Between Being Forced to Fight for Douluo, I'd Rather Take the Initiative and Join Sun Moon (New Book Launch, Please Bookmark and Recommend)

Douluo Continent, Heaven Dou Empire, Xuanming Sect.

The mournful music, enough to move one to tears, echoed throughout the vast Hidden Sect, announcing the passing of an important figure within the sect.

"Third Young Master, Third Young Master, please wake up. Don't fall asleep!"

"Young Master, Young Master, hold on! Something happened to Miss. You can't afford to have anything happen to you too!"

In a simply furnished room, Xu Tianxi lay on the bed, his mind hazy. Two anxious, sorrowful voices faintly reached his ears.

Having just transmigrated and not yet figured out what was going on, Xu Tianxi ignored them. He kept his eyes tightly shut and sorted through the jumbled information in his mind.

He had originally been a college student born in the 2000s, working part-time as a security guard during winter break and reading novels and browsing Zhihu in his spare time. While welcoming a resident home one day, a delivery rider suddenly charged in beside him at high speed. He reached out to stop the vehicle, was knocked to the ground, and hit his head against the pavement. After that, he lost consciousness.

When he woke up, he had inexplicably arrived here, and a flood of chaotic memories immediately surged into his mind.

Douluo Continent... Heaven Dou Empire... the Hidden Sect, Xuanming Sect... the current Third Young Master of Xuanming Sect, with a half-brother named Xu Sanshi...

Good grief. I stopped a delivery scooter and ended up on the Hydrogen Continent!

And this was during a period of upheaval unseen in ten thousand years—the era of Douluo II, when First Generation God King Tang Buddha had displayed his divine might, even tearing his daughter apart to lure the Child of the Plane into becoming his dog!

As a member of the post-2000 generation, it was perfectly normal for him to have encountered online novels. He had read at least some works by the Five Supreme Authors: so-and-so Wei, so-and-so Ma, so-and-so Potato, so-and-so Red Hair, and the others.

Back in middle school, he had followed the hype and read the first book of the Tang Family Continent. At one point, his eyes had shone with excitement as he repeatedly exclaimed that it truly lived up to its reputation. Soul rings were such a novel concept.

When Huo Gua appeared in the second book of the Tang Family Continent, the cheat-like development in the early stages had filled him with anticipation. But then the Clear Sky Sect suddenly used explosives to kill Electrolux, making the corner of his eye twitch.

Fine. It was common for an elder to die while the protagonist was still developing, and introducing soul spirits to drive the plot wasn't particularly strange either.

He had been young and unable to understand it at the time, but he had been utterly shocked.

Later, when the astonishing plot of the Valley of Love and Emotion appeared, he had watched with a bewildered expression...

As he continued reading, he only felt nauseated. Instinctively, he felt that the protagonist of the previous book, Tang God King, seemed to have become the villain, though he could not yet be certain.

After reaching adulthood and spending a long time on places like Zhihu, he confirmed his suspicions—not merely a villain, but the greatest schemer in the world!

During the era of Douluo II, Shrek, which had erected a statue of Tang God King, replaced Spirit Hall. Yet as long as an organization had power but failed to do anything useful, the difference between it and Spirit Hall would be immeasurable.

The tragedy that had left his predecessor lying here was likewise difficult to put into words, and Shrek Academy had played a major role in it...

"I don't know why I ended up here, but since I'm already here, I might as well try to adapt first. Maybe if I become a god someday, I'll have a chance to find my way back. But I absolutely can't let Tang God King catch me and turn me into his dog. Huo Gua can enjoy that blessing instead. I definitely can't bear it..."

Phew—

After letting out a long breath, Xu Tianxi pressed one hand to his forehead and used his elbow to prop himself up from the mattress. When he opened his still-reddened eyes, two servants—one old and one young—came into view.

The one calling him Third Young Master was a boy who looked about five or six years old. His name was Chen Wu, and he was the personal page assigned to Xu Tianxi by Xuanming Sect. His family had served Xuanming Sect for five generations.

