After Teacher Wang Yan led the nine outer academy members of the Shrek team back to the rest area to reunite with the four core students, the unmistakable presence of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy appeared on the dueling platform. Instantly, the entire Shrek group grew serious.
To Shrek Academy, the only true rival in this tournament was this one team.
And among their representatives, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen drew their attention—especially for their youth. They were the youngest competitors on the field.
"They're both Soul Kings," Jiang Nannan exclaimed in surprise, her eyes fixed on the five soul rings glowing on their bodies. But Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi's gazes lingered longer on Xiao Hongchen.
"His martial soul… carries divine beast bloodline."
The moment those words left his lips, Teacher Wang Yan's expression sharpened with sudden alarm.
He knew full well what divine beast bloodline meant.
He turned to Chen Junting and the others, sighing deeply.
"It seems that by the time you become the core team in the next cycle, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy will be terrifyingly strong."
"Terrifying?"
Chen Junting's gaze drifted to Xiao Hongchen below, who was making a throat-slitting gesture in his direction. There was seriousness in his eyes—but his voice dripped with utter disdain.
"A martial soul with divine beast heritage… wasted on Soul Engineering. His own legs were sacrificed to become one. How could such a man ever be my opponent?"
"A limping man is not worth troubling over."
"Tsk tsk tsk—!"
Gongyang Mo shot up his thumb in mock admiration.
"Brother, you've got style!"
…
After the day's matches concluded, the Shrek team returned to the grand lobby of the Star Emperor Hotel.
As the group discussed the Sun Moon Academy, Chen Junting suddenly tensed—as if sensing eyes upon them. Without thinking, he glanced across the hall.
Two middle-aged men were approaching.
Their appearances were ordinary—but their physiques were grotesquely unnatural. One had an arm thicker than a tree trunk; the other was slender to the point of emaciation, yet his head was enormous, bulbous as a child's doll.
"The Body Sect?!"
Chen Junting's brow furrowed—but he was not surprised.
He'd known this day would come. As long as Huo Yuhao walked among them, the Body Sect would eventually track them down. And now, the priority was clear.
"Xiao Tian—go to the Nine Treasures Pavilion. Find Uncle Tai."
"Huh?"
Ning Tian blinked in confusion—until Chen Junting gave her a subtle, knowing glance. Their deep chemistry instantly clicked. Without a word, she made an excuse and slipped out of the hotel.
No sooner had she left than Teacher Wang Yan, leading the group forward, was blocked by the two figures. He halted, eyes narrowing sharply.
Seeing their distorted forms, his heart tightened. "What do you want?"
The man with the massive arm pointed at Huo Yuhao. A terrifying aura surged from him.
"You may leave. But the boy stays. We need to speak with him."
Huo Yuhao frowned. "I don't know you."
The giant-headed man smiled faintly, then—without warning—released a silent wave of mental energy from his eyes.
Even the inner academy students staggered, their gazes momentarily glazed.
At that moment, Chen Junting's pupils sharpened.
The air around him shifted—his previously carefree demeanor vanished, replaced by a crushing tide of killing intent, laced with spiritual pressure, colliding head-on with the giant-headed man's assault.
"Do you intend to fight here—in front of the entire arena?"
The others snapped back to awareness.
The four inner academy students and Teacher Wang Yan instantly tensed. Chen Zifeng and the others dropped into combat stances, ready to strike.
But when Teacher Wang Yan heard Chen Junting utter the words "Body Sect," his eyes flew wide open, pupils contracting violently.
The inner academy students mirrored his shock.
The Body Sect—lawless, arrogant, and fanatical. They claimed every martial soul with a Body martial soul as their own disciple. And now—they'd come to claim Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao himself paled.
This was the second time he'd heard that name.
Instinctively, he glanced at Chen Junting—but Chen Junting was no longer paying him any attention.
"Oh? You know us."
The giant-headed man studied Chen Junting, mildly surprised a mere SoulMaster had resisted his mental push. But the surprise faded quickly—he showed no real interest.
"We are core disciples of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect."
Though Chen Junting already knew their purpose, his tone remained calm, unwavering. These two were Soul Douluos. If they combined their Body Martial Soul advantages, they could rival even a Level 97 Supreme Douluo.
He gave Teacher Wang Yan a silent signal.
Understanding instantly, Wang Yan shot a commanding glance at Chen Zifeng and the others. "Take the outer academy students—leave now."
Reluctant as they were, the students obeyed—though none of them truly left. They were going to find reinforcements.
The Body Sect pair didn't care.
