At high altitude above Shrek, the Snow Empress quietly looked in the direction where Mu En had vanished, a trace of emotion in her heart.

Another top powerhouse gone from the Douluo Continent.

But this sentiment faded quickly, and she cast Mu En from her mind.

She raised her hand to her chest, quietly feeling the Herrscher Core's power, and recalled the move she just used, her eyes filled with amazement.

"Above all heaven and earth, I alone am the honored one"—this was a move she'd developed after fusing her own powers with the Herrscher Gem.

Just now was its first real battle test.

Though she'd anticipated its power, the actual effect far exceeded expectations.

Freezing space was something she'd imagined, but that even Limit Douluo couldn't resist it, and not even the Light of the Sea God could withstand it, was shocking.

The terrifying power brought by the Herrscher form—even Snow Empress herself was amazed.

She slowly floated down, eyes icy as she looked at Yan Shaozhe and the others blocking her.

Yan Shaozhe's eyes were bloodshot, burning with hatred and anger.

Behind him, more than a dozen Titled Douluo were tense, radiating anger and vigilance, watching her as if facing a mortal enemy.

"Hand over Huo Yuhao, or you all die!" The Snow Empress's icy voice swept over everyone, laced with chilling killing intent.

As she spoke, a cold tide swept over the group.

All the Titled Douluo felt a wave of death threaten them, making them shudder.

They knew—even with numbers, against Herrscher Snow Empress, they were far too weak.

Just her divine armor alone was beyond their ability to even scratch.

Yan Shaozhe's lips trembled; he wanted to refuse her to defend Shrek's dignity.

But the bone-chilling cold strangled his throat, and he couldn't get the words out.

All the Sea God Pavilion elders looked deeply troubled.

They knew handing over Huo Yuhao would betray Mu En's last wish—Mu En had fought and died to protect him.

To hand him over now would destroy Shrek's prestige.

But if they refused, with her terrifying power, Shrek might truly be erased from the continent.

That power to freeze space made them shudder.

And with Mu En dead, none could wield the Light of the Sea God again.

Shrek Academy was in unprecedented peril.

If they'd had time to prepare, with their deep foundation, they could have summoned over fifty Titled Douluo to besiege the Snow Empress.

But her attack was too sudden, and with no time to prepare, Mu En had to face her alone—and died.

"My patience is limited. You have three minutes. If you don't hand over Huo Yuhao, this city doesn't need to exist," Snow Empress said coldly.

She released her divine sense, pressing down with soul power like a mountain.

Yan Shaozhe and the others felt their bodies sink, as if carrying a ten-thousand-pound weight, and tumbled helplessly from the sky to the snowy ground.

It was a brutal, direct demonstration of the vast power gap.

Numbers meant nothing before absolute power.

"Let's fight her!" Xian Lin'er, always hot-tempered, was instantly enraged.

She gripped her spear tightly, glaring at Snow Empress with determination.

"Lin'er, don't be rash!" Her mother, Elder Song, quickly stopped her.

She knew her daughter's temperament, and that charging Snow Empress was suicide.

"What else can we do? Give up Huo Yuhao? Old Mu died rather than hand him over—should we betray his wish?"

Xian Lin'er's words stirred a storm in everyone's heart; all fell silent under the weight of her question.

Betraying Mu En's will would be a blow to Shrek's honor and glory, built over ten thousand years.

"Then we fight her, all or nothing," Beast King Douluo Gong Changlong was equally fiery.

He clenched his fists, ready to die fighting.

"Cough…" At that moment, Xuan Zi's weak voice sounded.

Everyone was relieved to see him; after being struck by Snow Empress, they'd feared for his life.

Now, with Mu En dead, Xuan Zi was the most qualified to take charge.

But Xuan Zi was in a sorry state, clearly seriously injured.

He coughed hard, showing the cold had badly damaged his organs.

His eyes full of sorrow, Xuan Zi looked around at the now frozen Shrek Academy and then at Yan Shaozhe and the others before shaking his head and saying heavily, "Our decision concerns the life and death of Shrek City itself. Are we really going to risk all our students' lives for one disciple? Is that fair?"

Everyone was stunned—Xian Lin'er and others looked at him in disbelief, hearing a hint of giving up on Yuhao.

"Elder Xuan, if we give up Yuhao, where is Shrek's dignity? Are we to let it be trampled?" Xian Lin'er couldn't accept it.

"I agree with Elder Xuan. We can't sacrifice all our students for Huo Yuhao. We may die, but the Academy must survive!" Yan Shaozhe closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and said.

"Yan Shaozhe!" Xian Lin'er glared at him, full of contempt.

"There's no time—the Academy can't fall in our hands. Shaozhe, go bring Huo Yuhao." Xuan Zi's face was grim.

He was furious and unwilling, but reality left no room for pride—if even Mu En at his peak died, what could they do?

So long as Shrek survived, there was still hope for revenge.

But if the Academy was destroyed, all would be lost.

With no other choice, he made the painful decision—to sacrifice Yuhao, even if it meant betraying Mu En's will.

No matter Snow Empress's reason for taking Yuhao, Xuan Zi didn't believe Yuhao could survive in the soul beast hands.

Some, like Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo, still opposed this, but with Mu En gone, Xuan Zi's authority was highest, and with most supporting him, before the three minutes were up, Yan Shaozhe brought Yuhao out.

Everyone's eyes flashed with complicated emotions.

There was guilt for sacrificing Yuhao for the Academy's survival, and some blamed him for bringing disaster.

To many, Yuhao was the root cause of this calamity.

Yuhao himself was expressionless, strangely calm.

He'd guessed the result when Yan Shaozhe came to find him.

Mu En had died to protect him—Yuhao felt endless gratitude and guilt.

He knew why Snow Empress wanted him—most likely for the Ice Empress inside him.

He'd intended to step forward himself, but was stopped by Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao—before he could act, Mu En had already died in battle.

It all happened too fast for him to react.

No sooner had he begun to grieve than Yan Shaozhe came to get him.