Xuanzi's End

Shen Zhou interrupted him, "Mu En is a smart man; he knows what should be done and what should not."

Qian Daoliu glanced at him, "You certainly understand him well."

Shen Zhou smiled, offering no explanation.

He gazed into the distance, his eyes piercing through layers of night to land in the direction of Shrek City.

Shrek Academy, Sea God Pavilion.

Does an old man with one foot in the grave deserve to oppose my Martial Soul Academy?

He shook his head and turned to walk down the Spirit Pagoda.

"Let's go, big brother. We are going to intercept and kill Xuan Zi. This man is ambitious and must not be left alive."

Qian Daoliu paused for a moment, then nodded and followed behind him.

Moonlight spilled over the Spirit Pagoda, the runes on its surface glowing with a slow, circulating light.

Xuan Zi, you cannot escape!

Meanwhile, in the distant Shrek City, a white-haired old man sat in the Sea God Pavilion, clutching a secret report in his hand with a furrowed brow.

"Martial Soul Academy... Qian Daoliu... Shen Zhou..."

Mu En set down the report, looked out the window at the moon, and let out a long sigh.

"Is the continent about to fall into chaos again?"

Martial Soul Academy, atop the Spirit Pagoda.

The moonlight was like frost, coating Shen Zhou and Qian Daoliu.

Shen Zhou stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing through the layers of night toward the direction where Xuan Zi and the others had departed.

Within his right eye, the Heavenly Eye, a golden vertical line slowly swirled, reflecting the seven figures moving further away.

Xuan Zi walked at the front, his back hunched, a wine gourd swaying at his waist.

Ma Xiaotao followed behind him, her red hair fluttering in the night wind.

Dai Yueheng walked at the very back, his steps heavy as if he were deep in thought.

"Big brother."

Shen Zhou spoke, his voice light yet laced with a chill.

Qian Daoliu looked at him, "Hmm?"

"This man, Xuan Zi, cannot be left alive."

Qian Daoliu raised an eyebrow, not speaking immediately.

"He came this time targeting the label of 'remnants of Martial Soul Hall.' If he finds something, it's a merit; if he finds nothing, he loses nothing."

Shen Zhou turned to face Qian Daoliu, "But once he returns, he will surely report the situation here to Mu En with added embellishments. A Limit Douluo, several Titled Douluo, the Spirit Pagoda, ancient arrays... these things combined are enough to keep Shrek Academy from sleeping or eating in peace."

"You mean to say that Shrek will take action against us?"

"It's not a matter of if, but when."

Shen Zhou shook his head, "Xuan Zi didn't strike today because he wasn't confident. Once he returns, gathers the other elders of the Sea God Pavilion, and brings three or five Super Douluo along, you may not fear them, big brother, but what about the others in the academy and Yu Hao and his group?"

Qian Daoliu's brow furrowed slightly.

"Therefore," Shen Zhou's voice turned cold, "we must strike first to gain the advantage."

Qian Daoliu was silent for a moment.

He was not a man of indecision.

Born as the Pope of Martial Soul Hall, he had been decisive in slaughter throughout his life, never dragging his feet.

But he knew better than anyone the weight of the decision to intercept and kill an elder of Shrek Academy.

"Eighth brother, have you thought this through?"

Qian Daoliu looked at him, "Killing Xuan Zi means declaring war on Shrek Academy."

"Big brother, are you still not clear on what kind of people Shrek Academy are?"

Shen Zhou sneered, "Ten thousand years ago, they destroyed Martial Soul Hall under the banner of 'justice.' For ten thousand years, they have styled themselves as the 'number one academy on the continent,' while in reality, they act like tyrants, interfering in imperial politics and suppressing dissent. The commoners in Shrek City see the Inspection Group like they've seen a ghost—is this what they call 'justice'?"

"Xuan Zi came today in the name of investigation, but it was actually a show of force. That palm strike of his wasn't to test me; it was to test the bottom line of the entire Martial Soul Academy."

