Douluo Jueshi: Who let him join Shrek!

Chapter 648 Going West? As you wish!
Even though this is the venue for a major competition, and there are hundreds of thousands of spectators around, a battle between him and Zhongli Wu, two super strong individuals, here would cause huge casualties.

But if Zhong Liwu really dares to rush onto the competition stage, then Jiang Ming is really willing to take action on the spot!
As for the casualties resulting from their fight, that's not something he should be concerned about.

If you can't even protect your own people, then caring about the lives of outsiders is a foolish thing to do!
Zhong Liwu stood on the platform, gazing at Jiang Ming in the audience. His personality flaws as an evil soul master were immediately exposed.

His body trembled, filled with murderous intent. Rage and thoughts of killing grew wildly in his mind. His two previous experiences of almost being killed by Jiang Ming had almost made him lose his mind!
His hands, hidden within his sleeves, were now clenched tightly. An extremely unstable and dangerous aura emanated from him, like a volcano that could erupt at any moment.

Jing Hongchen took a step forward and stood in front of Crown Prince Xu Tianran, protecting him and Ju Zi behind him. A layer of fiery red light had already lit up on Jing Hongchen's chest.

Although Jing Hongchen had never fought this Grand Preceptor, he knew how terrifying this man was. If he went berserk, this platform would probably turn into a hellish place.

Jing Hongchen wasn't the only one who sensed the dangerous aura emanating from the Imperial Preceptor; seven or eight figures swiftly arrived in front of Xu Tianran, surrounding him completely.

There was another person beside Zhongli Wu—a woman shrouded in a black robe.

"Master, calm down."

Zhongli Wu's dangerous aura slowly dissipated, and an extremely cold voice came from beneath the cloak: "So this is the Tang Clan! They dared to kill my disciples. I will make them taste the agony of their souls being burned and their skin being peeled off and their bones being gnawed away."

Can he not feel bad?

These members of the Holy Spirit Sect who fought on behalf of the sect were actually under twenty years old, and each of them was an elite.

Yan Feng was his personally trained disciple, and he had placed great hopes on him. Yet, he died at the hands of the combined forces of the Tang Clan!

Even with Zhongli Wu's cold and ruthless personality, he felt heartbroken and on the verge of exploding.

"Grand Preceptor, please calm your anger. I, the Crown Prince, promise you that these people will be handed over to you for you to deal with."

After a brief moment of shock, Xu Tianran recovered and spoke to the Grand Preceptor through the guards protecting him.

"Your Highness need not trouble yourself. Our church will send people to capture these little creatures."

After saying this, the mysterious national advisor turned around and took a step forward, already outside the podium.

His body flashed in the air, transforming into a streak of black light and disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye.

The woman who had previously advised him, shrouded in black robes, said to Xu Tianran, "Your Highness, the Imperial Preceptor's disciple died in battle. Please understand his feelings. If there has been any disrespect, I apologize on his behalf."

"It's alright," Xu Tianran said with a smile, as if he really didn't mind.

The woman in black robes nodded to Xu Tianran, then leaped into the air, her body transforming into a streak of black light as she chased after Zhongli Wu.

Xu Tianran stared in the direction Wu had left, a cold glint in his eyes.

He could not allow Zhongli Wu to make a move in this situation, as there were hundreds of thousands of Mingdu citizens present!

If an attack were to be launched here, the resulting losses would be an incredibly staggering figure.

More importantly, if the evil spirit masters cause such great losses, then he, who went against all odds to bring the evil spirit masters into the competition, will be in a lot of trouble!
Fortunately, Zhongli Wu did not make a move.

Xu Tianran turned his gaze to the figure in the audience.

Jiang Ming!

He knew that Zhongli Wu hadn't acted directly, partly because of the black-robed woman's persuasion and her fear of him as the crown prince.

But another reason is Jiang Ming, who was in the audience the whole time!
Judging from Jiang Ming's expression, he would probably make a move immediately if Zhongli Wu made a move.

Judging from the situation recently, Zhongliwu is definitely no match for Jiang Ming. In fact, it is highly likely that Zhongliwu will be killed if he encounters Jiang Ming!

Under these circumstances, no matter how angry Zhongli Wu was, he would absolutely not dare to make a move.

