Word Count: 3,004 Words
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BOOM—
Terrifying rumbles echoed endlessly within the cave. The intense explosions sent the bandits' flesh and blood scattering in all directions, making the cave seem as if a torrential rain of blood was pouring inside.
The main team of the Shrek Seven Monsters was surrounded by numerous haphazardly scattered corpses. Being at the core of the corpse explosions, there was nowhere to escape. However, six seven-pointed star arrays instantly lit up beneath the feet of the six Monsters, and blazing golden radiance illuminated the cave as bright as daylight.
The corpse explosions came without warning and were extremely powerful. Wang Yan and the reserve team following far behind immediately sensed something was terribly wrong. They weren't much affected, as Ning Tian's deployed Class 7 Spirit Barrier together with Xu Sanshi's Mystic Deep Shield blocked the small fragments of flying flesh and blood. The few of them exchanged glances and immediately rushed toward the depths of the cave.
A thick stench of blood now filled the cave. Everyone was covered in a layer of gore from the violent explosion of over a hundred bandit corpses.
The corpse explosions attacked not only the Inner Courtyard students; the bandits who had fortunately survived were also caught up in it. They fell like harvested wheat, becoming sacrifices for the next wave of chain corpse explosions.
The explosions continued for dozens of seconds before gradually subsiding. Blood dripped everywhere from ceiling to walls as bloody mist drifted about, accompanied by constant hissing sounds produced by the corrosive poison.
"Kekeke, how do you like this envoy's methods? Corpse explosions plus deadly poison, more than enough to kill you idiots ten times over!"
The Death God Envoy laughed maniacally, but his excitement lasted only a few seconds. A pair of brilliant golden eyes lit up within the bloody mist, and the Death God Envoy suddenly choked, like a rooster whose neck was being squeezed.
He smelled the scent of his nemesis. It felt as if a hand was toying with his heart. The Death God Envoy, who always prided himself as the spokesperson of death, couldn't control the surge of retreating emotions within his heart. He turned and fled deeper into the cave.
The owner of those golden eyes caught up with him in an instant. Ling Bai held the Angel Sword while a golden, eggshell-like protective barrier appeared around his body. The Death God Envoy was terrified to the extreme upon seeing this. He couldn't believe someone could emerge unharmed from a corpse explosion equivalent to a full-strength attack from a Spirit Saint, and moreover, possess the holy attribute that Evil Spirit Masters feared most!
Even more absurd was that protective barrier. The Death God Envoy recognized it as a Spirit Barrier from his experience plundering countless merchants from both empires. His corpse explosion hadn't even penetrated its defense!
Death God Envoy: Okay, this is not funny anymore.
"Quick, quick, quick! Cover my retreat!"
The Death God Envoy shouted loudly. Twelve iron-gray figures abruptly crawled out from the connecting tunnels. Each was extremely tall, forging a wall of flesh in front of Ling Bai.
These twelve corpse slaves were painstakingly selected and crafted from assault-type Spirit Masters. Their combat strength was comparable to 5-ringed Spirit Kings. The Death God Envoy exhaled slightly, thinking his life was secure.
A thin golden line appeared simultaneously at the connection between the heads and necks of the twelve corpse slaves the next second. With a crisp thud, their heads smashed onto the ground, rolling around like balls.
The Death God Envoy turned to run, but suddenly, his eyes reflected his own fleeing body, yet his head was nowhere to be seen. Only then did he realize that at some point, he too had been beheaded with a single slash.
Without the corpse explosion, the 'strongest Spirit King' was like a tiger without teeth, unable to put up any effective resistance against Ling Bai. He died swiftly and cleanly.
"Half a rank of spirit power?"
Ling Bai felt slightly surprised as he sensed the sudden increase of spirit power within his body.
At his current spirit power level, he would need to slay an Evil Spirit Saint to see significant improvement. Yet the benefits brought by this 5-ringed Death God Envoy were no less than those from a 7-ringed Spirit Saint. This showed just how much evil the Death God Envoy had committed over the years, incurring both divine wrath and human anger.
