Xuan Zi didn't delay for even a second.
After forcefully suppressing the turmoil in his heart, he immediately used his vast spirit power to envelop the severely injured and unconscious Chen Zifeng and Gongyang Mo, as well as Xi Xi and Dai Yueheng, who had completely lost the ability to move.
"Let's go! Back to the barracks!"
He knew all too well that, for these gravely injured students, every passing second was a race against death.
If this incident truly affected the Soul Master Tournament…
Then he, Xuan Zi, would become Shrek Academy's eternal sinner.
Without pausing at all, the group—led by Xuan Zi—shot through the air at full speed, racing toward the western military camp of the Star Luo Empire dozens of miles away.
…
Midair.
The atmosphere was so heavy it felt suffocating.
Ma Xiaotao's face was deathly pale. Although her injuries weren't severe, forcibly activating her Martial Soul True Body and tanking the Corpse Explosions had drained an enormous amount of her spirit power. At this moment, even maintaining flight looked difficult for her.
Trailing behind were the Outer Court disciples.
Though they looked somewhat disheveled, their morale was clearly much better than that of the "defeated soldiers" flying ahead.
As Bei Bei flew, his gaze dropped to the shattered remains of the soul tool shield on his wrist.
The once-smooth metal surface was now covered in spiderweb-like cracks, and its core formation had long since burned out.
Yet the way he looked at this pile of scrap was more reverent than how he viewed any rare treasure.
He took a deep breath, turned his head, and looked earnestly at Huo Yuhao beside him.
"Yuhao."
Though Bei Bei's voice wasn't loud, it sounded exceptionally clear amid the howling wind.
Huo Yuhao paused, then turned to him.
"Senior Brother, what is it?"
"Thank you."
Bei Bei's words were heavy—so heavy that his voice trembled slightly.
"If you hadn't insisted on bringing those soul tools… if you hadn't reminded me to activate the shield at the critical moment…"
"I'm afraid that right now, you and I would be just like Senior Brother Chen and the others—lying inside Elder Xuan's spirit power barrier, not knowing whether we were alive or dead."
Even now, thinking back on that terrifying explosion sent chills down Bei Bei's spine.
Relying on physical body defense?
What a joke.
Even at his level, at that distance, surviving at all would have been a miracle.
Hearing this, Huo Yuhao merely shook his head lightly and replied modestly,
"You're overpraising me, Senior Brother."
"We're all fellow disciples of the same academy. Looking out for each other is only natural."
"Besides, I'm just more afraid of dying than most—and I'm used to making extra preparations."
At that moment, Xu Sanshi, who was nearby, drifted over as well.
This man, who was always grinning, now wore an expression of lingering fear. At the same time, his eyes shone brightly as he stared at Huo Yuhao.
"Junior Brother Yuhao, do you still have any of those soul tools in stock?"
"That blast earlier completely destroyed my armor, but I didn't get hurt at all."
"This thing is insanely useful!"
As he spoke, Xu Sanshi rubbed his hands together and asked eagerly,
"Hey, once we get back to the academy—or Star Luo City—can you sell me a few more sets?"
"The price is negotiable! Just name it in gold coins—I won't bargain!"
"I'll carry at least ten or eight sets of this lifesaving stuff with me wherever I go. Otherwise, I won't feel safe."
His words were blunt—bordering on mercenary.
But at this moment, they landed like loud, resounding slaps across the faces of everyone ahead of them.
Smack. Smack. Smack.
Though no sound rang out, the burning sting was unmistakable.
Ma Xiaotao, flying at the front, stiffened slightly.
She didn't turn around, but her tightly pressed lips and subtly trembling shoulders betrayed the shame and humiliation she felt.
Just a few hours ago—
Back when they had set out from the camp—
These elite Inner Court disciples had all dismissed the soul tools Huo Yuhao offered with arrogance.
"This kind of burden is unnecessary."
"We believe in our martial souls."
"This is something only the weak rely on."
Now, those very words came back like boomerangs, stabbing straight into their own hearts.
And what was the outcome?
The "burdensome" Outer Court disciples—unscathed and intact.
The Inner Court elites who "believed in their martial souls"?
One with a shattered leg, one unconscious, another vomiting blood.
Facts spoke louder than anything else.
Before such a cruel lesson, all arrogance turned into a joke.
Even Xuan Zi, leading the group at full speed, couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth.
Although Xu Sanshi's words were praising Huo Yuhao, to Xuan Zi, they sounded like someone pointing at him and calling him senile.
He had indulged the Inner Court disciples' arrogance.
He had dismissed soul tools as nothing more than "tricks and gimmicks."
And now?
Those "gimmicks" had saved lives—while the so-called orthodox path of spirit cultivation had nearly killed them all.
This stark contrast left the ninety-eighth-ranked Super Douluo feeling unprecedented humiliation.
But what could he say?
Argue back?
Looking at the "blood gourds" he was still carrying with his spirit power, Xuan Zi opened his mouth—then closed it again.
