Chapter 173: Storm After the Silence
Xiao Qiang used up the last bit of his consciousness to whisper to Nana, "Don't say anything…" before he finally slipped into unconsciousness.
He didn't wake again until noon the next day.
As his eyes fluttered open, a gentle voice greeted him.
"Master, you're awake. How do you feel now?" Nana asked, kneeling at his bedside with a look of concern.
"It's nothing serious," Xiao Qiang replied calmly. "I'll be fine after a little rest. After a day or so, everything should settle down. What's the situation outside?"
Nana gave a small nod and responded, "So far, no advanced soul guides or blueprints have been found on anyone besides Huo Yuhao and He Caitou. But due to their involvement, everyone from Shrek Academy is now under surveillance by our people. The Hall Master and the higher-ups in Mingde Hall are furious about what happened. They've already sent a message demanding an explanation from Shrek. It seems the exchange program will be terminated ahead of schedule."
Xiao Qiang nodded slightly. With Huo Yuhao's luck stripped away and Alex gone, the soul system could now be released without concern of it being duplicated or leaked. All that was left was to wait for Xiao Hongchen's return, and then the soul-based cultivation force could finally be introduced to the world.
"That's good news," he said. "What about the teacher? And the Emperor—what's his response to the attack?"
In the original story, this same incident resulted in Huo Yuhao stealing the prototype of a mecha, leading to Jing Hongchen being stripped of his title as Duke. While the noble title didn't carry much weight for Jing Hongchen himself, it mattered greatly to Xiao Qiang, whose interests were deeply intertwined with the hall master's status. For Xiao Qiang, keeping Jing Hongchen in power was essential.
"The Emperor said that the Hall Master protected the Sun Moon Empire's property from the attack by the Clear Sky Sect, which was a significant contribution. He has ordered rewards to be given to the Hall Master. And, Master… the eunuch who delivered the message said that there's also something for you. A member of the royal family will personally deliver it later."
Xiao Qiang's expression flickered. A reward instead of punishment?
Was this due to his own actions… or something else?
Suddenly, he recalled the difference between the old emperor in the original storyline and the current one. In the original timeline, the emperor had been in poor health during the Mingde Hall attack, with little time left to live. At that time, many capable officials were demoted. When the crown prince took the throne, he would later reinstate them to gain public favor. It was a strategy used by the military genius General Tiance in his previous life to clear a path for succession.
However, things had changed.
Xiao Qiang had secretly gifted a few drops of water from the Lake of Life to the old emperor. As a result, the emperor's health had significantly improved. Now, he looked to live at least another fifty years, more than enough to keep Crown Prince Xu Tianran waiting. With no immediate reason to remove capable officials, there was no longer a political need to suppress Jing Hongchen.
Xiao Qiang smiled.
"Yes, it's all good news. Nana, use your fourth soul skill on me. I want to test out the new ability I've realized."
"Yes, Master."
Nana stepped back and released her martial spirit. Four purple soul rings and one black soul ring appeared, and the fourth ring lit up with an ominous glow. It was her fourth soul skill: Vengeful Spirit.
Skill Function: Release part of your soul to attack the enemy.
However, because Xiao Qiang and Nana shared a special soul connection, this spirit wouldn't attack him. Instead, the vengeful spirit hovered gently around Xiao Qiang, flickering like a smoky flame.
As the vengeful spirit circled him, Xiao Qiang activated his own soul ring. Under his will, his singular soul ring turned a misty gray—just like the aura of Huo Yuhao when he had first activated Electrolux's powers in the original story. At that moment, strange runes began to appear within Xiao Qiang's spiritual sea.
There was no doubt—this was the Undead Magic of Alex.
Without hesitation, Xiao Qiang searched for the spell to control ghosts. He extended his hand and, with a light tug of his soul power, guided Nana's vengeful spirit into his spiritual sea as if it were his own.
"Master…!"
Nana fell to her knees, overwhelmed. She had suddenly lost control over a fragment of her own soul and felt weak, disoriented.
"I'll return it later. For now, I'm just borrowing it. Go stand guard outside and keep watch."
"Yes…" she replied softly, bowing her head and leaving the room.
After Nana left, Xiao Qiang pulled out a special tool—the Soul Carving Knife. Previously, he'd been unable to complete the crafting of the Soul Guardian Blade and the Soul Eye due to the absence of Electrolux. But now, after replicating Electrolux's martial spirit, Xiao Qiang had essentially inherited all of the man's abilities.
With Electrolux's undead magic in hand, he and Tianmeng worked together to finally open the Soul Eye.
Shrek Academy – Inner Courtyard, Sea God Pavilion
While Xiao Qiang progressed in leaps and bounds, joyfully building his foundation for soul-based cultivation, the same could not be said for Shrek Academy.
Their current situation was dire.
Huo Yuhao had been caught red-handed during an act of theft. The attempted heist of the Sun Moon Empire's mecha blueprint had failed spectacularly. Moreover, Fan Yu's supposedly foolproof plan had not only failed but now hung over Shrek like a death sentence.
This wasn't just a misunderstanding. It was a scandal.
The Sun Moon Empire's advanced soul guidance systems had recorded everything—visuals, sound, and timestamps. The evidence was undeniable.
Even though He Caitou had been restrained by the neck, and Huo Yuhao had been beaten—his teeth knocked out, his leg broken, and his pride trampled—Shrek had no ground to stand on. They couldn't demand justice. They couldn't argue innocence. The truth was written in hard data, and the Sun Moon Empire was within its rights.
After all, Shrek was still a power of the Douluo Continent, not yet the dominant force it would become in the Third Great Continental War. They weren't at a stage where they could demand blood from empires over the fate of a few students. Especially not when they were the guilty party in another nation's capital.
It was like when Flander had once declared, "We don't provoke mediocre people," only to flee without a word when Poison Douluo told him to leave.
Shrek simply didn't have absolute power—not yet.
Faced with the might of the Sun Moon Empire, they had to play the game of politics and appearances.
Inside the Sea God Pavilion, the mood was stifling. The elders had gathered, but none had spoken for a long time.
Finally, Elder Mu En broke the silence.
"Speak. Sitting here in silence will solve nothing."
His voice stirred the room. He turned to Yan Shaozhe.
"Shaozhe, what do you think?"
Yan Shaozhe, usually calm and composed, furrowed his brow deeply.
"Teacher, I… I don't understand one thing."
"What is it?"
"How could Xiao Qiang—a child under the age of seventeen—defeat Fan Yu?"
The question hit the room like a bolt of lightning.
Indeed—how?
Fan Yu was a master soul engineer and an expert in the field. Even if he wasn't as strong as the top-tier elders, he was more than a match for any ordinary genius. Yet Xiao Qiang had completely turned the situation around in just a few short moves. Not only had he defeated Fan Yu, he'd also taken control of the scene before anyone could intervene.
The problem wasn't just Fan Yu's loss—it was the way it happened. Quick. Efficient. Terrifying.
Xian Lin'er, seated nearby, shook her head. "It wasn't just strength. Xiao Qiang's calmness and control… they were beyond anything we expected. He orchestrated everything, predicted every move."
Zhang Lexuan added, "And now… he has the Sun Moon Empire's full support. With Alex gone and Electrolux's powers reportedly resurfacing, the tides have turned."
Mu En closed his eyes.
"In the past, I would've said a student is a student. That no matter what, Shrek's foundations run deep. But now… now I'm starting to wonder if we've underestimated the future."