Haodong Three Ultimates: Farewell My Concubine

Major news agencies across the Sun Moon Federation's interior, along with official Federation media outlets, were working overtime through the night.

They feared that if they were even a second late, another outlet would break this massive scoop first.

The top trending topic on both Douying and Manshou was now Shrek's undefeated myth being shattered.

In just one night, the click rate had exploded past one hundred million.

#Shrek Academy Suffers Crushing Defeat

#East Sea's Genius Youth Stuns Shrek?

#The Fall of a Legendary Academy?

Major Soul Tool newspapers rushed out extra print runs overnight, their front-page headlines nearly all reading the same: <Three Heroes of East Sea Crush Shrek, Ten Thousand Years of Honor Challenged>.

The newspaper images showed Li Chen holding the Pluto Sword, its blade pointed at the Shrek Seven. The carefully chosen angle placed the seven disheveled figures and that calm, composed figure within the same frame.

The next day, the three giant Soul Tool projection screens in Skysea City's central square—usually used to broadcast Federation news, weather forecasts, and local hot topics—changed their programming.

After receiving a unified signal from the Federal Propaganda Department, all three screens began broadcasting the same footage: Li Chen defeating the Shrek Seven one by one in a one-against-seven battle. The final image froze on Li Chen standing at the center of the stage, while the Shrek Seven lay or knelt across it.

Comments scrolled beneath the screen, all the work of online trolls hired by the Federation and personnel from within the Federal Propaganda Department.

Under their propaganda, they redefined the "upper limit of combat power among Soul Masters of the same age."

Some praised Eastsea Academy for "harboring hidden dragons and crouching tigers, nurturing talent for the nation." Naturally, others turned to conspiracy theories, claiming Eastsea Academy could not possibly have cultivated such a talent and demanding that the Federation reveal his identity. Yet under the Federation's manipulation, those doubtful voices were gradually drowned out by righteous and positive comments, and public opinion slowly tilted in one direction.

Meanwhile, the lights of Shrek's Sea God Pavilion had not gone out all night.

The Sea God Pavilion stood within the Golden Tree deep in Shrek Academy's Inner Court. It was an imposing structure, filled with layer upon layer of spatially folded Soul Tool formations. Its exterior appeared modest, but its actual area far exceeded imagination.

The long table within the pavilion was made from a piece of ten-thousand-year-old ancient wood.

Sea God Pavilion Elders sat on both sides of the table, while the central seat belonged to Yun Ming, the master of the Sea God Pavilion.

Cai Yue'er sat in the third seat on the left, her expression livid as she slammed her tea set heavily onto the table. Among the Sea God Pavilion Elders, she was one of the radical hardliners. In her youth, she had been notorious in Shrek Academy's Inner Court for her fiery temper, causing one disaster after another. Even in old age, she often failed to restrain herself.

"An utter humiliation!" Cai Yue'er slammed her palm down on the long table. "In Shrek's twenty thousand years since its founding, no one has ever been humiliated like this in public—seven against three, suppressed from beginning to end, unable to mount even one decent counterattack. In the end, even the referee couldn't bear to watch anymore. Was that a match? It was blatant humiliation!"

Her words came out like machine-gun fire. Some elders agreed, some opposed her, some fell into thought, and some merely closed their eyes in silence.

"What is even more hateful is the Federation." Cai Yue'er continued, raising her voice several degrees. "The Federal Propaganda Department began reporting before it was even over. Look at those three giant screens in Skysea City. This was clearly planned in advance, a long-prepared scheme. How could Eastsea City possibly cultivate someone like that? This is obviously a weapon the Federation secretly trained specifically to target Shrek."

"Elder Cai, please calm down." An elder seated second on the right spoke slowly. "The Federation moved too quickly. That proves they had been plotting this for a long time. That youth named Li Chen, whether in martial soul or techniques, vastly surpassed others of his generation. It was normal for us to lose after letting our guard down."

"That is not an excuse! Just because he is strong, he gets to slap Shrek across the face?" Cai Yue'er sneered. "And I haven't even mentioned you, Red Dragon. Your disciple led the team this time, didn't he? I propose that the leading teacher's candidacy for reserve Sea God Pavilion Elder be suspended. Yu Tianming, as captain, damaged Shrek's ten-thousand-year honor and should be expelled. The rest should be driven from the Inner Court."

The meeting room fell silent the instant those words were spoken. Several elders exchanged glances, all seeing disagreement in each other's eyes. Blazing Dragon Douluo Feng Wuyu said,

"Zhuo Shi is right. The enemy was simply too powerful this time. Punishing the students because of this would be far too heartless. Besides, as the Outer Court's dean, most of the students selected this time came from the Outer Court. As its dean, you cannot escape responsibility."

"Enough."

