Douluo Dalu: 1st Cycle: Dancing Panda

Karni sent a Drumstick flying into what was probably a Fifty-Thousand-Year-Old Soul Beast. A weird Land Shark that Karni did not recognise. It most likely belonged to the Star Luo Empire only. It did remind him of a certain Pokemon that he could no longer remember the name of, however.

His Drumstick was filled with Sound. But it was slightly different than it was before. The Bamboo Oasis brought out some potential from the Bo Staff as well, but Karni only noticed it as he started going into the Spirit Ascension Platform.

What changed, was Time.

Before Space awakened, Gu Yue told Karni that he already influenced it. After Hop joined, that turned out to be very true. His Disordered Spiral Resonance was proof of it. The Spiral affected Space, which showcased itself through creating a brief gravitational pull. But if Earth physics existed here, which they still should, Gravity affected both Space and Time.

And this is what Karni had now noticed. Each of his attacks seemed to have started confusing creatures. It pushed them, pulled them, made them feel a force through Space, but they also seemed to slow down at time, or speed up for a split second. The effect was so small however, that it did not serve Karni any means in battle. They were the effects of time, but they were barely there.

Karni also obviously had no control over this phenomenon. He did not have any other way than this to affect Time, meanwhile he had two ways to affect Space through both technique and a Soul Ring, as well as Hop helping him out in his understandings of Space.

Well, understanding it through Sound. Hop was still a bit sad that Karni was unable to directly feel Space. Turned out that from what little Hop had experience with Time, Time was also something Karni could not control directly.

When questioned by Karni how Hop knew this. Hop went silent for a bit, before answering that it was Old Zhou. In fact, Hop suggested that Karni should be able to bring out Time better if he seeks Old Zhou's help. It was a shame that the old man told them Karni could only return when he was at the breakthrough to Titled Douluo. Hop even said that if Old Zhou did not want to be found until then, it would be impossible to find him.

Karni's thoughts got disturbed. He got hit. From where? He looked around. Damn. This Shark was not alone. He was still fine though. He would have died instantly from this before, but now it was a deep injury instead.

He looked around, there was another one. Three of them. One of them was already hard enough to deal with that Karni could not pay attention to the second one. But a third one?

Karni sighed. Time to go. Today was over. He would prefer not to suffer an incredible amount of pain by dying. He exited the Spirit Ascension Platform and returned to the hotel room.

He had improved greatly thus far. He had gone into the Spirit Ascension Platform twice this week. This was the second time. The most he could do money wise while he stayed here was 7. In these two tries, Hope had improved by 2500 years. Both sessions were fruitful. She was now a 6600-Year-Old Spirit Soul. Now if only he was not too unlucky in the future, he would be able to reach the Ten Thousand mark fairly quick for Hope.

With that, Karni decided to meditate and consolidate his cultivation for tomorrow. Tomorrow was the dawn of their final match in this tournament. He had to show his new strength to its maximum.

… … …

The group arrived in the arena, ready for the final battle. The order of the matches were simple. First would be Ye Xinglan, then Xu Lizhi, and finally, it would be Karni. If one side won all three, the 2v2s would follow. But because they knew that would not happen, there would not be any 2v2s.

The 1v1s would all happen no matter what. The Empire worshipped individual prowess, so no matter who won, for them, this section was arguably the most interesting, which also meant it would not be stopped.

The only deal Karni made with the Eight Heavenly Kings is that Dai Yueyan and Karni would face each other third.

The event was hyped up as well. Usually, the finals of the Group Tournament were less popular than the Singles Finals. This time around, due to both academies facing each other being absolute powerhouses, it was just as popular as Tang Wulin vs Long Yue was.

Everyone came to watch. Everyone was here. The stadium was lively. The important people were lively. Except… Tang Wulin was missing, yet no one in Shrek Academy looked worried.

Karni told them to simply wait, and they decided to trust him. In fact, they even felt expectant. Gu Yue most of all, even though she tried to hide it… unsuccessfully.

After the introduction of the event was over, it was time to get things started. The first to go up were Ye Xinglan and Su Mu, the Fox King.

