"Uh, uh, uh..."
Seeing the drastic change in the situation, Zhuzhu quickly said, "Master, I'll take my leave first. You two continue, continue..."
In a flash, Zhuzhu tactfully disappeared—he had no intention of being a third wheel.
After yesterday's experience, Qian Renxue looked particularly wary.
She wouldn't fall twice in the same place.
Ye Hao smiled bitterly, "Sis, don't misunderstand."
"This person before you is Ah Yin, Tang Hao's wife. I exhausted a great deal of my Death's power to barely project her image. But after all, she was once a hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast that had died. To completely resurrect her, she would need to regain her full hundred-thousand-year cultivation. Perhaps only the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well from that old poison master can achieve that."
"The reason I asked you to remove your disguise is because if Ah Yin were to awaken and see Xue Qinghe's face first, our plan could be jeopardized. This is just a precaution."
Hearing Ye Hao's explanation, Qian Renxue found it somewhat reasonable.
Just then, Ah Yin's long eyelashes trembled—she was waking up!
During this brief moment, Qian Renxue swiftly removed her disguise, revealing her true appearance.
"Ugh..."
"Where am I? Hao, is that you?" Ah Yin opened her drowsy eyes, seeing both a familiar and an unfamiliar figure before her.
"You!" Ah Yin's gaze landed on Ye Hao, a flicker of anger flashing in her eyes.
Indeed, it was Ye Hao who had taken her away that day.
"Ah Yin, the hundred-thousand-year soul beast, Blue Silver Empress, and Tang Hao's wife—a disgrace among soul beasts." Ye Hao said calmly.
"What do you want from me?"
Ye Hao smiled faintly. "I have no grand ambition—just to let that Tang Hao continue suffering. Without you, his days have been miserable. He's been in a daze, neither alive nor dead. It's almost heartbreaking to watch."
"You…" Ah Yin was furious. At this moment, she had lost all her former cultivation. With her sacrifice, she was left with nothing but this fragile human body.
"So, you're Ah Yin." Qian Renxue suddenly spoke.
"You… who are you?" Ah Yin warily observed Qian Renxue. In her memory, she had never seen such a stunningly beautiful woman before.
Of course, that was because Qian Renxue had always disguised herself as Xue Qinghe in the past.
Now that Qian Renxue had revealed her true face, Ah Yin naturally wouldn't recognize her.
"I am the daughter of the Pope Tang Hao killed."
Hearing this, Ah Yin was struck by shock, her expression turning desolate.
"You… you're here to take revenge on Hao?" Ah Yin asked weakly.
"The hatred of a murdered father is irreconcilable. Tang Hao must die by my own hands." Qian Renxue's eyes burned with killing intent.
"Sigh…"
Ah Yin let out a deep sigh, falling silent.
"If your father hadn't tried to capture me back then, none of this would have happened today."
Ah Yin suddenly looked at Qian Renxue with determination. "It was your Spirit Hall that made the first mistake! My husband was only fulfilling his duty as a husband by protecting me—he did nothing wrong."
At this moment, Ye Hao interjected, "Did Spirit Hall truly make a mistake?"
"Soul masters hunting soul beasts has always been a natural order. Qian Xunji was indeed in the wrong for targeting you, but he merely sought your soul ring and soul bone. Both sides bear responsibility—it was simply dictated by circumstances."
"Ah Yin, you were a hundred-thousand-year-old Blue Silver Empress. After living for so long, why did you fall for Tang Hao of all people? Surely, as a soul beast, you must understand the reality between humans and soul beasts. By choosing Tang Hao, you betrayed your kind and became a complete traitor."
"I…" Ah Yin was momentarily speechless. "It's not what you think. Hao and I truly loved each other. By then, I had fully transformed into a human and was no longer a soul beast."
"Really? So you've even forgotten your roots? Humans hunt soul beasts, and as a hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast, how could you not resent that? It's like Blue Silver Grass—the weakest existence, constantly trampled upon. As their Empress, how could you not feel heartache?"
