Douluo: In an extraordinary world, with unparallel understanding!

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The Sea God Pavilion meeting had officially come to an end. 

Titan had no opinions about the meeting—he hadn't even paid close attention to its content. 

His task at Shrek Academy was simple: hold the fort as Shrek's resident Limit Douluo during this transitional period. 

Once Xuan Zi broke through to Limit Douluo with the aid of the Golden Ancient Tree, Titan would take his leave. 

Xuan Zi's final instructions were deeply ingrained in Yan Shaozhe's mind. 

Though Xuan Zi was often careless and prone to mistakes, his advice was undoubtedly correct. Yan Shaozhe saw no reason to refute him. 

"Old Xuan, I understand. Eliminating the evil soul masters is our top priority this time." 

"In that case, this Sea God Pavilion meeting is adjourned." 

"Wait." 

Yan Shaozhe did not leave immediately, nor did he intend to end the meeting just yet. Stopping the others who were about to depart, he began discussing another matter. 

"Everyone, aside from the issue with the evil soul masters in Heaven Dou City, there's another critical matter I need to bring to your attention." 

Xuan Zi, who was about to rise, halted his movement and sat back down, signaling Yan Shaozhe to continue. 

"There's a rumor suggesting that Tang Ya's martial soul may have mutated. Her martial soul reportedly possesses the ability to devour life force, which means she could fall and become an evil soul master at any moment." 

Although the rumors regarding the Titled Douluo evil soul master in Heaven Dou City and Tang Ya's martial soul had only surfaced three days ago, they had already stirred significant unrest. 

Su Yu and Huo Yuhao's efforts in investigating these matters were not insignificant. 

"Tang Ya's martial soul has a problem?" Xuan Zi's tone grew grave. 

If the rumors were true, Tang Ya's martial soul was indeed mutating in the direction of an evil martial soul. Coupled with the fact that she had once absorbed the soul ring of a Human-Faced Demon Spider... 

Of course, if Tang Ya's abilities stemmed solely from the Human-Faced Demon Spider's soul ring, it would be easier to accept as an acquired trait. However, if the mutation was innate, it would be far more troublesome. 

Further, the absorption of the Human-Faced Demon Spider's soul ring might have drastically accelerated this mutation. 

The rest of those present were equally shocked by the news. 

Tang Ya's identity was unique. Though she wasn't an inner court student, she was the Tang Sect's leader, and the Tang Sect's relationship with Shrek was deeply intertwined. 

If the Tang Sect's final leader were to become an evil soul master, it would forever tarnish both the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy. 

Even Ma Xiaotao, whose martial soul had mutated, had been infiltrated by an evil soul master and taken away despite being under the Sea God Pavilion's watchful eye. If Tang Ya's martial soul underwent a malignant mutation and she fell to becoming an evil soul master, she would undoubtedly become a target of the Holy Spirit Cult. 

Especially now, with these rumors spreading. 

Damn it! 

Who leaked this information? 

The Sea God Pavilion members were far from foolish; it didn't take much to piece things together. 

They were all deeply displeased with the individual who had spread these rumors. 

This was clearly a direct attack on Shrek Academy. 

"This matter must be brought to Bei Bei's attention. He needs to keep a close watch on Tang Ya. Also, Tang Ya's martial soul problem must be resolved as soon as possible." 

That was easier said than done. Could Bei Bei really keep Tang Ya under control? 

Not necessarily. 

Even Ma Xiaotao, who had been sleeping under the Sea God Pavilion's protection, had been stolen away. 

As for resolving Tang Ya's martial soul issue, that was an even more daunting task. 

However, with Senior Titan present and Tang Ya residing with Bei Bei within the Golden Ancient Tree, a repeat of the last incident should be avoidable. 

Once was an accident—could it happen again? 

"Bei Bei's martial soul has evolved into the Radiant Holy Dragon. Perhaps it could have a beneficial effect on Tang Ya's martial soul. Moreover, the Golden Ancient Tree might help stabilize her condition if she resides here long-term," someone suggested. 

As for whether Tang Ya was qualified to remain in this place, that wasn't an issue. 

Her status was sufficient. 

Of course, some might argue it was unfair, but taking her in as a disciple of one of the elders would make it more acceptable. 

An elder's disciple would naturally enjoy the same privileges as a Sea God Pavilion member. 

"Shaozhe, your martial soul is the Radiant Phoenix. Combined with Bei Bei, the two of you might be able to suppress Tang Ya's condition," Xuan Zi proposed. 

Yan Shaozhe did not decline. 

As Mu En's disciple, and with Bei Bei being Mu En's sole bloodline descendant, the two of them shared a close bond. 

If something happened to Tang Ya, he was obliged to step in and help. 

"Brother Yu, will Shrek send people to investigate?" 

In the end, these were only rumors, with no solid evidence. Would Shrek really send people to respond? 

"They will," Su Yu replied confidently. "Shrek might have doubts, but they'll have no choice but to send people to investigate and search for traces of the evil soul masters. Shrek may not believe it, but the Heaven Dou City Lord doesn't dare to take any chances. 

