Eternal Thief-!

Lan Muzi stood at the exit of the Spirit Ascension Platform, watching the students emerge one by one.

Guo Zhen and Shi Gandang came out. They were fine.

Tang Bingning and Lu Fengming came out. They were fine too.

Then he saw a girl being sent out.

Ye Xinglan.

Her face was pale, and her Soul Power was depleted, but she was unharmed.

A chubby little boy ran over, wanting to help her up, but she ignored him.

Lan Muzi walked over.

"Where's Jing Heng?"

Ye Xinglan opened her mouth, but before she could speak, a hatch suddenly opened.

Lan Muzi turned to look.

Yun Jingheng lay inside, his face white as paper, his eyes shut and his body completely still.

Lan Muzi's mind went blank for a second.

Then he rushed over.

"Jing Heng!"

There was no response.

Lan Muzi scooped him up and sent his Soul Power into him to examine him.

His breathing was weak, and his heartbeat was weak, but they were still there.

He was only unconscious.

Lan Muzi let out a breath of relief, but before he could fully relax, he suddenly froze.

The Soul Power fluctuations within Yun Jingheng's body were wrong.

It wasn't exhaustion, nor was it an injury. It was a state he had never seen before.

It was as though something lay dormant within him, waiting to awaken.

Lan Muzi's expression changed.

Holding Yun Jingheng, he turned and rushed outside.

"Teacher Lan!" Ye Xinglan called out.

Lan Muzi did not look back.

Shrek City, Sea God Pavilion.

Yun Ming sat at the head seat, a pile of files spread out before him.

Ya Li sat beside him, reading a report.

Feng Wuyu, Zhuo Shi, Long Yeyue, and Cai Yue'er were all present, each occupied with their own tasks.

The door was suddenly pushed open.

Lan Muzi rushed in, Yun Jingheng in his arms.

He had even forgotten to knock.

"Pavilion Master—"

Before he could finish, Yun Ming was already on his feet.

He crossed the distance in one stride, took Yun Jingheng from Lan Muzi, and sent his Soul Power inside.

Then his expression changed.

It turned extremely ugly.

Ya Li walked over, took one look at Yun Jingheng, and her expression changed as well.

"What happened?" she asked softly, but everyone could hear what lay beneath her voice.

Lan Muzi opened his mouth.

Before he could speak, Yun Ming suddenly spoke.

"Eternal Thief!"

He shouted a name. His voice was not loud, yet the entire Sea God Pavilion trembled.

Then he charged outside.

Ya Li froze for a moment and tried to chase after him, but Yun Ming had already vanished.

Feng Wuyu, Zhuo Shi, Long Yeyue, and Cai Yue'er exchanged looks, then rose and rushed out as well.

Ya Li remained where she was, looking at Lan Muzi.

"Speak."

Lan Muzi drew a deep breath.

"The Spirit Ascension Platform went berserk. They encountered a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear. Jing Heng is fine, only unconscious, but the Pavilion Master—"

Ya Li interrupted him.

"Where's Xing Lan?"

"She came out. She's fine."

Ya Li nodded.

She lowered her gaze to Yun Jingheng in her arms and reached out to stroke his face.

"It's good that he's fine."

That was all she said.

Then, carrying Yun Jingheng, she walked into the inner room.

Lan Muzi stood there, stunned for several seconds.

Then he remembered something.

Who had the Pavilion Master shouted for just now?

Eternal Thief?

The Spirit Pagoda's Pagoda Master?

Spirit Pagoda Headquarters.

Qiangu Dongfeng sat in his top-floor office, holding a cup of tea with a relaxed expression.

Nothing major was happening today. Those Shrek children had come to ascend their spirits, and Leng Yaozhu was watching over them, so there was no need for him to worry.

He took a sip of tea.

The door was suddenly shoved open.

A staff member rushed inside, face pale and drenched in sweat.

"Pa-Pagoda Master!"

Qiangu Dongfeng frowned.

"What kind of behavior is this, rushing about in a panic?!"

The staff member panted heavily.

"Something happened! Over at the Spirit Ascension Platform, several children have fallen unconscious!"

Qiangu Dongfeng set down his teacup.

"Isn't it normal for people to be knocked out by soul beasts? When will you people learn to handle things with more ease? Can't you make me worry less?"

