Douluo Continent: Copying Ya Li, the Carefree King of the Sun and Moon

Xiao Wu was taken aback for a moment, then replied, "An eight-ring Soul Douluo, she just broke through yesterday. She's already giving it her all."

"Eight Rings." Tang San repeated the two words, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

Wang Dong, at 20 years old and level 82, certainly possesses remarkable talent, but the problem now is that he doesn't know the level of the inheritor of the Goddess of Life and the God of Destruction.

"Third Brother," Xiao Wu said softly, "why don't we let Wang Dong come back?"

Tang San remained silent for a moment, then shook his head.

"Let Xiaoqi represent Shrek in a competition, and then let her come back."

He turned around, his gaze falling on the gray-white light shield on the screen, his eyes so gloomy they seemed to drip water.

He couldn't see the Sun Moon Empire clearly, nor could he see Xu Yanli clearly, but he could see Shrek Academy clearly, and he could see the forces that were still loyal to him.

A storm is brewing, and the eye of the storm is always that one person.

Douluo Continent, Shrek Academy.

Wang Dong stood on the shore of Poseidon Lake, gazing at the withered golden ancient tree before him, and remained silent for a long time.

Four years have passed. She has grown taller, and her long, light blue hair reaches her waist. Her features have transformed from those of a naive young girl into those of a bright and beautiful woman. However, there is a lingering weariness between her brows.

Shrek's life has been terrible these past few years.

Four years after that major competition, the academy's reputation plummeted. Shen Muqing's blood-stained clothes and Zhao Tiesheng's accusations were like knives stabbing into Shrek Academy's long-standing reputation.

Commoner Soul Masters no longer dream of Shrek Academy, and nobles are unwilling to send their children there. Student enrollment has plummeted, funding is tight, and even several elders of the Sea God Pavilion have left.

The only ones holding Shrek Academy together were the few genius disciples from the inner court. The strongest among them was Wang Dong, the young sect master of the Clear Sky Sect, possessing innate full soul power, the Goddess of Light Butterfly martial soul, and at twenty years old, an eight-ring Soul Douluo, hailed as Shrek Academy's last hope.

This was something Shrek Academy had asked for. Given Shrek's current situation, Da Ming and Er Ming were afraid that Xiao Wu would blame them, so they agreed, but on the condition that Xiao Qi must be the next Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion.

But Wang Dong himself knew that this "last hope" was far, far inferior to that person's.

As she gazed at the golden ancient tree, another figure surfaced in her mind: golden hair, white robes, a jade fan at his waist, always unhurried and composed. From the very first day of school, that person had remained enigmatic to her.

She thought she was chasing him, and after seven years, the distance between them only grew further and further. From Soul King to Soul Emperor, from Soul Emperor to Soul Saint, he should be a Title Douluo by now.

She couldn't even catch a glimpse of him.

However, one shouldn't encounter too many amazing people when young, otherwise one won't find fault with everyone.

"Wang Dong."

An aged voice came from behind him. Wang Dong turned around and saw Xuan Zi standing not far away. Four years had passed, and this Taotie Douluo had aged even more. His hair was completely white, and his back was hunched, but his eyes were still sharp.

"teacher."

Xuanzi walked to her side and also looked at the ancient golden tree.

"Old Mu...is gone."

Wang Dong remained silent. She had known all along that Moon had been on his deathbed for half a year, and the withering of the Golden Tree was the best proof of that. Without Moon, without the Golden Tree, Shrek Academy's last trump card was gone.

"A message has come from above," Xuanzi said in a low voice, "that you are to participate in this competition."

Wang Dong nodded casually: "I was planning to participate anyway."

She knew the weight of the word "above." The divine realm, the Haotian Sect, and that person.

That father who damaged her soul!

Wang Dong nodded and turned to walk towards the inner courtyard. After a few steps, he suddenly stopped without turning back: "Teacher, do you think we can still win?"

Chapter 160 The Carefree King Says He Wants to Hold a Military Parade

The morning sunlight spilled into the Xiaoyao Prince's Mansion, sliding down the layers of flying eaves and spreading a scattering of golden light on the bluestone floor.

Xu Yanli had just emerged from the martial arts arena, the edges of his dark robes still glistening with dew from his morning cultivation. Four years of secluded training in the secret realm had completely worn away any outward sharpness in him.

He walked along the corridor, his footsteps so light they barely made a sound. He seemed to blend completely into the cool morning breeze, his aura so restrained that even if an ordinary soul master stood right next to him, they would not be able to sense his depth.

"Your Highness."

Luo Xu quickly stepped forward, carrying a thick stack of files and documents in his arms, and bowed as he spoke.

"Miss Ye has returned and is currently waiting in the flower hall."

Xu Yanli paused slightly, then walked straight towards the flower hall.

Inside the flower hall, Ye Guyi was sitting quietly on a wooden chair, savoring her tea.

Four years have passed in the blink of an eye, completely shedding her youthful naiveté. Her once flowing golden hair is now tied up in a neat high ponytail, and her smart white outfit accentuates her upright posture, with a sword at her waist.

The Angelic Holy Sword hung silently, its cold light slightly diminished. At this moment, she was like a divine weapon sheathed, yet still concealing its sharpness.

Hearing footsteps approaching, Ye Guyi immediately put down her teacup, stood up, and looked up.

The moment her gaze fell upon Xu Yanli, a glimmer of light flashed in her clear eyes, but she quickly suppressed it, gathering all her emotions, and respectfully bowed to Xu Yanli.

"Your Highness."

Xu Yanli nodded slightly, sat down opposite her, and glanced at her entire body with indifferent eyes.

Level 93, a genuine Title Douluo.

"Not bad." He said calmly, with a hint of approval. "You haven't neglected your cultivation these past four years."

