"Xiaoyao… Xishui… it's been a long time."
Mu En's eyes flickered with complex emotion—nostalgia, sorrow, regret.
His sigh carried far more than words. Long Xiaoyao and Ye Xishui heard it clearly: How time changes everything.
"Yes… far too long," Long Xiaoyao murmured, hands clasped behind his back, lost in melancholy.
He understood Mu En's unspoken question—Why have you allied yourself with evil soul masters?
Truth be told, he didn't want to fight. But…
"Hah—! Who cares about 'long time'!"
Ye Xishui's voice cut through like a blade, silencing Long Xiaoyao's unspoken thoughts. Her glare burned into Mu En like that of a scorned lover betrayed. "Mu En! Our bond was severed over a century ago! Now that you're here—you die today!"
Mu En's wrinkled brow furrowed slightly—but his expression remained unchanged. He barely spared Ye Xishui a glance, his gaze fixed on Long Xiaoyao, waiting for his old friend's answer.
What he got was only—
"Sigh…"
That single breath told Mu En everything.
"Wait—so this Long Xiaoyao is the Dragon Emperor Douluo, one of the Twin Holy Dragons?" Gu Tianchen muttered below, finally piecing it together. "He doesn't look like a legendary hero—he looks like a pathetic simp! A mega-simp!"
Chen Junting, hearing this, couldn't help but give a thumbs-up. "Old Gu, you've got guts! That's really something to say out loud."
But honestly? The description was spot-on.
Someone who abandons their conscience—or crushes their own morality—for "love"? That wasn't just simping. In Chen Junting's eyes, it was no different from those who'd destroy heavens, earth, and all living things for their beloved.
"Brat! How dare you slander the Grand Worship!"
Zhang Peng roared, launching himself forward in fury. To him, the Grand Worship was a figure of utmost reverence—how dare this punk speak of her so lightly?!
"Zhang Peng—your opponent is me!"
Xian Lin'er cried out, spear already thrusting! She had no interest in fighting Yan Shaozhe's ex ex… whatever.
"Yan Shaozhe—die!"
Feng Ling shrieked, her body a blur of violet light. Behind her trailed ghostly phoenix afterimages. Her hand morphed into a massive claw, slashing straight for Yan Shaozhe's skull.
Yan Shaozhe flickered aside—battle joined.
"Mu En—today, you all die here!"
Ye Xishui's voice, cold and dripping with killing intent, echoed across the plain. Her silhouette erupted—twelve blood-red wings unfurling, surrounded by six black and three crimson soul rings: a terrifying display.
"Xiaoyao, I won't force you," she said, voice suddenly softer—but no less deadly. "If you won't fight, then don't. I'll kill Mu En myself."
The moment she finished speaking, a tide of sinister energy surged outward. Crimson light warped the sky, twisted space, and choked the air.
Her blood claw shot toward Mu En's head!
Mu En didn't hesitate. If they were fighting, he wouldn't hold back! Anyone threatening Shrek Academy had to be eradicated—and especially not a pack of unforgivable evil soul masters!
In an instant—Light Holy Dragon soared skyward!
A single dragon's roar—and the blood claw dissolved.
But then—a streak of blood-red energy radiated from Ye Xishui, blanketing the battlefield. Every soul master within, including Mu En, felt its oppressive weight.
Her domain.
Mu En's face stayed calm—but his heart sank. After all these years, Ye Xishui had grown even more formidable.
If he died without eliminating this threat…
…it would bring endless disaster!
"ROOOAR—!"
Dragon Emperor Suppression Domain!
A golden ring expanded, pushing back the blood-red domain while ensnaring Ye Xishui within. Above it, a colossal dragon head loomed—majestic, proud. Countless Golden Holy Dragons materialized, weaving through the golden aura like living blades of light.
Then—almost unnoticed—
A sliver of black light flashed.
Long Xiaoyao, focused on the battle, missed it entirely.
Swish—!
Chen Junting opened his palm. The black light settled there.
It was a black dragon scale.
"What's this?"
"Di Tian's reverse scale."
Back at Hao Tian Fortress, Chen Junting had already sent secret intelligence to both Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Shrek Academy—claiming he'd extracted from the captured evil soul master Title Douluo that the Holy Spirit Cult and Sun Moon Empire were collaborating, and that Limit Douluos might ambush the exchange team after the program ended.
But to Shrek, he'd added one crucial request: In my name, ask Di Tian for one intervention—to trap them like fish in a barrel.
This scale was the token he'd received as proof of that deal.
"Perfect," Chen Junting muttered. "Both of the Holy Spirit Cult's top fighters are here."
He infused the scale with soul power, activating it.
Originally, he'd expected only Long Xiaoyao to show up—enough to eliminate him cleanly. As for whether Long Xiaoyao might show mercy…
Does it matter? If he's fighting on their side—even holding back—he's still fighting. Hoping a Limit Douluo shows restraint is a fool's dream. Better to send him straight to the underworld. At least then, he won't tie up our top-tier forces.
And if Ye Xishui went berserk?
Let her. She'll only wreak havoc on the Sun Moon Empire.
If she ever dared strike Shrek or Nine Treasure Glazed directly? Even better—give Di Tian another reason to wipe out this "Death God Douluo."
But now? Both were here.
Even better—saves us a future favor from Di Tian.
Meanwhile—
"Are you still not fighting?!"
Frustrated by Mu En's resilience, Ye Xishui lashed out, her fury turning on Long Xiaoyao.
Until…
"Xiaoyao… help me. Just this once."
Her whisper pierced his soul.
Guilt filled his eyes as he looked at Mu En.
"Old friend… I'm sorry," he said softly. "But I promise—though you may die, as long as I live, Shrek Academy will never fall."
Under Ye Xishui's fierce glare, Long Xiaoyao steeled his resolve.
The next second—terrifying soul power exploded!
A hundreds-of-meters-long Dark Holy Dragon roared into the sky behind him.
Now, the heavens blazed with gold, black, and crimson.
Black and red united—slowly overwhelming the golden light.
"Mu En—your time is up!"
Ye Xishui struck—her blood sea crashing down like a tsunami! Long Xiaoyao, though pained, unleashed endless darkness—his claw lashing out alongside hers.
"TEACHER!" ×2
Xian Lin'er and Yan Shaozhe cried in alarm—
Then—
Roooooooar—!
A dragon's roar—deeper, older, heavier than any before—shattered the battlefield.
A ring of pitch-black energy expanded, cutting between the three Limit Douluos. The moment space tore open, both attacks were swallowed whole.
"Two against one? Humans… truly shameless."
A voice—low, majestic, dripping with contempt—rolled from every direction.
Then, its tone sharpened:
"And six black, three red soul rings? Six ten-thousand-year soul beasts, three hundred-thousand-year ones? Such ambition… I'd love to 'discuss' this with you."
Each word vibrated through the air. The blood-red domain collapsed instantly. Long Xiaoyao's darkness—like a lesser beast facing its sovereign—dissolved without a fight.
From the rift, a black dragon claw emerged—reaching toward Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao.
Thunderous dragon roars echoed as space before them shattered. The colossal claw—like the hand of judgment itself—loomed over them, grasping down.
Both Limit Douluos paled. They met the claw together—blocking it, but at the cost of fracturing the surrounding space.
Then—a figure stepped through the rift.
He glanced at Mu En, slightly disheveled, and said flatly:
"You're weak."
Mu En didn't take offense. He met the newcomer's gaze—and on his ancient face, a faint smile appeared.
"Thank you, Beast God, for your intervention."
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)