I'm Taking Zhang Lexuan-Mu En Can Find Someone Else

"We at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy aren't sore losers. How could you tarnish our honor with tactics like that? I despise you."

Xiao Hongchen's face brimmed with righteousness as he opposed Liao Mengkai's human trafficking scheme. "We've been losing for four thousand years. We're used to it. If we can't win, we go home, pop pills, and research new soul tools. How could we take revenge after the match?"

Yu Tianjun drawled, "Vice Dean Liao, we're not gangsters. Being sore losers and resorting to underhanded tricks is Shrek's specialty."

Sword Addict nodded in agreement. Sword cultivators believed in fair, open duels!

"You don't understand! Didn't you see Zhang Lexuan's martial soul? It's the moon!"

Liao Mengkai looked at the three hotheaded youngsters with their excessive sense of justice and stamped his feet anxiously.

"Master Kong's title is Silver Moon. Anyone with a sun or moon martial soul is considered a direct descendant of our nation's imperial family!"

"How could bringing home a lost member of the imperial bloodline be called kidnapping?"

"Oh, so that's how it is..."

The three changed their attitudes. On the Douluo Continent, martial souls carried more authority than paternity tests.

"Then that's understandable," Xiao Hongchen muttered.

Yu Tianjun considered the risks and warned, "If she disappears, the Sea God's Pavilion will go mad. We still don't know whether a level 98 Super Douluo is hiding nearby."

Sword Addict nodded again, keeping his stance consistent.

"Then should we wait a little longer?"

Liao Mengkai found himself in a dilemma. If he were alone, he would have risked it. Master Kong would shower him with rewards and might even grant him the right to teach Yu Tianjun.

But right now, he had three people with him.

"Awooo!"

Bear Blindy's cry shook heaven and earth, roaring through the mountain forest.

"A dark gold terrorclaw bear! Go, go, go!"

Liao Mengkai stopped agonizing over it and rushed toward the bear's roar with Laughing Heaven Sword.

As the former commander of the Terror Claw Soul Engineer Legion, he knew that sound all too well.

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

Before the four arrived, another sustained series of powerful bear roars rolled through the mountain forest like a sonic attack.

"That bear's got some lungs. One round of roaring, then another."

Xiao Hongchen covered his ears, his features scrunching together.

Yu Tianjun frowned. "It doesn't sound like just one to me. What do you think, Vice Dean Liao?"

"Two ten-thousand-year dark gold terrorclaw bears. One male, one female."

Liao Mengkai's expression grew serious. "Don't stray too far in a moment. Especially you, Xiao Hongchen. You're the weakest."

"Huh? Huh? Huh? How am I the weakest?"

Xiao Hongchen openly voiced his displeasure.

Nobody explained. Liao Mengkai gave him a King's Gaze identical to Secretary Dakang's. Little Xiao could figure it out himself.

Boasting about being invincible among his peers was fine normally, but when something serious happened, nobody had time to humor him.

Brother Xiao's heart took ten thousand points of critical damage. He muttered, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west. Don't bully a poor Golden Toad."

Nobody paid him any attention. The Level 9 Soul Engineer moved like lightning, swiftly bringing all three to the battlefield.

"Wow, Inner Court disciples taking on a dark gold terrorclaw bear couple. Shrek really is fierce... huh?"

Just as Xiao Hongchen finished speaking, the female bear slapped Wu Ming's sizzling, voluptuous body away. She hit the ground and went straight to sleep.

The other three silently looked at him. Little brother, that mouth of yours really worked wonders.

Xiao Hongchen hurriedly covered his mouth and whispered, "Now it's one against two. That woman's really strong."

The three turned back to the battlefield. With Wu Ming down, Zhang Lexuan fought both bears alone. As a Soul Douluo, she displayed the might of a Titled Douluo. Though her Silver Moon was at a disadvantage against the two bears, her defense stood firm as a mountain.

"Her close-combat ability rivals some ordinary Level 9 Soul Engineers. Her destructive power is a little lacking."

Liao Mengkai offered his on-site assessment.

