Chapter 228: Clash of Wills — The Fate of Xiao Qiang
When Elder Xuan declared his confidence in home-ground advantage, Yan Shaozhe nodded in agreement. "Xuan Lao has a good idea."
"We don't need to overly concern ourselves with Jing Hongchen. The soul beast he's hunting in the Far North may not be a 100,000-year specimen, but if he dares venture there, its quality is definitely not low. And the higher the quality, the greater the risk. By the time they return, exhausted from the hunt, we can strike. But one thing must be clear—no matter what happens to the others, Xiao Qiang must be captured by Shrek."
Yan Shaozhe's expression turned cold. "That soul master who dares to tamper with angelic spirits—no matter what anyone else calls it—belongs to the Soul Palace. He's inherently dangerous. Such a person must be judged by Shrek."
No sooner had Elder Xuan finished speaking than a powerful presence stormed into the room. A man of no less imposing aura than Xuan Lao appeared, bearing two yellow, two purple, two black, and three red soul rings—marking him unmistakably as a powerhouse. This was Du Bu Si, the leader of the Body Sect.
"Hmph, judged? I see what's really going on here. You just want the soul-making technology for yourselves!" Du Bu Si's voice thundered through the Sea God Pavilion.
"Tianhun Empire… So your Body Sect really is colluding with evil soul masters!" someone exclaimed.
Du Bu Si's fury ignited instantly. The Body Sect had suffered ever since a fatal blow was delivered to one of their elders by the Clear Sky Sect. The incident had been widely misunderstood, with the blame falling on the Body Sect's young master, Long Aotian. But the young master's name was truly Long Aotian, and due to the sect's secrecy, the truth was known to few. Unfortunately, the fallout severely damaged their reputation and strained recruitment.
Every time someone asked about the young master's name, Body Sect members found themselves forced into lengthy explanations. And no matter how many times they clarified, the nobles of the Tianhun Empire always walked away with suspicious glances. The constant distrust had worn down the morale of the sect.
"Bullshit! Shrek is the one harboring evil soul masters!"
"Du Bu Si, mind your words. Do you intend to stand against all of Shrek Academy?"
"Oh? So you can hurl accusations but can't accept them? Hypocrisy suits you, Shrek."
Xuan Lao and Du Bu Si glared at each other, their powerful auras clashing. Neither side would back down. Normally, any accusation of being an evil soul master would've prompted immediate retaliation from Shrek. But the Body Sect was not an enemy they could carelessly suppress. Their strength rivaled Shrek's, and as a result, the academy could only match force with presence—for now.
"Uncle Gan, Elder Xuan, please calm down." Princess Vina interjected, bowing slightly. "We're here to deal with the Sun Moon Empire, not to fight amongst ourselves. If we let internal conflicts divide us now, we might as well hand the continent over to them."
Her words had a calming effect. The two rivals snorted but took a step back from their argument.
"I don't care what happens to Jing Hongchen and the others," Xuan Lao continued grimly. "But Xiao Qiang—he must be taken by Shrek. He's provoked us too many times. He's dangerous and must be handled accordingly."
Du Bu Si's voice turned icy. "Is it truly because of his actions, or because of his unique soul-making techniques that Shrek covets so much? Let me be clear—I can yield the others to you. But Xiao Qiang belongs to the Body Sect. He must return with us."
"Return with you?" Yan Shaozhe scoffed. "He's nearly at the level of a Super Douluo. You want to bring him back now, after he's reached such a terrifying level? Do you honestly believe he'll remain loyal to your sect?"
"That's our problem to solve," Du Bu Si shot back. "Shrek has no say in this. If you try to take him, we'll retaliate with full force. Even Jing Hongchen won't be able to protect him when he returns from the Far North."
"Grandfather…" Vina whispered, stepping closer to Du Bu Si.
She understood the stakes. Even though they had enough power to intercept Jing Hongchen and his forces, doing so would come at a heavy cost. Defeating Jing Hongchen might require sacrificing three Title Douluo—an unacceptable loss unless their reward was guaranteed. If they failed to secure Xiao Qiang or lost the soul-making techniques in the process, it could be a crippling blow to the Heavenly Soul Empire.
Du Bu Si didn't flinch. "Don't worry about it, Vina. Some things are non-negotiable. Xiao Qiang will return to the Body Sect. That's final."
"Oh?" A soft, aged voice interrupted. "Is there really no room for negotiation?"
All eyes turned to see an old man walk in slowly, leaning on a cane. Despite his fragile appearance, no one could sense his soul power. It was as if he were not even a soul master at all.
Du Bu Si's pupils shrank the moment he saw the man's face.
"Dragon God Douluo… Mu En!"
Even aged and weathered, Mu En's identity was unmistakable. He walked silently to the head seat of the Sea God Pavilion and eased into the rocking chair without saying a word.
"Heh, looks like some of you still remember me." Mu En smiled faintly. "I'll make a compromise. You may take Xiao Qiang, but only after he surrenders the method for creating soul spirits. Is that acceptable?"
Du Bu Si let out a quiet breath. Mu En had no intention of fighting, at least not yet.
"Since Elder Mu has spoken, I'll agree—for now. But mark my words—Shrek must not torture Xiao Qiang. He's one of ours. If he joins the Body Sect, we'll ensure the Sun Moon Empire dares not threaten us for the next two hundred years."
Mu En closed his eyes in thought before replying. "Fine."
With Mu En mediating, tensions eased. The group quickly moved on to assigning personnel for the operation to capture Xiao Qiang and intercept Jing Hongchen's forces.
Without further disputes between Xuan Lao and Du Bu Si, everything proceeded efficiently. The final plan involved Du Bu Si, Xuan Lao, and the powerful Tianyang Douluo—who was at level 97—leading a task force that included eight titled Douluo and thirty soul douluo.
"Everything's set. Let's move." Mu En stood from his chair, looking at the assembled elites. "I may not have two years left in me… but I still have enough strength to protect you all, should something go wrong."
The room fell into solemn silence. With the Dragon God Douluo accompanying them, the mission against Jing Hongchen and Xiao Qiang would either end in decisive victory—or not at all.