The Two Survivors

"What the hell is wrong with these Fierce Beasts? Every single one of them is this strong."

Covered in blood, Jing Hongchen flew toward the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest. His flying Soul Tool had already been destroyed, so he could only rely on the little Soul Power remaining in his body to fly unsteadily. His injuries were affecting him far too severely.

Jing Hongchen's heart ached. On this trip to the Star Dou Great Forest, nearly all the Soul Tools on him had been scrapped. Even his Ninth Level Soul Guidance Master teammate was gone.

Jing Hongchen was also fortunate. He had only fought Scarlet King, who ranked eighth, yet Scarlet King had nearly crushed the two of them with ease. He did not dare imagine the pressure those Titled Douluo facing Xiong Jun and Di Tian had endured. He did not even know how he had escaped alive.

The only possibility was that Scarlet King had not dared perish together with him. After all, he still had a Ninth Level Soul Guidance Cannon Shell and ten eighth-level Soul Guidance Cannon Shells on him. It could not be that Scarlet King had deliberately spared him so he could return and warn humanity, could it?

Jing Hongchen shuddered inwardly, realizing that this nearly impossible thought might actually be true.

Naturally, Jing Hongchen knew who that Dark Sacred Dragon was. The Holy Spirit Cult had been developing vigorously in the Sun Moon Empire, and as the Hongchen Hall Master of Mingde Hall, he was naturally extremely wary of them. Yet he still could not stop the Holy Spirit Cult's growth. Aside from certain political reasons, the greatest reason was the existence of Long Xiaoyao, that Limit Douluo.

Yet Jing Hongchen had only seen from afar as Long Xiaoyao was slaughtered by Di Tian, unable to put up the slightest resistance.

Thinking of how humanity's upper-echelon forces were fundamentally incapable of resisting the Fierce Beasts' assault filled him with even deeper despair.

"They're dead! They're all dead!"

A figure streaked through the sky like lightning. Xuan Zi, who had originally been rushing toward the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, abruptly changed direction and charged before Jing Hongchen.

"Where are Lin Er and Mei Er?! Where are Lin Er and Mei Er?!"

Xuan Zi's twisted hands clamped tightly onto Jing Hongchen's shoulders. He shook Jing Hongchen's body repeatedly as he roared his question.

"Who the hell are you? Don't touch me!"

Jing Hongchen felt as though his injuries were growing worse and worse. He spat out two mouthfuls of blood, then kicked the monster before him away.

He was practically furious to death. He had no idea whether he could hold on until rescue arrived, yet this bastard had worsened his injuries even further.

"Jing Hongchen, I'm asking you where they are!"

After being kicked away, Xuan Zi struggled to steady himself, then flew back before Jing Hongchen and shouted his question again.

This time, however, he did not touch Jing Hongchen. After all, he could not defeat Jing Hongchen in his current state.

Hearing that irritable tone, Jing Hongchen finally recognized the person before him as Shrek's Xuan Zi.

That half-collapsed skull, hands twisted like ropes, face marked with black bear pawprints, and blood-soaked appearance had made Jing Hongchen fail to recognize Xuan Zi at first glance.

"I don't know. Like you, I was separated by the Fierce Beasts and forced into battle. If they haven't returned, they probably died in there."

Jing Hongchen answered irritably. Nearly all his possessions were gone, and he was already in a terrible mood.

"Why could you come back while they couldn't? How am I supposed to explain this to them?!"

Xuan Zi bent over, tears and snot streaming down his face. Once again, he had led the team. Once again, only two people had survived, and the other one was even a bastard from the Sun Moon Empire. All of it left Xuan Zi devastated.

Thinking of Mu Old's expectations for them and the trust the elders had placed in them, Xuan Zi did not know what he should do.

Xian Lin Er's husband was Qian Duoduo, her former boyfriend was Yan Shaozhe, and her mother was Song Old. She herself was also the dean of the Soul Tool Department. Cai Mei Er's husband was Yan Shaozhe as well. Thinking of the disappointed looks they would give him after he failed to bring the two women back, Xuan Zi was filled with regret.

"I came back because of this."

Jing Hongchen glared and directly held up the Ninth Level Soul Guidance Cannon Shell. A terrifying aura of destruction spread out, making Xuan Zi seem to see Du Busi, who had just died.