The two stood in opposition to one another, and as soon as the start was announced, they both released their Soul Rings. A Soul Ancestor vs a Soul King. Su Mu would not make the same mistake he did against his fight with Tang Wulin. He immediately released his Battle Armour, but then Ye Xinglan did as well!

She was a Soul Ancestor with a full set of Battle Armour. A high-quality Battle Armour made with alloys at that!

The battle was intense, but contrary to audience belief, who could not differentiate Battle Armour quality, the Battle was on an equal level. Not just equal… Su Mu was being pushed back. Ye Xinglan's Stargod Sword had some incredibly curious properties. Much like the absolute element of Stars with Xu Xiaoyan, Ye Xinglan too had a similar property on her sword.

But more than that was her intent. She had already developed a Sword Consciousness. Her comprehension into the Sword was incredible.

It was no wonder that while the battle was arduous, Ye Xinglan eventually won. The first round went to Shrek Academy.

The next person who stepped up was Long Yue. He looked surprisingly dispirited, and the audience also called out with mixed views.

The one who came up front was Xu Lizhi, which left the opposition confused. Karni never mentioned this part in their plans. The two simply stood in the arena, staring at each other. A Food Type Soul Master against the Dragon King? Was Xu Lizhi hiding something?

The match started and Xu Lizhi raised his hand. "I surrender!"

The audience was shocked and immediately it turned into an uproar. Shrek Academy was protesting! Specifically against Long Yue, but it felt like a slap in the face to the Monster Academy as well!

Long Yue's face turned ugly, but his mood did not seem to be directed at Xu Lizhi, but at himself. He nodded harshly and stepped down.

Karni found this very curious. Long Yue was not meant to feel so guilty about it all. It was due to the seeds of doubt Karni planted into him before Tang Wulin and Long Yue fought that Long Yue was acting differently.

Finally, it was time for Karni to go up and fight. All the pieces were in place. Now he just had to win in an overwhelming manner to put the nail in the coffin. Xu Lizhi also seemed to have created the perfect mood.

He walked up to the arena and hyped himself up. "Time to channel my inner Kung Fu Panda." Not that he remembered the movies after all these years. Only a few images were still in his head.

On the other side Dai Yueyan also walked up and nodded to Karni, though a bit harshly. He did not like what just happened, but the plan was still in place. As soon as he nodded though, his presence changed into that of outmost ferocity.

Karni on the other hand, breathed in as if he enjoyed the air and completely relaxed, his arms hanging beside his body.

"5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Start!" The referee called.

Dai Yueyan's aura exploded. His Battle Armour was immediately equipped and the Three Great Strengthening abilities of the Dai Family were executed. White Tiger Barrier, White Tiger Vajra Transformation, White Tiger Devilgod Transformation.

Karni equipped his five pieces of Battle Armour as well… Then Three Black Soul Rings showed. The audience was caught completely off guard. They were familiar with Karni because of the 1v1 competition. They did not remember him having such Soul Rings.

The very first one shone deeply. Karni changed. His body grew larger, full of heavy, wide muscles, but most of all, incredibly fluffy. Only close by could one tell that his face was not fully that of a Panda. Otherwise, he might as well have been mistaken for a Panda in clothes, standing on two legs.

Dai Yueyan arrived in front of Karni in a force of speed, though Karni did not move. No, he just waited.

Dai Yueyan struck at Karni, and Karni finally moved. A single step back then a swing with his hands.

Two forces clashed. A Panda paw vs a Tiger claw. Karni held Dai Yueyan's claws firmly while being pushed back a good 3 metres.

Just before the two stopped, Karni shifted his weight to the left, unbalancing Dai Yueyan to the right.

Dai Yueyan felt his heart skip a bit. Karni lost in that pure strength battle, but he took on his strength with ease. Dai Yueyan had three strengthening abilities active, while Karni only had one.

The Fluffy Panda Cushion. It increased Karni's endurance and strength, but those two were secondary. The most important aspect was defence. The fluffiness alongside the unique flexibility of a Panda allowed Karni to take attacks head on. Karni had gotten a perfect foundation to become a Defence System Soul Master.

Dai Yueyan swiped back, turning at Karni.

Karni's second Soul Ring shone with a deep Black. He put his paws up front and the claw and the paws clashed for the second time. Only for the paws to be soft as snow, yet bouncy as jelly.

