Transforming Zhang Lexuan, Returning to the Star Dou Great Forest

"Those three from Shrek are still alive?!"

Ye Yulin recognized Zhang Lexuan and the others, greatly surprised.

Forget the improved Sun Moon Divine Needle—even the previous version was absolutely not something two Soul Ancestors nearing Soul King rank and a mere Soul Emperor could withstand.

Yan Jingchuan was no less astonished. Before seeing the three women, he had assumed they had been reduced to ashes.

Under Ye Yulin's control, the Sun Moon Divine Needle had been fired at Xuan Zi. Zhang Lexuan and the other two had all been at the center of the explosion. There was no way that useless Xuan Zi could have reacted in time to protect them.

If Xuan Zi had truly reacted in time, he would not have been blasted into such a miserable state.

Judging from their injuries, Yan Jingchuan was more inclined to believe that, at the final moment, Zhang Lexuan had desperately activated her martial soul and expended all her origin power to protect Han Ruoruo and Wu Ming.

Ordinarily, they still should have died without question. Yet a miracle had truly occurred. The price was that Zhang Lexuan had been left paralyzed, her martial soul shattered, while Han Ruoruo and Wu Ming hovered at death's door.

"Worthy of being the senior disciple..."

Yan Jingchuan sincerely sighed. He truly admired Zhang Lexuan.

In the original story, she had paid for Xuan Zi's mistake, facing a hundred-thousand-year soul beast alongside the inner courtyard students. In the end, they had successfully killed it in return and absorbed its hundred-thousand-year soul ring, but at the cost of over half their lives.

Afterward, she had even needed to kneel before the culprit, Xuan Zi, and beg him not to leave the Sea God Pavilion.

"Holy Son, how should these people be dealt with?"

The Nether Douluo asked in a sinister voice.

Yan Jingchuan pondered briefly before immediately coming up with an idea.

"Keep them alive. Find someone to send them all to the Cult Leader and see whether they can be saved. If they can, our cult may gain another Crescent Moon Holy Maiden—or rather, a Blood Moon Holy Maiden."

He knew Zhongli Wu was capable of brainwashing and altering people. If they could control Zhang Lexuan and send her back to Shrek, it would be like driving a nail into the Sea God Pavilion. Of course, all of that depended on Zhang Lexuan surviving.

Han Ruoruo and Wu Ming had little value for alteration. If they were saved, the only way to handle them would be to send them back alongside Zhang Lexuan and use the opportunity to extort Shrek for a fortune. They would demand whatever was most expensive.

If Shrek refused, they would spread the word about how Shrek abandoned its students and treated their lives like dirt.

The Nether Lightning Douluo and the Nether Douluo exchanged glances. Both thought it was an excellent plan.

They immediately summoned their subordinates and began carrying out Yan Jingchuan's orders.

Once everything had been arranged, Yan Jingchuan and Ye Yulin returned to the Evil Lord Soul Engineer Legion's camp.

They did not fly quickly, and Ye Yulin hesitated several times, as if wanting to speak but stopping himself.

Knowing what Ye Yulin was worried about, Yan Jingchuan reassured him.

"Elder Ye, I know what you want to ask. Rest assured, since I chose to become Elder Kong's disciple, I naturally will not act against the Sun Moon Empire. If necessary, I will tell you everything in due time."

Yan Jingchuan had not told Ye Yulin everything, not because he did not trust him, but because the timing was wrong. The Sun Moon Empire and the Holy Spirit Cult had not yet established much cooperation, and the attitudes between the two sides remained ambiguous.

Yan Jingchuan was unwilling to gamble on whether his identity as the Holy Spirit Cult's Holy Son would arouse suspicion among the Sun Moon Empire's higher-ups.

It would be safest to come clean with Kong Deming only after his wings had fully grown.

Ye Yulin offered no opinion, merely nodding in silence.

The Evil Lord Soul Engineer Legion's encampment.

The two entered the main tent, and Zheng Zhan and Wang Yiheng both rose upon seeing them.

"Worship Hall Elder Ye, and Young Friend Yan, Elder Kong's prized disciple!"

Wang Yiheng was extremely courteous. Zheng Zhan had already explained everything to him, and he knew that Yan Jingchuan was one of Kong Deming's two newly accepted disciples. Most of his dissatisfaction over Yan Jingchuan's earlier refusal to help had immediately vanished.

Who was Kong Deming? He was the faith of every soul engineer in the Sun Moon Empire, the idol worshipped by all soul engineers.

Wang Yiheng was the commander of the Evil Lord Soul Engineer Legion, while Kong Deming directly commanded the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Legion. Whether publicly or privately, Kong Deming was someone Wang Yiheng deeply respected.

He therefore showed greater tolerance and patience toward Kong Deming's student.

