Xuan Zi, Hand Over Your Soul Origin

No one answered; everyone present remained silent.

They all knew of this matter, but Xuan Zi was, after all, a Super Douluo, and the academy was in dire need of manpower. Remembering his years of meritorious service, they had never delved too deeply into it.

Yet, today, Tang An had dragged it out into the open, forcing them to face every bloody detail. No one could offer a single word in Xuan Zi's defense.

Xuan Zi did not argue. He stood where he was, his face ashen, repeating in a trembling voice, "This old man knows his sin... This old man is willing to accept any punishment."

Mu En slowly closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. After a long silence, he opened them, his voice aged and heavy.

"Xuan Zi's martial soul, the Godly Taotie Bull, has an innate defect. He must consume constantly; this is a physiological instinct. While not subjectively intentional, a fault is still a fault."

"Effective today, Xuan Zi is stripped of his position as a Sea God Pavilion Elder. He shall no longer participate in the academy's decision-making. Xuan Zi will follow the Vice Pavilion Master to await orders and reflect humbly upon his transgressions."

Xuan Zi jerked his head up, looking at Mu En in disbelief.

Mu En did not look at Xuan Zi, but turned to Tang An, saying earnestly and solemnly, "Little An, I entrust him to you. I hope you can help him overcome the defect of his martial soul. If he can truly repent, he will be a great asset to Shrek."

Tang An looked at Mu En, understanding clearly, Mu En is not only giving me a chance to establish my authority but also providing Xuan Zi a way to turn over a new leaf. To punish without casting aside—the balance is struck perfectly!

Tang An pondered for a moment before speaking, "Mu En's intentions are profound, and this junior understands. However, this junior is merely a Soul Elder. If Senior Xuan Zi were to act on a moment of confusion, I fear I wouldn't even have the chance to react."

"Without a substantial constraint, this 'following' is likely just empty words."

Mu En narrowed his eyes slightly. "The Vice Pavilion Master means..."

"Soul origin."

Tang An said slowly, "Please have Senior Xuan Zi surrender a fragment of his soul origin for this junior to control. This is a guarantee for my safety and a restraint upon Senior Xuan Zi. If the senior truly repents, it shall be returned in the future."

The hall was stunned. Once the soul origin was surrendered, life and death would rest entirely in Tang An's hands.

Mu En remained silent for a long time before finally nodding slowly. "Very well. Xuan Zi, if you truly repent, surrender your soul origin. If you cannot even do this, then there is no need to remain at Shrek."

Xuan Zi stood in place, his face shifting between pale and livid. He looked at Tang An, whose clear eyes held not a hint of wavering. The nine-year-old boy's methods were so ruthless they didn't seem like those of a child.

Yet, recalling the corpses of the disciples in the illusion, all his anger and humiliation turned into a deeper bitterness.

After a long while, Xuan Zi tremblingly raised his hand. A pale golden light flew from between his brows, transforming into a soul fragment that drifted into Tang An's palm.

"This old man... accepts the punishment." Xuan Zi's voice was hollow, as if all his strength had been drained away.

The soul fragment merged into Tang An's palm, and an invisible connection was established between the two.

Tang An nodded in satisfaction, storing the fragment in his Sea of Consciousness, a gentle smile appearing on his face.

"Since Senior Xuan Zi is willing to surrender his soul origin, it shows his heart of repentance. This junior will not treat the senior harshly. As long as you conduct yourself properly in the future, this soul origin will remain unharmed."

Mu En watched this scene, sighing inwardly.

Tang An's methods were both ruthless and measured. To possess such depth at nine years old—he was truly worthy of being the successor to the Sea God, Tang San.

Mu En pondered for a moment and suddenly spoke, "Little An, the second soul skill you just used employed emotional manipulation and memory projection. In essence, it is a refined control of spiritual power."

"I once created a supreme technique called 'Reign Over the World,' which is a method for utilizing spiritual power."

"If you are interested, I can pass this technique to you. Combined with the characteristics of your soul skills, you might be able to carve a path that no one has walked before."

Tang An felt a surge of joy.

Reign Over the World: A supreme technique passed down to Huo Yuhao in the original work, which compresses one's spiritual power, will, and combat momentum entirely into every physical strike, achieving the effect of "a single punch that shatters both the body and the mind."

Mu En was truly going to teach him everything.

"Thank you, Mu En." Tang An bowed, saying solemnly, "This junior will study it diligently and will not fail your high expectations."

