On the other side, Qian Duoduo, the Vice-Dean of the Soul Tool Department, arrived at the entrance of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Tool Academy as ordered.
He was here for a serious matter, to facilitate the exchange student program between Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Royal Soul Tool Academy. Therefore, he couldn't sneak in to see Jing Hongchen but instead arrived openly.
"Go and inform Hall Master Jing Hongchen that the Vice-Dean of Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department, the Oolong Douluo Qian Duoduo, is here to visit," Qian Duoduo said at the entrance of the Sun Moon Academy, his hands clasped behind his back, his tall and sturdy figure standing proudly.
"?!" The teacher on duty leaned back in surprise, his eyes scrutinizing Qian Duoduo with a strange look.
Oolong Douluo? A Titled Douluo?
And from Shrek, no less?
The teacher on duty felt like he might have heard wrong. It was common knowledge throughout the Douluo Continent that Mingde Hall and Shrek Academy were archenemies.
In every competition, it was always Shrek Academy that stood in the way of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Tool Academy from winning the championship. Four thousand years ago, during the Holy War between the Sun Moon Continent and the Douluo Continent, it was also Shrek Academy's meddling that led to the Sun Moon Continent's defeat.
Since then, it lost the name of the Sun Moon Continent and was incorporated into the Douluo Continent's territory, renamed the Sun Moon Empire.
And now, you, a high-ranking member of our archenemy, are telling me you're here to visit our Hall Master?
The teacher on duty's strange look made Qian Duoduo a little uncomfortable. As a Titled Douluo, when had he ever been scrutinized for so long by such a minor figure?
"Do you have a problem?" Qian Duoduo frowned and gently stomped his right foot on the ground. Nine soul rings, along with a powerful Titled Douluo's aura, immediately appeared above the teacher on duty's head.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black!
It was a standard configuration, but it was indeed a Titled Douluo.
"Uh... no problem, Your Excellency, please wait. I will go and inform the Hall Master!" The teacher on duty's breath hitched, and he quickly spoke.
Only then did Qian Duoduo nod with satisfaction, retracting his soul rings and aura, and watching the teacher on duty hurry away.
Qian Duoduo waited... and waited.
He ended up standing there like a statue at the entrance of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Tool Academy for half an hour.
"???" Looking at the empty guardhouse in front of him, Qian Duoduo's temper flared. His face flushed even redder than Yan Shaozhe's backside.
"Bastards! Is this the kind of manners the people of Mingde Hall have?!"
...
Why did Qian Duoduo stand there for half an hour?
Let's take a look at the big screen!
"What a show-off... These cavemen from Shrek Academy are acting all arrogant even in our Sun Moon Empire. I'll make him wait for a while!" The teacher on duty muttered under his breath after leaving, glancing back at the guardhouse.
(Wait, caveman? Launch!)
He didn't speak his thoughts out loud. After all, Titled Douluo were the top powerhouses on the Douluo Continent, and he didn't know if he would be immediately heard if he spoke.
He also didn't intentionally cause too much trouble for Qian Duoduo. Instead, he made a very normal, yet very abnormal decision.
He went to find the duty captain...
Why was it normal? Because the teacher on duty was only a Soul Emperor and was not qualified to see Jing Hongchen. And why was it abnormal? Because when faced with a Titled Douluo, it wasn't impossible to make an exception and go directly to Jing Hongchen.
But he did the most normal thing within his job scope.
It was reasonable, yet absurd.
Faced with the duty captain's strange look, the teacher on duty simply raised an eyebrow meaningfully, and the captain immediately understood what he meant.
The two looked at each other and let out a sinister laugh at the same time.
"Hehehehe..."
And so, the duty captain reported to his superior, repeating the same actions as the teacher on duty, and the superior did the same thing.
It wasn't until almost half an hour later that the matter of the Vice-Dean of Shrek's Soul Tool Department visiting Hall Master Jing Hongchen was placed on Jing Hongchen's desk.
Jing Hongchen looked at the subordinates who he didn't know whether to praise or scold and waved his hand, signaling his people to invite Qian Duoduo in.
As for him personally going to greet him?
There was no need at all.
His subordinates had already given Qian Duoduo a taste of their authority beforehand. He would also use this opportunity to give Qian Duoduo a hard time, and gain the upper hand in terms of momentum. After all, the Vice-Dean of Shrek's Soul Tool Department wouldn't travel all the way from Shrek City to Mingdu for no reason.
Gaining the upper hand in momentum would also be beneficial for the upcoming conversation.
After all... this was how Mu En and Xuan Zi treated Jing Hongchen in the original story.
Pressure and intimidation.
It was a common tactic.
The reason Jing Hongchen dared to do this was also that Qian Duoduo was patient enough. Half an hour had passed since the message reached him, and Qian Duoduo hadn't exploded in anger or rushed in to question him. This meant that the other party might have something to ask of him.
So what was there to be afraid of? Just give Qian Duoduo a hard time.
Having held a high position for many years, Jing Hongchen was also a cunning old fox, and he was already guessing the purpose of Qian Duoduo's visit to the Sun Moon Empire.
Not long after, the somber-faced Qian Duoduo sat across from Jing Hongchen.
"Heh, Hall Master Hongchen, it's really not an easy thing to meet you in the Sun Moon Empire," Qian Duoduo, with a bit of anger in his heart, started with a sarcastic remark.
In terms of status, you, Jing Hongchen, are the Hall Master of Mingde Hall, and I, Qian Duoduo, am also a dean of Shrek Academy. In terms of strength, you, Jing Hongchen, are a Rank 9 Soul Engineer, and although I, Qian Duoduo, am only a Rank 8 Soul Engineer, I am also a Rank 94 Titled Douluo.
With equal status, this kind of treatment toward a peer-level powerhouse, it would be completely reasonable to say that Jing Hongchen had no manners or the integrity of a true powerhouse.
Jing Hongchen, however, was not offended by Qian Duoduo's words. Instead, he spoke with a smile: "My apologies, Dean Qian. My subordinates are a little inexperienced. They can't distinguish between special circumstances and regular procedures, which has caused Mingde Hall to neglect you, and it is truly my fault."
"But it really can't be helped. I am usually very busy with Mingde Hall's affairs. Not all academy teachers are qualified to meet me directly, so it took some time for the message to be passed along."
"Dean Qian... you won't mind, will you?"
You're talking with a sharp tongue, but you think I, Jing Hongchen, will lose to you?
It's just sarcasm. It's not like I'm afraid of you!
As expected, Jing Hongchen's words caused Qian Duoduo's temper, which had just cooled down a little, to flare up once again.
Who are you calling a little guy!
(End of Chapter)
────────────────────────────────────
"If you're interested, please support me in my other novel [One Piece: General Blue]."
"If you're interested, please support me in my other novel [Naruto: Starting with Tsunade-san]."
"If you're interested, please support me in my other novel [Battle Through the Heavens: Heavenly comprehension]."
"If you're interested, please support me in my other novel [Marvel: The Fantasy Crystal]."
"If you're interested, please support me in my other novel [Marvel: Hades]."
"If you want early access to nearly 60+ chapters, join my patreon:- patreon.com/BaDwYGaMeR"