Shangling City, Yuanen Family

At this point, the Star Dou Forest had to be called the Star Dou Fortress.

It resembled a military stronghold, with towering walls, yet its interior was fully equipped with entertainment facilities.

"What is this..." Qian Renxue could not help but wonder as she looked at the high walls.

"That is the Spirit Pagoda's Star Dou Fortress." Seeing that this was Qian Renxue's first time witnessing the Star Dou Fortress, Mu Hongchen explained directly. "Ever since the Ferocious Beasts of the Star Dou Forest's core region suffered a crushing defeat in a great battle three thousand years ago, the Spirit Pagoda took the opportunity to build this fortress and reached an agreement with the Ferocious Beasts. Humans would no longer continue cutting down the forest, while the Ferocious Beasts would live here.

If Ferocious Beasts rashly attacked the human defensive line, humans had the right to kill them. Likewise, if humans entered the forest, the Ferocious Beasts could kill them without being bound by the agreement.

On the surface, the two sides seemed equal. But after the Star Dou Fortress took centuries to truly reach completion, the Star Dou Forest's core region became a genuine prison."

"In truth, the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, the leader of the soul beasts, was foolish. Humans do not keep their word, much less care about feelings." Yin Hongye spoke without restraint. "There is not even one hundred percent sincerity between humans, and you expected it between humans and beasts?"

Beyond the Heavenly Screen, Di Tian watched the scene, raised his right hand, and slapped himself across the face. The crisp sound echoed through the Star Dou Forest's core region.

Bi Ji beside him froze for a moment, too late to stop him.

Di Tian's face reddened, a clear handprint visible on it. Yet his eyes remained fixed on the Heavenly Screen, his golden pupils reflecting that high wall, that prison, and the agreement his future self had personally signed.

"I was actually this stupid in the future..."

Bi Ji reached out and pressed a hand lightly against his shoulder, as gentle as a falling leaf.

"Di Tian... Humans are simply too despicable."

"No, I fell for the humans' trick." Di Tian interrupted her, his voice rising another notch. "I actually failed to see through humanity's scheme."

"Di Tian, enough. Now that we know the future, humans cannot be trusted!" The Silver Dragon King spoke at last, the image of the high wall reflected in her dragon eyes.

"Yes, my lord." Di Tian replied respectfully.

Within the Heavenly Screen, Qian Renxue looked at the high wall and furrowed her brow.

Had humanity's strength in this era already reached such an unbelievable level? In her time, the center of the Star Dou Forest had been nearly untouchable.

"These Ferocious Beasts have been suppressed for three thousand years, and they still did not resist?"

"They did resist, but they could not defeat humanity." Yin Hongye's voice was calm. "We also have Level Twelve Soul Tools. Their power is immense."

"Were they as powerful as the Blood Sea you unleashed in Shrek City two years ago?" Mu Hongchen could not help teasing him.

"Only half the city died." Yin Hongye acted as if nothing had happened. "Didn't they all come back to life in the end?"

"If the Holy Spirit Douluo had not been there, those souls would have been torn apart by your Blood Sea. They would never have had any chance of revival."

Mu Hongchen spoke bluntly. "In the end, even the Federation did not dare let you use your domain anymore. If it was not blood, it was fire, and if it was not fire, it was slaughter."

"Even without using my Battle Armor domain, innate domain, or spiritual domain, I am still invincible among those of the same rank." Yin Hongye spoke confidently.

He gave the high wall one last look. The metal wall was over a foot thick, and energy barriers had been installed inside it.

It looked rather fragile. There were simply no Evil Soul Masters nearby, leaving him somewhat puzzled.

With the twin swords that came with his Martial Soul, he could cut through metal as easily as tofu.

Hopefully, I will get a chance to unleash all my domains someday. The range would not be that large—only half a city.

"Let's go. There is nothing worth seeing here."

Yin Hongye had no interest in this place. Di Tian himself was not resisting anyway.

If he ever truly fell out with the Spirit Pagoda, the only people left in the Spirit Pagoda whom he could not kill would be Limit Douluo.

