Shrek Academy's Hollow Reputation

Jiang Qingtong kept watching the two figures until they vanished into the thin mist over Sea God Lake and could no longer be seen. Only then did she withdraw her gaze.

Song Lao followed Jiang Qingtong's gaze, then gave Zhuang Lao a meaningful look. Afterward, she led the other Venerable Elders and teachers back into the depths of Sea God Lake.

Zhuang Lao stayed behind. He beckoned to Jiang Qingtong and said, "Come on, little girl. Keep this old man company while I take a stroll."

Jiang Qingtong quipped, "Every time, you're the one comforting me. You really are tireless."

"When one gets old, one naturally wants to contribute more to the academy!" Zhuang Lao smiled, still in the mood to joke as he walked forward with his hands behind his back.

"You're a Healing Type Super Douluo! If even you admit you're old, how are everyone else supposed to feel?" Jiang Qingtong followed his pace, talking as they walked.

"May Zhuang Lao live a thousand years!"

Hearing Jiang Qingtong's flattering blessing, Zhuang Lao smiled and tapped her on the head. "You sweet-talking little girl! You're far more interesting than those bratty boys in the Inner Court! Those boys would love nothing more than to annoy me to death."

Jiang Qingtong smiled and went along with Zhuang Lao. Meanwhile, Cai Meier took Ma Xiaotao back to the Inner Court and settled her in her own room. Song Lao and Xian Lin'er arrived shortly afterward as well.

"How is Xiaotao?" Song Lao asked.

"She still hasn't woken up."

Cai Meier shook her head and asked, "Song Lao, do you think Qing Tong noticed Xiaotao's condition?"

After thinking for a moment, Song Lao still shook her head uncertainly. "There's no way to know. The Sun Moon Empire has no records of a martial soul like the Evil Fire Phoenix, but we can't be sure Jiang Qingtong doesn't know about it."

"Isn't Zhuang Lao comforting her? With his abilities, he should be able to calm her down. Even if she knows something, she won't go around talking about it," Xian Lin'er said to Song Lao from the side.

Ever since Jiang Qingtong had lent her a Rank Nine Soul Tool for research, she had regarded Jiang Qingtong as a great benefactor of the Soul Tool Department. So long as Jiang Qingtong did not truly violate the academy's principles, Xian Lin'er would largely stand on her side.

"One Rank Nine Soul Tool bought you over? How pathetic!" Song Lao snorted and shot Xian Lin'er a sidelong glance.

Xian Lin'er chuckled. "What else could I do? Our Shrek Academy doesn't even have a single Rank Nine Soul Tool. This is a huge gift delivered right to our door. How could I not treat her better?"

The Soul Tool Department of Shrek Academy had it rough!

They had begun thousands of years behind, and with the Sun Moon Empire tightly restricting soul tool technology, it had already been no easy feat for them to develop Rank Eight Soul Tools on their own.

Song Lao also understood the Soul Tool Department's predicament. They did not possess the Sun Moon Empire's deep technological foundation, and everything had to be explored step by step. A Rank Nine Soul Tool could indeed bring them tremendous help.

As for whether this could allow Shrek Academy's technology to surpass that of the Sun Moon Empire, Jiang Qingtong could only say they were dreaming.

The Sun Moon Empire understood the advantages of technological superiority all too well. Their lead in soul tool technology was comprehensive; it would not be changed by a single Rank Nine Soul Tool.

Shrek Academy would need at least ten years merely to fully understand the Rank Nine Soul Tool Jiang Qingtong had provided, and it was not as though she intended to lend it to them forever.

In such a short time, even if Xian Lin'er gained some inspiration from it, it would not amount to much.

While the people in the room discussed Jiang Qingtong and Ma Xiaotao's situation, Yan Shaozhe hurried in from outside and asked, "I just returned to the academy and heard that something happened to Xiaotao. What happened?"

Song Lao recounted what had just occurred to Yan Shaozhe.

After listening, Yan Shaozhe's gaze darkened slightly. "Is that girl from the Sun Moon Empire really not a problem?"

Xian Lin'er said to Yan Shaozhe, "Dean Yan, don't refer to Qing Tong like that. Mu En personally named you and Dean Cai to teach her! Strictly speaking, she's Xiaotao's junior sister too."

"Where is she?" Yan Shaozhe asked with a frown.

Song Lao said, "Zhuang Lao is with her. I'll have him bring her here right away."

Cai Meier looked at the somewhat weary Yan Shaozhe, walked over, and asked, "What did the Star Luo Empire say about this trip?"

Yan Shaozhe sighed. "The Star Luo Empire has decided to purge the Soul Hall organizations within its borders. No one knows where this organization came from, but I heard they've already gathered a large number of low-ranked soul masters and innocent civilians."

Although the officials of all three great empires were investigating the Soul Hall, the Star Luo Empire was more powerful than both the Heaven Dou Empire and the Dou Ling Empire, and it had uncovered more clues.

After gaining a certain understanding of the Soul Hall's branch halls, the Star Luo Empire officials eagerly invited Shrek Academy to discuss the matter together. Yan Shaozhe attended the meeting in Star Luo City as the academy's representative.

Besides Shrek Academy, quite a few soul master clans from within the Star Luo Empire attended the meeting. They all strongly demanded that Shrek Academy assist in wiping out the Soul Hall.

However, even Shrek Academy could not say that the Soul Hall's actions were wrong. They could hardly declare that allowing all commoners to undergo Martial Soul Awakening was unacceptable, could they?

If they did, Shrek Academy would be openly placing itself in opposition to ordinary people.

Thus, while Yan Shaozhe attended, it did not mean the academy had taken a stance. Nor did the Star Luo Empire officials expect him to truly intervene and help. All they needed was Shrek Academy's endorsement.

They needed to ensure that Shrek Academy would not aid the Soul Hall because of what it was doing.

As for eliminating the Soul Hall, they could handle that themselves.

The Star Luo Empire had named this operation the Soul Hunting Operation. They intended to thoroughly destroy the Soul Hall's branch halls within their territory.

To avoid alerting the enemy, the operation would be carried out in secret.

"The Soul Hall's actions remind me of the Spirit Hall from ten thousand years ago." Cai Meier frowned as she spoke to Yan Shaozhe.

Yan Shaozhe immediately shook his head in denial. "Impossible! With Shrek Academy here, there will absolutely never be another evil force like the Spirit Hall on the continent!"

"Actually, having the Soul Hall around might not be a bad thing," Xian Lin'er suddenly said.

Yan Shaozhe and Cai Meier both looked at her.

Xian Lin'er said, "Isn't it a good thing that they're performing Martial Soul Awakening for ordinary people?"

"Something this abnormal must have an ulterior motive. Who knows what the Soul Hall is planning?" Cai Meier said coldly, her brows faintly furrowed.

Yan Shaozhe also said to Xian Lin'er, "Even Shrek Academy does not perform Martial Soul Awakening for everyone free of charge. The resources it would consume are too great, and there are too many people and matters involved! The three great empires would never allow it either."

Xian Lin'er fell silent. At that moment, Song Lao and Zhuang Lao entered with Jiang Qingtong.