"Elder Long,
this subordinate deserves to die.
I botched it."
"What happened?
You couldn't even handle a six-year-old child?
A genius with Twin Martial Souls
must be brought back to Shrek.
He's the only genius with Twin Martial Souls in nearly a hundred years besides me.
You don't understand the value of Twin Martial Souls.
Don't you understand after seeing me?"
Long Yueye was in the Sea God Pavilion at Shrek Academy, far away.
She sat with one leg crossed over the other, lightly polishing the gauntlet of her Dragon Armor.
Then she spoke in a carefree manner!
"I know,
but Elder Long,
someone from the Spirit Pagoda got to him before I did.
They've already recruited that genius into the Spirit Pagoda."
"Then offer him better terms.
Isn't he an orphan?
He should be easy to sway.
Doesn't he know what Shrek means?"
"I've already done everything I could say and do,
but that brat wouldn't budge."
"Heh!"
Long Yeyue laughed.
"Tell me everything that happened, down to every last detail."
Long Yeyue rubbed her chin,
a playful look appearing on her face.
Shrek Academy had developed for tens of thousands of years.
The Golden Tree flourished upward,
representing endless light.
But trees had roots, too,
spreading wildly through the dark earth
to help the tree grow ever stronger.
Yun Ming represented the light,
while she, as the Sea God Pavilion's deputy master,
was Shrek's roots.
After hearing Zhao Hao's report,
Long Yeyue understood the situation completely.
That little fellow was very determined!
"He didn't waver at all
when he heard the generous terms you offered."
"Yes,
Elder Long!"
"That's what makes this difficult.
He's so young,
yet so resolute."
"What kind of person is that little fellow?
You must have investigated him while he was unconscious, right?"
"Although he's an orphan,
he's deeply devoted to those he cares about,
and extremely filial.
He probably didn't leave with the Spirit Pagoda people right away
because tomorrow is the anniversary of his parents' deaths."
"I see.
He's a good person, too.
Looks like there's no prying him away."
"A genius with Twin Martial Souls!
When major powers awaken a genius with Twin Martial Souls, they hide them away.
Even if they're discovered,
they've already grown strong by then.
For someone like him, whose Twin Martial Souls awakened with a sign from heaven and earth,
it's truly a rare sight.
What a pity the Spirit Pagoda snatched him up.
With his Martial Soul's talent for devouring energy,
Shrek could have cultivated him into a Limit Douluo in the shortest possible time,
just like Yun Ming."
"Then, Elder Long,
what should we do now?"
"What else can we do?
If we can't have him,
then we'll destroy him."
"His Martial Soul is a Blood Body Martial Soul,
but nobody knows exactly how it works.
When it awakened,
that phenomenon from heaven and earth,
the spreading blood-red light—
doesn't it look a lot like an Evil Martial Soul?"
As soon as Long Yeyue said this,
Zhao Hao's face changed dramatically.
He had never expected Elder Long to have such a vicious idea.
She actually wanted to destroy Lin Tian completely.
"Elder Long,
you mean?"
"After working with me for so long,
do I really need to spell out what I want you to do?
A Blood Martial Soul
is already very difficult to classify.
But now that his Martial Soul can devour energy like crazy,
it's not hard to classify anymore.
In a moment, just claim he has an Evil Martial Soul
and bring him back to Shrek.
Have a Soul Master with the Mental Attribute brainwash him
and make him loyal to Shrek.
Then he'll be ours, won't he?"
"If he won't accept a toast,
then make him drink a forfeit.
Brainwashing will damage his mind,
but that doesn't matter.
It's still better than handing a genius with Twin Martial Souls over to the Spirit Pagoda.
Before I die,
I have to do something for Shrek.
Now that I know a genius with Twin Martial Souls is about to join the Spirit Pagoda,
how could I do nothing?
As for the Spirit Pagoda,
Shrek monitors the continent.
