After Yan Shaozhe was knocked unconscious and taken away, Zhang Lexuan also had to take her leave.
As the three walked to the open space outside the courtyard, Zhang Lexuan retrieved a red token from the storage jade bracelet on her fair wrist and placed it into Xu Tianxi's hand, her expression solemn:
"Tianxi, this token represents my identity as an inner court disciple of Shrek Academy. Keep it safe; it might be useful to you in the future."
Today, besides attending Sister Xiyue's final farewell, she had also considered bringing Xu Tianxi back to Shrek's inner court. Now that she had become a Soul Douluo, she had enough energy to take care of Xu Tianxi and perhaps even let him grow alongside Beibei.
But plans can't keep up with changes. Dean Yan's attitude was too excessive, inciting the wrath of the Xuanming Ancestor. She could no longer voice these thoughts.
She hoped that Tianxi wouldn't harbor resentment toward Shrek in the future. Although the academy's leadership might not have the best character, their strength was undeniable...
Xu Tianxi nodded and replied, "Okay."
Zhang Lexuan smiled, affectionately touched Xu Tianxi's youthful forehead, bid farewell to Xu Xiaoyun, and then flew out of the Xuanming Sect.
Not long after, she found Yan Shaozhe lying unconscious on the ground like a dead dog. A strange expression appeared on her fair and translucent face.
Dean Yan had led a smooth life, but today he suffered a great humiliation. Who knows if he would be able to handle it.
His martial spirit was the Bright Phoenix, but he always lacked magnanimity. He might seek revenge. She needed to explain the cause and effect to Elder Mu to ensure he would restrain Dean Yan.
Fortunately... Shrek still had Elder Mu, who understood reason...
On the other side, Xu Tianxi wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, slowly exhaled, and his chest heaved.
Slapping someone in the face was exhilarating, but upon calming down, the experience was a bit too intense.
Slapping a Super Douluo before even awakening his martial spirit—this achievement should be unique, right?
Oh, wait, he forgot about that Death God Envoy. With just a Soul King level, he took down a group of Shrek inner court disciples and escaped from a level 98 Super Douluo. That guy's record was even more impressive.
Just as Xu Tianxi was reflecting, a strong and powerful hand rested on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Xu Xiaoyun had returned to his elderly appearance, smiling kindly without a trace of his earlier fierceness.
"Well, Tianxi, after slapping that scoundrel a few times, do you feel better?"
Xu Tianxi nodded. Slapping someone was the simplest way to achieve the greatest satisfaction. All his pent-up frustration was vented on Yan Shaozhe's old face.
Xu Xiaoyun's smile widened, then his tone changed, expressing some regret:
"But now, you won't be able to go to Shrek to train like your second brother. You'll have to stay in the sect for the next few years. Although I don't like that place, it does have excellent training conditions and the best peers."
Xu Tianxi knew that the second brother referred to Xu Sanshi, who was three years older and had entered Shrek last year at a very young age.
However, this had little to do with him. Currently, he felt almost nothing for Xu Sanshi but had strong feelings about Shrek—full of malice.
So, facing Xu Xiaoyun's gentle gaze, Xu Tianxi shook his head and cursed fiercely:
"Shrek Academy's dean is just so-so. If you, Master Ancestor, are willing to teach me, you'll definitely be better than him! And the people from Shrek... Aunt Xuan is okay, but Yan Shaozhe is too shameless, and the one who caused my mother's death is even more of a bastard!"
In short: both deserve to die.
"Haha... you're right. Your Master Ancestor's skills are much greater than that scoundrel's! They may be the continent's number one academy, but our Xuanming Sect is also a top hidden sect. That wretched place is enough for your second brother to go to!"
Xu Xiaoyun laughed heartily, patted Xu Tianxi's shoulder, and said warmly:
"In half a month, you'll awaken your martial spirit. Rest well during this time, and don't dwell too much on your mother's matter. We will seek justice from Shrek eventually."
