The eight characters "A ten-thousand-year blood feud, settled today" appeared above Shrek Academy, shaking the hearts of everyone in the city. They also inexplicably saddled the continent's foremost academy—a place with ten thousand years of history and students spread across the land—with the words "blood feud."
A ten-thousand-year blood feud, settled today.
The meaning was simple: Shrek Academy had made an enemy, and even after ten thousand years, that enemy's descendants still wanted to settle the score with the academy.
Not only had the other party carved the eight characters "A ten-thousand-year blood feud, settled today" in front of all the new students on the day Shrek Academy held its entrance examinations, humiliating the academy.
More seriously, a single sword strike had destroyed the statues of the First Generation Shrek Seven Monsters that stood at the entrance to Shrek Academy.
The First Generation Shrek Seven Monsters—Dai Mubai, Oscar, Tang San, Ma Hongjun, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing—were the ones who had truly established Shrek Academy's reputation.
Without them, the academy would never have enjoyed a thousand years of prosperity.
Yet that dazzling sword light had instantly decapitated the statues of Tang San, Dai Mubai, and the others.
The sheer malice of the act and the cruelty of its execution were utterly appalling.
In Shrek Academy's ten-thousand-year history, nothing like this had ever happened.
Four years ago, an Evil Soul Master had killed thirteen Inner Court Students, dealing Shrek Academy a grievous blow. Now, four years later, the person who had left those eight characters and severed the heads of the First Generation Shrek Seven Monsters' statues had become a thorn in the eyes of every senior figure at Shrek Academy.
If they couldn't eliminate this person as they had the Evil Soul Master four years ago, he would surely become a major threat in the future.
Shrek City went into full lockdown. The Sea God Pavilion Meeting was convened at once to discuss the true identity of the person who had left behind "A ten-thousand-year blood feud, settled today."
In a room somewhere in Soul Hall.
Qin Chuan, the culprit, looked out the window at the tense streets. The impact of that sword strike had been enormous; even the Shrek City Defense Force had been mobilized.
Shrek Academy had acted quickly. Not only had it swiftly sealed off the city and its outskirts, it had also immediately begun checking everyone who had entered the city.
Qin Chuan knew there was no point in staying any longer. Sooner or later, Bei Bei would report to the academy that he had openly mocked the Tang Sect aboard the Soul Train. Combined with what had happened today, that would surely make Shrek Academy's senior figures connect the incidents to him and come looking for him.
"What does Qin Ming's insulting them have to do with me, Qin Chuan?" Qin Chuan said with a calm smile, then changed into a completely different face.
"You've caused a much bigger stir than I did," Bibi Dong said with a smile, entirely unruffled.
"Killing thirteen Inner Court Students only wounded them. They'll recover in a few years. But what I've done undermines their very foundations."
"When are you planning to leave?"
"I've only just arrived, and you're already rushing me out."
"Don't give me that. I can't afford to expose myself right now. You could stay longer without being discovered, but your actions have already enraged Shrek Academy. If you were a Titled Douluo, I wouldn't be worried at all, but you're only a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor."
"Don't worry. I've got two Grade 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells on me. Jing Hongchen secretly forced them on me. And if that still isn't enough, I can always return to your world and lie low for a while. I refuse to believe Shrek Academy can reach into another time and space to kill me."
Only then did Bibi Dong feel reassured, though she still said, "Your safety comes first."
"Don't worry. I was prepared to make an enemy of Shrek Academy when I decided to do this. The entire Spirit Hall stands behind me, and the whole Sun Moon Empire is backing me as well. Shrek Academy will have to think twice before making a move. If they really push me too far, I'll saturate the whole area with more than a dozen Grade 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells. I refuse to believe anyone will survive."
Three days later, Qin Chuan left Shrek City through Soul Hall's underground passage and began his journey back to the Sun Moon Empire.
Not long after, while on his way back to the Sun Moon Empire, Qin Chuan made inquiries and learned that Shrek City had more or less identified the culprit as the young man who had publicly criticized the Tang Sect while disguised as "Qin Ming."
There was no direct evidence that "Qin Ming" had done it, but his criticism of the Tang Sect aboard the train had already drawn Shrek Academy's close attention. After all, such a vicious incident had happened as soon as that "Qin Ming" entered the city. The two events must be connected—or perhaps someone behind him was responsible.
Unfortunately, Qin Chuan had already left Shrek City, reached the Mingdou Mountains, and safely crossed into the territory of the Sun Moon Empire.
Even if Shrek Academy turned Shrek City upside down, it still wouldn't find anyone named "Qin Ming."
The day before classes began at Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, Qin Chuan returned to the academy and knocked on Jing Hongchen's office door.
"Come in," Jing Hongchen called from inside.
The moment the door opened, Jing Hongchen turned to look.
"Xiao Chuan, you're back."