Dai Yueyan's claws were knocked back. His arms thrown with such force that his arms almost got dislocated. What was with this knockback? It was like all of the power Dai Yueyan attacked with got thrown back with pure force.

Karni kicked with his left leg, while Dai Yueyan's second Soul Ring shone. Karni's kick connected sooner. Flight into the River! Lily's Soul Bone!

Dai Yueyan flew across the field, but mid-flight his second ring activated. White Tiger Light Waves. Hundreds of them flying toward Karni.

Karni's second Soul Ring shone alongside Flight into the River Soul Bone. He jumped. He jumped the highest he had ever jumped. Higher than Flight into the River could have done alone.

His second Soul Ring of the Royal Bamboo Panda was called the Royal Paw Pad. The skill was simple: bounciness. Karni could bounce anything. It could even act as a rebound. Hence, Karni jumped high. Flight into the River's strength combined with the immense bounciness of the Royal Paw Pad.

All of the Light Waves missed, while Dai Yueyan finally caught himself. Looking for where Karni went. Then he felt his chest. "Impossible."

His Battle Armour was cracked. A single direct hit of Flight into the River was actually capable of cracking Battle Armour. This was the power of a Forty-Thousand-Year-Old Soul Bone!

He heard wind whooshing from above. … Wait. Above? He looked up and saw a terrifying visage.

A Panda wielded a Greatsword and was crashing down with an inhumane speed. Dai Yueyan jumped back, knowing that he could not take that hit. His second and fourth Soul Rings shone brightly but not fast enough.

Karni landed. Flight into the River activated again. The ground cracked, rose, and then exploded.

But at the same time, Royal Paw Pads was activated, and Karni punched the Greatsword from the side just as he landed, pushing it at Dai Yueyan with and even stronger power. It wasn't the end! The Greatsword was filled with Sound!

The Greatsword clashed with Dai Yueyan and his Battle Armour. Another explosion followed.

Explosion of Sound and force. The ground on the arena shook once more, and the parts that were still somewhat okay now cracked in a wavy pattern as if they were the ocean. The Sound completely dislodged their basic structural integrity.

But it was only normal Sound. Unfortunately, Karni could not keep better Sound inside during the jump. He would have to have Soul Skills active with the Bo Staff. For now, he was able to have the Bo Staff out to act as a handle of the Guardian Greatsword, but he could not wield them together with the Royal Bamboo Panda.

Unless... Karni felt his Martial Souls at the thought. What was this? He could feel a direct connection to both his Martial Souls? It was like the Guardian Greatsword was keeping the Staff of Predictions summoned. And it felt so powerful. He looked up to Dai Yueyan. His face in pain. His armour shattered, though still on him, empowering the prince with its last bits of power.

But Dai Yueyan attacked. His two Soul Rings finally activating. White Tiger Light Waves shot from his mouth, but from the fourth Soul Skill actually came a terrifying attack with a killing intent, mixed along the Light Waves. Dai Yueyan actually had the White Tiger Demon Slaying Kill as his fourth skill. Most White Tiger users had that as the sixth Soul Ring. Deserving of being the Crown Prince indeed!

Karni put up the Shield and hid behind it. Time to test his theory. He contacted his Bo Staff without cutting of the Royal Bamboo Panda. He felt it. Soul Rings appeared. Another set of them.

His Royal Bamboo Panda Soul Rings—the three Black Soul Rings—floated around his body, but his Staff of Predictions Soul Rings—three Purple and a single Black—floated around the Guardian Greatsword.

Second and first shone. Golden Insight and Vision Bestowal, activated through the Greatsword. Karni saw gold through the Greatsword while the Greatsword glowed.

Dai Yueyan saw the world golden and confusing, all the while Karni charged through the Light Waves, which crashed into the Guardian. With Karni's power and constant usage of Flight into the River, he was not slowed down at all.

Then arrived the White Tiger Demon Slaying Kill. The Guardian alone would not be enough. Karni showed himself from behind, second and third Soul Ring of the Royal Bamboo Panda shining pitch black.

"Lily, a little help!" Karni shouted inside.