On the competition stage, the Tang Clan members stopped fighting.

Bone Dragon Yan Feng, a seventh-ring Soul Saint who had unleashed his Martial Soul True Form, was utterly destroyed under the combined assault of Bei Bei and his seven companions, leaving no trace of his body!

No, something else remained: two soul bones within Yan Feng's body, one jet black and the other ice blue.

Huo Yuhao could sense that these two soul bones were produced by soul beasts that were at least ten thousand years old, and they could probably grant Yan Feng very powerful skills.

Unfortunately, he never got the chance to use it.

Zheng Zhan looked at Yan Feng, who was now reduced to just two soul bones, with a complex expression in his eyes.

As a normal Soul Master and Soul Instructor, he does indeed reject evil Soul Masters; this is only human nature.

But as a referee, he also has to save contestants when their lives are in danger!

He could have rescued Yan Feng in time, since Yan Feng was the only one left alive among the Holy Spirit Cult members present, so his attention only needed to be on Yan Feng.

But this Xu Sanshi from the Tang Clan!

But just as he was about to rescue someone, he shouted, causing them to miss the opportunity to save them.

That person is too cunning!

Zheng Zhan glared fiercely at Xu Sanshi, who was being helped over by He Caitou, before helplessly announcing that Tangmen had won the semi-final!

Of the seven members of the Holy Spirit Cult who went into battle, only one survived, and even that survivor was severely injured!
This is a huge blow to the Holy Spirit Church!

The All-Continent Youth Advanced Soul Master Elite Competition is nearing its end.

With the semifinals over, Tang Sect and Shrek Academy have successfully advanced to the finals. For some, the outcome is no longer relevant.

This seemingly intractable final will be held the day after tomorrow.

Jiang Ming led the Shrek team and the Tangmen team back to the hotel, a scene that made Xu Tianran on the podium twitch at the corner of his mouth.

In the competition held in Mingdu, the first and second place winners were both from Shrek Academy!

The Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy team, which used to at least be runners-up even if they didn't win the championship, failed to even make it into the quarterfinals this time!

What a shame!

When he stepped down from the podium, Xu Tianran's face was gloomy.

Jing Hongchen, standing to the side, seemed to know what Xu Tianran was thinking, and walked cautiously, afraid of making a mistake.

Suddenly, Xu Tianran said, "Master Hongchen, the plan can begin."

Since the champion and runner-up are destined to be from Shrek Academy and Tang Sect, there is nothing to pay attention to in the final.

"Oh, by the way, the plan is to keep Mingjiang out of it. Just let him focus on his soul tool, understand?" Xu Tianran added.

Jing Hongchen was shocked. It seemed that even after explaining so much, Mingjiang still had doubts in His Highness's mind!
On the other side, after bringing everyone back to the hotel, Jiang Ming directly took the Shrek team and the Tang Sect team into his small world.

As for the final
What a load of rubbish!

If the champion and runner-up have already been secured, why bother with the finals outside?
They have no shortage of the rewards given to champions and runners-up by the Sun Moon Empire.

By now, the competition is actually over, and it's safest for Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect members to stay in Jiang Ming's small world!
After taking the members of both the Shrek Academy and the Tang Clan into his small world, Jiang Ming had Elder Mu and Elder Xuan guard his Book of Spirits in the room, while he himself entered the small world and fully mobilized its power to accelerate his recovery.

Yes, his injuries haven't fully healed yet. Although they're mostly healed, given the current situation in Mingdu, he must remain at his peak condition at all times!
Inside the small world, Jiang Ming was recovering with all his might, his body shimmering with green and gold light, which was Rongrong and Xiaoling using their power together.

Seeing Jiang Ming's state, Huo Yuhao and Cai Tou exchanged a glance and decided to give up.

In fact, they have another match to participate in these few days.

The Mingdu Soul Master Competition is about to hold its finals for the three major forces in the next few days, and these two are going to participate in the finals as representatives of the Xishui Alliance!
It's important to know that the rewards for the Mingdu Soul Master Competition are extremely generous. In fact, the leader of the Xishui Alliance has already promised the two of them a super prize if they win the championship!
It's such a shame to give up the champion's reward and the generous gift from the Xishui Alliance.