His elder brother was named Chen Wen. He was Xu Sanshi's personal page and had even helped Xu Sanshi find Jiang Nannan so she could undergo her Martial Soul Second Awakening ceremony in the original story.

The one calling him Young Master was an old man with a face full of wrinkles. According to his memories, he was an old servant brought to Xuanming Sect by his predecessor's mother. Xu Tianxi called him Yue Lao.

Thinking about it now, that title was rather distinctive.

When they saw Xu Tianxi wake up, the two immediately turned their sorrow into joy. Yue Lao even burst into tears, tightly gripping Xu Tianxi's wrist with his rough hand as he choked out in a low voice:

"Young Master, you nearly frightened me to death! Miss's accident was already a bolt from the blue. If something happened to you too, this old servant would have no face to meet Master even in the underworld..."

Yue Lao's grip hurt Xu Tianxi a little, so he could only gently comfort the old man and persuade him to let go.

"Yue Lao, don't worry. I can still endure it. Haven't I already woken up? It's fine, it's fine..."

Yue Lao released him but still asked anxiously, "Young Master, are you truly all right? You cried yourself unconscious in front of Miss's coffin earlier. You really scared this old servant to death."

Xu Tianxi's eyes were completely red as he waved his hand to indicate that he was fine. However, his pallid complexion made the claim far from convincing.

Chen Wu caught his breath, forced out a smile, and comforted Yue Lao. "Yue Lao, don't worry. Since Third Young Master has woken up, he must be fine. Besides, you already sent someone to fetch the Black Tortoise Divine Pill. That's a divine pill capable of reviving the dead and restoring flesh to bones."

Only then did Yue Lao's expression improve slightly. Having spent many years in Xuanming Sect, he naturally knew how profound the sect's alchemy was.

The famous Mystic Water Pill was produced by Xuanming Sect, while the Black Tortoise Divine Pill was an unparalleled healing elixir. It could even save someone whose life was in danger.

It could save Young Master, but it could not save Miss...

Seeing the sorrow on their faces, Xu Tianxi did not know what else to say, so he changed the subject. "Yue Lao, I heard that Shrek Academy sent people to return my mother's remains. Do you know who came?"

Yue Lao frowned and thought for a moment before looking up. "This old servant heard that the visitors this time were Shrek Academy's dean, Yan Shaozhe, and an Inner Courtyard female student who was close to Miss. Her name is Zhang Lexuan. They came to apologize to our Xuanming Sect..."

As he spoke, red veins appeared in his eyes. Deep resentment and grief filled his voice. Clenching his fists, he cursed, "Hmph! This old servant thinks the number-one academy in the world is nothing special. They couldn't even protect their own student!

"Miss was their academy's chief disciple and Senior Sister of the Inner Courtyard, yet she met with an accident while hunting soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest. What are all those Titled Douluo in their academy even good for...?"

What are they good for? They were too busy eating to handle anything important.

Xu Tianxi fell silent for a moment, thinking that his predecessor's mother had truly suffered terrible luck.

Under normal circumstances, although Shrek Academy acted tyrannically, treating Inner Courtyard disciples as expendable resources and enforcing its will across borders, it would still do its best to protect their safety.

His predecessor's mother, Kong Xiyue, had been the leader of the previous generation's Shrek Seven Monsters. She had once led Shrek Academy's team to victory over Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy in Mingdu. Before her death, she had been an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo, a graduated Senior Sister of the Inner Courtyard, and the second wife of Xuanming Sect's master.

Before she left, a group of Inner Courtyard disciples happened to be preparing to obtain soul rings and advance. One of them was a talented junior sister with whom she had an exceptionally close relationship—Zhang Lexuan, the leader of the previous generation's Shrek Seven Monsters. Zhang Lexuan had once accompanied Kong Xiyue to Xuanming Sect and visited his predecessor several times. His predecessor called her "Aunt Xuan."

