After Flender left, the academies of the Heaven Dou Empire gradually dispersed. At this time, Dai Weisei and Zhu Zhuyun from the Star Luo Royal Academy approached Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing.
They had come to fulfill the mission entrusted to them by their family. Since they hadn't encountered each other during the tournament, they had to face off after the competition. Victory in this duel would provide a crucial advantage in the ongoing struggle for the throne.
For Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing, who were already weakened, losing this battle was tantamount to a death sentence.
The two teams gathered in an open area outside Spirit City. Under the watchful eyes of the Emperor Team, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, and the Five Elements Academy, both sides commenced a fair battle.
Unfortunately, the gap in strength was simply too great. Shrek had already lost Tang San, their only control-type spirit master, and Xiao Wu, their power-attack-type spirit master. Even with Ning Rongrong's support, Ma Hongjun fought desperately alongside Dai Mubai, exhausting all his spirit power and collapsing unconscious, nearly harming his very foundation. But even so, he couldn't turn the tide.
In the end, Dai Mubai himself chose to surrender early. Shrek was decisively defeated.
Zhu Zhuqing, unwilling to be captured, decisively severed her own heart veins, preserving the last shred of her dignity. According to the prior agreement, Zhu Zhuyun could not claim her body and had to grant her freedom in death.
Zhu Zhuyun approached Zhu Zhuqing's lifeless body, shedding a few insincere tears in a final display of sisterhood. Yet Jun Tianlin clearly noticed: when Zhu Zhuyun placed her hand on Zhu Zhuqing's chest, a surge of spirit power pierced Zhu Zhuqing's heart, ensuring her death was absolute. Zhu Zhuyun's ruthlessness was chilling.
**"So cruel…"** That was the shared thought in everyone's minds.
Even in a royal family devoid of familial love, was such cruelty truly necessary?
Dai Mubai, on the other hand, couldn't bring himself to make the same choice as Zhu Zhuqing. In the end, he chose to follow Dai Weisei. And Dai Weisei hadn't lied—he indeed had no intention of killing Dai Mubai.
Instead, Dai Weisei planned to abolish Dai Mubai's spirit power and exile him. On the surface, Dai Mubai would still hold the title of prince, living comfortably without want, but stripped of his identity as a spirit master and deprived of any real power.
To Dai Mubai, such a life was worse than death.
After the Star Luo Empire's people departed, Jun Tianlin used his Ultimate Ice to freeze Zhu Zhuqing's body and carefully stored it in his spirit tool.
To outsiders, he explained: Zhu Zhuqing was Ning Rongrong's close classmate and sister. Out of moral obligation, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan couldn't allow her body to be buried hastily or left exposed in the wilderness. They would bring her back to the clan for a proper funeral and burial in a place blessed by the flow of Purity, to honor her as a classmate and friend.
Everyone praised the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan's benevolence and virtue.
Back in the carriage, with Ye Lingling's treatment, Ma Hongjun and the others slowly regained consciousness. Yet Ma Hongjun and Oscar both wore somber expressions.
They had fought with all their might to support Dai Mubai, but sheer determination couldn't overcome the overwhelming disparity in strength. Zhu Zhuqing's death was a devastating blow. It would take them time to recover from the pain.
Tang San and Xiao Wu had been taken away by Tang Hao. Dai Mubai had returned to Star Luo. Zhu Zhuqing had ended her life. And the others were now returning to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan.
The original Shrek Seven Devils had completely disbanded.
Yet Jun Tianlin had no time to explain anything further. Zhu Zhuqing's matter would have to wait until they returned to the clan. His mind was now occupied with Tang San.
Previously, Jun Tianlin had left two spirit skills planted on Tang San. By sensing their connection, he could track Tang San and Tang Hao's whereabouts at any moment.
Jun Tianlin vividly remembered: Tang Hao had once threatened his grandfather, Elder Eagle, with his life. When it came to his family, Jun Tianlin was even more cautious and protective than Tang San.
From the beginning, Jun Tianlin had declared that he would obtain a 100,000-year spirit bone to repay Elder Eagle. But deep down, he knew Tang Hao would never willingly hand over the Blue Silver Emperor's leg bone—it was Ah Yin's legacy.
But if Tang Hao wouldn't give it… could Jun Tianlin not simply **take** it?
A plan was already forming in his mind.
