Douluo Continent: The Eternal Order of the Azure Sky.

"Sigh, Shao Zhe, you've had a tough time. You have no idea what happened on my trip to the Sun Moon Empire. Besides the Dragon Emperor Douluo Long Xiaoyao, I also encountered a level 10 Soul Master I'd never heard of before. He not only caused us heavy casualties, but even that child Le Xuan..."

"A level 10 Soul Master?!"

Old Song and the others stopped in their tracks, exchanging a look of shock.

Yan Shaozhe's gaze deepened.

"The rescue operation originally organized by the Three Kingdoms for the many young soul masters trapped in the Sun Moon Empire has been put on hold due to the lack of leadership from the academy. As a result, it is even more difficult to rescue the participating teams trapped in the Sun Moon Empire."

"But now that you're back, we're relieved."

"Uh... um." Xuanzi responded vaguely, her pace quickening unconsciously.

"Furthermore," Yan Shaozhe's voice lowered a few decibels, "Du Busi, the Body Douluo who betrayed the Body Sect, came to the academy a few days ago to demand an explanation. Shaozhe is incompetent and no match for him. Even with the help of Elder Song, we could only barely expel him in the end."

"I've already contacted Grand Duke Wen Tingli of the Heavenly Soul Empire about this matter. It seems to be the work of Du Busi alone, and doesn't represent the Heavenly Soul royal family's intentions. But I still feel we need to take some stance. Otherwise, wouldn't the world think that the mighty Shrek Academy is being bullied by Du Busi alone?"

"Ah."

Xuanzi's voice seemed to carry a hint of impatience.

The group quickened their pace, passing the edge of the dormitory area and turning into a quiet path lined with ancient trees on both sides.

No one noticed that when they turned into a blind spot near the Sea God Pavilion, the voices of the inner court students seemed to disappear.

Even Huo Yuhao was taken away by Du Weilun, who appeared out of nowhere.

Yan Shaozhe's voice remained steady.

"There's also the issue of funding. Due to the sudden attack by Poison Undying, many buildings in Shrek City have been damaged and urgently need repair. Recently, the city's tax revenue has decreased significantly, and all working capital has just been invested in the construction of the Soul Guidance Department. Elder Xuan, I suggest strengthening our ties with those merchant guilds. It's time to consider using our fixed reserve funds."

"it is good."

"By the way, Elder Xuan, Xiao Tao also ran off to train a few days ago for the same reason we mentioned before, and no one could persuade her to stay..."

"Uh-huh."

"besides……"

The short distance from the ferry terminal to the Poseidon Pavilion seemed to stretch out countless times, becoming incredibly long.

Yan Shaozhe's voice buzzed in Xuanzi's ear like a tireless fly. A barrage of tedious tasks rained down on him like cannonballs, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

Xuanzi was too lazy to listen to what Yan Shaozhe was saying, and just mechanically responded without offering any opinions.

Strangely, it seemed that the other elders also deliberately slowed down their pace, and no one raised any objections.

Xian Lin'er vaguely sensed that something was wrong, and the oppressive atmosphere of impending storm became increasingly obvious.

Finally, the golden tree was right in front of him, and Xuanzi looked up as if he had been granted a pardon.

The doors of the Sea God Pavilion slowly opened, revealing a dimly lit and solemn hall inside.

What comes into view is an oval-shaped long table with twelve chairs on both sides, which seems to be a slight change from the usual ten seats.

And at the end of the long table, there should be the symbol of the highest authority at Shrek Academy...

Just as Xuanzi's gaze was fixed intently on the recliner representing the Sea God Pavilion Master, Yan Shaozhe walked straight past Xuanzi, and his thin lips parted, his voice seemingly suppressing something, as he spoke again:

"Then... are you an evil spirit master?"

His words were startling.

"Yes." Xuanzi replied without hesitation.

He froze, a clear look of panic crossing his face.

Ok?

Xianlin'er shuddered.

Looking up from the ancient wooden chair in the main seat of the Sea God Pavilion, one sees a soul guide screen that is completely out of place with the antique style of the Sea God Pavilion. It is very similar to the one that Yan Shaozhe had been holding, only much larger.

But if that were all, it wouldn't be anything special. However, the scene shown on the screen was chilling.

The enormous, gluttonous divine bull that they knew so well was opening its blood-red maw, devouring countless souls.

The image is terrifyingly clear. It presents the horrific scene in its entirety from different angles and distances.

The faces of those souls were blurred and distorted, but one could vaguely discern men, women, and children, and their final fear and despair.

Without a doubt, it was a crime committed by Xuanzi—the Sea God Pavilion Master of Shrek Academy.

Yan Shaozhe shouted, "Attack!"

Including Elder Song, the ten titled powerhouses who had been waiting for their turn rushed forward!

Within this confined space, they seemed to have rehearsed countless times, simultaneously unleashing their most suitable martial soul abilities, their target being none other than the Sea God Pavilion Master—Xuan Zi—whom they were surrounding in the center!

"I'm here for a meeting, what do you want to do!" Xuanzi exclaimed in shock.

"Elder Xuan, do not resist!"

Old Song cried out, but the sharp claws of the Azure Shadow Divine Eagle tore at him mercilessly.

However, after the initial panic, Xuanzi's expression changed, and there was no trace of fear left.

Suddenly, he slammed his right hand down, striking the back of an old woman in red robes who had returned with him from the Valley of Love and Destiny.

"boom!"

The palm strike was as dull as thunder. The old woman in the red robe didn't even have time to scream before she spat out a mouthful of blood. She was like a kite with a broken string, pushed forward by a tremendous force.

