A Traitor Is a Traitor!

Yun Jingheng's sprint was a straight line. The moonlight in his palm suddenly intensified, and a long sword materialized out of thin air. The sword's edge was wrapped in the Yin Force and pierced straight at the faint light shield in front of Xu Lizhi.

Bite--!

The moment the sword clashed with the soul-guided shield, a piercing shriek tore through the sky above the entire Sea God Lake.

The shield's resilience far exceeded expectations. His sword only penetrated an inch before being repelled by a recoil force. He used the momentum to flip over, spun in mid-air, and landed steadily.

He landed right in front of Ye Xinglan, his left hand protecting her behind him, his right hand pointing his longsword diagonally at the ground, the tip of the sword still bearing the silver-white electric sparks that had burst forth when it collided with the shield.

Xu Lizhi stood still, his soul-guided shield blocking the sword for him.

He didn't dodge, nor did he take a single step back.

He looked at Yun Jingheng standing in front of Ye Xinglan, his eyes swirling with an extremely complex emotion that blended hatred, envy, resentment, and something even deeper.

Tears still clung to his face, but he was no longer smiling.

His lips moved, and he spoke softly, as if only to Yun Jingheng: "Yun Jingheng, you can't stop everything."

Before the words were even finished, the alarm blared, tearing through the night sky.

It wasn't just one shriek; it was a simultaneous shriek emanating from all the defensive arrays of the entire Shrek Academy.

The sound exploded from the direction of the Sea God Pavilion, spreading in all directions at an unstoppable speed. Every sound amplification array was activated at the same moment, and the same sound echoed in every corner.

Yun Jingheng suddenly looked up.

Countless points of light are falling in the night sky.

It was densely packed, covering the entire ceiling, like a meteor shower falling upside down.

Those are Fixed Soul Guidance Cannonball!

"Enemy attack--!"

"Ah----!!!"

Before the first wave of flames had even faded from my retina, the Light of Destruction trailing fiery tails were already overhead.

As Yun Jingheng was stunned, the Sea God Lake was turned deathly white by the falling points of light, and the light of the lanterns appeared small and unreal in this deathly whiteness.

Then he heard another sound—the rumble of gears.

The Star Pavilion awakens at this moment.

It sits atop the Golden Tree, overlooking the entire academy from the highest point of Shrek.

It is not merely a building for cultivation, but a war machine meticulously crafted by Yun Jingheng, with each rune circuit serving as its nerve center and each interceptor missile as its fist.

The alarm was activated, and the yellow alert that had been shelved for an entire day completed its final feature comparison in the instant that the active enzymes in the bodies of hundreds of people resonated. The heat source approaching at high speed in the night sky was locked the moment it appeared.

If the conditions are met, the automatic defense protocol will be activated.

The roof of the pavilion has cracked.

As each layer of the eaves flips, the carved components on the corners, which were originally thought to be decorative, flip over at the same moment, revealing rows of silver firing units hidden inside.

Each of the carved window lattices on the pavilion opens under the drive of mechanical gears; behind the lattices is not a room, but an array of neatly arranged interceptor missiles.

The bullet was engraved with runes drawn stroke by stroke by Yun Jingheng, which lit up one by one just before ignition, like a hundred silver eyes opening in the pavilion.

Then it opened fire.

More than one hundred interceptor missiles were launched simultaneously.

The silver trail of flames stretched into the night sky, leaving extremely thin beams of light that spread out in all directions from the rooftop, like someone opening an umbrella of light in the darkness.

The interceptor missile collided with the first wave of missiles in mid-air, and the explosion illuminated the entire sky.

The shockwave was blocked by the barrier, but the sound penetrated the light curtain—a continuous, muffled thunder that could stop a person's heart.

Yun Jingheng stood on the ground, looking up at the system he had created with his own hands roaring overhead.

His face was expressionless, not because he wasn't proud, but because now was not the time to be proud.

His knuckles were white as he gripped the sword.

Explosions came from all directions.

Flames erupted from every corner of the academy almost simultaneously, coming from the direction of the canteen, the dormitory area, the Outer Court teaching building, and the training ground.

The Evil Soul Master didn't attack from outside the academy; they were already inside.

mingling with the freshmen from the Outer Court, mingling with the logistics staff from the Inner Court, mingling with the volunteers who came to help set up the lanterns, mingling with every smiling person who brushes past you in your daily life.

