Welcome to the Era of the Martial Soul Hall

The eight large characters "Ten-Thousand-Year Blood Feud, Settled Today" appeared above Shrek Academy, shaking the hearts of everyone in the city and burdening this continent's number one academy, which had passed down its legacy for ten thousand years and whose students filled the world, with the inexplicable label of "blood feud."

Ten-thousand-year blood feud, settled today.

The literal meaning was simple: Shrek Academy had a grudge with someone, and even after ten thousand years, the descendants of that lineage wanted a full reckoning with the academy.

The other party not only carved the eight characters "Ten-Thousand-Year Blood Feud, Settled Today" in front of all the new students on the day of Shrek Academy's enrollment, humiliating the academy.

But even more severe was the power of that single sword strike, which actually destroyed the stone statues of the First Generation Shrek Seven Monsters standing at the academy's entrance.

The First Generation Shrek Seven Monsters—Dai Mubai, Oscar, Tang San, Ma Hongjun, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing—could be said to be the true pioneers who elevated Shrek Academy's reputation.

Without them, there would have been no subsequent ten thousand years of prosperity and flourishing for the academy.

Yet that dazzling sword light instantly decapitated the stone statues of Tang San, Dai Mubai, and the others.

The severity of the act and the cruelty of the method were utterly appalling.

Looking back over the ten thousand years since Shrek Academy's founding, such an incident was simply unheard of.

Four years ago, that Evil Soul Master who killed thirteen inner courtyard students had already dealt Shrek Academy a heavy blow. Now, four years later, the person who left those eight words and decapitated the stone statues of the First Generation Shrek Seven Monsters with a single sword strike had become a thorn in the side of everyone in Shrek Academy's upper echelons.

If they couldn't eliminate him like they did the Evil Soul Master four years ago, he would surely become a major threat in the future.

Shrek City was placed under full martial law. The Sea God Pavilion immediately convened a Sea God Pavilion meeting to discuss the true identity of the person who left "Ten-Thousand-Year Blood Feud, Settled Today."

In a certain room of the Soul Hall.

Qin Chuan, the instigator, looked through the window at the tense, alert streets outside. The impact of that sword strike was enormous, even alarming the Shrek City Defense Force.

Shrek Academy acted quickly, not only sealing off the city inside and out but also immediately investigating everyone who had entered.

Qin Chuan knew there was no point in staying any longer. His public mockery of the Tang Sect on the Soul Train that day would eventually be reported to the academy by Bei Bei. Combined with today's events, Shrek Academy's upper echelons would inevitably connect the dots and come looking for him.

"What does Qin Ming's insults have to do with me, Qin Chuan?" Qin Chuan said with a faint smile, changing to a completely new face.

"You've stirred up a much bigger commotion than I did." Bibi Dong said with a smile, showing no sign of panic.

"Killing thirteen inner courtyard students only crippled them temporarily; they'd recover in a few years. What I'm shaking is their foundation."

"When do you plan to leave?"

"I just got here, and you're already rushing me out."

"Don't give me that. I can't be exposed right now. If you keep staying, even if you won't be discovered, your actions this time have already enraged Shrek Academy. If you were a Title Douluo, I wouldn't worry about you at all, but you're only a four-ring Soul Ancestor now."

"No fear. I'm carrying two Grade 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells that Jing Hongchen secretly forced on me. If that's not enough, I can just go back to your world and hide for a while. I don't believe Shrek Academy is so omniscient that they can chase me to another dimension."

Only then did Bibi Dong relax, but she still said, "Safety above all else."

"Don't worry. Since I've prepared to fall out with Shrek Academy, I'm ready to be their enemy. Now I have the entire Martial Soul Hall behind me, and the entire Sun Moon Empire backing me up. Shrek Academy will have to think twice before making a move. If they push me too far, a full saturation strike with a dozen Grade 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shells—I don't believe there will be any survivors."

Three days later, Qin Chuan left Shrek City through the Soul Hall's underground passage and began his journey back to the Sun Moon Empire.

Soon, on the road back to the Sun Moon Empire, Qin Chuan learned through inquiries that

Shrek City had basically identified the culprit as the youth "Qin Ming" who had publicly criticized the Tang Sect that day.

Although there was no direct evidence that "Qin Ming" was responsible, his criticism of the Tang Sect on the tram had already drawn Shrek Academy's serious attention. After all, such a severe incident occurred right after this "Qin Ming" entered the city. There must be some connection between the two, or perhaps it was the work of someone behind him.

Unfortunately, Qin Chuan had already left Shrek City, arrived at the Mingdou Mountains, and smoothly entered the territory of the Sun Moon Empire.

Even if Shrek Academy turned Shrek City upside down, they wouldn't find anyone named "Qin Ming."

A day later, the day before the start of the school year at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.

Qin Chuan returned to the academy and knocked on the door of Jing Hongchen's office.

"Come in." Jing Hongchen's voice came from inside.

As the door opened, Jing Hongchen's gaze also fell on him.

"So Xiao Chuan is back."

