Meanwhile, on the other side...
When they were still some distance from the desolate ruins, Jiang Li had already completely concealed his fighting aura.
Following the route he remembered, he soon arrived at the familiar teahouse.
However, the scene before him made Jiang Li raise an eyebrow, but he wasn't too surprised.
The teahouse was now under strict lockdown, with several people dressed in Shrek Academy uniforms standing guard at the entrance with solemn expressions.
A faint barrier of soul power was set up around them, keeping out any outsiders.
Jiang Li didn't take this to heart and walked forward unhurriedly.
"stop!"
At this moment, the leading Soul Master saw this and immediately shouted to stop him.
At the same time, his soul power surged, pointing directly at Jiang Li, "This place has been sealed off, all irrelevant personnel must leave immediately!"
Jiang Li ignored them and continued walking straight toward the blockade without stopping.
"Can't you understand me?"
Another Soul Master roared and swayed as he stepped forward to stop him, his hand reaching for Jiang Li's shoulder.
That Soul Master was a Soul King, and his attack was swift and carried an irresistible force.
Jiang Li didn't even glance at him; he simply threw a punch the instant his palm touched his shoulder.
Bang--!
A dull thud sounded, as if a boulder had struck thin paper.
The Soul King who grabbed Jiang Li didn't even have time to react before his body flew backward like a kite with a broken string.
Click—!
The sound of bones shattering was clearly audible as his body slammed heavily against the wall not far away, instantly creating a huge crater.
Amidst the flying debris, the Soul King coughed up blood, his aura weakened to the extreme.
Upon witnessing this scene, all the Shrek guards around them paled, their pupils contracted sharply, and the contempt in their eyes was instantly replaced by terror.
That's a Soul King! Even a Soul Master of the same level would have to put in some effort to deal with it.
But in that person's hands, they couldn't even withstand a single move, and were easily swatted away like ants!
"You...you dare attack someone from Shrek Academy?!"
The remaining Soul Masters shouted in a show of bravado but were actually quite timid, and they all retreated, watching Jiang Li warily.
Jiang Li glanced at them, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.
"Get out of the way."
"You think we're afraid of you?!"
The leading Soul Master gritted his teeth and shouted, "Brothers, let's attack together and take him down!"
Several figures leaped up simultaneously, their soul power shining brightly, and various soul rings flashing beneath their feet, as they surrounded and attacked Jiang Li.
However, when faced with the encirclement of these people, Jiang Li simply turned slightly to the side.
His movements seemed slow, yet he always managed to dodge every attack perfectly, as if strolling leisurely.
The next second, Jiang Li moved.
His speed was astonishing; his figure became blurry in everyone's eyes in an instant.
Bang bang bang!
After several muffled thuds, screams of agony rose and fell.
In a short while, the Shrek guards, who had been so aggressive, all lay sprawled on the ground.
They were all groaning in pain, unable to get up.
The scene fell silent.
Jiang Li simply patted non-existent dust off his hands and looked down at He Caitou, who was already dead inside the teahouse.
Without any unnecessary words, he raised his hand and patted Xiao You on the shoulder.
Xiao You understood immediately, flew directly to He Caitou's corpse, opened his mouth wide, and swallowed it whole.
After doing all this, Jiang Li didn't linger any longer and turned to leave.
As for the soul bones and such on Moon's body, he wasn't very interested.
Even if he dared to sell, I doubt anyone would dare to buy.
With that, the task of eliminating He Caitou came to an end, and Jiang Li set off back to the Sun Moon Empire to complete his mission.
However, before leaving Shrek City, he specifically went to Ling Luochen to give her a task.
The task was simple: to spread the word that he had killed Moon.
——
After some time, the Sun and Moon Empire.
The familiar room was filled with flickering candlelight, casting a play of light and shadow, and the air was thick with the rich, dark sandalwood scent that belonged only to royalty.