A low voice rang out. It was not loud, yet it silenced the entire meeting room.

"It is merely one of the Federation's little tricks. At worst, I will make a trip to Ming Capital and slap the council chairman across the face. I doubt he would dare continue using public opinion to pressure us."

Long Yeyue sat in the first seat on the right. She had kept her eyes closed and remained silent since the meeting began. As the widow of Shrek's former Sea God Pavilion Master, her status within the Sea God Pavilion was even slightly above Yun Ming's. Even if her words were unreasonable, few dared oppose her.

"Sister Yue, that won't do. Shrek's honor has never depended on winning in front of the public. If you go make a scene in Ming Capital, then we really will tear all pretenses apart with the Federation."

After hearing this, Ya Li hurriedly tried to dissuade her.

Long Yeyue ignored her and turned to Yun Ming.

"Yun Ming, this matter must not be delayed. I have another plan—the Federation is not promoting Li Chen as a peerless genius? Are they not making a god of him? Then we will send one disciple to fight him and let him witness Shrek's ten-thousand-year foundation. Before Ancestor Tang San became a god, he often gambled with others. We can do the same. If he loses, we can take him into Shrek for nothing."

The atmosphere around the long table shifted subtly, and several elders exchanged quiet looks.

"Will one person be enough?"

Cai Yue'er asked uncertainly. It was not that she did not trust them. Li Chen was simply far too powerful.

"Enough. We will send a One-Word Battle Armor Master who is about to enter the Inner Court. That should give us a stable chance of victory. If we win, Shrek's reputation will be restored. If we lose, we will not suffer any loss either."

Seeing this, Ya Li still wanted to say more. She did not believe the other party would be foolish enough to accept an unconditional duel.

"If that is the case, then Ya Li, make the trip. Ya Li once saved countless people and enjoys a fine reputation in the Federation. He will not dare refuse."

Yun Ming looked at Ya Li as he spoke.

Ya Li looked worriedly at Yun Ming. After seeing him shake his head, she said nothing more.

Once Yun Ming saw Ya Li accept, he turned to Zhuo Shi.

"Zhuo Shi, prepare a list of One-Word Battle Armor Masters. Choose people with rich combat experience and strong mental fortitude. Remember, this battle is not about defeating him. Stop at the right point—the goal is to make him concede from the heart."

Ya Li arrived in Skysea City the following afternoon. She wore an inconspicuous plain-colored robe and bore no insignia of Shrek Academy. The One-Word Battle Armor Master accompanying her walked at her side with steady steps.

However, when she followed the contact channel to Star Sea Garden, the first person to appear before her was not Li Chen, but Yu Guanzhi.

The commander-in-chief of the Central Legion wore a formal military uniform today, the three stars on his epaulets glinting coldly beneath the afternoon sun.

Two adjutants stood behind him, clearly having waited there for some time.

"General Yu." Ya Li nodded slightly.

"Ya Li." Yu Guanzhi returned the gesture. His tone was matter-of-fact, yet carried a faint chill. "Li Chen officially filed with the Federation this morning and registered as a student of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy."

The moment those words landed, Ya Li's pupils contracted slightly.

Once Li Chen signed that student registration form, it automatically triggered the unspoken avoidance clause between both sides—Shrek was not permitted to actively recruit registered Sun Moon students.

The Elder Council's carefully planned scheme to take him in for nothing vanished into smoke before Yu Guanzhi's single declaration.

Ya Li fell silent for a moment, but her expression did not change. "In that case, recruitment is naturally off the table. The Sea God Pavilion has proposed that Li Chen publicly duel an Outer Court student from Shrek. It will be in their personal capacities and will not involve the academies' positions."

Yu Guanzhi's gaze rested on her face for several breaths before he slowly spoke. "A duel is possible—but Shrek must pay one piece of Gold Water Intertwined as the challenge fee."

The reception room abruptly fell silent for a full three breaths. Among the upper circles of the Soul Master world, Gold Water Intertwined was nearly synonymous with "god-grade forging material." Of all the continent's known mineral veins, only one remained, located within the Shrek Secret Realm. Ya Li had indeed brought a piece of Gold Water Intertwined on this trip, but it was meant as a gift in case she recruited Li Chen, not as some "challenge fee."

"General Yu, this is merely a sparring match between individuals, yet you demand a god-grade material as the challenge fee right from the start. That price—"

"For ordinary opponents, that price would naturally be absurd." Yu Guanzhi clasped his hands atop his knees, his tone still calm and businesslike. "But Li Chen crushed seven of your academy's Core Disciples in seven moves, and the Federation then promoted it nationwide. If Shrek wishes to reestablish its prestige before the world, exchanging one piece of Gold Water Intertwined for a chance to fight him—I believe that is fair. Surely you do not expect Li Chen to accept your academy's student's challenge and then pay out of his own pocket for his opponent as well?"

