Douluo Dalu (Soul Land): Villain Life Simulator

"Do you really wish to die?"

Seeing Zhao Wuji standing still, neither moving nor speaking, with only his aura rising steadily, Ye Zhiqiu clenched his fists, his expression growing darker.

"Why must you be so aggressive? It's just a childish spat; do we really need to bring life and death into it?"

Zhao Wuji was in quite a difficult situation.

The pressure wasn't just mental; his body was also in immense pain.

With little external energy to replenish himself, he could only extract his soul power by pushing his body to its limits, stimulating its potential.

If necessary, he might have to use his Martial Soul True Body again.

However, doing so would severely damage his foundation. Unless absolutely essential, he really didn't want to resort to this last option.

Moreover, even if he unleashed his Martial Soul True Body again, it would merely repeat the previous outcome and would not change the situation.

"...Do you know who she is?"

Zhao Wuji steadied himself and pointed at Ning Rongrong, who stood nearby.

At this moment, all he could do was gamble.

"Who is she?" Ye Zhiqiu glanced at the pale and trembling girl hiding behind Zhu Zhuqing, and asked casually.

"She is the daughter of Ning Fengzhi, the master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the designated heir to the sect!"

"The future heir of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? What a bold claim!" Ye Zhiqiu sneered, clearly not believing him.

Zhao Wuji was, in fact, just bluffing.

He only knew that Ning Rongrong was Ning Fengzhi's daughter, but as for who would inherit the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he was far from being in the know.

However, that detail was enough.

He turned to Ning Rongrong. "Rongrong, release your martial spirit for him to see."

Hearing this, Ning Rongrong lifted her head in a daze. Her pupils were dilated, and all the arrogance from earlier had vanished.

Fear, dread, and other emotions had long filled her heart, and the shadow of death loomed over her like an abyss.

This pampered little princess, who had grown up in luxury and comfort, now truly understood what fear was.

She looked at Zhao Wuji's tense expression, then at the cold and indifferent Ye Zhiqiu, and finally rested her gaze on Zhu Zhuqing.

At this moment, only the girl beside her could provide her with any sense of comfort.

In times like this, strength wasn't the key to steadying one's mind.

After all, no one present could match the power of that Contra from Blue Sunshine Academy.

Just as Xiao Wu had placed all her hopes on Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing's calm and collected demeanor subtly influenced Ning Rongrong.

Moreover, the way Zhu Zhuqing had quietly stood in front of her earlier made Ning Rongrong trust her even more.

Zhu Zhuqing noticed this, and while adjusting her own stance, gave Ning Rongrong a slight nod.

Ning Rongrong took a deep breath, and a multicolored light flashed in her palm, revealing her dazzling martial spirit—the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda—floating above her hand.

"…" Watching Ning Rongrong and the appearance of her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Ye Zhiqiu narrowed his eyes slightly, then fell silent, as if deep in thought.

Zhao Wuji licked his dry lips nervously, his mind tense as he awaited Ye Zhiqiu's final judgment.

What Zhao Wuji didn't realize was that Ye Zhiqiu was equally tense.

In the depths of his soul, a conversation was taking place.

"Senior, do we really need to say this? That's the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect…"

"Are you afraid of the sect's retaliation, but not afraid of provoking my anger?"

"Yes, I am." Ye Zhiqiu smiled bitterly, admitting honestly. "But I don't think you're like most people. Thanks to your help, I narrowly escaped disaster today. If it weren't for you, I would have suffered greatly."

"Flattery is useless to me." Su Cheng's voice was calm.

"Ye Zhiqiu, to me, this is just a fair transaction. Today's experience will be greatly beneficial for you. With this insight, you'll be able to reach the Soul Emperor level within three years and become a Soul Saint in five to ten years, depending on how hard you work. By then, finding a major force to join will be more than easy.

"We are just passing acquaintances. I used your hand to act once, for my own reasons. The benefits I mentioned earlier are my compensation to you.

"Whether you're satisfied with this transaction is not my concern. Because I'm stronger than you, I set the terms. You can consider it a forced deal.

"So, there's no need to thank me. Even if you end up resenting me and want revenge later, that's fine too."

Ye Zhiqiu broke out in a sweat and replied hastily, "Senior, you're joking. How could I dare disrespect you?"

