Douluo Jueshi: Who let him join Shrek!

"Oranges, I can't tell the difference! I really can't tell the difference!"

When Ju Zi saw Xu Tianran clutching his head with his blood-stained hands and howling in agony, she knew in her heart that Jiang Ming's scheme had already succeeded halfway.

"Your Majesty, it's alright, it's alright."

Orange boldly reached out her hand, ignoring the blood on Xu Tianran's palms and arms, and helped Xu Tianran to the bedside.

Her heart trembled, and she forced herself not to look at the palace maid's corpse lying on the ground, which had been almost chopped into mincemeat.

She remembered that this palace maid had served Xu Tianran for several years, but now she had met such an end, dying mysteriously, and even her body had been hacked to pieces like this.

Ju Zi had no guarantee that Xu Tianran wouldn't kill her like he had killed the palace maid, but she couldn't just run away in a panic either; given Xu Tianran's current state, that would be tantamount to courting death.

She has no choice but to gamble now!

I'm betting that she holds a high place in Xu Tianran's heart, and that Xu Tianran won't kill her even in this state!
If she were to gamble, she might have a chance, but if she didn't gamble and just turned and ran, the probability of Xu Tianran chasing her down in this state was far too high!
However, even with a slight chance of being certain, she was still on tenterhooks.

If she gambles wrong, the mutilated corpse not far away will be her fate! No matter how strong she is, she can't help but feel fear in the face of such pressure.

Fortunately, Xu Tianran did not suddenly attack her until she helped him to the bedside, which made her feel slightly relieved.

"Somebody come!"

After confirming that Xu Tianran's emotions had stabilized somewhat, Ju Zi called in the guards outside.

"Clean it up, and hurry up."

A mutilated corpse lay in the palace; if the stench of blood were to spread, it might incite Xu Tianran to further riot.

"Yes!"

The guards were indeed quick. In less than ten minutes, not only were the corpses replaced, but even the carpets in the palace were changed, and the air in the palace was filtered with a special calming incense.

Throughout the entire process, the guards moved almost without making a sound. Even after seeing the mutilated corpse, their fear reached its peak, and they dared not utter a sound.

They knew very well that if they made any noise and caused His Majesty to lose control, they would end up lying here like this corpse.

While the guards were cleaning the palace, Ju Zi was constantly wiping Xu Tianran's blood-stained hands with a handkerchief and changing his blood-stained clothes.

Soon, the palace returned to its original state, and Xu Tianran's emotions stabilized, as if nothing had happened.

"Your Majesty, you had another nightmare?"

Bringing up this topic is somewhat dangerous and could potentially reignite Xu Tianran's manic state, but she has to do it.

Xu Tianran's body trembled, and the bloodshot color in his eyes reappeared, as if he had recalled the nightmare he had just experienced. A violent aura gradually began to rise.

Ju Zi grabbed Xu Tianran's arm, her voice still very gentle.

"Your Majesty, it's alright, it was just a nightmare, it's nothing."

Upon hearing this, Xu Tianran's eyes widened, and the bloodlust in his pupils subsided slightly, while his violent aura gradually subsided.

After all, he was a powerful figure who ascended the throne despite his disability, and once he regained his senses, he was able to control his emotions.

"Ju Zi, what's wrong with me?"

Xu Tianran leaned against the headboard, looking up at the ceiling of the bedroom with a somewhat listless expression.

What did he just do?
Orange said softly, "Your Majesty, please rest for a while. Orange will stay here with you."

Upon hearing this, Xu Tianran nodded slightly, then narrowed his eyes.

He hasn't been sleeping well these past few days. He dreams about things every day, such as his deepest fears, past regrets, or the loss of his most precious things.

He was completely bewitched, as if possessed.

However, the imperial physician said that he was not affected by any curse, but was just restless and needed to regulate his mind.

Xu Tianran himself was aware of this.

However, this state of mind cannot be adjusted simply by trying to change it.

If he were truly under some kind of spell, cursed, or something else, it could be resolved through external means. After all, he was the emperor of the Sun Moon Empire, and the resources he could mobilize were extremely vast.

But now it's his own mindset that's the problem, and he has to break free from it himself; the external force from others has very limited effect.

"Your Majesty, don't think about anything. Orange is right here with you. Rest well, rest well."

