Xuan Zi

It happened so fast that they didn't even see how Di Tian had appeared right before their eyes.

"Smack!"

The crisp slap sent Xu Fangmiao's head snapping to the side. He spun through the air like a ballet dancer and landed on the ground.

"You! ...Ugh..."

Clutching his swollen face, he felt one of his back teeth had come loose.

His curses and threats had nearly spilled out, but the pain turned them into faint whimpers.

Xu Fangmiao wanted nothing more than to rush up and tear the person before him limb from limb.

But it was obvious he had neither the strength nor the nerve. All he could do was glare resentfully at Fang Le, who had ordered Di Tian to strike.

As for Di Tian, the one who had carried out the order, Xu Fangmiao didn't even dare glance at him from the corner of his eye.

In this situation, the words "turtle hiding its head" suited Xu Fangmiao perfectly: he came from the Mysterious Underworld Sect and possessed a Turtle Martial Soul.

Meanwhile, Zhang Lexuan and the other students from Shrek Academy saw their companion knocked to the ground, yet they dared neither speak nor act against it.

The man had dared to attack them even after learning they were Shrek students. That alone meant he was at least a Soul Douluo—and possibly even a Titled Douluo.

But no matter which it was,

the black-robed Evil Soul Master before them was powerful—absolutely powerful, and far beyond anything they could match.

If it came to a fight, every Shrek Academy student present would die here.

So no matter how furious they were, they could only endure it.

Once Elder Xuan arrived, he would surely make the man before them understand what Shrek was, and what the continent's number one academy was.

"You old Shrek geezer, since you're already here, do I have to drag you out myself?"

Di Tian paid no heed to the Shrek students, who were on edge as their thoughts raced.

He gazed at the empty space behind them and spoke calmly.

His words were domineering and left no room for argument. This was the sheer presence of Di Tian, the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King who had lived for 890,000 years and stood at the top of the Ferocious Beast rankings.

Damn it! Next time, I'm going farther away to find something to eat!

As Di Tian's words fell, a figure abruptly appeared in the patch of empty space he had been watching.

The figure wore a loose, dusty gray robe and held a wine gourd as he slowly descended in front of the Shrek students.

Though old, he could not hide the carefree, unrestrained air about him.

Even more striking were his eyes.

Age had not clouded them. Instead, they held a clear brightness, like the eyes of a child who had yet to experience the world.

The newcomer was none other than a Sea God Pavilion Elder, Shrek's stalwart guardian after Mu En, the Dragon God Douluo: Xuan Zi, the Level 98 Taotie Douluo.

That's right. As it happened, Xuan Zi had been following Zhang Lexuan and the others all along. From the moment they followed Mi Long here, he had tagged along too, figuring that if there was a show to watch, he might as well watch it.

After all, drinking and watching a show were a match made in heaven.

And even if something unexpected happened, he could still protect these hopes of Shrek.

But what he never expected was...

What the hell?!

How had an ordinary city like Lingdou City suddenly spawned the Beast God Di Tian?!

And what was more, his Shrek students had happened to run into him. Had they gone out without checking the almanac? How could they be this unlucky?

Xuan Zi couldn't help questioning his life choices. What he could never have imagined was that this was only the insignificant beginning of the legendary tale of his time leading the group.

Once he'd considered Di Tian's strength, Xuan Zi had planned to run.

After all, compared to the next generation, who had yet to grow, preserving a powerful veteran like himself so he could rest and recover was clearly the more sensible choice.

But he hadn't expected to be hauled out after all. He had to uphold the dignity of a Sea God Pavilion Elder.

Now he could only grit his teeth and face Di Tian.

"Elder Xuan!"

"Elder Xuan is here!"

"Please, Elder Xuan, take down these two Evil Soul Masters!"

"..."

The Shrek students had no idea how bitter Xuan Zi felt inside.

Like children who had found their parents, they cried out in delight, then pointed at Fang Le and the other man as they lodged their complaints.

"Silence! Don't talk nonsense!"

Faced with their complaints, Xuan Zi, already in a foul mood, barked at them to stop.

Normally, he would have eaten a chicken leg by now to soothe his frayed nerves.

But with Di Tian, such a powerful outside threat, standing before him, he didn't even dare take his favorite food out of his storage ring.

All he could do was bow respectfully and show the proper deference.

"With the Beast God before me, how could I presume to call myself old? These children were somewhat rash earlier. I'd like to apologize to the Beast God on their behalf. I hope the Beast God will be magnanimous and spare them this once."

No one from any force on the continent would have believed their eyes if they had seen the respectful way he behaved.

A dignified Shrek elder was actually apologizing to someone else?!

Didn't they always say that only the incompetent were afraid of making trouble?

Was this right?!

He hadn't been like this with us before!!

Xuan Zi: This is how the tradition goes. As for what that tradition is... you'll have to puzzle it out yourselves.

"But..."

"How can this be?!"

"Is this really Elder Xuan as I know him?"

The Shrek students were just as shocked.

Was this really Elder Xuan as they knew him?

The arrogant, lofty, lawless, and conceited Elder Xuan who had looked down on everything was actually apologizing to someone else?

Had he forgotten Shrek's glory?

Xuan Zi: No! No one understands Shrek better than I do! And no one understands the Beast God better than I do.

As Shrek elders, none of these old-timers knew more about the true state of Douluo Continent than they did.

The limits of humanity might be higher, but according to Shrek's intelligence, aside from whether one could reach godhood at Level 100—a matter that remained uncertain—there was one thing beyond doubt.

Every Shrek predecessor who had challenged the Beast God and survived had left the same warning: the Beast God of Star Dou could only be opposed with divine power.

And not one of the predecessors who left those warnings had been below Level 98.

There had even been more than a handful of Level 99 Limit Douluo among them.

Some had even claimed that unless you were a Limit Douluo, you couldn't make Di Tian use both hands.

In the past, Xuan Zi had treated those claims as little more than a joke. His predecessors had exaggerated far too much. How could there be such a vast gap beneath the gods?

Then, after an unexpected encounter in the Star Dou Forest, Xuan Zi believed them.

One hand for half a year. If not for his grand-uncle, that day he would've...

That was why he held Di Tian in such great respect.

Xuan Zi: That's right, respect. How could I possibly be afraid...

As for the Shrek students nearby,

though their hearts refused to believe it, they were cowed by Xuan Zi's authority and fell silent, like geese with their necks squeezed shut.

All they could do was watch, seething with grievance, as Xuan Zi stood before them with a smile plastered on his face, apologizing in a tone that was almost obsequious.

Likewise, Fang Le, protected by Di Tian, was studying the Taotie Douluo, whom many netizens in his previous life had jokingly called the Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Elder.

His hair was a mess, his chest and cuffs were stained with wine and grease, and he clutched a wine gourd. There was no mistaking that shabby old man for Xuan Zi. He really was just like the one described in the novel.

He looked completely unreliable...