This was the moment they had been waiting for. All the experts gathered at Sea God Lake, all the defensive formations were set to the lowest alert level, and everyone's attention was drawn to the lanterns and the declaration of love.

And that food-type Soul Master, whom everyone considered a kind-hearted person, was the one who pressed the switch.

On the main stage, Yun Ming's teacup was broken.

When he stood up, the aura of a Level 99 Limit Douluo emanated from him uncontrollably, shattering the teacup into dust from the inside.

His gaze swept across the entire area, precisely locking onto several dark figures rushing towards the student crowd amidst the flames. He then spoke, his voice not loud, but each word seemed to be nailed into the air amidst the roar of the explosions, "Titled Douluo —ascend, activate the barrier. Ya Li, evacuate. The rest of you, take the students to safety."

Several figures rose into the air in response.

Yun Ming was at the forefront, his platinum-gold Soul Power transforming into a semi-transparent light curtain that spread outward from the Sea God Lake as the center.

Long Yeyue followed closely behind, her hair fluttering wildly in the shockwave of the explosion, her light and dark Soul Power gilding her platinum-gold complexion.

Cai Yue'er's eyelids reflected the firelight, precisely filling in every weak spot.

Feng Wuyu silently stood guard at the very edge of the light barrier, using his Soul Power to seal the last gap.

The barrier erected by several Titled Douluo together enveloped the entire Sea God Lake and its surrounding Core Area within a few breaths.

However, the Star Pavilion is outside the barrier, and its position is higher than the Golden Tree. The barrier is based on the ground, and the tree canopy is the highest point it can cover.

It fights alone atop the dome.

Below the barrier, Ya Li's voice amplified throughout the area. "Everyone listen carefully—those who are poisoned, help each other; those who are not poisoned, help those who cannot stand! Evacuate in order of your seating area, do not push! All passages to the underground shelter are now open; give priority to Outer Court and lower-year students!"

Her voice was exceptionally clear during the intervals between explosions, carrying a composure that could only be honed through countless life-or-death rescues.

Wu Zhangkong stood at the entrance of the east passage, the blade of his Heavenly Frost Sword gleaming coldly as he stared intently at the approaching flames.

Lan Muzi guarded the west side, while Tang Yinmeng led a group of Inner Court disciples through the crowd, pulling up those whose legs were too weak to stand.

Over there in the maple forest, a grove of old maple trees was uprooted by the shockwave, their burning branches swirling in the air.

An Inner Court disciple, dragging his poisoned body, pulled a freshman who had been knocked over by the shockwave to his feet and shouted in a hoarse voice, "Run!"

In the direction of the cafeteria, the cafeteria auntie who had chatted with Yun Jingheng earlier picked up an iron pot and blocked the way for several girls from the Outer Court who were terrified. A flying piece of gravel hit the bottom of the pot, making a dent. She was still cursing, "My braised pork is still simmering on the stove, you bunch of damned Evil Soul Master!"

The lanterns on the island in the middle of the lake are still lit, but no one cares to look at them anymore.

Xu Xiaoyan was dragged by Yuanen Yehui towards the evacuation passage. Before entering the passage, she glanced back at the half-broken lanterns on the lake.

The carefully hung bamboo frames and silk paper shook violently in the shockwave of the explosion. Several lamps had their surfaces torn apart by the shockwave, revealing the wicks that were still stubbornly glowing inside.

The interception array of the Celestial Star Pavilion has reached its limit.

The intervals between the launches of each interceptor missile are getting shorter and shorter, but more and more missiles are slipping through the interception network.

A stray missile struck directly above the barrier, causing the golden light curtain to shake violently. Ripples spread outwards from the point of impact, and the entire dome trembled.

Yun Ming stood in mid-air, his hands supporting the core node of the barrier, his body motionless, but a thin trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Long Yeyue's silver hair danced wildly in the aftershocks of the shockwave, fine beads of sweat seeped from her knuckles, and her hands formed a seal as steady as a rock.

Cai Yue'er stared intently at the tiny cracks that had just appeared on the barrier, precisely filling them with her Soul Power.

Then, the middle section of the Star Pavilion was hit head-on by a missile.

The pavilion broke in half and slowly tilted, still engulfed in flames.

