I Will Destroy Spirit Hall at Any Cost

"What do you mean by this, senior?"

Lu Mingzi asked, baffled by Flender's behavior.

You want me to join Shrek?

What kind of joke is that?

I beat up the new student Tang San and pinned Boss Dai Mubai to the ground for a thrashing. Joining Shrek would be asking for a beating!

"Exactly what it sounds like. I want you to join Shrek Academy. I'm its dean."

"You bullied my students, so I can't just stand by and do nothing."

"But if you join Shrek Academy, we'll wipe the slate clean. I'll even devote myself to training you."

Flender spoke as though his offer were perfectly reasonable, but what he really wanted was to recruit Lu Mingzi. Saving face for Dai Mubai came second.

"And if I refuse? You wouldn't try to take me by force, would you, senior?"

Lu Mingzi frowned, the corner of his mouth twitching involuntarily.

Train me? You think you're worthy?

Spirit Hall has enough resources to help me reach Titled Douluo quickly. Only a fool would believe you.

"You don't have a choice. Come with me today, or I'll cripple you today."

When Flender saw his plan had failed, his attitude changed at once. He strode forward with an overbearing air.

I gave you an inch and you wanted a mile. Don't blame this old man for showing no mercy!

A terrifying aura enveloped the area. Seven Soul Rings of different colors appeared beneath his feet, and his powerful presence spread outward.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black! A level 78 Soul Saint!

He really is a Soul Saint. Damn that four-eyed Flender!

Lu Mingzi trembled. Suppressed by the Soul Saint's aura, he could not move.

Then a broad hand patted his shoulder.

Flender's Soul Power aura vanished, replaced by a warm current.

"A mere Soul Saint dares to make a move against us!"

Ci Xue was usually good-tempered, but even he could not contain his anger now.

His aura surged. The cultivation he had concealed erupted in full: the pressure of a Titled Douluo.

It bore down relentlessly on Flender!

Nine Soul Rings slowly appeared beneath his feet.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black!

"What? Two Titled Douluo!"

"S-seniors, spare me! I didn't know you gentlemen were from Spirit Hall. I only wanted to stand up for my student. That's what caused this misunderstanding."

Flender was instantly crushed to the ground. Sand and dirt filled his mouth, dust covered his face, and he looked utterly wretched.

Two Titled Douluo?

Lu Mingzi turned and saw that She Long's eyes were filled with killing intent.

The instant Ci Xue released his pressure, She Long had done the same, bearing down hard on Flender.

"A misunderstanding? You came down this road on purpose to block our way, and you call that a misunderstanding? Where did you find the nerve?"

She Long spoke viciously. His pressure only grew stronger, leaving Flender struggling to breathe.

He had never seen a Soul Saint dare block the path of two Titled Douluo.

"Seniors, you're about to crush him to death."

Lu Mingzi offered the reminder in a quiet voice, though inwardly he was gloating and wanted Flender to suffer a little more.

At his words, She Long and Ci Xue eased their pressure somewhat. Flender could finally breathe.

Otherwise, with the strength of Titled Douluo, they could have killed him on the spot in an instant.

"You wanted to throw your weight around, and you used that rotten excuse about standing up for your student."

"Today, I'll give you a choice too. Submit to Spirit Hall, or withstand my ninth Soul Skill."

She Long spoke viciously, without the slightest intention of showing mercy.

Withstand his ninth Soul Skill? He wants me dead.

Damn Spirit Hall!

"Senior, I... I'm the dean of Shrek Academy. If you let me go, I'll use every resource the academy has to compensate this young brother."

Flender knelt respectfully on the ground. No matter how many grievances he harbored, he could only swallow them.

After all, he was merely a Soul Saint, while the men before him were Titled Douluo from Spirit Hall.

They were as far apart as heaven and earth.

"Who wants compensation from that lousy academy of yours?"

Lu Mingzi looked at Flender with disdain. He wanted nothing from Shrek Academy.

"Senior She Long, enough talk. Knock him out and take him with us!"

"Just what I was thinking!"

She Long's figure flashed. He appeared behind Flender in an instant and knocked him unconscious with a palm strike.

Flender was loaded into the carriage and taken toward Spirit Hall with Lu Mingzi and the others.

Just then, a little owl flew into the Great Soul Arena and landed beside Dai Mubai.

"Spirit Hall took me away." With that, the owl vanished.

"What!"

Dai Mubai was stunned. Ignoring his injuries, he set off at once to bring the message back to the academy.

Meanwhile, at Shrek Academy.

Tang San, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and the others were running laps around the academy.

A burly man stood in the middle, his muscles bulging and his broad shoulders like a city wall.

Though he was not tall, he gave off a powerful sense of oppression.

He was Zhao Wuji, an academy teacher nicknamed the Immovable Wisdom King.

"I wonder when Mubai and the dean will return. They've been at the Great Soul Arena training for so long."

Zhao Wuji folded his arms and watched the running students sternly.

A while later, they finished their laps and assembled in front of Zhao Wuji.

"Something's wrong! Something's wrong!"

Dai Mubai came running from the distance, his face anxious. He stopped before them, braced his hands on his knees, and panted for breath.

"Mubai, calm down. What happened? Where's the dean?"

Zhao Wuji patted Dai Mubai's shoulder, a bad feeling rising in his heart.

"Dean Flender was taken away by people from Spirit Hall!"

At those words, everyone's expression changed. Zhao Wuji's face looked especially grim.

He looked as if he had just eaten shit.

"What!" the Shrek Seven Devils cried in unison.

How could that be? Flender's Martial Soul is the Four-Eyed Cat Owl, and he reached the Soul Saint level long ago. Even a Soul Douluo would struggle to detain him.

That leaves only one possibility: whoever took Flender was a Titled Douluo.

The thought chilled Zhao Wuji.

"Boss Dai, don't worry. The dean will be all right!"

Tang San stepped forward to comfort him, his mind remarkably calm.

"The dean was taken away, so whoever took him must be stronger than he is. At that level, there's nothing you can do to help."

"Go back and rest. Let me think of a way."

Zhao Wuji sighed helplessly, unable to settle his feelings.

With his strength as a level 76 Soul Saint, going to Spirit Hall would be courting death.

What should I do...

Late that night, Tang San pushed open a door.

Inside sat a middle-aged man holding a book. He was Tang San's teacher, Yu Xiaogang.

He was also known as Grandmaster.

"Little San, what brings you to me so late?"

Yu Xiaogang put down his book and looked at him calmly.

"Teacher, Dean Flender... was captured by Spirit Hall."

After a moment's silence, Tang San told him what had happened.

"How dare they!"

Yu Xiaogang slammed his palm onto the table in anger, then clasped his hands behind his back and paced before it.

Damn Spirit Hall! Even the few friends I have aren't safe from you!

Bastards at Spirit Hall!

Bastards!

"Little San, go and rest. I have a way to handle this. It's just... the chances of success aren't high."

Yu Xiaogang spoke gravely. His weary expression had gained a touch of loneliness.

"All right, Teacher."

Tang San nodded, then left.

"Spirit Hall, Spirit Hall."

Yu Xiaogang dug out an ornate token from somewhere. It was a Pope Token from Spirit Hall.

"Bibi Dong. Of course, Bibi Dong. You must be behind this. Just you wait!"

"If anything happens to my friend, I'll destroy Spirit Hall at any cost!"