Heaven Dou Empire, Imperial Palace.
In the magnificent palace, the maids filed out, leaving only Crown Prince Xue Qinghe in the room.
She sat at the table, studying the talisman in her hand. It was palm-sized, with a picture drawn on it: just a few simple strokes, yet they formed a lifelike sheep.
She couldn't figure out what was so special about such a simple thing that her mother, the Pope, had specifically sent word asking her to hand it over.
"What do you want this thing for, anyway?" She gripped the talisman tightly, staring intently at it as if trying to uncover its secrets.
Suddenly, a flash of blinding light swept past.
"Whoosh—"
Xue Qinghe—or rather, Qian Renxue—collapsed onto the table, as though her soul had been ripped from her body.
She was alone in the room. No one else noticed anything amiss.
Above the table, over the corpse's head, a translucent figure hovered in midair, staring down at the body in shock and confusion.
"What's going on? Am I dead?"
Qian Renxue immediately clutched her chest and felt herself all over. Her body seemed perfectly intact, but that didn't prove anything.
She flew toward the table, only to pass straight through it, like an invisible ghost.
"Wait, am I a spirit?" It finally dawned on her.
Almost instantly, she thought of the talisman.
So this is what the talisman does? It can make my soul leave my body. She was astonished.
In a panic, she flew back into her body.
The next moment—
Whoosh—
Qian Renxue jolted awake on the table, gasping for breath as she patted her chest.
Thank goodness she could get back in. That sensation just now had genuinely made her think she was dead.
After resting for a few minutes, Qian Renxue couldn't help recalling what had just happened.
That empty, hollow feeling had frightened her when she first experienced it. But now that she was back in her body, she found herself almost missing it.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
"Come in!"
A guard opened the door and entered, cupping his hands respectfully. "Your Highness, the Pope has sent word asking us to return the item as soon as possible."
"Fine, I know!" Qian Renxue waved impatiently, dismissing him.
After the guard left, she recalled that woman's face and couldn't help smiling mischievously. You want a talisman? Then I'll give you one.
She smiled meaningfully.
Meanwhile, at Shrek Academy, everyone had gathered on the field after completing their test.
"Zhuqing, I know I wronged you before. But from now on, I'll face every danger by your side. The throne of the Star Luo Empire can only be inherited by the two of us."
Dai Shengyang spoke with earnest conviction, his sincere tone stirring Zhu Zhuqing slightly.
But the situation left her unable to make a decision.
After joining Shrek, she had learned about Dai Mubai's current situation: he had been split in two by a strange talisman.
More than anything, she wanted the two Dai Mubaies to become one again, then compete for the throne.
Especially after seeing Dai Mubai's strength now, she had grown increasingly confident about claiming the throne.
The story had changed.
This time, Dai Shengyang and Dai Xieyue had completed the test together. Both were formidable. Though Tang San had still defeated them with Hidden Weapons, they had managed to inflict quite a few injuries on him—Tang San's injuries were especially severe.
With Xiao Wu supporting him, he found Dai Xieyue and spoke softly. "Senior, could I take a look at your..."
"Get lost!"
Before Tang San could finish, Dai Xieyue cut him off with a scornful curse.
"How can you be like that? Third Brother was being so nice when he spoke to you, and you just cursed at him." Xiao Wu frowned, puffing out her chest.
Tang San's expression darkened too.
How dare this uncouth man insult me? You've sealed your own fate.
The Hidden Weapon in his sleeve was already prepared, ready to fire at any moment.
"Hmph, what's wrong with me saying that? A guy who uses Hidden Weapons, pretending to be so righteous? If you had a talisman, you'd be even more evil than me," Dai Xieyue said scornfully.
"How can you say that about Third Brother? Third Brother would never be a bad person!" Xiao Wu said, planting her hands on her hips.
"Hmph, someone like you wouldn't see it. He'll have you ruined before long." Dai Xieyue gave them a disdainful glance, then turned and left.
"You!"
Xiao Wu was about to go after him, but Tang San stopped her. His face expressionless, he said coldly, "Don't bother with him."
That was what he said.
But Tang San gave the other man a long, deep look, already committing this to memory. If he got the chance, he would make Dai Xieyue feel the full force of his Hidden Weapons.
Night fell, and Shrek Academy lay in deep silence.
In a shabby room, Dai Xieyue lay on his bed with his arms crossed, staring into the darkness without sleeping.
Ever since he had been split in two, he had lived in this dilapidated spare room. Though Flender and the others claimed that both men were the real Dai Mubai, they had long since accepted Dai Shengyang as Dai Mubai. Dai Xieyue was the one they didn't want around.
At the thought, he clenched both fists, resentment swelling inside him.
The Tiger Talisman's true power was to balance yin and yang. When someone was split in two, it brought forth one good self and one evil self. But that didn't mean the evil self had to destroy the world.
A true villain was like the one wearing the Shadow Mask: whoever put it on would be possessed by a demon and transformed into a world-destroying fiend. The Tiger Talisman was different.
It merely separated two opposing forces.
But there was no denying that although evil didn't necessarily mean destruction, it was far easier to stray down the wrong path.
Dai Xieyue's hatred for Flender and the others spread like wildfire across a prairie...
Just then—
Whoosh—
A gust of wind blew in. The candle beside the bed suddenly went out, and the curtains fluttered noisily.
"Who's there?" Dai Xieyue sat up and looked sharply toward the window. A figure slipped into the room and dragged him outside.
The back mountain.
A burly man in a black robe stared at Dai Xieyue without expression.
"Who are you?" Dai Xieyue watched him warily. But the man didn't answer. Instead, he greeted him with a massive hammer.
"Thud—thud—"
Tang Hao had found out that someone at the academy had dared to hurt his son. Was he supposed to just let that slide? He raised his hammer and brought it down hard on Dai Xieyue, beating him to a pulp.
A few minutes later, Dai Xieyue lay battered on the ground. His hands had scraped bloody furrows into the dirt, and his eyes burned with hatred.
"No matter who you are, I'll make you pay!" he shrieked in anguish.
The next day, the sun shone bright.
A few girls had just stepped out of their dorm when they heard shouting from the boys' dormitory: "Something's wrong! Dai Xieyue is missing!"
They hurried over, only to find the teachers surrounding a furious Dai Shengyang.
When he woke up that morning, he had found his precious Dragon Staff Carving missing. He had immediately suspected Dai Xieyue, and when he went to the other man's room, Dai Xieyue was indeed gone.
"Damn it, he must've run off with my Talisman Locator!" Dai Shengyang gritted his teeth angrily.
Tang San, standing nearby, brightened.
A Talisman Locator? Is it something that can find talismans? If only I could get my hands on it.
Elsewhere, Dai Xieyue had already left the city with the Dragon Staff Carving. Remembering the black-robed man from the night before, he tightened his grip on it.
"Damn it!"
You really don't think anything of me, do you? You didn't even bother to stop me!
Fine. Since that's how it is, don't blame me for what I do next.
I'm done with Shrek Academy! He had decided to leave Shrek. He already had somewhere better to go: the strongest force on the continent—Spirit Hall.
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