Douluo: Expelled From Shrek, I Awakened The Double Pupils! — Chapter 209

Chapter 209: The Choice of the Emperor of Heavenly Soul

Liu Yuan’s gaze shifted toward Du Busi, who sat comfortably in the grand main seat of the hall. The young man’s expression remained utterly placid. “Master,” he began, his voice carrying a cool, measured weight. “If we want to maximize the fallout of this incident, handling it privately behind the closed doors of our Body Sect simply won’t suffice.”

Du Busi raised an eyebrow, his sharp eyes locking onto his disciple. “You mean…”

“I am going to see the Emperor of Heavenly Soul,” Liu Yuan replied, his tone unwavering.

He stepped forward, his dark eyes glinting with a calculated edge. “We need to completely tear off Shrek Academy’s hypocritical mask. I want to see exactly how those self-proclaimed champions of justice handle the revelation that their prized students have degenerated into Evil Soul Masters. A play of this magnitude requires a grand stage and a massive audience. The Heavenly Soul Imperial Family is the perfect candidate to provide both.”

Hearing this, Du Busi’s thick brows knit together. He leaned back against the carved wood of his chair, falling into a heavy, contemplative silence.

“Using the imperial family?” The Sect Master eventually shook his head, a hint of skepticism in his gruff voice. “Isn’t that pushing our hand a bit too aggressively? Yes, our Body Sect serves as the guardian of the Heavenly Soul Empire, but the imperial family has historically walked on eggshells whenever Shrek is involved. Forcing them into the spotlight to challenge the academy directly will undoubtedly put them in an incredibly difficult position.”

“Difficult?” A cold sneer curved Liu Yuan’s lips. “Shrek Academy has perched itself above the imperial families of this continent for far too long. That fragile, pathetic balance should have been shattered ages ago. Don’t they constantly parade themselves as the ultimate guardians of the realm? If they truly are guardians, they need to face the visceral threat brought by Evil Soul Masters in the light of day. They don’t get to hide behind their academy walls, preaching about justice while secretly indulging the corruption of their own so-called geniuses.”

Liu Yuan paused, turning his head to gaze out the tall windows. The sunlight cast long, sharp shadows across his face. “Master, this illusion of peace will shatter sooner or later. Our Body Sect and Shrek are as incompatible as fire and water. The imperial family cannot sit on the fence forever. Since a clash is inevitable, let them make their choice now—between me and Shrek. On one side stands the Body Sect, the very shield that guarantees the Empire’s survival. On the other is an arrogant, external academy that holds no true loyalty to their crown. I believe that as long as the Emperor possesses a shred of clarity, he will know exactly who to back.”

Du Busi absorbed his disciple’s ruthless analysis. The older man remained silent for a long time, his fingers drumming a slow, rhythmic beat against the armrest.

Finally, a fierce grin broke across his weathered face, and he nodded. “You make a compelling point, kid. Since we’re destined to tear each other apart eventually, we might as well use this opportunity to pour oil on the flames and watch it burn.”

The following day, within the grand walls of the Heavenly Soul Empire Palace.

The Inner Palace Hall exuded an aura of strict majesty and opulent luxury, its towering pillars wrapped in gold leaf and its floors paved with polished jade. The moment the royal guards announced the arrival of Du Busi and Liu Yuan, the Emperor of Heavenly Soul did not hesitate for a fraction of a second. He immediately pushed aside his towering stacks of official scrolls, choosing to receive the two guests personally. His demeanor toward the Body Sect Master was overwhelmingly warm. The monarch even stood up from his gilded desk, descending the short steps to welcome them himself.

“Sect Master Du! And young Liu Yuan! What an unexpected honor. What brings the two of you to the palace today?” The Emperor strode forward, a welcoming smile plastered across his face. He waved a hand toward the hovering servants. “Quickly, bring seats for our esteemed guests!”

Attendants scrambled to obey, swiftly bringing over plush, high-backed chairs and serving steaming cups of premium spirit tea alongside delicate pastries. The Emperor settled across from them, smoothly exchanging pleasantries with Du Busi. He inquired about the Body Sect’s recent affairs with a practiced, easy charm, his words dripping with deep respect and genuine-sounding concern.

To any outside observer watching the casual smiles and sipping of tea, this appeared to be nothing more than a standard, polite courtesy visit between allies.

After three leisurely rounds of tea, the superficial warmth had run its course. Du Busi set his porcelain cup down onto the saucer with a soft clink, shifting his gaze to Liu Yuan.

Catching the silent cue, Liu Yuan sat up slightly straighter. He had no intention of dancing around the issue. “Your Majesty,” he began, his voice cutting cleanly through the relaxed atmosphere. “We are here today because a severe matter has arisen—one concerning Shrek Academy and an Evil Soul Master. It is a situation that requires the direct cooperation of the imperial family.”

The genial smile on the Emperor’s face stiffened. A microscopic twitch betrayed his sudden tension, though he masked it almost instantly behind a polite facade. “Oh? Shrek Academy?” he asked, maintaining a forced lightness in his tone. “Did something happen?”

