Welcome the Holy Son Back to the Cult!

"Sorry."

Lu Cheng clenched his fists and let out a long, turbid breath. His eyes had lost their usual warmth and instead held a trace of cruelty.

"Evil Soul Masters... are all people who disown even their closest kin."

"Bury the brother in your heart."

"From now on... there is only Lu Cheng, Holy Son of the Holy Spirit Cult."

Lu Cheng brushed his palm across the girl's fair, delicate cheek, his eyes filled with pity.

In an instant, the girl was like an abandoned little beast that had glimpsed hope. Expectation and delight flashed through her pale blue eyes, and she tried to nuzzle his palm with her cheek, hoping to change his mind. "Brother, you said you would never leave Lexuan. We're each other's only family in this world... mmph..."

Lu Cheng's expression gradually turned indifferent. His hand closed around the girl's long, swanlike neck, slowly tightening.

Zhang Lexuan gripped Lu Cheng's hand with both her delicate hands. Her face gradually flushed red from lack of air, and her feet slowly left the branch, kicking and struggling in midair. Yet bewilderment and pleading flickered in her pale blue eyes...

"Lu Cheng!!!"

Ruomu roared, "Are you even fucking human?!"

A wooden vine surged upward with a crash, striking toward Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng frowned slightly and used Zhang Lexuan as a shield, throwing her toward Ruomu.

The girl stared fixedly at Lu Cheng as her body flew backward like a torn sack. The familiar figure in her sight grew farther and farther away. By the time Ruomu caught her, her eyes had already gone numb...

"Beast!"

Ruomu gritted her teeth. While frantically directing wooden vines to wrap around Zhang Lexuan and bring her to her side, she ordered the other disciples to surround Lu Cheng.

"Whew..."

Lu Cheng let out a long, turbid breath.

He swept an indifferent glance over them.

"You want to stop me? You lot aren't enough."

"Beat this beast half to death, then take him back to Shrek Academy!" Ruomu was thoroughly enraged.

"Hahahaha..."

Lu Cheng burst into laughter.

He looked down on them with contempt.

Scarlet Soul Power surged from his body, forming a scarlet longbow in his right hand. His imposing presence rose steadily. Although he was only a Soul Saint, he still pressed down on the many surrounding inner court Inspection Corps disciples until they could barely breathe.

A pitch-black Soul Ring lit up beneath his feet.

Then he curled two fingers of his right hand, drawing the bow.

Three fiery-red arrows took shape.

"Watch out!!!"

Ruomu's expression changed, and she cried out.

But in the next instant, the whistle of arrows rang through the forest. Three inner court disciples abruptly stiffened, terrifying flames igniting over their bodies as they screamed and plummeted.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Two more arrows shot out with spine-chilling speed. At the same time, the other two Soul King disciples of the Inspection Corps, aside from Ruomu, had their abdomens pierced and fell from the branches, howling.

There was not the slightest time to react.

Ruomu's pupils trembled violently.

This fellow was terrifying. Was this his true strength?

Even the great demon king Lu Cheng, who had swept through the academy's inner court without an equal, now seemed to have used only seventy percent of his strength. Not to mention, he had defeated the level-eighty-five Instructor Yue with only one Martial Soul.

Now, with Twin Martial Souls... he would only be more terrifying.

Just what kind of monster had the academy raised?

"Lu Cheng, in that case, I absolutely cannot let you leave tonight!" Ruomu's eyes narrowed slightly. She pressed her palms together, and the entire Star Dou Great Forest once again transformed into a sea of wood, surging toward Lu Cheng.

"I'm afraid I don't have time to keep playing house with you..."

Lu Cheng spoke calmly.

A blood-red Soul Ring slowly rose from beneath his feet, covered in intricate patterns. A presence like that of a savage beast from ancient times gradually awakened within him, and the phantom of a scarlet, fiery three-legged bird slowly took shape behind him.

"Th-this is... a H-Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring?!" Ruomu swallowed, her throat feeling dry.

