzhen both froze.

Qian Daoliu frowned more deeply, a trace of confusion flashing through his eyes. "Dragon God Douluo Mu En? Why have I never heard of such a person?"

Yu Yuanzhen nodded as well, looking utterly bewildered. "Indeed. Among the Titled Douluo registered with Spirit Hall, there is no one by that name. Could he be some reclusive expert?"

After all, any Titled Douluo on the Douluo Continent would register with Spirit Hall after becoming famous. It was partly to display their strength and partly to gain the corresponding status and resources. A title as imposing as "Dragon God Douluo" could not possibly belong to someone unknown, if such a person truly existed.

The pride on Bei Bei's face instantly stiffened, as though someone had poured a basin of cold water over him. "Impossible! Ancestor Mu En is the pillar of Shrek Academy. How could nobody know of him?"

The more he spoke, the less confident he became. Even he started to doubt himself. Could it be that Ancestor Mu En's reputation had not spread throughout the entire continent?

Lu Jing watched the scene with an inward smile, but he deliberately sighed aloud, his tone carrying a touch of regret. "Bei Bei, Bei Bei, Mu En and Shrek Academy are the only things you can use to pressure me. It really is a pity. If Spirit Hall were still around, how could I have ended up being chased by you people and branded a criminal?"

"What?!"

The moment those words came out, the expressions of Qian Daoliu, Qian Renxue, and Yu Yuanzhen all changed abruptly.

The pressure around Qian Daoliu surged violently. His golden eyes locked onto Lu Jing, and his tone turned cold as poison. "What did you just say? What do you mean, 'if Spirit Hall were still around'?"

Qian Renxue was stunned as well, her beautiful eyes full of disbelief. Spirit Hall was her grandfather's life's work and the strongest faction on the continent. How could it possibly no longer exist? What nonsense was this little brother talking about?

Yu Yuanzhen looked even more horrified. He instinctively glanced at Qian Daoliu, afraid that the Great Enshrined Elder would fly into a rage.