A Grand Finale Entrance, Jing Hongchen's Arrogance

After the delegations from the three great empires had all arrived, the atmosphere in Shrek City became extremely tense.

The Clear Sky Sect's First Elder had also arrived, but they had not alerted anyone. After all, their sect master had told them not to create unnecessary complications.

Forces from every side arrived one after another. The inns and restaurants in the city were completely full, and even the newly designated camps outside the city were packed with tents.

Then, the Sun Moon Empire's delegation arrived.

This immediately drew the attention of the entire Shrek City.

The Sun Moon Empire's procession was completely different from those of the other empires.

The Imperial Soul Engineer Corps led the way, all clad in standard-issue soul engineer armor. Their steps were perfectly synchronized, even their breathing seeming to fall in the same rhythm.

At the center of the procession, Jing Hongchen and Xu Taiwang rode side by side.

Behind them flew two great banners: one for the Imperial Soul Engineer Academy and one for the imperial family.

Jing Hongchen showed no intention of restraining himself.

He wore a dark crimson Soul Engineer robe, with a Ninth-level Soul Engineer badge pinned to his chest, and rode a pitch-black soul engineer warhorse.

As his gaze swept over Shrek City's walls, a meaningful smile curled at his lips.

"Shrek," he said softly. "This place really is still the same as ever."

Xu Taiwang was over sixty, lean-faced and dignified.

He rode half a horse-length behind Jing Hongchen. Looking at the uncertain and alarmed gazes of the soul masters from the former three empires around them, he spoke in a low voice.

"Dean Jing, aren't we making a little too much of a commotion?"

"Too much?" Jing Hongchen smiled.

"Uncle Wang, this is Shrek.

If we don't make enough noise, people might think our Sun Moon Empire came here to beg for food."

Xu Taiwang sighed. "You really haven't changed at all."

Besides the two Ninth-level Soul Engineers Xu Taiwang had brought with him, Jing Hongchen himself was accompanied by another Ninth-level Soul Engineer.

Four Ninth-level Soul Engineers traveling together—such a lineup was shocking enough to terrify the entire continent.

As for the Ninth-level Fixed Soul Cannon Shells, news had already quietly spread before the Sun Moon Empire delegation even set out.

Jing Hongchen had not kept it hidden.

He had deliberately sent people to leak the news.

Sure enough, the spies of the three great empires received the information immediately.

Two Ninth-level Fixed Soul Cannon Shells were stored inside Jing Hongchen's Storage Soul Tool.

For a time, the delegations of the three empires were thrown into panic.

"Two Ninth-level Fixed Soul Cannon Shells! What is Jing Hongchen trying to do? Is he planning to blow up Shrek?"

The Prince of Southern Defense of the Dou Ling Empire paced back and forth inside his tent, his face ashen.

"Your Highness, keep your voice down.

Though this information came from the Sun Moon Empire.

Shrek hasn't made a move yet. We can't panic first."

The Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire sat in his tent, tapping the table with one finger after another.

"This is an open scheme.

He deliberately released the news to tell the whole world.

The Sun Moon Empire has the ability to flip the table anywhere.

No matter how strong Shrek is, it cannot disregard the civilians in the city and all these envoys."

"Your Highness, how should we respond?" an adviser asked cautiously.

"How should we respond? What can we do besides watch?"

The Crown Prince said coldly, "Even if our three empires joined together, we couldn't produce anything equal to Ninth-level Fixed Soul Cannon Shells.

Only the Sun Moon Empire has such things."

The old prince of the Star Luo Empire remained the calmest.

He sat in his tent and slowly finished a cup of tea before speaking unhurriedly.

"You only see Jing Hongchen, but have you considered this?

Mustn't Xu Taiwang, the man beside him, also possess such terrifying weapons?"

Everyone in the tent changed expression.

"Your Highness, do you mean... that prince of the Sun Moon Empire also has Ninth-level Fixed Soul Cannon Shells?"

"I don't know," the old prince said, shaking his head.

"But Jing Hongchen dared to release news of two shells, which means the Sun Moon Empire has more than two.

Xu Taiwang is the younger brother of Emperor Xu Tianhe's father and oversees the imperial family's defenses.

If he didn't have something held in reserve on him, who would dare let him come to Shrek City?

Do you really think the Sun Moon Empire's emperor is an idiot?"

The crowd looked at one another, their expressions becoming even uglier.

"These Sun Moon Empire lunatics."

The Prince of Southern Defense squeezed out the words through clenched teeth.

"One Jing Hongchen wasn't enough, and now they've brought a prince as well. What exactly are they trying to do?"

"They want to live," the old prince said calmly.

"No matter how strong the Sun Moon Empire is, it fears the three empires joining forces with Shrek.

They brought these things not because they want to fight.

They want all of us to understand that if war breaks out, no one will get away unscathed."