Before long, they passed through a mountain range. The area was surrounded by mountains, lush with vegetation, and the environment had been well protected.

The moment they entered Shangling City, the air noticeably became much fresher, and even the sky seemed bluer.

Yin Hongye looked around and found that the karmic burden here was not particularly excessive. He directly asked Qian Renxue, "Is there an evil aura down there?"

He knew that the Angel Martial Soul could judge whether a Martial Soul was good or evil. Of course, that mechanism was not especially useful. Yue Zhengyu had directly called Yuanen Yehui an Evil Soul Master, yet she had never devoured a single person from beginning to end.

"Yes." Qian Renxue answered directly, confusion in her eyes. She could sense dark auras even within Shrek Academy. With more people here, should the odds of encountering Dark-attribute Soul Masters not be even greater?

"It is in that direction! A very dark aura." She pointed in a direction away from the busy district, toward the western outskirts.

Mu Hongchen took out a Soul Tool and surveyed the distance. "This seems to be a village. Are there Evil Soul Masters inside?"

"I am not sure. Let's take a look. I do not sense much karmic burden either. They probably only awakened evil Martial Souls but have not cultivated through evil methods."

Yin Hongye explained, "There should be no danger. We are all at least Soul Sages. With me here, there will be no danger."

In truth, whether there was danger or not, Yin Hongye himself was the greatest danger.

Before long, their aircraft landed before the village. It was nestled against the mountains and water, backed by vast stretches of dense forest. It had the air of a secluded paradise.

Soon, a man emerged. He was tall and steady in bearing—it was Yuanen Tiandang, before he had experienced the death of his wife.

The young clan leader of the Yuanen Family.

When he saw the group arrive, he first asked where they had come from, then asked their purpose.

When he heard the name Yin Hongye, he froze.

"Red Lotus Douluo, Yin Hongye?"

"That is me." Yin Hongye nodded without denying it. "You must be Yuanen Tiandang, the young clan leader of the Yuanen Family—the genius who became a Titled Douluo at twenty-four."

Beyond the Heavenly Screen, a group of people blinked. This man had become a Titled Douluo at twenty-four, so why was Shrek Academy so pathetic that its students had not even reached Soul Douluo by thirty?

Was it not the number one academy of the future? Was it misleading its students?

One force after another began to doubt Shrek Academy. Something about this felt wrong.

Extremely wrong.

Yu Xiaogang froze, then immediately cursed, "It must be because these people did not properly inherit my Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul. Otherwise, every one of them would be stronger than that Yin Hongye."

The other members of the first generation of Shrek remained silent. They had already faintly sensed that something was amiss.

Yuanen Tiandang nodded. By now, he was already a Super Douluo. He had heard of the Red Lotus Douluo, whose first act after appearing in the world had been to attack the Spirit Pagoda headquarters.

Twin swords emerged, splitting wind and clouds, their boundless killing intent swallowing sun and moon.

With every step, red lotuses bloomed beneath his feet; within ten miles, the city streets congealed into trails of blood.

Where his blade pointed, none survived; a drop of blood upon the soul meant certain annihilation.

With a flick of his sleeve, he ascended the Spirit Pagoda, every floor dyed crimson.

His cold blade shattered level after level, his baleful aura piercing the heavens and shaking the nine stars.

He crushed a thousand obstacles beneath his feet, an Asura cloaked in red and blue.

That was how some described the events of that day. His killing intent had been immense, and his strength terrifying.

Killing star and madman were no longer enough to describe him.

"Why have you come?"

"Passing through. Visiting as a guest. That is not too much, is it?"

Yuanen Tiandang nodded. "Not too much. You will leave tomorrow?"

"We will not stay long. According to the schedule, we will leave tomorrow." Yin Hongye nodded. If he had not encountered them, then it could only be said that his luck was poor.

But his luck had always been good.

"Fine, no problem. Come with me. I will arrange accommodations for you." Yuanen Tiandang let out a breath of relief. Just one night—there would be no problem.