"What?!"
Zhao Wuji's pupils constricted sharply before he could react.
Whoosh!
A dark blue blade flash, swift to the extreme, tore through the air like lightning.
That blade flash was too fast.
So fast that even Tang San's Purple Demon Eye could only catch an afterimage.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
Zhao Wuji, who had been imposing just moments ago, stood frozen in his enormous bear form.
The next second—
Splurt!
Blood shot into the sky like a fountain.
Zhao Wuji's massive head rolled across the ground, his face still bearing the shock and confusion from his final moment.
His huge headless body crashed down, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Every sound vanished in that instant.
A deathly silence followed.
Flender was dumbfounded.
Tang San was dumbfounded.
Ma Hongjun, lying on the stretcher, trembled all over in terror as the stench of urine instantly spread through the air.
Dead?
Immovable Ming King Zhao Wuji, a level seventy-six Soul Sage—
Had actually been killed in a single blow?!
He had not even had the chance to fight back!
"Who is it?!"
Flender's voice trembled as he activated Martial Soul Possession and warily scanned his surroundings.
Within the gradually dissipating phantom of a shark—
A figure slowly emerged.
It was a young man in a blue-gray hooded coat, holding two cold, gleaming blades.
A scarf covered half his face, revealing only a pair of indifferent eyes as deep as the sea.
Jixia Academy Law Enforcement Hall—Lan.
A level ninety-two Titled Douluo!
Lan did not even glance at the corpse on the ground. He merely flicked the beads of blood from his blades.
He raised his head, his emotionless eyes sweeping over the Shrek group.
"This is Jixia."
Lan's voice was not loud, yet it carried a bone-chilling coldness.
"Since you came here, leave something behind."
A terrifying pressure erupted instantly.
Nine Spirit Rings slowly rose beneath his feet.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red!
The moment that blood-red Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Ring appeared, Flender's mental defenses completely collapsed.
A Titled Douluo!
And a Titled Douluo with a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Ring!
What kind of academy was this?
This was clearly a dragon's den and tiger's lair!
"Run!"
Flender roared. He did not even stop to collect Zhao Wuji's body, instead grabbing Tang San and Oscar before turning to flee.
Revenge, pride—before absolute power, it was all bullshit!
Jixia Academy was simply not something they could afford to provoke!
Watching the Shrek group flee in panic like stray dogs, Gongsun Li put away her Flower Parasol and curled her lips in boredom.
"They're running already?"
"What a bunch of trash."
Lan sheathed his twin blades, and his figure disappeared into the darkness once more.
"Throw the corpse farther away. Don't dirty the Dean's path."
This was the most prosperous pleasure district in Heaven Dou City.
Jiaofangsi.
The air here was saturated with a cloying fragrance of cosmetics and powder.
The sounds of strings and wind instruments never ceased, faintly mixed with the coy laughter of women and the clinking of cups.
Inside an elegant chamber on the top floor—
Gauze curtains danced, and red candles flickered.
Several graceful dancers swayed across an expensive Persian carpet.
Their gauzy garments were as thin as cicada wings, fluttering with their movements and exposing large stretches of fair, delicate skin.
The glimpses of alluring scenery were enough to set any normal man's blood racing.
Yet the young man seated to the left of the seat of honor looked as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
He was the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe.
Or rather, Qian Renxue disguised as Xue Qinghe.
At that moment, an unnatural flush colored Xue Qinghe's refined and handsome face.
Even her usual gentle, jade-like facade was becoming difficult to maintain.
Her gaze drifted uneasily, and she did not dare linger on those dancers.
Her hands rested on her knees, tightly clutching the hem of her robes.
"Lu Ming..."
Xue Qinghe finally could not hold back any longer, her voice carrying suppressed embarrassment and irritation.
"We need to discuss serious matters. Why did you insist on choosing a place like this?"
Lu Ming, seated opposite her, looked utterly at ease.
He held a crystal-clear jade cup in his hand, gently swirling the grape wine within.
Hearing Xue Qinghe's complaint, Lu Ming turned his head and gave her a faintly teasing look.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, that is not quite right."
Lu Ming took a sip of wine and spoke blandly.
"Listening to music in a pleasure house is one of life's great joys."
"This is called appreciating refined pleasures. What is wrong with that?"
Xue Qinghe choked on her words.
Appreciating refined pleasures?
He was clearly just lusting after beautiful women!
She took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the discomfort in her heart.
After all, this was Jiaofangsi, crowded with too many watchful eyes. It truly was not a suitable place to discuss secrets.
But since Lu Ming had chosen it, she could only follow his lead.
"The money has been gathered."
Xue Qinghe did not waste words. She directly took a purple-gold card from her robes and pushed it toward Lu Ming.
The card reflected an enchanting luster beneath the candlelight.
This was a Purple Gold Stored-Value Card reserved for the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial family. Possessing the card was equivalent to proving one's identity, and it could be used throughout the continent.
"The remaining seven million Gold Soul Coins are in here."
When she mentioned those seven million, Xue Qinghe's heart bled.
Including the earlier deposit, it was a full Ten Million Gold Soul Coins.
It had nearly drained more than half the wealth she had accumulated over the years in the Heaven Dou Empire.
She had even used Spirit Hall's secret funds.
If those ten million went down the drain, her more than ten years of infiltration would likely become a laughingstock.
"I want to see Jixia Academy's sincerity."
Xue Qinghe stared at Lu Ming, her gaze burning.
Lu Ming glanced at the Purple Gold Card on the table, and a hint of satisfaction flashed through his eyes.
He reached out, lightly pinched the card between his long fingers, and casually tucked it into his robes.
The motion was smooth and effortless, without the slightest hesitation.
As though he were merely putting away an ordinary stone.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince truly keeps your word."
The smile on Lu Ming's face deepened slightly.
"Now that the money is in place, everything is easy to discuss."
"Rest assured, the matter has already been handled."
"Mission accomplished."
Those four simple words—
Made the heavy stone in Xue Qinghe's heart settle a little.
Although Lu Ming was greedy, lustful, and foul-tempered, as long as he got things done after taking the money, he was a good ally.
"Since that is the case."
Xue Qinghe rose to her feet somewhat impatiently.
"When can the Friendship Match between the Heaven Dou Royal Team and Jixia Academy begin?"
"I have already had Teacher Qin Ming bring the team members to wait outside the city."
"If it is convenient, I would like to bring them to Jixia Academy now."
She urgently needed to confirm Jixia Academy's true strength.
At the same time, she wanted to use this opportunity to deal a crushing blow to that so-called Master Yu Xiaogang's theories.
However—
Lu Ming showed no intention of getting up.
He leaned back into the grand chair upholstered in soft leather, even shifting into a more comfortable position.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, do not be impatient."
Before you continue