"Xiaotian, what are you thinking about?" Ning Fengzhi, seated across from Jun Tianlin in the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan's carriage, noticed his expression and immediately sensed that Jun Tianlin was plotting something again.
Jun Tianlin smiled faintly. "Uncle Ning, what level are you at now? You must be close to ninety."
When Ning Fengzhi had taken the Heaven Mending Pill, his spirit power wasn't precisely eighty—it had already reached eighty-six. After obtaining his eighth spirit ring, he had advanced to eighty-seven.
This far exceeded the pill's expected effect. He had achieved this breakthrough thanks to his own perseverance.
Though he'd been stuck at seventy-nine for many years, Ning Fengzhi had never ceased training. His wisdom and tenacity allowed him to unleash his accumulated strength in one burst after acquiring his spirit ring.
"Indeed, after obtaining my eighth spirit ring, I've now reached level eighty-nine after four years of diligent cultivation," Ning Fengzhi replied confidently. "Breaking through this final step won't be easy, but I believe I can achieve it within a year or two."
Jun Tianlin nodded. "A year or two… that's about right. Tang San will take at least two years to reach level fifty."
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp. "Uncle Ning, would you like your ninth spirit ring to be a 100,000-year one?"
Ning Fengzhi was stunned. "A 100,000-year spirit ring? You know where to find such a spirit beast? Don't tell me you mean… that little rabbit from earlier?"
Jun Tianlin chuckled and shook his head. "Of course not. A Soft Bone Rabbit isn't strong enough. Uncle Ning, allow me to keep it a secret for now. But I promise you this: as long as you reach level ninety within a year and a half, I'll ensure you obtain a 100,000-year spirit ring."
"Very well!" Ning Fengzhi's eyes lit up. "I trust you, Xiaotian! And don't worry—I won't need a year and a half. Just give me a year. I'll show you the birth of the Nine Treasures Douluo!"
Ning Fengzhi's unwavering trust warmed Jun Tianlin's heart. From past to present, Jun Tianlin had never failed to deliver a miracle.
And this time would be no exception.
The 100,000-year spirit ring he spoke of… was none other than the Blue Silver King, or more precisely, the 85,000-year Blue Silver King.
Jun Tianlin's fifth spirit skill, **Illusion Water Thunder**, had different amplification effects on spirit beasts and spirit masters. Against spirit masters, the amplification diminished with higher levels, making it incomparable to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda. Yet its coverage was vast—capable of boosting hundreds of low- and mid-level spirit masters at once with minimal spirit power expenditure, ideal for warfare.
For spirit beasts, however, the amplification added a fixed number of years, targeting only one beast at a time. This amplification range would increase with Jun Tianlin's advancement. Initially, he estimated that after obtaining his sixth spirit ring, the maximum amplification range for spirit beasts would reach about 10,000 years.
But after his last battle against Tang San's Martial Soul True Body, and thanks to a reminder from Tian Meng, Jun Tianlin realized something critical: his Demon Sword was only a top-level martial soul **for now**. Once he acquired an earth attribute for his sixth spirit ring, thereby completing the five elemental attributes within his sword, the true power of his god-level martial soul would awaken, enhancing all his spirit skills.
At that point, Illusion Water Thunder's amplification would undoubtedly surpass 15,000 years.
With the previous Blue Silver Emperor dead and the next Blue Silver Emperor yet to awaken, if the Blue Silver King were to reach 100,000 years first, it would naturally inherit the title of Blue Silver Emperor.
Moreover, Jun Tianlin had a good idea of the Blue Silver King's location. While the original story claimed it resided in an unnamed forest, Jun Tianlin was certain it lay near the training pool where Tang San cultivated. By sensing Tang San's position, finding the Blue Silver King would be no challenge.
Once captured and slain, Ning Fengzhi's 100,000-year spirit ring would be secured, Elder Eagle would receive his 100,000-year spirit bone, and Tang Hao's legacy would be avenged—while simultaneously stripping Tang San of his chance to awaken the Blue Silver Emperor a second time.
A plan that would achieve **three victories with a single strike**.
Thus, Jun Tianlin resolved: before Tang San reached level fifty, he must first break through to level sixty.
And for him, that was entirely within reach. After all, he was already at fifty-eight, and with Illusion Water Thunder, success was guaranteed.
The plan was perfect. Victory was inevitable