"You two, you want to participate in the finals of the Mingdu Soul Master Competition, right?"

Jiang Ming seemed to sense Huo Yuhao and Cai Tou's thoughts, and opened his eyes and said softly.

"Yes. Senior Brother Jiang, I think with our combined skill level, we can achieve good results or even win the championship in the finals of the Mingdu Soul Master Competition, which is jointly organized by the three major underground forces. We've already participated in several rounds of this competition, and we really don't want to give up."

Huo Yuhao hesitated for a moment, but still spoke his mind.

The two of them participated in the Mingdu Soul Master Competition with the goal of winning the championship, and they even made some agreements with the people from the Xishui Alliance.

Now that it's the finals, I really don't want to give up!

Hearing this, Jiang Ming smiled.

"Yuhao, Caitou, you two don't need to go. You can't win that competition."

Upon hearing this, Huo Yuhao and Cai Tou both showed a hint of doubt in their eyes.

Jiang Ming explained, "Ming Jiang has already represented the Aodu Chamber of Commerce in that competition. Do you two think you can win the championship from a level nine Soul Master?"

"what?"

Huo Yuhao and Cai Tou were immediately surprised.

"Mingjiang? Mingjiang isn't yours, Senior Brother Jiang."

Huo Yuhao's eyes flickered, somewhat confused.

Jiang Ming said, "The current Mingjiang is a clone of my soul skill, and it also has the abilities of a level nine soul master. Don't forget, you two, I am only twenty-five years old now, which is within the age limit for the Mingdu Soul Master Competition."

Upon hearing this, Huo Yuhao and Cai Tou immediately gave up their idea of ​​participating in the competition.

Are you kidding me? The two of them are only at the level of a seventh-level Soul Master, yet they're going to compete for the championship against a ninth-level Soul Master?

Isn't that just asking for trouble?!

Furthermore, this level nine Soul Master is actually Jiang Ming's clone, which means that the champion of the Mingdu Soul Master Competition is definitely Ming Jiang's, and the reward is guaranteed.

"Oh, then we can place a bet!"

He Caitou belatedly remarked.

Since we already know who the final winner is, isn't this kind of gambling with a known outcome just an investment?

If you bet big on this, you're sure to make a fortune!
Huo Yuhao shook his head and said, "Second Senior Brother, let's forget about it. It's too dangerous for us to go out now. We can't be too greedy."

He was quite rational; compared to making money, his own life was the most important thing, and at this crucial moment, he couldn't cause trouble for his senior brother Jiang.

"How's the setup going?"

Xu Tianran leaned back on the soft couch, his eyes narrowed, gleaming with a sharp light, as he stared at a man shrouded in black who was kneeling not far in front of the couch.

"Your Highness, everything has been arranged. We have heavily guarded the east, south, and north directions, all commanded by level nine soul masters."

There are more than five fixed-position soul-guided shells in each direction; they should already know this because of our deliberate leak.

Xu Tianran sneered and said, "What about the west side? How are the preparations going?"

The man in black said, "Everything is ready on the west side too. Those people from before are all on the west side. We're giving them one last chance."

Xu Tianran nodded and said, "You did a good job. Give the orders. Maintain a high alert for the next two days. Be prepared at any time. Go now."

"Yes," the man in black replied respectfully.

The man in black stood up and quickly disappeared into the darkness.

Xu Tianran's face showed a thoughtful expression: "Hopefully they will make the right choice, choosing the west, which will greatly reduce our losses."

At this point, his body suddenly swayed lightly from the soft couch, and without releasing his martial spirit, he floated forward onto the wheelchair. With a gentle flick of his sleeve, the wheelchair slid forward.

"Jiang Ming, are you ready to face your own doom?"

The fierce battle between the Tang Clan and the Holy Spirit Sect made the atmosphere in the entire city heated.

After a night of silence, when dawn broke again, Mingdu was unusually quiet, as if the entire city was still asleep and unable to wake up for a long time.

After another night of recovery, Jiang Ming's injuries had almost completely healed.

After he and Zhang Lexuan came out of the small world and washed up, Old Mu led them out of the hotel.

Of course, when leaving the hotel, Jiang Ming also used a simulated soul skill to give Elder Mu and Zhang Lexuan a different face.