"A mere corpse necromancer dares to call himself the Death God Envoy."
Electrolux snorted disdainfully while leisurely fishing in the Spiritual Sea. He had actually felt the urge to make a move just now, to teach the Death God Envoy a lesson. But Ling Bai killed too quickly; the old man hadn't even had time to open his mouth.
The Snow Empress glanced at Electrolux. This old man was truly idle. He had used his spiritual power to create a few fish in the Lake of Life and spent his days half-reclined, fishing under the pretense that 'A Master can only lead you to the door; cultivation depends on the individual.' He had taught Ling Bai everything he should; the rest depended on his own fortune.
"Degenerate people are beyond reasoning!"
The Snow Empress unleashed the Empress' Chill: Snowy Dance of Ultimate Ice. Snowflakes fluttered while ice and snow drifted down as she began to build an ice house.
After dealing with the Death God Envoy, Ling Bai returned to find the Seven Monsters. Elder Xuan and the reserve team had already caught up and were checking the injuries of the main team members one by one.
"Bai-ge!"
When Ning Tian saw Ling Bai return safely, the anxiety pooling in her sapphire blue eyes finally gave way to tears. The main team's six members were each more severely injured than the last, while Ling Bai had disappeared without a trace. She had been frightened to death just now. She threw herself into his arms, hugging his waist tightly and refusing to let go.
"I thought you..." Ning Tian whispered.
"I'm fine. I just went to chase down the culprit." Ling Bai smiled as he gently stroked her platinum-blonde hair and patted her back in reassurance.
"Thank goodness. Though the injuries are severe, at least no one died!"
Wang Yan wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled with relief as he looked at the embracing pair.
The Death God Envoy's corpse explosions had turned the corpses' bones, muscles, and blood vessels into explosive weapons. The stronger the corpse had been in life, the greater the explosion's power, especially the two Spirit King corpses, which caused tremors like moving mountains when they exploded.
Although the corpse explosions came suddenly, each of the main Shrek Seven Monsters went all out to protect themselves. Ling Bai had it the easiest—the Class 8 Trigger-type Spirit Guidance Barrier automatically protected its master, and a mere Spirit Saint-level corpse explosion couldn't shake the impregnable Class 8 barrier. Ling Bai even had spare energy to instantly cast six Radiant Spirit Arrays: Guard, adding an extra layer of protection for his teammates.
Ling Bai's first spirit skill, Radiant Spirit Array, should not be underestimated. It contained the Seraphim's Ultimate Holy power, which strongly countered the Death God Envoy's evil attribute and deadly poison. The injuries suffered by the six Monsters from the corpse explosions were nearly halved.
The remaining protection naturally depended on themselves, as their Martial Spirits differed and their defensive capabilities varied.
Ma Xiaotao and Dai Yueheng, the two Spirit Emperors at the explosion's core, were in a relatively optimistic condition thanks to the Radiant Spirit Array and their enhanced defensive spirit skills. They remained conscious though spitting blood. Ling Luochen, as a control-type Spirit Master who had been hiding at the rear with her Ice Armor spirit skill protecting her entire body, could still force herself to sit up and wipe the scarlet blood from the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief.
Gongyang Mo, Yao Haoxuan, and Xi Xi were in slightly worse condition. None of the three had defensive spirit skills and could only rely on the Radiant Spirit Array and the Shrek Guardians' inner armors. They now lay on the ground, gasping for breath, with several places where their flesh was mangled and the corpse poison madly invading their bodies.
The core students of the Outer Courtyard stood awkwardly to the side, unable to bear looking directly at the miserable state of the Inner Courtyard team. Elder Xuan collapsed to the ground in despair, clutching his head in agony. Under his leadership, the Shrek Inner Courtyard had once again suffered massive damage, and the ones injured were the Shrek Seven Monsters!
They still needed to represent Shrek Academy in the Continental Elite Spirit Master Academy Tournament. Now, with three severely injured and three lightly wounded, relying solely on Ling Bai would not be enough to continue Shrek Academy's ten-thousand-year glory.