"If we endure this today, tomorrow they will bring more people, and the day after, they will demand we disband the academy and hand over the Spirit Pagoda."

Shen Zhou paused, his gaze resolute.

"Big Brother, how did Martial Soul Hall fall back then? It was because they were too merciful, too trusting of so-called 'justice.' In this life, we cannot make the same mistake again."

Qian Daoliu looked at him, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

"Eighth Brother, you have grown up."

He said softly.

"Big Brother, it is not that I have grown up, but that I have seen through it all."

Shen Zhou turned around and looked into the distance. "Let's go. If we are any later, we won't be able to catch up."

Qian Daoliu nodded.

"White Emperor!"

Shen Zhou called out.

Er Ha darted out from the shadows of the tower top, his silver-white fur shimmering under the moonlight, his golden dog eyes filled with excitement.

"Lao Da, are we going to fight?"

"Fight."

Shen Zhou nodded. "A big fight."

"I'll go all out!"

Er Ha's tail wagged like a propeller. "This Emperor has long found that old man eyesore! Putting on airs, fake benevolence and righteousness, talking about 'testing your mettle'—Lao Da, do you know how much I wanted to bite his leg off back then?"

"Now I'm giving you the chance."

Shen Zhou drifted down from the tower top. "Whether you can bite it off depends on your ability."

"This Emperor will swallow him in one bite!"

Qian Daoliu shook his head, releasing his Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul. Golden wings unfurled behind his back, and his figure transformed into a streak of golden light, chasing in the direction Xuan Zi had departed.

Shen Zhou pushed off with his feet, his figure moving like lightning as he followed closely behind.

Er Ha kicked off the ground with all four legs, his silver-white silhouette dragging an afterimage through the moonlight, running faster than anyone else.

One man, one god, one dog.

Three figures vanished into the vast night.

Xuan Zi walked along the official road, his wine gourd already more than half empty.

He squinted, his steps slightly unsteady, yet every stride was firm.

The perception of a Level 98 Super Douluo made him vaguely sense a trace of unease.

He couldn't put his finger on what that feeling was, but having lived for so many years, he had learned to trust his intuition.

"Stop."

Xuan Zi suddenly halted and raised a hand to signal.

Ma Xiaotao was stunned. "Xuan Zi, what is it?"

Xuan Zi did not answer; his murky old eyes became clear and sharp, scanning the surrounding darkness.

On both sides of the official road lay vast, desolate wilderness, overgrown with weeds, with a few withered trees casting hideous shadows under the moonlight.

The night wind blew, causing the grass to rustle, but other than that, there was nothing.

"Something is wrong."

Xuan Zi muttered to himself.

"Xuan Zi, have you had too much to drink?"

The Black-clothed Youth asked cautiously.

Xuan Zi glared at him, and the Black-clothed Youth immediately shut his mouth.

Just then, a golden light streaked across the horizon, landing several dozen yards ahead on the official road.

As the golden light dissipated, it revealed the figure of a middle-aged man with golden hair.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his golden wings flapping slowly behind him, and nine Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet—seven black and two red, emitting a suffocating radiance under the moonlight.

Xuan Zi's pupils contracted sharply.

"Qian Daoliu!"

No sooner had the words left his lips than a silver-white figure darted out from the side, landing behind them on the official road.

Er Ha crouched on the ground, his golden dog eyes fixed on Xuan Zi, his tongue lolling out as if waiting for a grand feast.

"Old man, why the rush?

This Emperor hasn't even caught up with you yet."

Xuan Zi's heart sank.

He turned to look ahead, then behind, and finally cast his gaze toward the sky.

A white figure drifted down from the moonlight, landing atop a withered tree.

Shen Zhou stood with his hands behind his back, his white robes snapping in the night wind, the golden vertical slit in his right eye slowly rotating.

"Xuan Zi, leaving in such a hurry without even saying goodbye."

Shen Zhou's voice was not loud, yet it reached everyone's ears with perfect clarity.