Chapter 315: Shrek's Reputation Takes Another Hit—Students Begin to Leave
"Oh? Child, tell me your thoughts."
Kong Deming became interested. He glanced toward Zhang Lexuan, wanting to hear what she had in mind.
"Grandpa, you've never stayed at Shrek Academy, so you don't know how corrupt and domineering Shrek truly is."
"I used to be the eldest senior sister of Shrek's inner academy. Although my heart was completely devoted to Shrek back then, I still knew quite a bit about its corruption and tyranny."
"We can use the Empire to spread these things and let people across the continent know about them."
"Xuan Zi's foolish decision has already brought Shrek to the point where everyone is condemning it."
"If we spread these stories now, the people will be even more inclined to believe us. Even if we exaggerate certain details, they won't be too suspicious."
"If we succeed, it will deal Shrek an extremely heavy blow."
Zhang Lexuan slowly explained her plan.
When she had been the eldest senior sister of the inner academy, she naturally hadn't noticed Shrek's corruption.
But now that she had fallen into darkness, Zhang Lexuan could recall every little detail from her time at Shrek and find a hundred faults with the academy.
"Child, it seems you've grown quite a lot."
Kong Deming was deeply gratified.
Over the following days, Zhang Lexuan used the resources of the new Spirit Empire to begin spreading stories about Shrek's corruption and tyranny.
For example, the reason a certain teacher in the outer academy had such a high advancement rate was entirely because he expelled underperforming students to improve his class's statistics.
Another example involved an inner academy student who had suffered cultivation deviation and directly attacked an outer academy student, leaving them seriously injured.
Yet instead of providing adequate compensation, Shrek Academy had domineeringly ordered the students to keep the incident hidden.
And so on.
One scandal after another was slowly spread throughout the continent by Zhang Lexuan through the intelligence network of the new Spirit Empire.
From old men gossiping at village entrances to storytellers in small cities…
Zhang Lexuan used every method available to her.
Her only goal was to completely ruin Shrek's reputation.
"Damn, have you guys heard about what happened at Shrek Academy?"
"Of course! I never imagined Shrek Academy could be so dark and corrupt. I really was blind before to think Shrek was the number-one academy on the continent."
"Come to think of it, those underperforming students Shrek expelled seem to be doing pretty well at other academies. Some of them are even beginning to show their talents. Looks like Shrek Academy really does ruin its students."
Word spread from person to person.
After several days, Shrek's already deteriorating reputation was utterly devastated.
The rumors even began spreading among the students of Shrek's outer academy.
"Shrek Academy is disgusting. I, Xiao Xiao, am dropping out!"
A petite, adorable girl with green hair tied into twin ponytails made up her mind.
She didn't want to remain at Shrek Academy anymore.
The massive explosion in Shrek City a few days ago had nearly scared the soul out of her.
Now, after hearing about the academy's hidden scandals, Xiao Xiao's perception of the legendary academy had changed completely from admiration to fear.
Xiao Xiao wasn't the only one who wanted to leave.
Many students in the outer academy had also begun considering leaving Shrek.
"Young Master Wu, I, Jiang Nannan, will definitely find you."
Elsewhere, an extraordinarily beautiful woman dressed in a pink-and-white gown silently made a vow.
She didn't want to remain at Shrek Academy either.
Her soul power had already approached Rank 40. With her own strength, she no longer needed to remain enrolled in an academy to cultivate.
Moreover, the evil soul masters had now been almost completely eradicated by the new Spirit Empire.
Jiang Nannan planned to leave Shrek Academy and search the entire continent for Young Master Wu, who had previously defected from Shrek.
Only now did Jiang Nannan understand why Young Master Wu had defected from Shrek Academy.
"Young Master Wu, you were right!"
At the same time, Huo Yuhao, the former Son of Destiny of Douluo Continent, had also begun considering leaving Shrek Academy.
"Tianmeng, do you think I should leave Shrek Academy?"
"I don't feel like my cultivation has improved much here. Since entering the academy, I've only advanced by one or two levels."
"I can't see any future for myself here. Tianmeng, what do you think? Should I start learning soul engineering first? I feel like I might have some talent in that area."
Huo Yuhao communicated with the Tianmeng Iceworm inside his spiritual sea through his thoughts.
When it came to martial soul cultivation, he couldn't see any hope at all.
After entering Shrek Academy, his daily training consisted of things like running and other physical exercises.
Not only were the results mediocre, but it also wasted the time he could have spent meditating and cultivating.
Someone like him, whose talent wasn't particularly good and who had entered Shrek through a Tang Sect admission quota, received almost no resources.
In the evenings, he even had to sell grilled fish at Shrek Academy to afford his daily meals.
This was completely different from the cultivation life he had imagined.
"Yuhao, don't be impatient. Martial soul cultivation is the most important thing. Soul tools and such are ultimately external objects. You're a man destined to become a god. How can you simply give up?"
"When you break through rank 20, I'll give you an incredible opportunity. By then, you'll become one of the most outstanding geniuses in the world."
"At that point, Shrek Academy will definitely give you the best possible training. For now, all you need to do is cultivate hard."
After listening to the Tianmeng Iceworm's advice, Huo Yuhao temporarily put the thought out of his mind.
"All right. I'll work hard and cultivate to rank 20."
His eyes were filled with unprecedented determination.
For the sake of taking revenge on the Duke's Mansion, he had to give everything he had.
From this day onward, he would push his body even harder and squeeze out every possible moment for cultivation.
After several days of searching by both Shrek Academy and the Clear Sky Sect, Tai Tan and Niu Tian finally found some clues regarding Wang Dong'er's whereabouts.
"Nine Treasure City. Xiao Qi, Big Daddy finally found you. You ran off to have fun and didn't even think to send a message to your Big Daddy and Second Daddy."
"Big Brother, then let's go to Nine Treasure City and bring Xiao Qi back."
"All right."
Niu Tian and Tai Tan immediately set off toward Nine Treasure City.
After traveling for quite some time, Niu Tian and Tai Tan finally arrived in Nine Treasure City.
"So this is Nine Treasure City? Big Brother, this place is much more prosperous than Shrek City."
"By the way, Big Brother, I heard the pills from the Pill Hall are extremely effective. We can buy some here and take them back for Xiao Qi. That way, her cultivation will improve faster."
The moment they entered Nine Treasure City, Tai Tan began chattering excitedly.
"Second Brother, I have a feeling that Xiao Qi might not be willing to come back with us."
A thought suddenly occurred to Niu Tian.
"However, Young Master Wu kidnapped our Xiao Qi. When we get there, I'm definitely going to teach him a good lesson."
As he chatted with Tai Tan, Niu Tian quickly sensed Wang Dong'er's aura somewhere in Nine Treasure City.
"It's Xiao Qi!"
Niu Tian excitedly led Tai Tan toward Wang Dong'er's location.
Before long, he saw his precious daughter, Wang Dong'er.
But when his gaze shifted to the person standing beside her, his pupils suddenly contracted.
End of Chapter
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