After the Shrek team had cleaned up the aftermath of the chaos, exhausted and still shaken, and after Princess Xu Jiujiu had formally expressed the royal family's condolences and departed, a subtle ripple of soul power, accompanied by steady footsteps, echoed at the entrance to the hotel lobby.
A tall, elegant middle-aged man with an aura of quiet authority entered, flanked by Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.
Jing Hongchen adjusted his gold-rimmed spectacles—and instantly, his gaze locked onto the retreating Shrek group, especially the pale-faced Gu La, who was being gently supported at the center of their formation.
His eyes swept over the damaged, still-smoldering lobby, the grim expressions of the Shrek team, then settled firmly on Gu La. A perfectly measured smile touched his lips.
"It seems I've arrived at a most opportune moment. You must be Elder Xuan. A pleasure to finally meet you."
Elder Xuan, still seething from recent events, gave him a cold, dismissive glance.
"Sun Moon Empire? I've no time for idle chatter. If you have something to say, say it. If not—leave."
Jing Hongchen's smile froze. His expression turned serious.
"I am Jing Hongchen. Since you speak plainly, I shall do the same. I've heard your academy possesses a peculiar soul guidance device. Might I be permitted to examine it?"
Beside him, Xiao Hongchen's gaze bypassed Elder Xuan entirely, fixed unblinkingly on Gu La—his eyes burning with fierce, unquenchable battle lust.
Meng Hongchen's eyes flickered between Gu La and Wang Dong, curiosity and a faint, almost imperceptible concern dancing in her gaze.
Elder Xuan's brow tightened. He studied this unexpected visitor—especially the calculating, ambitious gleam behind those spectacles—and his wariness surged once more.
Just moments ago, they'd dealt with evil soul masters and the Xingluo royalty—and now, the Sun Moon Empire's greatest soul guidance device magnate himself walks in? What a day.
Gu La met Jing Hongchen's gaze without expression. He knew well: Sun Moon's soul guidance device technology, while advanced, still lagged far behind the future. Only a handful of elite Rank Nine Soul Engineers—those with truly personal, signature creations—stood apart. And their works? Even in ten thousand years, they would still be revered.
"The Evolution Watch was stolen by three Evil Super Douluos," Gu La said flatly. "If you're interested, go hunt them down and take it back."
Elder Xuan didn't even spare Jing Hongchen another glance. He waved a dismissive hand.
"Let's go. Find another hotel. This place reeks of bad fortune."
With the entire Shrek team—including Ma Xiaotao, still pale, and Gu La, calm as ever—passing right by Jing Hongchen and his grandchildren, they left without a backward glance, walking away from the ruined hotel like a storm rolling off a mountain.
Jing Hongchen stood motionless, watching their retreating backs. His face shifted between suspicion and calculation. Behind him, Xiao Hongchen whispered urgently, "Grandfather, they—"
Jing Hongchen raised a hand, halting him.
His sharp eyes scanned the shattered walls, the lingering traces of residual soul power, the faint but unmistakable taint of dark, evil energy still clinging to the air.
This was no ordinary clash. The chaos, Elder Xuan's raw fury, Xiao Hongchen's earlier report of "hostages being controlled"—all pointed to one truth.
He believed it with 70% accuracy.
"Hmph. The Holy Spirit Cult… always lurking in the shadows, ruining my plans!" He seethed inwardly. He'd traveled a thousand miles for that device—only to have it snatched by a pack of underground demons. Had he come for nothing?
His gaze lingered on the corner where Gu La had vanished. For a fleeting second, he considered calling out—demanding the core technical principles behind the Evolution Watch.
But reason crushed the impulse.
The Sun Moon Empire and the Three Nations were locked in mortal rivalry. Shrek Academy was Sun Moon's #1 enemy in the Soul Master world.
As the Hall Master of Mingde Hall, a high-ranking imperial minister—going to a Shrek prodigy and asking for his core technology?
It was madness. A humiliation. A diplomatic catastrophe waiting to happen.
"Grandfather, what do we do now? Should we pursue those evil soul masters?"
Xiao Hongchen's eyes burned with defiance—not just anger at the Holy Spirit Cult's interference, but a desperate, burning hunger to understand that device.
Jing Hongchen slowly shook his head, a faint, enigmatic smile returning to his lips.
"No. Searching for them in this vast land is like looking for a needle in the ocean."
What he didn't say: the Sun Moon imperial throne had been seized through treachery—with covert backing from powerful noble houses and the Holy Spirit Cult itself.
The Cult's true roots, their deepest network, lay buried within Sun Moon's own borders.
Better to return home, wait, and use the Empire's intelligence apparatus to track them—than to stumble blindly through Xingluo.
As a minister of the Sun Moon court, he had channels few could imagine.
"Let's go," Jing Hongchen said, regaining his composure. "The finals are postponed for three days. Perfect. I'll stay to watch them with you before we leave."
