Death!

Gu Qing tucked the warm Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone close to his body and turned to walk toward the edge of the ruins.

The surroundings were filled with broken walls and rubble left by the battle, and the scent of scorched earth permeated the air.

The green barrier woven from Life-Type Blue Silver Grass continued to emit a faint glow in the night wind.

Gu Qing raised his hand and waved it gently in mid-air; the emerald vines withered rapidly, turning into specks of light that dissipated.

Leaning against a stone pillar, Qian Renxue saw that familiar figure, and her taut nerves finally relaxed.

A bloodless pallor surfaced on that peerless, beautiful face, and sweat from her forehead soaked her golden hair.

Gu Qing walked quickly to the stone steps, his gaze falling on Qian Renxue's slightly trembling shoulders.

"It's over. That old fellow left behind an arm."

Hearing this news, a flash of surprise crossed Qian Renxue's beautiful eyes.

She tried to support her body to stand, but her legs had no strength left due to her exhausted soul power.

Her body tilted forward uncontrollably, and it looked as if she were about to collapse onto the gravel-strewn ground.

Gu Qing was quick-witted and extended his arms, steadily catching her slender waist.

He bent down, scooping Qian Renxue up into his arms in a standard bridal carry.

The sudden sensation of weightlessness made Qian Renxue cry out in surprise, her hands instinctively wrapping around Gu Qing's neck.

"Don't move around. Your current physical condition cannot withstand any jolting."

Gu Qing looked down at the beauty in his arms and walked steadily over the shattered floor tiles toward the exit.

Qian Renxue had disguised herself as Xue Qinghe in the Heaven Dou Empire since she was a child; in her daily life, she rarely even shook hands with others.

At this moment, being held so tightly in a man's arms, she felt her cheeks burning with heat.

An unprecedented sense of embarrassment spread through her heart, making her breathing grow a bit more rapid.

She instinctively wanted to break free from this solid chest, only to find that she didn't want to move even a single finger.

The faint, grassy fragrance lingering on Gu Qing's body caused her panicked heart to gradually calm down.

Qian Renxue leaned her head against Gu Qing's chest, her heart slowly accepting this gesture.

She even felt that being held so securely by Gu Qing was a very comfortable and reassuring thing.

Recalling the moment Tang Hao swung the Great Sumeru Hammer down earlier, a layer of cold sweat broke out on her back.

The killing intent at that moment was so real; the shadow of death had almost completely shrouded her.

It was thanks to Gu Qing's timely appearance, using that resilient Blue Silver Grass to block the fatal blow.

Qian Renxue knew clearly that without Gu Qing's life-saving intervention, she might have already become a corpse.

"Thank you, truly. If you hadn't arrived, I fear I would have been in grave danger."

These soft words came from Qian Renxue's lips, her voice revealing a rare vulnerability and deep lingering fear.

Gu Qing carried the beauty through the ruins of the courtyard; the streets under the night sky were completely deserted.

"You and I will be husband and wife soon enough; why speak such distant words?"

This blunt remark made the tips of Qian Renxue's ears turn bright red, so she simply closed her eyes and remained silent.

Under the cover of the night, the two returned silently to the heavily guarded Crown Prince Mansion.

Gu Qing carried Qian Renxue directly into the underground secret chamber, which was protected by layers of barriers.

He placed the person in his arms gently onto the soft couch covered in snow-fox fur.

A ring of emerald Life-Type Blue Silver Grass surged from Gu Qing's hand once more, slowly pouring into Qian Renxue's body.

The pure life force nourished her parched meridians, allowing Qian Renxue's complexion to gradually regain a hint of rosiness.

Just as the treatment was nearing its end, a rhythmic knocking suddenly echoed from outside the secret chamber.

The slightly urgent voice of Snake Lance Douluo, who was responsible for protecting them from the shadows, came from outside the door.

"Young Master, a top-priority secret letter has arrived from Martial Soul Hall."

Gu Qing withdrew his palm, turned, and walked to the heavy stone door to activate the mechanism.

Snake Lance Douluo respectfully handed over a metal cylinder sealed with Six-Winged Angel wax, then tactfully retreated.

Gu Qing returned to the soft couch with the cylinder, using his fingertips to crush the wax seal on the surface.

A parchment scroll with a unique soul power fluctuation slid out from the cylinder.

Qian Renxue sat up straight, reached out to take the scroll, and slowly unfolded it.

By the flickering candlelight on the chamber wall, the two quickly scanned the contents of the letter.