The delegations of the three empires all harbored their own thoughts, yet no one dared let the word "fear" show on their face.

Meanwhile, Shrek City had received the news as well.

Yan Shaozhe's expression had darkened so much it seemed water could drip from it.

"Four Ninth-level Soul Engineers, thirty elite members of the Imperial Soul Engineer Corps, and two Ninth-level Fixed Soul Cannon Shells.

Did Jing Hongchen come to observe the ceremony, or the hell did he come to start a war?"

Cai Mei'er, too, put away her usual gentleness and said coldly.

"The news was released before he even entered the city.

He did it deliberately. He wants the entire world to know that the Sun Moon Empire has the means to flip the table."

Yan Shaozhe's pupils contracted. "Has he gone mad?"

"Who knows whether he's mad, but one thing is clear.

Jing Hongchen is telling Shrek that the Sun Moon Empire isn't afraid of war.

If they truly tear off all pretenses, he can drag Shrek City down with him."

Yan Shaozhe's face turned livid. Just as he was about to speak, Chen Xuan's voice suddenly came from behind him.

"He doesn't dare."

Chen Xuan had somehow already climbed onto the city wall.

With his hands behind his back, he looked down at the Sun Moon Empire procession below, his tone exceedingly calm.

"If Jing Hongchen truly dares to fire those two shells in Shrek City.

Then I dare make him and those Soul Engineers stay at the city gate forever. Not one of them will return alive."

Yan Shaozhe hurriedly said, "Elder Xuan, but the power of Ninth-level Fixed Soul Cannon Shells..."

"I know," Chen Xuan interrupted him.

"If he detonates them, half of Shrek City will collapse.

But before he does, I can take his life first.

Jing Hongchen is clever. He won't make such a losing deal.

He brought those things only to tell us that the Sun Moon Empire isn't easy to provoke.

Fine, I admit it—they truly aren't easy to provoke.

But precisely because of that, we cannot be afraid.

The more afraid you are of him, the more emboldened he becomes."

Yan Shaozhe fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "I understand."

Chen Xuan looked at the dark crimson figure below and suddenly smiled.

"Besides, Xu Tianhe even sent his own uncle here.

What does that tell us?

It means this trip by the Sun Moon Empire isn't entirely meant as a show of force. At the very least, the imperial family wants to negotiate with us.

Jing Hongchen is a hawk, while Xu Taiwang is a dove.

One plays the hardliner, the other the conciliator. With both of them here, Shrek is actually safer."

Cai Mei'er was taken aback. "You're worried about Shrek's safety? That isn't necessary.

No matter how formidable their cannons are, they will consider the consequences before firing.

Not to mention Elder Mu—if the Sea God Pavilion's full strength acted together, even a Ninth-level soul cannon wouldn't be able to land."

"But we still can't let down our guard.

Pass down the order: for the next three days, none of the Sea God Pavilion's Titled Douluo are to leave the academy.

Especially around Elder Mu. Guard him to the death for me.

No matter how arrogant Jing Hongchen is, he wouldn't dare confront the entire Sea God Pavilion head-on."

"Yes." Yan Shaozhe and Cai Mei'er answered in unison.

Outside the city, the Sun Moon Empire delegation had already entered Shrek City and began heading toward the lodgings arranged for them.

On both sides of the procession, soul masters from the former three empires whispered among themselves, their gazes filled with shock and fear.

"Four Ninth-level Soul Engineers... and they even brought Ninth-level Fixed Soul Cannon Shells?

The Sun Moon Empire really has some nerve!"

"Why is there no movement at all from the Sea God Pavilion? Are they truly unafraid, or merely pretending to be?"

"Don't talk nonsense. Taotie Douluo is still here.

If Shrek dared let them in, they must have a contingency plan."

Chen Xuan descended from the city wall. After taking a few steps, he suddenly said to Yan Shaozhe.

"Arrange Jing Hongchen's residence closer to Shrek for me."

Yan Shaozhe froze. "Why?"

"Since he dared bring Ninth-level cannon shells into Shrek City, I don't believe he brought only that much.

Rather than let him remain hidden in the dark, it's better to keep him under our noses.

If he truly makes a move, I'll be the first to kill him."

Yan Shaozhe took a deep breath. "All right. I'll handle it immediately."

Chen Xuan nodded and headed toward his own courtyard.

After walking several steps, he stopped again and turned to glance in the direction of the city's north.

"Xu Tianhe," he thought. "He Caitou's father is still sitting on the Sun Moon Empire's throne.

That old bastard sent the war-hungry Jing Hongchen to intimidate us on one hand, while sending his own uncle to make overtures on the other.

The art of an emperor truly isn't something one learns for nothing.

When your son is forced into exile across the continent someday, I wonder whose head this debt will be settled upon.

But for now, I have no time to worry about matters so far away."

He turned and left.

Shrek City was on the verge of a storm.