Chapter 79: Shameless Master and Disciple
"Xuanzi! How dare you hurt my disciples like this! Do you really think my Mingde Hall is made of mud?"
Jing Hongchen shouted angrily as more than two hundred soul guide cannons materialized around him. Though they were aimed at Xuan Lao, he knew very well they weren't truly meant for him.
Zhang Lexuan, Beibei, Ma Xiaotao, and the other young talents were the real targets.
Jing Hongchen would never dare to kill them outright. But injuring these prodigies would be enough — forcing Xuan Lao into a terrible dilemma. If Xuan Lao tried to close the distance alone, he would have to abandon the students. If he tried to bring the students along, the devastating aftermath would kill them all before he even reached Jing Hongchen.
Xuan Lao quickly glanced at the Titled Douluo protectors of the Xingluo Empire. His mind was clear: they must protect Shrek's students.
However, he didn't say this aloud. If he spoke up, a fight might break out, and if the protectors responded too late, even if he killed them all afterward, it would be useless.
Still, although he remained silent, the protectors clearly understood his intentions. Yet, without explicit orders, they could pretend not to see. Without solid evidence, there would be no way to hold them accountable.
Moreover, Xuan Lao had just deeply offended the Xingluo Empire's number one healing Titled Douluo — the Medical Immortal Douluo. Under such circumstances, if any protector dared act without direct orders, their entire family would suffer. It wasn't just losing access to the Medical Immortal Douluo's healing; they would be shunned by every healing soul master across the empire.
The Medical Immortal Douluo's authority in the healing community was so vast that hundreds of years of connections and disciples worked under him. Even Shrek Academy couldn't change that. Shrek had its own healing super Douluo and only temporarily requisitioned the Medical Immortal Douluo's help this time, but other forces in the Xingluo Empire would still rely heavily on him.
Thus, even if they saw the danger clearly, the Xingluo protectors chose to look away. One by one, the Titled Douluo turned their heads, closed their mouths, and pretended not to notice Xuan Lao's silent plea.
Xuan Lao was furious. He could feel his blood pressure spike.
They obviously understood him — he could see it in their eyes — but they pretended to be clueless. And the worst part? He couldn't call them out. He couldn't punish them without clear justification. Shrek might be powerful, but it couldn't afford to provoke the entire Xingluo Empire over vague accusations.
Gritting his teeth, Xuan Lao turned his gaze from the shameless Titled Douluo to Jing Hongchen, who was ready to fire at any moment. His fists clenched tightly.
Finally, with a bitter heart, he shouted, "Fine! I admit defeat this time! Tell me your conditions!"
Just as his words fell, a weak, trembling voice rose from the ground — from Xiao Qiang, lying seemingly unconscious.
"Teacher… I'm sorry… I'm too weak. I couldn't do anything…"
"You went through so much trouble to obtain a 100,000-year soul ring for me, so that I could become the first level 10 soul master in history. And now… not only can I not become the first… even the precious 100,000-year soul ring will be wasted… My talent might have been enough to reach Titled Douluo level, but compared to your efforts… I have failed you!"
You're sorry for me?!
Xuan Lao's face turned purple with rage.
He had seen shameless people before, but never anyone like this. Wasted a 100,000-year soul ring? Claimed he could become the first level 10 soul master?
Why not say you could become a god while you're at it?!
"My poor disciple!" Jing Hongchen cried out sorrowfully. "To help you obtain that 100,000-year soul ring, I begged eight Titled Douluo! Three died in battle, and we destroyed eleven level-9 soul guides! All to help you fuse with that ring and become the pillar of my Hongchen family for the next 300 years!"
He wiped away fake tears dramatically. "Now, the pillar of my Hongchen family is falling! I feel sorry for you — and even more for the tragic fate of my Hongchen family!"
Xuan Lao felt his eyebrows twitch uncontrollably.
This was ridiculous. Absolutely absurd. He had never encountered such shamelessness — master and disciple, taking turns to kill him with their words!
Even Unbreakable Douluo Zheng Zhan, standing nearby, couldn't help twitching his mouth.
Three Titled Douluo dead? Eleven level-9 soul guides destroyed? Why had he never heard of this before? Soul guides from the Sun Moon Empire weren't that fragile!
"Speak! What do you want!" Xuan Lao roared.
Immediately, Jing Hongchen pulled out a scroll — the list he had originally planned to use for purchases in the Xingluo Empire — and handed it over with a smile.
Xuan Lao snatched the list, glanced at it, and nearly vomited blood on the spot.
"You bastard! Why don't you just go rob someone! Ten Dragon Scale Fruits over 50,000 years old — those things are treasures even in Shrek! Ten Spirit Head Soul Bones over 10,000 years old — do you think Spirit Head Soul Bones grow on trees?! And 30 portions of 10,000-year-old Whale Glue, plus 100 pieces of Green Wood Marrow over 5,000 years old!"
He didn't even bother mentioning the rest. Just the first few items were enough to make his head spin.
Jing Hongchen only raised an eyebrow, calm as ever. Truthfully, Mingde Hall wasn't crazy — but the Hongchen family's treasury was. Thanks to Xiao Qiang's wild expenditures, the family's vault was almost empty. The resources Xiao Hongchen used now had all been scraped together temporarily. That's why Jing Hongchen had come prepared to ask for so much.
While Elder Xuan was still cursing, Ma Rulong and the others immediately knelt down at Xiao Qiang's signal.
"Master Hongchen, you must seek justice for Brother Xiao Qiang! He is our dear relative, brother, and fiancé!"
Elder Xuan: "…"
Dear relative, brother, fiancé? He only heard more money slipping from his grasp!
Jing Hongchen said solemnly, "There's nothing I can do. Xiao Qiang is too precious to Mingde Hall. These are just the basic expenses for his treatment. I don't even want anything extra."
Want nothing, my ass!
"One-third!" Elder Xuan shouted angrily. "At most one-third! Not a single coin more!"
He was furious. If it weren't for Zhang Lexuan, Beibei, Ma Xiaotao, and the others being too important, he wouldn't even want to pay that much!
Jing Hongchen smiled and nodded slightly. "Deal. Take Xiao Qiang down to rest."
Thus, the farce finally ended — at least for now.