Assassination! Xu Tianran's Ruthlessness! Rage!

Zhang Peng tore the dragon shadow before him to shreds with a single claw, then lowered his head to survey the situation below.

He discovered that the cannon fodder he had brought along had been completely wiped out. It seemed the objective of this trip had been achieved, and there was no point in dragging things out any longer.

If powerful reinforcements from Shrek Academy were to arrive, it would become difficult for them to escape.

With that, he looked toward the two elders still battling Elder Song and transmitted his voice: "Retreat quickly! Shrek's people are about to arrive!"

Once he finished speaking, the fourth soul ring on his body lit up. With him as the center, endless black mist radiated outward. Under the shroud of the night, his figure instantly vanished, his aura completely suppressed, and he disappeared without a trace.

This was his fourth soul skill, Stealthy Infiltration; it could be used for sneak attacks during combat, and naturally, it could also be used for escape.

The two Title Douluo who had been fighting Elder Song saw that the plan had been accomplished and that Zhang Peng had already fled, so they stopped lingering in the fight and each threw a flash smoke bomb into the air.

By the time the smoke dissipated, their figures and auras were already gone.

Qian Duoduo had rushed as fast as he could, but he was still one step too late; the Evil Soul Masters who had ambushed them that night had all escaped.

Elder Song deactivated her Martial Soul Possession and landed directly in front of Qian Duoduo, seemingly wanting to ask something.

Qian Duoduo nodded solemnly, indicating that the students were uninjured and everything was fine.

Only then did Elder Song heave a sigh of relief. She looked at the ruins on the ground and the destroyed carriages, knowing they could not afford to stay any longer.

She immediately instructed Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo to gather the children, deciding that once Shrek's reinforcements arrived, they would set off for Shrek immediately.

Not long after, several bright lights flashed across the sky, and with a resounding phoenix cry, Yan Shaozhe arrived with members of the Shrek City defense force.

After rendezvousing with Elder Song and Qian Duoduo, Yan Shaozhe briefly assessed the situation, and the group, under their protection, marched imposingly toward Shrek Academy.

During the journey, Xu Tianyao sat alone in the carriage in the center of the formation.

His expression was heavy and his thoughts were in turmoil; he clearly had something weighing on his mind.

Before long, the carriage curtain was gently lifted, and a stunning figure stepped inside, bending slightly. It was Meng Hongchen.

From the end of the battle until now, Xu Tianyao had not said a word, his face remaining grim.

Meng Hongchen could not set her mind at ease, so she had come specifically to check on him.

"Yao, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Although Meng Hongchen was usually lively and playful, she was exceptionally attentive and considerate whenever something happened.

She sat down beside Xu Tianyao, her soft hands gently brushing his cheek, her eyes filled with worry.

Xu Tianyao felt the coolness on his face, raised his hand, and firmly grasped her delicate hand, holding it tightly in his palm.

He shook his head slightly, forcing a smile onto his face, and said, "I'm fine, just a bit tired. I want to rest quietly for a while, don't worry about me."

"Is it really just fatigue?" Meng Hongchen clearly didn't believe him, but she was unwilling to press him and cause him distress, so she simply nodded submissively.

"Since you're tired, then lean on me and rest. I happen to know how to massage, which can help relieve your fatigue."

Looking at the considerate beauty beside him, Xu Tianyao felt a slight warmth in his heart. He turned to his side, rested his head quietly in Meng Hongchen's lap, and closed his eyes, using this warmth to calm his chaotic thoughts.

The perilous ambush from just moments ago still left him with lingering fears.

He could be one hundred percent certain that those who ambushed them were from the Holy Spirit Cult.

He had long anticipated that the Holy Spirit Cult might seize an opportunity to strike, but what he found difficult to reconcile was the precision of their ambush, which had been near-perfect.

He had received no information or rumors about this beforehand; he had been kept completely in the dark.

The enemy had clearly prepared meticulously; not only did they know their personnel deployment like the back of their hand, but they had even specifically dispatched a Soul Emperor to pin him down and assassinate him.

Recalling the exchange, he felt little confidence. Setting aside the fact that he was three full major realms behind his opponent, the sheer ruthlessness of the Soul Emperor's attacks—which were delivered without reservation and aimed solely at his life—was terrifying.

Had it not been for his many hidden trump cards and his quick reflexes, he likely would have perished in that battle!

At the thought of this, a surge of intense anger and confusion welled up within Xu Tianyao.

This targeted ambush by the Holy Spirit Cult could not possibly have been a spur-of-the-moment decision.

The handover time for this mission and the travel route were top-secret imperial information; outsiders had no way of inquiring about them.

If someone on the inside hadn't deliberately leaked the information, the Holy Spirit Cult could never have ambushed them with such precision, specifically targeting him.

And the most suspicious person, the one who knew the most, could only be Xu Tianran. Xu Tianyao was almost certain of it!

But if Xu Tianran knew, why hadn't he given even a hint of a warning beforehand? Why let him walk into a death trap without giving him a chance to prepare?

Why even tacitly allow the enemy to send a powerhouse three major realms above him to assassinate him?

Countless questions churned in Xu Tianyao's mind.

Was Xu Tianran too arrogant, convinced that he would survive using his own trump cards?

Or had he hidden men in the shadows, watching and protecting him all along?

Or perhaps... was this assassination something Xu Tianran had tacitly approved of, or even secretly encouraged?

As this thought crossed his mind, Xu Tianyao felt a tightness in his chest and a chill spreading through his body.

The brotherly bond between him and Xu Tianran was plain for all to see, both at court and among the people.

Over the years, he had wholeheartedly supported Xu Tianran, helping him win over Mingde Hall and Kong Deming, offering strategies inside and outside the court, and even volunteering to travel to Shrek to lay the groundwork for his plans.

He believed he had given his all, exhausting himself in service, never harboring a second thought, and never failing the trust of his imperial brother.

Yet, what of this imperial brother? Xu Tianyao could not help but let his mind wander.

After experiencing this assassination attempt, he was finally able to calm his heart and reflect, gradually coming to understand many things.

His grandfather had warned him long ago, expressing his dissatisfaction with Xu Tianran and advising him to be on guard.

It was just that he had not taken it to heart at the time; thinking back now, it had all been his own wishful thinking.

From beginning to end, Xu Tianran had never truly trusted him.

All of Xu Tianran's schemes, the empire's true military trump cards, the hidden machinations within the imperial court, and the murky, secret ties he held with the Holy Spirit Cult—none of these core secrets had ever been revealed to him in the slightest.

Everything he knew came entirely from the memories of his past life.

Without those memories, he would have been nothing more than a tool in his hands, a chess piece to be driven and manipulated at will.

The imperial brother he had served with his heart and soul had, from start to finish, been deliberately concealing things from him and guarding against him at every turn.

What a fine emperor! Truly worthy of being the exalted sovereign, the lonely one!

Xu Tianyao felt he understood something now. Although he could not be entirely certain at this moment, the seed named suspicion had already been planted in his heart.

It only awaited a catalyst, and this seed would soon grow into a towering tree.