Decay

Bai Cai, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao appeared at the door, and the atmosphere suddenly turned icy; no one dared to look at Bai Cai Team.

Over the past year, among the outer court disciples, the Bai Cai Team has become the most dazzling star.

If Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao are at the top level of past champions, then Bai Cai, who was originally unknown, is absolutely an unprecedented genius, just like a comet streaking across the sky or a blazing sun suppressing the heavens.

Having survived alone for five months in the Extreme North, he returned like lightning, swiftly defeating Thunderbolt Bei Bei and Eternal Defense in his first battle, and ascending to the top of the outer academy's power rankings.

The First Soul Ring is a hundred years old, the Second Soul Ring, the third a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring, and there are even rumors that Bai Cai's fourth Soul Ring is definitely higher than fifty thousand years old, perhaps even Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.

Even though Bai Cai acted discreetly, his decisive victory over Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi in the battle of Soul Fighting has already etched his image into history.

In terms of battle record, only Tang San's epic battle against Hu Liena and Xie Yue can be compared to Bai Cai's peak battle against Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi.

Four-Ring Soul Ancestor defeated two low-level Soul King, and a three-ring Soul Elder defeated a high-level Soul Elder and a low-level Soul Ancestor. At first glance, it seems unequal. However, at that time, Tang San had already consumed Immortal Herb, tempered his body with ice and fire, and undergone a second evolution of his External Soul Bone.

Hu Liena's bewitching control was completely countered by the Purple Demon Eye, and her threat was not even as great as that of Power Attack System Soul Elder. Only Xie Yue could be considered a formidable opponent.

In contrast, Bai Cai, who had never consumed the Immortal Herb [openly] and did not possess External Soul Bone [not using it doesn't mean she didn't have it], was still able to defeat Thunderbolt Bei Bei and Eternal Defense!

Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, among Beast Martial Soul below the Super Martial Soul, is undoubtedly the number one in the world for its Power Attack System.

Among defensive Beast Martial Soul below the Super Martial Soul, the Black Tortoise ranks among the top, and the mutated Black Tortoise is definitely one of the best.

Aside from their fusion skills, Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi's offensive and defensive synergy is far superior to that of Hu Liena and Xie Yue.

Tang San, relying on immunity to control effects, damage reduction, and the advantage of his Soul Bone, almost perished along with his opponent.

Bai Cai, however, relied on her own skills to withstand Bei Bei's output, pulling back at the limit to bait out a key Soul Skill, breaking through Xu Sanshi's turtle shell head-on, dealing massive damage, and maintaining her full combat strength.

It's obvious who is stronger and who is weaker.

Those who are strong should be respected, and this applies to all core disciples of the outer academy.

Awe, fear, fighting spirit, greed—all sorts of gazes were present. The three left the academy's main gate, went out of the city and circled around, and an hour later, they headed to the south gate to re-enter the city.

At their pace, half an hour would have been enough for the three of them. However, their purpose for this trip, besides the Treasure Appreciation Fair, also included shopping and strolling around. Therefore, it took them more than half an hour to finally arrive at the South Gate.

Shrek Academy has a rather unique geographical location. It is actually built outside Shrek City and occupies the east gate. Therefore, there is no main gate or back gate leading into the city.

Treasure Pavilion's headquarters are located on the commercial street, in the heart of the city. Naturally, the three of them must detour through either the north or south gate.

You can enter the city through the West Gate as well, but compared to the North Gate or the South Gate, it's undoubtedly a longer detour. Unless you're extremely bored, taking the detour through the West Gate is definitely a good workout.

Shrek City has a long history of prosperity that has never declined, having undergone numerous expansions and renovations. The city gates are bustling with activity, a constant stream of people coming and going, and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares. The main road is wide enough to accommodate eight carriages driving side by side.

All along the way was a scene of prosperity and grandeur, Bai Cai sighed. Beneath the glittering surface, the signs of decline of the three great empires were already very obvious.

