Clouds Gather from All Sides, Major Powers Arrive

As soon as the Sea God Pavilion meeting ended, Chen Xuan went to Zhang Lexuan's residence.

The little girl had long since woken up and was squatting in the courtyard, brushing A-Huang's fur.

Cai Mei'er had someone prepare a new moon-white dress for her. Her hair was styled into two small buns, adorned with several tiny silver flowers.

Under the morning sunlight, she looked like a delicately carved little doll.

"Master!" Zhang Lexuan looked up, and her eyes lit up when she saw him. She rose to her feet and threw herself at him.

Chen Xuan reached out to steady her, his voice unusually gentle. "How did you sleep last night?"

"I slept great." Zhang Lexuan tilted up her little face.

"The bed was so soft, and A-Huang kept me company.

Aunt Cai said she'd take me to see Sea God Lake today. She also said she'd measure me for new clothes."

Chen Xuan smiled. "Then have a good look around with Aunt Cai."

Zhang Lexuan nodded, then tugged on his sleeve and asked, "Master, when will you start teaching me martial soul cultivation?"

"So impatient?" Chen Xuan teased her.

"Yes!" Zhang Lexuan nodded hard. "I want to become stronger sooner. Then I can help Master in the future."

Chen Xuan's heart softened. He crouched down and looked at her. "All right. Once the Apprenticeship Ceremony is over, Master will teach you.

There's no need to rush. You have a long road ahead of you."

Zhang Lexuan gave a sweet little "Mm."

Chen Xuan did not stay long. After giving her a few more instructions, he rose and left.

For the next entire month, Chen Xuan was constantly on the move.

Together with Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er, he first began reorganizing the personnel of the Outer Court and the Inquisitorial Legion.

A group of Inner Court disciples was transferred to the Outer Court to teach classes. At first, some of them were reluctant.

But once they heard that their resources would double and that they might be able to remain at the academy after three years, their eyes went red with excitement.

The substitute teaching positions were announced and snapped up that very day.

The dismissed Outer Court instructors were dealt with just as swiftly.

Working together, Yan Shaozhe and Cai Mei'er thoroughly investigated several "strict teachers" who had earned the greatest public resentment.

Once the evidence was laid out, quite a few quietly submitted their resignations on their own.

A few tried to make trouble, but after being thoroughly investigated, they too were kicked out.

"This would've been so much better from the start." Qian Duoduo looked at the vacant teaching posts, grinning from ear to ear.

"Our Soul Tool Department is badly short on people."

The Soul Engineers invited from the Sun Moon Empire by the Soul Tool Department gradually began to settle in as well.

Of the two Eighth-level Soul Engineers, one went to the Inner Court, while the other remained in the Soul Tool Department to take charge of equipment research and development.

All four Seventh-level Soul Engineers were assigned to basic teaching posts.

At first, they had been somewhat wary of Shrek. But with students calling them "Teacher" one after another, along with the excellent treatment offered by Elder Song and Elder Lin, they finally put their minds at ease.

The expansion of Shrek City was also formally put on the agenda.

After Mu En nodded his approval, Chen Xuan personally took Elder Lin and Yan Shaozhe around the city for several days.

Construction began first on the wasteland beyond the old city walls. Chen Xuan's intention was clear: build the teachers' district first.

The first batch of Inner Court disciples staying at the academy, along with the newly hired Soul Engineers, all needed somewhere to live.

"Don't spread outward too quickly yet." Elder Lin looked at the plans, his tone unusually mild.

"The merchants in the city have only just caught wind of it, and some have already come to ask me about it.

I've managed to suppress it for now, but you need to take things slowly too. Don't scare everyone away."

"Don't worry. Once the new district is built, people will be fighting to move in."

Meanwhile, the delegations and congratulatory gifts from the Three Empires arrived near Shrek City one after another over the course of the month.

The first to arrive was the convoy from the Dou Ling Empire.