Xu Tianran sat in a wheelchair, dressed in a black dragon-patterned casual suit, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest of the wheelchair.
A look of great satisfaction appeared on his face, and his deep eyes fell on Jiang Li, who was slowly walking into the room, full of appreciation and calculation.
He watched as Jiang Li calmly stepped in, his body devoid of any of the ferocity that followed the battle, still maintaining his nonchalant and indifferent demeanor.
Based on the information I had just learned, it was hard to believe that this person had actually killed a Limit Douluo from Shrek Academy.
"Jiang Li, you have indeed not disappointed this Crown Prince."
After a moment, Xu Tianran spoke first, his voice deep and pleasant, carrying the unique majesty of royalty.
"Eliminating these remnants of the previous dynasty and even killing Shrek Academy's Limit Douluo, this achievement is unmatched by any other young generation in the entire Douluo Continent."
Jiang Li casually found a chair and sat down, then raised his hand to make Xiao You vomit up He Caitou's corpse.
Then, he casually raised his eyes and said, "The commission is complete. It's time to settle the final payment."
Upon hearing this, Xu Tianran was not displeased at all; instead, his smile deepened.
He raised his hand and took out a black card with intricate gold patterns, which was completely black and handed it to Jiang Li.
"This is the agreed-upon final payment of 40 million gold soul coins. The amount in the card has been fully credited and there are no restrictions. You can withdraw it from any bank across the continent."
Jiang Li took the black gold card and put it in his pocket, a barely perceptible look of relief crossing his face.
For him, this was the core meaning of the operation; as for the fame he gained by killing Mu En, which shocked the continent, it was just a side effect.
Seeing Jiang Li put away the card, Xu Tianran's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Knowing that the time had come, he slowly extended the olive branch that he had been preparing for a long time.
"Jiang Li, I, the Crown Prince, have seen your strength."
However, you are alone, and even with extraordinary abilities, you will inevitably face limitations everywhere. Why not join my Sun Moon Empire and serve this Crown Prince?
At this point, he directly offered extremely generous terms.
"As long as you are willing to stay, I, the Crown Prince, will grant you a superior status, free from any court rules, and endless wealth and glory. Whatever you want, I, the Crown Prince, can find for you."
"When I ascend the throne, you will be a founding hero, wielding immense power and respected by all. This is a hundred times better than you wandering alone as a bounty hunter, living a life of constant danger."
In Xu Tianran's view, such generous conditions were enough to tempt anyone.
After all, even the strongest person would find it difficult to resist the royal family's all-out efforts to win them over.
He was certain that Jiang Li would be tempted; after all, who wouldn't want power and status to escape a life of wandering and uncertainty?
Jiang Li listened quietly, his expression unchanged from beginning to end. After hearing all the recruitment pitches, he simply shook his head slightly, his tone calm yet incredibly firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
"No need."
With just three simple words, Xu Tianran was immediately silenced.
Jiang Li looked up at Xu Tianran without any attempt to hide his feelings: "I only accept commissions and only take money."
Xu Tianran frowned slightly, clearly not expecting him to refuse so decisively.
Looking at the unwavering gaze in Jiang Li's eyes, he felt a pang of regret, but also understood that this man's ambition lay not in power, and that he could not force him to change his mind.
After a moment of silence, he finally gave up on trying to win her over and sighed softly, "Fine, since you've made up your mind, I won't force you."
However, if you change your mind in the future, the gates of the Sun and Moon Empire will always be open for you.
After hearing this, Jiang Li stood up, patted the wrinkles on his robe, and said nothing more. He nodded slightly to Xu Tianran as a farewell.
"If you have any further requests, feel free to contact me again."
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and walked towards the door, his movements swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
Inside, Xu Tianran watched Jiang Li's departing figure, and the speed at which he tapped the wheelchair with his fingertips gradually slowed down.
A complex expression flashed in his eyes, a mixture of regret, apprehension, and a thirst for that extraordinary power.
...............