Question: Is a 5,000-Federation coin ticket worth it to watch a battle between the strongest geniuses of the era?
Answer: Worth it? Worth your damn flowers!
It wasn't just the audience— even Xia Hong hadn't expected Xia Yi to pull a stunt like this.
Was this really the same serious, rarely smiling squad leader she knew?
Originally, she had planned to teach Xia Yi a lesson, then pretend to make a mistake and end the match in a draw.
That way, she could both put Xia Yi in his place and also save face for him and the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Master Academy.
Though Xia Hong wanted to discipline Xia Yi, she didn't want to see him embarrassed in front of a massive audience.
However, Xia Yi had absolutely no concept of embarrassment.
Seeing Xia Yi lying on the ground, "unconscious," not only the audience but even Gu Yue and Xia Hong had the urge to go over and stomp on him to make sure he was actually knocked out.
The one who was the most furious, however, was Yali.
Xia Yi had given her hope, then snatched it away.
And he had done so in the most blatant way possible, trampling the intelligence of hundreds of thousands of spectators into the dirt.
She could already feel the burning rage of the entire audience.
If she had known Xia Yi would pull something like this, she would have surrendered outright rather than let him participate.
"I suppose I won, then?" Xia Hong looked at the still-stunned referee helplessly.
"You won. You won." The referee responded with a dark expression.
The number-one genius of the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Master Academy had defeated the number-one genius of Shrek Academy— under normal circumstances, this should have been a momentous occasion.
But right now, he didn't feel any joy at all.
As soon as the referee announced the result, Xia Yi instantly jumped to his feet, using Fox Mind Technique to propel himself like a shooting star toward the VIP box.
He scooped up the still-dumbfounded Gu Yue, and with the same technique, the two of them shot into the sky, disappearing from the sight of hundreds of thousands of spectators in the blink of an eye.
His speed was even greater than that of flying-type soul masters.
Once again, he left the audience gaping in disbelief.
Xia Yi was confident in his "realistic" acting skills, but in case anyone saw through his act, the wrath of hundreds of thousands of people was not something he wanted to endure.
Time to run!
With Gu Yue in his arms, Xia Yi made his escape without hesitation.
As for the audience's anger, they could direct that at Shrek Academy.
After all, he had fought on behalf of Shrek Academy.
Let Shrek Academy deal with the consequences— it was only fair.
"Your Holiness, Holy Spirit Douluo." Xu Cangyu turned to look at Yali with a deep sigh.
"Don't call me that. I'm in a terrible mood."
For the first time in her life, Yali cursed aloud. She stood up and left without another word.
Seeing the ever-gentle and kind Yali lose her temper and swear, Xu Cangyu knew she was truly furious.
There was nothing more to say.
He could only watch as she left.
—
After leading Tang Wulin and the others away from the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, Yali finally let out a deep breath.
"Thankfully, we got away smoothly." Yali smiled, then teleported away with the six of them in tow.
Xia Yi's very realistic acting had made her so angry that she had nearly lost control. She had truly wanted to pin him down and pummel him.
But having some understanding of Xia Yi's personality, the moment he fled, she realized they needed to leave as well.
If they stayed, once the audience and the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Master Academy came to their senses, escaping wouldn't be so easy anymore.
So, without hesitation, she had cursed aloud and stormed off in anger.
By doing so, the audience would think that Shrek Academy was also a victim of Xia Yi's trickery and wouldn't have an excuse to come after them for explanations.
Though it might have damaged her elegant reputation a little, that didn't matter.
Seeing the smile on Yali's face, Na'er felt dizzy. She couldn't help but ask, "Master, were you just pretending earlier?"
"Of course. If I hadn't acted that way, do you think I could have gotten you all out so easily?" Yali chuckled. "Unlike Xia Yi, I couldn't just run off."
"Let's go. We'll pick up your Teacher Wu and leave Mingdu."
Yali sighed softly. She hadn't expected a simple final exam to cause such a mess.
Even though it had been resolved, the aftermath would surely be significant.
"Teacher Wu…" Tang Wulin and the others were stunned.
Wasn't Wu Zhangkong sentenced to three years in prison?
"The Minister of the Federal Police Department is an old acquaintance of mine. I went to see him personally, and he agreed to let me take Wu Zhangkong away— but for the next three years, Wu Zhangkong cannot leave Shrek Academy's inner court. In other words, he can't appear in the public eye." Yali explained softly.
