At the center of the Western Group Army's encampment in the Mingdou Mountain Range, Star Luo Empire.
Shrek Academy's team for this year's Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament had arrived.
Besides the many prodigies on the main team, Reserve Team, and spectator team, the group also included accompanying teachers Zhou Yi and Wang Sheng Jia.
Zhou Yi had come along because the dean's final disciple had come from her class, and Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao were both on the Reserve Team.
Tang Yin was the most outstanding student she had ever taught.
She had a feeling that, although Tang Yin was only a rank-thirty-five Soul Elder, he would surely have his shining moments in this tournament.
Once Tang Yin won the championship, her name, Zhou Yi, would surely resound throughout the world as well!
Wang Sheng Jia, meanwhile, had joined the group as Wang Yan's assistant thanks to his outstanding data analysis skills.
Wang Yan led the group toward White Tiger Duke Dai Hao, who had been waiting there for some time.
After exchanging pleasantries, Dai Hao looked at Dai Yueheng and Dai Huabin, feeling both gratified and a little regretful.
He was gratified that both his sons were on this team, proof enough that they were both top prodigies. This was a sign of great prosperity for the White Tiger Duke's Mansion!
His regret was that Dai Huabin was only on the spectator team and would have no chance to compete.
Otherwise, before returning to the Star Luo Empire later to watch the tournament, Dai Hao would certainly have paid a visit to honor his ancestors and tell them of this happy occasion.
Within the group, Ma Xiaotao asked Dai Yueheng curiously:
"Then how many wives does your father have?"
Dai Yueheng froze, his expression immediately turning a little odd. "Only my mother. In our generation, there are only the two of us brothers, Huabin and me."
"Father is extremely disciplined when it comes to women. He often says that if a man cannot control his desire for women, he will never achieve anything great."
At the edge of the group, Tang Yin's fingertips trembled faintly. The whites of his eyes had taken on a bluish tinge, and his gaze was unfocused, yet fixed stubbornly on one spot.
His throat bobbed unconsciously, and he looked as though his bones had been pulled out.
Damn it, Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire was poisonous!
It was addictive!
He turned his gaze toward Ma Xiaotao with difficulty, forced out a strained smile, and whispered:
"Senior sister, hasn't it been a while since I last absorbed your Evil Fire?"
Hah, so the dean's final disciple was an addict too? At the rear of the group, Wang Sheng Jia discreetly adjusted his silver-rimmed glasses.
He turned his gaze toward the depths of the Mingdou Mountain Range.
A few days before their departure, Wang Sheng Jia had learned something through his position as an accompanying teacher.
After learning that the target of this trip was actually his older cousin, and that a Super Douluo would secretly protect the Inspection Corps on this mission.
He had sent the Death Messenger a secret message containing two words through a special channel:
Leave now!
But the Death Messenger had been an Evil Soul Master for a long time. His mind was severely affected by evil energy, and he was obstinate and self-willed.
Moreover, Wang Sheng Jia had deliberately kept the information in the secret message to a minimum to protect himself.
So he did not know whether the Death Messenger would heed this advice. In any case, he had done all that duty and kindness demanded.
After Dai Yueheng asked to borrow several Flying Soul Tools, Dai Hao watched his two sons depart and murmured to himself:
"The expert accompanying them is so powerful that even I can't gauge their strength. It must be a Super Douluo."
"Against an Evil Soul Master who is merely a Soul King, Yueheng and Huabin should be perfectly safe."
Within the flying group, Dai Yueheng spoke confidently to Tang Yin:
"So far, I've completed twenty-eight inspection missions. I'm not far from thirty."
"In the process, I've killed bandits who raped, pillaged, and abducted people, killed corrupt officials who treated human lives like grass, and saved enslaved children."
"The Inner Court's motto is: strength and responsibility are equal; the heart walks alongside kindness. I hope we can encourage one another with those words."
Wang Sheng Jia listened without expression.
Hah, fine words.
