Zhu Zhuqing Was Dead

The moon rose and set. Apart from one small grave mound, this little grove seemed no different from before.

The deep pit Tang Hao had smashed into the ground had become Zhu Zhuqing's burial place.

Chrysanthemum Douluo's judgment had been entirely correct. Not long after Tang Hao left, Zhu Zhuqing had held on for less than two hours.

Flender had brought several teachers from Shrek Academy, along with Oscar, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun, to see Zhu Zhuqing one last time.

Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Yu Xiaogang had been taken away by Tang Hao, and no one knew where they had gone.

"Zhu Zhuqing, we've decided to join Spirit Hall. The two elders from Spirit Hall said they could take us as disciples, and Dean Flender can take a sinecure as an elder there too. Chrysanthemum Douluo promised me that I could avoid the coming-of-age duel in exchange for leaving the Star Luo Imperial Family."

After saying those few words, Dai Mubai let out a deep sigh.

The others were downcast and clearly had nothing to say either.

They had been so happy to be chosen for the Pride of Heaven Ranking. Who could have known things would turn out like this in the blink of an eye?

Oscar even felt somewhat fortunate that he was a food-type Soul Master. Tang Hao had held him in utter contempt, which was why he had not taken his life.

But when he thought about how he had only escaped with his life because someone looked down on him, he did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Ten minutes...

Twenty minutes...

An hour...

Time slipped away, second by second, until Zhu Zhuqing's life finally reached its end.

The light left her eyes, but her pupils were bloodshot. Clearly, she had died with her eyes unclosed.

The group gave her a proper burial in the deep pit Tang Hao had blasted out earlier.

"You should all come with me to pay your respects to His Holiness the Pope."

Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice broke the silence. Only then did they rise and head into the distance.

Only silence remained in the grove, until someone's arrival broke it.

By the time Wang Qiye arrived, a day had already passed since the rewards had been distributed.

His planned route should have taken him straight to Shrek Academy, nowhere near this place. Yet along the way, Wang Qiye inexplicably saw a black cat lying on a tree, watching him quietly with crimson eyes.

But when Wang Qiye walked over, he found no black cat on the branch. Instead, there was some newborn, unknown power within the mound of earth beneath the tree.

That power was extremely faint, however, and might dissipate at any moment.

"I've never seen power with this attribute in this world before. It would be a shame to let it disappear just like that."

So Wang Qiye abandoned his trip to Shrek Academy and sat upright beside the mound, silently working through his deductions.

On the first day, Wang Qiye saw that newborn power turn into a black cat, only to vanish in the blink of an eye.

On the second day, the black cat could maintain a stable existence.

On the third day, a second tail grew behind the black cat.

On the fourth day, a third tail grew behind the black cat.

The power underground grew weaker and weaker, on the verge of disappearing entirely, but Wang Qiye let out a relieved breath. "Finally worked it out before the deadline. Damn, that wore me out."

Then Wang Qiye pointed a finger, sending a stream of information somewhere underground.

"I've given you your chance. Whether you succeed will depend on your own fortune."

Once the information had been transmitted, a Communication Soul Tool he wore began to vibrate. An urgent voice came from within. "Master, people have come to cause trouble at our sect! Elder Sword and Elder Bone can barely hold them off. Hurry back and save us!"

At those words, Wang Qiye's fierce eyes flew wide. "Those dogs have some nerve! They actually dared to cause trouble at my Daoist Grounds!"

With those words, Wang Qiye leaped, and his figure vanished without a trace.

Back on the previous day, three days after Wang Qiye had set out, thunder boomed above the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

"Ning Fengzhi, get the hell out here!"

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciples practicing below were all startled. Their sect was one of the exalted Upper Three Sects; no one had ever come to provoke them with such disrespect.

Two figures immediately swept into the sky. They were about to attack when they recognized the visitor.

"Sect Master Yu, what wind has blown you here?"

"I'm not here for you two. Get Ning Fengzhi out here. The Upper Three Sects are branches of the same tree, yet your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has gone far too far."