Ye Guyi's lips curled into a faint smile, which she quickly suppressed before speaking seriously: "I have finished dealing with all the remaining matters of the Jingxie Division and have returned specifically to report back. I just heard from Yue Zhengling that Your Highness is planning to send someone to participate in the Continental Tournament?"

Xu Yanli picked up the hot tea on the table, took a small sip, and did not deny it.

This year's All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Tournament is vastly different from previous years.

Just half a month ago, Xu Tianran issued an imperial edict, breaking the rules that had been in place for many years, allowing all major sects in the world to participate in the competition in their own name, no longer limited to the major soul master academies.

The moment this decree was issued, it caused a huge uproar throughout the Sun Moon Empire's court and even among the common people.

Those sects that had long been excluded from official competitions and lacked legitimate recognition suddenly had a chance to turn things around, and their morale soared.

In the imperial court, officials and civil servants presented their memorials one after another, each sentence praising the emperor's achievements.

"Your Majesty is wise! This act marks a glorious era for our Sun Moon Empire!"

"When sects compete on the same stage, and a hundred schools of thought contend, that is the true grand spectacle of martial arts!"

The flattering words still echoed in his ears, but Xu Yanli saw through them perfectly.

Xu Tianran's move was far from the so-called "letting a hundred flowers bloom" or "showing consideration for the sects."

He wanted to bring all the sects and forces, large and small, under the heavens onto the same stage.

By taking advantage of this highly anticipated competition, all forces can be brought to light before the eyes of the world, and then wiped out in one fell swoop.

Who is strong and who is weak, who is loyal and who is treacherous—after a competition, all the shady dealings and hidden strengths will be exposed and revealed, leaving nothing to hide.

The Xiaoyao Pavilion, which he heads, is the sharpest knife that Xu Yanli is preparing to unleash in this game of chess.

"I plan to form a team to compete under the name of Xiaoyao Pavilion."

Xu Yanli put down his teacup, his tone casual and indifferent, revealing no trace of emotion.

"You'll be the referee later."

Ye Guyi's eyes suddenly lit up, but the next second she couldn't help but frown and said somewhat awkwardly, "Okay, but you go on stage."

"That's enough."

Xu Yanli directly interrupted her concerns, leaning back in his chair and lightly tapping the solid wood armrest with his fingertips.

"An ordinary Soul Douluo-level Angelic Martial Soul is enough to overwhelm most of the participants. Now that you've broken through to the Title level, it's too conspicuous. It's better to conceal your strength and participate in the competition discreetly."

Ye Guyi opened her mouth, pondered for a while, but finally swallowed all her concerns and solemnly nodded in agreement.

"Yes, Your Highness, I will follow your instructions."

At the same time, in the royal army camp outside the Ming capital, a completely different dialogue was quietly taking place.

On the spacious training ground, hundreds of Imperial soldiers stood in neat rows, their formations perfectly aligned and their imposing presence awe-inspiring. Rows of standard-issue soul-guided cannons were arrayed in orderly fashion, their dark muzzles pointing straight ahead, gleaming with a cold, metallic gleam, exuding a powerful sense of intimidation.

On the high platform, a woman in a crisp military uniform stood with her long orange-red hair flying wildly in the autumn wind, her clear and powerful voice resounding throughout the entire training ground.

"Third round of artillery drill, ready—fire!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Deafening explosions rang out one after another, flames instantly engulfed the distant firing range, and thick smoke billowed into the sky, spreading across the surrounding area.

Ju Zi raised her hand to put away the command flag, and looking at the results before her, a hint of satisfaction appeared in her eyes.

Four years of military service have completely shed all her fragility and naivety. The ordinary girl with a troubled past and a sensitive mind has long since transformed into the iron-willed and resolute female general of the empire.

At this moment, she is the deputy commander of the Sun Moon Empire's long-range soul-guided artillery force, holding the rank of general, commanding three thousand elite soldiers and three hundred elite soul-guided artillery pieces, and wielding real military power.

"Report! Commander! General Huo has arrived!"

A messenger rushed up the platform, gave a standard military salute, and reported loudly.

Orange's eyes flickered slightly as she turned to look in the direction of the military camp gate.

Huo Yuhao galloped over on horseback, his dark blue military uniform crisp and sharp, the silver star epaulets on his shoulders gleaming.

At just twenty years old, he had long since left behind the naivety and recklessness of his youth. His brows and eyes had matured into the composure and sharpness unique to soldiers, but his eyes remained clear and bright, hiding an indomitable spirit.

He nimbly dismounted, strode up the platform, took out a letter bearing the imperial seal from his bosom, and handed it to Ju Zi.

"The Grand Tournament order," Huo Yuhao said calmly. "His Majesty has decreed that you and I lead the team to defend Mingdu and participate in the security and ceremonies for this continent-wide tournament."

Ju Zi took the transfer order, quickly glanced through the contents, and frowned slightly: "How many people and equipment are to be transferred?"

"A battalion's worth of troops," Huo Yuhao said bluntly, "three hundred elite soldiers and fifty main-force soul-guided cannons, all under your full command and control."

Orange was silent for a moment, then slowly smiled knowingly.

"His Majesty intends to use this competition to showcase our national prestige in front of everyone from the original Three Kingdoms, just like what the Prince of Xiaoyao said about a military parade."

Chapter 161 The Luxurious Free and Easy Team!

The news that Xu Yanli was going to form a team under the name of Xiaoyao Pavilion to compete in the All-Continent Soul Fighting Tournament spread throughout the entire Mingdu City in just one day.

Everyone on the streets is talking about how luxurious this convoy is.

Xu Yanli naturally wouldn't handle such a complicated personnel selection process personally; he directly entrusted it entirely to Yue Zhengling.