Yu Tianjun asked quietly, "What do you mean by ordinary Level 9 Soul Engineers? Are Level 9 Soul Engineers divided into ordinary and extraordinary ones?"

"Those whose combat strength falls below a Super Douluo's are ordinary Level 9 Soul Engineers. Someone like me is a powerful Level 9 Soul Engineer."

Liao Mengkai folded his arms and gave a cool grin. "I only need one full-strength slash to kill a dark gold terrorclaw bear. Tianjun, your Qilin Arm possesses boundless strength. Nobody in the Sun Moon Empire is better suited to guide your cultivation than me."

Yu Tianjun agreed first, then questioned him. "That makes sense. But why fight up close when you can attack from a distance?"

"Because close combat feels great! Much better than certain soul engineers who only know how to hover in the air and threaten their colleagues with the Sun God Needle."

"Good, good, good. I've got something on you now."

Xiao Hongchen furiously scribbled in his little notebook. He would report him as soon as they returned.

Liao Mengkai snorted softly, then said with a smile:

"Here's some good news. After deliberation, the academy has decided to adopt the Shrek Outer Court's competition class system starting next semester. We'll select the best of the best to form a new class for next year's continental tournament and those that follow. I'll be the head instructor for close combat."

"We'll achieve the great transformation of learning from Shrek, becoming Shrek, and surpassing Shrek! We'll throw this eternal runner-up's cap clear across the continent!"

"Hold on. Surpassing them is fine. Becoming them isn't," Yu Tianjun corrected him.

"As long as you get the idea."

Liao Mengkai chuckled, his face brimming with the desire to bully youngsters. "All three of you will join. I'll train you properly."

"Old Ji can't compete anymore. How can he still join the class?" Yu Tianjun asked.

"He'll be the close-combat teaching assistant, responsible for training your practical combat skills whenever necessary. Especially certain physically feeble soul engineers."

Ji Juechen's eyes lit up. "So I can challenge people however I want from now on?"

"You could put it that way."

Liao Mengkai smiled expectantly. Ji Juechen had always been a thorn in the Radiant Virtue Hall's side. Things had only settled down somewhat after Jing Hongchen assigned him to Yu Tianjun as a study companion. His progress had been rapid, taking him straight toward Soul Emperor.

Hall Master Hongchen regretted that this sword had never made it onto the tournament stage. After much thought, he had decided to send him to temper the students.

Next semester, Sword Addict would have six rings. Shrek Outer Court teachers generally had six rings too. Nothing wrong with that!

The Shrek Outer Court trained students through running and threats of expulsion. Their side would use Sword Addict to train students to flee, with rewards for the slow runners. That was one victory already!

Yu Tianjun had been watching the battle all along. Suddenly, he said, "Look! A hundred-thousand-year soul skill."

"Here it comes."

Three pairs of eyes shot toward the battlefield. Wu Ming, who had been asleep for ages, got up and tried to leave, only for the female bear to chase her madly.

Zhang Lexuan's eighth soul ring blazed. The Silver Moon gradually became stained by that bloody light, turning into a blood moon. As bloodlight spread, heaven and earth changed color in an instant.

"Ming'er, run!"

A beam of bloodlight shot out. The air seemed to evaporate completely in an instant. The female bear was blasted sideways, and the shock wave sent Wu Ming flying.

A hundred-thousand-year soul skill, Blood Moon Eclipse!

"Roar!"

The male bear flew into a rage. Raising both paws, it hurled its enormous body high into the air and extended Dark Gold Giant Claws several meters long, tearing straight at the blood moon!

The dark gold terrorclaw bear's signature soul skill, Dark Gold Dreadclaw!

This is bad.

Zhang Lexuan's expression changed drastically. If her martial soul suffered severe damage, both of them would end up in the bears' bellies today.

Without hesitation, her hundred-thousand-year soul ring flashed a second time. Zhang Lexuan's entire body turned silvery white, and incandescent radiance illuminated every tiny detail around her.

In midair, the blood moon returned to its original appearance and expanded at an astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, its diameter exceeded a hundred meters, enveloping both bears.

Everything around them immediately became a hazy sea of white. The four spectators had to turn up their telescopes' power.