"Then follow my instructions. Don't worry, I won't push you into a dead end."

"I understand."

Ye Zhiqiu sighed lightly, releasing his extra concerns.

He didn't know how others would see today's events, but he felt like he had gained a lot.

As a Soul Master, one often risks life and death to seize opportunities, which don't always go as planned.

Compared to those situations, today, despite the risks, he had already received unexpected rewards. What more could he ask for?

Inwardly, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Clearly priced gains were always better than the previous uncertainty.

The soul communication took only a brief moment, and on the surface, Ye Zhiqiu remained as calm as ever, seemingly indifferent to the threats around him. He said confidently, "Since you've put it that way, it seems I have even more reason not to let these people go."

"…"

Zhao Wuji's heart sank.

This was exactly the outcome he had feared.

Why hadn't Zhao Wuji revealed these children's backgrounds earlier? It wasn't because Ning Rongrong and Tang San's identities were supposed to be kept secret on their elders' orders.

When facing life or death, such trivialities were irrelevant.

The real issue was that while the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Clear Sky Douluo had great influence in the Soul Master world, the former was based near Heaven Dou City, far away and unable to provide immediate help, serving only as a deterrent. The latter, though powerful, was a fugitive wanted by the Spirit Hall.

If this pushed Ye Zhiqiu into a corner, it might only increase his desire to eliminate them completely.

Now, Ye Zhiqiu's attitude confirmed Zhao Wuji's worst fears.

"However, you did remind me of something…"

As Zhao Wuji was feeling regret, Ye Zhiqiu suddenly smiled.

But to Zhao Wuji and the others, that smile was full of malice.

"Since this girl's background is so remarkable, I can't just let you go so easily. If you lose your nerve and go running to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect afterward, that would be troublesome. While I doubt you'd do something that foolish, just to be safe…"

His smile faded, replaced by a cold glint in his eyes. "You will personally kill that Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect girl."

"…"

His words shocked everyone.

Zhao Wuji's eyes widened, his expression shifting from initial disbelief to extreme rage.

Ning Rongrong trembled, shrinking back and not daring to look at anyone.

Tang San's gaze darkened as he glanced at the Shrek Academy group, cursing them as fools and growing more anxious.

If Zhao Wuji really defected now, their chances of survival would disappear.

Tang San's eyes landed on Dai Mubai, questioning whether his decision to join this academy had been the right one.

They had stirred up such a huge incident for no reason, making him suffer unnecessary misfortune, and what about Xiao Wu…

Feeling the slight tremble of his sister beside him, Tang San's resentment deepened.

"If things get really bad, I'll try teaming up with Zhu Zhuqing. Coupled with my hidden weapons, there might still be a slim chance of escape."

He glanced at the teacher from Blue Sunshine Academy and silently vowed, "Ye Zhiqiu, if I survive today, I will make you pay for this!"

Even Zhu Zhuqing furrowed her brows tightly at this moment, feeling that their hope of survival was very slim.

Still, she raised her arm slightly and patted Ning Rongrong's wrist.

She understood why Zhao Wuji was using the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan as a threat.

At times like this, any method is worth trying.

In fact, revealing her identity, Dai Mubai's identity, and Ning Rongrong's identity to intimidate the enemy and make them hesitant was also part of her contingency plan.

At the same time, Su Yue, who was watching from a distance, stared at Su Cheng with an incredulous look.

Her expression seemed to ask, "How did you come up with such a cruel tactic? This is truly a killing blow to both body and spirit."

Noticing her gaze, Su Cheng turned back and smiled. "The kids are full of energy. I was just playing a little joke on them."

"..."

Su Yue was rendered speechless by his response.

She glanced at Dai Mubai, whose face was full of fear and regret, Ma Hongjun, who had wet his pants, and Ning Rongrong, whose legs were trembling. She seriously doubted any of them found Su Cheng's 'joke' amusing.

However, to be honest, she herself found it rather interesting.

The unconscious reactions, the instinctive movements, and the desperate efforts to seek even the slimmest chance of survival were all quite entertaining to watch.

Although nothing particularly surprising had happened so far, it was still fairly enjoyable to watch.

Of course, it was only 'enjoyable.'

