Chapter 211: Execution Day, Ma Xiaotao is Pushed onto the Execution Platform
Shrek Academy. Deep within the hallowed halls of the Sea God Pavilion, the atmosphere was suffocatingly thick.
Having just received the latest intelligence from the Heavenly Soul Empire, Yan Shaozhe had immediately convened an emergency council. He sat at the head of the long, polished wooden table, his fingers steepled beneath his chin. Down both sides sat the venerable Elders of the academy, their faces cast in heavy shadows. The windows were shuttered tight, sealing off any breeze and leaving the stagnant air to weigh heavily upon their shoulders.
"Regarding Xiaotao's situation... the academy can no longer afford to remain silent," Yan Shaozhe finally spoke, his voice dangerously flat. "The Body Sect's public announcement has already spread to every corner of the continent like wildfire. If we fail to react, the external scrutiny and doubt directed at Shrek will only multiply. If any of you have a viable countermeasure, speak now."
A low, tense murmur rippled through the council. A gray-haired Elder leaned forward, his brow deeply furrowed. "This is an exceptionally thorny issue. If we dispatch our forces, we must establish a watertight justification for our intervention. We absolutely cannot claim we are going to plead for mercy, and we certainly cannot admit any fault on the academy's part."
Beside him, another Elder nodded in grim agreement. "I maintain that we must bring Xiaotao back. She is a core pillar of the Inner Court, a genius we have poured immense resources into cultivating. She is a student of Shrek. Regardless of her current... condition, this academy has no precedent for abandoning its own."
"But on what grounds?" a third Elder challenged, his voice sharp. "She has fully degenerated into an Evil Soul Master. The Body Sect has her firmly in custody, and the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family is actively cooperating with them. If we attempt to take her by force, they hold the moral high ground to stop us. It could easily spark a full-scale war."
Yan Shaozhe remained silent, his gaze sweeping over the room as he waited for a solution.
"Perhaps we should approach this from another angle," a senior Elder seated in the dimmest corner of the room said slowly, his raspy voice cutting through the tension. "Consider what Xiaotao did for the continent before this unfortunate transformation. She was a proud member of the Shrek Inspection Team. During her tenure, how many Evil Soul Masters did she personally execute? How many innocent civilians did she protect? These are obvious facts."
Yan Shaozhe's eyes narrowed slightly. "Your meaning is?"
"We redefine her situation," the senior Elder said, his tone deepening with conviction. "We declare it a tragic accident during her cultivation process. Walking the path of a Soul Master inherently carries immense risks. We will state that it was the heavy burden of her righteous missions, combined with the corrupting influence of a hostile environment, that caused her Martial Soul to undergo a violent mutation. This was not a conscious choice. It was not a moral failing. It was a purely physical accident on the level of cultivation. And since it is an accident, she is not beyond redemption."
A cold light flickered in Yan Shaozhe's eyes. The corners of his mouth twitched upward into a faint, grim smile. "Exactly. We will publicly declare that while performing a dangerous inspection mission for the good of the continent, she was exposed to extreme, corrupting energies that triggered a severe cultivation deviation. What she requires now is the academy's specialized treatment, not a barbaric execution. This makes it an internal matter of Shrek Academy."
The oppressive atmosphere in the room instantly lifted, replaced by a flurry of calculating nods and whispered agreements.
"This narrative works perfectly."
"We focus entirely on her past heroic achievements and frame her current state as a severe illness."
", we can accuse the Body Sect's unilateral trial procedures of violating the established conventions of the Soul Master world. They have absolutely no jurisdiction to execute a student of Shrek."
The intense discussion continued for another hour, ironing out the political details. Finally, Yan Shaozhe slammed his palm against the table, finalizing the strategy.
"Excellent. Since we have reached a consensus, we will mobilize our forces and arrive at the execution site in one month. We are not going there to observe, nor to cooperate. We are going to take her back. We will present the academy's formal documents, highlight her past sacrifices, and firmly characterize her Evil Soul Master state as a tragic cultivation malfunction. Under the righteous pretext of retrieving a critically ill student for medical treatment, we will intervene with absolute force."
He stood up, his aura flaring for a brief second. "As for Du Busi and his Body Sect... we will go fully prepared. As long as we can bring Xiaotao back and preserve Shrek's honor, the academy is willing to pay whatever price is necessary."
The Elders exchanged resolute glances. They all knew this was a massive gamble, one that could ignite a terrifying conflict. Yet, in their eyes, it was the only acceptable path. Preserving the supreme face and unblemished glory of Shrek Academy was worth any risk.
A month slipped by in the blink of an eye.
Heavenly Soul Empire Capital, Central Plaza.