"The Federal Police Minister, Heavenly Judgment Douluo Lang Tian? He's known for being absolutely impartial— how did he agree to such a request? Your Holiness, did you promise him something in return?" Ye Xinglan asked curiously.
Lang Tian, titled Heavenly Judgment Douluo, was a 97th-rank Super Douluo, wielding the Water-Fire Staff.
A Three-Word Battle Armor Master and a Red Mecha Pilot, he was the most famous staff-wielder on the Douluo Continent outside of the Spirit Pagoda's Qiangu family.
His staff's name, "Water-Fire," did not come from possessing both elements but from its symbolic meaning— as unyielding as fire and as impartial as water.
His title, Tianpan (Heavenly Judgment), signified judging criminals as impartially as the heavens.
Rumor had it that in his younger days, his strict law enforcement had offended the Blacksmiths' Association, leading to Divine Craftsman Zhen Hua refusing to make him a Four-Word Battle Armor.
His Red Mecha's core components had been a federal government reward.
Ye Xinglan knew about him because, three years ago, a direct descendant of her family had secretly sold paper and printing equipment to the Holy Spirit Cult.
Since the act hadn't directly harmed anyone, most believed it wasn't a capital offense. The Ye family had tried to pull every string, but Lang Tian remained unmoved.
He had personally ordered the execution.
Such an incorruptible man— Ye Xinglan couldn't believe that Shrek Academy had freed Wu Zhangkong without paying a price.
She was dying to know what they had offered to make Tianpan Douluo relent.
"What nonsense are you thinking?" Yali flicked Ye Xinglan on the forehead.
The price had simply been calling Lang Tian Brother Tian.
But that wasn't a condition at all.
She had known him since he was just a squad leader in the police force, back when she was still part of the federal government.
At the time, his team had been assigned to protect her, and she had always called him Brother Tian.
Later, when Yun Ming had stormed into Mingdu to steal her away, Lang Tian had been knocked down within seconds.
Since then, they had never met again.
After decades, hearing Yali call him Brother Tian once more, Lang Tian had instantly and quietly released Wu Zhangkong.
Under Yali's lead, Tang Wulin and his six companions quickly arrived at a secluded alley in Mingdu.
At long last, they saw the teacher they had been longing to reunite with—Wu Zhangkong.
His face was pale, and the past few days had been an unforgettable ordeal for him.
Especially the moment when Xia Hong had forced him to kneel—it made his blood boil every time he recalled it.
"Yali, my dear sister, I'm handing him over to you. I hope you will honor your promise and ensure he does not leave the inner courtyard of Shrek Academy. Otherwise, my lifetime reputation will be ruined."
Standing before them was the Heavenly Judgement Douluo, Lang Tian. He appeared to be in his fifties or sixties, with a square face and an aura of authority that demanded respect.
This matter concerned his lifelong reputation, so he hadn't entrusted it to any subordinates. Instead, he had personally escorted Wu Zhangkong himself.
Of course, his real reason was to take this chance to see his "dear sister Yali" again.
"Rest assured, Brother Tian. I understand the gravity of the situation. I would never let this matter drag you down." Yali nodded.
Since she had a favor to ask of him, and knowing that Lang Tian liked hearing it, she deliberately called him "Brother Tian" a few extra times.
…
At the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy.
Xia Hong, having changed back into her police uniform, walked into the office of the academy's headmaster, Xu Cangyu.
"Xia Hong, what brings you here?" Xu Cangyu asked with a smile. He had been quite displeased when she joined the Mingdu police force, scolding his subordinates more than once over it.
Xia Hong was one of the academy's most treasured talents, yet the police force had taken half of her away.
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't accept it.
But since the decision was already made, he had no choice but to accept reality.
Unless Xia Hong voluntarily resigned from the police force, there was nothing he could do to force her.
"Headmaster, reporting in! I'm heading out on patrol, but I did some calculations and foresee some danger to my life. So, I'd like to ask for your help this time," Xia Hong said playfully.
"Life-threatening danger? More like you've found an opportunity for merit but can't handle it alone, so you've come to ask for my help," Xu Cangyu chuckled.
"As expected, nothing can be hidden from you, Headmaster." Xia Hong grinned, openly admitting it.
"Go ahead with whatever you're planning. I'll be following you in secret," Xu Cangyu said.
At first, he had considered assigning a Titled Douluo to accompany her. But after some thought, he decided to go himself.
After all, Xia Hong was the only one in the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy who could suppress her peers from Shrek Academy so thoroughly that they could barely breathe.
(End of Chapter)