"Sect Master Yu, don't be so angry. Whatever Fengzhi has done wrong, let's go down and talk it over."

"Did your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect know how to use whale rubber all along? You actually bought up every last bit on the market. This is going too far!"

Bone Douluo merely smiled faintly. Yu Yuanzhen had come to play the scoundrel.

"You're going too far with those words, Sect Master Yu. Must our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect share every discovery with you? In that case, shouldn't your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan share its Dragon Clan Soul Beast Secret Realm with us?"

But Yu Yuanzhen refused to let it go. "I'll tell you the truth. I brought the clan's True Dragon Nine Crowns with me. Today, you're handing over that whale rubber whether you like it or not!"

Before he had finished speaking, four more figures appeared in midair.

"Sect Master Yu is right. Your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect really has gone a little too far."

Sword Douluo turned to look and discovered that it was actually Tang Xiao. "Hadn't your sect withdrawn into seclusion?"

"We have, of course. But for the sake of our sect's next generation, we had no choice but to make this trip."

"Did your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect know all along that whale rubber could improve one's physique and increase the age of the Soul Rings one could absorb? The Upper Three Sects are branches of the same tree, after all. Your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect ought to look after its old brothers."

"Then by your reasoning, Brother Tang Xiao, I'd also like to ask your Clear Sky Sect to look after our Blacksmiths' Guild's business."

At those words, Tang Xiao's face turned cold. "Are you bringing up the Blacksmiths' Guild because you want war with our Clear Sky Sect?"

Who did not know that the vast majority of the Clear Sky Sect's income came from the continent's Blacksmiths' Guild? From making a few hammers and spatulas to forging divine artifacts, the entire upper end of forging expertise lay within the Blacksmiths' Guild.

And almost everyone in the Blacksmiths' Guild belonged to the Clear Sky Sect's lineage.

Making the Clear Sky Sect give up the Blacksmiths' Guild would be no different from snatching their rice bowls away.

But Sword Douluo stood just as firm. "Talking about the Blacksmiths' Guild means war? Then when your Clear Sky Sect comes to our door and expects us to hand over the whale rubber we worked so hard to collect on nothing but your say-so, does that mean you want war with us too?"

Sword Douluo had long since gained a thorough understanding of Tang Xiao's strength. He had even defeated him in the Soul Master Tournament when they were young. Tang Xiao was probably level ninety-five at the very most now, while he himself was level ninety-six, and old Bones beside him was level ninety-five. He alone could deal with this group of Title Douluo Elders from the Clear Sky Sect.

As for Yu Yuanzhen with his True Dragon Nine Crowns, Gu Rong could hold him off. The elders accompanying him were probably only level ninety-one or ninety-two.

Besides, Fengzhi was below, along with numerous disciples whose Martial Souls were Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagodas. Once their enhancements were applied, there was no way they could lose this fight, however he looked at it!

At that thought, Chen Xin felt considerably more at ease. He even revealed his Soul Rings outright. "Then let's fight. Let me see whether you've improved over the years!"

Tang Xiao chuckled. "You said it yourself, didn't you?"

He immediately revealed his Soul Rings. The pressure of his level ninety-seven Soul Power bore straight down on Chen Xin's forehead, and sweat instantly broke out across it.

"Level ninety-seven? How is that possible!"

And the three elders behind Tang Xiao were, astonishingly, two level ninety-threes and one level ninety-four.

Now this was beyond them.

Chen Xin's expression instantly stiffened. At this rate, their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might really have to hand over a batch of whale rubber today. The situation was already more than the two of them could withstand.

Who knew what that brat Qiye was off doing, disappearing at such a critical moment?

"Chen Xin, Gu Rong, don't say I didn't give you a chance. Hand over half the whale rubber you've collected, and our Clear Sky Sect will turn around and leave."

Yu Yuanzhen chimed in from the side. "I only want thirty percent. Our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan only wants thirty percent of the whale rubber."

Chen Xin could no longer stand firm. "Hiss..."