This was a top-level recall order jointly signed by Bibi Dong and Qian Daoliu.

It demanded that Gu Qing and Qian Renxue immediately drop all affairs in the Heaven Dou Empire and return to Martial Soul Hall overnight.

Qian Renxue placed the parchment scroll on the side table and frowned slightly.

"With the Pope Palace and the Worship Hall issuing orders simultaneously, it seems there must be a major move happening in Martial Soul City."

Gu Qing sat down on a chair nearby, his fingers tapping lightly against the tabletop.

"Our engagement has already spread across the entire continent; Martial Soul Hall needs to use this opportunity to intimidate all factions."

Qian Renxue nodded slightly, the shrewdness and capability of her usual self returning to those beautiful eyes.

"With the grand finals of the High-Level Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament about to begin, we truly need to return to hold down the fort."

Gu Qing stood up, his gaze sweeping over the top-secret dossiers in the secret chamber.

"The situation here in the Heaven Dou Empire has just stabilized. Once you leave, who will take over the identity of Xue Qinghe?"

Qian Renxue took an exquisite human-skin mask from her storage Soul Tool.

"Uncle Ci Xue has a trusted subordinate under his command who possesses a special transformation soul skill; I have been grooming him for three full years."

This arrangement appeared extremely methodical; Qian Renxue had long since prepared a contingency plan for controlling the regime.

"It is only to temporarily deal with those old fogies in the imperial court; there will absolutely be no slip-ups."

Hearing this arrangement, Gu Qing said no more and turned to start packing the items that had to be taken along.

The two quickly discussed their upcoming itinerary and route within the secret chamber.

An hour later, a seemingly ordinary commercial carriage quietly drove out from the back gate of the Crown Prince Mansion.

The carriage rumbled through the night over the smooth bluestone roads of Heaven Dou City, speeding off in the direction of Martial Soul City.

Inside the carriage, which was lined with thick velvet blankets, Gu Qing leaned against the window and closed his eyes to rest.

Qian Renxue reclined in the corner, watching the man who had saved her life, her mood becoming very calm.

Time flew by, and the schedule for the High-Level Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament progressed in full swing.

The stands of the Heaven Dou Royal Great Soul Arena were packed to capacity, and the deafening cheers were enough to almost flip the entire dome.

Colorful fireworks exploded one after another in mid-air, their brilliant light illuminating the entire arena.

The qualifying rounds for the Heaven Dou division officially reached their final conclusion today.

The Shrek Academy team, relying on their tacit cooperation and formidable strength, had hacked and slashed their way through every obstacle.

Trampling all their competitors underfoot, they successfully secured the championship title for the Heaven Dou division.

However, amidst this carnival belonging to the victors, the rest area for Shrek Academy was deathly silent.

The heavy wooden door completely cut off the clamor outside, and the atmosphere within the room was so oppressive it made one struggle to breathe.

Tang San sat on a bench in the corner, the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand, which radiated a heavy aura, gripped tightly.

Dai Mubai, like an enraged lion, smashed a fist fiercely against the load-bearing pillar of the wall.

Large cracks instantly appeared on the surface of the hard stone pillar, and gravel clattered to the floor in a heap.

"What's the point of winning this damn championship when Teacher Zhao isn't even here to see it!"

This irritable voice echoed in the room, Dai Mubai's chest heaving violently.

Xiao Wu sat beside Tang San, dried tear tracks still lingering at the corners of her eyes, her hands clutching her clothes tightly.

Ning Rongrong and Zhu Qing leaned against the window, their faces equally ashen.

Oscar and Ma Hongjun hung their heads, their usual penchant for joking and banter nowhere to be found at this moment.

Just a short while ago, they had repeatedly deduced the truth through various channels and the traces left at the scene.

They had ultimately arrived at a cruel truth that tore their hearts to pieces.

Teacher Zhao Wuji, who was extremely strict with them on ordinary days but always stood at the front when danger arose, had undoubtedly died under the assassination of that bastard Gu Qing.

Not even a shred of remains had been left behind; he had just disappeared from this world without a sound.

Dean Flender stood in the center of the room, his signature black-rimmed glasses hiding a face full of exhaustion and grief.

Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands behind his back, his brows locked in a deep, furrowed frown.

Tang San took a deep breath and slowly retracted the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand back into his body.

He stood up, his gaze sweeping over every companion present in turn.

"We absolutely cannot let Teacher Zhao's death go unavenged."

As soon as these words fell, Ma Hongjun suddenly raised his head, the soul power of his Evil Fire Phoenix leaking out uncontrollably.

