In Douluo Continent, I am the mastermind behind the scenes.

Chapter 3.3. Moon's Unchangeable Fate

Qin Yi hurriedly stepped forward and hugged Ye Xishui in his arms.

Just then, Poisonous Death suddenly stepped out from the crowd, pointed at Fang Che's location, and shouted, "He is an evil soul master, an elder of the Holy Spirit Cult!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present gasped in shock, their gazes towards Fang Che shifting dramatically. An evil soul master! A being everyone wanted to kill! Were the Star Luo Empire officials blind? Allowing an evil soul master to remain on the field for so long, or... was Canglan Academy itself a force supported by the Holy Spirit Cult, having bribed a high-ranking official in the Star Luo Empire, all for... um? To participate in the Soul Master Competition?

Something's not right. This is very strange. Why would the Holy Spirit Cult need to expend so much effort to participate in such a small Soul Master Competition? Or... is the other side plotting something?

For a moment, everyone kept glancing back and forth between Fang Che and Ye Xishui. Finally, everyone's gaze fell on Xu Ming on the imperial city, as if they were demanding an explanation from the Star Luo officials.

Um? ? ? ? ?

Xu Ming's expression was not good. All the students, mentors, team leaders, and even accompanying personnel who participated in the Soul Master Competition had undergone detailed checks, and Fang Che was no exception. Now... someone actually suspected that Fang Che was an evil Soul Master. Wasn't this a slap in the face to the Star Luo Empire's official officials?

If it were anyone else, Xu Ming would have had them thrown out long ago. But the problem is, the other party is the young sect master of the Body Sect, who has a certain social standing, so he... can't do that.

Furthermore, he is the young sect master of the Body Sect. It's impossible for him to do such an absurd thing as slandering others in front of the entire continent. The other party must have some kind of evidence, or perhaps they saw Fang Che doing something intimate with a well-known evil soul master, which is why they publicly reported him at the Soul Master Competition.

Thinking of this, Xu Ming quickly waved his hand, ordering two titled Douluo elders from the Star Luo Empire to come down and thoroughly investigate Fang Che's identity.

Seeing the subtle movements on the imperial city walls, Fang Che knew he was in trouble. He wasn't a true evil spirit master, and even if someone reported him, he had a million reasons to cover it up. But he hadn't considered that Ye Xishui would betray him. Ye Xishui was fully aware of everything the Holy Spirit Sect had done so far, and it wasn't something that could be easily dismissed with a few words.

Damn it, when exactly did Ye Xishui get involved with the Body Sect? How come he didn't notice beforehand?

Expose Ye Xishui's identity as the Holy Maiden of the Holy Spirit Cult? Heh, what's the use? At most, it'll just result in mutual destruction. He doesn't want to die here!

Thinking of this, Fang Che flashed and jumped onto the Soul Fighting Platform, arriving behind Mu En. He then clenched his fist and punched Mu En's spine.

"Don't come any closer! If you do, I'll... I'll kill him!"

Fang Che grabbed Mu En by the neck, pointed at the approaching Title Douluo Elder, and shouted loudly.

"No!"

Just then, the leader of the Shrek team stepped forward, looked at Fang Che on the platform, and said coldly, "Fang Che, I don't care which faction you come from or what your name is, don't do anything to harm Mu En again. He is the last disciple of our Sea God Pavilion Master. Otherwise, even if you escape to the ends of the earth, the Sea God Pavilion will not let you go!"

Fang Che said in a deep voice, "Don't want him to get hurt? Hmph, get out of the way, all of you! Give me a chance to escape, and even if I die, I'll take one of them down with me."

Upon hearing this, the leader of the Shrek Academy team took a deep breath, and, emboldened by who-knows-where, pointed directly at the two Title Douluo elders of the Star Luo Empire, and shouted, "You...you all get out of my way! If something happens to the Pavilion Master's closed-door disciple in Star Luo City, can your Star Luo Empire bear the responsibility?"

Ah this

Faced with the rebuke of a Soul Master with only the cultivation of a Soul Saint, the two elders instinctively wanted to retort, but then they thought that everyone knew what kind of person the Sea God Pavilion was, and at this critical juncture, it was better not to show off.

After receiving Xu Ming's permission, the two guards began to retreat and directed the soldiers to move to both sides, making way for Fang Che to pass through an escape route for the two of them.

