Not his teachers!
His great-grandfather and great-grandmother.
Nan Liujing sat on the bench, staring at the two imposing figures with slightly widened eyes.
Cold Rhyme Douluo Xia Zheng Leng, the continent's strongest Sound Wave Soul Master.
The middle-aged man enveloped in black light, exuding domineering majesty, was none other than Purgatory Douluo Qiangu Qingfeng.
After so many years, Nan Liujing had finally met them in the true sense. No wonder Teacher Leng had worn such an amused expression when telling him not to worry. So this was why.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, two streaks of light descended from the sky at incredible speed. When the light faded, two figures appeared before Nan Liujing.
"Yue Er."
Ya Li cried out. Her delicate body, dressed in a long aqua-green gown, appeared especially soft and graceful.
Beside her stood Yun Ming, his gaze slightly narrowed.
The moment Cai Yuer saw the two of them, she immediately perked up like a dog seeing its master. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something.
But Qiangu Qingfeng's Mental Power suppressed her so completely that she could not make a sound.
"Qiangu Qingfeng, you should know what it means to rashly attack a Sea God Pavilion member." Yun Ming glanced at Cai Yuer, who was constantly signaling at him with her eyes, and spoke in a deep voice.
"How laughable." Xia Zheng Leng sneered. "I'd like to ask you instead. Cai Yuer, a dignified Sea God Pavilion member, inexplicably targeted a child who is only eight and a half years old. She kept calling him an Evil Soul Master and even intended to use the power of her Martial Soul to erase a child's future. Who gave her such authority?"
Hearing this, Yun Ming and Ya Li were both stunned, their gazes turning toward Cai Yuer in unison.
Cai Yuer was still desperately struggling with her soul, but it was useless. She remained firmly suppressed.
"What, you still don't believe it?" Xia Zheng Leng could not be bothered to waste words. With a thought, a recording Soul Guidance device flew over from not far away.
Without delay, the device projected a screen of light. It showed Cai Yuer appearing, knocking Ye Xinglan unconscious, then looking down at Nan Liujing with a lofty attitude while prattling about Evil Soul Masters and how Shrek Academy was the law, before finally attacking him.
If Cai Yuer could still swallow, her throat would certainly have bobbed, because Yun Ming and Ya Li's expressions were growing darker and darker.
Qiangu Qingfeng finally spoke. "Liujing, come here."
Hearing his name, Nan Liujing did not hesitate. He took a soft pillow from his Storage Ring, propped Ye Xinglan against it, then stood and walked over.
The moment he stopped beside Qiangu Qingfeng, he heard his great-grandfather say, "Ya Li, you are the Continent's number one Healing System Soul Master, and your Martial Soul is the purest Prayer Angel. Take a look and see whether this child is truly an Evil Soul Master."
Ya Li took a deep breath, no longer paying attention to Cai Yuer's pleading gaze, and walked straight toward Nan Liujing.
A gentle smile rested on her tender face. "Child, may I test you?"
"Yes." Nan Liujing answered calmly.
Ya Li placed one hand on Nan Liujing's head. Pure golden light lit up, suffused with powerful Life Aura. It was as though heaven and earth had entered early spring, the finest season when all things revived.
Nan Liujing clearly felt a gentle energy enter his body. There was no threat at all, only the comfort of soaking in a hot spring.
A moment later, Ya Li withdrew her hand. Though she still wore a smile, Yun Ming saw the coldness in his beloved's eyes.
His gaze also deepened.
"Well?" Qiangu Qingfeng asked blandly.
Ya Li's expression turned solemn. "This child is not an Evil Soul Master. He merely possesses a very unusual Darkness Power within his body."
Xia Zheng Leng trusted Ya Li's character, so her tone softened. "Then now, we should discuss how to deal with Cai Yuer, this lofty Sea God Pavilion member."
Yun Ming ignored Cai Yuer and said, "State your demands for resolving this matter."
Qiangu Qingfeng said coldly, "First, a Lightning Attribute Soul Bone of sufficient age, at minimum high-grade. Second, one baptism by the Golden Ancient Tree's Life Power. Third, I will take Cai Yuer's soul and imprison it in the Heavenly Spirit Tower for five years!"
