They Couldn't Stop Them-Not a Chance!

"Presumptuous!"

A furious shout rang out. Xian Lin'er stepped forward and released her Martial Soul. Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black—nine Soul Rings flared to life, and the pressure of a Rank 95 Titled Douluo erupted.

"Gu Yuan, we respect you as an honored guest from Douluo Hall, but don't push your luck!" Xian Lin'er said coldly.

"You're trying to take a Shrek student by force. Do you really think Shrek has no one to stand up for it?"

At her gesture, Qian Duoduo and the other four Sea God Pavilion Elders also released their Martial Souls and Soul Rings. The pressure of seven Titled Douluo crashed down on Gu Yuan and the other three like seven towering mountains. The air around them froze, and even the ground began to tremble.

The guards at the city gate had already retreated far away in fright. They didn't even dare breathe too loudly.

Seven Titled Douluo surrounding one student—such a spectacle was exceedingly rare, even in Shrek's history.

Jin Ruiqiu stood in front of Huo Yuhao, striking the pose of a mother hen shielding her chicks. Shrek really had turned its dignity into a doormat for anyone to trample!

Gu Yuena stepped forward to stand beside Gu Yuan. Her silver hair fluttered as an aura of pure elemental power quietly radiated from her. In an instant, it blocked the pressure of all seven Titled Douluo.

With nothing more than a casual wave of her hand, she stopped their pressure dead in its tracks.

Xian Lin'er and the others' expressions changed drastically. Their eyes were filled with shock as they stared at Gu Yuena.

They had never imagined that this silver-haired girl, who looked thirteen or fourteen, could be so terrifyingly powerful.

Could she be some old monster who had taken a Youth-Preserving Pill? The thought quietly surfaced in all seven of their minds.

Yan Shaozhe's heart sank, but there was no turning back now.

He gritted his teeth and shouted, "If you insist on forcing your way through, don't blame us for being rude! Seize them!"

Just as the seven Titled Douluo's Soul Power surged and they moved to seize the four of them, Gu Yuan raised both hands slightly and sent their encirclement reeling backward.

Was he another old monster? Could these two young men and women be the Limit Douluo hidden by Douluo Hall?

A lazy voice, brimming with vicious menace, suddenly rang out from the gate tower.

"Let's see who dares cause trouble on Shrek's turf!"

As the words fell, a disheveled figure appeared before Yan Shaozhe in an instant, as if he had materialized out of thin air.

He was an old man in a tattered gray robe, with messy hair and a scruffy beard. A faint smell of alcohol clung to him, and he looked just like an old beggar from the street.

Yet as he stood there, he seemed to merge with Shrek City itself. He released not the slightest trace of pressure, but all seven Titled Douluo immediately reined in their auras and bowed respectfully.

"Elder Xuan!"

He was none other than Xuan Zi, vice pavilion master of Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion, a Rank 98 Super Douluo, and the Holy Spirit Cult's hidden Supreme Cult Leader—the Taotie Douluo.

Xuan Zi narrowed his murky eyes and first swept a glance over Yan Shaozhe, then scolded him in annoyance. "A bunch of good-for-nothings! You can't even deal with a few kids, and you had to drag me out here. Aren't you embarrassed?"

Yan Shaozhe lowered his head, shame written all over his face, and didn't dare say a word.

Then Xuan Zi turned his gaze to Gu Yuan and the others. His eyes instantly sharpened like unsheathed blades, their terrifying Super Douluo edge locking onto Gu Yuan.

"I don't care who you are, or how powerful your backing is, you youngsters from Douluo Hall." Xuan Zi's voice was not loud, but it carried unquestionable authority. Each word struck the ears of everyone present.

"This is Shrek City, Shrek's territory. You want to take a Shrek student by force on our turf, and you've publicly humiliated our people, too. Do you think Shrek has no one left? Or do you think Douluo Hall can already shit on Shrek's head?"

"Shrek has stood for ten thousand years. Its glory is etched into our bones, and no one gets to profane it. You're not taking anyone today. Either you leave Huo Yuhao behind and walk out of the city peacefully, and I'll pretend none of this happened, or don't blame me, Xuan Zi, for making you all lie here!"

Xuan Zi was brimming with confidence, completely unaware of the kind of beings he was facing.

As his voice fell, a terrifying pressure erupted from him. The power of a Rank 98 Douluo swept across the scene, and the Soul Power in the air went wild. Bricks began to tumble from the gate tower, while the guards collapsed to the ground, unable even to breathe.

