Yan Shaozhe: If Ancestor Tang San Were Here, How Would Qian Jue Dare Be So Arrogant?!

They were truly out of options.

Faced with a terrifying existence capable of suppressing a Rank 98 Super Douluo with one hand, conventional methods were utterly meaningless.

In this world, only an Ultimate Douluo could contend with an Ultimate Douluo.

And among those present, aside from Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe, only Elder Mu truly understood Qian Jue.

Because the continent-shaking "Encirclement Operation" ten years ago had nominally been led by Elder Mu himself.

Yet hidden within it was a fatal misunderstanding that even many of the elders didn't know about.

Back then, Elder Mu had led the group to find Qian Jue not for some so-called righteous crusade against evil, but because he had taken a liking to Qian Jue's astonishing talent and wanted to personally invite him to join Shrek Academy.

Unfortunately, Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe had been stubborn and self-righteous at the time.

In their ingrained prejudice, anyone who awakened an ultimate darkness martial soul was destined to be an Evil Soul Master—a cancer upon the continent.

The two had treated Elder Mu's order to recruit him as if it were nothing, secretly altered the plan, and launched an encirclement against Qian Jue.

That bloody battle had shaken heaven and earth. In the end, Qian Jue had fallen off a cliff with grievous injuries, his whereabouts unknown.

Who could have imagined that their arrogant, self-righteous actions back then would bring such a catastrophic disaster upon Shrek today?

The hall fell deathly silent.

After a long while, the hunched old man in the wooden chair finally slowly opened his clouded eyes and let out a long sigh, as though it had drained every ounce of strength from him.

"Such is fate..."

Mu En's voice was hoarse and ancient, laden with a sigh.

"Since Qian Jue didn't directly storm Shrek to demand an explanation, and merely had Xuan Zi deliver a message while keeping Lexuan as a hostage...

That means he still has some reservations. He doesn't want to completely tear all ties with Shrek just yet."

Yan Shaozhe grew somewhat anxious upon hearing this.

"Teacher! Are we really supposed to swallow this humiliation?

He's demanding ten 100,000-Year Soul Bones! Where are we supposed to get—"

"Enough."

Mu En shot Yan Shaozhe a glance. A rare severity flashed through his clouded eyes, instantly forcing Yan Shaozhe to swallow the rest of his words.

"The cause of the past has borne today's fruit. If you hadn't acted on your own back then, how could Shrek have gained an Ultimate Douluo-level mortal enemy for no reason?"

Mu En shook his head, his tone filled with deep helplessness and exhaustion.

"Lexuan is Shrek's future hope. Nothing can happen to her.

Besides, the strength Qian Jue displayed upon reemerging may already surpass even this old man."

Mu En paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present before finally settling on Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er.

"Shaozhe, Liner, go make the preparations.

One billion Gold Soul Coins and 100,000-Year Soul Bones... gather as much as you can and satisfy Qian Jue's demands as best as possible."

Mu En's voice echoed through Sea God Pavilion, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness.

"Use everything in the academy treasury that can be used.

If you truly can't gather enough... then swallow your pride and pay a visit to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Ask them to lend us some.

No matter what, exchange for Lexuan's safe return first."

"..."

This suffocating meeting finally came to a hasty end after Elder Mu made the final decision.

After the meeting, the elders dispersed with heavy hearts. Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe walked side by side along a quiet path outside Sea God Pavilion.

"Elder Xuan, are we really going to hand over one billion Gold Soul Coins and ten 100,000-Year Soul Bones? Are we just going to let that brat profit for nothing?!"

Yan Shaozhe lowered his voice, but the unwillingness and humiliation in his tone could not be concealed.

He was the dignified dean of the Martial Soul Department, a Rank 95 Super Douluo. When had he ever suffered such indignity?

Hearing this, Xuan Zi stopped and let out a long sigh. His already aged face seemed to grow another ten years older in an instant.

"What else can we do? Elder Mu has already spoken personally.

Besides... that brat's cultivation is unfathomable now. I'm completely no match for him anymore.

Elder Mu's old injuries haven't healed, so he can't act lightly. In this world, there are practically only a handful of people who can do anything to that brat!"

Xuan Zi raised his head and looked toward the sky above Shrek Academy, a deep wariness flashing in his eyes.

Across the entire Douluo Continent, there were only three Ultimate Douluos publicly known to exist.

Of them, the mysterious Holy Spirit Cult alone possessed two, while Shrek Academy had only Elder Mu.