The Royal Paw Pad softened, but Karni knew it would not be enough. This attack had Dai Yueyan's killing intent infused in it. Then came Karni's third Soul Ring, just before the Demon Slaying Kill crashed into Karni.

A Lotus Bloomed. A single Lotus, from Karni's extended Paws. Both of them letting go of the Greatsword.

The Bloom was beautiful. Majestic yet ginormous. Glowing a soft yellow. It enveloped half of the whole arena. The audience could not help but appreciate its beauty.

It met the Demon Slaying Kill, and the two crashed. Karni could feel it shredding the Lotus, reaching his paws only slightly weakened. Karni redirected the attack upwards with Royal Paw Pad and Royal Panda Cushion working in tandem, all the while spinning on one arm, grabbing the Guardian Greatsword with his feet and yeeting it at Dai Yueyan.

Dai Yueyan watched in horror. His Armour might have been broken, but that attack still used the power of Battle Armour! Karni actually deflected it! He saw the Greatsword coming at him and quickly dodged, but then he also saw four Soul Rings circulating around the Greatsword itself, and the single Black one glowing.

Karni Shifted, looking like anything but a soft, lazy Panda. He was a ferocious bear attacking someone that intruded into their territory!

Karni attacked with the Greatsword's wide side, slapping it with the Royal Paw Pad to add power, and hit the Crown Prince like a fly. The prince's armour completely fell apart and off him mid-air.

Karni bounced instead of Shifted, because spinning a Greatsword quickly was hard to do quick enough, and with the power of Flight into the River and Royal Paw Pad on the legs immediately appeared next to Dai Yueyan, slapping him downwards.

The Crown Prince was slapped into the wavy ground, destroying it further. Karni arrived from above, then slapped with the wide side again.

Then he rose the Guardian, and just as Dai Yueyan was about to say something, slapped it down again.

Then he rose it, and Dai Yueyan tried to say something again. Karni knew. Dai Yueyan knew. Karni was winner. Which meant it was time for their act.

Karni slapped down at the ground and the Crown Prince again. Cracking the ground further. Then again. And again. And again.

He was reminded of the past, when he did a similar motion with his Bo Staff without control. But this time there was a purpose to his cruelty.

Again!

From the side of his eye, he saw the Referee look worried.

He slapped again, and finally, he saw, through the Greatsword when it was raised, that the referee was about to make a move.

Sonic Rhythm activated. Royal Paw Pad activated. Even his left leg was raised and was about to slap down at the Greatsword toward the Crown Prince with the Flight into the River. And at the last second, he turned the Guardian to the sharp side.

Karni attacked with full force. The referee would be too late! The Crown Prince was about to die.

A single flash. And an unopposable force appeared before the crashing Greatsword, sending Karni flying.

The crowd fell into an intense murmur. En Ci appeared. And he looked furious.

The Headmaster turned to look at Karni. Pressure befell him, making him feel helpless. "Are you trying to kill our Crown Prince?! You dare?"

Karni raised his head with difficulty. "My apologies. I lost control." He was using Sound to transmit his words. Despite being quiet, the whole stadium heard him.

En Ci frowned. "Still daring to use tricks?" Further pressure befell him, pushing him down.

"I… am sorry… I was not aware…" Karni coughed. "That losing control… was… punishable by death."

"Of course it is! Killing is forbidden! Especially our Crown Prince!"

"Then… why was Long Yue able to… get away with it. He… also lost… control." His Sound was still being transmitted. The audience suddenly turned from murmurs, to shock and complaints. Some people feeling conflicted, others started yelling: "that was different!"

"Hah! Daring to doubt our Empire?!" More pressure befell Karni. He was starting to lose consciousness.

Dai Yueyan rose with some trouble. "Actually… Headmaster…" Yueyan struggled to speak. "I have the same question."

The audience suddenly exploded with an uproar. Karni felt the pressure lessen, and En Ci turned around, confused by the prince.

"Your Majesty, surely you don't-"

"Headmaster. You clearly showcased. You were capable of stopping Brother Yue. So why didn't you? You're capable of saving me, but not our guests?" Dai Yueyan straightened out. Eyes proud and confident. The bearing of the heir present in his eyes.

The audience was confused. Doubt spread throughout the many naysayers. The Crown Prince himself taking Shrek Academy's side? Questioning the strongest expert of the whole empire?