The Star Luo Empire didn't do anything underhanded. They were just hoping Fang Che would escape, or even kidnap Mu En. That way, the Sea God Pavilion would only focus its attention on Fang Che and ignore the Star Luo Empire.

Although other forces despise evil spirit masters, at this critical juncture, who would dare to make any underhanded moves?

And so, Fang Che, holding Mu En hostage, arrived at the west gate of Xingluo City, with the Shrek team leader and a titled Douluo elder following them at a distance.

Fang Che never dreamed that the Star Luo Empire would be so obedient, not outwardly relaxed but inwardly tight, secretly laying a trap, but instead very "straightforwardly" carrying out his orders, leaving him completely bewildered.

After some deliberation, a cold glint flashed in Fang Che's eyes. He then clenched his fist and struck Mu En's spine heavily. With a cracking sound, a chilling poison seeped into Mu En's body through the broken spine.

By eliminating Mu En in this way, the task of the Holy Spirit Cult leader can be considered completed.

……

Meanwhile, the riot in Xingluo Square was quickly suppressed by the authorities. Qin Yi didn't want to give the Holy Spirit Cult time to ambush them, and as he and Ye Xishui were about to leave, Emperor Xu Ming of Xingluo suddenly appeared and blocked their way.

"Gentlemen, given what has happened, aren't you going to explain yourself?"

Xu Ming was in a bad mood. She had been scolded by a leader of the Shrek team who was only at the Soul Saint level. How could she possibly be in a good mood?

Poison Must Die stepped forward, pointed to Ye Xishui beside him, and stared at Xu Ming's position, saying with an unfriendly expression, "This is my brother's fiancée. My brother left home for ten years, and when he returned, he found that his fiancée had been lured into the Holy Spirit Cult and forced to use her body to sow discord between two top-tier genius soul masters..."

"What, is His Majesty the Emperor of the Star Luo Empire implying that a Soul Master possessing the Radiant Phoenix Martial Soul is an evil Soul Master?"

"The Holy Spirit Cult might have other backup plans. If our delay leads to our being ambushed and killed by them, even if it means sacrificing an arm for our own sect, we will make your Star Luo Empire pay the price!"

"Moun's matter has nothing to do with us. Just convey my original words to them: others may be afraid of the Sea God Pavilion, but we, the Body Sect, are not. Try to pin the label of evil soul master on us. If you push us too far, hmph, we don't mind dragging all the high-ranking officials of the Star Luo Empire down with us."

"Let's go!"

After saying that, with the sect's protectors clearing the way, the group flew into the air, ignoring Xu Ming and his group, and left Star Luo City directly.

Watching the crowd's retreating figures, Xu Ming was so angry she jumped up and down. The Sea God Pavilion had labeled them as evil soul masters, and now they wanted to drag the entire Star Luo Empire's high-ranking officials down with them. Listen to that! Is that even human language?

The Sea God Pavilion bullied them, and now even the Body Sect is bullying them. They can't live like this anymore!

After venting his emotions, Xu Ming returned to his usual self and went to handle the aftermath with his professional team.

……

Three hours later.

Inside a room in the Body Sect, Qin Yi pinched Ye Xishui's little face and looked at the plum blossom keepsake on the bed. An extremely comfortable feeling instantly welled up in his heart.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the beginner's mission and obtaining Ye Xishui's... The system has been upgraded, rewarding the host with one ten-pull draw. Activate?]

"Activate".

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained the Refiner's Inheritance x1, Mo Family Mechanical Technique x1, Three Thousand Thunder Illusionary Body x1...]

[Note that all cultivation techniques, items, and inheritances extracted by the host will not exceed the level of the Douluo World itself for the time being.]

[Ding! The host can now choose two long-term investment methods. 1. Create a sect and invest in the disciples under your name through direct gifts. 2. When a demonic beast descends upon Douluo Continent, the host can store the cultivation techniques, items, and inheritances extracted by the system within the demonic beast as rewards for those who participate in its killing.]

"I choose option two."

Only a fool would choose option one; long-term development is the only true principle. Qin Yi wouldn't be foolish enough to directly destroy the Sea God Pavilion. In fact, he would actively maintain the balance of power among the various forces, stimulating the cultivation desires of those he invests in, thereby obtaining more return resources.

Moreover, it's entirely up to Qin Yi to decide who gets the inheritance. It would be wonderful to see some of the arrogant geniuses from the original story fade into obscurity.

(End of this chapter)