As the sound of oranges grew fainter in his ears, Xu Tianran unconsciously relaxed and then fell into a deep sleep.

At the bedside, Ju Zi looked at Xu Tianran's closed eyes, still not daring to relax in the slightest.

Who knows, Xu Tianran might dream of something and suddenly attack her to kill her!
Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger, and a tiger on the verge of madness is even more dangerous!
Fortunately, Xu Tianran did not seem to have a nightmare; his expression was very calm, just like when he was sleeping normally.

A dozen minutes later, Ju Zi tried to move Xu Tianran's hand away and stand up, but found that she couldn't move it at all.

"Ugh"

Orange sighed softly, giving up the idea of ​​pulling her hand away, and then leaned against the headboard, closing her eyes to think.

Xu Tianran's condition is getting worse and worse. Whether for her ideals or for her own safety, she has to do something.

The Fire Phoenix Soul Master Corps is still under her control. With this Soul Master Corps, she still holds considerable weight in the empire. In addition, given her status as Empress, there are many things she can do.

If she makes arrangements now, even if Xu Tianran is indeed killed by Jiang Ming in the future, she will be able to protect herself amidst the turbulent royal power struggles.
However, this plan must be implemented without Xu Tianran's knowledge. If Xu Tianran discovers that she is looking for a way out, he will definitely be in trouble given his current state!

Meanwhile, outside the palace, Jing Hongchen was about to report to Xu Tianran on the progress of Mingde Hall's strategic plan reserves when she noticed a group of guards carrying something that looked like a human figure wrapped in a carpet past.

Jing Hongchen's eyes narrowed, and he quickly went over to ask, "What is this?"

Upon seeing that it was Jing Hongchen, the head of Mingde Hall, the captain of the guards cautiously observed him from both sides before taking a few steps closer and whispering, "His Majesty killed the palace maids who were serving him. Judging from his condition, he's suffering from a manic episode. If Headmaster Hongchen is going to see His Majesty, you'd better be careful."

He didn't say much, but after reminding Jing Hongchen, he hurriedly ordered his men to drag the body out and bury it.

Jing Hongchen stared at the dragged-away palace maid's corpse, his aged eyes filled with solemnity.

"Mania."

He had also noticed Xu Tianran's changes over the past few days. Ever since he and Kong Deming went to the palace to bring Mingjiang to them and threatened to kill Xu Tianran within a year, Xu Tianran's emotions had begun to develop in a direction of mania and restlessness.

"Could it be..." Jing Hongchen's eyes narrowed, as if he had realized something.

Shrek Academy, Department of Soul Guidance.

Holding the Sacred Blade of Light, Jiang Ming meticulously carved a level nine core magic array.

With his current cultivation level and control over soul power, he is already stronger than most ninth-level soul masters. Even if he is not in the top three, it would be easy for him to rank in the top five.

Of course, given a few years, Jiang Ming could reach the level of a level 10 or even 11 Soul Master, let alone a level 9 Soul Master.

The two factors that limit the advancement of a Soul Master are Soul Power cultivation and Soul Tool technology.

In the former, Jiang Ming has reached the pinnacle that this world can achieve; in the latter, it is an area that Jiang Ming is relatively lacking.

After all, compared to other level nine soul masters, the time he had been in contact with soul tools was not that long.

Even if we start counting from Qingshui City, it's only been twenty years.

Soul tool technology, soul tool theory, and the depiction of various core magic arrays all require time to learn and study.

What Jiang Ming lacks most right now is time, or rather, his young age is the biggest reason why he cannot become a level 10 Soul Master.

A few minutes later, the level nine core magic array was completed in Jiang Ming's hands.

The eighth and ninth level Soul Guidance Masters, who had been watching intently, suddenly became excited.

"Good heavens, this level of control over soul power is incredibly precise!"

"Yes, if I were to carve a miniature magic array of this size, I would have failed long ago!"

"Nonsense! You're just an eighth-level Soul Master, you're bound to fail at carving a ninth-level core magic array!"

"Stop arguing! Watch carefully! Xiaoming, can you explain it to us? The soul pillars we made are quite different from yours."

Qian Duoduo looked at Jiang Ming and said softly.

Ten years ago, he and Fan Yu were Jiang Ming's teachers in soul tools.