Even Xian Lin'er, a Titled Douluo, turned deathly pale and staggered backward beneath the pressure.

Only Gu Yuan and the others remained standing where they were, utterly unmoved. Not even their expressions changed.

A flicker of surprise crossed Xuan Zi's eyes. He hadn't expected them to stand so calmly beneath his full pressure.

"You're wrong about that," Gu Yuan said mildly, meeting Xuan Zi's gaze without the slightest fear.

"Huo Yuhao is coming with us of his own free will. We aren't taking him by force. You closed the city gates and blocked our way, then surrounded us with seven Titled Douluo. So who's the one profaning Shrek's glory?"

Shrek always cared far too much about its reputation. It really was "leaking eight kinds of air"—

"Sharp-tongued!" Xuan Zi snorted, murder flashing in his eyes.

"I don't care whether he's willing or not. He's a Shrek student, so he follows Shrek's rules! I'll make this clear: you are absolutely not taking him. Say one more word, and I'll act!"

He had lived for a hundred years, and Shrek was his deepest taboo. He had already lost several students to gluttony and sent them to their deaths, but right or wrong didn't matter here. No one was taking a Shrek student from Shrek's own territory!

Soul Power surged around Xuan Zi once more. The phantom of his Taotie Martial Soul shimmered behind him, and a terrifying force of devouring spread through the air. Even the space around them began to twist as he prepared to strike.

Just then, two figures streaked down from the sky like shooting stars and landed in front of Gu Yuan and the others, facing Xuan Zi.

The one in front was a hulking man over two meters tall, with bulging muscles and bronze-colored skin. A savage scar marked his face, and his eyes were as round as bells. A domineering, wild aura radiated from him.

Behind him, the phantom of a massive Golden Dragon Crocodile slowly appeared. Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red—nine Soul Rings rose slowly from beneath his feet. He was the Third Offering of Douluo Hall's Worship Hall, a Rank 98 Super Douluo and the current Dragon Crocodile Douluo.

Standing at his side was a handsome man in a white robe. His features were gentle, and he wore a warm smile. Nine fluffy white fox tails swayed behind him, and an ethereal, mysterious aura surrounded him. He was Douluo Hall's Fourth Offering, a Rank 97 Super Douluo and the current Sky Fox Douluo.

"Who dares lay a hand on our Lord?" the Dragon Crocodile Douluo roared. He unleashed the pressure of a Rank 98 Super Douluo without restraint, smashing it against Xuan Zi's. A deafening blast boomed between them, and countless fine cracks instantly spread across the ground.

"So you're Xuan Zi?" The Dragon Crocodile Douluo glared at him, murder blazing in his eyes.

"Our Lord respects you as an elder of Shrek and has given you some face. Don't mistake that for weakness! Our Lord takes whoever he wants. Forget some little Shrek student—even if he tore this miserable city apart, what could you do about it?"

The Sky Fox Douluo smiled faintly, but there wasn't a trace of warmth in it. The Sky Fox Martial Soul unfurled behind him, its nine tails swaying gently. An invisible mental force swept over the scene and locked onto the seven Titled Douluo.

"We don't want to make an enemy of Shrek, but we aren't afraid to, either. If you insist on fighting, the two of us don't mind entertaining you. But if Shrek City is destroyed, don't blame Douluo Hall for failing to play by the rules."

The two Super Douluo released their auras together and stood against Xuan Zi. But Xuan Zi was a veteran Rank 98 Super Douluo. Even against both of them, he gradually fell behind, his face paling slightly.

Surprise flashed through Xuan Zi's eyes, followed by a cold laugh. "You dare act so brazen in front of me? It seems Douluo Hall really doesn't know the meaning of heaven and earth! Today, I'll show you that there's a world of difference between two Rank 98 Douluo!"

Just as he was about to unleash his full strength, Gu Yuena stepped forward. Her violet-gold vertical pupils fixed on Xuan Zi, and an immense, boundless pressure of the Dragon God erupted from her.

This pressure bore absolute dominance over every Beast Martial Soul in existence. Xuan Zi's Taotie Martial Soul let out a frightened whimper, and even his Soul Power began to seize up beyond his control.

Xuan Zi's expression changed drastically. He stumbled a step backward, his eyes wide with disbelief and terror.

He could never have imagined that this silver-haired girl, barely twelve or thirteen, could release such terrifying pressure—enough to inspire an instinctive awe deep in the soul of a Super Douluo like him!

Just as the two sides stood on the brink of an all-out war, an even more terrifying pressure descended from the sky, as vast as the sea and as deep as the abyss.

