Completion Ceremony (Part 1)

For the completion ceremony of the Lin Family's Five Elements Academy, Lin Feng had invitations sent to every major power on the continent, including the Star Luo Empire, its affiliated forces, and Spirit Hall. His purpose was simple: advertising. He wanted everyone to know, to spread the news across the entire continent. Never mind forces from the Star Luo Empire—even if it were a pig from the Star Luo Empire, as long as it could promote them positively, Lin Feng had no intention of letting it go.

On the day of the completion ceremony, the Lin Family had arranged many people at every position to receive and guide the guests, making the event as grand as possible. Regardless of whether anything happened during the banquet, they had to display thorough etiquette and an imposing presence.

The guests arriving today were basically all so-called important figures, so the main hosts welcoming them were Lin Lan, Dugu Bo, and Lin Qi, a Spirit Saint-level elder of the Lin Family. Lin Lan was the chief dean, Dugu Bo the vice dean, and Lin Qi the Academic Director. The three represented the academy's upper ranks in welcoming the various factions. Spirit Saint-level forces were received by Lin Qi, Soul Douluo-level forces by Lin Lan, and forces with Titled Douluo by Dugu Bo. Hua Jieyu could not be bothered with this sort of occasion and did not attend today. Lin Feng, meanwhile, led a group of juniors around to observe things, filling in wherever help was needed. But in his father's words, it became "a bunch of street loafers led by Lin Feng wandering around aimlessly."

Today, Lin Lan did not conceal the aura of a Soul Douluo. He even deliberately released it. Lin Lan and Hua Jieyu had always been known for their formidable combat strength, capable of fighting opponents with higher soul ring configurations. The couple also possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. Now that Lin Lan had broken through to Soul Douluo, once the news spread, it would serve as a show of strength.

The first to arrive was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Ning Fengzhi came with Bone Douluo and Ning Rongrong. Lin Lan and Dugu Bo stepped forward to receive them. Seeing Lin Lan's Soul Douluo aura and Dugu Bo, whose appearance had changed drastically and whose aura had become even more profound and dangerous, the trio from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was thoroughly shocked. By comparison, Lin Lan's breakthrough to Soul Douluo was perhaps not quite as astonishing, since he and Hua Jieyu had long been known as geniuses. But Dugu Bo's strength, which made even Bone Douluo sense danger, was what truly shocked the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Ning Fengzhi greeted them with a smile. "Congratulations to Dean Lin and Your Excellency Dugu. Congratulations on your greatly increased strength!"

Lin Lan replied with a smile, "Sect Master Ning, you are too kind. Welcome, Sect Master Ning, and welcome to the two Your Excellencies. Five Elements Academy is deeply grateful!" Dugu Bo also nodded in response to Ning Fengzhi.

Bone Douluo spoke directly. "Old Poison, I heard you gave Ju Hua Guan and that old ghost a beating. How about it? When you have time, shall we spar as well?"

How could Dugu Bo not know that they wanted to test his strength? It was only because the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had always been on good terms with the Lin Family that they arranged to fight another day. Of course, seeing the fighting spirit in Bone Douluo's eyes, the old fellow was probably genuinely itching for a fight as well. "Sure. Once we finish dealing with the academy's opening ceremony in the next few days, I'll come find you at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

Ning Fengzhi added from the side, "Haha, it is rare for Your Excellency Dugu and Uncle Bone to be in such a mood. Would we be permitted to watch from the sidelines when the time comes?"

Knowing that Ning Fengzhi was not asking Bone Douluo, Dugu Bo answered, "No problem. Later, I'll ask whether Feng'er and Yan Yan want to watch a battle between Titled Douluo. If they do, I'll bring them along to your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

Ning Fengzhi said, "Then Ning shall await you at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. By the way, to congratulate Five Elements Academy on its official completion, Ning has brought a small gift. Please do not dislike it." As he spoke, he handed a Soul Tool to Lin Lan. Lin Lan accepted the Soul Tool and swept his senses through it. Whoa, how generous. Ning Fengzhi had directly gifted one hundred million Gold Soul Coins. As expected of a sect so poor that all it had left was money. Once the academy began operations, it would indeed require a large amount of funding. Although the Lin Family's businesses were also highly profitable, these one hundred million Gold Soul Coins made things much easier.

Lin Lan said, "Many thanks, Sect Master Ning. Please proceed to the lounge and rest first." Lin Lan led Ning Fengzhi and the two Douluo into the lounge. As for Ning Rongrong, she had just spotted that group of "street loafers," then ran off with them.

