In Xu Jiujing's understanding, there were only two types of people who would dare speak to Chen Xiaojie like that in a place like this.
The first: ignorant fools with no sense of the world, unaware of what the Star Luo Imperial Academy represented.
The second: people with absolute confidence—those who clearly understood the academy's strength and still didn't care in the slightest.
And Xu Tianxi... was probably not the first type.
"Aunt Zhu Wen, that man's no ordinary figure. Did you send Chen Xiaojie to provoke him? If so, this could get out of hand."
Unable to hold back her concern, Xu Jiujing quickly pieced things together and voiced her suspicion toward Zhu Wen, the most likely culprit—her overzealous bodyguard from the Netherworld Spirit Cat Clan.
But Zhu Wen wasn't fazed. She patted her chest confidently and replied with a smile, "Your Highness, rest assured. That kid's spirit power definitely hasn't reached the Soul King level. Xiaojie is unmatched among Soul Ancestors—this is a perfect chance to test the waters. He knows what he's doing."
Zhu Wen had helped train Chen Xiaojie personally. As the only agility-type battle soul master in their team, she had high expectations for him and was confident in his abilities.
Other students, clearly agitated, joined in:
"Exactly, Your Highness. Xiaojie went over respectfully. That guy ignored him—of course Xiaojie would be upset."
"This is Star Luo Empire territory. Are we just supposed to let someone insult the pride of the Imperial Academy?"
"Our academy brings together the nation's top talents. What gives some masked rogue the right to look down on us? Even if he's a Titled Douluo's heir—so what? We're not afraid of Titled Douluo!"
Xu Jiujing restrained her expression, though she wanted to sigh. Honestly, most of the empire's real geniuses were either recruited by Shrek Academy or studying at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy. These kids here—few could match Shrek's Inner Court disciples.
Still, with only fifty students allowed in Shrek's inner court, Chen Xiaojie was a top-tier talent among those outside it. His odds shouldn't be that bad...
At that moment, a piercing falcon cry rang out. Lightning arcs sparked violently as four soul rings—two yellow and two purple—rose beneath Chen Xiaojie.
His Martial Soul: Lightning Falcon.
A high-speed, high-attack beast-type martial soul with explosive thunder attributes—just enough to touch the threshold of a top-tier soul.
"You brought this on yourself, kid!"
Chen Xiaojie leapt back to open up distance, activating both his first and second soul skills. In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a bolt of yellow lightning, with multiple illusionary shadows attacking from all sides.
"Whoa, Xiaojie opened with Lightning Merge and Thunder Phantom? Even most Soul Kings can't follow that kind of speed!"
The Dark Demon Tiger Soul King, Huang Xingyun, clenched his fists.
"That guy's just frozen—he must be scared stiff. Even I struggled to keep up with Xiaojie before my breakthrough," Du Gushangshan, the Berserk Nether Lion Soul King, commented arrogantly.
But just as the lightning streaks reached within five meters of Xu Tianxi—
"Pfft—! Aaagh!"
A shriek pierced the inn.
Blood splashed mid-air. No one even saw Xu Tianxi move before the lightning illusions were shattered completely.
Chen Xiaojie's body went flying like a broken kite, crashing into tables and chairs with a loud clang.
Before anyone could react, Xu Tianxi surged forward in a flash of violet-blue lightning. A single step. His foot, wreathed in arcs of soul power, came crashing down directly onto Chen Xiaojie's chest.
CRACK!
"UGHH—!"
Ribs shattered. Chen Xiaojie vomited blood again, his face contorted in agony beyond recognition.
That single stomp crushed his martial soul. His spirit rings vanished, and his dazed eyes looked up to see only cold, dispassionate indifference.
"I didn't even try, and you're already down? What a joke of a Soul Ancestor."
Xu Tianxi spoke calmly, genuinely puzzled by how weak the guy was.
Lightning-type? Tch. His own lightning was purer and more lethal.
"Pfft—!" Chen Xiaojie spat blood again and collapsed unconscious.
The whole inn went still.
Finally, Zhu Wen and Teacher Mo exploded in fury, martial souls igniting like volcanoes.
"You've gone too far!"
Mo raised a butcher's cleaver–like spirit weapon. One white, two yellow, two purple, two black—seven soul rings circled him.
Zhu Wen, in complete silence, entered her combat state. Her Netherworld Spirit Cat martial soul released deadly energy. Her soul ring configuration—two yellow, two purple, three black—was far superior.
The remaining six academy students also rose, all showing Soul Elder and Soul King–level cultivations. Soul rings glowed, creating a blinding spectacle.
"Enough!"
Yue Lao and Zhi Sen moved in tandem. The elder's aura burst out, backed by arrays of high-grade soul cannons. Zhi Sen's Azure Ghost Vine erupted from beneath the floor, thick tendrils forming a net to ensnare all eight Star Luo students.
The air tensed like a coiled spring.
And then came Xu Tianxi's voice—calm, cold, and scornful.
"One weakling gets himself beaten, and you think you're qualified to say I went too far?"
"You're just some chickens in an overdecorated pen. Even if you all come at me together, I'll knock you down in three moves."
He raised a hand.
Second Soul Skill: Mirror Moon Illusion.
Two yellow, two purple, one black—best configuration. His aura surged like glacial wind.
The group reeled.
They'd thought he was a Soul Emperor at least—after all, he'd defeated a peak Soul Ancestor without using a martial soul.
Now it turned out he was just a Soul King?
A Soul King who fought like a Soul Douluo.
That kind of combat power was monstrous.
Even Xu Jiujing's pupils shrank slightly.
Teacher Mo, flushed with rage, shouted, "You know this is a Star Luo Empire military zone? Challenging us is the same as opposing the Empire! No one can protect you!"
Xu Jiujing's heart dropped.
Too late.
Xu Tianxi laughed like he'd heard the biggest joke in the world.
"You think Star Luo Imperial Academy can threaten me? The same academy that only made the finals once in ten thousand years under a prodigy Soul Emperor?"
"Hah! You want to challenge the force backing me?"
"Then I'll go to Star Luo City myself and ask Xu Jiawei—does he dare oppose Shrek Academy over some trash like you?"
"You think you're worthy of being enemies with ten thousand years of Shrek's glory? Take a good look!"
He flicked his wrist and hurled a crimson token.
It slammed into Mo's face and clattered to the floor.
Mo froze. Then trembled.
He picked up the token.
The engraved emblem—Shrek Academy Inner Court Disciple.
"PFFT—!"
Blood burst from his lips. He collapsed on the spot.
BOOM.
That was the only sound left in the inn.
Because above them all, like a mountain of history, five words weighed down on everyone:
Shrek. Academy. Ten. Thousand. Years.