They had to complete thirty missions to graduate, so students who were far short of that number had no choice but to make up the count with people who looked like Evil Soul Masters.
That was killing innocents and passing them off as achievements.
The Evil Soul Masters originally in the Holy Church, such as Crow Douluo and Scorpion Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng:
Say more. Sounds wonderful. We love hearing it.
Wang Sheng Jia's family had been caught like fish in a moat when the city gates caught fire.
Otherwise, he would never have come to Shrek Academy as an undercover agent.
Xuan Zi gulped down a large mouthful of wine and laughed heartily:
"That is the responsibility and commitment of the Shrek Inspection Corps!"
Hearing this, the members of all three teams shared in the pride.
Dai Huabin asked in confusion, "If graduating from the Inner Court is so difficult, what benefits are there to entering it?"
Tang Yin frowned. "The academy already lets you enter the Inner Court. Why should it give you benefits too?"
"Entering the Inner Court is the highest honor. Isn't receiving that honor enough for you?"
Honor? Could you eat it?
And what gave you the right to talk to me like that?
Dai Huabin sneered. "Tang Yin, stop acting like you're an Inner Court disciple!"
"The tournament restricts mechanical Hidden Weapons. With that little bit of poison of yours, you'll suffer once you actually enter the arena."
Tang Yin said calmly, "My poison is far beyond your imagination."
He, too, had prepared diligently for this tournament.
Not only had he obtained many high-grade poisons through Shrek City's position as a trading hub,
he had also reformed his Divine Slaughter's Domain, raising his overall strength another notch.
Even without mechanical Hidden Weapons, he was confident he could face Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's Martial Soul Fusion Skill head-on!
Tang Yin looked earnestly at Dai Huabin. "Without Shrek, you're nothing. You can never repay Shrek's kindness!"
The more Xuan Zi listened to Tang Yin, the more he felt the appreciation of a kindred spirit:
"Tang Yin is right. Dai Huabin, you should learn from him."
"The more you talk about benefits, the narrower your heart becomes. The more you talk about dedication, the broader your outlook grows."
Xuan Zi paused, then chuckled:
"Shrek has one benefit that no other faction offers: you can take part in the Sea God's Fate matchmaking event!"
"Practically all the continent's most talented, beautiful female Soul Masters are there."
Utterly sleazy and vulgar! Wang Dong felt physically sick hearing this. So we talented girls came to your academy just to become Inner Court perks?
Hearing Xuan Zi's theory on benefits and outlook, Tang Yin's eyes lit up, and he said with a smile:
"Xuan Zi, your knowledge is profound. You truly see further than these ordinary students."
"Meeting you is like flowing water meeting a lofty mountain!"
Xuan Zi gulped down another large mouthful of wine and laughed:
"You know how to handle yourself, kid. Don't worry, I'll keep you all safe on this trip!"
Tang Yin laughed along. "With Xuan Zi, a Level 98 Super Douluo, leading us, what could possibly happen? We can rest easy on high pillows!"
Rest easy on high pillows? Not necessarily.
Following behind, Ning Tian had an ominous premonition. Others might not know Xuan Zi's record, but she knew it well.
For no other reason than that among the prodigies who had gone Soul Hunting with Zhang Lexuan back then and died,
there had been her older cousin!
Ning Tian pondered privately. They were only the spectator team and had no inspection mission. They should stay a little farther away later.
Wu Feng would certainly listen to her. As for the others, she could not concern herself with so many.
In any case, it was only an uncertain sixth sense. Speaking up would instead risk angering Xuan Zi.
Deep in the Mingdou Mountain Range.
"Boss! The stockpiled corpses have all been hung on the trees and cave walls as ordered!"
A lackey ran over to report.
The Death Messenger, dressed in black clothes and a black robe, placed a sheet of letter paper into the fire, then looked toward the Western Group Army's encampment in the Star Luo Empire and sneered:
"Me, steer clear of his sharp edge?"
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