Chapter 71: Rapidly Entering the "Bomb Shrek Academy" Plan

From what she had learned long ago, Zhen Hua had remained unmarried ever since she rejected his proposal, always holding onto thoughts of her.

But to avoid unsettling Mu Chen, she had nearly severed all contact with Zhen Hua, leaving all communication to Mu Chen and Zhen Hua as fellow disciples.

Now, hearing Zhen Hua reject her without hesitation, she realized that her old information was likely outdated.

Yuan Bao'er murmured, as if speaking thoughtlessly, yet also as if mocking herself:"Yes, I am but a withered flower, an aging woman, long past my prime."

"Master Senior Brother achieved mastery in his craft, successfully becoming a Divine Craftsman. Over the years, he must have been surrounded by countless beauties, so it's only natural that he no longer sees me in the same way."

"But I still hope that, for the sake of our relationship as fellow disciples, Master Senior Brother can help me… save Xi'er…"

Before she could finish her plea, Zhen Hua's voice abruptly cut in.

"Bao'er, what are you saying?! How could you say such things? I have always been devoted to you, unwavering even unto death."

"But Mu Chen and I are not just fellow disciples—we are lifelong close friends, like brothers."

"How could I ever allow you to abandon Mu Chen to take care of me? What kind of person do you take me for?"

"Your daughter and Mu Chen's daughter—is she not the same as my own flesh and blood?"

"I have no children of my own, and Xi'er has exceptional talent in forging. When I pass, she is the one who will inherit all my life's accumulated wealth and knowledge."

"Rest assured, I will mobilize all my connections to search for her. Xi'er will surely be safe…"

At this point, Zhen Hua's voice on the soul communicator suddenly paused, as if he had spoken with someone before continuing:

"Xi'er… Xi'er will certainly return unharmed. I will contact you again in three days."

"Beep—beep—"

With that, Zhen Hua swiftly ended the call and turned to face Di Tian, who had already returned to the headquarters of the Blacksmiths' Association.

Di Tian casually played with a freshly forged piece of Heavenly Refined metal while looking at him with a mocking gaze.

"What's wrong, President Zhen Hua?"

"I haven't laid a finger on Yuan Bao'er, whom you asked me to spare, nor on A Ruheng, whom Sect Master Mu Ye requested I leave alone."

"Or perhaps… does my presence disturb your long-lost reunion with your former love? Are you afraid to let Yuan Bao'er come to the headquarters of the Blacksmiths' Association and console your lonely soul?"

"Or maybe… you truly care about that niece of yours, Mu Xi—the love child of the woman you cherish and your dear friend, Mu Chen?"

"But from my perspective, it doesn't seem like either."

"The matter with Yuan Bao'er needs no explanation, but you don't seem to be all that concerned about Mu Xi either. And Mu Xi… doesn't seem all that close to you."

"Your relationship with her as an uncle and niece feels more like a deliberately maintained familial tie."

"If you truly cared for Mu Xi, given her exceptional forging talent, why wouldn't you have kept her by your side to personally teach her?"

"You might still feel reluctant about Yuan Bao'er, but you must harbor some resentment toward Mu Chen for taking her away from you. Even though he is your lifelong close friend, like a brother, such feelings are unavoidable."

"And that resentment has extended to Mu Xi in two ways: first, you see her as a reminder of your old friend and cherish her out of nostalgia; second, every time you look at her, you're reminded of your past failure in competing for Yuan Bao'er."

"With Mu Xi in danger, deep down, there's even a faint sense of retribution—though you dare not confront your own feelings."

The original timeline's plot provided ample evidence for Di Tian's words.

Zhen Hua had gone to great lengths to compete with Mu Chen for the talented disciple Tang Wulin—undoubtedly influenced by his past romantic defeat.

"Enough!" Zhen Hua roared, abruptly sealing his ear acupoints with soul power to block out any further words.

One had to admit, Di Tian had an uncanny ability to strike at the weaknesses in people's hearts.

His terror did not lie merely in his near-invincible strength, but in his deep understanding of human nature.

The already weary Zhen Hua felt utterly drained, his spirit crushed beyond recovery.

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the piece of Heavenly Refined metal he had been handling toward Mu Ye.

"You see? I usually don't bother chatting with people who work seriously."

Zhen Hua, his willpower utterly exhausted, understood the unspoken meaning behind Di Tian's words.

He made no rebuttal and instead immersed himself entirely in his forging work.

He couldn't fight back.He couldn't outargue him.His every maneuver had failed.What else could he do?

This feeling was something his friend and colleague, Mu Ye, understood all too well.

Di Tian's psychological warfare was inescapable. He knew the origins and inner workings of even the most secretive factions—better than many of their own members.

The once-mighty Mu Ye, now utterly broken in spirit, had even lost the courage to engage Di Tian in conversation. He could only numb himself with endless mecha production work.

Meanwhile, more people were starting to panic.

At the Spirit Pagoda Headquarters, a towering skyscraper stood tall as a landmark in the city.

At the topmost floor, inside the office of Spirit Pagoda Master Qiangu Dongfeng, a man at the pinnacle of power, influence, and combat strength within the continent was pacing back and forth relentlessly.

His usual high-spirited confidence was nowhere to be seen. He lacked the composure of one who remained unmoved even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, nor did he possess the calm of a leader overseeing a great superpower.

In truth, if anyone else had been in his current situation, they might not have fared any better than the deeply scheming Qiangu Dongfeng.

Because… he feared that his secret alliance with the Holy Spirit Cult and certain members of the Federal Parliament—to bomb Shrek Academy—may have been exposed.

This suspicion stemmed from the recently deceased Xu Shengqun, one of the four great Spirit Envoys of the Spirit Pagoda.

The death of a mere Spirit Envoy would normally not be enough to make him so anxious.

The key issue, however, was how Xu Shengqun died—he had been slain in a single sword strike.

To possess the strength to kill a Super Douluo-level, three-word battle armor master with just one slash, the assailant could only be an Ultimate Douluo.

Based on Qiangu Dongfeng's knowledge and the Spirit Pagoda's intelligence network, there were only two people in the world known for such skill:

Tang Sect's "Sentimental Swordsman, Ruthless Sword"—Zang Xin

Blood One, Cao Dezhi of the Blood God Army

Cao Dezhi was permanently stationed at the Abyssal Passage, leading the Blood God Legion. His whereabouts were easily traceable, and he had never left his post.

Zang Xin, however, frequently roamed on behalf of Tang Sect, making his movements unpredictable—and there was one glaring clue right before Qiangu Dongfeng's eyes.

Before his death, Xu Shengqun had shared a drink with Zang Xin at Zhen Hua's place.

This framing attempt was so obvious, so clearly meant to redirect blame, that Qiangu Dongfeng immediately saw through it.

Under normal circumstances, he would never suspect Zang Xin.

(End of Chapter)