The silver arrays that were still firing did not stop firing at the last moment. The broken-in-two structure continued to spray interceptor missiles as it fell, as if it knew it had no chance and poured out all the remaining ammunition in its magazine.

The last batch of interceptor missiles wove a dense net of light in mid-air, blocking the three missiles that were heading towards the most densely populated area of the crowd.

Then the Star Pavilion fell.

Having completed its mission, nearly shattered, it used its last bit of heat to ignite its thrusters and hurtle towards the group of Evil Soul Master attacking the barrier.

Yun Jingheng's face remained expressionless. He shifted his gaze from the fallen Star Pavilion to Xu Lizhi, who was both crying and laughing.

"Is this how you repay the kindness of the academy in educating you?"

Xu Lizhi's laughter sounded stuck in his throat, turning into a strange sound that resembled both a sob and a cough.

He raised his hand to wipe away the tears on his face, but new tears welled up again, mixing with the dust on his face and making his round face look unrecognizable.

"Repay?" He repeated the word, his voice hoarse as if sandpaper scraping against sheet metal. "Yun Jingheng, do you know why I chose the day of the Sea God Fate?"

Yun Jingheng did not answer.

His sword tip was still pointing at the ground, but his gaze was already locked on Xu Lizhi's every move, including his slightly trembling left hand and the dark purple remnant of Soul Power still gathering at the fingertips of his right hand.

"Because this is the liveliest day at the academy."

Xu Lizhi answered himself, his voice suddenly becoming calm, a calmness that was even more chilling than his previous roar.

"Everyone is laughing, everyone is expectant. You combat students stand under the spotlight, receiving cheers, confessions, and admiring glances from everyone. And me?"

"I'm cooking braised pork for you guys in the cafeteria. I'm putting out nutritious meals outside the locker room. I'm serving tea and water next to the VIP seats. Nobody would expect me to be standing here."

He looked at Yun Jingheng, then at Yun Jingheng, who was being forcibly dragged away by Xie Xie and Yuanen Yehui Ye Xinglan was struggling. Something more complex than hatred surged in his eyes.

"She likes you. She said she wants someone to go on the field with her. How wonderful, a genius confessing to another genius, a combat-oriented person confessing to another combat-oriented person. And what about me?"

"I don't even have the right to stand next to her. It's not because I don't like her enough, it's because I'm a food-type Soul Master. In Shrek, a food-type Soul Master can only ever stand in the audience."

His voice trembled again, but this time it was anger, resentment, something that had been suppressed for far too long and finally broke down at this moment.

"Do you think I want to be Evil Soul Master? Do you think I want to turn my painstakingly cultivated Martial Soul into a weapon?! But I won't change—who will speak up for people like us and say 'it's unfair'?"

"You combat-type geniuses can tear through space and descend from the sky with a single Soul Skill; what about me? I've cultivated for over a decade, and my strongest ability is simply to make people think my food tastes delicious."

"Delicious! But what use is it on the battlefield?! Tell me—what use is it?!"

Yun Jingheng looked at him. The sound of explosions roared outside the barrier, and the firelight made their faces flicker between light and shadow.

Then he spoke, his voice not loud, but every word was steady.

"You're absolutely right. Food-type units are indeed not good at head-on combat on the battlefield."

"The fact that you can stand here today, that you can poison hundreds of people simultaneously, that you can cooperate with the Evil Soul Master to turn Shrek into a sea of fire—all of this proves the value of food-based magic on the battlefield. It's just that the way you proved it was through betrayal."

"Xu Lizhi."

Yun Jingheng raised his sword. "Everyone has their own inherent value. Instead of questioning this and that, why not question yourself? You can't possibly not have heard of Oscar, the God of Cookery."

"But I'm too lazy to talk to you any further."

"A traitor is a traitor! Stop making excuses to absolve yourself!"

"Although I do disagree with Shrek's teaching methods, I've lived in Shrek since I was a child, this is my home."

Yun Jingheng's eyes began to light up.

The light emanating from the depths of his meridians Yin Force. His robes fluttered in the wind as the Soul Power gushed forth from within him. Frost formed in concentric circles on the stone pavement beneath his feet, centered on him.

"Xu Lizhi."

"Go discuss these things with the dead!"

Then he moved.

Without any unnecessary movements, he raised his sword and slashed down.

Xu Lizhi had no time to resist; his expression didn't even have time to change before he slashed down with his sword.

Xu Lizhi, died.