Elder Xuan's mind was in chaos, and he couldn't focus on managing the situation. Wang Yan took out antidote pills from his Storage Spirit Guidance Device and walked toward the three main team members whose bodies had been invaded by corpse poison, but Ling Bai stopped him halfway with a raised hand.
"Teacher Wang, let me handle it. The Seraphim's purification is more effective than any antidote pill."
"Hmm, I'll trouble you then."
Wang Yan nodded gratefully. Ling Bai had prevented the main Shrek Seven Monsters from paying the most tragic price and was also one of the few students among the seven who treated him with kindness.
Ling Bai half-squatted on the ground, prioritizing the treatment of Yao Haoxuan, who had transformed and thus had the largest body and most severe injuries. Holy power gathered in Ling Bai's palm as he gently pressed it onto Yao Haoxuan's hideous wounds. Though it made Yao Haoxuan grimace in pain, he still forced a grin, clasped his hands, and chuckled:
"Words cannot express my gratitude for such a great favor. I, Haoxuan, have roamed half my life without meeting someone worth following. If you do not reject me, I wish to acknowledge you as my adoptive father!"
"You're exaggerating," Ling Bai said with a smile, shaking his head.
"I'm not joking." Yao Haoxuan's expression turned solemn. "Without you, Xi Xi and Gongyang might have survived, but I would be a goner for sure. I can never repay such a life-saving grace. After this tournament, I'll focus on advancing to Spirit Emperor and prepare for the graduation examination.
Once I graduate, I'll immediately report to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. I'm giving you this life of mine. From now on, treat me like your own son!"
"Me too!" Gongyang Mo raised his hand shakily.
"Add... add me..." Xi Xi's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
"If you're willing to come, I have no reason to refuse. Ning Tian and I welcome you on behalf of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan."
Ling Bai finished clearing the corpse poison from Yao Haoxuan, then stood up and walked toward Gongyang Mo and Xi Xi.
Actually, he could have completely saved everyone. After all, the power of the corpse explosions depended on the number and strength of the corpses. If he had destroyed those powerful Spirit Master corpses in advance, that would have been it. But by doing so, he would have only earned their gratitude, not a life-saving debt.
Three Shrek Seven Monsters-level geniuses—monsters among monsters and top-notch Titled Douluo prospects—Ling Bai neither wished for them to be severely injured, degrading their talents, nor wanted them to throw themselves into the embrace of other factions. He wanted the three to voluntarily join the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and contribute to the clan's future development.
In the story from his memories, only Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, and Dai Yueheng appeared again after the Continental Elite Spirit Master Academy Tournament. Yao Haoxuan had long since sacrificed himself, while Xi Xi, Gongyang Mo, and Chen Zifeng never appeared again after withdrawing from the tournament. Perhaps they had fallen into mediocrity, or perhaps they had graduated and left Shrek Academy to return to their families.
This time, their fate was already much better than their original ending. They had decided to join the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan after passing the graduation examination to repay today's grace.
It wasn't just because of gratitude, but even more because Shrek Academy and Elder Xuan had made their hearts grow cold.
From the reserve team swapping members for the sake of benefits to Elder Xuan making grave mistakes twice in a row, those who had originally planned to stay and work at Shrek Academy were finally crushed by the last straw. They resolutely turned to Ling Bai.
The Seraphim's future was bright. When one person attains the Dao, even his pets ascend to the heavens. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was rich enough to rival nations and eager for talent. They wouldn't overlook any outstandingly gifted Spirit Master, and they believed that Ling Bai and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan wouldn't let them down.
"Adoptive Father, we three corpses are a bit tired—we'll sleep now..."
Internal injuries and excessive blood loss made the three feel waves of dizziness. After giving Ling Bai a brief farewell, they fell into deep slumber.
