The current Blood God Army was mostly composed of elite troops transferred from various military corps.
Not long after Leng Yaozhu disappeared, news of her breakthrough to Quasi-God spread like wildfire.
At the same time, the revelation that Guan Yue was also a Quasi-God shocked both allies and enemies alike.
Dong... dong... dong...
A deep, resonant sound echoed through the Sea God's Pavilion.
Yun Ming tapped his fingers against the table repeatedly, his brows furrowed into a tight knot.
Leng Yaozhu had broken through to Quasi-God in a single step, and she had even forced Guan Yue—also a Quasi-God—to lose the courage to challenge her?
If Guan Yue hadn't personally contacted him through soul communicator, he wouldn't have believed it.
Yun Ming had always known Leng Yaozhu was strong, but he never expected her to be this powerful.
Guan Yue was his junior apprentice brother. They both wielded spears as their martial souls, and both had comprehended the realm of the Spear God.
Yun Ming was fully aware of Guan Yue's strength.
Even for him, defeating Guan Yue required significant effort.
"Even Guan Yue isn't confident in winning? And this is a Quasi-God who just broke through?" Yun Ming frowned deeply, contemplating for a long time before finally heading to Shrek Academy's remote soul communicator room. He dialed Yali's soul communicator.
Yun Ming waited for a full fifty-nine seconds. Just as the call was about to disconnect automatically at the one-minute mark due to no answer, Yali finally pressed the answer button at the last second.
"Your Majesty Skycovering Douluo, what do you want?"
Yali's voice was ice-cold. Because of the Blood God Army situation, she had just been put in a difficult position by a single remark from Leng Yaozhu yesterday.
Moreover, Leng Yaozhu had already gone to see Xia Yi.
Yet, after all this time, Yun Ming only now thought to contact her.
This made her so angry that her teeth itched.
She had no intention of showing him a pleasant attitude at all.
"Did the Heavenly Phoenix Douluo just appear in Star Luo City?" Yun Ming asked.
Right after Cold Yaozhu left the Blood God Army, Cao Dezhi immediately contacted Hu Jie, the Smiling Face Douluo and Tang Sect's leader on Star Luo Continent.
Hu Jie swore on his own life that Cold Yaozhu had indeed appeared in Star Luo City.
"You haven't contacted me in months, and now you're calling just because of Heavenly Phoenix Douluo?"
Yali ground her teeth, her voice carrying both coldness and grievance, clearly displeased.
She had been away from Shrek Academy for so long, and he hadn't reached out once.
But the moment Leng Yaozhu arrived in Star Luo City, he immediately called her?
Back then, when people urged you to marry me, you refused.
Now Leng Yaozhu is already married, so what exactly do you want?
"Yes." Yun Ming, seemingly oblivious to Yali's resentment, admitted it outright.
Hearing how straightforwardly Yun Ming admitted it, Yali became even more aggrieved.
"Then, Your Excellency Skycovering Douluo, what do you want from Your Excellency Heavenly Phoenix Douluo?" Yali asked mockingly, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"News from the Blood God Army states that she just defeated Ruthless Douluo with a single sword strike and broke through to Quasi-God in one step. Her strength is unfathomable, and even Guan Yue isn't confident in defeating her."
Yun Ming's voice was grave as he recounted Cold Yaozhu's feats in the Blood God Army.
"Impossible. Sister Yaozhu is in Xia Yi's room right now." Yali stated with absolute certainty.
She had personally seen Leng Yaozhu return with Xia Yi.
After a long separation, they were like newlyweds reunited—how could she have gone back to the Blood God Army so quickly?
What, do you think Xia Yi is as quick as you?
Yali scoffed inwardly.
"She must have anticipated that Ruthless Douluo and the others would use her unauthorized departure as an excuse against her, so she found a way to return to the Blood God Army. Why don't you check Xia Yi's room and see if she's still there?" Yun Ming said in a low voice.
Traveling freely between two continents—he himself couldn't even do that.
Although it was now almost certain that Cold Yaozhu had gone to Star Luo City and then instantly returned to the Blood God Army, the idea still felt unreal to him.
Did he want Yali to check personally?
"Check? How am I supposed to check? They're a married couple in their room—how do you expect me to check?" Yali rolled her eyes, even though Yun Ming couldn't see her through the communicator.
"Guan Yue suspects that Cold Yaozhu's rapid advancement is related to Xia Yi. See if you can make contact with Xia Yi and find out what's going on." Yun Ming said.
