Counterattack-Shrek Knocks: Open Up, Meter Inspection!

Pfft—

Countless sharp wind blades swept over the Soul Emperor like a violent storm. His black robe shredded in an instant. Flesh flew, bone-deep wounds covered his chest and arms, and blood stained the ground red.

"Ah! You brat, you've made me angry!" Clutching his wounds, the Soul Emperor roared like a beast. His Soul Power surged wildly, and his Sixth Soul Ring lit up again as he prepared to unleash his strongest killing move.

A cold smile touched Huo Yuhao's lips. The yellow paper talisman between his fingers ignited without flame, sending golden light soaring skyward. "Profound yellow without limit, split earth and sever heaven. Let all things fall silent and every art be extinguished—Guiji!—Profound Yellow Seal!"

Buzz—!

A deep-yellow barrier appeared out of thin air and trapped the Soul Emperor fast. His Soul Power ground to a sudden halt, and even his sixth Soul Skill was forcibly interrupted. He hammered at the barrier in a frenzy but could not leave so much as a crack.

"Huh?!" The Soul Emperor's face changed drastically. Only then did he realize this One-Ring Soul Master was no soft persimmon he could squeeze at will.

But it was too late.

The Heavenly Eye on Huo Yuhao's forehead suddenly blazed. Leaping arcs of purple lightning gathered at his fingertips, accompanied by the faint rumble of thunder. "Five Directional Thunder Gods, heed my command. Golden light, appear at once and shield this sacred ground. By urgent decree!"

Crackle!

Purple lightning as thick as a bowl struck from the sky, landing squarely inside the Profound Yellow Seal. The Soul Emperor could not even finish screaming before his whole body turned black. His hair stood on end, and he toppled stiffly to the ground, twitching, utterly unable to fight.

"Brat, do you think we don't exist?!"

Just then, a cold voice sounded behind Huo Yuhao. The Soul King with the Black Leopard Martial Soul had silently circled around him, his sharp claws coated in dark Soul Power and aimed straight at his back! The other four Soul Kings attacked at the same time, weaving their Soul Power into a net that sealed off every route of escape.

"Of course you exist."

Not a trace of panic showed on Huo Yuhao's face. Instead, he broke into a brilliant smile. Golden light flared from the Heavenly Eye on his forehead as his gaze swept across the five of them. "First Soul Skill: Illusion's Limit: Azure Thunder Tribulation!"

"What?!"

All five were startled. The scene before them changed abruptly, and they plunged into a pitch-black sea of lightning.

Huo Yuhao withdrew his gaze and could not help rolling his eyes. "I really don't understand you villains. If you're going to ambush someone, just do it. Why shout a line to announce yourselves? Haven't you heard the classic saying that villains die from talking too much?"

He could not be bothered to waste any more time on them. He took a cold, gleaming dagger from his Storage Soul Tool.

It was the White Tiger Dagger. Its name was a little bizarre, but as a level-five Soul Tool, its power was impressive. It could easily pierce the defenses of an ordinary thousand-year Soul Beast. At this stage, its raw numbers were downright monstrous.

Huo Yuhao stepped forward and cleanly severed the tendons in all six men's wrists and ankles.

His movements flowed like clouds and running water, without the slightest hesitation. Apart from the Soul Emperor, who had been knocked unconscious by lightning and was still moaning without knowing it, the five Soul Kings trapped in the illusion did not even cry out.

"Are they here?" Huo Yuhao tilted his head, listening to the sound of something cutting through the air in the distance, then casually released the Azure Thunder Tribulation.

In an instant, cries of agony rose and fell throughout the woods.

The Soul Power cultivated by the Soul Masters of Douluo Continent was insubstantial and formless, like air. Only upon reaching the rank of Titled Douluo and forming a Soul Core did it gain a real foundation—a sort of makeshift dantian. Uh... probably. Maybe.

The Spiritual Power he cultivated, however, was like thick, exquisite nectar. Though he had little of it, its quality crushed that of 99.99% of Soul Masters. The two were not even on the same level.

Well, that was a joke. Spiritual Power and Soul Power were not comparable to begin with.

That left Huo Yuhao with a problem—how was he supposed to cripple these six? Destroy their Soul Power? He genuinely did not know how to do that.

A sigh sounded. At the same time, the six men's seas of Soul Power shattered, and the Howling Celestial Dog spoke: "Congratulations on passing the test, young master. Xiaotian will give you a little spell—the Five Thunder Orthodox Method."

"The Five Thunder Orthodox Method? Thank you, Uncle Howling Celestial Dog." Huo Yuhao looked toward Shrek City. Just then, the dark night sky suddenly caught fire.

A blazing red "sun" hurtled toward him from Shrek City. Scorching waves of heat swept through the entire forest. It was Ma Xiaotao of the Evil Fire Phoenix!

"Who dares target a student of Shrek?!"

Ma Xiaotao roared. Her wings beat as she landed in front of Huo Yuhao.

When she saw the six black-clad men on the ground, their tendons severed and bodies charred, her pupils contracted. She looked at Huo Yuhao in shock. "Huo Yuhao? Someone tried to kill you? Did... you do all this?"