With that, he summoned Chen Wu and Yue Lao, who had been sent away earlier, gave them a few instructions, and then left swiftly.
Xu Tianxi watched him stride away, his gaze changing slightly. Suddenly, he shouted, "Master Ancestor, what if Shrek comes looking for trouble?"
"Don't worry, little guy. Shrek has taken many benefits from us over the years. There are still clear-headed people in the Sea God Pavilion. As long as I'm alive, they won't dare!"
Xu Xiaoyun responded energetically and soon disappeared from their sight.
"Third Young Master, what should we do now?" Chen Wu asked somewhat cluelessly.
Xu Tianxi glanced at Chen Wu and replied without hesitation, "Sleep. I'm a bit tired."
This transmigration thing was still too surreal; it was hard to accept all at once.
But since he was here, he might as well sleep first.
...
At night, in the Xuanming Sect's mourning hall, Xu Xiaoyun entered silently, his expression sorrowful as he looked at the woman lying quietly among the wreaths. He clenched his right fist, then stepped forward to pull up a middle-aged man meditating in front of the wreath, giving him a look.
The Xuanwu Displacement activated silently, and the two traversed space in a black light, arriving in a secret chamber.
The middle-aged man appeared to be in his early thirties, with thick eyebrows, tiger eyes, a straight nose, and square mouth. Dressed in black mourning clothes, he still looked somewhat at a loss. After a few seconds, he asked,
"Great-grandfather, what's the matter? Why did you bring me here at this time?"
Xu Xiaoyun's eyes were sharp and bright as he said,
"Seeking you now is not for a small matter but a significant one. I must tell you, the current head of the Xu family."
Xu Fuxi, father of Xu Tianxi and Xu Sanshi, and the current head of the Xu family, looked even more puzzled and quickly waved his hand:
"Great-grandfather, everyone in the family knows that I'm just a figurehead running errands. The elders' council, led by you, are the real decision-makers."
Xu Xiaoyun shook his head and said calmly:
"Don't belittle yourself. Although your talent isn't as great as your senior brother's, it's still exceptional. You have hope of reaching my level in the future. My time is limited, and eventually, the Xuanming Sect will rely on you and your senior brother."
"Moreover, this matter concerns you greatly, and you must listen."
Xu Fuxi straightened his expression, cupped his fists, and replied, "Grandson will follow Great-grandfather's teachings!"
His cultivation was personally taught by his great-grandfather, and he addressed his great-grandfather's two disciples as senior and junior sisters. Compared to other Xuanming Sect disciples, he held deeper respect for Xu Xiaoyun.
Xu Xiaoyun nodded and said calmly:
"The matter is simple. I plan to send your and your junior sister's child, Tianxi, to the Sun and Moon Empire for training in a few years. What do you think?"
"Ah?" Xu Fuxi opened his mouth in surprise.
"Also, for the next few years, you must go into seclusion and not concern yourself with external affairs. I will announce to the public that you are in seclusion with me, creating the impression that Tianxi is motherless and has no relatives, so outsiders will think he has a poor relationship with our Xuanming Sect and won't worry about investing in him being ungrateful."
"The first reason is for the continuation of our Xuanming Sect. You know your junior sister's background—she was a branch of the royal family exiled by the former emperor of the Sun and Moon Empire."
"Tianxi has a special identity, and now that he's struck the Dean of Shrek, combined with the fact that the entire former royal family is now dead, if he goes to the Sun and Moon Empire, he will be able to gain the trust and support of their top leadership."
"The second reason is that I, personally, must settle accounts with Shrek Academy. Back then, I personally took your junior sister to Shrek City. Mu En promised me he would take good care of her. Over the years, our Xuanming Sect has done much to support the development of Shrek City—yet this is the outcome. I truly cannot swallow this injustice."
"And that Yan Shaozhe—he bullied Tianxi right in front of me today. Worse yet, to defend that old beast Xuanzi, he blamed your junior sister for what happened. This is outrageous. Truly outrageous!"