It carried the endless weight of time, a dragon's might from the same source as Gu Yuena's, and a sacred radiance. In an instant, it enveloped all of Shrek City.

The moment the pressure descended, Xuan Zi froze. The Dragon Crocodile Douluo and the Sky Fox Douluo also grew instantly wary, staring intently at the sky.

A black-robed elder embroidered with dragon patterns slowly took shape in the air. He looked to be in his sixties, his features resolute and his black hair falling to his shoulders. He released no trace of Soul Power, yet everyone present felt reverence stir in their hearts.

He was Douluo Hall's strongest public figure, the Great Offering of its Worship Hall, a Rank 99 Limit Douluo titled Canglong—and the first Limit Douluo personally cultivated by Bibi Dong and the others two hundred years ago.

The Canglong Douluo landed before Gu Yuan and bowed deeply, offering the highest form of respect. His voice was full of reverence. "Your subordinate Canglong welcomes Your Excellency back to the hall! I arrived late and let Your Excellency fall into danger. I deserve a thousand deaths!"

The moment he bowed, the entire scene fell deathly silent.

A Rank 99 Limit Douluo was kneeling before a boy of twelve or thirteen, addressing him as "Your Excellency"!

Xuan Zi froze in place, his face filled with utter shock.

He had never imagined that Douluo Hall's hidden Limit Douluo would come to Shrek! And this Limit Douluo treated Gu Yuan with such overwhelming reverence!

A Rank 99 Limit Douluo, two Super Douluo of Rank 97 or higher, Gu Yuan, whose depths were impossible to fathom, and the silver-haired girl who could suppress him with her pressure.

In that moment, Xuan Zi understood: Shrek couldn't stop these people.

If they really fought, they would only end up mutually devastated. They might even destroy Shrek City entirely.

Just as Xuan Zi's mind reeled and he found himself caught between a rock and a hard place, an elderly voice suddenly spoke into his mind. It was Mu En's telepathic message.

"Xuan Zi, stand down. Let them go."

"Senior Brother!" Xuan Zi answered instinctively in his mind.

"They've come right to our doorstep! If we let them leave just like that, where does that leave Shrek's dignity?"

"Dignity isn't won by fighting." Mu En's voice carried a trace of helplessness.

"We won't gain a single thing by fighting. Instead, we'll completely fall out with Douluo Hall. Its strength runs far deeper than we imagined. Betting Shrek's entire legacy over one Huo Yuhao isn't worth it."

"Let them go. You and I both know that a melon forced from the vine won't be sweet."

Mu En's words doused Xuan Zi like a basin of cold water, bringing him to his senses. He clenched his fists tightly, but finally loosened them. The pressure around him gradually receded.

He shot Yan Shaozhe a cold look and scolded him irritably. "What are you standing there for? Open the gate! Let them go!"

Yan Shaozhe froze, unable to believe his ears. "Elder Xuan! But..."

"But what? I said open the gate. Do you not understand?" Xuan Zi barked, his eyes full of impatience.

He had already received Mu En's order: under no circumstances were they to fight. They had to let the others go.

Yan Shaozhe looked at Xuan Zi's uncompromising expression, then at the Canglong Douluo and his companions watching them like hawks. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and roar at the guards, "Open the gate! Let them go!"

The heavy city gates slowly swung open.

The Canglong Douluo straightened up, still on guard, and respectfully addressed Gu Yuan. "Your Excellency, please."

Gu Yuan gave a slight nod and walked toward the city gate with Gu Yuena, Jin Ruiqiu, and Huo Yuhao. The Dragon Crocodile Douluo and the Sky Fox Douluo guarded them from either side, while Canglong kept a close lock on Xuan Zi and the other Titled Douluo, leaving them no chance to act.

As he passed Xuan Zi, Gu Yuan stopped and gave him a casual glance. "Please thank the old Pavilion Master Mu En for me. I'll pay him a personal visit one day."

Xuan Zi snorted and turned his head away without replying, but he didn't try to stop them again.

Gu Yuan said nothing more and walked out of Shrek City with the others.

The Canglong Douluo and his two companions gave Xuan Zi and the others a cold glance, then turned and followed, protecting Gu Yuan and his companions as they sped into the distance.

Watching them disappear, Yan Shaozhe let his arm fall limply to his side, his face filled with frustration and dejection.

In the end, he hadn't managed to keep this once-in-ten-thousand-years genius.

Far away in the sky, Gu Yuan and his group flew on the wind, speeding toward Douluo Hall's headquarters.