A hundred-thousand-year soul skill, Moonlight!

The female bear collapsed with a crash. A black soul ring floated up as her body slowly and continuously melted.

The male bear fell from the sky, more than half its body turned jade-white.

But it did not fall. Its eyes held a sly gleam of success.

Bam!

Zhang Lexuan was sent hurtling away. The moon in the sky had failed to withstand the Dark Gold Dreadclaw's devastation and split into four. Her martial soul had been damaged!

"Roar!"

The male bear glanced at its dead wife, then dragged its gravely wounded body toward Zhang Lexuan. Its enormous claws looked ready to tear the woman's beautiful body apart at any moment.

Is this where it ends for me?

After repeated battles along the way, fighting her way out of an encirclement of Metal-Attribute Soul Beasts in the outer region, then facing two ten-thousand-year dark gold terrorclaw bears, Zhang Lexuan had exhausted her soul power. Her eyes closed as she lost consciousness.

Before her eyes shut, she seemed to hear someone shout, "Shrek really has balls. They actually didn't send anyone along."

Who's speaking? What's this faint sense of closeness nearby?

Those words had come from Liao Mengkai.

The former commander of the Terror Claw Soul Engineer Legion had never imagined such a wonderful opening. He had gone out soul hunting and stumbled upon the Shrek Inner Court's chief disciple. How the hell had such good fortune landed in his lap?

"Ahahahaha! Qilin, you really are my lucky star! Now I can upgrade both these sabers to Level 9! Master Kong might get so happy he'll name me the Sun Moon Empire's second-ranked Level 9 Soul Engineer!"

Without even needing the Demon God Saber, Liao Mengkai punched out and laughed nonstop. One trip outside had netted him people and two free bears. He hadn't reaped such a harvest in ten years.

The male bear took the blow to its head and toppled. With Martial Soul Possession active, Yu Tianjun darted forward and unleashed his domain. The Five-Element Qilin's Qilin's Sovereign Domain Field restrained every opponent of the five elements.

Both arms underwent Qilin Transformation. Punch followed punch, his Qilin Arms brimming with limitless strength.

Moments later, the male bear could no longer get up. Little stars filled its eyes.

"Close combat does feel pretty good."

Yu Tianjun withdrew his innate domain and crossed his hands, savoring the pleasure of punches landing solidly on flesh.

His Qilin martial soul possessed powerful vitality. All that Pesticide refining hadn't been wasted.

"Sword Addict, get in there. It's yours."

Liao Mengkai was in high spirits. He pointed his saber at the male bear, sending Ji Juechen over to finish it off and refine its exceptional soul ring, adding another peerless warrior to the Sun Moon Empire!

"Vice Dean Liao, to be safe, shouldn't we take the male bear outside before absorbing its ring? Absorbing a soul ring takes time, and this place isn't safe."

Yu Tianjun ran to the female bear and used the Soul Ring Storage Device Jing Hongchen had issued him to collect its ten-thousand-year soul ring, then called loudly to Liao Mengkai.

"Taotie Douluo might be secretly eating somewhere and have gotten carried away, or he might not have come at all. If he comes looking later, we'll be in trouble."

"Two ten-thousand-year dark gold terrorclaw bears dying one after another might alert Xiong Jun."

"I suggest we withdraw immediately. Avoid Shrek Academy's airspace and take a wide detour through the Star Luo Empire's airspace. That should ensure our safety."

"Good point. Do it at once!"

Liao Mengkai immediately awoke from the ecstasy of having a windfall drop into his lap. An army was most vulnerable to surprise attacks right after a victory, because arrogant soldiers were easily defeated.

Taking quick strides, Liao Mengkai hoisted the barely breathing male bear onto his shoulder, activated his Level 9 Flying Soul Tool, and led the three out of the Star Dou Great Forest.

After collecting the soul ring, Yu Tianjun rummaged through the female bear's corpse. His gaze suddenly sharpened.

"This is valuable. As expected of the bear with the highest drop rate."

Putting away the soul bone, Yu Tianjun hurried to Zhang Lexuan, scooped the Senior Sister of the Inner Court into his arms, and activated his Level 5 Flying Soul Tool.