Su Yue didn't feel moved, nor did she find the situation tedious or feel any sympathy or pity.

She was merely watching a stage play.

Watching Su Cheng fulfill the 'performance' he had promised her.

Despite the fact that she was now Su Yue, her physical body and soul indistinguishable from that of a normal human, she was once the Silver Dragon King. Ultimately, she never truly possessed a 'human heart,' nor did she have many human emotions or thought processes.

Seemingly aware of her mentality, Su Cheng smiled and asked, "How do you feel?"

Su Yue's expression was calm, and the figures before her reflected in her clear black eyes. "Barely passable."

"Don't worry, the real show is just starting."

Just as he finished speaking, the situation on the field changed dramatically.

"Dammit! You old bastard, I'll fight you to the death!" Zhao Wuji's face turned red, veins bulging on his forehead. "Little monsters, figure out how to protect yourselves and then make a run for it!"

After roaring, he punched his fists against his chest. His whole body began to rapidly expand, and his skin started to glow with a blood-red light.

The next moment, his powerful aura surged outward like a tidal wave, and behind him, the shimmering image of the Vigorous Vajra Bear spirit shone brilliantly with golden light.

In an instant, the intensity of his aura had already neared the level of a Spirit Douluo, and it showed no signs of stopping, continuing to grow rapidly.

The only explanation for being able to generate such force under the suppression of this domain was that—

He intended to self-destruct!

"Hold on!" Ye Zhiqiu's expression changed drastically, and he shouted.

His power indeed reached the level of a Spirit Douluo, but his physical constitution still fell far short.

At such close range, he wasn't sure whether he could withstand Zhao Wuji's desperate blow, nor whether the senior who was observing would choose to intervene. He wasn't confident at all.

The powerful aura emanating from the Spirit Saint in front of him made him feel suffocated.

It was as if countless sharp needles were pricking at him, causing a faint stinging pain on his skin.

This was a warning of impending danger!

Before Su Cheng could say anything, Ye Zhiqiu hurriedly shouted to stop Zhao Wuji, at the same time unleashing his spirit ability, spreading a large amount of cold air around in an attempt to suppress the situation.

Fortunately, Su Cheng quickly sent him a mental message.

He had no intention of letting Zhao Wuji die like this.

Zhao Wuji's life or death didn't matter to Su Cheng, but he needed him for the performance to continue. If Zhao Wuji died now, who would take the lead in the next act?

Zhao Wuji's choice to self-destruct wasn't entirely unexpected.

It was one of the lower-probability scenarios, but Su Cheng hadn't thought he'd actually go through with it.

However, to stop a Spirit Saint or stronger individual from self-destructing, Ye Zhiqiu definitely couldn't manage it, nor could an ordinary Titled Douluo. Unless Su Cheng intervened personally, Ye Zhiqiu would have to endure the attack.

"..."

Seeing Ye Zhiqiu's anxious expression, Zhao Wuji stopped just in time, his breath ragged like a bellows, glaring at him coldly without saying a word.

At this point, his martial spirit's rampage was still in its early stages and could be controlled to some extent.

If Ye Zhiqiu retreated because of this, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

Who in this world didn't value their life? If he could preserve his life, Zhao Wuji certainly wouldn't want to resort to a mutual destruction tactic.

Moreover, he knew that even if he did self-destruct, it wouldn't pose a fatal threat to the Spirit Douluo in front of him. It was simply a desperate move.

Ye Zhiqiu coldly said, "You truly have courage, willing to risk your life for one final struggle.

"But have you considered that if you self-destruct, even if your main target is me, your students will still be injured by the aftermath?

"And you should know that this attack won't kill me. Are you so certain that after your death, they can escape my pursuit?"

"What if they can't escape?" Zhao Wuji snorted coldly.

At this moment, his eyes were bloodshot, and the capillaries on his face, chest, and arms were bursting one after another.

Blood stained every part of his body, making him look like a grotesque figure drenched in blood.

His fierce aura fluctuated violently, clearly on the brink of control. His already bear-like physique had swollen even larger, like a powder keg ready to explode, radiating immense threat.

He said solemnly, "At least this way, they'll have a slim chance. I'll have no regrets."

The students of Shrek Academy, seeing this scene, couldn't help but have a spark of hope reignite in their eyes.