"You know this too—Xuanzi is the Deputy Commander of that godawful Shrek Academy's Inspection Regiment.
Mu En, the nominal commander, is just a figurehead mascot who barely lifts a finger.
Every year, people die in the Shrek Inner Court—and not long ago, Xuanzi alone got eight top talents killed in one go!
Each of those kids had the potential to become Titled Douluo, and the remaining four were seriously injured…"
"It's just too horrifying. If he really is one of your Holy Spirit Cult's moles, I need to pull my Xuanming Sect disciples out of Shrek immediately."
Xu Xiaoyun's face was stern as he recounted a laundry list of Xuanzi's atrocities. This clearly wasn't some impulsive accusation—it came from deep conviction.
Even Dragon Emperor Douluo, Long Xiaoyao, had his expression twitch and his hand pause mid-drink, confusion flickering in his sharp eyes.
"If what Xu Xiaoyun said was true…
Then that idiot Xuanzi had accomplished what most members of the Holy Spirit Cult could only dream of—
Singlehandedly wiping out a group of the Inner Court's top talent, all with futures nearly guaranteed as Titled Douluo.
That was a devastating blow to the future of orthodox soul masters."
By contribution alone, that guy could rival even Long Xiaoyao's own rank as a Hall Master of the Holy Spirit Cult. If Xuanzi really was a spy, with a hundred years of embedded service and the title of Mu En's successor, he'd be more than qualified to inherit Long Xiaoyao's position.
The only problem was…
He didn't remember this person existing in the Holy Spirit Cult.
Long Xiaoyao fell silent, sifting through memories and cross-checking every major figure in the Cult. Eventually, he shook his head, brows furrowed.
"He shouldn't be. I swear on my Martial Soul—I've never seen him in the Holy Spirit Cult."
"Whew… good."
Xu Xiaoyun visibly relaxed, breathing out in relief.
"That's a comfort. Looks like I can still send that brat Sanshi back to Shrek."
According to intelligence, Sanshi had recently become good friends with Mu En's great-grandson. With that connection, Mu En would probably keep an eye on things. Surely he wouldn't let even his own great-grandson be mistreated by Xuanzi, right?
"Grandpa Long, Grandpa Xu, your grilled meat is here."
The waiter returned, placing down plates of sizzling, buttery lamb skewers, juicy beef skewers, and thick, marbled beef spine cuts. The rich aroma wafted through the air, and even these two titans of the current era couldn't help turning to stare, swallowing silently.
Without a word, the two picked up their knives and forks and dug in, eating and chatting as they went.
"The second matter…" Xu Xiaoyun said between mouthfuls of beef, slicing meat into bite-sized pieces. "I want my little great-grandson to come train in the Sun-Moon Empire for a few years.
I'm not worried about anything except your Holy Spirit Cult targeting him.
On account of this meal, can you keep your subordinates on a tighter leash?"
"At my age," he continued, "all I care about is the safety of my descendants.
Years ago, when I brought his mother to Shrek, I personally asked Mu En to look after her.
And what did I get back?
A cold corpse.
That still haunts me.
You, with your Dark Holy Dragon—you've still got limbs and breath. Don't turn out to be a disappointment like that cripple."
Long Xiaoyao chewed thoughtfully, savoring the meat.
"Relax. Just for this barbecue, if the Holy Spirit Cult lays hands on your grandson, I'll personally go in and get him out."
"Heh… now I'm reassured. Back in the day, your word was law. I trust you won't lie to this old man."
"Come on now, you're the strongest defensive-type soul master alive. With your Golden Black Tortoise Martial Soul, even I can't guarantee a win in a one-on-one. I'd be more worried about you going berserk."
"If I ever broke through to Ultimate Douluo," Xu Xiaoyun snorted, "not even you and Mu En together could take me down.
But I never managed it, alas.
I figure among our generation, Mu En will go first. Then Du Busi, then probably me.
You'll outlive us all."
"Doesn't the Xuanming Sect have that turtle breathing technique? Try harder—you might live another hundred years."
"Tch. What fun is burying yourself in dirt to 'turtle-breathe'?
Living too long gets lonely. Burying your own descendants is the worst feeling in the world...
Today, seeing an old friend again—it's been my happiest day in years.
If only you hadn't joined the Holy Spirit Cult…
Then I wouldn't have to send my bloodline to the Sun-Moon Empire."
Xu Xiaoyun spoke with a teasing tone, but his gaze was tinged with melancholy.
Long Xiaoyao's expression dimmed. A flicker of pain flashed in his eyes as he closed them, took a slow breath, then forced a smile.
"That little great-grandson of yours is a spirit-type soul master, isn't he? He's a good fit for studying soul tools.
With you backing him, he's bound to become a Titled Douluo.
And once a spirit-type Titled Douluo emerges, it's only a matter of time before he becomes a Super Douluo.