Wealth was concentrated among nobles and Soul Master. Soul Tool were not used for production and daily life, but for combat and destruction. Ordinary people suffered from heavy taxes and levies. The types of agricultural tools and farming methods were not much different from those of ten thousand years ago.

The population growth of the three great empires did not come from intensive farming or production progress, but from reclaiming wasteland and encroaching on the Soul Beast Forest.

By establishing Soul Hunting Town, people hunted Soul Beast and cultivated farmland. The town gradually transformed into a city, and the Soul Hunting Town expanded, while the urban area gradually grew.

Countless forests of Soul Beast have vanished without a trace. The Soul Beast tribes, having lost their habitats, and the increasingly greedy nobles and Soul Master, are destined for war.

Regardless of right or wrong, good or evil, even with the change of empires and regimes, it is still difficult to escape.

Bai Cai's stance was undoubtedly firm, but even if they defeated and enslaved the Soul Beast, what could the Soul Master and humans do?

Undeniably, powerful Soul Master need to hunt powerful Soul Beast. If Soul Beast populations disappear and their lineages are severed, leaving behind only a group of domesticated Ten-Year Soul Beast and Hundred-Year Soul Beast, the future of Soul Master is predictable.

For ordinary people, the exploitation by the three empires was equally cruel. When they were developing the Soul Beast Forest, the unarmed civilians suffered the most casualties. The weak Soul Beast clans might not be able to harm Soul Master, but they could kill the civilians who were farming.

Commoners are not willing to cultivate the Soul Beast Forest. If farming tools were plentiful and easy to use, and miscellaneous taxes were reduced, they would not risk their lives to cultivate the Soul Beast Forest.

In the original history, after the three great empires were destroyed, there were very few rebel armies and peasant armies. The resistance armies of the defeated nobles and the fallen royal families shouted slogans, but apart from the group of noble Soul Master and sect Soul Master from the Shrek Academy, there was no response.

Lacking both ability and virtue, even amidst great prosperity and splendor, after the invasion of the Sun Moon Empire, it was as if birds had fled after eating their fill, leaving behind only a vast, desolate, and utterly clean land.

In the chaos of war, how many became wealthy, and how many survived?

Time is running out for me.

"Xiao Bai?"

Wang Dong shoved the Bai Cai aside and pointed to the line of welcoming girls ahead, "They should show their invitations now."

Bai Cai snapped out of her daze, looked up and saw the huge signboard of the Treasure Pavilion, a Blue Ring, and quickly handed over a gold-embossed invitation.

Upon seeing this, a fair-skinned and beautiful young woman in a long dress voluntarily left the welcoming team and accepted Bai Cai's invitation. Subsequently, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao handed out their invitations in turn.

"Distinguished guests, please follow me."

The young woman in the long dress checked the invitation, raised her hand to lead the way, and asked, "Distinguished guest, are you attending the Treasure Appreciation Fair?"

"Certainly."

Bai Cai presented her Black Level VIP card. "The VIP card has been processed. Please take us to the core disciples' Treasure Appreciation Fair."

The red VIP card is too conspicuous to display, while the Black Level VIP card can attract the attention of the maids in long gowns, but it won't cause a sensation.

After all, the Treasure Appreciation Fair for core disciples and inner court disciples are held on roughly the same date, and quite a few inner court disciples participate in the Treasure Appreciation Fair.

"As you wish."

The young woman in the long dress became even more respectful. What the Black Level VIP card represented was self-evident; at the very least, it required someone to guide her.

But why attend the Treasure Appreciation Fair for core disciples?

The girl in the long dress was puzzled. Although inner court disciples could participate in the core disciples' Treasure Appreciation Fair, the inner court Treasure Appreciation Fair also sold almost all the items sold at the core disciples 'Treasure Appreciation Fair. Why go through all that trouble?

"Distinguished guests, would you like some guidance?"