Ling Bai frowned slightly as he watched Elder Xuan begin to gulp down alcohol, but his expression quickly relaxed. This old man was a great benefactor after all—without his blunders, the three wouldn't have decided to leave with him. Now that a precedent was set, with Elder Xuan in charge, more students would likely leave Shrek Academy in the future. Patiently, he spoke to the old man:
"Elder Xuan, I've cleared the corpse poison, but their internal injuries and massive blood loss are still severe. Could you please take them back to Shrek Academy and have healing-type Titled Douluo treat them fully? I fly fastest, so I'll take Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, and Dai Yueheng to Star Luo City to recuperate. Let the reserve team catch up slowly."
"Alright... alright... as you say..."
Elder Xuan seemed to have lost his soul at this moment. His large hands gestured toward the three unconscious people on the ground, and thick earth-yellow spirit power wrapped around them like cocoons before lifting them into the air as he left the cave.
"They need to rest early. I'll go ahead."
At Ling Luochen's strong insistence, Ling Bai held her under his left arm, Ma Xiaotao under his right, and carried Dai Yueheng on his back. He spread his angelic wings and flew toward Star Luo City with the three of them.
...
One day later.
Shrek Academy, Sea God Pavilion.
This was the third Sea God Pavilion meeting within a single month, an unprecedented frequency in Shrek Academy's ten-thousand-year history.
The first meeting concerned the allegiance of Huo Yuhao, possessor of Ultimate Ice. The second discussed changes to the reserve team's lineup. The elders were unsure why Elder Xuan had called them together a third time.
The golden tree round table remained unchanged from the last meeting, but the atmosphere felt distinctly heavier. Elder Mu, sitting at the head seat on his recliner, spoke softly:
"Xuan Zi, you preside over the meeting."
Elder Xuan rose and bowed deeply, his aged frame bending low. "My apologies, everyone. I have once again failed to live up to your trust. During our operation to eliminate the Hand of Death bandits, an Evil Spirit Master at the Spirit King rank calling himself the Death God Envoy unleashed a corpse explosion comparable to a Spirit Saint's full-strength strike. Although he ultimately perished under Ling Bai's sword, the battle was disastrous for our current main Shrek Seven Monsters.
Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and Ling Luochen sustained internal injuries and are currently recuperating in Star Luo City. Gongyang Mo, Yao Haoxuan, and Xi Xi were gravely wounded. I brought them back to the Academy for Elder Zhuang to examine. Considering the Continental Elite Spirit Master Academy Tournament's timeline, I'm afraid they will miss the elimination matches and round-robin stage, and likely won't recover more than sixty to seventy percent by the time the top eight begins."
"Yes, their lives are not in danger," healing-type Titled Douluo Elder Zhuang confirmed with a nod.
"What about Ling Bai's condition?"
Yan Shaozhe asked perceptively.
Elder Xuan sighed. "The Seraphim's resistance to evil attributes is unrivaled under heaven. He also has a Class 8 Spirit Barrier, so the corpse explosion posed no real threat to him. During the explosion, he used a spirit skill to shield the others. Otherwise, the situation would have been far worse, and we might have lost people."
"Tsk, tsk. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan truly spares no expense," one of the elders commented.
"Since the three students have no mortal danger, let's set that matter aside."
Elder Song tapped the table lightly, her tone icy. "The remaining issue is what to do about the Continental Elite Spirit Master Academy Tournament. With only one of the original seven main team members left intact, we absolutely cannot allow Shrek Academy's ten-thousand-year legacy to collapse in our generation!"
As Dean of the Martial Spirit Department, Yan Shaozhe knew the Inner Courtyard students' strength best. After pondering for a moment, he revealed a slight smile. "Elder Song, this isn't difficult to resolve. We have age-appropriate Spirit King-rank Inner Courtyard students like Chen Zifeng with the Soulchasing Sword, Dugu Lin with the Jade Phosphor Serpent, Chu Qingtian with the Berserk Lightning Leopard, and Class 5 Spirit Guidance Master Qian Duoduo. Those four, combined with the Outer Courtyard's 'Twin Stars,' Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi, can join Ling Bai to hold off the opponents in the initial rounds without much trouble.
Once Ma Xiaotao and the other two recover and return to the lineup one after another, the situation will stabilize completely. This tournament's championship will remain Shrek Academy's, and our ten-thousand-year glory shall continue unbroken!"