En Ci released the pressure on Karni, then turned to face the prince with a high head. "An expert interfered before I could. It is as simple as that." En Ci offered a possible neutral solution. All that Dai Yueyan had to say was: "I see."

But he did not.

"Do not lie to me Headmaster. I might be young, but I am still the Crown Prince!" He waved his hand and suddenly on a giant TV screen appeared the match between Tang Wulin and Long Yue.

Karni was surprised. This was not in the plan. Dai Yueyan made plans of his own. Looks like he, as the Crown Prince of the Star Luo Empire, was unwilling to just make this a normal public statement. If he had to lose like that, he would use all of his cards afterwards.

"One can clearly see. You arrived only after Brother Yue was pushed aside! That would have been too late for Tang Wulin!"

"This…" En Ci was caught off guard. This was a bit too much, was it not? En Ci was a Limit Douluo! He was a strategic weapon for the empire!

"The audience needs answers, Your Excellency!" Dai Yueyan shouted. His voice was dignified, as if he was simply revealing the truth. "You have given a promise to Brother Yue that you would not let him get out of control to such a degree again! Today, the audience criticised him during his match because you did not stop him!"

En Ci turned to look at his disciple, seeing genuine confusion... and a lot of doubt. Cracks in his conviction. Those could turn into Inner Demons down the road. What was happening in the background this whole time that he was not aware of?

"You were capable of saving Tang Wulin at the very same time, an esteemed guest of our Empire! How would the envoys think of us! Do you not fear war? Tang Wulin is also a member of the Tang Sect! The sect which supports us wholeheartedly! And this is how we repay them? By letting their members die? By bullying the foreigners when they do the same? What sort of a double standard do we have? We are a righteous and stable empire. That's why we are better than the Federation!"

"Silence!" A mighty voice sounded. It was not En Ci's. No. It was the Emperors. A Titled Douluo Himself.

Dai Yueyan was not taken aback. He expected this. He bowed to his father. "Father! DO you not see the unfairness! This is not how our Empire is! Our Empire is strong!" He amplified his words and looked up. He stood up again. "Our Empire values strength! Our Empire is righteous! These are our very foundations! But what we have shown today is anything but that!"

The atmosphere suddenly changed, oddly, for the better. People seemed to agree with the Crown Prince. Majority of them at least. He was preaching nationalism through this incident. But the Emperor was not pleased. "Crown Prince. Be careful what you say!"

"Father, I only speak the truth! As the Crown Prince, it is demanded of me that I uphold the values of our Empire! We cannot be like this! I will not allow it! What happened to our guests was wrong and I intend to fix it! Who else is more appropriate to show the righteousness of our Empire to our guests than me! To show our might!"

Part of the audience cheered at that. The others were touched by those words and were nodding. Part of them were still doubting all of these events of course. Despite the Crown Prince being defeated, he looked alive; he captured the stage for himself. The words he spoke appeared to come from the heart. Might and individual character mattered most on this continent. People practically worshipped it.

Karni already seemed to have been forgotten by the rest. All the eyes were focused on the prince.

"Even if we lose in our individual prowess, is that not simply right! It is the way of our Empire! If one loses, one loses, if one wins, we win with dignity and might! It has always been our way!"

The crowd exploded into cheers, even those unconvinced were now beginning to change their mind. What the Crown Prince was saying was right. Power mattered, and that was showcased here! They needed to show that they were above petty plots! Straightforwardness was the answer. It was ironic that this was all a plot in disguise.

En Ci watched the audience, a silent fury within him. He was actually criticised, and the audience agreed with it. He looked at the Emperor, who had a hung head. The audience might have been elated, but what about after that? What would the media say? That the strongest existence in the empire was dishonourable? When chanting about strength, they seemed to forget who was the most powerful here. That was the way of the world. Power was respected, but it was also feared. At the opportunity to knock that power down a notch, the media would take it.

En Ci forcefully nodded to the Emperor and vanished. The fury hidden from the world for now. He was schemed against and the other side actually won!

En Ci was proud. Too proud. He did not have time for such nonsense. His time was running out. He left for the palace to meditate and calm dawn. He would deal with this later.