Liu Yuan did not blink. He proceeded to recount the events of their recent expedition to the Sun Moon Forest in careful detail. His narration was chillingly objective, devoid of any exaggerated emotion. He methodically outlined the exact process of Ma Xiaotao’s horrific mutation into an Evil Soul Master, painting a vivid picture of the sheer destructive threat she now posed to the public. He laid every stake bare on the table, dissecting the political and martial implications with surgical precision.

Finally, Liu Yuan locked eyes with the Emperor. “Our Body Sect has already subdued and secured the target. However, this matter extends far beyond a simple skirmish; it concerns the fundamental peace and safety of the entire continent. We need the imperial family to construct a stage in the center of the Capital Square. We are going to hold a public trial, forcing Shrek Academy to step out from behind their walls and provide a public explanation to the world.”

As Liu Yuan’s final words echoed against the high ceilings, the atmosphere within the hall plummeted to freezing.

The previously warm, conversational air evaporated entirely, replaced by a suffocating pressure. The smile on the Emperor of Heavenly Soul’s face died. He froze completely, his hand hovering inches above his teacup, forgotten in the wake of the young man’s audacious demand. He remained locked in his listening posture, sitting as rigid as a statue upon his seat.

A heavy, agonizing silence descended upon the room. The hall grew terrifyingly quiet. The only sound was the faint, rhythmic crackling of the Everlasting Lamps burning along the walls.

Liu Yuan and Du Busi remained seated, their expressions utterly calm. Neither man spoke a single word to urge the monarch. They simply waited, letting the immense weight of the ultimatum settle over the throne.

A storm of complex emotions violently churned within the Emperor’s eyes. In his mind, a brutal war was being waged. On one side was the untouchable, god-like status of Shrek Academy; on the other was the foundational gratitude and absolute reliance he held for the Body Sect’s protection.

He knew exactly what this meant. Agreeing to Liu Yuan’s demand would irrevocably shove the Heavenly Soul Empire onto the opposing side of the board against Shrek. It was an astronomical gamble. Shrek possessed ten thousand years of terrifying heritage and influence. Even the highest imperial families of the continent were forced to bow their heads and maintain strict etiquette when dealing with the academy’s inner circle.

If he dared to publicly humiliate and try a core Shrek disciple today just to appease the Body Sect, could his imperial family truly withstand the inevitable, crushing retaliation from the academy in the future?

Yet, a colder, harsher reality gripped his heart. He knew with absolute certainty that if he refused Du Busi today, the Heavenly Soul Empire would instantly lose the Body Sect’s unwavering support. In these increasingly chaotic and blood-soaked times, the immediate consequences of losing their guardian sect were far more lethal than offending the distant giant of Shrek.

The scales of risk and reward tipped violently back and forth in his mind. The Emperor’s heavy gaze shifted to Liu Yuan’s impassive face, and then drifted to the terrifyingly calm Du Busi.

This wasn’t a negotiation for cooperation. This was a naked, ruthless demand forcing him to pick a side.

And yet, as he stared at the two monsters of the Body Sect sitting in his hall, he realized he had absolutely no use to refuse.

The Emperor’s fingers began to tap a slow, anxious rhythm against his armrest, the dull thuds echoing loudly in the suffocating silence of the hall.

“This matter… indeed places me in a deeply conflicted position,” the Emperor finally spoke. His voice was low, carefully stripped of any revealing emotion.

Crucially, however, he did not issue a refusal.

Liu Yuan and Du Busi continued to wait with predatory patience. They understood the monarch was frantically calculating the geopolitical fallout of such a drastic move. In a high-stakes standoff like this, pushing him too hard would only trigger a defensive backlash.

The Emperor closed his eyes, the deep lines on his forehead bunching together as he handled the treacherous political waters in his mind.

After what felt like an eternity of agonizing deliberation, the Emperor’s eyes snapped open. The swirling conflict and hesitation that had clouded his gaze moments prior were gone. In their place, the cold, hardened decisiveness of a ruling monarch emerged.

He looked at Du Busi, and then fixed his gaze squarely on Liu Yuan.

“I agree to your request.”

The Emperor stood up, his royal robes flowing as he stepped down into the center of the hall. His tone grew ironclad and resolute. “Shrek Academy may possess unmatched fame, but if they are unwilling to take responsibility for one of their own students degenerating into an Evil Soul Master, then the Heavenly Soul Empire will naturally step in to handle it for them. For this trial, the imperial family will fully cooperate with the Body Sect.”

He clasped his hands behind his back, his posture radiating authority. “I will entrust the security of the Capital Square entirely to the Royal Imperial Guards to ensure the trial proceeds without interference., official imperial invitations will be dispatched to all the major sects across the continent.”

Hearing the commitment, Liu Yuan rose from his seat and offered a slight, respectful bow. “Your Majesty is truly wise.”

Du Busi also gave a satisfied nod, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.

With those words, the grand stage was set. The joint operation to publicly humiliate and dismantle Shrek Academy’s flawless reputation was officially set into motion.

The Emperor watched the two men before him. Although a lingering trace of icy unease still coiled in the pit of his stomach, he knew the die was cast. From this moment onward, there was no turning back. He had tied his empire’s fate to the Body Sect’s chariot. Now, he could only follow the ruthless path Liu Yuan had carved out and brace his nation for the apocalyptic storm that was sure to follow.