His gaze drifted toward the direction of the finals arena—deep, thoughtful. Perhaps, on that stage, he'd see the boy named Gu La activate a new Evolution Watch? Even that would be invaluable intelligence.
—
The next day, Princess Xu Jiujiu arrived alone at Shrek's new hotel, bypassing all protocol, and sought out Gu La.
After the chaos of the previous night, Gu La had briefly explained to both the Shrek team and Xu Jiujiu that he needed to rebuild his own Evolution Watch—and that he could, as a gesture, produce two additional units for the Xingluo Empire as the first step of a potential trade.
In a quiet reception room, Xu Jiujiu removed several sealed metal crates and a jade box pulsing with faint soul power from her storage soul guidance device.
"Gu La, these are the rare metals you requested—each type and quantity prepared at a hundredfold of your original list."
She gestured to the crates, then carefully opened the jade box. Inside rested dozens of seeds—each shaped differently, each glowing with faint, unique luminescence or radiating subtle energy.
"These are the rarest and most endangered plant seeds the royal vaults and emergency requisitions could gather. All available specimens are here. The common seeds will take longer to collect."
Finally, she withdrew a single bone—sharp, gleaming with golden radiance, shaped like a miniature fang.
"This is a complete ten-thousand-year Sword-Biting Tiger left arm bone. Top-grade quality. It will serve as the core."
Gu La examined each item methodically.
The metals? Perfectly matched. The quantities? Vast enough to fuel decades of experimentation.
The seeds? Not every one was the ultimate treasure he desired—but the variety was astonishing. Several were rare enough to make his pulse quicken.
And the Sword-Biting Tiger bone? Pure, razor-edged golden energy, perfectly preserved. A true masterpiece among ten-thousand-year bones.
He lifted it gently, his spiritual power slipping into its core, tracing the intricate pathways of soul power and structural integrity.
After a long moment, he set it down.
"This bone is intact. Its golden energy is exceptionally pure. Using my method to divide it and serve as the core energy source—it can yield five Evolution Watches."
Xu Jiujiu's eyes lit up. One ten-thousand-year Soul Bone for five strategic-grade soul guidance devices? This was a bargain beyond measure.
Then Gu La's next words chilled her joy.
"But one of them I must retain. As core material to rebuild my own Evolution Watch. So you will receive four."
Xu Jiujiu drew a slow, controlled breath, suppressing the flicker of irritation. After all, he'd agreed to rebuild hers—and he held the sole key to this technology.
She nodded. "Understood. Can we begin now? May I… observe?"
Her voice held barely concealed curiosity. She longed to witness the miracle of its creation.
"Do as you please," Gu La replied, as if discussing the weather.
"But let me be clear: Sword-Biting Tigers are pure Metal-type beasts. The Evolution Watch crafted from their bone is designed to enhance the innate Metal attributes of Metal-type Soul Masters—or to strengthen feline-type Soul Beasts—cats, tigers, leopards, etc.—granting them some of the Sword-Biting Tiger's razor-sharp qualities."
He paused, his tone turning stern.
"Forcing it upon incompatible attributes or wildly dissimilar forms, and the consequences range from diminished results and wasted bone essence… to dangerous martial soul mutations."
He locked eyes with her.
"Worst case? The bone's Metal energy corrupts the martial soul's origin. A 'genetic contamination'—triggering martial soul conflict, even violent backlash. If that happens? Don't hold me accountable for that."
Xu Jiujiu's brows knitted. The restrictions were tighter than she'd feared. The Star Crown Sect's legacy was a top-tier Spirit with astral attributes, which did not align with the metal attribute.
"I understand. I will select users with extreme care."
"Good."
Gu La said no more. He followed her to a specially prepared, heavily fortified forge chamber—equipped with state-of-the-art tools, built for the royal family's most sensitive projects.
The air inside was searing. At its center stood a forge of legendary craftsmanship. Gu La stepped to the anvil, ignoring Xu Jiujiu's presence in the corner.
He thought—and two hammers appeared in his hands.
Ancient in design, their surfaces flowed with a deep crimson glow, as if alive with a slow, rhythmic pulse.
His Soul-Refined Hammers. They hovered just short of the mythical Heavenly-Refined tier—but they were far beyond ordinary Spirit-Refined tools.
He began shaping the metal casing.
His movements were fluid, powerful, infused with an almost musical rhythm.
The molten metal bent beneath his blows like clay, forming intricate, impossibly precise components with effortless grace.
Yet any true forging master watching would have seen the truth: Gu La's technique, while flawless and efficient, lacked the soul—the sacrifice, the passion—that turned metal into art.
He was merely completing the necessary shaping and basic tempering. The resulting casings barely crossed the threshold of Spirit-Refined grade. He was not unleashing the true potential of his hammers.
Xu Jiujiu, an outsider to forging, saw only spectacle: dancing hammerblows, showers of sparks, raw power made beautiful.
She watched, entranced—unaware Gu La was holding back. He had no intention of crafting Soul-Refined casings. The Xingluo Empire couldn't afford it.