Two months earlier, Kong Xiyue had coaxed her son, saying, "Wait here obediently. I'll go get an eighth soul ring for your Aunt Xuan and then return from Shrek. After that, I'll accompany you every day."

When her son asked whether it would be dangerous, Kong Xiyue had smiled and said no. Shrek Academy would send a Titled Douluo to watch over them in secret, so he should wait for her return without worry...

Just as Kong Xiyue had said, the group of twelve Inner Courtyard disciples went hunting in the Star Dou Great Forest, and Shrek truly did take it seriously.

So seriously that it sent Xuan Zi, the second-strongest expert in the Sea God Pavilion and the future Sea God Pavilion Master, whose cultivation had reached Level 98 Super Douluo, to protect them personally from the shadows!

Then, as expected, something unexpected happened. Xuan Zi failed in his duty and did not remain beside the students. The twelve Inner Courtyard disciples were attacked by a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. They struggled desperately without receiving reinforcements, and only after eight had fallen did the survivors manage a hard-fought victory.

His predecessor's mother was said to have died heroically while protecting her juniors. It was certainly a great way to die, but in Xu Tianxi's eyes, her death was truly unjust.

If she had not fallen, then with her talent as the leader of a generation of Shrek Seven Monsters, together with the resources of Xuanming Sect, becoming a Titled Douluo would have posed no problem. She might even have had a chance to reach the Super Douluo realm.

But now, it was all gone...

"Xuan Zi, you old bastard. Why couldn't you do one decent thing? You've harmed so many people. Sooner or later, I'll make you pay..."

Having secretly decided to seek revenge against Xuan Zi, Xu Tianxi suddenly felt a wave of relief. His thoughts became much clearer, and all the memories were completely sorted out.

Clearly, he had inherited the karma of this life. Xu Tianxi had no idea what had happened with his transmigration, but since he was already here, as the saying went, his past and present lives were both himself. He only needed to settle accounts with Xuan Zi in the future.

On the Douluo Continent, where bloodline could determine almost everything, Xu Tianxi did not believe he had no chance of killing Xuan Zi, despite the latter being a Level 98 Super Douluo.

His father in this life was the current master of Xuanming Sect and a Titled Douluo. His mother had been the leader of a generation of Shrek Seven Monsters. Unless his character was as terrible as Grandmaster Yu's, he would certainly awaken a top-tier Martial Soul.

With a powerful Martial Soul and the best food and drink from childhood, his Innate Soul Power could not possibly be too low. Moreover, his predecessor had already consumed several Mystic Water Pills that could increase Innate Soul Power, so possessing Innate Full Soul Power would not be surprising.

In the original story, Huo Gua's rise owed much to the transformation of his physical talent caused by two Mystic Water Pills, which increased his cultivation speed by more than five times.

Still, while one should look down on the enemy strategically, one had to take the enemy seriously tactically. No matter how much trouble Xuan Zi caused, he was still one of the continent's top experts. Even if Xu Tianxi cultivated honestly for decades, he might not catch up.

Given Shrek Academy's strength and status, as well as the threat posed by the Sun Moon Empire to the original Three Douluo Kingdoms, if he revealed hostility toward Shrek while living in the Heaven Dou Empire, Shrek Academy and the leaders of the Three Great Empires would certainly suppress him, or even kill him.

Clearly, he could not take revenge in the Heaven Dou Empire. Unless he could cultivate to the point of completely crushing Xuan Zi, he would have to make the Three Douluo Kingdoms abandon Shrek Academy for his sake and render Shrek Academy powerless to resist his revenge.

Xu Tianxi thought it over carefully and felt that this was simply too difficult. The Three Douluo Kingdoms might not even accomplish that before being driven into the sea by the Sun Moon Empire. In that case...

He would directly join the Sun Moon Empire, which was destined to win, before the Three Douluo Kingdoms were driven into the sea!

