Xu Tianxi did not sleep at all that night.
Instead, he used his Mirror Flower, Water Moon spirit ability to conjure three illusionary doubles of himself in the inn room. His true body, together with Old Yue and Zhisen, had quietly left to monitor the inn from afar.
Zhisen went out to track down traces of the Evil Soul Masters, while Xu Tianxi and Old Yue stood watch.
After all, he had already established this brash, dominant persona. If he had killed someone and fled immediately afterward, what kind of arrogant Shrek Academy disciple would that make him?
No—only killing someone and still staying at the inn without fear or guilt, resting as if nothing happened, could fully convey the kind of fearlessness that defined Shrek.
But that didn't mean he could be careless with his own safety.
Just in case Xu Jiujing, in her fury, lost her mind and summoned a Title Douluo from Star Luo City to exact revenge, the three had left at once and remained on standby to retreat into the Mingdou Great Forest at a moment's notice.
Only Xu Tianxi knew how much effort it took to maintain this ironclad persona.
A cozy upper room left unused, a warm bed abandoned, and in its place—a night of freezing northwest winds under the open sky. Xu Tianxi felt he had truly suffered for the role. If Emperor Xu Jiawei of the Star Luo Empire ever found out what had happened here, he'd be deeply moved, surely.
Even if the Emperor lacked the strength to retaliate, the seed of hatred had been planted. And once hatred takes root, it grows. One day, it would flourish into a towering tree.
As for Xu Jiujing—whose dignity he had crushed, whose pride he had shattered over and over again—
Xu Tianxi was certain: she would never forget this night.
He had poured enough fuel onto her grudge to sprout a sapling already.
Xu Jiujing, like Princess Vina of the Heavenly Soul Empire, was one of the rare few on the Douluo Continent who weren't hopeless romantics. She had a working brain. Xu Tianxi looked forward to the day she rose up and tried to take revenge on Shrek.
The night passed without incident.
Xu Jiujing didn't send word to the capital to request reinforcements. She didn't even contact the nearby Western Army Corps of the Star Luo Empire.
Just as Xu Tianxi had asked.
At dawn, she arrived at the inn with two items: a sealed intelligence scroll and Xu Tianxi's Shrek Inner Court disciple badge.
"Your requested materials are here," she said flatly. "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
Pale-faced, utterly lifeless, Xu Jiujing placed the items down, her figure like a broken statue as she offered a courtly bow. Her arms hung limply at her sides. She looked like a criminal awaiting judgment.
"Very thorough intelligence. The Crown Princess is indeed trustworthy," Xu Tianxi replied, a faint smile at the corner of his lips.
Xu Jiujing forced a dry smile and turned to go.
She had nearly reached the door when a calm voice drifted from behind her.
"Since Your Highness has been so cooperative, I'll offer you a piece of advice: don't show hatred so openly in front of someone you can't possibly fight."
Xu Jiujing froze. Her eyes instantly turned red.
She spun around and stared daggers at the man seated calmly on the taishi chair.
"So in your eyes, the people of this world should be lifeless machines? Not even allowed a shred of emotion?!"
She had nothing left to fear.
All her dignity had been stripped from her the night before. Her pride lay in ruins, crushed under the heel of this cold, powerful man who looked down on her from the clouds.
Even if she made it back alive, she would no longer be the radiant, kind-hearted Princess Jiujing of old.
She would be someone who devoted her entire life to the destruction of Shrek Academy.
And Xu Tianxi—he wouldn't kill her.
Not out of concern for her status.
No. He didn't consider her worthy of even dirtying his hands.
How utterly pathetic. How laughable.
Xu Jiujing gave a bitter smile.
Xu Tianxi returned her gaze with one of amused disdain. Rising from the chair, he sneered openly.
"Of course people can have emotion. But if you truly want revenge, you should be more ruthless than this."
"You should've either refused to deliver these items and gone straight to your brother or the White Tiger Duke, begged them to send someone to kill me—"
"Or you should have swallowed your hatred, hidden it deep, and made me and Shrek lower our guard."
"Lurking in the shadows, gathering strength, waiting for the day you could strike us down with a single fatal blow—that is the mark of a true imperial princess. Someone I might actually respect."
"But as you are now, you're not even worth the smallest hint of caution."
He narrowed his eyes and added with disdain:
"I've heard tales of your beauty and prestige in the Star Luo Empire. Now I see the truth. Just a useless ornament."
"A pretty face, a bit of talent, and a noble lineage. Beyond that, you have nothing."
"You think your sacrifice tonight was noble? That you upheld the greater good as the Crown Princess and won the loyalty of your peers?"
"What a joke."
"If you really wanted results, why not just kill us and blame it on Evil Soul Masters or soul beasts? That's not so difficult."
"You have more resources at your disposal than you realize, and yet you chose the stupidest possible path."
"All you've earned is the illusion of nobility. The cost is self-doubt and wasted effort."
"No wonder your empire's powerful martial souls can't threaten Shrek's dominance—not even on the battlefield, let alone the tournament stage."
Seeing how hopelessly naïve Xu Jiujing was, Xu Tianxi decided to educate her.
Just a bit of world-shaking wisdom for the intellectual drought of the Douluo Continent.
Xu Jiujing let out a bitter laugh. Her emotions surged. Her fair neck flushed red with anger.
Her fists clenched.
"So you're teaching me… how to destroy you and Shrek?!"
"Aren't you afraid I'll become exactly what you just described—a viper in the dark, coming to strike your academy down?!"
"I've met Inner Court disciples before. Not all of them are monsters like you. Some are mediocre at best!"
Xu Tianxi chuckled. Even better. Let her hold a grudge.
"And what if you do?" he said casually. "Do you think a mere Star Luo princess can shake an academy with a legacy of ten thousand years?"
He took a few steps forward, slowly circling her.
"But you're right about one thing—many Shrek Inner Court disciples are worthless."
"They get into the Inner Court and think they're invincible. They're barely better than the trash you brought last night."
"Frankly? Disgraceful."
"Shrek, with its legacy of ten thousand years, must never grow complacent. Only pressure from the outside world will force us to evolve."
He leaned in, close enough that his breath tickled her ear.
His voice dropped low.
"So I hope—truly hope—that you become strong enough to give us that pressure."
"Only flame can forge gold. And Shrek needs fire to grow stronger."
"Whether your empire survives that inferno... depends on your strength."
"You want respect? Earn it."
"Respect is forged in battle. If you're weak, the strong have no reason to acknowledge you."
"If you're unwilling to accept that... then get stronger."
"Face Shrek on the battlefield. Prove you're worthy of standing eye to eye."
"To wear the crown, you must bear the weight."
"Let the great waves wash away the dross—only true gold will remain."
He stepped back, arms crossed, gaze condescending.
"Now tell me, Crown Princess—"
"Do you even understand what I'm trying to teach you?"
"Or are you really just a laughable, incompetent little princess?"