Shen Zhou cut him off. "Mu En is a smart man. He knows what he should do and what he should not."
Qian Daoliu glanced at him. "You seem to know him well."
Shen Zhou smiled but offered no explanation.
He looked into the distance, his gaze piercing through layers of night and settling on the direction of Shrek City.
Shrek Academy, Sea God Pavilion.
An old man with one foot in the grave dared to oppose Martial Soul Academy?
He shook his head and turned to descend the Spirit Pagoda.
"Let's go, Big Brother. We'll intercept and kill Xuan Zi. That man harbors vicious ambitions and cannot be allowed to live."
Qian Daoliu paused, then nodded and followed behind him.
Moonlight spilled across the Spirit Pagoda, the runes on its surface glowing in a slow, flowing pattern.
Xuan Zi would not escape!
Meanwhile, in distant Shrek City, a white-haired old man sat within the Sea God Pavilion, clutching a secret report in his hand with a deeply furrowed brow.
"Martial Soul Academy... Qian Daoliu... Shen Zhou..."
Mu En set down the report and gazed at the bright moon beyond the window, letting out a long sigh.
"Is the continent about to fall into chaos again?"
Martial Soul Academy, atop the Spirit Pagoda.
Moonlight lay like frost over Shen Zhou and Qian Daoliu.
Shen Zhou stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing through the night toward the direction in which Xuan Zi and the others had departed.
Within the Heavenly Eye in his right eye, a golden vertical mark slowly turned, reflecting the seven retreating figures.
Xuan Zi walked at the front, bent at the waist, the wine gourd at his hip swaying.
Ma Xiaotao followed behind him, her red hair fluttering in the night wind.
Dai Yueheng brought up the rear, his steps heavy as though burdened by troubling thoughts.
"Big Brother."
Shen Zhou spoke softly, yet there was a chill in his voice.
Qian Daoliu looked at him. "Hmm?"
"Xuan Zi cannot be allowed to live."
Qian Daoliu raised a brow but did not answer at once.
"He came this time because of the signboard of 'Spirit Hall remnants.'
If he uncovered something, it would be to his credit. If he found nothing, he would lose nothing either."
Shen Zhou turned to face Qian Daoliu. "But once he returns, he will certainly embellish the situation here in his report to Mu En.
A Limit Douluo, several Titled Douluo, the Spirit Pagoda, an ancient formation... Taken together, that is enough to keep Shrek Academy awake at night."
"You mean Shrek will move against us?"
"It is not a question of whether they will, but when."
Shen Zhou shook his head. "Xuan Zi did not act today because he was not confident.
Once he returns, gathers the other elders of the Sea God Pavilion, and brings along three to five Super Douluo, you may not fear them, Big Brother, but what about the others at the academy and Yu Hao?"
Qian Daoliu's brow furrowed slightly.
"So," Shen Zhou's voice turned cold, "we strike first."
Qian Daoliu fell silent for a moment.
He was not an indecisive man.
Born the Pope of Spirit Hall, he had spent his life killing decisively and never dragging his feet.
But the weight of intercepting and killing an elder of Shrek Academy was something he understood better than anyone.
"Eighth Brother, have you thought this through?"
Qian Daoliu looked at him. "Killing Xuan Zi means declaring war on Shrek Academy."
"Big Brother, do you still not understand what sort of people Shrek Academy is?"
Shen Zhou sneered. "Ten thousand years ago, they destroyed Spirit Hall under the banner of 'justice.'
For ten thousand years, they have called themselves the continent's foremost academy, yet in truth they have run rampant, interfered in imperial affairs, and suppressed dissidents.
The commoners of Shrek City see the Inspection Group as though they have seen ghosts—this is their so-called 'justice'?"
"Xuan Zi came today in the name of an investigation, but in truth, it was a show of force.
That palm strike was not meant to test me. It was meant to test the bottom line of Martial Soul Academy.
