Blocked by Mo Chen

As soon as the words fell, a trace of soul power pressure suddenly radiated from Mo Chen. There were no earth-shattering phenomena, not even the roar of soul power fluctuations, yet Shrek's Seven Devils felt as if an invisible boulder had crushed down on them, instantly forcing them to their knees. Dai Mubai's White Tiger Martial Soul was suppressed back into his body, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth; the sausages Oscar had just pulled out dropped to the ground, smeared with mud; Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda flickered twice in her palm before directly dispersing.

Tang San gritted his teeth, trying to activate his Purple Demon Eye to resist, only to realize that Mo Chen before him was like an abyss—his spiritual power had barely probed forward before being utterly devoured. It was only then that he understood: the man before him was no Titled Douluo, but a legendary—Peerless Douluo!

"The rules of the Auction House are the rules of Douluo Continent today," Mo Chen's voice remained calm, yet carried an unyielding authority. "If you dare to seize resources by plunder again, next time it won't be a simple stop."

With that, he raised his hand and waved, a gentle yet irresistible force pushing Shrek's Seven Devils back several zhang. The Jade Phosphor Purple Scorpion in the pool took the chance to dive deep, vanishing in an instant. Mo Chen turned, his figure seeming to merge into the air, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Only after the pressure had completely dissipated did the group collapse to the ground, gasping for breath. Dai Mubai wiped the blood from his lips, his voice tinged with lingering fear: "That... that was a Peerless Douluo? How does Lin Yue have an expert of that level under him?"

Tang San lowered his head, his fists clenched so tightly they creaked. He had lost before, but never so stiflingly—without even a chance to strike, he had been utterly crushed. What stung even more was that the source of points he had finally found had been cut off just like that.

"We... we should go back," Ning Rongrong's voice trembled. She still felt a chill all over her body; the fear of being targeted by a Peerless Douluo was more terrifying than facing a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

Oscar nodded as well. "As for the points, we'll think of another way. Like gathering spirit herbs or mining ores—it's still better than going head-to-head with a Peerless Douluo."

But Tang San didn't move. He stared in the direction Mo Chen had vanished, a flicker of venom in his eyes. He didn't believe in any "legal resources"; he only felt that the Auction House was deliberately targeting Shrek Academy—hadn't the Martial Soul Hall hunted countless soul beasts? Why hadn't anyone stopped them?

"A way?" Tang San muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously tracing the patterns on the Clear Sky Hammer. "Teacher Yu Xiaogang said rules are dead, but people are alive. Since we can't do it openly, then we'll..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the gleam in his eyes made Dai Mubai and the others' hearts sink. Oscar wanted to persuade him, but Tang San silenced him with a single look—at this moment, Tang San was like a cornered lone wolf, deaf to any dissuasion.

The group dragged their exhausted bodies back to Shrek Academy, and as soon as they entered, they ran into Yu Xiaogang. Seeing their disheveled state, Yu Xiaogang immediately frowned. "What happened? Didn't you get the soul bone?"

Tang San lowered his head and recounted the encounter with Mo Chen. After hearing it, Yu Xiaogang's face turned pale with rage, and he slammed the table. "Outrageous! The Auction House is nothing but a place to peddle treasures, yet they dare to be so overbearing! 'Legal resources,' my foot—I think they want to monopolize every opportunity!"

"Teacher, but Mo Chen is a Peerless Douluo. We simply can't beat him," Tang San's voice carried resentment.

"Can't beat him?" A calculating glint flashed in Yu Xiaogang's eyes. "So what if he's a Peerless Douluo? He can't keep an eye on the entire Douluo Continent every second. Next time, go to the Sunset Forest. The soul beasts there often attack humans on their own. Hunt them then, and let's see what Mo Chen has to say!"

Tang San's eyes lit up. That's right! The soul beasts in Sunset Forest were ferocious by nature, often attacking passing caravans. Hunting them wouldn't give the Auction House any grounds to object, even if they found out.

"I'll prepare right away!" Tang San turned to leave, but Yu Xiaogang pulled him back.

"Wait." Yu Xiaogang lowered his voice. "Don't take too many people this time. Just you, Mubai, and Zhuqing. Too many eyes invite trouble—if the Auction House's people catch wind of it, it'll be a hassle."

Tang San nodded, a hint of urgency in his eyes. He didn't notice the strange smile curling at the corner of Yu Xiaogang's mouth as he turned away—his real goal was far more than just letting Tang San earn some points.

Meanwhile, in the top-floor attic of the Auction House, Lin Yue was watching the surveillance feed on his System Panel. The conversation between Tang San and Yu Xiaogang was clearly visible, and Mo Chen stood to the side, bowing. "Master, should we issue a further warning?"

Lin Yue shook his head, his fingertip gliding across the "Task List" on the panel, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "No need. They want to play, so let's play along. Just in time—the system just released a 'Crack Down on Illegal Resource Acquisition' task. Completing it will unlock the 'Resource Traceability' function. Then, even if they hide in the Sunset Forest, they won't escape the system's eyes."

Mo Chen bowed in acknowledgment and withdrew. Lin Yue watched Tang San's hurried retreating figure on the screen, his gaze growing cold—the order of Douluo Continent couldn't be disrupted by these so-called "orthodox soul masters." If they wanted points, they had to follow the rules. If they didn't, they would pay the price.

And at that moment, Tang San was still preparing for the upcoming "Sunset Forest expedition." He had no idea that he had already fallen into Lin Yue's trap, nor did he know that this seemingly "reasonable" hunting plan would plunge him and Shrek Academy into far greater trouble. A battle over the "legitimacy of resources" had only just begun.

In the grand meeting hall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, morning light streamed through the carved window lattices, casting a soft yet pure glow upon the translucent white pill resting in the center of the hall. Ning Fengzhi gently pinched the pill between his fingertips, clearly feeling the energy flowing within it—this was the "Auxiliary Amplification Pill" he had won at the second auction for 88,000 points. According to the Auction House's description, this pill could not only permanently enhance the amplification effects of Support System soul masters but also had remarkable benefits for stabilizing the soul power foundation of Assault System soul masters.

"Sect Master, are you really going to give this pill to Elder Gu Rong?" the elder seated at the head of the left side couldn't help but speak up, a hint of reluctance in his voice. "Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is built on the Support System. If this Auxiliary Amplification Pill were given to Rongrong, her amplification abilities might one day break the sect's historical records!"

The other elders in the hall nodded in agreement. Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had deep foundations, treasures that could directly enhance support effects had always been scarce. The value of this pill was enough to drive any Support System soul master wild with desire. Ning Rongrong stood at the side of the hall, her hands clutching the hem of her skirt. Though longing flickered in her eyes, she said nothing—she knew the sect's safety was more important than personal advancement.

But Ning Fengzhi shook his head, his gaze sweeping across the hall before finally settling on Bone Douluo Gu Rong, who sat on the right. "You all only see the Auxiliary Amplification Pill's effect on the Support System, but you forget that the sect stands firm because of the protection of Chen Xin and Gu Rong, our two elders. Gu Rong has been stuck at the 95th-rank Super Douluo for five years. If he can break through that bottleneck with this pill, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's deterrent power will rise to another level."

He handed the pill to Gu Rong, his tone solemn. "Gu Rong, take this pill."