Dragon Palace?

"Wh-what the hell is this supposed to be!!!"

In reality, Ning Fengzhi had been considering whether he could lure Ximen Yun, a genius no less talented than Shaobai, over to his side.

Then he saw that youth, clad in a black robe like a Sea Soul Master's, declare that he would destroy the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Had he been an ordinary Soul Master, that would have been one thing; Ning Fengzhi could decide whether to recruit him based on his value, but...

"Why has the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda appeared in the hands of a youth who hates my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?!"

"What have my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's hundred years of effort amounted to?"

Ning Fengzhi's cultivation had been stuck at rank 79, at the Soul Saint level, unable to advance even a fraction. However refined he usually was, his face twisted somewhat at that moment.

What baffled him even more was this:

"Why is a Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Soul Master out there on his own, saying with his own mouth that he wants to destroy the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"

Ning Fengzhi rubbed his head, unable to make sense of it.

He tried thinking about the sect's already terrible situation on the Celestial Screen...

That only made it more distressing.

"Fengzhi, perhaps there's some misunderstanding. Besides, this happens six years from now."

"Perhaps this child has only just awakened his Martial Soul! There's still time for everything."

Seeing Ning Fengzhi's headache, Gu Rong spoke up to comfort him.

"I know... let me think."

Ning Fengzhi closed his eyes, his mind racing. He wanted to make arrangements immediately, and then...

"Let the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has dreamed of bring an end to this sect with its hundred-year legacy."

Hiss-

Hearing those words-what a cruel twist of fate! What a stab to the heart!

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's hundred-year hope! How had it ended up like this?!

["According to the Alliance's mission description, our objective is to find a way to use these survivors to reenact what happened in Notting."]

[The black-robed Soul Master withdrew the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in his hand and turned to look toward Shrek Academy's dilapidated gates in the distance.]

["Huh? We're going that big?"]

[Ximen Yun was dumbfounded when he heard that.]

["This doesn't seem anything like the missions we used to take."]

["Because I took this one of my own accord."]

[Taking a scroll from the Storage Soul Tool at his waist, the black-robed Soul Master casually tossed it to Ximen Yun.]

["If we didn't take it, given the temperaments of those rabid dogs in the Alliance, someone would probably dare to do it for real. More people might die then."]

["Better for us to do it. At least we can keep it under control."]

["That's good. I thought we'd have to cause so many deaths ourselves." Ximen Yun breathed a sigh of relief and focused on reading the mission scroll in his hands.]

["Although the Alliance leader has shown me, Li Ji, kindness, that hardly warrants killing so many people for the Alliance."]

["Besides..."]

[Li Ji's eyes flickered. He did not continue, instead saying:]

["Yun, once we're done with this job, it'll be time for us to leave the Alliance."]

["Huh? We're leaving the Alliance too?" Ximen Yun was reading through the mission description on the scroll when those unexpected words reached him, filling his eyes with astonishment.]

["Yes, that's right. We're leaving the Alliance." Li Ji nodded. "After working for the Alliance all these years, we've repaid that kindness."]

["Besides, the Alliance leader told us back then that we could leave whenever we wanted."]

["Now the Alliance is causing more and more unrest across the continent, and it also has plans to reorganize. It's time to leave."]

["We're human, after all. At least, I don't want to help Soul Beasts completely overturn human society."]

["As for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, I, Li Ji, will deal with it in my own way."]

["All right, then. Brother, I'll just follow you." Ximen Yun scratched his head and finally agreed.]

["Mm." Li Ji's gaze softened as he looked at this younger brother he had picked up, before finally turning his gaze toward Shrek Academy.]

["Yun, get ready. Tonight, we'll sneak into this Shrek Academy and take those two into the Star Dou Great Forest to execute them there."]

["If a plague really does break out, at least it won't endanger human cities."]

["Oh, and don't skimp on using Soul Tools. There are several Soul Saints in this academy."]

["All right!"]

[Ximen Yun nodded in acknowledgment, then turned to pack his things.]

["The Alliance..." Looking back toward the sea, a trace of melancholy flashed through Li Ji's eyes.]

["Perhaps the next time we meet, it should be called... the Dragon Palace."]

In reality, in the Star Dou Great Forest.

"Humans! How dare you!!"

Watching the humans' movements on the Celestial Screen, even Di Tian flew into a rage!

That lackey of the gods named Ye Wuhen wanted to hunt the already scarce Emerald Swans.

Those two named Li Shaobai and Xiao Wu were treating the Star Dou Great Forest like a tourist destination.

Tang Zhao wanted to hunt Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest.

This Li Ji was even worse: he actually wanted to bring a plague into the Star Dou Great Forest and contaminate this pristine land.

"Ye Wuhen, Li Ji, you truly deserve to die!!"

Di Tian was truly furious.

That human Qian Daoliu had at least spoken of sustainable development and hunting fewer Soul Beasts.

Yet these younger humans had no sense of restraint. Not only were they hunting rare Soul Beasts like Emerald Swans, they even planned to "set off firecrackers" in the Star Dou Great Forest?

Was this how humans taught their young?

"Di Tian! Unleash a beast tide!"

Seeing that even Di Tian was enraged, Xiong Jun immediately grew excited, his massive body letting out furious roar after roar.

"Let's go slaughter those humans who appeared on the Celestial Screen, especially those named Ye Wuhen and Li Ji!"

"I'll have their hearts and livers with my wine!!"

"Di Tian! Give the order!!"

"Yes! Di Tian, give the order!!"

The Ferocious Beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest were all enraged.

Killing a few Soul Beasts for Soul Rings under normal circumstances was one thing, but bringing a plague or the like into the pristine Star Dou Great Forest?

Wasn't that throwing shit into their home?

Even if it was left on the outskirts, whose clan didn't go out to forage?

Even they occasionally went out for a little dessert. What if they ended up eating "shit"?

As Ferocious Beasts hundreds of thousands of years old, they did not take this so-called "plague" seriously.

Their own resistance to poison was already very high. Besides, the Soul Beast Clan had Bi Ji, a Ferocious Beast of the Emerald Swan clan, so they had even less reason to fear it.

But... it was revolting!

Even they had no appetite whatsoever when looking at Yu Xiaogang and Tang San on the Celestial Screen.

The Soul Beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest had simply lain quiet for too long. Otherwise, that human named Li Ji would never have dared entertain such an idea.

"Di Tian..."

Beside Di Tian, who had the appearance of a middle-aged man in black, a beautiful woman in a long green dress looked at him with concern.

She was none other than Bi Ji, the Emerald Swan clan's leader, the mate of Beast God Di Tian, and a five-hundred-thousand-year-old Emerald Swan Ferocious Beast.

"Di Tian, I don't think this matter is simple. You should all have heard it too..." Bi Ji swept her gaze over all the Ferocious Beasts present.

"That human named Li Ji said he didn't want to help Soul Beasts destroy human society."

"And at the end, he said that the next time they met, that Alliance would be called... the Dragon Palace!"