The next to arrive was Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, accompanied by the three councilors of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Lin Lan stepped forward to receive them again, but Dugu Bo did not come this time. After all, he was a Titled Douluo. A crown prince of a nation and three Soul Douluo were indeed not qualified to have him personally receive them.

Lin Lan spoke first. "Thank you for coming, Your Highness the Crown Prince. Welcome, Your Highness. Welcome, three councilors!"

Xue Qinghe said, "Dean Lin, you are too polite. Since Dean Lin's family has established an academy to provide talent for the empire, it should be I, on behalf of the imperial family, who thanks Dean Lin. I wish Five Elements Academy a future filled with outstanding students! This is a congratulatory gift Father asked me to bring to Dean Lin, to celebrate the official completion of Five Elements Academy." Xue Qinghe did not put on airs as a member of the imperial family before Lin Lan, nor did he mention Lin Lan's status as a Count. Instead, he addressed him as Dean Lin, fully displaying the Crown Prince's approachable manner. Watching from afar, Lin Feng silently praised Qian Renxue's "performance." He signaled a greeting to Xue Qinghe from afar without approaching, and Xue Qinghe responded with a look. Xue Qinghe had visited the clinic many times over the past few years and was fairly "familiar" with Lin Feng, so there was no need for excessive formality.

Lin Lan accepted the gift. "Many thanks, Your Majesty. Many thanks, Your Highness the Crown Prince. Five Elements Academy will certainly work hard to provide talent for the empire in the future."

Since the three councilors had come with the Crown Prince, they did not say anything separately, but they also expressed goodwill toward Lin Lan. They did not feel that Five Elements Academy was creating another rival for Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Their character was much as described in the original work—upright and steady.

After sending the four into the lounge, Prince Xue Xing arrived with the Fourth Prince, Xue Beng. After some pleasantries, Lin Lan sent them into another lounge. Lin Feng could not understand it either. Were the Crown Prince's faction and the Prince's faction really so openly at odds? The imperial family had arrived in two separate groups, and wasn't Xue Beng supposed to be pretending to be a wastrel? What was he doing here? Besides, Qian Renxue had two Titled Douluo guards at her side. Had she never discovered that Xue Beng was only pretending? That could only mean that while this Fourth Prince was said to be acting like a wastrel, he had not done any fewer of the filthy things a wastrel would do.

Next, people from the Four Elements Academy arrived one after another. Each academy head had brought along their own geniuses. It was also Lin Feng's first time seeing these talents who had each performed brilliantly in the Advanced Spirit Master Academy Competition in the original work: Feng Xiaotian, the only publicly known innate full Soul Power genius in the Heaven Dou Empire this year; Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang of Blazing Fire Academy; Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu of Skywater Academy; and Yu Tianxin of Thunder Academy. Lin Feng was only surprised that Yu Tianxin had arrived with Thunder Academy. He had received word that Yu Tianheng had come with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan delegation. Did the sect master's direct line really hold such a greater advantage? Even though he had failed to win over Dugu Yan and recruit Dugu Bo, he was still young and could surpass Yu Tianxin by a notch.

The Single Attribute Four Great Clans had come together. The Defense Clan had enjoyed a pleasant collaboration with the Lin Family during the academy's construction. Although Lin Feng did not approve of the cultivation methods used by the four clans, their side professions were all highly practical. The Strength Clan's forging techniques, the Defense Clan's construction techniques, and the Breaking Clan's medicine-refining techniques were all extremely valuable. As for the Speed Clan... well, they were pretty good too. The Lin Family had dealt with them quite often over the years. Some relatively rare herbs had been purchased through the Breaking Clan, while the academy's equipment had been custom-made by the Strength Clan. Overall, they were all good partners.

After representatives from various kingdoms and duchies, heads and managers of several academies, and some nobles arrived in succession, another person with a name in the original work finally appeared. Dragon Duke Meng Shu and Snake Dowager Chao Tianxiang arrived with their granddaughter Meng Yiran. They were among the few who possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill capable of contending against a Titled Douluo. Yet the elderly couple was quite low-key. After exchanging pleasantries with Lin Lan and presenting their gift, they were arranged into the lounge. Neither displayed the arrogance expected of someone with "Titled Douluo"-level strength, perhaps because they did not truly possess that strength. In any case, judging from the present situation, whether it was Dragon Duke and Snake Dowager or the Golden Iron Triangle, none of the Martial Soul Fusion Skills said to be capable of rivaling a Titled Douluo could actually do so.