In the end, he said nothing, only lowered his head and increased his flying speed.
As long as he flew fast enough, he wouldn't have to hear anything embarrassing.
…
Half an hour later.
Star Luo Empire Western Army Group — Main Camp Gate.
Though it was late at night, the camp was brightly lit. Patrol squads moved back and forth, and security was tight.
Suddenly—
Several streaks of light tore through the night sky from the distant horizon, accompanied by mournful whistling sounds, and slammed heavily down outside the gate.
"Who goes there?!"
The gate guards immediately raised their spears and shouted.
But the moment they saw who it was, they froze.
The imposing old man from earlier that day—laughing, chatting, and gnawing on a chicken leg—now looked frantic. His beard was smeared with grease and dust, and he was carrying several blood-soaked, mangled people within his spirit power.
Behind him, the so-called "Shrek elite students" were also covered in grime and torn clothing.
Especially the fiery woman in red—her clothes riddled with holes, blood at the corner of her mouth. Where was the heroic bearing she had shown before?
The entire group looked like refugees crawling out of a mountain of corpses.
"Quick! Go inform Marshal Dai Hao!"
The instant Xuan Zi landed, he shouted at the top of his lungs, panic completely undisguised.
"The best military doctors! Bring me all your best military doctors!"
"Hurry!!!"
His Super Douluo aura flared uncontrollably, frightening the surrounding soldiers so badly that their legs nearly gave out.
"Y-yes! Yes! Please—please wait!"
No one dared delay. The soldiers scrambled and ran toward the commander's tent.
…
Inside the command tent.
Lanterns flickered softly.
Marshal Dai Hao—the Duke of White Tiger—sat upright before a massive sand table, holding a military report on unusual movements along the Sun Moon Empire border, his brows slightly furrowed.
Despite the late hour, he couldn't fall asleep.
As commander-in-chief of the empire's armed forces, the weight on his shoulders was immense.
But when he thought of the Shrek Inspection Team he had personally received earlier that day, his frown eased slightly.
"Judging by the timing, they should have succeeded by now."
He lifted the teacup on the table and took a small sip.
"That Evil Soul Master may have some strange tricks, but he's only a Spirit King."
"And this time, Elder Xuan is personally leading the team…"
"It's more than enough to wipe out a bandit group—let alone carry out a decapitation strike near the Sun Moon Empire's border."
In Dai Hao's eyes, this operation carried absolutely no suspense.
Using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
Just then—
The tent flap was flung open violently.
A guard stumbled inside, his face pale with terror.
"R-reporting to the Marshal!"
Dai Hao frowned, set down his teacup, and said sternly,
"What kind of behavior is this—so flustered and undisciplined?"
"Have Shrek's people returned? What, are they here for a victory celebration?"
A faint smile appeared as he stood up and straightened his armor.
"Very well. Since it's a triumphant return, I, as commander, will naturally go welcome them personally—"
"N-no, Marshal!"
The guard swallowed hard, his voice shaking.
"The Shrek team has returned, but…"
"But what?"
A sense of unease suddenly rose in Dai Hao's heart.
"But they… they seem to be seriously injured!"
"Many of them were carried back, covered in blood. They look… like they've suffered a crushing defeat!"
"What?!"
Dai Hao's smile froze instantly.
The teacup in his hand fell to the ground and shattered.
"Seriously injured?!"
He grabbed the guard by the collar, eyes wide with disbelief.
"How is that possible?!"
"That bandit group only had one Spirit King! The rest were nothing but rabble!"
"Shrek sent elite Inner Court disciples—and even had Elder Xuan, a Super Douluo, overseeing the mission!"
"How could they possibly end up like this?!"
To Dai Hao, this sounded like sheer fantasy.
Even a hundred Spirit Kings wouldn't be enough to threaten Xuan Zi!
"I… I don't know."
The guard trembled under Dai Hao's aura.
"As soon as Elder Xuan arrived, he began calling for military doctors. It seems… the situation is extremely urgent."
Dai Hao shoved him aside, took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down.
But the shock and anger in his eyes were impossible to hide.
"Damn it! What the hell happened?!"
"The dignified Shrek Academy—the number one academy on the entire continent—went to suppress bandits and came back half-dead?"
"Where's Elder Xuan? Wasn't he leading the team? What was he doing—watching from the sidelines?!"
Dai Hao felt worse than if he had swallowed a fly.
He had hoped Shrek would help resolve the issue—and give his son some real-world experience along the way.
But now?
Not only was the problem unresolved, but if these "big shots" died on his territory, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"Quickly!"
"Send orders to gather all top-tier healing Soul Masters and head to the training grounds immediately!"
"I'm going there now!"
Dai Hao tossed aside his cloak and strode out of the command tent.
As the night wind swept past, the back of this iron-blooded marshal carried an unmistakable sense of helplessness.
This Xuan Zi…
What exactly does he even eat every day?