Flender left, and all the academies of the Heaven Dou Empire gradually dispersed. At this time, Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun from Star Luo Royal Academy found Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing.
They were here to fulfill their family duties. Not having met in the tournament, they had to duel after. The victor would have a huge advantage in the future succession struggle.
For Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing, who were already at a disadvantage, losing this match was tantamount to a death sentence.
The two teams found a clearing outside Spirit City. Witnessed by the Emperor Battle Team, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the Five Element Academies, they held a fair duel.
Unfortunately, the gap in strength was too great. What's more, Shrek's side had lost their only control-type soul master, Tang San, and the main assault, Xiao Wu. Even with Rongrong's support, Ma Hongjun fought desperately for Dai Mubai, exhausting himself and nearly hurting his foundation, but it was still in vain.
Dai Mubai himself gave up early, and Shrek suffered a crushing defeat.
Zhu Zhuqing chose to end her own life to preserve her last shred of dignity. According to the prior agreement, Zhu Zhuyun could not take her body and had to leave her freedom.
Zhu Zhuyun pretended to shed tears at Zhu Zhuqing's body, expressing the last bit of sisterly affection. In reality, Tian Lin noticed that when she placed her hand on Zhu Zhuqing's chest, she sent in soul power to destroy her heart completely—just to make sure she was dead.
"So ruthless!"
Everyone thought the same thing.
Even if the royal family has no affection, must it be this cold-blooded?
Dai Mubai couldn't bring himself to do what Zhu Zhuqing did. In the end, he chose to go with Dai Weisi. Dai Weisi wasn't lying—he didn't plan to kill Dai Mubai.
Even if his soul power was abolished and he was exiled, for appearance's sake, Dai Weisi would let Dai Mubai keep his title as prince and live out his days in a small city—eating, drinking, and womanizing, just without power or as a soul master.
For Dai Mubai, that was better than dying.
After the Star Luo Empire people left, Tian Lin used the Ultimate Ice to freeze Zhu Zhuqing's body and stored it in his soul tool.
Outwardly, he said that since Zhu Zhuqing was Ning Rongrong's good friend and classmate, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect couldn't just bury her on the spot or leave her body exposed. When they returned to the sect, they would hold a proper funeral and find a good resting place for her.
Everyone agreed and praised the sect's righteousness.
...
Back in the carriage, with Ye Lingling's treatment, Ma Hongjun and Oscar had woken up, but both were very downcast.
They had fought with all their strength for Dai Mubai, but the absolute gap in strength couldn't be bridged by will alone. Zhu Zhuqing's death hit them hard; it would take time to recover.
Tang San and Xiao Wu were taken away by Tang Hao, Dai Mubai returned to Star Luo, Zhu Zhuqing ended herself, and the other three went to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. The original Shrek Seven Devils were now truly scattered.
But Tian Lin had no time to explain. Zhu Zhuqing's matter would have to wait until he returned to the sect. Now, he was thinking about Tang San.
He'd set two soul skills on Tang San. By sensing their positions, he could immediately find Tang San and Tang Hao.
He remembered how Tang Hao once threatened his Grandpa Eagle's life. When it comes to his family, Tian Lin is even more petty than Tang San.
He once vowed to get a hundred-thousand-year soul bone for Grandpa Eagle as compensation. He knew Tang Hao's Blue Silver Emperor Leg Bone would never be handed over—after all, it was left by Ah Yin. But if Tang Hao wouldn't give it, couldn't Tian Lin just take it himself? He already had a plan.
"Xiao Tian, what are you thinking?" On the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's carriage, Ning Fengzhi saw Tian Lin's expression and knew he was plotting something.
Tian Lin smiled, "Uncle Ning, what level are you now? You should be close to ninety, right?"
After taking the Heaven Mending Pill, Ning Fengzhi's soul power wasn't just level 80, but 86. With the eighth ring, he reached 87.
That far surpassed the pill's effect, thanks to his effort. Even though he was stuck at 79 for years, Ning Fengzhi never gave up. With wisdom and perseverance, he could finally break through after years of hard cultivation.
"Yes, after getting the eighth ring and four more years of hard training, I've reached 89. The last step is the hardest, but I think I'll make it in a year or two," Ning Fengzhi replied confidently.
"One to two years? That's about right." Tian Lin nodded. It'd take Tang San almost two years to reach level 50.
"Uncle Ning, for your ninth ring, want a hundred-thousand-year one?" Tian Lin suddenly smiled mysteriously.
"One hundred thousand years? You know where to find such a beast?" Ning Fengzhi was shocked. "Don't tell me it's that little rabbit?"
Tian Lin shook his head. "Of course not, the Soft Bone Rabbit isn't strong enough. Uncle Ning, allow me to keep it secret for now. As long as you reach level 90 within a year and a half, I guarantee you'll get a hundred-thousand-year ring."
"Alright, I trust you. No need for a year and a half—give me a year, and you'll see Nine Treasure Douluo!" Ning Fengzhi fully trusted Tian Lin.
Tian Lin wasn't lying. The ring he meant was from the Blue Silver Emperor—or rather, from the eighty-five-thousand-year Blue Silver King.
Tian Lin's fifth soul skill, Illusory Water Thunderstorm, had different effects on beasts and humans. For soul masters, the higher the level, the lower the boost; it couldn't compare with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, but its range was huge—enough to enhance hundreds or thousands of mid-low-level soul masters at once, with little energy cost, perfect for war.
But for soul beasts, the boost was always fixed per use and increased with his level. After the sixth ring, it should be about ten thousand years.
However, after the last clash of the martial soul avatar with Tang San, Tian Lin remembered with the help of Skydream Ice Silkworm that his magic sword was still only a top-level martial soul. After the sixth ring, if he got a soil attribute, all five elements would gather in the sword, and its true power would awaken, boosting all his skills.
That way, Illusory Water Thunderstorm's boost would exceed fifteen thousand years.
With the last Blue Silver Emperor dead and the next yet to awaken, if the Blue Silver King first reached a hundred thousand years, it would become the new emperor.
And Tian Lin roughly knew its location—probably near the pool where Tang San trained. He could sense Tang San, so finding the Blue Silver King wouldn't be hard.
Once he killed it, Ning Fengzhi would get the hundred-thousand-year ring, Grandpa Eagle would get the soul bone, and he'd sabotage Tang San's second awakening as Blue Silver Emperor.
Three birds with one stone—so Tian Lin had to hurry his cultivation. He needed to reach level 60 before Tang San reached 50.
But it wasn't hard—he was already at 58, and with Illusory Water Thunderstorm, his plan would succeed!