"This is what we call 'better safe than sorry.' With the city lord compelled to believe, he'll mobilize his forces to seek help from Shrek." 

For the dignity of a city lord, even Shrek would have to respond appropriately. 

After all, this was Heaven Dou City. 

The City Lord of Heaven Dou, Zhao Huaijia, was a crucial figure in the Heavenly Soul Empire. While his strength might not rank among the top, his influence was undeniable. 

If someone as important as him urgently requested help and Shrek didn't send anyone, and something truly went wrong… 

"Brother Yu, who do you think Shrek will send?" 

Su Yu glanced at Huo Yuhao and replied, "You don't know many of Shrek's strong figures, so why ask such questions?" 

Huo Yuhao scratched the back of his head awkwardly. 

"I was just curious." 

"The stronger, the better," Su Yu continued. "But it's best not to send Xuan Zi." 

When it came to Zhong Liwu, Su Yu felt it was better to send someone as strong as possible from Shrek. This way, they'd have a better chance of dealing with Zhong Liwu. 

As for Xuan Zi, it was better not to send him. Though he was currently the strongest in Shrek, it was best if he stayed out of this. 

If things went wrong, the harm would fall back on their own people. 

"What about Teacher Xiao Ya? If we do this, will Shrek be able to protect her?" 

Huo Yuhao casually asked. He wasn't yet aware that Ma Xiaotao had been captured by an evil soul master even under Shrek's heavy protection. If he knew, he would be even more worried right now. 

"Don't worry. Shrek's internal defenses are solid, and they care more about their reputation than anyone else," Su Yu reassured him. 

Tang Ya was Bei Bei's girlfriend, which already made the situation complex. She was also the leader of the Tang Sect and possibly its last. If she fell to become an evil soul master, it would forever stain Shrek's reputation. 

It would be an even worse stain than the last Soul Fighting Tournament. 

After all, the loss in the tournament could be blamed on their efforts to hunt evil soul masters, which led to significant casualties among the participants. 

Of course, it was also possible that they didn't view it as too serious. 

Su Yu recalled that Yan Shaozhe's girlfriend was an elder of the Holy Spirit Sect, possibly even a Super Douluo. 

And Mu En... with Ye Xishui, things weren't entirely clear either. 

It was ridiculous. 

Shrek's higher-ups already had many connections to the Holy Spirit Sect, and this had been a well-known taboo for years. Except for those who lived through that era, who knew about these ties? 

Perhaps even if Tang Ya fell, they would find a way to cover it up. 

Huo Yuhao wasn't sure why Su Yu had so much confidence, but as long as he had faith, Huo Yuhao felt relieved. 

After all, this was Su Yu's assessment. If the judgment was wrong, not only would Teacher Xiao Ya be in danger, but Su Yu's own assessment would fail. 

Tang Ya had been accepted as a disciple by Yan Shaozhe and then taken into the Sea God Pavilion. Su Yu was unaware of this information. 

However, he knew that Yan Shaozhe had arrived in Heaven Dou City. 

Just five days after Su Yu and Huo Yuhao began their actions, Yan Shaozhe arrived in Heaven Dou City and had a discussion with Zhao Huaijia. 

Yan Shaozhe was swift and decisive, showing no hesitation as he immediately began investigating the whereabouts of the evil soul masters. 

He didn't find Zhong Liwu, but he managed to kill many evil soul masters. 

While capturing these weaker evil soul masters, he also started gathering information on the Holy Spirit Sect. 

The evil soul masters were all subjected to restraints. If they spoke about anything related to the Sect's secrets, they would die instantly. There was no hope of obtaining any valuable confidential information. 

However, Yan Shaozhe did manage to extract information about the Phoenix Saintess. 

"The Phoenix Saintess... it should be Xiaotao," Yan Shaozhe's face twisted in struggle, pain flickering in his eyes. 

The Holy Spirit Sect's Saintess was no small matter. 

This meant that rescuing Ma Xiaotao wouldn't be so simple. 

As time passed, Ma Xiaotao's crimes piled up. Even if she were rescued, she would likely feel too ashamed to face her teacher or Shrek again. 

At this moment, Yan Shaozhe's heart was filled with pain. 

He regretted it deeply. 

Why had he pressured Ma Xiaotao so relentlessly to increase her soul power? 

His insistence had gone too far, pushing Ma Xiaotao to focus excessively on her cultivation. Even with the torment of the evil fire, she had continued to push forward, desperate to increase her soul power. 

Despite not resolving the problem of the evil fire and only having suppression techniques to control it, he had allowed Ma Xiaotao to cultivate all the way to the Soul Emperor level. 

Thinking back to the words of Kong Deming at the end of the Soul Master Competition, Yan Shaozhe's heart ached even more. 

Those words, which had been intended to slander Shrek, now seemed painfully true. It felt as though he had made a grave mistake. 

"I should have helped Xiaotao resolve the issue with her evil fire back then." 

But the problem of the evil fire wasn't something that could be solved easily. 