"Go on. Who?"

The staff member opened his mouth.

"A girl surnamed Ye, named Ye Xinglan, and—"

"Ye Xinglan?"

Qiangu Dongfeng cut him off. "That girl from the Ye Family?"

The staff member nodded.

Qiangu Dongfeng relaxed.

The Ye Family was not small, but it was not enough to make him nervous.

"Who else?"

The staff member hesitated.

"And..."

"Just say it."

"...Yun Jingheng."

Qiangu Dongfeng froze.

"Who?"

"Yun Jingheng."

The staff member's voice grew even quieter. "The son of Yun Ming, the Sea God Pavilion's Pavilion Master."

Qiangu Dongfeng's expression fell apart in that instant.

He stood up, even forgetting to set down his teacup.

"What did you say?"

The staff member took a step back.

"H-he also fell unconscious, but someone carried him away. It seemed to be a teacher from Shrek—"

Before he could finish, an enraged roar sounded from outside the window.

"Qiangu Dongfeng—!"

It was Yun Ming's voice.

Qiangu Dongfeng's expression changed completely.

He rushed to the window and looked outside.

Several figures were speeding over from the direction of Shrek.

The foremost figure radiated a terrifying aura. It was Yun Ming.

Behind him came Feng Wuyu, Zhuo Shi, Long Yeyue, and Cai Yue'er, not one missing.

Qiangu Dongfeng took a deep breath.

He turned and looked at the staff member.

"You—"

Before he could finish, another furious roar came.

"Qiangu Dongfeng! Get out here!"

The entire Spirit Pagoda was trembling.

Qiangu Dongfeng stood there, his expression complicated.

He suddenly felt a little regretful.

He should have skipped work today.

Huh?

No, wait. I didn't do anything. Leng Yaozhu was watching over everything on Shrek's side. What was I afraid of?

Qiangu Dongfeng took a deep breath, pushed open the window, and flew out.

The moment he steadied himself in midair, before he could say a word, a streak of silver spear light had already thrust toward him.

"I—"

Qiangu Dongfeng hurriedly dodged. The spear light grazed his shoulder, and a massive hole appeared in the Spirit Pagoda wall behind him.

"Yun Ming! What are you doing?!"

Yun Ming did not speak. The second spear thrust was already upon him.

The spear was entirely silver-white, its tip gleaming with cold light. It was his Martial Soul—the Sky-Piercing Divine Spear.

This strike was faster and fiercer than the last.

Qiangu Dongfeng dodged again, sweat already beading on his forehead.

"Have you gone mad?!"

Yun Ming still said nothing.

Behind him, nine soul rings—black, black, red, red, red, orange-gold, orange-gold, orange-gold, orange-gold—floated like ghosts.

Qiangu Dongfeng's expression changed.

"You really have gone mad?!"

Yun Ming raised his spear.

Behind him, the seventh and ninth soul rings lit up with blinding light.

"Seventh soul skill—Martial Soul Avatar."

His voice was ice-cold.

"Ninth soul skill—Sky-Piercing: Sun-Shooting."

Qiangu Dongfeng's face turned white.

"No! Wait a second!"

He raised both hands and took a step back.

"Leng Yaozhu was overseeing the Spirit Ascension Platform today! Not me! It has nothing to do with me!"

Yun Ming's spear paused.

Qiangu Dongfeng panted and continued, "I've been drinking tea in my office the whole time! I wasn't even at the scene when something happened to your son! If you're looking for someone, you should be looking for Leng Yaozhu! Why are you coming after me?!"

Yun Ming looked at him, his gaze as cold as ice.

"How did you know something happened to my son?"

Qiangu Dongfeng froze.

"...The staff member reported it just now."

"What did they report?"

"They reported..."

Qiangu Dongfeng suddenly came to his senses. "They reported that several children had fallen unconscious. One of them is named Yun Jingheng."

Yun Ming said nothing.

Qiangu Dongfeng hurriedly said, "I only just found out! I haven't even had time to ask before you rushed over!"

Yun Ming stared at him, the spear in his hand still pointed at him.

Behind him, Feng Wuyu, Zhuo Shi, Long Yeyue, and Cai Yue'er had arrived as well.

Feng Wuyu looked at Qiangu Dongfeng and gave a cold snort.

