Kill Zhao Wuji! Flender's Envy

With Zhao Wuji severely wounded and rendered combat-ineffective by the backlash, the chaotic battlefield fell into absolute silence.

For a moment, the many Soul Hunters and Musket Cavalrymen stared at Su Changge with burning gazes.

As a mere newly-promoted Great Soul Master, he had actually managed to pin down a Soul Saint!

If word of this were to spread, no soul master on the entire continent would believe it; they would surely dismiss it as a tall tale.

Step...

Su Changge walked forward, Steel Ruyi Staff in hand. With every step he took, the faint sound of his footsteps seemed to ring in Zhao Wuji's ears like the tolling of a death knell.

Because he could see it clearly—the bone-chilling, icy intent to kill in Su Changge's eyes.

"No... you can't kill me. I am the Vice Dean of Shrek Academy. Besides me, Shrek Academy has another Soul Saint and several Soul Emperors. If you kill me, they will never let you go."

"As long as you spare me, I, Zhao Wuji, can swear to the heavens that the grudge between us ends here. I will never pursue this matter again!"

Zhao Wuji clutched his severed arm, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.

"Tsk... so you're saying you won't pursue my faults!?"

Su Changge clicked his tongue, then was so amused he actually laughed.

"Zhao Wuji, your train of thought is truly fascinating! You won't pursue my faults?"

"Hahaha... ahahaha, this is truly the coldest joke I have ever heard in my life!"

"Zhao Wuji!!! Have you forgotten one thing? The one who has become a prisoner... is you!"

A flash of ferocity crossed his eyes, and the Ruyi Staff in Su Changge's hand moved as fast as lightning, piercing through Zhao Wuji's other arm.

"No... my left arm, my left arm! You damn little beast, you dare to cripple me? You dare to cripple me??"

"I won't let you go, I will never let you go!!!"

"No matter how great your background is, just wait for the retaliation of Shrek Academy!"

"Flender will definitely avenge me. He will slaughter your entire clan, leaving not even a dog or chicken alive..."

Boom!

Zhao Wuji's threats came to an abrupt end.

Although Su Changge had wanted to extract some information from him, the wailing of this defeated dog had thoroughly infuriated him.

The Ruyi Staff in his hand transformed into a point of cold light, piercing through the center of Zhao Wuji's brow.

However, what the others failed to notice was that the moment Su Changge killed Zhao Wuji, his second trait, Devour, activated automatically. In just a few seconds, it drained every bit of soul power, energy, soul essence, and vitality from Zhao Wuji's body.

After being refined several times, it transformed into the purest soul power and energy... and surged into his body!

The soul power that had been overdrawn from releasing his second soul skill was instantly replenished.

In an instant, the barrier of the 21st-level peak shattered with a sound.

"Level 22."

Su Changge clenched his fists, feeling the surging soul power within him, and his foul mood improved.

Afterward, he casually stored the remains of Zhao Wuji and the Golden Nine-Headed Lion into his soul storage device.

The latter could be sold for a high price, and as for the former... at the very least, he could take it to Spirit City to claim a hefty bounty, contributing to the GDP of the Murong Earldom.

"Clean up the battlefield and collect the bodies of our fallen comrades. We leave in half an hour."

After making these arrangements, Su Changge went straight to a quiet spot to sit down and carefully sense the changes following his promotion to a Great Soul Master.

First was his soul skill. He had already tested the power of his second soul ring; it was a bug-level divine skill. If he were to reach the rank of Titled Douluo or Super Douluo, relying on this second soul skill... destroying a royal city would be effortless.

Next were the changes brought about by his martial soul evolution. After his martial soul upgraded to a Hobgoblin, Su Changge clearly felt the various enhancements it provided.

In terms of strength, the Hobgoblin martial soul could definitely rival other types of beast martial souls.

As for him now... he could barely be called a "person of average talent"!

Finally, there was the second trait!

Although it was just two simple words.

But if he hadn't experienced the effects of the Devour trait himself just now, Su Changge would never have believed it.

Once activated, the Devour trait could consume any carrier of energy or rules. Through the trait's inherent purification effect, it could apply all known and unknown benefits—energy, rules, and more—to him with zero backlash.

Although the purification process resulted in some loss, as long as a positive gain existed, everything was acceptable.

For Su Changge, the emergence of the Devour trait had once again opened up a new path... a cheat-like road to rapidly increasing his soul power.

Ding! The host's first heir has been born. Soul power increased, aptitude increased, luck increased... Once the host's heir begins cultivation, a portion of the heir's cultivation results will be synchronized to the host.

Boom!

Just as the half-hour mark approached and Su Changge intended to stand up, he was struck as if by lightning, freezing in place.

He... what had he just heard?

Murong Ruyan, she had given birth!

His, Su Changge's, first bloodline in this world had been born.

"All troops, hear my order: depart for the Earl's territory immediately!"

Just as Su Changge and his party were galloping back to the Earl's territory, at Shrek Academy in the Bala Kingdom, Flender, the academy's dean, felt a growing sense of unease.

According to the estimated timeline, Zhao Wuji should have returned with the students the day before yesterday. Yet, even now, there was not a single sign of them.

Could something have happened?

Did they encounter a top-tier powerhouse from the Spirit Hall?

No... that's impossible. Old Zhao has been hiding for so long; if the Spirit Hall had discovered him earlier, they would have acted long ago... to root out Shrek Academy entirely.

Flender's thoughts raced as he considered every possibility. Although he dismissed them one by one, his anxiety did not lessen in the slightest; instead, it intensified as time passed.

"Old Zhao, you better not be dead. If you die, it's not just the loss of a dear friend—the real problem is, where am I supposed to find another top-tier workhorse like you, someone so easy to fool and willing to do all the heavy lifting?"

Well! If Zhao Wuji knew Flender's true thoughts, one wonders if he would be so enraged that he'd resurrect on the spot and leap right out of Su Changge's soul storage device.

"I wonder what Xiaogang is doing right now?"

"If he were here, with his current reputation, he should be able to scout plenty of high-quality workhorses for me, right?"

"Sigh..."

"I really don't know what that stubborn mule Xiaogang is thinking."

"Back then, he had such a good relationship; instead of buttering up Pope Bibi Dong... he insisted on proving himself. After all these years, didn't he still end up relying on the Spirit Hall Honorary Elder title given by Bibi Dong to stand tall?"

"Why can't Xiaogang just see reason? Besides, what's the point of romance compared to tangible benefits!?"

Thinking of Yu Xiaogang, Flender's mood improved, yet it also became incredibly complicated.

Fortunately, among the former Golden Iron Triangle, there was always someone at the bottom.

Unfortunately! Why was it that Yu Xiaogang, a mere Great Soul Master, could have such circumstances, while he did not?

If it had been him, with his savvy and intelligence, he would have likely gained Bibi Dong's favor long ago, achieved financial freedom, and become a Titled Douluo!