Douluo Continent: Starting with the Tiger Emperor Template

"He's gone." Lu Ren shook his head gently. "Even if he was determined to take me away, you couldn't protect me every second. He was a level 98 Super Douluo, wasn't he?"

Jing Hongchen's brows furrowed even more.

How can you be so sure he's gone?

Lu Ren rolled his eyes.

"He has to go back and prepare for the competition a few months from now, to have his students increase their strength, and then defeat me head-on. He has to go back and report the intelligence." He spoke as if it were a matter of course, "After all, he and I made a bet by swearing an oath with our martial souls."

Jing Hongchen was stunned.

"If Shrek wins the match, I'll join them. If they lose, they have to give me something."

"If we breach the contract..." Lu Ren paused, then said, "Guess what will happen to Xuanzi?"

Jing Hongchen was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

The laughter echoed in the empty corridor, making him breathless and causing deep wrinkles to appear at the corners of his eyes.

"So this is your purpose? You exposed yourself at Shrek Academy just for this?"

"Maybe." Lu Ren shrugged, his movements casual. "I'm tired, I should go back and rest."

He leaned against the wall to stand up, his movements slow but steady.

Jing Hongchen watched him walk past her, observing his pale face visibly regaining its color, and finally couldn't help but ask:

"How did your injury heal so quickly?"

"Because I wasn't injured at all."

Without turning his head, Lu Ren threw down those words, pushed open the dormitory door, and disappeared behind it.

Jing Hongchen stood there, staring at the closed door, remaining silent for a long time before turning around and walking towards the other end of the corridor.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, gradually fading into the distance.

It also gradually faded away, carrying with it many unresolved questions hidden in its heart.

Jing Hongchen was becoming increasingly curious about the mystery surrounding Lu Ren.

……

Back in his dormitory, Lu Ren was lost in the depths of his mind.

The silent gray bead trembled slightly, emitting a soft halo.

Electrolux's voice came from the bead, filled with deep amazement:

"Little guy, that was a really good move."

Lu Ren sat cross-legged on the bed, closing his eyes and concentrating.

In the sea of ​​consciousness, that ancient consciousness was slowly approaching him, like a wisp of smoke.

"Using your own martial soul ability as a trigger and taking advantage of the opportunity of the martial soul oath, you even managed to trap a level 98 Super Douluo. This binding ability is even more terrifying than I imagined."

Electrolux's voice carried a hint of amusement, a mixture of admiration and感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion).

"Speaking of which, the deal you made with me before, where I would do everything in my power to help you in return for you providing me with magical energy to nourish myself, surely that established a mutual bond between us, right?"

Lu Ren spoke, his tone sincere:

"Elder Yi, you flatter me. You are a senior who transcends dimensions. How could I dare to bind or restrict you?"

"The deal I mentioned before was simply my sincere request for cooperation."

"You help me, and I will provide you with magical power to nourish your remnant soul. It's purely a win-win situation, and there's no question of any coercion or constraint."

"Besides, the main reason we made the bet was because the other party looked down on me. None of that matters. The most important thing is to become stronger; that's the key."

In the sea of ​​spirit, the gray bead throbbed slightly.

"Not bad." There was a hint of satisfaction in Electrox's voice, like the satisfaction of an elder watching a junior grow up. "At such a young age, to have such character and insight, I have not misjudged you."

The bead slowly rotated, emitting an even brighter halo.

"Today, you absorbed quite a lot of negative emotions from Xuanzi. I also benefited from it, recalling more memories of myself..."

He paused for a moment, as if he was hesitating about something.

"Would you like to learn my necromancy?"

"Is Elder Yi willing to teach?" Lu Ren asked.

"I reside in your body and am nourished by your energy. If I don't teach you something, it would seem like I've been eating and living here for nothing." Electrox's laughter was old and gentle. "Besides, I also want to see what kind of sparks will fly when the rules of this world collide with necromancy."

Lu Ren remained silent for a moment.

"Then please give me your guidance, Elder Yi."

In the sea of ​​spirit, the gray bead stopped spinning.

A faint consciousness emerged from the halo, like an invisible hand, gently resting on Lu Ren's soul.

"No rush," Electrox said calmly. "My necromancy cannot be learned overnight."

Let's start with the basics.

Lu Ren closed his eyes, feeling the ancient consciousness slowly unfolding in his sea of ​​spirit.

Like an ancient book that has been sealed away for a long time being opened, the yellowed pages are filled with words that do not belong to this era.

In the distance, in the direction of Shrek Academy, Xuanzi was hurrying along in the twilight.

His silhouette stretched long and thin in the afterglow of the setting sun, like an arrow shot from a bow toward the distant horizon.

The feeling of constriction in his chest remained, like an invisible thread tightly connecting him to the boy lying in the Mingdu dormitory.

He gritted his teeth and sped up.

He must win the major competition a few months from now.

It wasn't for that 100,000-year-old soul bone, but for Shrek Academy's thousand-year glory, for that inviolable dignity.

But deep in his heart, a voice quietly asked:

What if we lose?

That question was like a thorn stuck in his heart, and he couldn't pull it out no matter what.

"We need to go back to the academy for a meeting to discuss this issue."

Xuanzi's face was full of guilt.

I think I've messed up again.

……

Shrek Academy, Poseidon Island, Poseidon Pavilion.

This small place is actually the true power center of the entire Shrek Academy.

Those who can step into this place are all top experts of their time.

However, at this moment, the atmosphere in the council hall of the Sea God Pavilion was strangely subtle.

On either side of the long table, a dozen senior officials sat upright.

Among them were elderly people with white hair, as well as middle-aged people who looked to be in their prime.

Each of them possessed an aura as deep as the ocean, indicating they were at least at the level of a Title Douluo.

Their gazes were all fixed on the figure at the doorway.

Xuanzi stood at the door, his tattered gray robe still covered in dust from his journey, and his disheveled hair was blown by the wind, making it look even more like a bird's nest.

He held the wine jug in one hand and scratched the back of his head with the other, exuding an indescribable embarrassment.

"cough."

He coughed lightly and stepped into the council chamber.

Old Song sat at the head of the table on the right. This level 97 Azure Shadow Douluo, despite her full head of silver hair, had an extremely well-maintained appearance. She glanced at Xuanzi out of the corner of her eye and spoke in a cool tone:

"Hey, isn't this our Gluttonous Douluo? Calling everyone here for a Sea God Pavilion meeting in the middle of the night, what good deed have you up to now?"

Xuanzi froze.

He silently walked to his seat, put the wine pot on the table, and took a deep breath.

"I...I think I've messed up again."