Shrek, your emperor has returned

"Controlling a body like this really is a novel experience."

The Fire Dragon King stretched his limbs and sighed.

He had possessed himself, using the Fire Dragon King's dragon soul to control the bone dragon revived from the Fire Dragon King's bones.

Of course, when Electrolux had used Necromancy to turn his corpse into an undead creature, it had developed a faint consciousness of its own.

But the Fire Dragon King had dispersed it outright.

"The power I can wield now... really does happen to be at the pinnacle of the mortal world."

"Roughly the strength of a Quasi-God."

Crimson light ignited on the Fire Dragon King's claws. He turned his palm over, and wisps of golden-red flame wandered between his fingers.

"Still, with my own divine soul, if I unleash everything without regard for the cost, killing a God-Level being shouldn't be much of a problem."

Of course, the God-Level beings he meant were those without a divine position, and afterward, the Fire Dragon King's current body would not survive.

After all, its fundamental level was what it was.

No matter how much power had drained away, what he had left behind were still divine bones!

"Great!"

El clapped his hands happily.

Whatever had occurred to him, the smile on his face grew increasingly arrogant.

"Now I can say I have an elder at the Limit level in my family, too."

Seeing his expression, Electrolux gave him a speechless look, then turned into a streak of light and returned to El's Sea of Consciousness.

He simply couldn't bear to watch.

"Isn't little Di Tian also a powerhouse at the Limit level?"

The Fire Dragon King was somewhat puzzled.

Just outside this valley, the dragon might carrying an intense aura of darkness was not being concealed at all.

"Oh, please."

El rolled his eyes.

"Who on the entire Douluo Continent with even a little knowledge doesn't know Di Tian?"

Ultimate dark attribute, true dragon, Limit-level strength-put those descriptors together, and his identity was laid bare.

Having Di Tian pretend to be a Limit-level elder from his family...

How was that any different from openly shouting that he wasn't human?

"Di Tian, come over here."

El nodded lightly toward the direction outside the valley from which they had entered.

After all these days, his own backyard was about to be packed up and carried away, yet Tang San still hadn't reacted.

The planar consciousness's concealment worked quite well.

"Your Highness!"

An impassioned dragon roar rang out, and a black dragon thousands of meters long appeared before them in an instant.

The Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, Beast God Di Tian, had eyes brimming with excitement-one could even say they were filled with tears.

"Uncle Fire, Auntie Water!"

"Long time no see, little Di Tian."

The Fire Dragon King looked him up and down, then reached out and gently rested his hand on Di Tian's head.

"You've grown so big."

"His Highness Huang has already told me the general situation.

"Thank you for all your hard work over the years."

Although the Fire Dragon King had said that if he ever saw the Light Dragon King again, he would rip out his scales and tear out his tendons.

He was still very gentle with Di Tian.

"No!"

"It was all my duty."

Di Tian shook his head.

"My lord will surely be just as happy to see you both."

His lord...

The Water Dragon King, who had been listening nearby in the form of a chibi phantom, flew over with Huo Yutong.

"The Silver Dragon King?"

"Exactly!"

A touch of fanaticism appeared in Di Tian's enormous golden dragon eyes.

"Once my lord recovers from her injuries, with His Highness the Radiant Dragon King and the new Water Dragon King joining us, we'll definitely be able to overthrow the Divine Realm and make those God Kings who betrayed the Dragon God pay!!"

The Fire Dragon King and Water Dragon King exchanged a glance, both hesitating to speak.

Should we tell him the truth?

Let's leave it for now. His Highness said not to let him know yet, lest it be too much of a blow.

The two Dragon Kings quickly reached an agreement: they would first give Di Tian some subtle hints, then tell him the truth once he was prepared.

"Let's wait until we meet the Silver Dragon King."

The Fire Dragon King shook his head almost imperceptibly.

Whether the Silver Dragon King was His Majesty's other half or their younger sister was still undecided.

"Oi!"

All three dragons looked down at once.

Holding the Tang Sect Poison Manual he had taken from the aromatic silk beauty, El stood with one foot on the octagonal mysterious ice grass that was trying to wriggle away and waved at Di Tian overhead.

When the immortal herbs realized that the dragons above were all looking down at them, they immediately trembled like chaff in a sieve, nearly scared out of their leaves.

"Um, mighty Dragon Kings, you don't need us anyway, so why not let us go?"

The aromatic silk beauty spoke in a voice on the verge of tears.

"100,000-year plant-type soul beasts?"

Di Tian raised a brow.

"Di Tian, take these things back to the Lake of Life, and bring all the other medicinal herbs back, too."