The first two demands were still within an acceptable range, but Ya Li's expression changed upon hearing the third. "Yue Er is a Sea God Pavilion member. How can she be imprisoned in the Spirit Pagoda for five whole years?"
Hearing that she was to be imprisoned for five years, Cai Yuer visibly panicked. Even if she was a Super Douluo, if her soul left her body for five years, her cultivation would inevitably plummet even if she returned in the end. She would rather die.
Qiangu Qingfeng ignored Ya Li and faced Yun Ming directly. "Yun Ming, you make the decision."
"What is this child to you?" Yun Ming did not answer directly, instead asking an additional question.
"He is my only blood relative in this world." Xia Zheng Leng spoke in a deep voice.
Yun Ming looked at Nan Liujing, then at Cai Yuer. His tone was gentle. "Yue Er, back then, you committed a grave mistake and were saved by the academy. You later promised never to make a similar mistake again, yet today, you have broken that promise."
Cai Yuer's eye pupil shrank as a bad premonition welled up in her heart.
Yun Ming said indifferently, "You often speak of the academy's glory. I presume you do not wish to see the academy go to war with the Spirit Pagoda and cause needless casualties. So bear with it for a while and stay in the Spirit Pagoda for five years. How about it?"
"Don't worry. If your cultivation falls, I will find a Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure to compensate you."
Cai Yuer's eyes went blank for a moment, then her soul power erupted as she tried to break through Qiangu Qingfeng's suppression. At that moment, Qiangu Qingfeng loosened his suppression, and everyone immediately heard her scream:
"Was it Ya Li who made you agree? Didn't I just add one of your characters to my Battle Armor's name? Why are you targeting me?"
Ya Li froze. "Your Three-word Battle Armor even uses Brother Ming's character?"
Cai Yuer suddenly went still. Even in soul form, her face turned deathly pale.
Oh no, I let it slip.
Yun Ming's expression stiffened. Back then, he had rejected Cai Yuer's confession. Out of consideration for her teacher, he had not forcibly made her change the character in her Battle Armor's name, only demanding that she never reveal it in her life. He had never expected...
Cai Yuer panicked and still tried to salvage the situation. "I am a Sea God Pavilion member. I cannot be taken by the Spirit Pagoda and imprisoned. The Soul Masters of the entire world will laugh at this. It will damage the academy's Ten Thousand Years Glory."
"I want to see Elder Long, I want to see..."
Qiangu Qingfeng had enjoyed the gossip, and his mood improved considerably. "You don't have to be imprisoned."
Those words were like fireworks of hope igniting in Cai Yuer's heart.
But Xia Zheng Leng's next sentence cast her back into the Abyss. "But Shrek Academy must permanently strip you of your status as a Sea God Pavilion Elder."
"Choose one of the two."
Cai Yuer fell silent, her gaze frozen.
At Shrek Academy, the highest status was that of a Sea God Pavilion Elder. It was not something one could join simply by reaching a certain cultivation level; one had to make immense contributions to the academy. Even now, quite a few nine rings powerhouses had not been admitted and remained only candidates.
Even she had only joined with the support of her late teacher. If she were stripped of that status, all the resources belonging to her faction would be cut in half. In particular, as the dean of the Outer Court, she had the privilege of helping certain students advance.
Cai Yuer lowered her head weakly and said in a trembling voice, "I choose imprisonment."
"The Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure I promised will remain yours." Yun Ming looked at her calmly. "Afterward, I will announce internally that you have entered seclusion in pursuit of a breakthrough. You will not lose face."
"The academy's Ten Thousand Years Glory will remain as well. Five years from now, you will still be a Sea God Pavilion member."
Cai Yuer did not reply at all. With her head lowered, intense hatred gradually gathered in her eyes.
Forget the academy's glory. She had seen the indifference in Yun Ming's eyes when the name of her Three-word Battle Armor was mentioned.
Since that's how it is, don't blame me.
Before you continue