"Commander Wang, there were many considerations behind my earlier decision not to let Elder Ye and Elder Zheng assist. I offer my apologies for causing your injury, and I hope you can be magnanimous."

Yan Jingchuan returned the courtesy and apologized at the same time. His words preserved both dignity and substance, leaving the three Titled Douluo unable to find fault.

"Ah, Young Friend Yan, you are too serious! What is there to apologize for? My injuries were caused by my own recklessness..."

The two began exchanging pleasantries, but Xiao Hongchen at the side could no longer watch.

"Seriously, why are you so polite to Jingchuan, yet you brushed me off after a couple of sentences? I'm Teacher's disciple too."

Meng Hongchen mercilessly exposed him.

"The reason is simple, Brother. You're just a tool. You were a bonus gift that came with taking in a disciple."

"What are you saying?! What are you saying?! This genius is plenty capable too, okay?!"

The siblings' bickering was not loud, but it could not escape the ears of Titled Douluo.

Wang Yiheng smiled.

"Boy from the Hongchen family, your grandfather and I are colleagues. If I do not know you, would I not know him? There is no need for so much formality between acquaintances."

As the dean of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy and the master of the Hall of Virtue, Jing Hongchen's primary responsibilities, aside from managing the academy, were overseeing the manufacture and research of soul tools at the Hall of Virtue.

The foremost recipients of those soul tools were undoubtedly the various soul engineer legions, with the Five National Guardian High-Order Soul Engineer Legions naturally receiving the largest share.

The relationship was like that between a supplier and a merchant. They might not be particularly close, but they would inevitably have some degree of friendship.

After their conversation gradually made everyone more familiar with one another, Wang Yiheng took the initiative to explain the events behind this conflict.

The matter was simple enough. The White Tiger Legion had used the pursuit of Evil Soul Masters as an excuse to openly cross the border, only to be caught red-handed by the Evil Lord Soul Engineer Legion. Not only did Dai Hao see no fault in it, he had even wanted Wang Yiheng to make an exception for them.

Wang Yiheng had practically laughed in anger. Letting them casually enter Sun Moon Empire territory—did the Sun Moon Empire no longer care about its reputation? Did they think the Evil Lord Soul Engineer Legion was just for show?

Thus, the two sides had ended up confronting each other in the Ming Dou Mountains.

As he listened to Wang Yiheng's account, Yan Jingchuan could not help frowning.

Given the later appearance of Shrek's people, the pursuit of Evil Soul Masters might not have been a fabricated excuse.

But even if an Evil Soul Master had truly fled, it was still utterly foolish for the Shrek Inspection Corps to have the White Tiger Legion help them enter Sun Moon Empire territory to search.

They truly had no fear that this conflict would spark a war between the Star Luo Empire and the Sun Moon Empire. Then again, Shrek could simply hide itself away in comfort. The ones dying would not be Shrek's people.

As for whether Dai Hao had agreed because of Shrek's intimidation or because he had his own motives and wanted to probe the Sun Moon Empire's strength, that was impossible to know.

"Your Excellency Mad Bull, could this conflict lead to further disputes between the two nations? After all, the White Tiger Legion has essentially been wiped out..."

Meng Hongchen asked with some concern.

Wang Yiheng waved dismissively.

"There is no need to worry. The Star Luo Empire does not have the nerve. If Xu Jiawei, that coward, dared to fight, I might even think a little more highly of him."

Yan Jingchuan said nothing. He also believed war would not break out.

The Star Luo Empire's primary force, the White Tiger Legion, had suffered devastating losses and was nearly annihilated. Dai Hao himself had fallen into their hands. Xu Jiawei would have enough of a headache just figuring out how to ransom Dai Hao back. What would he use to fight?

Would he rely on those Titled Douluo from the Star Luo Worship Hall? Or on an alliance with the Heavenly Soul and Douling Empires?

Those two nations were even weaker and more timid. Their royal families had practically become decorative mascots.

Rebuilding the White Tiger Legion was a good option, but that would take time. Until then, the Star Luo Empire would have to keep its head down.

Shrek was the most capable of fighting, but Xuan Zi was badly injured, Mu En was half-dead, and none of their upper ranks could carry the banner. With the old generation fading and the new one not yet ready, would Mu En dare casually start a war?

Other than making a few small moves, they probably could not do much. There was nothing to fear.

The idle conversation did not last long. After accepting the Evil Lord Soul Engineer Legion's hospitality, the group chose not to linger. Once they left the Ming Dou Mountains, they continued their journey.

At noon on the fourth day, they passed through the Star Luo Empire and caught sight of that vast, boundless forest.

The Star Dou Great Forest, the largest gathering place for soul beasts on the entire Douluo Continent.

Thinking back to a few months ago, Yan Jingchuan had only obtained his first soul ring here with Du Busi's help.

As they set foot on the soil of the Star Dou Great Forest once again, its primal tranquility wrapped around them like an embrace.