"Qilin, what about this woman? She's still got a few breaths left."

Sword Addict poked Wu Ming with the Heavenly Meteorite Iron Sword. Her explosive temper had landed her senior sister in trouble. He found that she wasn't dead yet, though plenty of her bones were broken.

"According to Shrek Academy's traditions, she'll be responsible for losing Zhang Lexuan this time. She probably can't shoulder that. Brother Xiao, bring her along."

Judging the facts alone, the primary cause of this incident was Wu Ming's temper flaring. After a soul beast ambushed her, she chased it all the way into the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Yu Tianjun had activated a soul tool that simulated the aura of a Metal-Attribute Heavenly Treasure. The resulting small beast tide scattered the Shrek Inner Court's soul-hunting team. Zhang Lexuan pursued Wu Ming alone, only to encounter the dark gold terrorclaw bear couple's attack and fall unconscious with severe injuries.

If a teacher had been leading the team, the teacher would bear primary responsibility. Without one, that responsibility fell to Wu Ming.

Yu Tianjun was kindhearted. He picked up the Golden Crow Saintess along the way so she could keep Zhang Lexuan company.

"Why me? This stupid woman's so heavy..."

Xiao Hongchen rather disliked women with big breasts, no brains, and bad tempers. He manipulated metal into a mechanical hand and lifted her from a distance.

"What a bumper harvest! Off we go!"

Yu Tianjun carried Zhang Lexuan, Xiao Hongchen lifted Wu Ming, and Ji Juechen held his sword. Liao Mengkai left behind the reactivated metal-attribute Simulation Soul Tool to lure soul beasts into destroying the scene, then activated his Level 9 Flying Soul Tool. Humming and singing a little tune, he flew at full speed toward the Star Luo Empire's airspace!

Yu Tianjun's mind was peaceful. Looking at the motionless, gentle beauty Zhang Lexuan in his arms, he felt something strange.

"I'm really not being modest. Tell me, how did a Dark Qilin bent on revenge, bringing Old Ji to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt soul rings and incidentally watch the young God of Emotion battle a Wind Baboon, happen to run into your Inner Court's soul-hunting team? And how did we happen to encounter dark gold terrorclaw bears that badly injured you, the Inner Court's chief disciple?"

"I don't know why, but holding you makes me want to pour soul power into you. Looks like Mu En will have to find someone else from now on."

Based on Yu Tianjun's knowledge, the most likely explanation for this urge to inject soul power was that the two of them could produce a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. When the Silver Moon Martial Soul had been cutting down everything in its path, his Dark Qilin Martial Soul had conveyed an intense desire to its host.

Perhaps that desire was to devour the Silver Moon? Yu Tianjun didn't know. He would take Zhang Lexuan back first. There would be plenty of time to observe her slowly.

Yu Tianjun wasn't worried about Shrek's people catching up. Liao Mengkai hadn't exaggerated one thing: he was the physically strongest Level 9 Soul Engineer in the Sun Moon Empire and could bring out a Level 9 Soul Tool's effectiveness to the fullest.

Shrek Academy's strongest soul engineers were Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo, both effectively Level 8.5. They could only manufacture Level 8 Flying Soul Tools at best, which Xuan Zi often used.

From this, one could conclude that a level 98 Super Douluo flew slower than a Level 8 Flying Soul Tool.

Taking that reasoning a step further, even if Mu En received the news now and chased them through the night with his wheelchair slung over his shoulder, he would never recover Zhang Lexuan, the Inner Court's foremost disciple.

Unless Di Tian personally intervened, nobody could stop their group from running away after doing something bad.

But why would Di Tian emerge over such a small disturbance? Neither true dragon soul beasts nor the Three-Eyed Cat Lady had been harmed.

Having unexpectedly taken away Shrek's heir, Yu Tianjun gazed into the night sky, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.

Sea God's Pavilion, oh, Sea God's Pavilion. Why can't you ever learn your lesson? This time, I, Yu Tianjun, have repaid resentment with kindness. When I pay you a visit in a few years, you'd better thank me properly.