The Dou Ling Empire was the weakest of the Three Empires and had also suffered the most from the chaos caused by Evil Soul Masters.

This time, the Prince of Southern Suppression personally led the delegation. Their banners blanketed the sky, and their carriages stretched like dragons. The gift chests alone lined half an official road.

When the convoy set up camp thirty li north of the city, an elderly minister traveling with them lifted the tent flap, looked toward distant Shrek City, and sighed.

"Your Highness, aside from attending the ceremony, we must bring up the matter of the Inquisitorial Legion again.

Those Evil Soul Masters in the country have become completely outrageous."

The Prince of Southern Suppression stood with his hands behind his back, his expression grave. "I know. But you saw Yan Shaozhe's attitude last time.

This time, Xuan Zi himself is at Shrek. We can only wait until after the ceremony and find an opportunity to present our plea in person."

"I'm afraid this Xuan Zi may be even harder to talk to than Yan Shaozhe," the old minister said softly.

The prince gave a bitter smile. "No matter how hard he is to talk to, we still have to say it.

Of the original Three Empires, our Dou Ling is the weakest, yet we are also the ones suffering the worst from the Evil Soul Masters.

Dou Ling cannot afford to wait."

The Heavenly Soul Empire's delegation arrived the next day as well.

The Heavenly Soul Empire was stronger than Dou Ling. Though it still could not compare to Star Luo, it was far more at ease than Dou Ling.

This time, the Crown Prince personally led the way, accompanied by one hundred and twenty chests of gifts and thirty golden-armored Soul Masters.

Before the convoy even entered the city, the Crown Prince lifted the curtain and looked outside.

"So this is Shrek City?" His tone was complicated.

"Father always said Shrek was too powerful to control. Seeing it today, its reputation is indeed well deserved."

An old general beside him said quietly, "Your Highness, aside from the gifts, there is also the matter of the Inquisitorial Legion.

But we cannot be too hasty. Dou Ling and Star Luo will certainly bring it up as well.

We should first see what they say, then add fuel to the flames."

The Crown Prince nodded. "That is my thought as well.

Joining the strength of all three nations is better than having us alone invite trouble."

The Star Luo Empire arrived third.

The Star Luo Empire had the greatest national strength. They did not bring many people, but every one of them was elite.

More than twenty royal Soul Masters, all experts at the Soul Sage level or above.

The Elder Prince saw the Heavenly Soul and Dou Ling camps the moment he stepped down from his carriage and could not help shaking his head.

"They've all come. It seems this Apprenticeship Ceremony is going to turn into a three-nation grievance meeting."

An attendant behind him asked softly, "Your Highness, then we..."

"What's the rush?" The Elder Prince stroked his beard.

"Let's first see what mood Xuan Zi is in.

If he is pleased, anything can be discussed.

If he turns cold, even the three of us tied together would not be enough."

The delegations of the three nations set up their own camps outside the city. They remained courteous on the surface, but each harbored their own thoughts in private.

Shortly afterward, the Body Sect arrived.

This time, Du Busi did not travel lightly.

He brought two Super Douluo with him, along with ten Soul Douluo and a contingent of elite Soul Sage disciples.

The group was not enormous, but it rendered both sides of the western official road silent.

Wherever the Body Sect passed, the air carried a stifling pressure.

Du Busi walked at the very front with his hands behind his back. At his side were Jinpeng, the Body Sect's vice sect master, and First Elder Lou Xuwang.

The three Super Douluo walked shoulder to shoulder, followed by sect elites dressed uniformly behind them.

Such a display was even more intimidating than the delegations of the Three Empires.

"That old bastard is making quite the spectacle just for taking in a disciple."

Du Busi looked at distant Shrek City and gave a derisive snort.

"All three empires are here, and he invited so many sects too. Fine. This is getting interesting."

Jinpeng said quietly at his side, "Sect Master, we brought the sect's finest this time. Isn't this a little too ostentatious?"

