If even the Blue Silver Emperor is considered an evil spirit…
"Then the ancestor of the Tang Sect was also an evil soul master—and your Shrek is the true den of evil!"
Tang Ya summoned her Blue Silver Emperor martial soul.
The Divine Pure Land had long purified the dark attribute that once tainted her martial soul. Her martial soul had completely evolved into a pure Blue Silver Emperor.
Ever since its evolution, her cultivation speed had grown exponentially.
A year ago, she had only just advanced to the Soul Elder realm.
Now, she possessed Level 38 soul power—only a step away from becoming a Soul Ancestor.
"It actually evolved…"
Zhang Lexuan's eyes widened in astonishment.
She had once heard from the elders of the Sea God Pavilion that Tang Feng possessed the ability to evolve other people's martial souls.
Their desire to keep Tang Feng back then was not only to heal Mu En's old injuries, but also to cure Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire Phoenix backlash.
Yan Shaozhe had even openly stated that he was willing to marry Ma Xiaotao to Tang Feng to strengthen relations between the two sides.
"Tao Tie Douluo, cease this nonsense!"
"Tang Feng grew up under my watch. Are you saying I, too, am an evil soul master?"
Xu Jiawei immediately stepped forward in defense.
Strictly speaking, Tang Feng had grown up under his protection. Yet Xuan Zi had dared to accuse him of being an evil soul master in front of hundreds of thousands of Star Luo citizens.
If Xu Jiawei did not clarify matters immediately, Shrek Academy's prestige alone might be enough to twist black into white.
"He devours my soul power and life force! If that's not an evil soul master, what is?!"
After being stripped of his Spirit Bones, Xuan Zi's body changed instantly.
The hundred-thousand-year Spirit Ring beneath his feet dimmed.
His originally graying hair turned completely white. Wrinkles spread across his skin, resembling Mu En in his final years.
"You are young, yet your heart is vicious!"
"You robbed this old man of his Spirit Bones—and even stole my soul power and life force!"
His soul power plummeted violently.
He had just broken through to Level 96.
Now he had fallen out of the Titled Douluo ranks, left with only Level 85 soul power.
The once-mighty Tao Tie Douluo had fallen to the same level as Zhang Lexuan.
"Xuan Zi, it seems Shrek Academy's education is nothing special after all."
"A dignified elder of the Sea God Pavilion doesn't even know that every time a Titled Douluo loses a Spirit Bone, their cultivation drops by ten levels."
"If I hadn't used my Ultimate Life martial soul to replenish your origin, you would have fallen into an ordinary mortal."
"As for your declining vitality—that's simply because with weaker strength, your lifespan shortens accordingly."
Tang Feng's voice echoed across Star Luo Square.
With a flick of his Blue Silver Grass, he swept the six Spirit Bones into his storage soul tool.
"Tang Feng…"
Zhang Lexuan wanted to say something.
But before she could finish, Tang Feng cut her off.
"No need to speak further. This is the price Xuan Zi pays for attacking me. Keep your dog's head intact—I will personally crush it one day."
He waved his hand and stepped down from the competition stage.
The battle was already over.
The winner was the Star Luo Royal Academy.
And so the matter ended abruptly. Shrek Academy made no further move.
With Xuan Zi reduced to Level 85, Shrek now only had Xian Lin'er remaining at peak combat strength. She no longer dared to act impulsively.
She still had to protect the children.
If she too were crippled, they might be assassinated by the Sun Moon Empire the moment they left Star Luo City—never to return to Shrek.
"I'll send word to Shaozhe immediately and have him come to Star Luo City in person."
Xian Lin'er was deeply worried.
In her letter, she detailed the day's events to Yan Shaozhe.
Especially how Elder Xuan had once again clashed with Tang Feng, losing six Spirit Bones and dropping to the Soul Douluo level.
"Dean Xian, I'm stepping out for a while."
Zhang Lexuan settled Bei Bei's body properly.
She left the Star Emperor Hotel alone and headed toward the Princess Manor to meet Tang Feng.
After all, she had raised Bei Bei since childhood.
She could not simply do nothing.
She had carefully examined the wounds.
Although his heart had been pierced, the life force within his body had not dissipated.
…
Late at night.
Inside the Star Luo Princess Manor.
Zhang Lexuan moved openly across the rooftops, searching for Tang Feng.
With Gu Yuena present, concealing her movements was impossible anyway.
"Senior Sister, visiting at midnight—what brings you here?"
Tang Feng opened the door.
Zhang Lexuan leapt down from the roof, entered the room, and shut the door behind her.
"Tang Feng, you must have a way to revive Bei Bei… right?"
She did not beat around the bush.
She had come here for one reason—to ask Tang Feng to bring Bei Bei back to life.
After all, Tang Feng had once killed Ma Xiaotao, yet still revived her.
"Why should I save someone who will one day entangle himself with my sister?"
Tang Feng remained seated.
He did have feelings for his Senior Sister, but that did not mean he would help her unconditionally.
He had already anticipated that Zhang Lexuan would come to him.
"I can guarantee that after Bei Bei is revived, he will have nothing to do with your sister."
Zhang Lexuan spoke seriously.
Compared to Mu En's grand designs, she cared far more about Bei Bei's life than about whether he could ride Tang Feng's coattails and ascend to godhood in the future.
Mu En's meticulous planning was based on one assumption:
That Tang Feng would ascend with Tang Ya.
And that Tang Ya's lover would also be brought into the Divine Realm.
As for the restriction on how many people a god could take with them?
For a God King–level existence, there were always ways to maneuver around such limitations.
"You cannot control a person's heart."
Tang Feng shook his head.
He did not believe Zhang Lexuan could truly restrain Bei Bei's feelings.
If she could, she would not have ended up with her engagement annulled—caught in a dilemma despite being his childhood fiancée.
"I can give you my word."
"If I fail to restrain him, I will repay you with my life."
Zhang Lexuan was physically and mentally exhausted.
Within the Sea God Pavilion, she was merely a figurehead Pavilion Master.
Very few actually listened to her.
Xuan Zi still held enormous influence.
Whenever there was a mess to clean up—especially anything involving Tang Feng—she was the one sent to handle it.
"Senior Sister, have you ever considered something?"
"If Mu En could attract evil soul masters and cause the Tang Sect's destruction…"
"Then your clan's annihilation may also be connected to Shrek in some way."
"After all, your Silver Moon martial soul is the Sun Moon Empire's most supreme imperial bloodline martial soul."
Tang Feng had long harbored suspicions about past events.
The very name "Sun Moon Empire" originated from the Sun and Moon martial souls.
Was it truly all a coincidence?
"What are you implying?"
Zhang Lexuan's body stiffened.
In the past, she had never doubted Mu En.
In her eyes, he was a kind and benevolent elder—and he had avenged her family's massacre.
But after witnessing another side of Mu En, doubt had taken root.
She simply feared confronting the possibility.
"Senior Sister, let's go to the Sun Moon Empire together and seek confirmation from Kong Deming."
"He possesses the same martial soul as you. Perhaps there truly exists some shared lineage between you."
Tang Feng was only speculating.
The truth still required verification.
Shrek Academy always claimed neutrality—standing apart from the three empires and refusing to interfere in political matters.
They had not even intervened in the Tang Sect's decline.
So why would Shrek violate its ancestral principles to destroy another great aristocratic power—for Zhang Lexuan?
What was the real reason?