"That… that was different! Hao and I truly loved each other—it's not as disgraceful as you make it sound!" Ah Yin refuted immediately.
"Then is it right for humans to hunt soul beasts?"
Facing Ah Yin's question, Ye Hao smiled indifferently.
"To borrow your son's words, we only hunt evil soul beasts. Yes, those were his exact words. Hunting evil soul beasts is justified—and naturally, that includes you."
"Qian Xunji hunted the 'evil' you, but was then killed by Tang Hao in retaliation."
"You… you're twisting words!" Ah Yin became anxious.
"Think what you like. Regardless, Tang Hao doesn't have much longer to live. He's been poisoned by the lethal Death Spider Emperor's venom, suffering its torment every single day."
Ye Hao looked directly at Ah Yin again. "Yesterday, you saw Tang San. That was your last time seeing him. Once you reach Spirit Hall, you will never meet again."
Hearing this, Ah Yin panicked. She pleaded desperately, "I beg you, please don't kill my husband and son! I'll do anything you ask!"
Despite Ah Yin's pleas, Ye Hao remained unmoved.
"If I don't kill them, they will kill me. Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Clan are mortal enemies. This blood feud will never be resolved unless one side is completely wiped out. That is the only way to bring true peace."
"Their time is running out. You can only watch as they die before your eyes."
With that, Ye Hao stepped forward, ready to sever the energy supply of the Death's power.
"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you—your son… is not your son."
Before Ah Yin could react, Ye Hao cut off the connection between the Death God's Heart and the Blue Silver Empress. Ah Yin's projected image instantly dissipated, transforming back into a Blue Silver Emperor plant rooted in the flowerpot.
"Sis, I'm heading back to rest. Tomorrow, I have a fierce battle ahead of me."
Qian Renxue took the Blue Silver Emperor from Ye Hao and smiled. "Little brother, do your best! I believe in you…"
"Mm…"
The moment their lips touched, Qian Renxue's beautiful eyes widened in shock. Her body tensed, feeling utterly powerless…
The damp warmth on her lips sent Qian Renxue's mind into a blank state. The entire tent was eerily silent. Within the secluded Death God's Heart, no one noticed this delicate moment.
After a long while, their lips parted.
At this moment, Qian Renxue's demeanor shifted drastically—her face was terrifyingly solemn.
Without a word, she placed the Blue Silver Emperor on the table. Then, with a slight motion of her right hand, the golden Angelic Sacred Sword appeared once more in her grasp.
"You brat! If I don't teach you a lesson today, you'll really think your sister is easy to bully!"
With that, Qian Renxue lunged forward with her sword. Her strikes were sharp and precise, forming intricate patterns in the air.
"Sis, you're serious?" Ye Hao quickly dodged, catching the Angelic Sword's thrust between two fingers.
"What do you think? You took advantage of me for nothing—do you think I'd just let it slide?!"
With that, Qian Renxue swung her sword again, golden sword energy sweeping across the tent. Ye Hao felt a lingering fear—there was no doubt that the Seraphim Martial Soul, a divine-level power, had a natural suppressive effect on his Death Spider Emperor Martial Soul.
If only he had copied the Seraphim Martial Soul back then, he wouldn't have to deal with all these issues now.
But there was no turning back—what was done was done.
Qian Renxue slashed horizontally with her sword, the sharp golden light illuminating Ye Hao's face.
Seeing this, Ye Hao realized she was genuinely angry. Fortunately, under the protection of Death God's Heart, Qian Renxue couldn't unleash her full strength. No matter how much she tried, she could only exert about twenty to thirty percent of her usual power.
"You brat! Stop dodging! Let me hit you a couple of times, and I'll let this go!" Qian Renxue shouted, brandishing her sword.
"No way! Why should I just stand still and take it? Only a fool would do that!"
"You… You're getting cocky now, huh? Take this!"
With that, Qian Renxue raised the Angelic Sword high above her head, its radiant golden energy cascading down like sunlight.