Leng Yaozhu sat beside them, lightly tapping the rim of her teacup with a finger without interrupting.

She understood Yu Guanzhi's intentions perfectly—he did not truly care about that piece of ore. He wanted to draw a clear line between Shrek and Li Chen.

Shrek had to pay a price to challenge Li Chen. It was not Li Chen eagerly offering himself up as Shrek's opponent.

Ya Li was silent for a moment. "I need to seek the Pavilion Master's instructions." She walked to a corner of the reception room and took a communication Soul Tool from her sleeve. Yun Ming's face soon appeared on the light screen. She lowered her voice, briefly explained the situation, and finally mentioned Yu Guanzhi's condition.

Yun Ming on the light screen was silent for a moment.

Gold Water Intertwined was a god-grade material, and every piece in the treasury had a clearly designated purpose.

Yet if Shrek was unwilling to offer even one piece of Gold Water Intertwined, then in the eyes of the Federation and military, Shrek would not merely have lost a match. It would have lost the courage to face a challenge.

Face could be won back through strength, but once courage was lost, it could never truly be recovered.

"Give it to him." Yun Ming's voice was calm and decisive. "He wants one piece of Gold Water Intertwined. Shrek can afford it. Tell him that both sides will retain a copy of the recording crystal, and this matter will end after the match."

Ya Li put away the communication Soul Tool and returned to the tea table.

She took a palm-sized jade box from her sleeve and pushed it lightly with her fingertip. The lid sprang open.

Inside lay a fist-sized piece of ore, its body possessing a strange translucent texture. Golden and silvery-white light flowed slowly within it like two kinds of mercury melding together, yet always remained distinct, never intruding upon one another.

The radiance reflected across the table and walls, dyeing half the reception room in a soft golden-silver glow.

Leng Yaozhu's gaze narrowed slightly. "Yun Ming is certainly decisive."

"Brother Ming said that if he wants a piece of Gold Water Intertwined, Shrek can afford it." Ya Li pushed the jade box to the center of the tea table. "This is the challenge fee, and it is also Shrek's sincerity toward this duel. Three days from now, at a venue designated by the military, my people will arrive on time. Deputy Pagoda Master Leng can temporarily safeguard this ore and dispose of it according to the agreement after the battle."

Yu Guanzhi slowly nodded. "Good."

Leng Yaozhu put the jade box into her sleeve, her expression turning more solemn.

Shrek's willingness to pay a god-grade material for a ticket to fight Li Chen showed that Yun Ming already regarded Li Chen as an opponent worthy of mobilizing god-grade resources against.

If Li Chen won, Gold Water Intertwined would belong to him. If he lost, he would have to publicly acknowledge Shrek's strength.

"One last matter." Leng Yaozhu raised her head again. "General Yu and I will finalize the specific time, location, and rules for the duel before tomorrow. Li Chen is currently a registered student of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, and both parties in the duel will be judged by their current affiliations. If either party attempts to distort the academies' affiliations afterward, I, as deputy pagoda master of the Spirit Pagoda, will step forward to clarify the matter."

Ya Li understood—if Li Chen won, it would be a victory for Sun Moon; if he lost, it would still be a loss for Sun Moon. Shrek could not use the aftermath to spread rumors that Li Chen's relationship with Sun Moon was unstable.

She nodded slightly. "Deputy Pagoda Master Leng, rest assured. When Shrek acts, it dares to take responsibility."

Leng Yaozhu lifted her teacup, and Ya Li lifted hers as well.

Separated by a rosewood tea table, the two women each drained their cups in one gulp.

The instant the tea was gone and the cups were lowered, the atmosphere in the reception room became still as iron—an agreement backed by god-grade material and guaranteed by the reputations of three parties.

Ya Li rose and gave the two a slight nod. "I will bring them here in three days. Farewell." She turned and left the reception room, the hem of her plain robe flashing once at the door before vanishing from sight.

After watching her leave, Leng Yaozhu took the jade box from her sleeve and placed it on the tea table. She sighed softly. "One piece of Gold Water Intertwined. Yun Ming was even more decisive than you expected. He approved it with a single word. Shrek is quite confident about the outcome of this duel."

Yu Guanzhi stood and walked to the window. He gazed at Skysea City's afternoon streets outside for a long time before slowly speaking. "Yun Ming was decisive not because he was certain of victory, but because he understood—if Shrek wins, it regains its footing; if it loses, it will at least have shown the courage to answer the challenge. What he wagered was not one piece of Gold Water Intertwined, but the pride that has kept Shrek standing for ten thousand years. As for whether Li Chen can keep that Gold Water Intertwined in his own pocket—we will know in three days."