He had hidden it so deeply.

He had actually deceived every instructor and elder.

A monstrous genius whose seventh Soul Ring was already a hundred thousand years old-she felt a chill creep up her back. He had lurked in Shrek for years and had even long since become the firmly established heir to the Sea God Pavilion after the next generation, the eldest senior brother revered and respected by countless inner court disciples.

And now...

Lu Cheng looked down indifferently at Ruomu.

He drew his bow and nocked an arrow.

Whoosh!

An arrow of scarlet flame transformed into a three-legged fire crow, hurtling straight toward Ruomu with terrifying might. Every ancient tree along its path turned to ashes.

"Seventh Soul Skill, Wood True Body!" Horror filled Ruomu's eyes, and another pitch-black Soul Ring lit up beneath her feet.

Several solid wooden vines rose before her, giving off a thick, steady, earthen-yellow presence and shielding her firmly behind them.

Just as she felt a little reassured...

A trace of mockery flashed through Lu Cheng's eyes.

Rumble!

The instant the arrow made contact, it tore through the layers of defense she had believed so sturdy. The flames spread before her, reflected in her emerald-green pupils...

She instinctively raised her hand to block.

"Lu Cheng!"

"You've crossed the line..."

A scruffy-bearded old man in tattered hemp clothes, holding a wine gourd in one hand, stepped in front of Ruomu. A flash of admiration passed through his eyes. He raised his other hand, forcibly seized the three-legged Golden Crow in his palm, and slowly crushed it.

"..."

Lu Cheng stood in midair, slowly lowering the fiery bow in his hand.

A familiar smile touched his eyes.

"Xuan Zi, it's been a while. Have you been well?"

"Hmph. If you weren't a traitor from the Holy Spirit Cult, I'd be even better..." Xuan Zi lowered his eyelids and sighed softly.

"Why not join our Holy Spirit Cult as well?" Lu Cheng cupped his hands, a bright smile once again curving his lips, his eyes filled with sincerity. "Our Holy Spirit Cult has always accepted everyone without discrimination. Your Martial Soul has a devouring attribute, which also fits our traditions perfectly. If you truly wish to come... I'm willing to make the decision and give you the position of supreme elder."

"Heh, give it a rest, brat." Xuan Zi laughed in anger.

"Xuan Zi, hurry and capture him! We absolutely cannot let the tiger return to the mountain!" Only then did Ruomu recover from her terror, urging him anxiously.

If such a monstrous genius returned to the Holy Spirit Cult, it would likely spell the end of Shrek Academy within a few years.

Mu En could not hold on much longer.

"Heh, you think I don't want to capture him?" Xuan Zi took a swig of wine, a sinister look flashing through his eyes as he looked at Lu Cheng. "But unfortunately... those old ghosts are already here."

"Xuan Zi, I trust you've been well..."

A deep voice rang out.

Immediately afterward, a tall old man in black robes trimmed with gold stepped out into the air behind Lu Cheng. The might of a Dragon Emperor was fully revealed as he looked down at the scene with a smile.

Behind him, several black-robed figures appeared.

All were Evil Soul Masters at the Titled Douluo level or above.

Evil Soul Masters were inherently stronger than ordinary Soul Masters. In the past, the appearance of even one Titled Douluo Evil Soul Master could throw the continent into panic, let alone so many top-tier Evil Soul Masters appearing together...

At the same time, thousands of black-robed figures appeared all around, each exuding a cold, evil presence.

Xuan Zi's expression grew grave as he sheltered Zhang Lexuan and Ruomu behind him.

Lu Cheng, meanwhile, revealed a warm smile and headed toward the shadows of the forest behind him. The black-robed people emerging from the woods knelt on one knee on either side, their eyes burning fervently as they left a path open for him.

It was like an ascension to the throne.

"Welcome the Holy Son back to the cult!"

Layer upon layer of voices rang out.

They shook heaven and earth.