Meanwhile the stadium was still lively after everything was said and done. The third match was finished. Karni nodded to Dai Yueyan, who seemed incredibly happy. It seemed to have gone better than expected.

But Karni was also exhausted. Not so much from the match, as from the pressure En Ci put on him. It was terrifying. He almost passed out.

He would have if not for his recent improvements in physique. He bowed to Dai Yueyan, who bowed back slightly. Dai Yueyan was the first to speak. "I apologise for what you went through."

Karni shook his head. "I should be the one to apologise. As the one who won, I should have had the self-control. What you said about power is right." He made sure to transmit their voices. "I completely lost control. It was shameful. I shall meditate on this in the future, so it would never repeat again. I was simply too upset about Tang Wulin. I still know nothing about where he went."

"I am here!" A voice yelled out all of a sudden.

Another uproar exploded in the audience. The child survived! This day turned out to be full of twists and turns.

Karni jumped up in surprise and immediately Shifted at Tang Wulin, hugging him. He looked like he was crying, but he was whispering to Tang Wulin instead. "Perfect timing."

Tang Wulin patted him on the back while complaining. "You're shrewd. Even I couldn't have come up with that."

"Of course not. You're not me." Karni laughed through the fake tears, to make it look like a touching reunion. He obviously didn't let anyone hear their words. "Though it was the prince who did the most important part." Karni could not help but admit. He did not think the prince would go so far. At the expense of En Ci, the prince consolidated his image among the populace.

Dai Yueyan stepped to the edge of the arena and bowed. "Tang Wulin. We owe you an apology. How about a true fight. A seven versus seven. No immoral things this time."

Tang Wulin patted Karni on the back. "Of course! Let us have a true battle and see who is stronger!"

The audience cheered. This was just what they wanted to see! A final battle, a true battle without tricks and plots and interferences.

Wulin looked to the rest of the team, who finally came running. They all hugged him. Their reunion was genuine, unlike Karni's. "Alright then! Let's go!" Seven of them walked up the stage, with Tang Wulin at the forefront. The audience cheered for both sides. The atmosphere was off the roof!

Karni sat down to meditate. He had to heal up. A limit douluo almost killed him by pressure alone. That was absolutely horrifying.

"Oh? I advanced?" Karni felt his Soul Power. He actually reached rank 49 due to that pressure despite not cultivating these past few days. He sighed, instead of cheered. He would have to be careful the next few weeks. He needed to keep himself at this rank if he wanted to enter that dragon expedition.

Xu Lizhi sat down next to Karni. He was the only one left behind. "You're really bold, Karni."

Karni chuckled. "It was a team effort. We got some vengeance, and the prince got overwhelming support from the public today."

"You don't think anything bad will happen? We just offended a Limit Douluo."

Karni made a cheeky smile. "No worries. The Tang Sect has promised to protect us."

"Oh?" Xu Lizhi patted his belly. "That's good then! That's great!" He laughed, then abruptly stopped focusing on the match.

"Today would be great if we could really win. It would validate everything we went through."

Karni smiled, his eyes shined gold as he spectated the already unfolding match. Xu Lizhi turned to him, noticing his state.

Karni turned to him as well, and Xu Lizhi could tell. He turned excited. Karni shushed him down. "We'll have to pretend to be surprised afterward."

Xu Lizhi laughed. "No need to pretend! I'll be excited anyway!"

It was time for the Dragon God fusion to reveal itself on a grand stage.

… … …

The Palace. Evening. Hours have passed since the Shrek Team won in a stark manner. A Soul Fusion for the finish! It truly was grand.

But the Palace did not seem so grand. En Ci and the Emperor were alone, discussing what to do with the public. A lot of propaganda would be needed to recover from this. Now that the excitement was over, people have already started to dissect the meaning in Dai Yueyan's words.

The Emperor sighed. That damned son of his. He loved him, he was talented, he gained support, but at what cost? Then again, all that mattered was that the empire actually had the Limit Douluo. There might have been a lot of criticism, but no one dared to say that the Limit Douluo should be punished.

A Limit Douluo was a strategic existence after all! He was too precious to the empire. He was its very pillar.

A bodyguard came running, and the Emperor frowned. "I said no one is allowed to enter!"

