Yu Xiaogang looked at Tailong, who was trembling all over, and couldn't help but recall his own ordeal. "Tailong, don't worry. We will definitely seek justice for Elder Tai Tan."
"Grandmaster, I don't want justice right now. I just want to beat up Li Xun and Yang Qianjun," Tailong shook his head.
What justice was there to speak of? It all came down to money.
Ever since Grandmaster had been ransomed, Tailong had wanted to follow Spirit Hall's example and use money to bail out his grandfather, Tai Tan.
Tailong had been naive at the time, thinking that since his grandfather hadn't set any fires, killed anyone, or caused any property damage to Spirit Hall, it shouldn't cost too much.
Even if it was a bit more, if the family funds weren't enough, he could always borrow from the academy or other families.
With this plan in mind, Tailong immediately sought out Yu Xiaogang, asking him to help facilitate the connections.
But when the two of them arrived at Spirit Hall, the other party demanded twenty million Gold Soul Coins upfront. Even when Yu Xiaogang presented his Papal Token, which hadn't been confiscated, they didn't budge.
Tailong was stunned. He instinctively asked why his grandfather was ten million more expensive than Yu Xiaogang.
The reply was straightforward: although Yu Xiaogang had committed arson and murder, his cultivation level was only at the 21st rank, so of course, he was cheaper.
This statement not only made Tailong's face pale but also turned Yu Xiaogang's face green.
In the end, the two of them walked out of Spirit Hall in a daze, never mentioning the matter again.
Tang San patted the confused Tailong on the shoulder. "Don't worry. As long as Elder Tai Tan is still safe, we still have a chance to rescue him."
Hearing this, Tailong glanced sideways at the Young Master of the Power Clan and sighed inwardly.
All of this had started because of Tang San, but he couldn't blame him. After all, it was his grandfather who had cried and begged to return to the Clear Sky Sect.
The only thing he could hold against Tang San was that when his grandfather was in trouble, Tang San hadn't been able to help at all.
Seeing that Tailong remained silent, Tang San thought he was feeling down and tried to console him. "Tailong, it's not just you. Who among us at Shrek Academy doesn't have a grudge against Li Xun? The reason we're all training so hard is because we're holding onto that anger."
"Now, the opportunity for revenge is right in front of us. I promise you, if the conditions allow during the competition, we'll make sure you get your chance for revenge."
Tailong forced a smile. He still needed their help, so it wasn't wise to strain their relationship. "Thank you, Young Master."
"No need to thank me. We're all part of the same team, aren't we?" Tang San smiled.
"Yeah, who cares about Li Xun? We'll just crush everyone in our path. Settle old scores and grudges, right, Dai Laosi?" Ma Hongjun flashed a mischievous grin.
The Shrek team fell silent, their gazes filled with sympathy as they looked at Dai Mubai.
They had all heard about Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing's situation, but as teammates, they weren't like Ma Hongjun, who would joke about it.
Tang San sighed and patted Dai Mubai's shoulder. "Mubai, don't worry. We won't let you suffer this humiliation in vain."
Dai Mubai ignored Tang San's consolation and shot Ma Hongjun a glare, saying nothing.
Perhaps out of jealousy, Ma Hongjun had often teased him about the incident over the years. Over time, Dai Mubai had become somewhat immune to it.
A flash of malice passed through Dai Mubai's eyes. However, Ma Hongjun was right this time—they now had the strength to avenge the humiliation they had suffered before.
Qin Ming nodded as he looked at the group of young men filled with anger.
Hatred could sometimes be the best motivation in cultivation, driving everyone to put in double the effort. "I hope the three Education Committee members and Li Xun won't be too surprised when they see this team," he thought.
Ye Lingling observed their reactions without saying a word, her eyes flickering with thought.
After a series of tactical arrangements, as everyone began to disperse, Yu Xiaogang suddenly called out to Xiao Wu, "Xiao Wu, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
A ray of morning light spread across the land, heralding the start of the event that had the entire continent buzzing with excitement.
Although it was a grand gathering for Soul Masters, it attracted not only them but also nobles and ordinary citizens alike. Especially in the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, the people of Heaven Dou City.
The city was now adorned with lanterns and decorations, as if the event had already become a festival. On one hand, it was to welcome the competition, and on the other, it was an opportunity to lift the gloom caused by Emperor Xue Ye's paralysis.
Today marked the opening ceremony of the Heaven Dou City division of the Continental Soul Master Competition, held at the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena.
Due to the immense attention this event had garnered, the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena had ceased all Soul Duel matches a month prior to avoid losing face in front of outsiders and began renovating its facilities.
"Wow, since when did the Soul Arena have so many people? I never realized it could hold this many!" Yang Qianjun exclaimed as he looked at the massive crowd at the entrance of the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena. "This place is almost as crowded as my hometown."
"Back then, your matches were small-scale. Not many commoners were willing to spend money to watch you," Meng Shenji chuckled and shook his head. "Besides, I heard that after the renovations, the Great Spirit Arena can now accommodate 80,000 spectators. I hope you won't be affected by such a large audience during your performance."
"We won't be affected, Education Committee Member. Just sit back and enjoy our show," Ning Rongrong said with a smile as she took in the lively scene.
"Good," Meng Shenji replied, his eyes narrowing with satisfaction as if he were thoroughly enjoying the moment.
By now, they had entered the crowd. As participants, the audience politely made way for their team.
"Which academy is this? I've never seen their uniforms before," a middle-aged man asked the person beside him.
"I haven't either. Maybe it's a newly established academy?"
"What newly established academy? Can't you see the large Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda emblem on their chests? This must be the team from our Heavenly Dou Royal Academy."
A young girl scrutinized the attire of Li Xun and the others. "Why is the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy team wearing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's uniforms? But I have to admit, their outfits look quite impressive."
"So it's our own team after all!"
"Go, Heavenly Dou Team!"
Amid the enthusiastic cheers from the crowd, Li Xun and the others flashed confident smiles. Against this backdrop, their team uniforms seemed to enhance their individual charisma even more.
Li Xun had put a lot of effort into designing this team uniform to make it sellable. It not only incorporated the characteristics of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's Hanfu, but also featured extensive gold thread embellishments on the collar, cuffs, and chest area.
All of this was done to make the uniform appear more high-end.
Of course, this gold-threaded, handcrafted version was a premium edition, affordable only to nobles and wealthy merchants. For ordinary families, Li Xun prepared a dyed, standard version.
Both versions of the team uniform were now being produced continuously at the textile factory under the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. By the time the competition ended, the first batch of uniforms would likely arrive at the Soul Arena entrance, along with some exquisite figurines.
Just as Li Xun and his team were about to enter the arena, a commotion suddenly erupted behind them.
"What the hell, which school is this? They couldn't even bother to design a proper team uniform for such a major event. They're just embarrassing themselves in front of everyone."
A hot-tempered guy spat in disgust.