But Chen Junting's declaration made the giant-headed man frown. Though the Body Sect had been in seclusion for decades, they knew the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect well.
Core disciples? Those were the future Supreme Elders of the Sect—figures of immense prestige.
But prestige meant nothing to men like them.
The giant-headed man continued, voice low and heavy:
"Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect? What of it? I am Lang Ya. This is my brother, Yu Tao. Since you're from Nine Treasures, you know our rule: the Body Sect is home to every martial soul with a Body Martial Soul. This boy's martial soul is his eyes—so he belongs to us. He must return home."
Lang Ya's gaze rested on Chen Junting—but his words were meant solely for Huo Yuhao.
Yet Huo Yuhao didn't hesitate. He shook his head firmly.
"I am, and always will be, a disciple of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. The Sect raised me as their own. I will never join your Body Sect."
Yu Tao's brow twitched—he opened his mouth to speak—
But Lang Ya held him back, locking eyes with Huo Yuhao.
"Nine Treasures raised you? We understand Body Martial Souls better than anyone. We can guide you to become a true prodigy. Can the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect even help you achieve Second Awakening? With us, your potential will be unlocked. You have nothing to lose."
Huo Yuhao's temper flared.
If it weren't for Lord Ning's strict orders to conceal his true power, he would've already unleashed the awakening potential of his Lingmou Soul—and shattered their faces with its brilliance.
But even without that, he answered coldly:
"A prodigy? Under the Sect's guidance, I already am one."
Chen Junting's lips curled slightly—not in surprise, but in quiet amusement.
"Gentlemen. Goodbye."
Huo Yuhao moved to walk beside him.
"Hmph! Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect? A worthless pile of dirt! If you won't come willingly, we'll take you by force!"
Yu Tao lunged.
His monstrous arm stretched unnaturally, elongating beyond two meters in an instant—snaking toward Chen Junting like a living whip, aiming to shove him aside and seize Huo Yuhao.
Chen Junting struck.
Even a Soul Douluo's casual swipe demanded full caution!
His forearm shot out like a blade—weighted with the force of a thousand pounds—and crashed into Yu Tao's arm.
The impact sent the limb twisting violently off-course, missing entirely.
Before Yu Tao could react, Chen Junting's expression hardened, his voice thundering with righteous fury:
"Does the Body Sect dare declare war on the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?!"
"You Nine Treasures Glazed Tile fools are nothing but trash!"
As Yu Tao prepared to strike again—
A figure stepped between Chen Junting and Huo Yuhao.
A hand shot out—clamping down on Yu Tao's forearm with crushing force.
A roar echoed through the hall.
"The Body Sect dares speak so boldly?!"
The raw, overwhelming force sent shockwaves through Yu Tao's body. He instinctively activated his Soul—but his arm was locked fast. The grip tightened—crunch—and a perfect, palm-shaped depression formed in his once-iron-hard forearm. His face drained of all color.
Then, with a single backhanded slap, the figure hurled Yu Tao backward. He would have crashed into the floor—had Lang Ya not appeared behind him in time, catching him and staring, wide-eyed, at the newcomer.
Chen Junting and Huo Yuhao both spoke at once.
"Uncle Tai."
The man standing before them was Tai Yu—the Level 94 Thousand Ton Douluo, guardian of the Nine Treasures Pavilion in Xingluo City.
Through his Mighty Ape Soul, his mastery of the Extreme Power Flow cultivation method, and the refined essence of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, his raw strength rivaled that of a Level 97 Power-type Super Douluo.
(T/N: The 'Extreme Flow' refers to going all in on a single aspect. For example, the 4 Element Academies from DD1 are practitioners of Extreme Flow)
"Thank heaven Xiao Tian found me," Tai Yu snarled, flames of rage still burning in his eyes. "Or you two would've had the audacity to bully us right here. You insulted our Sect—and now you try to kidnap our disciple? Today, you get a lesson you won't forget!"
A torrent of primal, earth-shaking power slammed downward.
The air itself twisted under the sheer weight of his might.
The next instant, nine soul rings spiraled around him—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black.
One palm shot forward.
It didn't just strike—it descended like a mountain collapsing from the heavens.
Lang Ya and Yu Tao's eyes widened in terror—they tried to unleash their full power.
Too late.
Tai Yu's overwhelming force crushed them to the ground. They couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
Then—his fist fell like a storm.
Punch after punch. Blow after blow.
Nose broken. Cheeks swollen. Eyes bruised shut.
When he was done, he stepped back. He finally let them leave.
"Get lost."
The two Body Sect members crawled away, broken and humiliated.
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