Ten thousand years ago, even the original bearer of the Evil Fire Phoenix bloodline, Ma Hongjun, had found no solution. If not for the immortal-grade Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower gifted to him by Tang San, he likely wouldn't have been able to purify his bloodline. 

Moreover, Ma Hongjun had a consistent means to release the buildup of his evil fire, keeping it under control. 

But Ma Xiaotao, valuing her reputation above all, had endured the torment of the evil fire each time without seeking such a release. 

Perhaps Kong Deming was right. Without addressing the issue of the evil fire, continuing to cultivate at such a pace was destined to lead to her complete corruption—even if not by that sword, then by something else. 

"I've searched for so long and still found nothing." 

Yan Shaozhe had spent three days searching the outskirts of Heaven Dou City, with the aura of his Bright Phoenix covering the area the entire time. 

His martial soul allowed him to sense the presence of evil soul masters with remarkable clarity. 

Yet, even with such an advantage, he hadn't found anything. 

"Was the rumor false?" Yan Shaozhe no longer felt that the trip had been in vain, as he had managed to gather some valuable intelligence during this mission. 

But was the rumor really untrue? 

If so, why couldn't he locate the target? 

With the Bright Phoenix enhancing his senses, he should have been able to detect the evil soul master's bloody aura. 

Unless... 

"Unless the evil soul master's soul power surpasses mine!" 

"Kehehe, you've finally realized it. Unfortunately, it's already too late!" 

Zhongli Wu, having carefully prepared everything, had been furious when news of his plans somehow leaked, ruining over two decades of effort. His frustration was palpable. 

The oppressive aura of the Bright Phoenix was particularly grating to him. 

Zhongli Wu remained unaware of the deaths of his three brothers, as he had arrived in the Heavenly Soul Empire ahead of time to make his arrangements, oblivious to the "incident" in the Valley of Buried Souls. 

If he knew what had transpired there, his rage would have been even greater. 

"Who's there?!" 

Yan Shaozhe shouted, immediately activating his martial soul possession. 

It truly was an evil soul master whose soul power surpassed his own! 

Damn it! 

How could such a powerful evil soul master exist? Had the Holy Spirit Cult developed to this extent already? 

The moment Yan Shaozhe laid eyes on Zhongli Wu, a chill ran down his spine. 

This soul power... it was at least rank 98. 

Boom! 

The Death God Puppet materialized, its oppressive presence overwhelming. 

A sharp, clear phoenix cry pierced the air as the radiant aura of light surged forward. 

The battle between the forces of evil and light had begun.

Heaven Dou City.

As the battle erupted, the city immediately entered a state of martial law.

Su Yu gazed into the distance at the clash of the battle.

In the sky, the Bright Phoenix and the Death God Puppet clashed constantly, each strike bringing a deafening roar, threatening to destroy everything in its path.

Although neither of them had mastered their soul techniques to the point of not relying on their soul rings, as Super Douluos, they were able to use their soul techniques with ease and precision.

The soul rings shimmered, and the release of their soul techniques unleashed their most powerful attacks.

In their hands, the strength of their soul techniques had escalated to a whole new level.

Su Yu watched as the Super Douluos fought.

This battle leaned more towards soul master combat, with no soul cannon bombardments.

Even with the attribute advantage, Yan Shaozhe was at a disadvantage, overwhelmed by his opponent.

The difference of two ranks between Super Douluos was not something that attribute advantage alone could overcome.

Moreover, the Death God Puppet was surrounded by nine soul rings, a completely abnormal presence!

Six black, three red!

All of them were above ten thousand years in age.

In contrast, Yan Shaozhe's soul rings were a typical, standard configuration.

No, to be precise, his soul ring configuration wasn't even extreme; his ninth soul ring was a dark black ring tinged with a faint red, barely over ninety thousand years old.

The difference in the quality of their soul rings was something Yan Shaozhe's attribute advantage could not compensate for.

Huo Yuhao, having seen the Valley of Souls and being aware of how the Holy Spirit Cult used evil rituals to enhance soul ring ages, was still left stunned upon seeing Zhongli Wu's soul ring configuration of six black and three red rings.

Zhongli Wu's three brothers had collected numerous soul beast souls, but even after they were sacrificed, the soul rings showed no significant change.

In fact, the first and second soul rings were still yellow.

This showed that the efficiency of those sacrifices was incredibly low.

Yet Zhongli Wu had managed to elevate all his soul rings to the ten-thousand-year level, with three of them being red soul rings, each over a hundred thousand years old.

Damn it!

How monstrous a sin must one commit to achieve this level?

The golden phoenix let out a cry, and its reddish-gold flames spread, dispersing the surrounding darkness and evil.

Yan Shaozhe was filled with terror at the sight.

This was even stronger than Elder Xuan!

Zhongli Wu, venting his anger, had yet to use his eighth or ninth soul techniques but had already inflicted a heavy blow on Yan Shaozhe.

"The dean of Shrek's martial soul department? This is it?"

(End of Chapter)