"Old bastard, you'd better be telling the truth."

Qiangu Dongfeng glared at him.

"When have I ever lied?!"

Zhuo Shi cut in.

"You lie all the time."

Qiangu Dongfeng: "..."

Cai Yue'er glanced around.

"Where's Leng Yaozhu?"

Qiangu Dongfeng froze for a moment and looked around.

That was right—where was Leng Yaozhu?

He had been too panicked just now and had forgotten about it.

"Leng Yaozhu!" he shouted.

No one answered.

Qiangu Dongfeng's expression turned a little ugly.

A bad feeling suddenly rose in him.

Yun Ming looked at him, slowly lowering the spear in his hand.

"Call Leng Yaozhu out."

Qiangu Dongfeng gritted his teeth.

"Someone!"

A staff member flew out of the Spirit Pagoda and looked at the group nervously.

"P-Pagoda Master..."

"Where is the vice pagoda master?"

The staff member froze.

"The vice pagoda master... she's been watching over the Spirit Ascension Platform the whole time."

Qiangu Dongfeng's heart sank.

He looked at Yun Ming.

Yun Ming was looking at him too.

The two stared at each other for a second.

Then the spear in Yun Ming's hand rose again.

"Qiangu Dongfeng—"

"Wait the hell a second!"

Qiangu Dongfeng hurriedly waved his hands. "I really don't know! Let me go ask!"

He turned and flew toward the Spirit Ascension Platform.

Yun Ming and the others followed behind him.

At the entrance to the Spirit Ascension Platform.

Leng Yaozhu stood there with a calm expression, discussing something with several staff members.

When she saw Qiangu Dongfeng flying over with Yun Ming and the others, she was slightly startled.

"Pagoda Master? Yun Ming? Why are you—"

Qiangu Dongfeng landed and stared at her.

"Vice Pagoda Master Leng, did something happen at the Spirit Ascension Platform just now?"

Leng Yaozhu nodded.

"Yes. Several children fell unconscious, but they've already been sent out."

Qiangu Dongfeng took a deep breath.

"Yun Jingheng fell unconscious too?"

Leng Yaozhu froze.

"Yun Jingheng?"

She looked at Yun Ming, then at Qiangu Dongfeng.

Qiangu Dongfeng's heart went completely cold.

He turned his head toward Yun Ming.

Yun Ming looked at him, his gaze even colder than before.

"You didn't know?"

Qiangu Dongfeng opened his mouth.

"I..."

He suddenly wanted to curse.

Leng Yaozhu watched the scene, her expression becoming somewhat subtle.

"Pagoda Master," she said, "I reported to you this morning that Shrek's Genius Class would be entering the Spirit Ascension Platform today. Yun Jingheng was on the list. You said, 'Got it.'"

Qiangu Dongfeng froze.

"You told me?"

Leng Yaozhu nodded.

"I did."

Qiangu Dongfeng fell silent.

He recalled that Leng Yaozhu had indeed come to see him that morning and said a whole string of things. He had been reviewing documents then and casually replied, "Got it."

He had thought it was some trivial matter.

He never expected it to be this.

He turned toward Yun Ming.

Yun Ming looked at him, and the spear in his hand rose once more.

"Qiangu Dongfeng—"

"Wait!"

Qiangu Dongfeng raised both hands. "I did know! But I didn't know something would happen to him! Problems arising inside the Spirit Ascension Platform are uncontrollable! You can't blame that on me too!"

Yun Ming said nothing.

He stared at Qiangu Dongfeng for a long time.

Then he lowered his spear.

He turned and left.

Feng Wuyu and the others followed him.

Qiangu Dongfeng stood where he was and let out a breath of relief.

Leng Yaozhu walked over and looked at him.

Qiangu Dongfeng glanced at her.

"You did that on purpose?"

Leng Yaozhu froze for a moment.

"What?"

Qiangu Dongfeng stared at her for several seconds, then waved a hand.

"Forget it."

He turned and left.

After taking two steps, he looked back.

"Go investigate why that Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear in the Spirit Ascension Platform was so violent."

Leng Yaozhu nodded.

"Alright."

Qiangu Dongfeng flew away.

Leng Yaozhu remained where she was, watching his retreating figure as the corners of her lips curled slightly.

It was very faint.

So faint it was almost impossible to notice.