"Let's go back first. Go back first. Du Busi entrusted me with a message for the people of the Body Sect."

Xuan Zi abruptly sobered up and tried his best to put on a solemn expression, though the crooked half of his face made it look rather absurd.

Jing Hongchen did not press the issue either. They had not fully escaped danger yet. If Fierce Beasts caught up with them later, Xuan Zi could at least serve as a shield for him.

The two said nothing along the way. They found the nearest route out and finally flew out of the Star Dou Great Forest. After changing routes several times, they eventually returned to Shrek City.

The two parted ways there. Jing Hongchen did not trust the people of the Douluo Three Kingdoms, so he directly tossed the unconscious Xuan Zi onto Shrek City's walls. The city guards were Shrek's people, and they would rescue Xuan Zi. If they could not save him, there was nothing Jing Hongchen could do.

After tossing aside Xuan Zi, Jing Hongchen went to where the Ninth Level Soul Guidance Master was stationed outside Shrek City. As expected, the surrounding area was already being watched by Shrek's people. After all, no one wanted to be sitting safely at home only to suddenly be blown up.

"Hongchen Hall Master!"

"Grandfather!"

The Ninth Level Soul Guidance Master noticed Jing Hongchen's arrival. Seeing him covered in blood, he hurried forward to support Jing Hongchen, then took out medicinal pills and fed them to him.

Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen noticed the commotion and came out, only to see their grandfather severely injured and covered in blood. Their pupils contracted as they cried out in alarm.

While Jing Hongchen received treatment, Xuan Zi, whom he had tossed aside, was also taken away.

Because soldiers had seen him flying through the air without any support, they realized the matter involved a Titled Douluo and hurriedly reported it as an urgent matter.

Shrek sent Lin Old, who was nearest, to investigate. Upon discovering that the figure before her, who barely had any breath left, was actually Xuan Zi, she erupted with Soul Power, carried Xuan Zi, and flew to the Sea God Pavilion to report the matter. Afterward, she sought healing-type Soul Masters to treat Xuan Zi.

"Where is Lin Er? Why hasn't my child returned?!"

Song Old's eyes were bloodshot. Xuan Zi had returned alone with grave injuries, and she already had a terrible premonition.

The atmosphere within the Sea God Pavilion was grave. Everyone waited for Xuan Zi to awaken. Of more than a dozen Titled Douluo, only he had returned. The various major powers all wanted to know what had happened. Those were Titled Douluo! The Golden Body Douluo of the Body Sect flew into a rage on the spot. He refused to believe that Xuan Zi could return while his sect leader could not.

Mu En lay silently in his reclining chair. Du Busi's strength was indeed slightly greater than Xuan Zi's, but until Xuan Zi awoke, everything was merely speculation and utterly useless.

"Mu Old, the Ninth Level Soul Guidance Master from the Sun Moon Empire has arrived as well. He is holding a cannon shell in his arms, while behind him are the unconscious Jing Hongchen and his grandson and granddaughter."

"They said Jing Hongchen gathered important intelligence, but they need us to treat Jing Hongchen."

A Titled Douluo came to report the matter. Feeling the heavy atmosphere within the Sea God Pavilion, he was extremely nervous.

"Bring Jing Hongchen and the others here. Treat them together with Xuan Zi."

Mu En's gaze narrowed slightly as he spoke slowly.

They had to prepare for both possibilities. Xuan Zi's injuries were simply too severe, and he might not wake up.

"Why does today's atmosphere feel a little strange?"

Huo Yuhao scratched his head and turned to ask Wang Dong beside him.

"You feel it too, right? The atmosphere feels rather tense. I wonder what happened."

Wang Dong had noticed it too. She continued stuffing Soul Spirit Grass into Huo Yuhao's mouth, making Huo Yuhao's little face scrunch up from the bitterness. Still, he chewed twice and swallowed it.

Ever since he had somehow become Wang Dong's Second Father's disciple, Huo Yuhao had been stuffed with all sorts of heavenly treasures by Wang Dong every day. Then Er Ming would pound him with special methods to help him absorb them. In just a few days, his Soul Power had reached level twenty, and his physical strength had improved considerably as well.

"Something happened to someone from Shrek Academy. That's why the atmosphere is so heavy."

Er Ming pushed open the door with a solemn expression.

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