Faced with such a powerful attack, Ye Hao remained calm. He activated the six mirror defenses of Death God's Heart, perfectly neutralizing her strike.
In an instant, a burst of golden light flared, and Qian Renxue, gripping her sword with one hand, closed the distance between them.
Suddenly, Ye Hao's figure flickered. With a feint, he sidestepped and slipped behind her, wrapping an arm around Qian Renxue's slender waist. In one swift motion, he plucked the Angelic Sword from her grasp.
"Sis, stop messing around. I have a match tomorrow."
Qian Renxue huffed in frustration. "Oh, now you remember your match? Yet you still had the nerve to tease me! Do you know I was so mad last night I couldn't sleep at all?!"
Ye Hao felt a little guilty. "Uh… Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"
Seeing his reaction, Qian Renxue sighed softly. "Forget it. You're my little brother, after all. Just make sure you come back safe tomorrow. Don't push yourself too hard. Tang San and his group aren't easy to deal with—I'm sure they're already planning strategies to counter you."
Then, as if suddenly realizing something, Qian Renxue's face flushed red. She glanced down at Ye Hao's hand, which was still resting on her waist.
For a moment, Ye Hao also blushed.
"Sis, give me some motivation," Ye Hao suddenly said seriously.
Qian Renxue was confused. "Motivation? How am I supposed to give you motivation?"
"Of course, it's…"
Noticing the mischievous glint in Ye Hao's eyes, Qian Renxue immediately had a bad feeling, as if she had just walked into a trap.
And sure enough—her instincts were right.
Before she could react, Ye Hao pulled the same trick again, pressing his lips onto hers.
Another tender moment unfolded…
Meanwhile, inside the Shrek Academy tent—
It was the final night before the battle, their last night at the Royal Hunting Grounds. By dawn, they would return to the academy to make final preparations for their trip to Spirit City.
The large tent was packed with nearly everyone, and the atmosphere was unusually serious.
Ye Hao had publicly challenged Shrek Academy, making it clear he didn't see them as a threat.
Grandmaster, after a period of recovery, could finally walk again—though still limping. He sat on a thick cushion, clearly still suffering from his injuries.
"Everyone, we are holding an emergency meeting tonight primarily to prepare for tomorrow's battle." Grandmaster coughed seriously before continuing, "As we all know, Ye Hao is an open enemy of our Shrek Academy—this is beyond question."
"I have already discussed the battle lineup with Flender. The order will be: first, Tai Long; second, Jing Ling; third, Huang Yuan; fourth, Ma Hongjun; fifth, Dai Mubai; sixth, Tang San; and finally, Xiao Wu."
"If no one has any objections, this will be our lineup for tomorrow."
Hearing this, everyone nodded solemnly.
At that moment, Ma Hongjun raised his chubby hand, looking clearly displeased.
"Teacher, Grandmaster, why am I in the lineup?! Ye Hao literally said this morning that he would cripple me! You can't just throw me in there!" Ma Hongjun panicked.
"Hmph!" Xiao Wu sneered. "Serves you right! Who told you to humiliate Ye Hao in public this morning? Fatty, just wait to get beaten into a pig's head!"
Seeing Xiao Wu gloating, Ma Hongjun suddenly felt sick to his stomach.
"Stupid rabbit! What the hell are you laughing at? What gives you the right to mock me?!" Ma Hongjun roared.
"Do you remember what happened in Soto City? Ye Hao turned you into a 'spicy rabbit head' and beat you into a pulp. I still remember that scene clearly. Honestly, I think the one getting turned into a pig's head tomorrow won't be me—but you. Where do you even get this sense of superiority?"
Upon hearing Ma Hongjun's sudden outburst, Tang San's face instantly darkened.
He stood up, ready to beat Ma Hongjun on the spot.
Luckily, Dai Mubai stepped in, positioning himself between the two to mediate.
"Enough! We're all from the same academy—brothers even. With a powerful enemy before us, we can't afford to fight among ourselves."