Mu En nodded with satisfaction and asked, "Little An, what is your current strength? I observe that your aura is steady and your spiritual power far exceeds your peers, but do you have an estimate of your actual combat power?"

Tang An thought for a moment and replied frankly, "My soul power is at level thirty, but as for my combat power, I am not entirely sure of the upper limit. However, I should be invincible within the Soul King realm."

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall was stunned.

"Invincible among Soul Kings?" Qian Duoduo was the first to widen his eyes.

"Vice Pavilion Master, you are only level thirty and have only one soul ring. Soul Kings are above level fifty; that is a gap of twenty full levels. Are you certain?"

Xian Lin'er also frowned, her tone filled with worry, "Little Vice Pavilion Master, it is not that this sister does not believe you, but cross-realm combat is no child's play. Especially at the Soul King level, the fifth soul ring's skill often brings a qualitative change..."

"Since this junior dares to say it, I naturally have the confidence."

Tang An smiled slightly, his gaze turning to Xuan Zi, who was still in the corner digesting the fact that his soul origin had been taken.

"Coincidentally, I would like to test the power of the Crimson Annihilation Hammer's first soul skill. Perhaps Senior Xuan Zi could help me exchange a few moves? You need only suppress your cultivation to the Soul King realm."

Xuan Zi looked up, his expression complex as he looked at Tang An.

Now that he was under someone else's control, he naturally would not refuse. Moreover, Xuan Zi wanted to see for himself just how capable this nine-year-old boy really was.

Xuan Zi said in a deep voice, "Very well. This old man will suppress his cultivation to level fifty-five. The Vice Pavilion Master should be careful."

The group moved to the training grounds outside the Sea God Pavilion.

Xuan Zi stood firm, his soul power fluctuations slowly receding as he suppressed them to the Soul King realm. Tang An stood ten paces away, flipping his right hand to reveal the phantom of the Crimson Annihilation Hammer.

On the dark red hammer, a crimson hundred-thousand-year soul ring slowly rotated.

First soul ring, Dark Demon Evil God Tiger soul ring, first soul skill: Four Elements Control.

The Dark Demon Evil God Tiger itself possessed the six attributes of evil, darkness, lightning, wind, time, and space. After Tang San infused it with the Sea God's divine power, the two attributes of time and space were specifically strengthened to become the second and third soul skills.

Tang An could now freely channel these six great elements onto the hammer, switching between different attributes with every strike.

"Senior Xuan Zi, forgive me."

Before the words had even faded, his figure shot forward like a cannonball.

Lightning erupted across the Crimson Annihilation Hammer, purple arcs coiling around its head—Thunder Element, applied!

This strike possessed no flair, only pure force and speed, descending upon Xuan Zi with the destructive might of a thunderstorm.

A flash of surprise crossed Xuan Zi's eyes as he crossed his arms to block, his soul power condensing into a defensive barrier.

BOOM! The lightning shattered, the bluestone floor beneath Xuan Zi's feet cracking inch by inch as he was forced back half a step.

Tang An's second strike arrived.

The lightning on the hammer vanished, replaced by an eerie black mist—Darkness Element! The darkness attribute of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger carried the property of eroding soul power; as the hammer fell, fine cracks were corroded into Xuan Zi's defensive barrier.

Immediately following, a whirlwind surged, the Wind Element accelerating the hammer to a speed that left only afterimages; the Evil Element struck directly at the soul, forcing Xuan Zi to divert his mental energy to resist the malice surging toward his core consciousness.

Switching between the four elements at will, the transitions as fluid as flowing water, Tang An drove Xuan Zi back step by step. Xuan Zi's expression grew increasingly grave; even after suppressing his cultivation to the peak of the Soul King realm, he was being completely overwhelmed.

Tang An seized the moment, darkness and thunder erupting from the hammer simultaneously. The two forces intertwined at the hammerhead into a purple-black energy sphere, overflowing with a destructive aura—Dark Demon Evil Thunder.

BOOM! Xuan Zi was blasted back several yards by the strike, the sleeves of his arms shredded to pieces.

"Good!" The fighting spirit burned in Xuan Zi's eyes as his cultivation suddenly surged to the Soul Emperor level, rank sixty.

No longer content to merely defend, the phantom of the Godly Taotie Bull manifested behind him, and he lunged toward Tang An.

Tang An felt no fear, the light of the soul rings on his Crimson Annihilation Hammer shifting.

Second Soul Skill—Time Zero, activate!