It could be said that in the world today, as long as Qian Jue didn't willingly barge into Sea God Pavilion at Shrek or the Holy Spirit Cult's headquarters, there was truly no one capable of bringing him to justice.

"Wait..." A bolt of lightning suddenly flashed through Xuan Zi's mind, and his face instantly turned deathly pale.

That brat's martial soul was a Fallen Angel with ultimate darkness!

If he harbored hatred toward Shrek and turned around to join the Holy Spirit Cult, joining forces with those two Ultimate Douluos...

At the thought of that possibility, Xuan Zi felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head, making his scalp tingle.

He didn't dare think about it. He absolutely couldn't keep thinking any further!

If that situation truly came to pass, it would spell utter destruction for Shrek and the three great empires of the original Douluo Continent.

Seeing Elder Xuan so utterly devoid of fighting spirit, even somewhat panicked, Yan Shaozhe found it hard to say anything more. He could only turn his pent-up frustration into a long sigh.

"Ah... if only Ancestor Tang San in the God Realm had a spirit and could see Shrek's current predicament."

A trace of fervor and pride flashed in his eyes, as though he were seeking comfort in those words.

"If our Sea God ancestor were here to preside over things, how could a mere Qian Jue be so arrogant?

Ten thousand years ago, even the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, which possessed a godhood inheritance, wasn't it ultimately defeated with ease by Ancestor Tang San?

A mere Fallen Angel... heh, what could it possibly amount to!"

Mentioning the glory of ten thousand years ago, Yan Shaozhe seemed as though he had personally witnessed it, even straightening his back a little.

"Enough, don't bring up Ancestor Tang San for now."

Xuan Zi irritably waved a hand, unceremoniously cutting off Yan Shaozhe's self-consolation.

"No matter how powerful our ancestor was, he can't save Lexuan now.

First, take care of what Elder Mu instructed. Gather the ransom and exchange for her return..."

After the battle in the Star Dou Great Forest, Xuan Zi had truly been beaten into submission by Qian Jue. He didn't even have the mood to lift the wine gourd he usually loved most.

Time slowly passed amid the undercurrents. In the blink of an eye, nearly half a month had gone by.

Deep within the mixed zone of the Star Dou Great Forest lay a quiet clearing.

"Phew..." Zhang Lexuan slowly opened her eyes as she exhaled a breath of stale air.

A blood-red 100,000-Year Soul Ring radiating terrifying pressure slowly pulsed beneath her before withdrawing into her body.

She lazily stretched, outlining a breathtakingly graceful figure. Her cool, stunningly beautiful face was now filled with irrepressible delight.

She had succeeded! Not only had she perfectly absorbed the Bloodthirsty Dragon Lizard's 100,000-Year Soul Ring, but her Soul Power had also broken through in one stroke, directly reaching Rank 82!

Just as she instinctively wanted to turn and share this immense joy with someone, the words caught in her throat.

Only then did she belatedly remember that she was no longer Shrek Inner Court's senior sister. She was Qian Jue's captive.

Zhang Lexuan reined in her smile and turned to look into the distance.

At that moment, Qian Jue was leaning against a towering ancient tree with his eyes closed in cultivation.

There wasn't the slightest leakage of Soul Power around him, and even his breathing was barely audible. The aura he gave off was terrifyingly quiet, as though he had fused with the entire forest.

Zhang Lexuan quietly studied him. Looking at Qian Jue's sharply defined, exceptionally handsome profile, then recalling the terrifying cultivation that could suppress Elder Xuan, she found it difficult to connect the two.

This peerless expert who had driven Shrek's upper ranks into a frenzy was actually only a young man barely over thirty, merely a few years older than her.

A breeze stirred, blowing the loose strands of hair over Qian Jue's forehead.

Zhang Lexuan's expression became somewhat complicated.

According to Shrek's teachings, everyone with a darkness martial soul was an utterly depraved Evil Soul Master.

Yet looking at Qian Jue's quiet and peaceful appearance now, where was there even the slightest trace of the bloodthirst and madness of an Evil Soul Master?

Not only had he not harmed her, he had saved her. He had even generously bestowed a 100,000-Year Soul Ring upon her.

Though his aura was profound and dark, it was incomparably pure, no different at all from that of an ordinary high-level Soul Master.

What kind of person... is he, really?

Zhang Lexuan murmured to herself inwardly. For the first time, a subtle doubt arose within her toward Shrek's long-held belief that everything was simply black or white.