Meanwhile, Chen Xin used the lull to hurry straight back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
He brought Ning Fengzhi a piece of good news.
Lin Yuan's message was simple: for Ning Rongrong's sake, their Sect could relocate next to Canglan Academy.
However, unless the School itself faced utter annihilation, he would not lift a finger to save them.
Moreover, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School must never exploit his name to overstep its bounds… At the same time,
the Clear Sky Sect—once the undisputed number-one Sect—was now steeped in the desolate air of a setting sun.
One day, two days, three… time trickled past, yet Tang Chen, Tang Hao, and the Five Great Elders who had gone to Spirit Hall for an explanation had vanished like stones dropped into the sea—no word whatsoever.
Panic spread through the Sect like a plague.
"Still not back…"
Tang San stood on a cliff, staring toward Spirit Hall, his face frighteningly dark.
"Father… Great-Grandfather…"
"Have… you really fallen?"
Behind him, Yu Xiaogang stood with hands clasped, brows locked tight.
"Little San, we can't wait any longer."
Yu Xiaogang's voice was hoarse and urgent. "If even you perish here, the Clear Sky Sect is truly finished."
"We have to leave!"
"Leave this place, live in obscurity, and bide our time for a comeback!"
Tang San spun around, eyes blazing with reluctance and defiance.
"Leave? Go where?"
"This is my home! Father and the others still aren't back—how can I go?"
"This is a strategic retreat!"
Yu Xiaogang stamped in frustration.
"While the green hills last, there'll always be firewood to burn!"
"As for where…"
Flender adjusted his spectacles, a glint flashing in his eyes.
"Xiaogang, we can head for Heaven Dou City!"
Yu Xiaogang assumed Flender meant Heaven Dou Royal Academy—after all, Emperor Xue Ye had already issued an imperial decree.
Anyone on the roll who wished to serve the Empire would receive generous rewards.
"Agreed!"
Without delay, Yu Xiaogang led the original Shrek group toward Heaven Dou City.
They had no idea why Spirit Hall hadn't sent forces to wipe them out; perhaps Tang Chen and the others were still alive, or perhaps Spirit Hall had more pressing matters… On another front,
Spirit Hall's actions caught everyone off guard.
Instead of pursuing victory and exterminating the Clear Sky Sect's remnants, High Priest Qian Daoliu personally led a grand procession, bearing lavish gifts, toward the mysterious Canglan Academy!
At the foot of Canglan Mountain.
The instant Qian Daoliu, Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, and several other Titled Douluo stepped within the mountain gate's range,
a hair-raising evil aura locked onto them!
"Roar!!!"
A tiger's roar shook the forest.
A massive black tiger with wings on its back and a scorpion-hook tail lounged atop a boulder beside the gate.
It glanced at the uninvited guests, yawned, and revealed rows of white fangs.
"This… this is…"
Gold Crocodile Douluo's eyes bulged, his voice stammering.
"The Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger?!"
Qian Daoliu's heart pounded wildly.
This notorious heavenly screen beast, possessor of twin Domains and the Evil God's legacy, was actually standing gatekeeper for Lin Yuan?!
And with its lazy demeanor, where was the ferocity of a beast famed for carnage? It looked exactly like a pampered house-cat!
"Such is the dignity of a god…"
Bibi Dong stared at the tiger, the last shred of her pride crumbling away.
If even such a beast could only guard the gate, what was she—a so-called Quasi-God (no longer)—worth?
"Why linger outside? Come in."
Lin Yuan's calm voice pierced space and rang in everyone's ears.
Hearing its master, the Dark Demonic Evil God Tiger instantly withdrew its pressure, lay down obediently, and even wagged its tail ingratiatingly.
Only then did the group tread cautiously into the academy.
In a hillside pavilion behind the school.
Lin Yuan reclined on his familiar rocking chair; behind him stood Xiao Wu, A Rou, and the others.
The moment she saw Bibi Dong walk in, Xiao Wu's eyes flamed with rage, but A Rou gently pressed her hand.
Qian Daoliu stepped forward, adopting an extremely humble posture.
"Senior Lin Yuan."
"We come today first to resolve old grievances, and second to ask a favor."
With a wave of his hand,
several exquisite brocade boxes flew out; opened, they revealed Spirit Bones glowing with flowing light!
These had burst from the bodies of the Clear Sky Sect Elders and were of the highest quality.
"These are tokens of our goodwill."
"We hope they can dispel the misgivings in Xiao Wu's mother's heart."
Bibi Dong, too, drew a deep breath; reluctantly, she lowered her head slightly.
"Back then, our positions opposed each other, and I was undergoing the Rakshasa God Trials; I had to hunt a 100,000-Year Spirit Beast."
"Now that A Rou has been revived, these Spirit Bones serve as compensation to close this karmic debt."
A Rou gazed at the Spirit Bones, then at Xiao Wu whose face brimmed with resentment, and a complicated look flashed in her eyes.
She was a gentle soul, and above all a mother.
She knew that if the hatred continued, Xiao Wu would live for revenge—cultivating for vengeance was no path to lasting happiness.
A Rou sighed softly and patted Xiao Wu's hand.
"Xiao Wu, let it go."
"Your mother is alive again—that matters more than anything."
"Feuds beget feuds without end; as long as you live well, Mother will be content."
Xiao Wu's eyes reddened; unwilling yet unable to defy her mother's pleading gaze, she finally nodded and buried her head in A Rou's embrace.
Thus the grudge was temporarily set aside.
Seeing this, Qian Daoliu was overjoyed.
He quickly pulled Qian Renxue forward.
"Senior, the second matter concerns Xiao-Xue."
"Though she has some cultivation, her grasp of Spirits is far inferior to yours."
"This junior presumptuously begs you to accept Xiao-Xue as your disciple!"
Qian Renxue stepped up at once and respectfully performed the grand salute.
"Qian Renxue beseeches Senior to take me as a disciple!"
She lifted her head; within those golden eyes burned fervent longing.
Having witnessed Lin Yuan's methods, she realized how laughable her former pride had been.
Lin Yuan glanced at Qian Renxue.
A Twelve-Winged Seraph, innately at the twentieth rank of spirit power—the future Angel God.
One could not ask for better talent.
Besides, if he groomed the future Angel God into a god, the system's feedback ought to be explosive, right?
Lin Yuan calculated quietly.
Though he was already a god, who ever complained of being too strong?
A mosquito is still meat, and this one was a whole drumstick.
"Fine."
Lin Yuan nodded, tone casual.
"Since A Rou no longer bears a grudge, I'll accept you as a disciple."
"You don't need to stay in the academy all the time; go about your business and come ask when you're puzzled."
Qian Daoliu and Qian Renxue were elated!
Success!
They'd latched onto a golden thigh!
"Thank you, Teacher!" Qian Renxue exclaimed, switching forms of address in her excitement.
"Since you've called me teacher, I can't let you return empty-handed."
(End of Chapter)
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