Not long after Leng Yulai returned, Yali arrived on the Starluo with Na'er.
Previously, Na'er had been severely injured by the Demonic Shark Fang of a Demon Soul Great White Shark while saving Tang Wulin. Yun Ming had taken her to Yali for treatment, and now she had fully recovered.
Cai Yue'er and Tang Yinmeng had both succumbed to their severe injuries and passed away, while Lan Muzi was taken away by Long Yeyue.
Now, on the Starluo, the remaining students of Shrek Academy were like a group of dragons without a leader.
Additionally, every time Yali saw Yun Ming, she would be reminded of the Blood God Legion incident.
Thus, she decided to take Na'er to the Star Luo Empire to ease their minds.
Standing in front of Xia Yi's room, Yali frowned deeply, hesitation flickering in her beautiful eyes.
"Forget it, I'll talk to him another time." She sighed softly and turned back to her own room.
She knew that from beginning to end, this matter had always been Shrek Academy's fault.
Xia Yi was merely a victim.
But deep down, she still harbored resentment toward Xia Yi for not saving Tang Yinmeng.
She wanted to ask him about it.
Even though Shrek Academy was at fault, it was still a human life lost.
She asked herself—if she had been in Xia Yi's position, she would have abandoned all prejudices and chosen to save a life first.
To her, that was the true purpose of a healing-type soul master.
However, questioning Xia Yi with her own moral standards felt inappropriate.
Besides, knowing Xia Yi's temperament, if she went to confront him now, she would likely be met with a scolding.
Yali could only return to her room for now, hoping to find an opportunity to have a proper conversation with Xia Yi in the future.
Although the attack by the Demon Soul Great White Shark had caused heavy casualties on both the Starluo and the Far Ocean, neither the Sun-Moon Federation nor the Star Luo Empire had any intention of canceling the exchange program.
Instead, each side dispatched a warship to escort the two ocean liners.
To ensure absolute security, the Sun-Moon Federation sent Poseidon, one of its newest warships, under the command of Chen Xinjie.
As for the Star Luo Empire, they deployed one of their most powerful warships—the White Tiger.
The supreme commander of the White Tiger was a Super Douluo from the Star Luo Empire's royal family—Dai Tianshu.
Dai Tianshu was a Rank 96 Super Douluo with the title Blood Tiger.
He was also the elder brother of the current Star Luo Emperor, Dai Tianling.
However, due to a mutation in his martial soul, which was not a White Tiger, some stubborn nobles in the imperial court had opposed him, leading to his defeat in the battle for the throne.
According to the Star Luo royal family's ancient traditions, princes who failed in the competition for the throne were typically stripped of their cultivation.
However, over ten thousand years ago, a change in the royal lineage abolished this rule.
Thus, Dai Tianshu survived and eventually gained significant power.
Inside Poseidon, a major respectfully reported to Chen Xinjie:
"Your Excellency, Hanhai Douluo, we've noticed that the White Tiger's lookout tower has been secretly filming Poseidon with cameras. Should we stop them?"
"No need. Let them film." Chen Xinjie sneered contemptuously.
"Star Luo Empire's little tricks? Anyone with half a brain can figure out what they're up to. With their lousy technology, they actually think they can replicate Poseidon? Hah, how ridiculous. Poseidon is one of the Federation's latest warships. Do they think a few pictures will be enough to duplicate it? Even if they manage to build a ship that looks exactly like Poseidon, what will they use to power it without the Federation's latest propulsion system?
"Without a functioning propulsion system, it's nothing more than a pile of scrap metal."
Chen Xinjie was utterly dismissive.
He had absolute confidence in the Sun-Moon Federation's advanced propulsion technology.
Even if given another hundred years, the Star Luo Empire would never be able to replicate it.
If they stubbornly insisted on copying Poseidon, they would only be wasting their national resources.
Chen Xinjie was more than happy to see that happen.
Meanwhile, in the White Tiger's command center, Dai Tianshu was elated when he saw that Chen Xinjie wasn't stopping their surveillance.
Immediately, he ordered his subordinates to take as many detailed photos of Poseidon as possible from multiple angles and to record all navigational data.
With these images, data, and the previously acquired propulsion system, the Star Luo Empire would soon have a warship rivaling Poseidon.
Chen Xinjie was completely unaware of this.
The two warships and two ocean liners resumed their journey, steadily heading toward the Star Luo Continent.
After several more weeks at sea, a sliver of black finally appeared on the vast horizon.
It was the coastline.
The coastline of the Star Luo Empire.
A collective sigh of relief swept across everyone onboard.
Tears welled up in many eyes—the days of living in constant fear were finally over.
As they drew closer to the port, the people of the Star Luo Empire had already gathered on the decks, eagerly gazing at their waiting loved ones.
Overwhelmed with emotion, many were moved to tears.
Just as everyone thought there would be no more surprises—
The next moment, the entire ocean suddenly trembled.
A terrifying wave of soul power erupted from the depths of the sea.
"Sea soul beast attack! Protect the ocean liners!" Dai Tianshu roared.
In an instant, mechas and fighter jets launched from the White Tiger, encircling the Far Ocean and Star Luo.
Simultaneously, the White Tiger's powerful soul cannons emerged, aimed and ready.
Before they could engage, a towering pillar of water, over a hundred meters high, shot up from the ocean.
From within it, a massive octopus-like figure surfaced—the same beast that had previously attacked the sea liners
But something was wrong.
"How… how is this possible?" Dai Tianshu was stunned.
The beast was dead.
That's right—there was no trace of life emanating from the Demon Octopus King's enormous corpse.
"Who… who could have slain a beast as powerful as an Ultimate Douluo?" Dai Tianshu stared at the lifeless behemoth, his mind racing with unanswered questions.
He didn't have to wonder for long.
A moment later, Chen Xinjie's figure slowly appeared atop the hundred-meter water pillar.
Lifting the colossal corpse above his head, he proclaimed loudly:
"The Demon Octopus King, which attacked the exchange teams of the Star Luo Continent and the Douluo Continent, causing immense casualties, has been slain.
"I, Sea God Douluo Chen Xinjie, Commander of the Sun-Moon Federation's Poseidon Legion, have eradicated this beast to honor the spirits of our fallen comrades."
His voice boomed like thunder, reverberating across the sea.
With his immense spiritual power amplifying his words, every human and sea soul beast in the vicinity heard him crystal clear.
A brief silence followed—
Then, like a tidal wave, deafening cheers erupted from the Sea liners, and the Star Luo Empire's harbor.
"Sea God Douluo!"
"Sea God Douluo!"
"Sea God Douluo!"
...
Bathed in the radiance of the vast ocean, standing with divine majesty, Chen Xinjie seemed like the embodiment of Poseidon himself.
Many onlookers were moved to tears.
Not long ago, they had lost countless loved ones in the sea soul beast attack.
Now, the most powerful of those creatures—the Demon Octopus King—was finally dead.
At last, it felt like justice had been served.
(End of Chapter)