Xuan Zi did not answer right away.
Those once-clouded old eyes were now bloodshot.
He stared fixedly at the thin battle report in front of him, yet it felt heavier than a thousand-pound boulder pressing on his chest.
He understood better than anyone.
This defeat was not merely a loss in a match.
It was a resounding slap to the face.
A brutal slap to Shrek Academy's face, to the Sea God's Pavilion's face—and even more so, to his own.
Liu Yuan was someone he had personally driven away.
And now, that very youth he had once dismissed as a "discarded piece" was representing Shrek's greatest nemesis, the Sun Moon Empire. On the most high-profile stage of the entire continent, he had crushed Shrek's proudest team head-on.
Retribution had come swiftly and mercilessly.
The irony was almost unbearable.
"E-Elder Xuan…"
The intelligence officer's voice trembled harder with every passing second. He was truly on the verge of collapse.
Every moment spent in this suffocating silence felt like torture.
"Sigh…"
After a long while, Xuan Zi finally let out a deep sigh, as though it drained the last remnants of strength from his body.
He slowly closed his eyes and slumped back against the chair. His voice sounded hoarse, like rusted iron scraping against itself.
"Send it out…"
"Something like this can't be hidden."
"Rather than letting them hear some distorted version from outsiders… it's better if we report it ourselves."
With those words, Xuan Zi seemed to age ten years in an instant. Even the wine gourd that never left his side now looked painfully out of place.
"Yes…"
The intelligence officer felt as if he had just received a royal pardon. He bowed hastily and fled the meeting room as if escaping for his life, rushing off to carry out the task that filled his heart with dread.
…
At the same time.
Shrek Academy, Sea God's Pavilion.
Inside this ancient pavilion—symbol of the absolute pinnacle of power in the Spirit Master world of the Douluo Continent—the lights burned brightly. The atmosphere was relaxed, even faintly expectant.
Around an enormous long table sat more than a dozen elderly figures.
Some rested with their eyes closed, others spoke in low voices, yet every one of them radiated an oppressive aura that made the heart tremble.
They were Shrek Academy's true foundation—the Elders of the Sea God's Pavilion.
Beings who could make the entire Douluo Continent quake with a single step.
Today, these elusive figures had all gathered for one reason alone—the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament being held in Star Luo City.
More precisely, today's headline match:
Shrek Academy versus Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
"By the timing, that match should've ended a while ago, right?"
A middle-aged man dressed in white, with a refined and scholarly air, spoke with a smile. He was Yan Shaozhe, Dean of Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department.
He lifted the teacup before him and took a light sip, utterly composed.
"With Elder Xuan personally leading the team, and with our Shrek lineup stronger than ever, handling the Sun Moon Royal team shouldn't be a problem."
"Heh, Shaozhe, aren't you being a little too optimistic?"
A woman seated across from him chuckled. She was Xian Lin'er, Dean of the Soul Tool Department.
"The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy has deep foundations, after all. Though we've suppressed them for ten thousand years, they still give us trouble every tournament. And that opposing captain, Liu Yuan, has been remarkably consistent since the start of the competition."
At the mention of Liu Yuan's name, the Elders displayed a variety of expressions.
Regret. Curiosity. Dismissal.
"Yes… Liu Yuan."
Yan Shaozhe set down his teacup, a complicated glint passing through his eyes.
"To be honest, it was indeed a pity that Elder Xuan drove him away back then."
"Still, we haven't truly seen the limits of his strength."
"His appearance on the Sun Moon team this time can serve as a test."
"Let's see what kind of waves he can stir up when he stands face-to-face with our Shrek students on the battlefield."
"I agree."
Another Elder stroked his beard and laughed.
"His earlier matches were flashy, but the opponents were far too weak to be meaningful."
"Facing Xiaotao today—that's the real measure."
"I wonder how many rounds he can last against her? Think he can force out even thirty percent of her strength?"
"Thirty percent? You think too highly of him."
A hot-tempered Elder snorted coldly.
"Xiaotao possesses the Phoenix Evil Fire and is already a Spirit Saint. What about Liu Yuan? He's only a Spirit King. The gap in cultivation speaks for itself. No matter how impressive he looked before, what can he possibly do?"
"I bet he won't even last the time it takes an incense stick to burn."
"Hahaha! Then I'll bet half a stick!"
Laughter echoed through the Sea God's Pavilion. No one seemed to take the outcome of the match seriously.
In their minds, Shrek's victory was a foregone conclusion.
What interested them was only the process—and how that so-called "traitor," Liu Yuan, would perform.
Yan Shaozhe watched the scene and smiled, shaking his head.
Turning toward the entrance, he spoke confidently:
"To make sure everyone sees it clearly, I specifically ordered them to use the finest spirit tools to record the entire match and send it back."
"Judging by the time, the intelligence officer should be arriving any moment now."
As his words fell, the heavy wooden doors of the Sea God's Pavilion were gently knocked.
"Enter!"
Yan Shaozhe's spirits lifted as he called out.
The doors slowly opened, and an intelligence officer in Shrek uniform stepped inside.
However, his usually steady gait was uncharacteristically unsteady, and his face was deathly pale.
He kept his head lowered, not daring to meet the gaze of any Elder, clutching a sealed intelligence cylinder tightly in his hands.
He had already seen the contents.
Enough to shake the entire Sea God's Pavilion to its core.
At this moment, he felt like a condemned soldier carrying explosives—every step trembling.
But the Elders, still immersed in their relaxed mood, failed to notice anything amiss.
Yan Shaozhe waved him over with a smile.
"Come, come. Present the battle report. Everyone's waiting."
"No need for the details—just give us the result. Did we win? How did Liu Yuan perform? How much of Xiaotao's strength did he force out?"
Several Elders chimed in with amused remarks.
The intelligence officer walked to the end of the long table. His legs nearly gave out beneath him.
Taking a deep breath, he tried to steady his shaking voice, but his throat felt stuffed with cotton, dry and painful.
"What's wrong? Why the hesitation?"
Yan Shaozhe frowned slightly, finally sensing something was off.
"Did something unexpected happen?"
"N-No…"
The intelligence officer finally forced out a sound. His head dipped even lower, his voice barely audible.
"Reporting to the Elders…"
"In today's match…"
"Shrek… lost."
The pavilion fell instantly silent.
Dead silent.
So quiet one could hear a pin drop.
Every smile froze in place. Yan Shaozhe's hand stopped midair, teacup suspended.
"What did you say?"
Xian Lin'er's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Say that again."
The intelligence officer clenched his teeth and pushed through:
"In today's battle, Shrek Academy was defeated!"
"Captain Ma Xiaotao engaged in a one-on-one duel with the Sun Moon team's captain, Liu Yuan…"
His voice trembled with despair.
"The result was absolute."
"She was crushed head-on—"
"Completely and utterly defeated by Liu Yuan.
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