A One-Ring Soul Master had turned the tables on a Soul Emperor, two Soul Kings, and three Soul Ancestors? Who would believe it?

"Isn't it obvious?" Huo Yuhao replied. "Sorry for the trouble, Senior Ma Xiaotao. I'm leaving now."

With that, he turned and walked away. After repeatedly activating Formations, talismans, and Soul Skills, he had long since exhausted his mental strength and spiritual energy. All he wanted now was to fall into bed.

This incident had felt like a test from Mu En. Huo Yuhao did not believe that, after all this time, none of Shrek Academy's powerful figures had noticed.

As for the six men wailing on the ground, Huo Yuhao trusted Shrek to give him an explanation—or rather, Mu En would.

Sometimes Huo Yuhao truly felt lost. Why did Mu En spare no effort to help him? Was it simply because he was a Child of Fortune?

Of course, Huo Yuhao saw it all and kept it in his heart.

Ma Xiaotao stared blankly as his slender figure disappeared into the night. Then she turned to the six men wailing on the ground, and towering fury ignited in her phoenix eyes.

They had tried to kill more than Huo Yuhao. They had tried to kill Ma Xiaotao's only hope! Anyone who dared touch him would make an enemy of her for life!

Shrek City, the small courtyard Huo Yuhao had rented.

The courtyard gate had barely opened when two figures rushed forward and clung to his arms, one on each side.

The faint scent of Gardenia mingled with the crisp fragrance of Cedar. Huo Yuhao froze, unsure where to put his hands.

"Yuhao... thank goodness you're all right..." Ning Tian buried her face against his shoulder. Her voice trembled with tears, and her body was still shaking slightly.

During that run away from him, every second had felt as long as a century. She had truly feared she would never see him again.

At first, she had approached Huo Yuhao because she recognized his talent.

But the longer she spent with him, the more she realized that this gentle yet sharp-tongued boy, responsible yet softhearted, had already found a place in her heart.

She liked discussing Club affairs with him. She liked the way he raised an eyebrow when he made a biting remark, and the sight of him rushing around for the commoner students.

By comparison, Gu Yue kept her feelings much closer to her chest. She was remarkably composed...

"All right, see? I'm fine." Huo Yuhao suddenly felt rather good. There were still people in this world who cared about him.

"All right, all right, I'm fine." Coming back to himself, Huo Yuhao gently patted Ning Tian's back. His gaze softened enough to melt. "I made you worry."

"And me~"

The little silver dragonfish wanted it known that she was jealous.

"I need to sleep. One good sleep and I'll be fine." Huo Yuhao gave a huge yawn as exhaustion surged over him like a tide.

With that, Huo Yuhao freed his arms and stumbled into the bedroom. He collapsed onto the bed and, in less than three seconds, was breathing evenly.

Outside the door, Ning Tian wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. Her once-vulnerable gaze turned icy cold.

She took out a Communication Soul Tool and sent instruction after instruction to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's branch in Shrek City.

Anyone who dared touch someone she cared about had better be ready to face the wrath of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had stood for ten thousand years among the continent's mid-tier and lower-tier powers. Its foundations were far more fearsome than outsiders imagined.

And in a corner Ning Tian could not see, a flash of cold killing intent crossed Gu Yue's violet eyes.

Meanwhile, in the western district of Shrek City, at Dai Huabin's residence.

Bang!

The heavy wooden door flew off its hinges with a kick, sending splinters everywhere.

A tall young man in the dark-green uniform and matching mask of the Shrek Inspection Corps walked in slowly. The chilling pressure of a Soul Emperor radiated from him.

Four Inspection Corps members followed behind him, each with a steady bearing and sharp eyes.

"Shrek Inspection Corps business. Dai Huabin, you're coming with us." The young man's voice was cold, without a trace of warmth.

"Who are you?! I'm the rightful heir of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion! You have no right to arrest me!" Dai Huabin shot to his feet, his face turning deathly pale.

His heart lurched. He immediately thought of the six assassins he had sent out. Had they... failed?

"You hired assassins and attempted to kill a core student of Shrek Academy, violating the first of Shrek's iron laws. We have the authority to arrest you and investigate." As soon as the young man finished speaking, Dai Huabin activated Martial Soul Possession. Three Soul Rings—two yellow and one purple—lit up as he prepared to resist.

Disdain flashed through the young man's eyes.

"Sixth Soul Skill: White Tiger Demon God Transformation!"

"Fifth Soul Skill: White Tiger Annihilation Strike!"

The two low shouts rang out together. A terrifying shock wave of Soul Power swept through the entire living room.

Dai Huabin did not even see his opponent move before a tremendous force slammed him into the wall. He spat out a mouthful of blood and passed out on the spot.

Before he lost consciousness, only one thought remained in his mind:

It was you, my dear elder brother, Dai Yueheng! How could you do this to me?!

The young man waved a hand, signaling his companions to carry Dai Huabin, then turned and walked out of the residence.