Among Sun-Moon's soul engineers, that would be unprecedented."
"If he's also talented with soul tools, he could even become a top-tier Class 9 soul engineer.
At that point, he might even be able to go toe-to-toe with you.
The Xu Clan would have a worthy successor."
Xu Xiaoyun thought to himself: Not just toe-to-toe—he might knock you flat.
But aloud, he scoffed:
"I'm no Xuanzi-tier trash. Aside from Kong Deming, who else in the Sun-Moon Empire can take me on solo?"
Long Xiaoyao pointed toward the sprawling campus not far away, an institution occupying the area of a small city.
"There's one—the Headmaster of Sun-Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, and current Hall Master of the Illustrious Virtue Hall, Jing Hongchen.
He couldn't outlast you in a drawn-out fight, but in a clash of techniques, he'd have a real shot."
"If it were Xuanzi facing him, with some distance between them… it'd be hard to say who'd win."
"Of course, people like him are rare even in the Sun-Moon Empire.
Besides him, there's Starlight Douluo Ye Yulin, and that's about it."
"Oh?" Xu Xiaoyun's eyes flashed. Interest piqued.
*If Tianxi were to enter the Sun-Moon Empire, the Royal Soul Engineering Academy would be the obvious destination.
If this Jing Hongchen is strong enough to deal with Xuanzi, then he's not to be underestimated.*
"Why would I lie to you?
The Academy's semester just started.
If you don't believe me, go see for yourself."
Long Xiaoyao grinned as he forked the last bite of grilled meat.
"Sounds good. I'll go check it out—call it a post-meal stroll."
Xu Xiaoyun dropped a gold soul coin card on the table, got up, and strode out of the restaurant.
"Hey! Aren't you taking your card?"
"Nah, call it my treat. I'm generous with friends."
Back at the table, Long Xiaoyao blinked, then sighed deeply.
"Even you're sending your descendants to the Sun-Moon Empire…
Seems my choices really did spell doom for the Three Nations."
"But what could I do?
The sins of the past are too heavy…
So heavy that all I can do is descend into this abyss alongside Xi Shui…"
Sun-Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, student quad.
A group of young boys and girls strolled about the field, chatting and gossiping.
"Hey, did you hear? We've got two peerless prodigies enrolling this year!"
"Only eight years old, and they've already reached Rank 20!
A pair of silver-haired siblings, super handsome and beautiful—way better than all those dark-skinned ones!"
"Everyone knows already! I heard it from Senior Li Sanshui, our resident gossip master.
They've got serious background—apparently, they're the headmaster's own grandchildren!"
"What?! But the headmaster looks so… chunky and jolly.
No way he has such good-looking grandkids."
A female student who had seen Jing Hongchen tried hard to reframe "short and fat" as "adorably dignified."
"Think about it," her friend said mysteriously.
"Their names—Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen—clearly from the Hongchen family.
You really think they're not related to the headmaster?"
"Plus, if Senior Li says it, it must be true.
He already proposed bumping Xiao Hongchen to #1 on the school's 'Campus Prince Ranking', replacing that Millennium Blue Silver Grass.
And Meng Hongchen's taking the #1 'Campus Belle' spot from the Silver Wolf."
"Well, if Li Sanshui said it… then I believe it."
This school had a strange tradition. Bored students voted on the "most attractive campus residents." The previous champs?
Campus Prince: Blue Silver Grass — too weak to be hunted for soul rings.
Campus Belle: Silver Wolf — a pet raised by a former headmaster, who had watched generations of students come and go.
Li Sanshui, the gossipy soul master with a fortune-telling-type martial soul, roamed between research labs and loved stoking drama.
Now that even the gossip crew took the Hongchen siblings seriously, their status was all but confirmed.
"Word is, their entrance exam stats were terrifying.
Their scores on the Soul Tool Analyzer and Strength Tester both came back with metrics matching a Soul Elder!"
"Wow! They might be the next Super Douluo the Sun-Moon Empire's been waiting for!"
Off in the distance, Xu Xiaoyun's ears perked. His eyes lit up.
"Soul Tool Analyzer… Strength Tester…?
Great stuff.
Perfect for Tianxi."
"Rank 20 at eight years old—even if that's pill-assisted, it's an extraordinary foundation.
Changfeng said the Hongchen family are one of the Empire's top noble houses.
Seems like a promising ally…"
Half an hour later, Headmaster Jing Hongchen's office.
The door burst open as a flustered Dean Lin Jiayi stormed in.
"Headmaster! Bad news—our Academy's been robbed!"
"Pffffft—!"
Jing Hongchen, calmly sipping tea while reviewing lesson plans for his grandchildren, spat his drink all over Lin Jiayi, then slammed his desk in fury.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!
Who's got the balls to rob our Academy?!"