Chapter 275: Painful Realization—Heartbroken Dai Tianling
What a painful realization—
Dai Tianling's voice echoed through the grand hall, trembling with rage and sorrow.
"I know how vicious and cunning Evil Soul Masters are! But what I cannot understand—is incompetence! Is negligence! I sent you living, breathing prodigies—Shrek returns to me only a list… dripping with blood!"
Tragedy. Too tragic to bear.
There could be no greater sorrow than this.
Dai Tianling trembled uncontrollably, fury coursing through every vein.
Though not a Titled Douluo himself, as emperor, he carried the boundless weight of a nation's destiny—his presence overwhelming.
Even Elder Li, a Super Douluo, felt crushed beneath that imperial dominance.
This—was the power of an emperor.
Elder Li's face turned pale, cold sweat dampening his brow.
Every word from the emperor struck him like a hammer to the chest.
He steadied himself and forced out, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. The Evil Soul Masters' methods were beyond anything we've ever encountered. Their Corpse Explosion… its scale, its ferocity, its range—unprecedented! Even a Super Douluo was caught off guard. We underestimated their madness… our defenses were insufficient. This… this is our failure. The Sea God Pavilion bears full responsibility. I, and all of Shrek, feel deep remorse and guilt before Your Majesty and the people of Star Luo."
No one had foreseen it.
No one had imagined the Evil Soul Masters capable of such horror.
He hadn't wanted this—these were his own students! Some, even his disciples. Shrek was not a nest of traitors.
He caught a glimpse of Dai Tianling's expression, realizing with dread—the emperor no longer trusted them.
Elder Li sighed inwardly. It couldn't be helped. They would have to pay.
He presented the Sea God Pavilion's decree with both hands.
"Pavilion Master Yun Ming is deeply remorseful. He has ordered me to deliver our course of action—both to honor the fallen and to atone for our mistakes…"
Truthfully, Shrek possessed little to offer these days, but appearances mattered.
A eunuch took the document and passed it to the emperor.
Dai Tianling barely glanced at it before throwing it back in contempt.
"Compensation? How!? Can money bring back my dead geniuses? Can a few soul tools drown their blood? Does Yun Ming truly believe tossing trinkets my way can silence me—or my people's fury!?"
And worse—
The very academy they were defending had been rebuilt entirely on Star Luo's resources!
Elder Li's heart sank to its lowest point. The emperor's rage burned far hotter than expected. To be scolded like this—by one whose cultivation level was beneath his own—was intolerable.
But what choice did he have? The man was emperor.
He forced himself to speak, voice steady. "Your Majesty, the core of our proposal is to provide generous compensation to the families of the deceased. The amount shall be determined by the Star Luo Empire; Shrek will bear the full cost.
"Additionally, Pavilion Master Yun Ming has ordered all resources to be mobilized at once. Every Shrek student—Monster Academy survivors included—will receive soul tools capable of resisting at least one strike from a Super Douluo. These are not empty words, but the result of our blood-soaked lesson. We will protect our students at all costs."
The court officials exchanged uneasy glances.
"Generous compensation" softened their faces… until the rest of his words sank in.
Defensive soul tools, capable of withstanding Super Douluo-level attacks—for every student?
Impossible.
They all knew Shrek's coffers were desolate, its reconstruction still half-finished. Where would they find such resources?
Disposable soul-shields of that caliber were rarer than divine treasures. How could they supply them to all students?
And besides—when Shrek migrated here, they hadn't brought anything of value. Everything had been paid for by Star Luo.
A reluctant respect flickered through the crowd. At least they weren't as arrogant as before.
But none of that erased the imbalance—Star Luo needed Shrek, yes, but not as a parasite to worship.
Dai Tianling caught the faint sneers on his ministers' faces, and his mouth twisted into a bitter laugh.
"Excellent. 'Protecting students.' 'Full distribution.' Tell me, Elder Li—do you take me for a fool? How much money does your academy even have left? Do you still possess any real craftsmanship? Without Tang Sect—without your soul engineering division—how will you fulfill this promise? Or will you send that lunatic Cai Yue'er to rob someone instead!?"
The mention of Cai Yue'er sharpened the chill in his tone.
"I've heard rumors about her. Nearly escaped again, didn't she? Yun Ming had to physically restrain her, I'm told. So tell me, Elder Li—how chaotic is Shrek's inner circle? How could your response to the crisis be so delayed and disorganized if not for internal dysfunction? What role did Cai Yue'er play in all of this!? Why does Yun Ming fear she'll bring more calamity!? Her previous 'blood-soaked' incident—was it related to this one!?"
The emperor's accusations struck like volleys of arrows, each aimed straight at Shrek's rawest wounds—disorder, division, loss of control.
And now he'd begun digging up old scandals.
Cai Yue'er's reputation preceded her; even this emperor remembered. Her "storm of blood and fire" had once shaken the continent. Shrek had buried that affair long ago… only for her to reappear as their new Outer Court Dean.
On its own, that would have meant nothing. But Dai Tianling had another purpose.
It was time to take back authority.
For too long, they had tolerated Shrek's arrogance, turning a blind eye to its flaws out of respect for its power. But now?
Shrek brought him nothing but humiliation.
Once, he could only swallow his anger—Shrek's strength was unquestionable. Even the original Douluo Federation had let them walk free rather than risk destruction.
But now, Dai Tianling saw an opening—an opportunity to humble them, perhaps even pry open their leadership.
He already knew Shrek had covertly funneled aid to both Star Luo and Heaven Dou, keeping balance with the Federation.
"Stability," they called it.
He didn't believe that for an instant.
And now that Shrek stood on his soil, there was no way he'd let them play both sides.
If he could insert his influence into Shrek's hierarchy—even Sea God Pavilion itself—that would be true victory.
Elder Li was visibly shaken by the onslaught. Sweat poured from his temples.
How could he answer any of that?
Admit that he had stopped Yun Ming from going himself—and that had cost them lives?
Or that Yun Ming had locked away Cai Yue'er for fear she'd kill again?
That would only make Shrek look even worse.
His image, his academy's pride—both hung by a thread.
(END CHAPTER)
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