If we endure it today, they will bring more people tomorrow, and the day after, they will demand that we dissolve the academy and hand over the Spirit Pagoda."
Shen Zhou paused, his gaze unwavering.
"Big Brother, how was Spirit Hall destroyed back then?
Because it was too merciful and trusted too much in so-called 'justice.'
In this life, we cannot make the same mistake again."
Qian Daoliu looked at him, a trace of complicated emotion flashing through his eyes.
"Eighth Brother, you've grown up."
He spoke softly.
"Big Brother, it is not that I've grown up. It is that I've seen through it."
Shen Zhou turned and looked into the distance. "Let's go. Any later, and we won't catch them."
Qian Daoliu nodded.
"White Emperor!"
Shen Zhou called out.
Er Ha sprang from the shadows atop the tower, his silver-white fur glittering beneath the moonlight and his golden dog eyes filled with excitement.
"Boss, are we fighting?"
"We're fighting."
Shen Zhou nodded. "A big fight."
"Hardcore!"
Er Ha's tail spun like a propeller. "This Emperor has disliked that old man for ages!
Putting on airs, pretending to be righteous, even saying he wanted to 'test what you're made of'—boss, do you know how badly this emperor wanted to bite his leg off back then?
"Now you have the chance."
Shen Zhou drifted down from the tower. "Whether you can bite it off depends on your ability."
"This Emperor will take one bite per leg!"
Qian Daoliu shook his head. His Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul emerged, golden wings spreading behind his back as he transformed into a streak of golden light and pursued Xuan Zi in the direction he had gone.
Shen Zhou pushed off with his feet, his body flashing like lightning as he followed close behind.
Er Ha kicked off with all four legs, his silver-white figure trailing an afterimage beneath the moonlight as he ran faster than anyone else.
One man, one god, one dog.
The three figures vanished into the vast night.
Xuan Zi walked along the main road, his wine gourd already more than half empty.
His eyes were narrowed, and his steps somewhat unsteady, yet every stride was firm.
The senses of a Level 98 Super Douluo allowed him to vaguely detect a trace of unease.
He could not say what that feeling was, but after living for so many years, he had learned to trust his instincts.
"Stop."
Xuan Zi abruptly halted and raised a hand in signal.
Ma Xiaotao froze. "Elder Xuan, what is it?"
Xuan Zi did not answer. His clouded old eyes became clear and sharp as he swept his gaze across the darkness around them.
On both sides of the main road stretched vast, barren wilderness. Weeds grew thickly, while several dead trees cast grotesque shadows beneath the moonlight.
The night wind rustled through the grass. Other than that, there was nothing.
"Something is wrong."
Xuan Zi muttered to himself.
"Elder Xuan, have you had too much to drink?"
the Black-clothed Youth asked cautiously.
Xuan Zi shot him a glare, and the Black-clothed Youth immediately fell silent.
At that moment, a golden streak cut across the sky and landed several dozen yards ahead on the main road.
The golden light faded, revealing a middle-aged man with golden hair.
He stood with his hands behind his back, golden wings slowly beating behind him. Nine Soul Rings rose beneath his feet—seven black and two red—radiating a suffocating glow beneath the moonlight.
Xuan Zi's pupils suddenly contracted.
"Qian Daoliu!"
Before his words had even faded, a silver-white figure sprang out from the side and landed behind them on the main road.
Er Ha crouched on the ground, golden dog eyes fixed on Xuan Zi, his tongue lolling out as though he were waiting for a feast.
"Old man, why are you running so fast?
This Emperor hasn't even caught up with you yet."
Xuan Zi's heart sank.
He turned to look ahead, then behind him, before finally raising his head toward the sky.
A white figure drifted down from the moonlight and landed atop a dead tree.
Shen Zhou stood with his hands behind his back, his white robes snapping in the night wind as the golden vertical mark in his right eye slowly turned.
"Elder Xuan, leaving in such a hurry? You did not even say goodbye."
Before you continue