"Apologize! Apologize to Xiao Wu!" Tang San demanded coldly.
But Ma Hongjun remained indifferent. "Oh, please. Don't act like I don't know what that damn rabbit said to you. And don't think I don't see what you're trying to do—putting me first in the lineup, using me as a sacrificial pawn. You think I don't know whose idea that was?"
"You… I'll kill you!" Tang San erupted with fury.
Just as he was about to strike, Flender intervened, placing a firm hand on Tang San's shoulder.
"Enough! Hongjun, stop talking and apologize to Tang San and Xiao Wu," Flender said impatiently.
Ma Hongjun rubbed his ears in disbelief.
"Teacher, am I hearing this right? You actually want me to apologize to these two? This is ridiculous! They're the ones setting me up to be the first to die, and you're siding with them? You're my teacher—how can you stand with them against me?"
Flender fell silent. Truthfully, he didn't want to side against Ma Hongjun either. But Tang San had Tang Hao behind him, and that was a force Flender simply could not afford to offend.
"Fatty, apologize now! If you do, Xiao Wu can let this go," Xiao Wu pouted.
"You'll let this go?"
"Hah… what a joke," Ma Hongjun sneered. "Why should I apologize to you? Just because I ate a few pounds of rabbit meat? You're heartbroken over that? You're such a hypocrite!"
"No wonder Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong left Shrek Academy and joined Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team. Now I finally understand—it's all because of you!"
Ma Hongjun pointed at Xiao Wu and shouted, "You're the root of all evil! If it weren't for you, Shrek Academy wouldn't be in such a mess. If it weren't for you, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing wouldn't have left. If it weren't for you, the Seven Devils of Shrek could have stayed together in harmony!"
"You—you are the real problem! You play the victim while pretending to be virtuous!"
The entire tent fell silent in shock.
Tang San's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot. Xiao Wu, humiliated and unable to hold back her tears, ran out of the tent, crying like a rain-drenched flower.
Seeing Xiao Wu flee, Liu Erlong immediately delivered a resounding slap across Ma Hongjun's face.
"How dare you insult my daughter?! You must be tired of living!"
With that, Liu Erlong stormed out after Xiao Wu.
Ma Hongjun, however, felt utterly refreshed. His heart was lighter than ever—he had never felt this satisfied in his life.
"Ma Hongjun! We're still in a meeting! Where do you think you're going?" Grandmaster glared at Ma Hongjun, displeased that he was leaving without permission.
"Not in the mood. I'm going to hunt some Soft Bone Rabbits to satisfy my cravings," Ma Hongjun muttered before walking away without looking back.
Left behind was Tang San, eyes bloodshot, his face twisted in fury.
Ma Hongjun had just signed his own death warrant.
"Grandmaster, this meeting has nothing to do with me anymore. I'm going with Fatty," Oscar said as he stood up to leave.
Ma Hongjun's words had struck a nerve with him.
If not for the fact that Tang San had the best chance of leading them to victory, who would even want to work with him?
Oscar was the most low-profile member of the group, but ironically, he saw things the clearest.
"One day… I will personally kill you."
Tang San swore silently, marking Ma Hongjun as a must-kill target in his heart.
"Sigh—"
Flender, watching Ma Hongjun leave, felt a deep sense of helplessness.
Sometimes, things were simply beyond his control.
He knew that Tang San was in the wrong, yet he had to pretend otherwise—that was the difference between someone with power and influence and someone without it.
"Hongjun, I'm sorry. I hope one day you'll understand my predicament."
After a long silence, Flender sat back down, looking absentminded.
Seeing that the situation had settled, Grandmaster gathered himself and continued the discussion…
Meanwhile, inside Xue Qinghe's tent—
Lying on his bed, Xue Qinghe replayed the kiss from earlier in his mind.
Goosebumps covered his entire body.
"Damn brat! All you do is bully your sister!"
Qian Renxue gritted her teeth, feeling utterly helpless against Ye Hao.