"Ostentatious?" Du Busi scoffed. "That's exactly the point. Let them see that the Body Sect has not grown old.

This continent does not have Titled Douluo only in Shrek."

Lou Xuwang adjusted his sleeve, his voice calm. "The Sect Master is right.

Shrek sent invitations far and wide under the pretext of this Apprenticeship Ceremony.

If our Body Sect sent only two or three people, it would instead damage the sect's prestige.

Bringing our elites will let the world clearly see who truly is the foremost sect of this age."

Du Busi laughed loudly. "First Elder still knows how to talk."

He raised his head toward Shrek City, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes.

"Let's go meet that pig who does nothing but eat and sleep.

I want to see what kind of disciple he has taken in."

The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect sent its First Elder.

The old woman was nearing seventy, yet she was in excellent spirits.

She brought six entire carts of gifts. From the moment they entered Shrek City territory, she had kept the carriage curtain lifted and looked outside.

"It has been many years since I last came here. Shrek City has changed again," she said softly.

"First Elder, once we arrive, should we pay a visit to Sea God Pavilion first?" a disciple traveling with her asked.

"No rush, no rush.

The gifts are secondary this time. Showing our face is what matters most.

The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has hidden itself away for too long. The world is nearly forgetting us.

This ceremony is the perfect opportunity to remind everyone."

Sky Dragon Gate sent its old sect master.

The old man's hair was snow-white, but his back remained straight.

He brought a Titled Douluo from the sect with him and moved very slowly.

The moment he reached the city gate, he looked up at the towering walls and said nothing for a long time.

"Sect Master, aren't we going in?" the Titled Douluo beside him asked softly.

"We are." The old sect master withdrew his gaze, his voice hoarse.

"Shrek... For this old dragon to see it once more before dying, my life will not have been in vain."

Forces from every side entered the city one after another.

The inns, taverns, and tea houses throughout Shrek City were almost completely booked overnight.

The streets were filled with visiting Soul Masters, attendants, and guards.

Storytellers slapped their blocks and told the tale of Taotie Douluo taking in a disciple again and again, while one audience after another came and went.

Within Shrek Academy, Yan Shaozhe stood atop the Sea God Pavilion's high platform, looking at the bustling crowds in the city with a slight frown.

"More people have come than we expected."

Cai Mei'er walked to his side. "It isn't just those on the invitation list.

Quite a few small and medium sects that did not receive invitations came on their own as well.

Elder Lin had another area marked out beyond the city specifically for them to camp."

Yan Shaozhe gave a cold laugh. "They want to use the ceremony to curry favor with Shrek."

"Let them. The more people who come, the happier Xuan Zi will be.

He was worried there would be no witnesses for the matter of the Inquisitorial Legion."

Yan Shaozhe's lips twitched, but he said nothing more.

Lu Yun had arrived at Chen Xuan's courtyard as well.

"Xuan Zi!" Lu Yun entered with a broad smile on his face.

"I brought Old Master Zhang and the others here safely. Not a hair out of place."

"Not bad." Chen Xuan nodded. "Has the Zhang Family been settled?"

"They've all been settled, in the residence you designated.

Old Master Zhang kept chanting prayers all the way here, saying his ancestors' graves must be smoking."

Lu Yun lowered his voice. "By the way, Xuan Zi, when I entered the city, I saw that the camps of the Three Empires had all been set up.

Those envoys are more anxious than the next.

I reckon that the moment the ceremony ends, they'll come looking to speak with you."

Chen Xuan smiled. "Then let them wait.

We'll talk once Jing Hongchen and Du Busi have both arrived.

It will be easier with everyone there, rather than explaining it one by one.

Rest tonight as well. Tomorrow, come with me to welcome our guests. Shrek City is about to get lively."

Shrek City had thoroughly become the focal point of the entire continent.

And the real show had yet to begin.