Chapter 127 – Moon's Return and the Flames of Retribution
Near the site of the destroyed Holy Spirit Church branch—obliterated by Xiao Qiang—a disheveled evil soul master, barely standing on trembling legs, stumbled before Zhongli Wu, the Supreme Leader of the Holy Spirit Church. The man, a Soul Douluo with eight rings, bowed with a horrified expression and stammered:
"Master, we've searched everywhere… there's no sign of the Holy Son."
"Trash!"
Zhongli Wu roared and struck the Soul Douluo with a vicious slap.
The man flew through the air, crashing into a nearby building with a deafening crash that tore through the load-bearing wall. He collapsed amidst the rubble, his chest wracked with searing pain. A thick, fishy taste welled up in his throat, but he forced himself to swallow the blood rather than incur more of Zhongli Wu's wrath.
The single strike had shattered at least seven of his ribs. But the Soul Douluo, despite the agony, dared not utter a sound or move a muscle.
Zhongli Wu's face was twisted with fury.
"Damn it! Those useless worms! They can die if they want—but why drag Yan Feng down with them?"
He didn't care about the destruction of a branch altar. The deaths of Soul Emperors and Soul Saints were insignificant to him. What enraged him was Yan Feng's disappearance.
Yan Feng was no ordinary prodigy—he wielded the Bone Dragon Martial Soul, one of the most powerful and rare martial souls in existence. Ten thousand years ago, even reaching Title Douluo level was considered a miracle. But one Bone Dragon Martial Soul user had reached level 95, equaling the might of a level 96 Sword Douluo. Its potential was undeniable.
Zhongli Wu had discovered Yan Feng at the age of eleven, and the boy had awakened with innate full soul power. In just four years, he had grown from level 10 to level 46. He had come to the branch altar to absorb another soul ring and push himself to level 47.
But now, Yan Feng was gone.
Gone—without a trace. No confirmation of his breakthrough. No signal. Nothing.
Yan Feng had been destined to become a Super Douluo, possibly even a level 98 or Extreme Douluo.
Zhongli Wu felt like his heart was bleeding.
A nearby figure stepped forward—Zhang Peng, the Sixth Worshiper of the Holy Spirit Church, also known as Scorpion Tiger Douluo.
"Master," Zhang Peng said cautiously, "please calm your rage. What happened to the Holy Son might not be due to incompetence. The enemy… the enemy might have been too strong."
Zhongli Wu narrowed his eyes. "Too strong? Explain."
Zhang Peng spoke carefully. "There was a branch elder, two Holy Spirits, and many quasi-saint-level servants guarding the altar. The branch elder alone—by burning his life—could delay a Titled Douluo long enough for the Holy Son to escape or request reinforcements."
"We were confident letting the Holy Son train here. With such defenses, even a Titled Douluo would struggle. But in the end… not only did the Holy Son disappear, but no distress signals were received. Whoever attacked wasn't ordinary."
Zhongli Wu's gaze sharpened. "You suspect someone?"
Zhang Peng trembled slightly. "I… I felt a residual aura at the scene. I believe… it was the Dragon Emperor's Breaking Evil Crack."
Zhongli Wu's expression froze.
"Dragon Emperor's Breaking Evil Crack? Impossible!" he said sharply.
Zhang Peng nodded solemnly. "I'm afraid not. Moon is still alive, after all—and there's no one else who could have left behind such a distinct aura."
He continued, "This wasn't the work of a typical angel spirit user. Angel spirits—outside of healing types—are suppressed, and most soul masters below the six-ring Soul Emperor level wouldn't even survive sneaking into the Sun-Moon Empire. But Moon… Moon could come and go undetected. The technique and the aura both match his."
Zhongli Wu clenched his fists tightly. He, too, recognized the lingering breath of the Dragon Emperor's Breaking Evil Crack. And if it truly was Moon—then Yan Feng had no chance of survival.
Even a casual blow from a level-99 Limit Douluo like Moon, despite his condition, would obliterate anyone below Super Douluo level.
He gave a cold snort. "Search again. I'm leaving temporarily."
Zhongli Wu turned and departed, a storm of fury swirling in his heart.
Soon, he arrived at a serene pavilion, where an elderly man was sipping tea under the shade.
Long Xiaoyao, the recluse known for his terrifying strength, didn't even look up at first.
"You're here. What is it?" he asked casually.
Zhongli Wu bowed slightly. "Uncle Long, have you sensed the presence of the Holy Light Dragon recently?"
Long Xiaoyao raised a brow, looking mildly surprised. "Moon? You sensed him? When did your cultivation improve?"
Zhongli Wu shook his head. "No, I didn't sense him directly. But my subordinates encountered someone with his aura… and now they're dead. I detected traces of the Holy Light Dragon's breath at the scene."
Long Xiaoyao nodded with a nonchalant "Oh," then said no more.
Zhongli Wu quietly made tea for him, hiding the storm of curses swirling in his mind.
Moon… you killed my Holy Son. Very well. In that case, don't blame me when I come for your precious Holy Maiden!
After a long journey, Moon finally returned to Shrek City.
But as he stepped through the gates, something felt… wrong.
Shrek City, normally full of warmth and life, was cloaked in a suffocating heaviness. The atmosphere was tense, the streets unusually silent. When he returned to Shrek Academy, the sight made his chest tighten.
The Golden Tree—symbol of hope—had lost branches. Several buildings in the inner courtyard lay in ruins. An entire dormitory building for inner courtyard students had been completely flattened.
At the Sea God Pavilion, familiar faces greeted him—but none were smiling.
Yan Shaozhe, looking worn and exhausted, approached and bowed deeply. "Teacher… you're back."
Beside him stood Xian Lin'er, the Martial God Douluo, supported by Qian Duoduo. Both looked battered—Xian Lin'er visibly injured, and Qian Duoduo not in much better shape.
Moon's heart sank. He could no longer pretend nothing had happened.
"What happened?" he asked, his voice cold.
Yan Shaozhe answered grimly. "It was the evil soul masters. They attacked Shrek Academy. Many of them came… even Titled Douluo-level ones. They launched a full-scale assault. Old Song was gravely injured in a sneak attack."
Moon's gaze darkened. "And where was Xuan Zi? What was he doing when all this happened?"
Yan Shaozhe hesitated before replying, "Old Xuan thought the city was safe. He… he was drinking outside. By the time he returned, the Academy was already under siege."
As he spoke, Elder Xuan himself flew in, his expression one of shame and regret.
"Old Mu," he said softly. "I've failed your trust…"
Moon turned to him, face devoid of warmth. His voice was cold and sharp as a blade.
"Xuan Zi… are you a Supreme Elder of Shrek Academy or the Holy Spirit Church?"