Ten years from now, these old guys will be asking Jiang Ming for advice.

However, as the old saying goes, a disciple is not necessarily inferior to his teacher, nor is a teacher necessarily inferior to his disciple. There is a sequence in learning the Way, and each person has their own area of ​​expertise.

Jiang Ming's current soul tool technology and soul master level are higher than theirs, so it's only right that they learn from him.

Fan Yu's eyes were fixed on the level nine soul guidance core array in Jiang Ming's hand, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

In terms of talent as a Soul Master, Fan Yu's talent, while not as good as Jiang Ming's, surpasses that of most Soul Masters.

Now he is also a level nine soul master. He watched the whole process of Jiang Ming carving the level nine core magic array and gained some inspiration from it.

"Then let me explain to everyone what this core magic array is."

Jiang Ming held the level-nine core magic array in his hand and began to explain.

After Jiang Ming finished speaking, a Soul Master raised a question. Jiang Ming immediately answered after raising his hand, and the whole laboratory looked like a defense session.

Before I knew it, several hours had passed.

Suddenly, Fan Yu's body trembled, and a slight vibration came from the pocket of his shirt.

In an instant, Fan Yu snapped out of her reverie.

"Excuse me, everyone, Dean Qian, I'm going home now."

Although Fan Yu is now the vice dean of the Soul Guidance Department, just like Qian Duoduo, he has developed this habit after working under Qian Duoduo for many years.

"Okay, you go home first and spend more time with your wife and kids."

Qian Duoduo nodded to Fan Yu, then continued listening to Jiang Ming explain the level nine core magic array.

As for Jiang Ming, he was very understanding of Fan Yu's decision to go home.

While soul tools are important, spending time with one's wife and children at home every day is also essential.

Over the past few years, Fan Yu and Zhou Yi have gotten married and have a lovely child.

Compared to the soul tool, Fan Yu clearly valued this child more, and even specially made a soul tool to remind himself to go home and be with his wife and child.

After saying goodbye to everyone, Fan Yu returned to the house she and Zhou Yi lived in on Poseidon Island.

Originally, Fan Yu and Zhou Yi each had their own faculty housing, but after they got married, they basically lived at Fan Yu's place.

After Fan Yu was promoted to vice dean of the Soul Guidance Department, his treatment improved significantly, and the academy allocated him a small villa on Seagod Island.

Upon returning home, Fan Yu immediately sought out his wife, Zhou Yi, gave her a gentle hug, and then went to see his daughter.

Fan Yu's daughter inherited most of the good qualities of him and Zhou Yi. Although she is still a little one, she looks very cute.

After putting the child to sleep, Fan Yu and Zhou Yi went to the living room to talk about recent events.

"Fan Yu, I heard from Elder Xuan that the academy's super defensive soul guidance array project needs to be accelerated. You come back so early every day, won't the other soul guidance masters in the soul guidance department worry about you?"

When Zhou Yi was at home, she didn't wear a mask. Even after getting married and having children, her baby face remained unchanged, and she even looked more charming.

Fan Yu shook his head and said, "The super defensive soul guide array project proposed by Xiao Ming is not something that can be completed overnight. Accelerating it will only make the progress a little faster. The core arrays of level eight and nine are not like those low-level core arrays. They cannot be manufactured on an assembly line. They can only be made by high-level soul guide masters one by one. But our high-level soul guide masters are ultimately limited, so we have to take it slowly."

The academy naturally attaches great importance to the project proposed by Jiang Ming, but the Soul Guidance Department is indeed short-handed at the moment.

If the Sun Moon Empire were to undertake this project, completing it within a year would be absolutely no problem.

But Shrek Academy's Soul Guidance Department is lacking; they only have three level-nine Soul Guidance Masters here: Jiang Ming, Qian Duoduo, and Fan Yu! Even if they bring Xuan Ziwen from the Tang Sect in Shrek City over, there will only be four!

Training multiple level-nine soul masters is still quite difficult for the current soul guidance system.

After chatting for a while, Fan Yu and Zhou Yi started doing some naughty things behind the child's back.

Meanwhile, after giving a lesson to a high-level Soul Master in the Soul Guidance Department, Jiang Ming received a message from his clone in the Sun Moon Empire.

"Jing Hongchen has been dismissed by Xu Tianran!" (End of Chapter)