Anger Born of Shame, the Beast God Descends
As soon as these words fell, Xuanzi fell silent for a brief moment. His expression gradually darkened, and he said coldly:
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Enough," Yuhao replied indifferently. "There's no one else here besides you and me. Who are you pretending for?"
Yuhao's tone was filled with undisguised sarcasm and contempt.
This old dog clearly harbored killing intent the moment Yuhao refused to join Shrek Academy, yet he still insisted on wearing a righteous and dignified mask.
That hypocrisy made Yuhao feel sick to his stomach.
Seeing Yuhao's expression, Xuanzi let out a soft sigh, feigning helplessness, and slowly said:
"Boy, I've already shown you such sincerity in inviting you to join Shrek Academy. Why are you still determined to join the Noumenon Sect?"
Sincerity?
Did a mere quota as a core disciple of the outer courtyard count as sincerity?
Yuhao sneered and replied coldly:
"Whether I join or not has nothing to do with you. There's no need for you to interfere where you don't belong."
"Of course it concerns me."
Xuanzi's voice suddenly rose several degrees as he spoke righteously:
"The Noumenon Sect is an existence that stands between good and evil. For its own selfish interests, it has repeatedly stirred chaos on the continent. If you join it, you'll definitely be influenced by them and eventually become an unstable and dangerous factor on the Douluo Continent."
"For the future peace of the continent," Xuanzi said solemnly, "I can only strangle you while you're still in the cradle."
As he spoke, Xuanzi even revealed a pained expression, as if killing Yuhao was a decision he was forced to make.
This only caused Yuhao to burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! How laughable," Yuhao said mockingly. "If the Noumenon Sect is really as evil as you claim, then who was it that helped Shrek Academy withstand the beast tide years ago?"
"This… that was because the beast tide itself was caused by the Noumenon Sect!"
Xuanzi replied hastily, his gaze flickering.
"Lie!"
Others might not know the truth, but Yuhao knew it very clearly.
That beast tide had originated from the Star Dou Forest, caused by the struggle among the kings of soul beasts over the origin power of the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm.
Yet now this old dog dared to shift that blame onto the Noumenon Sect.
He was truly cut from the same cloth as that so-called "pure and righteous" Sea God Tang.
"So in the end," Yuhao said coldly, "you invited me to join Shrek Academy, then developed killing intent toward me—not for the so-called peace of the continent, but because of Shrek Academy's status."
"You're afraid of my growth. You're afraid that once I mature, the Noumenon Sect behind me will threaten Shrek Academy's so-called position as the number one academy."
Yuhao sneered deeply.
"Xuan Laogou, tell me—how much of what I just said is false?"
"No," Xuanzi denied without hesitation. "My sincerity can be witnessed by the sun and moon. I have no choice but to kill you, all for the peace of the continent."
As expected of a veteran who had lived for hundreds of years—he showed not the slightest fluctuation when lying.
The reason Xuanzi had personally rushed to Tiandou City was simple.
With Yuhao's terrifying talent, once he joined the Noumenon Sect, he would undoubtedly become a peak powerhouse of the continent within ten years.
At that time, Shrek Academy's title as the "Number One Academy of the Continent" would inevitably be shaken.
Therefore, for Shrek Academy, Yuhao—who had yet to fully grow—had to be eliminated.
Of course, if Yuhao were willing to join Shrek Academy, that would have been even better.
It was just a pity that Xuanzi himself was too stingy, believing that a mere outer courtyard core disciple quota was an irresistible temptation.
Looking at Xuan Laogou, who was still acting self-righteous, Yuhao finally lost his patience and said:
"Fine. Then I won't join the Noumenon Sect. You can let me go now."
"Ah… this…"
Xuanzi was completely caught off guard and was momentarily speechless.
He had already made up his mind that even if Yuhao agreed not to join the Noumenon Sect, he could never let him leave alive.
After all, if Yuhao exposed everything that had happened here, not only would his own reputation be ruined, Shrek Academy's ten-thousand-year legacy would also be stained beyond repair.