With a crack, Xu Xiaoyun's palm slammed down hard, instantly shattering a bonsai tree into pieces.
Xu Fuxi, always sharp, nodded in agreement, his eyes gleaming with excitement as if suddenly enlightened, and asked:
"So you're going to do the same thing you did when you sent Senior Brother to the Star Luo Royal Soul Master Academy to take revenge on the Heavenly Soul Empire, and when you sent Junior Sister to Shrek Academy to retaliate against the Sun and Moon Empire—now you're sending Tianxi to the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, to take revenge on Shrek?"
"Exactly! Since Shrek has acted without righteousness, don't blame me for abandoning virtue!"
Xu Xiaoyun's eyes surged with dark light, his fury growing wildly.
This afternoon, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. The more he thought, the more he felt that Shrek got off too easy.
Just like Tianxi said: Mu En's disciple only lost face—his own disciple had truly died!
The culprit, Xuanzi, was still living carefree at Shrek, drinking and feasting, and even stood to inherit the Sea God Pavilion Master's position. The blood debt he was owed seemed impossible to recover.
He himself, limited by family responsibilities, couldn't act recklessly—but Xu Tianxi could. If Tianxi went to the Sun and Moon Empire, he would have his chance.
Thinking of the faces of Xuanzi and Yan Shaozhe, Xu Xiaoyun's eyes grew cold, and his long white beard seemed to whip up a chill as he declared fiercely:
"Hmph! Even Long Xiaoyao has sided with the Sun and Moon Empire. What does our Xuanming Sect have to fear?"
"I say the three Douluo nations are doomed sooner or later! Instead of bowing to the Sun and Moon Empire in the future, we might as well bet on them now!"
"What did you say? Long Xiaoyao?! That Dark Holy Dragon from your generation—he's sided with the Sun and Moon Empire? H-how is that possible?!"
Xu Fuxi was shocked by Xu Xiaoyun's words, his mind buzzing, speaking almost incoherently from astonishment, his expression wildly animated.
The name Long Xiaoyao was ancient—an old relic from over two centuries ago. In his youth, he was renowned alongside Mu En, the current Sea God Pavilion Master. But he'd vanished more than a hundred years ago. Xu Fuxi had only ever heard stories of him from his great-grandfather's tales.
Now, his great-grandfather was saying that not only was Long Xiaoyao not dead—he had quietly joined the Sun and Moon Empire?!
A being possibly equal in strength to the Sea God Pavilion Master had already joined the Sun and Moon Empire? Was their Xuanming Sect already late in placing their bet?
"Yes, that guy," Xu Xiaoyun nodded, recalling the past. A deeply hidden trace of dread and loathing passed through his eyes as he continued:
"I heard the Sun and Moon Empire had a palace coup recently. The entire former royal family was wiped out. I was curious and went to take a look. I noticed some strange clues, but just as I began to investigate, Long Xiaoyao appeared and stopped me—we even exchanged a couple of moves."
"We hadn't seen each other in over a hundred years. He is now a Limit Douluo. Unless I'm fighting at sea, I don't stand a chance against him—at best, I can defend myself."
"Mu En of Shrek is already a cripple. He doesn't have many years left. Once he's gone, the three Douluo nations will have no one left who can stop Long Xiaoyao."
"If I were the emperor of the Sun and Moon Empire, I would definitely launch a war after Mu En's death and before Long Xiaoyao's, seizing that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conquer the three nations and unify the continent."
"The last emperor of the Sun and Moon Empire was a coward. He was suppressed by the Star Luo Empire and didn't even dare to fight back. He insisted on peace talks and even exiled all the hawkish military officers, completely losing the people's support. But this new emperor is very different."
"In recent years, I've clearly noticed the Sun and Moon Empire's military strength rapidly growing. They've even developed soul tools powerful enough to threaten my life. Given time, the aging and complacent Douluo nations won't stand a chance against them—not even with Shrek."
"Since the outcome is already determined, for the sake of preserving our legacy, our Xuanming Sect must make a choice."
"But Grandfather, we…"