The early morning air was crisp and biting. Though the sun had barely crested the horizon, casting long, pale shadows across the cobblestones, the massive expanse of the Central Plaza was already overflowing with a sea of humanity.
Heavily armored Imperial Guards of the Heavenly Soul Empire stood shoulder-to-shoulder, their spears gleaming in the dawn light. They had established a rigid, impenetrable security perimeter around the execution platform, holding back the surging tide of commoners and rogue cultivators. Beyond the steel barricade, the crowd was suffocatingly dense. Many had camped out in the freezing streets since the previous night, desperate to secure a vantage point for the historic spectacle.
"Did you hear? Are they actually going through with it? Executing a peerless genius from Shrek Academy?" a merchant whispered, craning his neck.
"Who knows?" a mercenary beside him replied, crossing his arms. "But considering the Body Sect publicly sent formal invitations directly to Shrek Academy, this is definitely not a bluff."
"I still can't believe it. Shrek Academy would never just sit back and watch their own student be pushed onto the execution block, right? That's the holy land of Soul Masters we're talking about!"
"Don't be so sure. Look at the VIP viewing areas. Representatives from half the major sects on the continent are here. If this were just a farce, why would so many heavyweights make the trip?"
The hushed, excited chatter rose and fell like ocean waves crashing against the plaza walls. The air buzzed with morbid curiosity and barely concealed schadenfreude. While many were genuinely terrified of the Evil Soul Master threat, just as many were simply there to watch the fireworks. They wanted to see how the arrogant, untouchable Shrek Academy would handle such a humiliating, public slap to the face.
Up on the towering stone execution platform, a few high-ranking officials from the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family were quietly directing the final preparations. In the designated viewing pavilions flanking the stage, representatives from various sects sat in tense silence. None of them spoke, but their eyes remained glued to the main avenue leading into the plaza.
Half an hour ticked by. The morning sun climbed higher, illuminating the cold stone of the guillotine.
Suddenly, a rhythmic, earth-shaking rumble echoed from the far end of the main street.
Clop. Clop. Clop.
The heavy sound of armored hooves striking stone.
The chaotic noise of the plaza vanished in an instant. Tens of thousands of people fell dead silent, their heads turning in unison toward the source of the sound.
A convoy of massive, black-metal carriages slowly rolled down the path cleared by the Imperial Guards. Flanking the heavy vehicles were rows of elite Body Sect disciples, their auras thick, wild, and utterly intimidating. The iron-rimmed wheels ground against the bluestone pavement, the dull, grating noise echoing clearly in the ears of every spectator present.
Seated in the lead carriage were Du Busi and Liu Yuan.
The Body Sect Master sat perfectly upright, his expression as cold and unyielding as a glacier. His sharp, overbearing gaze swept across the sea of onlookers, daring anyone to make a move. Beside him, Liu Yuan lounged with a relaxed, almost serene calmness. His dark eyes were tranquil, completely unfazed by the monumental tension suffocating the city.
Trailing directly behind them was a stark contrast to the armored carriages—a crude, heavy wooden execution cart.
Bound tightly to the thick wooden pillar in the center of the cart was a solitary figure. The prisoner was heavily wrapped in thick black cloth, bound by chains forged of dark steel. A pitch-black executioner's hood completely covered their head, obscuring their face from the world. Yet, despite the heavy bindings, the slender curves of the figure's silhouette made it undeniably clear that it was a woman.
The convoy slowly rolled into the dead center of the plaza, grinding to a halt right at the base of the execution platform.
The silence shattered. The whispers of the crowd erupted into a frantic buzz.
"Is that really her? Is that Ma Xiaotao?"
"I can't tell! With that heavy hood, you can't see a single feature."
"Where is Shrek? Have the people from Shrek Academy arrived yet?"
Spectators frantically craned their necks, scanning the distant entrances and the VIP pavilions. Yet, the iconic, arrogant green uniforms of Shrek Academy were nowhere to be seen.
Liu Yuan stepped down from the black metal carriage. His boots clicked softly against the bluestone. He walked at a measured, unhurried pace toward the base of the execution platform. He cast a brief, sweeping glance over the murmuring crowd, then turned his calm gaze toward the chained figure on the wooden cart.
"Get ready," he instructed the Body Sect disciples beside him, his voice smooth, indifferent, and carrying an absolute authority.
Watching the young man's cold efficiency, the anticipation and dread in the hearts of the onlookers reached an absolute fever pitch. There was no theatricality here, no hesitation. The oppressive reality of the impending execution weighed heavily on everyone's chest.
The designated hour had not yet arrived, but every single pair of eyes in the vast plaza was already locked onto that solitary, trembling figure hidden beneath the pitch-black hood.
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