Dinghou Street in Mingdu is located in a low-rise working-class area in the western suburbs. Although it is called a street, it is actually just a narrow alley.

The western suburbs were where the poorest people in Mingdu lived. There were few tall buildings here, only large areas of low-rise houses.

Further west lies the Sun and Moon Mountain Range, composed of numerous rocky peaks.

On this main street, there's only one small restaurant, barely a hundred square meters in size, with four or five tables. To call it luxurious would be an understatement; it only serves the most basic and ordinary food.

By this time, it was already dark, but it was the liveliest time in Mingdu. The thrilling semi-final match that day was the talk of the town.

Although the small restaurant on Dinghou Street was dilapidated, it was packed with people, with even two tables set up at the entrance.

At the innermost table of the small restaurant sat four people. These three were somewhat strange; they all wore conical hats with veils hanging down, making it difficult to see their faces, and even their figures were hidden under wide robes.

When Elder Mu led Jiang Ming and Zhang Lexuan over, Jiang Ming recognized them at a glance as Elder Xuan, Poison Undying, Princess Jiujiu, and Princess Vina.

"Why did you choose such a place?"

Jiang Ming pulled over a chair and sat down with Zhang Lexuan.

"This is the western suburbs of Mingdu. Based on the intelligence we have gathered these past few days, the best route we have chosen to evacuate Mingdu is to the west."

Princess Jiujiu glanced at Jiang Ming and said softly.

On the table, there was a glowing soul tool that prevented the voices of the group from being heard.

"Oh? The west is the safest route? How so?" Jiang Ming asked.

Princess Jiujiu continued, "We have gathered some information in the past few days. There are heavy troops stationed in the east, south and north of Mingdu, and each of them has a level nine soul master in charge."

Furthermore, they have deployed multiple Level 9 fixed-position soul-guided shells in these three directions, making an evacuation from these directions extremely risky.

The sealing effect of a level-nine fixed-position soul-guided cannon shell is a terrifying existence capable of instantly killing a titled Douluo, or even a Super Douluo. It is also a strategic weapon in the Sun Moon Empire.

This time, they actually brought out so many level-nine fixed-position soul-guided cannon shells, which clearly shows that they have made up their minds, and the place must also be equipped with corresponding reconnaissance soul-guided devices.

"So, the Sun Moon Empire deliberately used a net with a loophole to capture us?"

Jiang Ming raised an eyebrow and asked with a light laugh.

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.

Indeed, the defenses were heavily armed on three sides, but the western side was left undefended, which seemed very suspicious.

Princess Jiujiu continued, "Yes, the actions of the Sun Moon Empire seem very suspicious, so we don't plan to withdraw from the west. Our Star Luo Empire has been operating in Mingdu for some time now, and there's another way to leave. Would you Shrek Academy members like to come with us?"

In the past, the three forces spent most of their time discussing how to instigate unrest in Mingdu to delay the Sun Moon Empire's war efforts. Now, they are discussing how to withdraw from Mingdu after doing so.

At this moment, Princess Vina also said, "Our Heavenly Soul Empire and Body Sect also have a safe route to evacuate from Mingdu. It is absolutely safe. When your Shrek Academy wants to evacuate, you can also come with us."

This is the difference between the Empire and the Academy.

The empire has enough resources to make many arrangements in Mingdu, so finding a safe passage to leave Mingdu shouldn't be a problem.

Just like how the Body Sect suddenly entered Mingde Hall to launch a sneak attack, and then managed to leave Mingdu safely.

Mingdu is so big, there are so many things that can be done.

Shrek Academy is different. Even with Shrek City as its backing, an academy cannot compete with a vast empire in terms of resources, and Shrek Academy will not make the same strategic layout as these two empires.

The two princesses also had their own agenda in wanting to bring Shrek Academy with them.

After all, Shrek Academy has Elder Xuan, a level 98 Super Douluo, and Jiang Ming, a being comparable to a Limit Douluo!

Bringing them along would undoubtedly greatly improve their safety during the evacuation.

This move could even strengthen the relationship between the Empire and Shrek Academy.

With the Sun Moon Empire about to launch a war, bringing Shrek Academy under their wing would undoubtedly be a great help!
As for the three parties going together
This involves a trust issue.