Still, Spirit-Refined casings were more than sufficient to contain Soul Bone energy.
Soon, the casing—perfectly shaped for the Sword-Biting Tiger bone—was complete.
Gu La retrieved a laser-cutting device of exquisite precision, its core humming with soul guidance device energy.
Under Xu Jiujiu's pained gaze, the million-credit ten-thousand-year Sword-Biting Tiger bone was sliced with clinical coldness into five distinct core components.
"…Sssss…" She couldn't help but gasp. Such a perfect bone—destroyed like this?!
Gu La ignored her. With practiced speed, he embedded each fragment into its designated slot within the metal casing.
Then he withdrew a small vial of viscous, iridescent liquid—infused with Mega Evolution energy.
Using a specialized engraving needle, he dipped it lightly and began etching.
His movements were blindingly fast—too swift for the naked eye to follow. Each stroke traced a complex, invisible array—designed to guide, resonate, and amplify the Soul's core energy.
Xu Jiujiu's eyes widened—but she saw only motion, a blur of silver light. She understood nothing.
When the engravings were done, Gu La assembled the remaining parts with practiced efficiency.
Five identical, dark-gold wristwatches appeared on the forge table—each bearing a stylized tiger-head emblem at its center.
He picked one up, sinking his spiritual power into its core. From a future-vision perspective, he swiftly verified the energy flow and activation arrays.
No defects.
"All done. Take them." He sheathed his hammers, pointing to the four remaining watches.
"Already?!" Xu Jiujiu gasped, staring at the four faintly glowing devices.
From start to finish—less than half a day.
In her world, creating even a high-grade soul guidance device, let alone a weapon capable of evolving a Soul, took months—or years.
Half a day? It shattered every belief she held.
Gu La glanced at her, voice calm as ever.
"I told you: the Soul Bone is the core energy source and the key. The casing? Just a vessel. The technique is in my mind. When you master it, speed comes naturally. Otherwise… why do you think I agreed so quickly?"
His tone carried the quiet arrogance of a man who had already priced the transaction in resources, not time.
Xu Jiujiu was momentarily speechless—but the overwhelming joy drowned out any lingering resentment.
Carefully, she placed the four Evolution Watches into a specially crafted jade box designed to block detection, bowed to Gu La, and hurried out—racing toward the imperial palace.
She had to present these four artifacts—capable of reshaping the empire's future—to her brother, the Emperor, at once.
—
Deep within the heavily guarded imperial training grounds of the Xingluo Palace.
Emperor Xu Jiawei, several solemn royal venerables, and top military commanders—all present except Duke Dai Hao, who'd sent his most trusted aide in his stead—stared at the jade box in Xu Jiujiu's hands.
She took a deep breath, opened it, revealing the four dark-gold Evolution Watches.
She recited Gu La's warnings verbatim.
"Metal-type? Feline Souls?"
Xu Jiawei frowned. The Star Crown Soul was undeniably powerful—but Stellar-attribute Soul Bones were incredibly rare. And if one were found… why not absorb it directly?
But as Emperor, he saw the bigger picture.
"Irrelevant. Our empire is vast. We have countless Metal-type Soul Masters and powerful feline Soul beasts. Bring in testers."
Four elite Soul Masters were summoned to the center of the arena: two Soul Emperors with Metal-type Battle Soul Masters—Martial Souls: the Armor-Piercing Spear and the Adamantine Shield—and two Soul Kings with feline martial souls—Fierce Wind Tiger and Ironclad Tiger.
Under the Emperor's command, they stepped forward, hearts pounding with hope and dread, and each slipped on one Evolution Watch.
As soul power flowed into the tiger-head emblem—
Buzz!
Four blades of razor-sharp golden light erupted from the watches—solid streams of golden energy wrapping around each soul master like living armor.
The two Metal-type Soul Masters surged with piercing, cutting aura.
The Armor-Piercing Spear's blade extended a full foot, blazing with blinding gold—capable of piercing through mountains.
The Adamantine Shield's surface rippled with intricate tiger stripes. Its defensive power visibly spiked; its edges now gleamed with metallic, cutting brilliance.
Their innate Metal soul power became hyperactive, purified, every movement accompanied by the shriek of shearing air and the unyielding weight of unbreakable steel.
The feline Soul Masters changed even more dramatically.
The Fierce Wind Tiger user's spectral tiger roared, its body swelling, its fur darkened to a metallic gold. Its claws extended, now glinting with the cold sheen of forged steel. Wind blades now carried shards of razor-edged metal.
The Ironclad Tiger user let out a low, guttural roar. His armored scales expanded, overlapping like living blades. His entire aura became more ferocious, more aggressive—his defense now carried a lethal, retaliatory edge.
"Excellent! Excellent! EXCELLENT!" One of the hot-tempered retainers roared, eyes blazing brightly.
Even Emperor Xu Jiawei smiled—but his gaze remained cold, calculating.
"Record everything," he ordered. "soul power fluctuations. Attack power. Defense metrics. Speed. Every variable. Detail every change."
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