Then, something even stranger happened. The ground beneath her feet seemed to come alive suddenly, like a gaping maw that enveloped her body, burying her in the soil and making her disappear.

At the same time, Xuanzi, as if he had taken some kind of powerful tonic, grabbed with his large hand, his face glowing.

An invisible force burst forth from his palm, and the attackers all felt a tremendous gravitational pressure, causing their offensive to halt instantly.

In this short period of time, Xuanzi had already completed the Martial Soul Possession. A powerful yellow light spread outward from his body, forcefully blocking the combined attack of ten titled experts!

What happened? Xianlin'er looked completely bewildered.

"Hongyun!" Lin Huiqun cried out in anguish.

The one who died at Xuanzi's hands was an old man from the Sea God Pavilion. Although he was not a Super Douluo, his seniority was so great that he was almost the same generation as Xuanzi, and he had an excellent relationship with Lin Huiqun.

Seeing his old friend die, Lin Huiqun's gaze toward Xuanzi suddenly turned fierce, and his soul skill, which was originally just a binding technique, suddenly turned into a killing move!

"Xuanzi, after all these years, I have never misjudged you! I did not completely believe what Shao Zhe said before. I thought you were an honest man, but I never expected that you were actually an evil soul master! Surrender now!"

"Jie Jie Jie!"

Xuanzi—no, that's no longer Xuanzi.

His previously peaceful expression suddenly changed, as if a layer of disguise had been abruptly torn away, revealing a sinister and fierce face beneath.

"Shrek is indeed Shrek! I didn't expect you to see through my true identity! It's a pity I haven't had a proper chance to enjoy being the Sea God Pavilion Master! But, using the Sea God Pavilion as a sacrifice isn't a bad deal, hahaha!"

Elder Xuan... is he an evil spirit master?

Did they also kill Aunt Hongyun?

Xianlin'er felt as if she were hallucinating.

"Lin'er! Get out of the way!"

Xianlin'er suddenly came to her senses, only to find that the ground beneath her feet was churning up at an alarming speed.

The ground was like a piece of paper crumpled by an invisible hand, with mud, stone slabs, and debris mixed together, rolling, expanding, and turning red!

"You will all die, and you will all become my corpse slaves!"

This is?!

Aunt Hongyun's martial soul ability? No! It also contains a strong earth element!

Corpse Explosion! Or more accurately, Earth Explosion!

If Ma Xiaotao and her fellow trainees who participated in the siege of the Grim Reaper were here, they would surely recognize this unforgettable scene.

The scene before them was so similar to the corpse explosion technique that the Grim Reaper had used to inflict heavy losses on them!

Today, however, it is being unleashed by Xuanzi, a level 98 Super Douluo, using the cultivation of Red Cloud Douluo, so its power is incomparable to what it used to be.

As for why Xuanzi, who possessed the pure earth elemental Gluttonous Divine Ox Martial Soul, would use the power of the Death Messenger and act like a completely different person, ruthlessly killing the Red Cloud Douluo who had been by his side for a long time, not only Xian Lin'er found this unbelievable, but even Song Lao and Lin Huiqun, who had been informed by Yan Shaozhe in advance, were completely baffled.

The answer is simple.

This time, unlike the time when Xuanzi was devoured after the Mingdu explosion, it wasn't because his mind was temporarily affected by the Holy Demon Heaven's Demise. Rather, it was because Xuanzi had truly become a different person.

At this moment, the one who controls this body is not the real Xuanzi, but the messenger of death!

In the Valley of Love and Destiny, Xuanzi drew an adventure scenario where he would gamble with his soul and exchange bodies with the messenger of death.

He was tortured for days and nights in that decaying body, but ultimately failed to pass the true love adventure in Qiankun Wenqing Valley.

As punishment, the Grim Reaper's consciousness was forcibly stuffed into his spiritual sea.

He now essentially possesses a dual personality. The laws of Qiankun Wenqing Valley are like an eternal cage, trapping Xuanzi's original soul within the cycle of the Death Messenger incident from years ago.

Therefore, the one in a dominant position now is the messenger of death.

This seemingly upright evil spirit master came to Shrek Academy purely to indulge in the fantasy of being the Sea God Pavilion Master, and to secretly develop a new Death Messenger group here, using Shrek as a base to spread his web of death across the entire continent.

The current situation clearly prevents him from carrying out his original plan, but causing a ruckus at the Sea God's Pavilion and blasting the Shrek Academy that killed him into the sky is not bad either!

The Grim Reaper ascended into the air, laughing maniacally as his body swelled. The Gluttonous Divine Ox opened its massive, black maw, pointing directly at the Sea God's Pavilion.

There are thousands of students there, attending classes, practicing, and living their lives.

As they gazed upon the terrifying maw that suddenly emerged from Seagod Island, some legends that had been officially banned by Shrek Academy began to surface in their minds—

That demon that feeds on the souls of millions is really in Shrek!

However, at the very moment the suction force from the mouth of the gluttonous divine ox exploded, golden ribbons suddenly burst forth from the canopy of the majestic golden tree!

The ribbons, soft as silk yet swift as lightning, wound in from all directions, precisely entangling the limbs, torso, and neck of the Taotie Divine Ox.

The Grim Reaper felt an intense burning sensation the moment he made contact with it.

"what--!"

The messenger of death let out screams of agony as his body was tightly bound by golden ribbons, and each struggle brought even more intense burning.

Like a piece of fatty meat being roasted by a raging fire, black smoke poured out from the seven orifices of the Taotie Divine Ox, making a hissing sound, and its huge body continued to fall.

Inside the Sea God Pavilion, Yan Shaozhe was bathed in golden light, as if he had become one with the golden tree beneath his feet.