El lifted his head.

"Since their cultivation came from the nourishment of the two Dragon Kings' remains, they naturally count as assets of our dragon race."

"Have the Myriad Demon King watch over them, then have Xiong Jun watch over the Myriad Demon King. Don't let him steal what he's guarding."

"After all, that fellow has a history of devouring immortal herbs."

"Tell him to do a good job, and I'll let him choose one of these immortal herbs for himself later."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Di Tian nodded solemnly, then reached down with his enormous dragon claw, catching every immortal herb in one sweep and imprisoning them tightly in his grasp.

At the same time, a black vortex appeared on the ground. The devouring power of the dark attribute combined with spatial power, drawing in every immortal herb in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well that had yet to develop intelligence.

Even a layer of turf was stripped from the ground along with them.

"All right, this place is no use anymore."

El pushed off lightly with his feet, spread the dragon wings on his back, and flew onto Di Tian's head.

He took Huo Yutong's hand as she flew over with the Water Dragon King and spoke to Di Tian.

"Let's go. Back to the Star Dou Great Forest first."

"Then take the Fire Dragon King to Dragon City and build a residence for a secluded family."

"Preferably, use spatial power to put up some barriers, like the ones here, though they can be a little weaker."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Di Tian remained respectful, offering neither questions nor objections.

And after El had awakened the Water Dragon King and Fire Dragon King, his answers had become noticeably more decisive.

The Fire Dragon King, however, was somewhat puzzled.

"Dragon City? A secluded family?"

"Mm-hmm."

El hummed twice.

"This is part of a deal I made with the planar consciousness. Next, I'll have to make contact with this era's Nature Core—the Golden Tree."

"And it's located at the heart of Shrek Academy, a faction directly under Sea God Tang San."

"To approach it safely, and even cause a major phenomenon without making anyone wary or having them interfere, becoming a core member of Shrek's upper ranks is undoubtedly the most convenient and reliable approach."

"So a background that can stand up to investigation and is reasonably clean is absolutely crucial."

"Incidentally, our current cover story is a once-glorious family whose bloodline has now dwindled. There are still experts in the family, but only two or three cats, big and small, remain, and the younger generation is pitifully sparse."

Hearing his words, the Fire Dragon King's expression turned a little strange.

"Isn't that just our dragon race...?"

"Exactly. We're playing ourselves."

El didn't even turn his head.

"Anyway, that's the situation."

"Your identity now is our family's Limit Douluo-level powerhouse."

"Nobody on this continent knows you, so you can act freely and help me put on a show when necessary."

"Once I get the ten-thousand-year profound ice marrow, the Water Dragon King can join us, too."

"That sounds rather interesting."

As El explained, the Fire Dragon King's expression shifted from confusion to eagerness.

With his God King-level experience and insight, combined with his normal Quasi-God-level output, the Fire Dragon King couldn't think of any powerhouse on the Douluo Continent who could make him capsize.

"Of course. Playing a few fish-blasting matches now and then is good for both body and mind."

El nodded in wholehearted agreement.

In his own memories of his previous life, he had also enjoyed weaving through groups of hostile First-Level and Second-Level Gods whenever he had nothing to do.

The feeling of taking one down with every swipe of his claws truly delighted a dragon's body and soul.

This was clearly "an old man toying with naughty children.JPG."

"Let's go. Time to leave."

Di Tian tore open another spatial passage and carried them inside.

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well returned to its former silence.

But compared with its previous appearance as a hidden paradise in the mortal world, even if Tang San came to look in person, he probably wouldn't dare recognize this barren valley as the medicinal garden he had specially hidden away.

Half a month later.

Looking up at Shrek City's towering walls.

A boy dressed in a fitted black-and-red outfit, holding the hand of a stunningly beautiful girl with long hair that faded from blue to white, issued a low declaration:

"Shrek, your emperor has returned!"

"El, stop messing around. Let's hurry up and report in."

The girl had long since grown accustomed to the inexplicable remarks the boy blurted out from time to time.

Under his words and example, she had even begun to occasionally toss back a line or two, just like Di Ruiqiu.

The two were El and Huo Yutong, who had taken three months' leave right after enrolling at Shrek.

"The Freshman Assessment is in a few days."

"Haven't you been dying to get onstage and show off your might? Come on, let's go."

Little Miss Huo pulled El all the way into the academy.

Under the gazes of several senior students guarding Shrek's main gate, who looked at them as though they were some rare, endangered soul beasts, the two presented their leave slips, passed through the entrance, and headed straight for the teaching building.

"Director Du!"