"Your Majesty, I apologise, but it's the Tang Sect Branch Master Hu Jie."

"Oh?" The Emperor was surprised. He sighed. "Fine. Let him in." He already knew who it was.

Hu Jie entered the royal grounds with a lack of a smile. The Smiley Face Douluo was not smiling! "Dai Tianling. En Ci. I demand an explanation."

The Emperor shrivelled. Shit. Hu Jie was always well mannered. This was the first time that he did not address him as "Your Majesty."

"Hu Jie. Please explain further."

Hu Jie turned to En Ci. "You old fart, you actually dared to scheme against our Tang Sect disciples? And one from the Douluo Continent no less! Do you realise the consequences that might have been?"

En Ci frowned. "It was a mistake, yes. But surely Tang Wulin and Val Karni are not so important."

"Val Karni is my direct disciple! I plan to make him the next Branch leader of the Star Luo Tang Sect!" Hu Jie boldly announced.

En Ci was taken aback.

"And Tang Wulin. I did some research. Do you know he and Karni single handedly prevented a catastrophe at the Royal Theatre? Wulin is even a disciple of the Sea God's Pavilion in Shrek! Do you realise the thin line you were walking in."

En Ci was silenced. He actually started to sweat. This… couldn't this have actually been an excuse for the Douluo Federation to start a war? Use the killing of a child to convince people to wage war? There was no better excuse!

No, actually. It could not. Shrek would not agree to war no matter what. Tang Sect wouldn't either. They knew better than that. But En Ci did not know that.

"The Tang Sect is actually rethinking on our position with the Empire. We demand that our partners fight for righteousness. A few of the higher ups are having doubts after the showcase.

"Teacher." Dai Tianling turned to look at En Ci. The two were master and disciple. "I am sorry to say, but I think it is better if you do not show yourself for a while."

En Ci frowned. He still had his pride. But he understood it. Yet he also knew what this meant. This danger. If the Emperor told him this, he would have to stay as a simple Headmaster and nothing else for a few years before the public and the Tang Sect calmed down.

"Fine." He said begrudgingly, and vanished. To think that a Limit Douluo could be pressured like this. He would not forget this. Not until his life ran out. But then… it was already running out.

Hu Jie and the Emperor were left alone. Dai Tianling spoke first. "Hu Jie. I am truly sorry. I can promise that our Empire is willing to support the Sect and buy your weapons at normal price for at least a year."

Hu Jie smiled on the inside. Perfect. But that was not his goal. He needed to tighten the sect's relationship with the empire instead. "No need, your majesty. There is already a solution. A lot of the higher ups are upset, but they were also impressed with Dai Yueyan. We were wondering if the Empire is willing to change its way and let the Crown Prince stay in the sect after he graduates."

Dai Tianling was taken aback. He figured them out, but honestly, he was glad. This was a better deal. The money cost would truly be too much if they worsened the relations with the sect. He nodded. "That will do, but only if my son agrees."

Hu Jie finally smiled. "Good. I shall discuss things further with the Crown Prince myself then. If everything will be agreeable, then consider our grievances settled."

… … …

En Ci was in the Monster Academy Forest cultivating, calming himself. His rationale and his emotions were in disagreement. His pride and loyalty were also not in tune. Not only that, but his disciple Long Yue still had not contacted him after the competition.

His ears twitched. "Who's there."

Two people showed up. Shadowy looking people.

En Ci immediately released pressure on them, but was surprised that, while one fell immediately, the other stood standing. Hyper Douluo. He went on guard.

"Your excellency." The man standing bowed. "We are not here to fight, but to offer."

"Speak quickly. You have 30 seconds. Otherwise do not blame me for being unkind."

"Of course." The man bowed and pulled out a box. "We offer this pill. We trust you will recognise its effects after trying it out." He put it on the ground. "And we leave a letter. If you wish to find us, this is the way to contact us. Now then. We will take our leave."

The standing man took the lying man, and they vanished. After a few seconds, their auras disappeared. En Ci exhaled a sharp, furious breath and went to the pill and the letter. He noticed the symbol on the box and the seal on the letter.

"Green Skeleton Rebellion." His eyes turned sharp, but he took the pill and the letter, then returned to cultivation.