Shrek Academy Had Struck Gold

Ma Xiaotao heard this.

She immediately picked up Lu Heqiu, who was slowly crawling across the table, and flew toward the Inner Academy.

Dai Yueheng had still been at the academy yesterday.

As long as she wasn't terribly unlucky, she wouldn't happen to run into him just as he left to take a mission.

Watching the figure hurry out, Yan Shaozhe also flew toward Sea God Lake. He spread out his Spiritual Power and began searching for Xuan Zi.

At that moment, Xuan Zi was in the Inner Academy's cafeteria, tossing freshly cooked chicken legs into his Soul Tool. Every so often, he stuffed one into his mouth, then turned to the cafeteria's chef and remarked, "Your cooking really is good. No wonder the kids love eating here."

"But next time, add more seasoning. I like stronger flavors."

He caught sight of Yan Shaozhe approaching in white from the corner of his eye and spoke with a hint of carefree arrogance. "Shaozhe, you're here too?"

"Want to try one of these chicken legs?"

Xuan Zi held out the chicken leg in his hand to Yan Shaozhe, not caring in the slightest about his appearance. Yan Shaozhe didn't take it. Instead, he bowed slightly and spoke respectfully.

"Elder Xuan, our teacher isn't here, and something strange has happened at the academy. I'll have to ask you to take a look."

Xuan Zi hadn't been pleased to see Yan Shaozhe.

But as soon as he heard that something strange had happened, the hand holding the chicken leg stopped midair. He turned his gaze to Yan Shaozhe and began sizing him up.

"Something strange?"

"What happened?"

"Is the Sea God Lake haunted?"

At Shrek Academy, Xuan Zi truly didn't believe any so-called strange occurrence could happen. There was no one on the entire continent who could cause trouble right under the noses of so many Titled Douluo!

Mu En was merely away; Shrek wasn't defenseless. Strange? He naturally didn't believe it!

"It's not the Sea God Lake that's the problem."

"Yesterday, Mei'er and Xiaotao found a child in the Star Dou Great Forest. There's something strange about the child's power. I'd planned to wait until our teacher returned before bringing it up."

"But today, I sensed a different kind of sealing power in the child. It can suppress Xiaotao's Evil Fire, so... I'd like to ask you to come take a look, Elder Xuan."

Yan Shaozhe spoke very respectfully. Xuan Zi's hand, which had been stuffing chicken legs into his Soul Tool, came to a complete stop. His expression had changed the moment he heard that they'd found a child in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Just as the other Titled Douluo had wondered, could this child be a Soul Beast who had taken human form?

But when he heard about the seal and its ability to suppress the Evil Fire, the casual look vanished from his face, replaced by solemnity. This really was strange—not just one strange thing, but a whole pile of them all happening to one person!

"Let's go! Where is the child now?"

Xuan Zi grabbed Yan Shaozhe, and the two of them flew out of the cafeteria.

A short while later, they returned to the office.

Only then did Ma Xiaotao return with Lu Heqiu and Dai Yueheng. Xuan Zi didn't waste time talking with them. He sent his Spiritual Power sweeping over Lu Heqiu, examining him even more carefully than Yan Shaozhe had.

Yan Shaozhe didn't stop him. Instead, he beckoned Dai Yueheng over.

"When you released your Martial Soul yesterday, did you feel a force suppressing it?"

Dai Yueheng was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected Yan Shaozhe to ask about that. He'd thought Yan Shaozhe wanted him to take care of the child, but this sudden question caught him unprepared.

After thinking it over briefly, he nodded.

"Yes. It was a very strong suppression."

"Yesterday... weren't you the one suppressing my Martial Soul?"

Dai Yueheng had asked the crucial question. When he released his Martial Soul the previous day, he had indeed felt an extremely powerful force suppressing it, but at the time, he hadn't thought much of it.

Yan Shaozhe had been standing nearby and had even scolded him.

So he'd naturally assumed Yan Shaozhe was suppressing his Martial Soul.

But judging by what Yan Shaozhe was saying today...

He hadn't?

Yan Shaozhe's expression relaxed considerably. It seemed unlikely the little one was part of a conspiracy. He hadn't come after Xiaotao alone, which meant the difference really did lie in the child himself.

Xuan Zi had finished examining him as well. He slowly said to Yan Shaozhe, "He isn't a Soul Beast."

"There's an extremely powerful sealing force inside him. I can't even tell what kind of seal it is."

"It seems to have formed naturally, not through a Soul Master's methods."

"However..."

"I can't sense any power leaking out. Little one, release your Martial Soul again!"

Xuan Zi pointed at Dai Yueheng, who was standing nearby, signaling him to release his Martial Soul. Dai Yueheng didn't hesitate and promptly released his Evil Eye White Tiger. The Evil Eye White Tiger was already a top-tier Martial Soul; even ten thousand years ago, it had been one.

Even Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire Phoenix couldn't claim to suppress it through Martial Soul superiority.

But the moment the Evil Eye White Tiger appeared,

Dai Yueheng's face turned frighteningly grim.

He felt an extremely powerful force pressing down on his Evil Eye White Tiger. His Soul Power circulated more slowly, and if he used a Soul Skill now, he might even be sluggish in releasing it. This was the kind of reaction one had only when facing an overwhelmingly powerful opponent.

Watching his expression, Xuan Zi gave a slight twitch of his nose and released his own Martial Soul as well.

He kept it tightly restrained, however, causing no damage at all.

"That's strange."

"Why don't I feel any suppression?"

"Shaozhe!"

Yan Shaozhe immediately understood and released his Martial Soul too. But just like Xuan Zi, he didn't feel anything unusual about it. Still, Yan Shaozhe had noticed the problem and spoke softly.

"Could it be the difference between having a Martial Soul Avatar and not having one?"

"After all, if it were caused by Soul Power, surely we'd feel something, wouldn't we?"

Xuan Zi nodded slightly and immediately waved for Dai Yueheng to go to the Inner Academy and find a Soul Saint. Relieved, Dai Yueheng put away his Martial Soul and went to fetch a trusted teacher from the Inner Academy.

That teacher also released his Martial Soul. Just as Yan Shaozhe had suspected, none of the sealing power leaking from Lu Heqiu affected the Soul Saint in the slightest. The difference between a Soul Emperor and a Soul Saint was whether they had a Martial Soul Avatar.

They tested it twice more and determined the full range and effect of the suppression.

Anyone below Soul Saint rank would be suppressed, regardless of Soul Power or level. Their combat strength would drop by about thirty percent, and their Soul Skills might stall for a moment when they tried to use them, possibly preventing them from being released.

The range was about fifteen meters. The moment someone stepped beyond it, the effect would immediately vanish.

As long as Ma Xiaotao stayed by his side, the Evil Fire inside her would never run amok. No matter what she did, she wouldn't have to worry about losing control of her Martial Soul.

"This time..."

"Shrek really has struck gold!"