If we take away a Soul Master who awakened an Evil Martial Soul innately,
what can they say?
Do you think Qiangu Dongfeng would dare come to Shrek and demand him back?
I'd beat him so badly he wouldn't know which way was north!"
After Long Yeyue finished speaking, a ruthless glint shone in her eyes.
"You can handle this little matter, can't you?
Don't disappoint me a second time!"
"This subordinate understands.
I'll make sure it's done."
Zhao Hao immediately returned to the hotel.
His gaze fixed on Lin Tian, who was wolfing down food by the window.
He walked straight up to him.
His attitude was completely different now.
Looking down at Lin Tian, he spoke in a slightly icy voice.
"Lin Tian,
I'll ask you one last time.
Are you willing to give up the Spirit Pagoda
and join Shrek?"
Lin Tian was engrossed in his meal.
When he saw Zhao Hao return after leaving,
he immediately frowned.
"I already told you.
I'm not joining Shrek!"
"Stubborn fool!"
Zhao Hao snorted coldly.
"Since you refuse to accept a toast and insist on drinking a forfeit,
then don't blame me!"
As he spoke,
Zhao Hao's voice suddenly grew louder.
"Lin Tian,
you're no genius with Twin Martial Souls at all.
The Martial Soul you awakened is an Evil Martial Soul."
As soon as those words came out,
the whole Linhai Pavilion erupted.
The guests around them all sucked in sharp breaths.
When Zhang Hu heard this, his expression changed dramatically.
He hadn't expected Shrek to resort to this tactic.
He immediately stood up.
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
Lin Tian's Martial Soul wasn't an Evil Martial Soul at all.
His Martial Soul was simply a Blood Body Martial Soul."
"Whether it's an Evil Martial Soul,
isn't for you to decide."
Zhao Hao stepped forward,
his Soul Power surged abruptly,
and the pressure of a Soul Saint bore down on Lin Tian and Zhang Hu like a mountain.
Lin Tian released his Blood Martial Soul in an instant,
and blood energy filled the hall.
At that moment, Zhao Hao's voice rang out again.
"Your Martial Soul is indeed blood,
but that doesn't change the fact that it's an Evil Martial Soul.
Blood Martial Souls have always been difficult to define,
naturally existing between normal Martial Souls and Evil Martial Souls.
But your Martial Soul has such a terrifying ability to devour energy and life.
Just look."
Zhao Hao raised his voice.
"You've been eating ever since you arrived,
and you've already wolfed down dozens of portions of the finest high-energy delicacies.
Yet you're not the least bit full.
Your stomach is as flat as ever.
Where did all that energy go?
It was obviously devoured by your Evil Martial Soul."
He pointed to the mountain of plates piled on the table.
This was the best evidence.
"How could an ordinary Martial Soul have such terrifying powers of consumption?
Today, you can devour the energy in food.
Tomorrow, you'll be able to devour the Soul Power and vital essence of living people.
If you're allowed to grow unchecked,
you'll inevitably become an Evil Soul Master who threatens the safety of the continent.
Countless lives will perish because of you."
The instant Zhao Hao's words fell,
a corner across from Lin Tian and the others
filled with a chilling cold,
and a terrifying evil aura
erupted from it in an instant,
enveloping the entire hotel
and making everyone's breathing catch,
as though their blood were about to freeze.
Then,
a string of sinister laughter suddenly rang out,
echoing again and again throughout the restaurant.
"Heh heh heh,
as expected of Shrek.
You've come up with such a clever excuse to twist right and wrong.
Even I couldn't have thought of something like that.
Still,
you've given me a fine excuse.
I truly didn't know
how to label his Martial Soul an Evil Martial Soul.
Now I can just use your formula.
But since your righteous Shrek has branded him an Evil Soul Master,
I'll gladly accept him."
"Evil...
Evil Soul Master?
And a..."
Zhao Hao's eyes widened.
"Titled Douluo?"