Therefore, no matter what, Yuhao could only die here.
"Hmph," Yuhao snorted coldly. "The words you used to criticize the Noumenon Sect are more suitable for your Shrek Academy."
"What a sharp-tongued brat," Xuanzi said coldly. "Even if you speak the truth, you must still die today!"
Unable to refute Yuhao any longer, Xuanzi finally tore off all pretense.
As he spoke, his martial soul instantly possessed him. Horns emerged from his head, his teeth turned sharp, his limbs thickened, and his entire body transformed into the terrifying Taotie Sacred Ox. Dense yellow soul power churned violently around his hands.
"Die!"
With a furious roar, Xuanzi appeared above Yuhao in an instant, and his massive hand mixed with terrifying yellow energy slammed downward.
This palm strike contained the full power of a level ninety-eight Super Douluo, aimed directly at Yuhao's head, intending to kill him in a single blow.
Yet Yuhao showed no panic at all in the face of this deadly attack.
Because at the exact moment Xuanzi's palm was about to descend, a pitch-black dragon scale silently appeared before Yuhao.
This was precisely the reverse scale Emperor Tian had given him when they parted.
Boom!
Accompanied by a deafening explosion, vast amounts of black energy erupted from the dragon scale, instantly enveloping Yuhao completely.
Xuanzi's palm landed heavily on the black energy barrier.
At first, he thought this was merely Yuhao's final struggle.
But the instant his palm made contact, his expression changed drastically.
Not only did his attack fail to disperse the black energy, but his soul power was instead forcibly drawn out, as if sucked away by an invisible vortex.
In just a few breaths, Xuanzi felt that nearly ten percent of his soul power had been devoured.
You had to understand—he was a level ninety-eight Super Douluo. Even ten percent of his soul power far exceeded Yuhao's entire cultivation.
Xuanzi immediately activated his martial soul true form, forcefully breaking free from the black energy's pull.
After retreating some distance, he exclaimed in shock:
"What kind of power is this?!"
Before his words had fully fallen, a deafening dragon roar echoed through the forest.
Roar—!
Along with the dragon's roar, a massive, ferocious dragon claw extended out of the black mist, reaching toward Xuanzi, who was more than ten meters away.
Even though Xuanzi had already entered his martial soul true form and his body had expanded enormously, he still looked as fragile as a chick before that dragon claw.
"This aura…!"
Xuanzi's pupils contracted violently.
"Beast God—Emperor Tian!"
Sensing the overwhelmingly dark and ancient aura emanating from the dragon claw, Xuanzi was utterly horrified.
He dared not hold back any longer and instantly erupted with his full strength, injecting all his level ninety-eight soul power into his martial soul avatar, causing it to expand even further.
"Break for me!"
Xuanzi roared, and the dark-yellow power of Taotie surged violently, barely allowing him to break free from Di Tian's grasp.
Without daring to pause for even a second, he turned around and fled desperately.
However, the moment he turned, a tall and slender blond man suddenly appeared before him.
His features were handsome yet sinister, and a pair of golden vertical pupils radiated supreme nobility and indifference.
He was the ruler of the Star Dou Forest—
The Beast God, Di Tian.
At this moment, Di Tian's anger had reached its peak. The violent fluctuations of his emotions caused terrifying dark energy to spill outward, distorting the surrounding space and even showing faint signs of collapse.
There was only one reason for his rage.
A human had dared to attack his master—
And it had happened within the Star Dou Forest.
"Despicable human," Di Tian said coldly. "You deserve death."
As he spoke, Di Tian raised his right hand. Dragon scales rapidly covered it as it expanded, finally transforming into a colossal dragon claw.
Multicolored divine light flowed across the black dragon scales, elevating Di Tian's aura to an even more terrifying level.
Even Yuhao's heart couldn't help but tremble upon seeing this claw.
Because this was not an ordinary dragon claw—
It was a divine weapon once bestowed upon Di Tian by the Dragon God himself.