"Anyway, I don't want to go to Shrek Academy and fight several hundred people over a single washroom, nor do I want to attract Tang Buddha's attention. I might as well secretly cross over to the relatively developed Sun Moon Empire in a few years. The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy seems to provide students with private suites, and overwhelming firepower suits my tastes better..."

Recalling the original story and weighing the pros and cons, Xu Tianxi quickly realized that aside from the Golden Tree, Shrek Academy had nothing unique. Entering that place might even lead him to an epiphany and inexplicably stamp him with the "Tang Sect" brand. He wanted nothing more than to stay as far away from Tang Buddha as possible.

That fellow was no Xiao Huohuo from the neighboring world. If Xiao Huohuo learned that he was a fellow countryman, he might very well shed tears of joy and support a junior. But if Tang Buddha discovered that he was a transmigrator, he would probably shoot him in the back. If he survived, Tang Buddha would simply keep attacking.

As for those Soul Bones and secret techniques, only absolutely trusted insiders could receive them. Aside from Mu En's guidance and the Dragon Core, Huo Gua had received no benefits from Shrek in the original story. Instead, he had desperately supported Shrek and the Three Kingdoms, risking his life again and again. He had long since repaid Mu En's kindness in full.

And yet, he still had to become the son-in-law and tool of Shrek's ancestor, Tang Buddha, for countless years. Shrek's debt of gratitude truly could never be repaid.

If he, without any cheat, replaced Huo Gua and accepted Mu En's investment, he would probably also attract Tang Buddha's attention and be taken in as a dog.

In conclusion, the moment he decided to defect, he suddenly felt that the whole world had opened up!

Just then, a creaking sound and footsteps suddenly came from outside the door. Three distinct auras surged into the room.

Yue Lao's tirade against Shrek abruptly stopped. The master and two servants looked outside together and saw three figures enter the room—two men and one woman.

The woman wore a moon-white robe that outlined her graceful figure. Her delicate face was fair and flawless. She appeared to be around twenty years old, with a quiet, gentle temperament that was difficult to forget. Her deathly pale complexion revealed a hint of weakness.

"Tian Xi, Aunt Xuan is sorry. I'm sorry to you, sorry to your mother. I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Zhang Lexuan hurried to the bedside and tightly gripped Xu Tianxi's still-tender wrist. Tears as large as beans streamed down her face as she sobbed in a choked, low voice, as though seeing Xu Tianxi had reminded her of some painful experience.

Xu Tianxi looked at the wrist that had suffered twice now and thought to himself, People on the Douluo Continent really have no sense of restraint when they use force.

The woman before him had visited him at Xuanming Sect several times in his memories and called herself Aunt Xuan. Without a doubt, she was the sole beneficiary who could not be considered a beneficiary of that tragedy—the current Senior Sister of Shrek Academy, Zhang Lexuan.

As for the two old men behind her...

Xu Tianxi shifted his gaze behind her. Chen Wu and Yue Lao immediately stepped forward to salute the noticeably older of the two men, an old man in black robes. He was clearly from Xuanming Sect and, according to his memories, had interacted with Xu Tianxi often.

He had once called himself "Grandmaster" in front of Xu Tianxi. He had been his predecessor's mother's teacher and seemed to be an old child at heart.

The other old man, dressed in white, carried a gentle and bright aura with every step. However, his expression was somewhat unpleasant, and he looked at Yue Lao with clear displeasure.

With Light Soul Power, having come here with Zhang Lexuan, and wearing such an unhappy expression, the man before him was probably Shrek Academy's dean, Yan Shaozhe.

My cheap Grandmaster probably came to see me. I just don't know what he thinks about Shrek and this matter. Yan Shaozhe's expression is so ugly that he probably heard Yue Lao cursing them.

Since that's the case, I can use this opportunity to test my cheap Grandmaster's attitude...

Xu Tianxi made up his mind. He forced a smile at the old man in white and asked, "May I ask if you are the dean of Shrek Academy?"