Giving a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, Slapping Shrek in the Face

Skysea City's Spirit Pagoda was even taller and grander than the one in Eastsea City. Its towering structure pierced the clouds, gleaming with a warm luster beneath the sunlight.

The plaza before the tower bustled with people.

Staff dressed in Spirit Pagoda uniforms moved in and out, creating an atmosphere both solemn and busy.

Han Li entered the Spirit Pagoda's main hall and presented his identification.

It was a dark golden token. The front bore the Spirit Pagoda emblem and the words "Core Disciple," while the back displayed his personal information and identification number.

Faint Soul Power fluctuations emanated from the token, marking its holder as a core disciple of the Spirit Pagoda.

The moment the staff saw the token, their expressions turned respectful. Not daring to neglect him, they personally led Han Li through the hall, along a private passage, and into a soul-powered elevator that carried them upward.

The elevator rose smoothly, passing floor after floor, until it finally reached the top level of the Spirit Pagoda.

The top floor contained a spacious office.

Floor-to-ceiling glass windows lined all four walls, offering an unobstructed view of Skysea City and the sea beyond.

At that moment, aside from Elder Ye, the person in charge of Skysea City's Spirit Pagoda, several well-dressed Skysea City officials were also present in the top-floor office.

Elder Ye was a kind-looking old man, somewhat older than Elder Chen. His hair was entirely white, yet he remained vigorous and alert, his eyes bright.

He sat behind his desk, speaking quietly with several officials.

When Elder Ye saw Han Li arrive, his eyes immediately lit up as he looked the young man over from head to toe.

His gaze traveled from Han Li's face to his build, then to his calm and unhurried bearing. He could not help but smile and nod.

"What an elegant young man. You must be Han Li, correct?"

Elder Ye's voice was gentle and clear, carrying the praise and appreciation of an elder toward a junior.

Han Li nodded slightly and replied neither arrogantly nor humbly.

"Elder Ye."

And the reason Han Li had come today...

Was related to Shrek Academy.

The Sky Sea Grand Competition was held once every three years.

It had already been held for several centuries.

For hundreds of years, the Sky Sea Grand Competition had remained the most important soul master tournament along the eastern coast.

As more cities and academies participated each year, its influence and scale continued to expand.

Although many second- and third-tier cities participated, the central competition had always unfolded among the five first-tier cities.

Yet this time...

Shrek had sent disciples to participate.

News of this had spread during the tournament preparations, causing quite a stir.

After all, Shrek Academy was the continent's foremost soul master institution and had never participated in local competitions.

Yet this time, it had proactively sent students to compete.

And one had to understand...

Shrek had gathered countless geniuses from across the Federation.

Therefore, Shrek sending students here...

Was a blatant slap in the face for them.

It was also an insult to every contestant and participating city in the Sky Sea Grand Competition.

However, the various parties within the Skysea Alliance had no way to reject Shrek's request.

Shrek Academy held an exceptional position on the continent, with colossal forces such as the Tang Sect and the Clear Sky Sect standing behind it.

Offending Shrek...

Would bring them no benefits whatsoever.

Thus, even though they knew perfectly well that Shrek had come to throw its weight around, the Skysea Alliance could only swallow its pride and accept Shrek's application.

But by coincidence, this matter...

Reached Qiangu Dongfeng's ears.

Qiangu Dongfeng was the Spirit Pagoda Master and the current patriarch of the Qiangu Clan.

For decades...

He had overseen every major and minor affair of the Spirit Pagoda.

And he was exceptionally enthusiastic about slapping Shrek in the face.

After all, decades ago...

Long Yeyue, the Supreme Elder of the Sea God Pavilion and the Light and Dark Douluo, had inexplicably come to the Spirit Pagoda and slapped his father, Qiangu Dieting, leaving his father utterly humiliated...

The Spirit Pagoda and Shrek Academy had completely fallen out.

And that incident was no secret among the top-tier soul master circles.

At the time, Long Yeyue had been the Supreme Elder of the Sea God Pavilion. Powerful and hot-tempered, she had suddenly stormed into the Spirit Pagoda headquarters, made her way to the top floor, and slapped Qiangu Dieting in front of everyone.

One had to understand...

Long Yeyue was merely a Limit Douluo.

Yet his father, Qiangu Dieting, was a Quasi-God, separated from her by the entire realm of Demigod.

A Limit Douluo slapping a Quasi-God...

Was already an utterly absurd matter.

Under normal circumstances, Qiangu Dieting could have crushed Long Yeyue with a single move.

If it had not been for the fact that, at the time...

Shrek Academy and the Spirit Pagoda had still been on good terms.

How could a mere Long Yeyue possibly have entered the top floor of the Spirit Pagoda headquarters and slapped Qiangu Dieting?

After all, Qiangu Dieting was not an idiot.

He would not constantly watch for the movements of his enemies.

It was precisely because Shrek and the Spirit Pagoda had been close, and because their upper echelons interacted frequently,

That Qiangu Dieting had let down his guard against Long Yeyue's arrival and allowed her sneak attack to succeed.

Moreover, if not for the fact that Elder Bei, the Sea God Pavilion Master at the time, had been extremely close to Qiangu Dieting, and had personally come to apologize, offering every possible conciliatory word...

Qiangu Dieting had ultimately spared Long Yeyue only out of respect for Elder Bei.

Otherwise, given Qiangu Dieting's strength as a Quasi-God and his status as the Spirit Pagoda Master...

The consequences of Long Yeyue's slap would have been far more serious than a few scoldings.

But in the end, that outrageous woman Long Yeyue...

Actually believed that being able to slap a Quasi-God like Qiangu Dieting proved her own great strength, and she even spread the matter everywhere afterward.

She told everyone she met that she had slapped Qiangu Dieting, as though it were some extraordinary achievement.

She had not realized at all that it was only because he had been unprepared, and because of Elder Bei's goodwill.

In the end, this also caused Shrek and the Spirit Pagoda to completely fall out.

After all...

Qiangu Dieting was a Quasi-God, yet he had been publicly slapped by a Limit Douluo and utterly humiliated. How could he possibly endure that?!

On Shrek's side, Long Yeyue had always been famous for her fiery temper. She never admitted fault or bowed her head, and even after Elder Bei mediated the matter, she continued to act as she pleased.

This caused the conflict between the two sides to grow deeper and deeper.

Until they finally broke apart completely...

Turning from allies into enemies.

Originally, after Elder Bei died, Qiangu Dongfeng had intended to avenge his father and show Shrek what for.

But Yun Ming's rise as the number one person on the continent delayed his plans once again.

Yun Ming was the Sea God Pavilion Master after Elder Bei and was known as the number one person on the Douluo Continent. His strength was unfathomable. With him guarding Shrek, Qiangu Dongfeng did not dare act rashly, no matter how many schemes he had.

Therefore, after learning that Shrek had sent people to participate in the Sky Sea Grand Competition, Qiangu Dongfeng had been searching for a suitable candidate.

He wanted to find someone who could defeat Shrek's students head-on in the Sky Sea Grand Competition!

Someone who could make Shrek lose all face!