"Make contact? And how exactly should I do that?" Yali asked indifferently.
"However you see fit. Just do whatever you need to. In any case, you must find out Cold Yaozhu and Xia Yi's secret." Yun Ming paused before adding, "Right now, the only powerhouse from Shrek Academy that they recognize is you. Only you can speak with them. Whether it's Cold Yaozhu's rapid improvement or her ability to teleport across continents, these must be investigated."
"And then what?" Yali's voice turned icy once more.
"Yun Ming, I really don't know when you became so self-centered. No matter how strong Xia Yi and Sister Yaozhu become, that's their business. They have their own opportunities. Investigation? You have the audacity to say that? The Spirit Pagoda isn't a subordinate of Shrek Academy. What exactly do you mean by investigating them? What right do you have to investigate them? Are you afraid that Sister Yaozhu will soon surpass you and become the number one powerhouse on the continent? That the Spirit Pagoda will surpass Shrek Academy and become the number one organization?"
"Or is it that Xia Yi makes you feel threatened? Are you planning to be like Long Yeyue and eliminate Xia Yi at all costs?"
"Listen to me, Yun Ming. Even if Sister Yaozhu has only just broken through to Quasi-God, or even if she advances to True God, we should be supporting her. If she becomes a god, not only can the Holy Spirit Cult be eradicated, but the Abyss Plane's threat can also be completely removed. This would free the Douluo Plane and all of humanity from the danger of being devoured by the Abyss."
"If you are still the same great hero who once stood above all others, you should support Sister Yaozhu and Xia Yi—not limit yourself to Shrek Academy's small perspective."
As she spoke, Yali's voice grew increasingly passionate, carrying a powerful conviction that sent a shiver down Yun Ming's spine.
"I've become obsessed." Yun Ming sighed and ended the call.
"Ming-ge!" Hearing the disconnect tone, Yali's gaze turned deeply worried.
Previously, when Long Yeyue targeted Xia Yi, Yun Ming hadn't directly participated—he had only protected and shielded Long Yeyue.
Yali had once believed that Yun Ming was different from Long Yeyue.
That he had only protected her out of loyalty and righteousness.
But now she understood. Yun Ming hadn't interfered before because his strength surpassed Long Yeyue's, and his vision was broader.
Back then, Xia Yi only posed a threat to Long Yeyue but not to Yun Ming.
But Cold Yaozhu's one-step breakthrough to Quasi-God had made Yun Ming feel threatened as well.
He was slowly becoming the next Long Yeyue.
That twisted "love" for Shrek Academy had seeped into his heart, making him unwilling to let anyone surpass them.
Would Yun Ming become just as ruthless?
Yali didn't know.
She could only hope that her words had awakened him.
That he would see things from the perspective of the entire Douluo Continent and all of humanity—rather than just Shrek Academy.
She only hoped he wouldn't go to extremes.
The matter of the Abyssal Passage had already touched her bottom line. If Yun Ming were to do anything else unforgivable, she truly wouldn't know what excuse she could use to forgive him.
Right now, she could only hope that what she had just said would wake Yun Ming up.
To look at this matter from the perspective of the entire Douluo Continent, from the perspective of all humanity—
Rather than being fixated solely on Shrek Academy.
To not go to extremes.
Yun Ming understood Yali's meaning.
But could he really let go of Shrek Academy's honor? Could he truly view this situation from the standpoint of the Douluo Plane?
Yali wasn't sure either.
If it were before, she would have firmly believed that Yun Ming could do it.
But after he had gone so far as to lure Abyssal creatures into the Douluo Plane, she had begun to waver.
Yali shook her head forcefully, forcing herself not to think about Yun Ming's matters. Instead, her thoughts turned to Leng Yaozhu:
"A single step to become a Pseudo-God! Sister Yaozhu, I really underestimated you."
As someone who could be considered a confidante, she should have been happy for Leng Yaozhu's breakthrough to Pseudo-God.
Leng Yaozhu's advancement not only elevated the strength of the Blood God Battalion to an entirely new level,
But the energy tides and divine guidance light that appeared during her breakthrough had granted the entire Blood God Army an enormous boost,
Allowing their strength to rise even further.
Whether for Leng Yaozhu herself, for the Federation, or for all of humanity, this was an immense blessing.
Yet, because of Yun Ming, Yali found herself unable to feel any joy at all.
(End of Chapter)