"Third Brother is right. A life for a life, a debt for a debt; we must make that bastard Gu Qing pay in blood!"

Oscar stepped forward immediately, his fists clenched until they cracked.

"Even if he is from Martial Soul Hall, and even if his strength is great, we, the Shrek Seven Devils, will absolutely not back down."

Dai Mubai strode over to Tang San and extended his calloused right hand.

Tang San did not hesitate, placing his own palm directly onto the back of Dai Mubai's hand.

Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Qing, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun also gathered around one after another.

Seven palms were stacked tightly together, representing the unbreakable bond between them.

Tang San swept his gaze across his companions, those with whom he had shared life and death, his every word ringing out with resonant force.

"The upcoming finals will be held in Martial Soul City; that is Gu Qing's territory."

In this moment, Tang San no longer made any attempt to conceal his killing intent.

"We are not only going there to seize the continental championship, but to expose his true face before every soul master in the world."

Dai Mubai's eyes glinted with ferocity as he gritted his teeth and continued.

"We are going to slap Gu Qing across the face in this tournament, and we will trample him beneath our feet!"

Ning Rongrong wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, the phantom of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda flickering into existence behind her.

"I want the entire Martial Soul Hall to know that the people of Shrek Academy are not so easily killed!"

Zhu Zhuqing's cold, aloof face was filled with chilling murderous intent, the sharp claws at her fingertips slightly extended.

"Blood debts must be repaid in blood."

The air within the lounge grew incredibly heavy, burdened by this intense will for vengeance.

In this moment, these seven young soul masters had undergone a complete transformation in their mindset.

They were no longer fighting for honor or fame, but were carrying the heavy burden of their mentors' blood feud.

Every one of them swore that on that highest-stakes stage in the entire continent, they would demand justice from that arrogant man.

Flender watched these high-spirited children, a complex mixture of relief and worry flashing in the depths of his eyes.

He turned to look at the Grandmaster beside him, lowering his voice to ask for their next strategy.

Yu Xiaogang pondered for a moment before providing a specialized training plan tailored for the finals.

The Shrek Seven Devils confirmed the direction of their special training in the lounge once more, then began to pack their gear.

They prepared to meet the tempest that was about to be unleashed upon Martial Soul City.

On the other side, the towering walls of Martial Soul City were already visible in the distance.

The carriage carrying Gu Qing and Qian Renxue traveled steadily along the wide official road.

After more than half a month of long-distance travel, the two had finally returned to this core territory belonging to the Martial Soul Hall.

The guards on the city walls spotted the special flag hanging from the carriage from afar and immediately sounded the horns to grant passage.

The heavy city gates slowly pushed open to both sides amidst the sound of mechanical gears.

The carriage drove into the city without obstruction; the streets were decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, filled with a festive atmosphere everywhere.

To welcome the upcoming grand wedding, the entire Martial Soul City had been adorned like a fairyland on earth.

Red silk stretched from the end of the streets all the way to the long steps of the Pope Palace.

Qian Renxue lifted the carriage curtain, watching the busy preparations outside, her thoughts surging.

Gu Qing followed Qian Renxue's gaze and reached out to take her slightly cool, delicate hand.

"Once the tournament ends, we will hold the grandest wedding on the entire continent right here."

Qian Renxue turned her head, looking at Gu Qing's calm and composed face, and gently squeezed his broad palm in return.

"When that time comes, I want all the sects in the world to witness this moment."

The carriage stopped before the side entrance of the Pope Palace, where several bishops in red robes had been waiting for some time.

Gu Qing jumped off the carriage first, then naturally reached out to assist Qian Renxue down.

A red-robed bishop hurried forward, respectfully performing the highest etiquette of the Martial Soul Hall.

"Her Highness the Saintess, Lord Gu Qing, the Pope and the High Priest have been waiting in the council hall for quite some time."

Gu Qing nodded, holding Qian Renxue's hand as he stepped onto the stairs that represented the highest power of the Martial Soul Hall.

The sunlight spilled onto their backs, stretching their shadows long.

A head-on collision of slaughter was about to unfold within this city draped in red.

Gu Qing pushed open the heavy metal doors of the council hall.

In the center of the hall, Bibi Dong sat upright on the papal throne inlaid with countless gemstones.

Qian Daoliu stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of the hall, overlooking the entirety of Martial Soul City.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, the two titans representing the peak combat power of the Martial Soul Hall turned their heads simultaneously.

Gu Qing released Qian Renxue's hand, stepped forward, and bowed slightly.