After all, the Star Luo Empire and the Heavenly Soul Empire are two separate empires. Given that both are confident in their own retreat routes, they are unlikely to follow the other empire.

Jiang Ming listened to the two princesses' subtle rivalry and shook his head slightly.

"No need. This time, Shrek Academy will not travel with your two great empires."

Upon hearing this, both princesses couldn't help but frown.

Princess Jiujiu said in a deep voice, "Jiang Ming, even if you are powerful, the Sun Moon Empire's arrangements this time are too meticulous. You may be able to break through by force, but those young contestants will not be able to break through!"

Princess Vina, who was standing nearby, shared the same thought.

No matter how strong Jiang Ming is, even if he can break through the encirclement, how many people can he take with him?

This level of encirclement is not something that can be resolved by a single powerful person rushing to the front; those level nine fixed-position soul-guided cannon shells deal area damage!
The well-prepared Soul Master Corps and the Level 9 fixed-position Soul Guidance Cannons controlled by Level 9 Soul Masters were no joke. Even if there were several Title Douluo or even Super Douluo among them, it would be impossible for them to withstand such a powerful force head-on.

Jiang Ming smiled confidently.

"I won't do that, but we at Shrek Academy do have safe evacuation methods, so please don't worry about that, Princesses."

In fact, even if he forced his way out, with his strength, he could definitely break through by putting everyone into his small world and teleporting.

But he did not choose to charge in.

He turned his head to look west of Mingdu, a glint of light in his eyes.

In fact, when he learned that the Sun Moon Empire had completely surrounded Mingdu from three directions, leaving only the west side open, he roughly guessed what Xu Tianran was planning.

The strategy of surrounding three sides and leaving one side open is something everyone knows is problematic.

But Xu Tianran's arrangement is designed so that even if you know there's a problem, you have to go to the west according to his plan!
Because the firepower from the other three sides is just too strong!
If we force our way through from these three sides, the chances of breaking through are too small.

Whether to gamble on surviving the level 9 fixed-position soul-guided cannon or to gamble on breaking through from the seemingly undefended westward direction, the choice is actually quite simple.

However, all these people in front of us have already gone to the west.

Even Elder Xuan personally went to the west to investigate, but found no ambush.

So even if this place looks very strange, going this way is the best option.

However, Elder Xuan and the others didn't know what was to the west of Mingdu, but he did!

To the west of Mingdu.
That's the Valley of Love and Destiny!

Xu Tianran is clearly trying to force them into the Valley of Love and Destiny!

Don't be fooled by the fact that Jiang Ming successfully escaped from Qiankun Wenqing Valley and gained so many benefits.

But after he came out of Qiankun Wenqing Valley, Jing Hongchen told him that apart from him, almost no one who entered this mysterious place, Qiankun Wenqing Valley, has ever come out alive!
Xu Tianran is trying to use Qiankun Wenqing Valley to trap and kill all those who want to break out from the west!

With their combined strength, there are more than ten Title Douluos, and most of them are Super Douluos. If they were to forcibly attack the other directions, even if they managed to intercept them, they would pay a heavy price.

Clearly, Xu Tianran did not want to pay this price.

In that case, there's nothing more to say.

Xu Tianran wants them to go west and enter Qiankun Wenqing Valley, so let him have his way!

He had been to the Valley of Love and Destiny more than once or twice. For others, it might be a dead end, but for him, it was a place to overcome challenges and earn rewards.

Oh, given his current relationship with Dai Mubai and the Sun God, he doesn't even need to go through this trial. He can even complete the divine inheritance assessment while he's inside and gain some benefits.

That's great.

Of course, to prevent anyone from managing to escape from Qiankun Wenqing Valley, Xu Tianran would definitely deploy heavy troops at the exit, but it would be impossible to stop him.

Both princesses were somewhat surprised to hear Jiang Ming say that he would not go with either of them.

Did Shrek Academy also make arrangements in Mingdu?

That's not right. The two great empires made preparations in advance in Mingdu to gather intelligence on the Sun Moon Empire and do other things.