Seeing Qin Chuan return from the Douluo Continent, a long-missed smile appeared on Jing Hongchen's face: "The Douluo Continent has been in turmoil these past few days. I'm glad you made it back safely. I'm sure you already know about what happened at Shrek Academy."

Qin Chuan sat across from Jing Hongchen and nodded: "Some audacious fellow provoked Shrek Academy and decapitated the stone statues of the First Generation Shrek Seven Monsters. What was your first reaction when you heard?"

"Delighted, of course! Not to mention the conflicts between our Sun Moon Empire and the three nations of the Douluo Continent, but just looking at the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament over the past thousand years, we've always come in second. Shrek Academy's number one position remains unshakable."

"Now that this has happened, it takes Shrek Academy down a peg. When you lead the team to Star Luo City to compete next year, it'll give us a bit more confidence. I have high hopes that you can lead the team to win the championship."

"Dean." Qin Chuan tried calling out.

As expected, Jing Hongchen's smiling expression shifted slightly: "You've been with Xiao Meng for over a year now. I don't blame you for calling me 'Dean' in public, but in private, you should call me..."

"Grandfather."

Jing Hongchen's smile returned, and he nodded with satisfaction: "That's more like it."

With that, Jing Hongchen picked up his cup to drink some water, intending to discuss some matters for the new semester with Qin Chuan.

Suddenly, Qin Chuan dropped a bombshell: "That audacious fellow was me."

"Pfft—"

Jing Hongchen was so startled that he spat out the tea he hadn't yet swallowed. Fortunately, Qin Chuan dodged in time, avoiding another face-washing incident.

"Don't make jokes that big."

"I'm not joking. I'm being very serious."

Jing Hongchen looked at Qin Chuan's earnest expression, his own demeanor gradually turning grave.

He pressed a raised button on the desk. With two clanging sounds, the windows and door sealed shut, cutting them off from the outside world.

No one else today would ever know what was said next.

"Have you lost your mind, boy?! Aren't you afraid of Shrek Academy's retaliation?" Jing Hongchen's face was full of worry, his tone laced with reproach.

He thought highly of Qin Chuan, but he couldn't fathom why the young man would do this.

"Grandfather, I need your help," Qin Chuan said sincerely.

"...Speak. If it's about dealing with Shrek Academy, this old bones may not be their match, but I can still pull out a Grade 9 Fixed Soul Cannon Shell," Jing Hongchen said in a low voice.

"No, I don't need you to fight Shrek Academy. I only ask that you provide soul engineer technology and dispatch a highly skilled soul engineer—that's enough."

These words left Jing Hongchen utterly baffled.

Then, Qin Chuan dropped another bombshell: "My real name is Qian Hanchuan. My mother is Bibi Dong, the Pope of the Martial Soul Hall from ten thousand years ago."

Upon hearing this, Jing Hongchen sucked in a sharp breath, shot up from his seat, and stared at Qin Chuan in disbelief.

"You... are the son of the Martial Soul Empire's first empress, the legendary Pope who achieved godhood? How is that possible?!"

"Everyone knows that Bibi Dong, the first empress of the Martial Soul Empire and the last Pope of the Martial Soul Hall, fell ten thousand years ago. How could you be her son?!"

Jing Hongchen's shock was exactly what Qin Chuan had anticipated.

"As unbelievable as it sounds, it's true. My first martial soul is the Death Spider Emperor, and my second is the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor. I perfectly inherited my mother's Twin Martial Souls."

Qin Chuan explained: "Ten thousand years ago, something happened that led to my death. My mother ordered someone to fetch Ten-Thousand-Year Ice from the Extreme North and sealed me within it. I only awakened five years ago."

During the brief silence that followed, Jing Hongchen's mind raced to digest everything.

"That doesn't add up. What about Qian Hanxue and Ye Guyi being your sisters? And the woman who enrolled you in school—your mother? You've got this old man completely tangled up," Jing Hongchen said, feeling more confused the more he tried to sort it out.

"Any explanation would fall flat. Please, come with me."

Qin Chuan grasped Jing Hongchen's large hand and silently recited in his mind: "System, open the passage to the parallel time and space."

"Ding. One hundred Snow Hatred Value deducted. Passage opened."

In the sealed office, a black hole quietly appeared. Its astonishing suction pulled Jing Hongchen and Qin Chuan inside before vanishing without a trace.

Parallel time and space, Martial Soul Hall.

Jing Hongchen opened his eyes and saw a bustling scene before him. He was deeply shaken, his eyes wide as saucers.

In this unfamiliar city, a single-track Soul Train ran along the ground, and men and women dressed in Martial Soul Hall robes boarded it in an orderly fashion.

Shops lining the streets specialized in selling rare metals, and even the surrounding architecture was completely different from that of the Sun Moon Empire.

"Where is this?" Jing Hongchen looked around at the strange environment, his voice full of confusion.

"This is the Martial Soul Hall of ten thousand years ago—or rather, another dimension. Grandfather, welcome to the era of the Martial Soul Hall," Qin Chuan said with a smile.