Seeing Qin Chuan return from Douluo Continent, Jing Hongchen's face lit up with a long-missed smile. "Things have been unsettled on Douluo Continent these past few days. I'm glad you made it back safely. I assume you've already heard what happened at Shrek Academy."
Qin Chuan sat opposite Jing Hongchen and nodded. "Some bold fellow provoked Shrek Academy and cut off the heads of the First Generation Shrek Seven Monsters' statues. What was your first reaction when you heard?"
"Of course I was thrilled! Forget the conflicts between the Sun Moon Empire and the three kingdoms of Douluo Continent. For nearly a thousand years, we've taken second place every time in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament, while Shrek Academy's position at the top has remained unshaken."
"Now that this has happened, it'll take Shrek Academy down a peg. It'll also give your team a better chance when you lead them to compete in Star Luo City a year from now. I have high hopes that you'll lead the team to the championship."
"Dean." Qin Chuan tried calling out to him.
Sure enough, Jing Hongchen's smiling expression shifted. "You and Xiao Meng have been together for over a year. I don't blame you for calling me Dean in public, but in private, you should call me..."
"Grandpa."
Jing Hongchen's smile returned. He nodded warmly. "That's more like it."
With that, Jing Hongchen picked up his cup and took a drink, intending to discuss some matters concerning the new term with Qin Chuan.
Suddenly, Qin Chuan dropped a bombshell. "That bold fellow was me."
"Pfft—"
Jing Hongchen jolted in shock and spat out all the tea he hadn't yet swallowed. Fortunately, Qin Chuan dodged in time, sparing himself the awkwardness of getting his face washed again.
"Don't joke about something like that."
"I'm not joking. I'm completely serious."
Seeing Qin Chuan's earnest expression, Jing Hongchen's face gradually grew solemn.
He pressed the raised button on his desk. With two clunks, the windows and door sealed shut, cutting them off from the outside world.
No one else would learn of their conversation.
"Have you lost your mind?! Aren't you afraid Shrek Academy will retaliate?" Jing Hongchen asked, his face full of worry and his tone reproachful.
He thought highly of Qin Chuan, but he couldn't understand why Qin Chuan had done this.
"Grandpa, I need your help." Qin Chuan spoke sincerely.
"...Go on. If this is about dealing with Shrek Academy, I may be an old man who can't match them, but I can still provide Grade 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells." Jing Hongchen spoke in a low voice.
"No, I don't need you to deal with Shrek Academy. I only need you to provide Soul Engineer technology and send over one highly skilled technician."
Jing Hongchen couldn't make heads or tails of what Qin Chuan was saying.
Then Qin Chuan dropped another bombshell. "My real name is Qian Hanchuan. My mother is Bibi Dong, the Pope of Martial Soul Hall from ten thousand years ago."
At that, Jing Hongchen sucked in a sharp breath and sprang to his feet, staring at Qin Chuan in disbelief.
"You're the son of the former Pope of the Spirit Hall Empire, the legendary woman who ultimately became a Deity? How... could that be possible?!"
"The first female emperor of the Spirit Hall Empire, the last Pope of Martial Soul Hall, Bibi Dong, died ten thousand years ago. How could you possibly be her son?!"
Jing Hongchen's shock was exactly what Qin Chuan had expected.
"Although it's hard to believe, it's true. My First Martial Soul is the Death Spider Emperor, and my Second Martial Soul is the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor. I inherited my mother's Twin Martial Souls perfectly."
Qin Chuan explained, "Something happened ten thousand years ago that led to my death. My mother had people search the Extreme North for Ten-Thousand-Year Ice and froze my entire body in it. I didn't wake up until five years ago."
During a brief silence, Jing Hongchen's mind raced as he tried to take it all in.
"Wait, then what about Qian Hanxue and Ye Guyi being your older sisters? And the mother who sent you to enroll back then? You've got Grandpa all mixed up." Jing Hongchen felt that the more he tried to sort it out, the more confusing it became.
"Any explanation would sound feeble. Come with me."
Qin Chuan took Jing Hongchen's large hand and silently thought, System, open a passage to Parallel Time and Space.
"Ding! One hundred Snow Hatred Value has been deducted. The passage is now open."
A black hole quietly appeared in the sealed office. Its tremendous suction pulled Jing Hongchen and Qin Chuan inside, then vanished.
Parallel Time and Space, Spirit Hall.
Jing Hongchen opened his eyes. The sight of busy streets before him left him deeply shaken; his eyes widened in astonishment.
In the unfamiliar city, a monorail Soul Train ran along tracks embedded in the ground. Men and women wearing Spirit Hall robes boarded in orderly lines.
Shops selling rare metals lined both sides of the street, and even the surrounding buildings looked completely different from those in the Sun Moon Empire.
"Where are we?" Jing Hongchen asked, looking around at his unfamiliar surroundings.
"This is Spirit Hall ten thousand years ago—or, to be more precise, another time and space. Grandpa, welcome to the era that belongs to Spirit Hall," Qin Chuan said with a smile.
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