Why did Shrek set up camp in Mingdu?
Moreover, given Shrek Academy's size, if they wanted to make such an arrangement in Mingdu, they would have far fewer resources available to their students!
Both princesses were well aware of how much resources the empire behind them would have to expend to establish such a foundation in Mingdu.

If Shrek Academy managed to cultivate Jiang Ming and the current Shrek Team and Tang Sect Team under such circumstances, that would be truly terrifying!

After concluding the discussion about the evacuation route, Jiang Ming and the others finalized their plans to disrupt Mingdu before departing.

The silence in Mingdu lasted until noon, when the people who were overly excited yesterday gradually came to their senses, and everything seemed to return to normal.

However, after yesterday's great battle, tomorrow's final match seems somewhat overshadowed by the battle between the Tang Sect and the Holy Spirit Sect.

It is obvious that the Tang Sect, which was able to defeat the Holy Spirit Sect, must be stronger than Shrek Academy in terms of overall strength.

Even though the Shrek team has two strong members, Wang Qiu'er and Mu Long, the strength of the other teammates is really not enough! Their overall strength is hard to compete with the Tang Sect.

As time passed and the sun gradually began to set in the west, the atmosphere in Mingdu became lively again.

Because, in addition to the major competitions on the surface, another competition that is closely related to the lives of many people is about to begin.

And it was the final round!
The final round of the Mingdu Soul Master Elite Competition, hosted by the three major underground forces of Mingdu, will be held tonight.

The three major underground forces will each send three Soul Master experts they have selected to participate in this final.

The betting options for this final match were quite diverse. Detailed information about the nine participating players had already been leaked.

Guessing rankings, guessing the top three, guessing the champion, and even some strange ranking betting methods are all available.

In order to maximize their profits, the three major underground forces have racked their brains this time.

They fully utilized their influence to draw in more people and get them involved in this final, high-stakes gamble.

The rewards for the Soul Masters in this final competition were also extremely generous.

The ultimate champion will receive a level nine soul tool! This is priceless in itself. In addition, the champion will also have the option to choose a rare metal weighing up to one ton.

The final champion will have 49 rare metals to choose from, with the total weight not exceeding one ton. Each rare metal can weigh no more than 100 kilograms.

Besides the champion, the runner-up and third place also receive prizes, but the difference between them and the champion is significant.

They didn't have a level nine soul tool, only a ton of rare metal.

As for those ranked fourth through ninth, they didn't even receive a single gold soul coin as a reward.

This reward system will undoubtedly better motivate the nine participating Soul Masters to compete for victory.

Moreover, these are just the official rewards; the three major underground forces also provide rewards to their members.

After winning, they will receive a hefty reward from the underground forces they represent.

It is precisely because of such generous rewards that so many outstanding young soul mentors have participated in this competition.

A fledgling hotel.

"Tang Si and Tang Wu haven't arrived yet? Didn't you tell them the time?"

The Third Elder looked at Chen An with an imposing air, his eyes now turning somewhat sinister.

Tang Si and Tang Wu were the aliases He Caitou and Huo Yuhao used when they participated in the Mingdu Soul Master Competition at the Xishui Alliance, while the Third Elder was the Third Elder of the Xishui Alliance, who was part of the alliance's management.

Chen An's forehead was covered in cold sweat. He quickly said, "I did notify them. I notified them a long time ago. After the last semi-final, I told them to come early today to make final preparations."

"Hmph! If they don't arrive, you'll have to pay for the losses of the Evening Water Alliance. Pay with your life."

The Third Elder said coldly.

"Third brother, don't make things difficult for Chen'an. I also believe that kid will come. After this final is over, we'll have a good talk with him."

A deep voice rang out, and the tall and imposing leader of the Xishui Alliance, Nangong Wan, arrived in the hotel lobby.

At this time, the Qingse Hotel of Xishui Alliance was under complete lockdown, and a large number of burly men dressed in black occupied most of the lobby.

In the center of the hall, besides Nangong Wan, the Third Elder, and other contestants, there were some large boxes piled up.

It goes without saying what's inside—rare metals used in the competition.

These are prepared for Tang Si and Tang Wu, paving the way for them to compete for the championship!

Unfortunately, what they didn't know was that Tang Si and Tang Wu were no longer coming, and their expectations were destined to be in vain.

(End of this chapter)