Xuan Zi, I Now Order You to Kill This Evil Soul Master, Ma Xiaotao!

"Kill me... Kill me, then!!!"

Ma Xiaotao stared blankly, her voice hoarse as she roared at Qian Jue, her eyes filled with the despair of someone who wished for death.

"Kill you? Wouldn't it be too boring to simply kill you?"

Qian Jue ignored Ma Xiaotao's impotent rage. There was no need to heed the words of the dead.

Instead, he slowly turned his head and looked toward Xuan Zi, who was hanging in midair.

Xuan Zi's eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving violently as he panted like a bull.

If looks could kill, he would have already hacked Qian Jue into a thousand pieces and ground him to dust!

He hated this!

This generation of Shrek Seven Monsters had possessed such extraordinary talent!

Dai Yueheng had died tragically, while Ma Xiaotao's foundation had been destroyed, reducing her to a Grand Soul Master.

Shrek's proud Golden Generation—the glorious era of "two Soul Emperors from one class"—had been utterly destroyed by the demon before him with such casual ease!

His own death was nothing, but how could he watch helplessly as these children, who bore Shrek's future, met such an end?

If he died like this, what face would he have to meet Elder Mu in the afterlife?

What right would he have to face the predecessors of the Sea God Pavilion?!

"Xuan Zi."

Qian Jue looked down at him from above. As though he had thought of something amusing, his voice became a demon's whisper.

"As the vice leader of the Shrek Inspection Group, you constantly speak of exterminating Evil Soul Masters across the land.

And now, right before your eyes, stands an Evil Soul Master who could lose control at any moment..."

Qian Jue's slender finger slowly pointed toward the despairing Ma Xiaotao in midair. His tone suddenly turned cold, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"I now order you to kill her!"

Make me kill Xiao Tao?!

Xuan Zi abruptly raised his head, as though he had heard the most absurd and unbelievable joke in the world.

What kind of joke is this?!

Ma Xiaotao was someone he had watched grow up. She was Elder Mu's designated heir to the Sea God Pavilion, and Shrek's hope for the future!

He was being asked to personally kill his own grand-disciple?

"Qian Jue! Don't even think about it!"

Xuan Zi clenched his teeth tightly. A resolve unlike any before appeared on his blood-covered face as he roared defiantly.

"Even if you slice me into a thousand pieces today, I'll never lay a hand on Xiao Tao!

You complete and utter beast!"

"Oh? Is that so?"

Not only did Qian Jue not get angry, he actually chuckled.

He slowly paced over to Xuan Zi and looked at the Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Elder with an exceedingly pitying gaze.

It was understandable that he could not bring himself to turn against his own kind.

One was an Evil Soul Master of the Holy Spirit Cult, and the other was a Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult. Since they belonged to the same faction, how could he possibly bring himself to do it?

But it didn't matter.

Qian Jue had plenty of ways.

"Xuan Zi, have you misunderstood something?"

Qian Jue's voice was soft, yet every word pierced the heart. "I'm not discussing this with you. I'm ordering you."

As soon as he spoke, an unusual glint flashed through Qian Jue's eyes.

Word Spirit: Manipulation.

An invisible yet incomparably terrifying spiritual force instantly pierced into Xuan Zi's already shattered Soul Core and sea of consciousness.

Xuan Zi's body abruptly stiffened. His furious bloodshot eyes instantly lost focus, turning hollow and numb.

"You... What did you do to me..." The last shred of Xuan Zi's reason struggled frantically, but he discovered in horror that his body was no longer under his control.

"Xuan Zi, I understand what you mean. Actually, you've wanted to do this for a long time, haven't you?"

Qian Jue spoke slowly, his tone carrying an enchanting, bewitching power. With a casual wave of his hand, he released all the dark purple threads binding Xuan Zi.

"It was only because Mu En was still around back then that you didn't dare act.

As the dignified Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult, having to lurk within Shrek really has been hard on you.

With your talent and methods, staying in Shrek is simply beneath you.

This little Shrek temple can't possibly accommodate a great Buddha like you..."

The moment he said this, the air throughout the cave seemed to freeze.

The other Shrek students all looked at Xuan Zi with utter disbelief.

"Elder Xuan, could you really be..."

Xiao Xiao, who had just awakened, heard those words. Her little face turned deathly pale, and even her voice trembled.

At the same time, Huo Yuhao, who had just rushed into the cave, froze in place. Looking at the scene before him, his mind went blank, and he completely gave up trying to think.

Amid everyone's shock, Xuan Zi's bloodstained right hand slowly rose against his will. In his palm, a weak yet lethal clump of earthen-yellow Soul Power began to gather.

"No... Stop... Stop!"

Xuan Zi screamed desperately in his mind, but his body moved like a puppet on strings. He stiffly turned around and aimed his palm at Ma Xiaotao in midair.

"Elder Xuan? What... what are you doing?"

Ma Xiaotao looked at Xuan Zi's hollow eyes and raised hand. Her heart, already numb, was once again seized by fear.

"Elder Xuan! Don't!" The other Shrek students also realized something was wrong and began shouting frantically.

"Senior Xiao Tao isn't an Evil Soul Master! The Evil Soul Master is right in front of you!!"

"See, Xuan Zi? Your body is far more honest than your mouth."

Qian Jue stood up, admiring the tragedy he had personally directed. His tone was full of praise for Xuan Zi.

"As a Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult, personally executing a Shrek 'genius'—isn't that your duty? Do it."

"No—!!!"

Amid Xuan Zi's heart-rending roar, his uncontrollable right hand swung fiercely. A blade of earthen-yellow Soul Power, carrying deadly killing intent, shot straight toward Ma Xiaotao's throat!

"Pshht—!"

Blood flashed.

At the instant before the blade could sever Ma Xiaotao's throat, Xuan Zi relied on the last sliver of a Super Douluo's will, burning his soul, to forcibly shift his wrist half an inch.

The light blade grazed past Ma Xiaotao's neck, spraying a string of horrific blood blossoms before brutally piercing her right shoulder and pinning her firmly to the rock wall behind her!

"Ah—!"

Ma Xiaotao let out a scream and completely passed out from the pain.

"Pant... pant..."

As if all his strength had been drained away, Xuan Zi crashed to his knees and vomited mouthful after mouthful of black blood.

Though he had desperately preserved Ma Xiaotao's life, that attack had indeed been launched by his own hand.

The cave fell into a terrifying silence.

Bei Bei, Huo Yuhao, He Caitou, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, and Xiao Xiao all felt as though they had fallen into an icy abyss, their entire bodies cold.

To them, everything that had just happened utterly overturned their understanding.

After Qian Jue released Elder Xuan's restraints, he had not only failed to counterattack, but had actually gathered Soul Power and pierced Ma Xiaotao's shoulder in a single strike!

Combined with Qian Jue's earlier remarks about him being a "Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult," a horrifying suspicion began to grow wildly in the hearts of every Shrek student.

Could Elder Xuan... really be a spy sent by the Evil Soul Masters?!

"Clap, clap, clap."

Qian Jue slowly applauded, the crisp clapping especially piercing in the dead-silent cave.

"Wonderful, truly wonderful. Did you deliberately avoid her vital points and spare her life in order to hide the truth and clear yourself of suspicion?"

Qian Jue looked down at the kneeling Xuan Zi, his eyes full of admiration for Xuan Zi's acting.

"Xuan Zi, your little self-inflicted injury act was so convincing that even I almost believed it.

As expected of a high-ranking Holy Spirit Cult member who managed to lurk in the Sea God Pavilion for so many years."