A great battle loomed

"Yan Shaozhe's grave."

Before a square gravestone.

A red-haired girl knelt on the ground, her black robe unable to conceal her stunning beauty. Tears filled her phoenix eyes. "Teacher, you died such a terrible death. Although I joined the Holy Spirit Cult, I never forgot that you were my teacher. Now that you have died and your Dao has vanished, as your disciple, I should do everything in my power to avenge you, but..."

The girl furtively raised her head and glanced at the man standing by the burial mound not far away, wiping her tears with a delicate hand. "The enemy is simply too powerful, and he is also the person your disciple loves. I really can't bring myself to be so ruthless..."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to avenge you. But as your disciple, failing to avenge you would leave you far too bitterly disappointed, so after much thought... why don't we sever our robes and ties today, and cease to be teacher and disciple? If there is another life, we can be teacher and disciple again."

"Ow..."

Ma Xiaotao rubbed her head and looked up to glare at Lu Cheng. "You hit me again!"

"Don't worry. Your teacher will be avenged very soon," Lu Cheng said, quietly studying the burial mound with an indifferent gaze.

Caught between her teacher and him, Ma Xiaotao had found it extremely difficult to choose, so he had only brought her here to pay her respects after killing Yan Shaozhe. There had been no deep-seated hatred between him and Yan Shaozhe. It was simply that, for Zhang Lexuan's sake, certain things had to be done.

He would bear the infamy.

"Hmm?"

The girl's gaze froze. Tears still brimmed in her eyes, and a flicker of astonishment crossed her pretty face, which just a moment ago had been filled with hurt and sorrow, like pear blossoms drenched in rain.

An ominous premonition suddenly rose in her heart.

Last time, he had suddenly asked her what she would do if he were an Evil Soul Master, and that very night, Lu Cheng had revealed his identity as a Holy Spirit Cult disciple and defected from Shrek Academy.

And now...

"Lu Cheng, what are you going to do?"

Ma Xiaotao rose to her feet, her crimson phoenix eyes fixed on Lu Cheng's impassive face. Her pale hands gently clutched his sleeve as she tried to awaken this fellow's "conscience." "Teacher is already gone. I can't lose you too..."

"In this world, you're the only family I have left."

Her delicate hands tightened their grip, as though, once she let go, he would become a kite with its string snapped, never to return.

Looking into her tear-filled, pleading eyes, even Lu Cheng fell into a brief daze.

So alike...

So much like Zhang Lexuan back then.

Kneeling on the ground, desperately begging him not to abandon her-it was like a cycle repeating itself. Ma Xiaotao's face overlapped with Zhang Lexuan's once slightly youthful, immature features. A year ago, the girl had struggled with all her strength to stand before him, willing to abandon her bright future at Shrek Academy to stick with him, a rat of the Holy Spirit Cult.

Even though her surroundings were cold and damp, filled with bloodthirsty, cruel Evil Soul Masters, and all of it had made the girl, newly arrived in the Holy Spirit Cult, deeply uncomfortable-even though he had hidden in the shadows and seen with his own eyes her fear and disgust toward everything around her-the moment he appeared, every negative feeling in her crimson eyes vanished.

He had seen it perfectly clearly. Those eyes held him alone.

Over these past two years, if Ma Xiaotao had not clung to him without leaving his side, like the only candle flame in the darkness, would he have degenerated into a true Evil Soul Master?

"Phew..."

Lu Cheng let out a long breath of turbid air and smiled as he ruffled the girl's scarlet hair. "How could that happen? With my strength, I'll certainly become a Limit Douluo. By then, I probably won't be dead even after you're buried."

"You're lying!"

Ma Xiaotao lightly bit her red lip, her beautiful eyes staring stubbornly at Lu Cheng.

"When you left Sister Lexuan back then... you said the same thing!"

Lu Cheng froze.

His lips parted, but no words came out.

"I'd rather you told me the truth than lied to me." Like a lively fire phoenix, Ma Xiaotao threw herself into Lu Cheng's arms. Her red eyes gazed pitifully at him, like a puppy about to be abandoned.

"..."

Lu Cheng remained silent, gently stroking her hair.

"So you really are going to die?"

After an unknown length of time, Ma Xiaotao asked softly, nestled in Lu Cheng's arms.

Lu Cheng did not answer, but both of them knew the truth.

"Then can you take me with you?" Ma Xiaotao murmured softly. "If I have to die, I want to die with you."

"What are you saying..." Lu Cheng gazed at the bright moon hanging high in the sky and said softly, "Don't you envy my Martial Soul, the Sun-Shooting Bow? Before I leave, I'll give it to you."

After he died, he would return to his original world.

But Ma Xiaotao...

"..."

In the valley.

The campfire crackled, its light reflected on Lu Cheng's face. The flames burned hot, while the girl in his arms slept deeply, lying quietly against him. Her red-painted fingers still clutched his sleeve tightly, and a trace of tears remained on her little face.

"Flutter, flutter~"

A black crow flapped its wings and landed on his shoulder.

Seeing the sleeping girl in his arms, it lowered its voice. "Everything is ready."

"The Supreme Elder and the Grand Elder have already arrived outside Shrek City. The other eight Revered Elders and ten elders have led the many cult members in surrounding Shrek Academy so tightly that not even water could escape."

"Now... all that remains is your command."

"Tonight, we will destroy Shrek Academy utterly!"

"..."

At those words, Lu Cheng's gaze remained indifferent. He lowered his head and glanced at the still-sleeping girl, gently pried open the hands clutching his sleeve, and slowly laid her on the soft grass. The campfire radiated warmth, but her peaceful face suddenly creased into a frown. With that reassuring presence gone, she showed signs of waking...

Until Lu Cheng lightly touched a finger between her brows.

A faint crimson light rose from her fair forehead, adorned with fiery-red petals.

The girl continued to sleep deeply.

"Let's go."

Lu Cheng stood up and spoke softly.

"Tonight, we reach the final chapter."

Shrek Academy.

Sea God Island.

Zhang Lexuan stood at the edge of the island, looking somewhat anxious as she repeatedly gazed up at the sky. This wasn't right... It was already this late, yet Dean Yan still hadn't returned.

Should I tell Mu En?

No, wait a little longer. A little longer...

That fellow's strength had grown so rapidly in recent years that even Mu En could not see through him. Even though Dean Yan had broken through to become a rank ninety-six Super Douluo last year, he might still stumble.

After all, behind him stood half the continent's Evil Soul Masters.

It would not matter if she went.

Before she reached a sufficient realm, that fellow would not rashly kill her. He would continue using her as a whetstone to hone himself, but the same could not necessarily be said for Dean Yan.

Suddenly, a commotion came from the Sea God Pavilion behind her.

Several figures emanating powerful presences emerged from the Golden Ancient Tree. Leading them was a white-haired old man leaning on a cane-Mu En.

Judging by their expressions... this meeting, which had gathered so many of the continent's present-day powerhouses, had finally reached an agreement.