Shrek City has a total of four city gates in the southeast, northwest, and northeast directions. Among them, the East City Gate is exclusive to Shrek Academy and serves as its main entrance.
Unlike the other three major city gates, there is a long road outside the East Gate. Normally, many merchants gather here, attracting quite a few Shrek Academy students to stop and linger.
However, today, there were no merchants visible outside the East Gate. Instead, many teachers stood outside the city, each with a solemn expression on their faces.
At the very front, Xuan Zi led the way, accompanied by the four deans and vice-deans of the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Tool Department, watching the team continuously approaching from afar.
That team consisted of only about a hundred people, but every individual was equipped with a complete set of humanoid soul tools, and the cultivation level of each person was at least above rank 80.
It was precisely the most elite squad from the Sun Moon Empire's Royal Soul Engineer Legion. In the past, it was with these hundred or so people that they had captured the Dou Ling Empire's capital, Ling Dou City, in a single night.
In the center of this squad, two tall soul tool vehicles advanced slowly along with the team.
There were no horse-type soul beasts, nor did they require pulling by them. They did not even need soul engineers to provide energy. The soul tool vehicles could convert other forces into soul power and store it within sealed energy-charging soul tools.
With just a slight modification, this soul tool vehicle could instantly transform into a full-terrain reconnaissance soul tool.
Following it was another soul tool vehicle. Although it was not as sophisticated as the one in front, it was definitely not something the three great empires could manufacture.
Merely upon seeing those two soul tools, Xuan Zi's face showed little reaction, but Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo, as the dean and vice-dean of the Soul Tool Department, unconsciously had their expressions turn unpleasant.
"The Sun Moon Empire has indeed given us a show of force first."
Xian Lin'er spoke in a somewhat displeased low voice. Upon hearing her, the others around her felt somewhat helpless for a moment.
They had originally thought that with the blueprints Huo Yuhao brought back, Shrek Academy's soul tool technology would make progress.
Of course, that was indeed the case. After years of focused research, Fan Yu from the Soul Tool Department had finally broken through to the rank of a Class 9 soul engineer. Although he only specialized in fixed soul tools, he was still the first Class 9 soul engineer outside of the Sun Moon Empire.
However, the Sun Moon Empire's development speed was even faster than that of Shrek Academy, which had stolen soul tool blueprints from the Sun Moon Empire.
Whether it was the philosophy toward soul tools, the training of soul engineers, the environment for learning soul tools, or the facilities for manufacturing and experimenting with soul tools, Shrek Academy still fell far short compared to the Sun Moon Empire.
These things could absolutely not be compensated for by just a few simple blueprints.
The neat sound of footsteps stopped on the street outside the East Gate. Two maids walked out from the soul tool vehicle in front and helped a gorgeously dressed Juzi slowly descend from the carriage.
What Juzi wore was naturally not overly ornate palace attire, but it was also not the armor she wore on the battlefield.
After all, in negotiating peace with Shrek Academy and the remaining imperial families of the three great empires, what she represented was not merely the army, but the entire Sun Moon Empire.
From the vehicle behind, Lin Xiao and Jing Hongchen stepped down one after another. Outside their Class 9 humanoid soul tools, they also wore magnificent clothing adorned with sun-moon patterns, interwoven respectively with the large characters for "Tongming Cult " and "Illustrious Virtue Hall."
Lin Xiao's gaze swept across the group from Shrek Academy, then withdrew without changing expression as he looked toward Jing Hongchen beside him. "Hall Master, please."
Upon hearing this, Jing Hongchen turned his head to glance at Lin Xiao. He wanted to say something, but only let out a slight sigh.
In fact, on that night when Lin Xiao had attacked and killed Xu Tianran, Jing Hongchen had already sensed something. After all, he had manufactured a humanoid soul tool for Lin Xiao. Even if he did not fully understand Lin Xiao's abilities, he could detect some similarities from that soul world.
Moreover, after that night, Kong Deming had come to find him and asked about matters related to Lin Xiao.
Later, when Lin Xiao appeared with the Tongming Cult and became the State Preceptor of the Sun Moon Empire, those suspicions had all become reality.
No one knew what Lin Xiao and Jing Hongchen had discussed afterward, but from that point on, the Illustrious Virtue Hall had completely acknowledged the Tongming Cult's status as the state religion.
"Thank you for your trouble, everyone from Shrek Academy."
Juzi stood not far in front of Xuan Zi, with Lin Xiao and Jing Hongchen standing steadily to her left and right.
Although her cultivation was far inferior to Xuan Zi's, the aura on Juzi's body was in no way weaker. "This Empress represents the Sun Moon Empire and has come with sincere intentions for peace negotiations. Do the esteemed members of Shrek Academy intend to discuss the future affairs of the Douluo Continent right here?"
Upon hearing this, Xuan Zi's expression finally changed slightly. "Empress Dowager, please. I have already prepared a banquet inside the academy."
Juzi nodded lightly, glanced left and right, then followed Xuan Zi's guidance and walked into the academy.
The interior of Shrek Academy seemed to have remained unchanged for a very long time. Even though battles raged outside, it was still quite peaceful here.
Not long after entering the East Gate, everyone could see several statues standing there.
Lin Xiao's gaze swept across the few statues, then quickly withdrew.
Originally, he had also thought these statues were merely simple statues, but after the experience at the Holy Spirit Cult that day, quite a few doubts arose in Lin Xiao's heart.
Were these statues really just for commemoration? Or…
Lin Xiao withdrew his thoughts and stopped thinking further, walking deeper into the academy together with the others.
Sea God Island was the location of Shrek Academy's inner courtyard. Generally, outsiders had no chance to set foot on the island. Moreover, since the Sun Moon Empire and Shrek Academy had always been at odds, it was even less possible to invite Lin Xiao's group onto Sea God Island. A banquet had simply been set up in the outer courtyard.
Along the way, Lin Xiao even saw a few familiar faces.
"Senior Brother He." Huo Yuhao stood together with many students, watching the people from the Sun Moon Empire from afar. Beside him, He Caitou slightly clenched his fist, not knowing what he was thinking.
"I'm fine, Little Junior Brother." After a long while, He Caitou shook his head. "The me of now is merely He Caitou of Shrek Academy, of the Tang Sect."
Only then did Huo Yuhao feel somewhat relieved. He looked again toward the Sun Moon Empire side and could not help but recall the deity he had once seen.
Defeat him?
The moment this thought arose, Huo Yuhao saw Lin Xiao in the crowd turn his head to look at him. Their four eyes met. Even though they were quite far apart, he could not help but take half a step back.
Was it really possible?
"Sigh, this Empress suddenly recalls that when the late Emperor was still alive, he often mentioned wanting to visit Shrek Academy one day. If there was a chance, he also wanted to come here to study, but only…"
In front of Lin Xiao, Juzi spoke while gently wiping the corner of her eye, brushing away a few crystalline tears.
"Xu Tianran—" Xian Lin'er was just about to speak when she was suddenly tugged by Qian Duoduo beside her.
She glanced at him with some dissatisfaction, but still changed her words. "Empress Dowager, please accept our condolences."
Juzi nodded lightly. "It is precisely because of this that this Empress wishes to discuss a few matters with everyone."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are chapters available on Patreon."
"From Douluo to Godhood by Defy 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo: Far North Invincibledo 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Peerless: Living as an Evil Soul Master 40 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon 40 Advance chapters."
[email protected]/facficmax10--------(@→a)