The office door was shoved open with tremendous force, slamming into the wall with a loud bang. Du Weilun, who was reviewing files while preparing for the Freshman Assessment and handling the records of the students expelled by Zhou Lian, jumped in fright.

There was so much work, and he had been so absorbed in it, that a dignified Soul Douluo like him had actually failed to hear the unconcealed footsteps outside.

"Who is it?!"

"Ah..."

Once he saw who had arrived, the fury on Director Du's face instantly died out.

The living ancestor was here.

Can't afford to offend him. Absolutely can't.

As soon as the two entered, they headed straight for his sofa.

"Student El?"

Du Weilun adjusted his glasses.

"Have you finished paying respects to your ancestors?"

"But who is this?"

He pointed at Huo Yutong, who was sitting beside El.

This girl looks a little unfamiliar...

Such an intense icy aura. She must be a genius. Could she be here to enroll midterm?

"Director Du, I'm Huo Yutong."

Little Miss Huo raised her hand somewhat timidly.

"?!!"

"Huo Yutong?!"

Du Weilun was astonished.

Looking closely, this girl did indeed seem somewhat similar to the Huo Yutong he remembered...

"I already told you. Besides paying respects to my ancestors, I took leave to bring Yu Tong home so she could return to her ancestral roots and undergo an awakening while we were there."

"This is the effect of that awakening."

El spoke as though there were nothing unusual about it.

"A martial soul second awakening?"

Understanding dawned on Du Weilun.

Of course. Only a martial soul second awakening could produce such a dramatic change.

For some great families and factions with long-standing legacies, this was quite common.

The Dark Nether Sect, for instance.

Of course, the most famous was undoubtedly the Body Sect.

He just wondered what this little girl's martial soul actually was.

Never mind. The Freshman Assessment was coming up soon anyway. He would find out sooner or later.

Du Weilun shook his head, then looked up and said to the two of them:

"Since you're back and have officially ended your leave, go report to your class."

"The dorm supervisor will tell you your room numbers."

Du Weilun shook his head, searched through the bookcase for a while, and took out a file.

"Let me see. The class you two have been assigned to is..."

His brow suddenly furrowed, a trace of disbelief on his face.

"Freshman Class One?!"

Damn it, why that class?

Just thinking about that madwoman Zhou Yi made Du Weilun frown.

Still, surely she would be informed about something this important?

She probably wouldn't go so far as to offend this little lord.

Du Weilun handed both of them their freshman uniforms and badges.

"Thank you, Director Du."

Huo Yutong nodded and accepted their belongings with both hands.

"Let's go. Time to report to class."

El simply rose, nodded to Du Weilun, and walked straight out of the office.

"I hope Zhou Yi knows where to draw the line..."

With a sigh, Du Weilun looked at the files of expelled students in his hand and rubbed the space between his brows.

"In just a few days, the Freshman Assessment will begin!"

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the Freshman Class One classroom was entirely different.

Every student in the classroom was like a bowstring drawn taut to its utmost limit.

The slightest misstep would make it snap.

And all of this stemmed from the teacher at the lectern, who looked very old and had an equally fiery temper.

Zhou Yi-the teacher with the worst reputation in Shrek Academy's outer court, the woman who could never rise to the rank of senior teacher, the Grandmaster's spiritual successor, whose expelled students could fill an entire sports field!

"Anyone who fails the assessment will be expelled from the academy."

Zhou Yi slowly swept her gaze around the classroom.

"Then, students with outstanding performances will be granted Core Disciple status, and all the resources they receive will be doubled."

"And the goal I've set for us is to take first place!"

"Did you hear me clearly?!"

No one below the lectern spoke.

"Oh?"

Zhou Yi frowned.

"So none of you are going to speak, are you?"

She casually pointed at a student seated toward the back of the classroom.

"You, Lu Renjia. Answer me."

"Did you hear me clearly or not!"

"Teacher Zhou..."

When Zhou Yi called on him, Lu Renjia shot to his feet with a swish, but did not dare raise his head.

He could only mumble his words.

"But the other classes all have three-ring Soul Elders..."

"The highest cultivation in our class is only Soul Grandmaster..."

"So what if they're Soul Elders?!"

Her face blazing with fury, Zhou Yi slammed the desk.

"Just because our opponents are Soul Elders, you think our class can't win the championship?"

"That's how trash thinks!"

"But, Teacher Zhou..."

Lu Renjia tried to speak again, but Zhou Yi cut him off before he could finish.

"You dare talk back?! Have you forgotten everything I said?!"

Zhou Yi stared darkly at him and spoke slowly.

"Lu Renjia, disrespecting your elders and defying your teacher."

"You're expelled!"